"Li, don't push it too far!" Old Master Zhang's eyes were bloodshot. "You've taken us captive and tormented us enough, and now you want to kill us. What gives you the right?"
"Even a clay figurine has a temper. Do you think we're afraid of you?"
Madam Zhang seemed to have realized something and quickly picked up the knife from the ground.
Her hands trembled slightly, but she stood firmly with her husband, protecting their son between them.
"I've had enough too!" she no longer concealed her anger. "Even if we die here today, we won't let you bully us any longer!"
"That's right, Yang'er, pick up the knife!" Old Master Zhang was highly agitated. "Your mother and I will risk our lives. You find a chance to run, and if you can, get revenge for us later!"
Zhang Yang, who had been scared out of his wits, suddenly snapped back to reality and quickly picked up the knife from the ground.
He trembled uncontrollably, and sweat dripped from his forehead in large drops.
Father was too naive. With so many people, he wouldn't be able to escape even with wings!
Master Li had been sitting calmly on his chair the whole time, watching them as if they were clowns.
Over the years, he had seen many people beg for mercy or resist when facing death, but without exception, they had all died.
Master Li raised his hand and leisurely sipped his tea.
Upon receiving his order, the guards immediately stepped forward with their knives.
Old Master Zhang and Madam Zhang trembled with fear, but they tightly gripped their weapons, holding onto a sliver of hope, praying only that their son could escape.
Just then, with a "plop," it was as if everything had been paused. Everyone's eyes widened in shock, and even Master Li sat up straight in surprise.
Blood flowed from the corner of Old Master Zhang's mouth. He turned his head in disbelief and saw his son, whom he had doted on, holding a blood-stained knife with both hands and plunging it deeply into his own back.
"Yang'er..."
Old Master Zhang's eyes were filled with confusion, shock, pain, and suspicion...
The knife Master Li gave him was not heavy, but Zhang Yang was young, and it was still difficult for him to lift it.
Even so, the knife pierced deeply into Old Master Zhang's back, demonstrating the great resolve behind his strike.
"Master!"
Madam Zhang cried out and rushed towards Old Master Zhang. Her shocked and piercing voice seemed about to shatter the tranquility of the Li mansion.
Zhang Yang instinctively looked up and saw Madam Zhang, her face fierce, holding a knife and seemingly lunging at him.
"Ah—Don't come near me!"
He seemed to be frightened and instinctively closed his eyes, raising the knife in his hand and flinging it directly.
"Plop!"
The sound of the knife piercing flesh suddenly rang out, and warm blood sprayed out, splattering directly onto Zhang Yang's face.
At that moment, the world seemed to fall silent. Zhang Yang froze on the spot.
He trembled and opened his eyes to see a gash on his mother's neck, with bright red blood desperately flowing out.
The eyes fixed on him were filled with bewilderment and terror.
The next moment, Madam Zhang's body lost all strength and collapsed heavily.
"Bang!"
A string in Zhang Yang's heart suddenly snapped. He was so scared that he collapsed onto the ground.
Old Master Zhang and Madam Zhang looked in the same direction, their faces still etched with shock and disbelief before they completely lost their breath.
The misfortune that befell the Zhang family was all because of Zhang Yang. Although they had resented and blamed him, they had never thought of abandoning their son.
But they never imagined that the son they had protected with all their might would personally kill them!
Zhang Yang trembled all over. The sight of his parents' unseeing eyes was now deeply etched into his mind.
"Heh, you're quite ruthless, kid!"
Master Li's voice broke through Zhang Yang's consciousness.
He looked up at Master Li's sneering expression and suddenly seemed to understand something.
"Master... Master, spare my life!" He crawled towards Master Li on all fours, his hands passing through his parents' warm blood, leaving long bloody trails.
But before he could get close, a nearby guard kicked him back.
Zhang Yang didn't care. He crawled towards Master Li again on all fours, his posture so humble and pathetic, like a stray dog on the street.
"Master, my father came up with the idea to trick you. It has nothing to do with me. I was just following his orders."
He kowtowed repeatedly in the blood where his parents lay, the crimson on his forehead possibly his own, or his parents'.
"Please spare my life, Master. Keep me... I will repay you with endless service! Master, spare my life, I truly knew nothing, spare me..."
Watching him behave even more humbly than an ant, Master Li smiled. "A person who can kill his own parents, how can I trust your sincerity?"
Zhang Yang looked up in shock. Crimson blood flowed from his forehead, down his temples, across his cheeks, and dripped from his chin, making him look like a demon crawled from hell.
Master Li waved his hand in disgust. "Clean this place up quickly. It's an eyesore!"
"Yes."
The guards obeyed and walked towards Zhang Yang, raising their knives expressionlessly.
"No—"
Zhang Yang closed his eyes in terror, despair instantly engulfing him.
At the critical moment, Steward Li's voice suddenly rang out, "Master, bad news! Bad news... The officials... so many officials have arrived outside and surrounded our mansion!"
"What?!" Master Li abruptly stood up from his chair. "How could the officials surround the Li mansion? What's going on?"
Steward Li panted, "According to... according to an imperial decree from the palace. The one who delivered it was... Eunuch Chang Gui."
Master Li's eyes widened in shock. "Eunuch Chang Gui isn't Consort Lan's favored attendant? Why would he come here?"
Steward Li shook his head, his expression grave. "This old servant inquired, but Eunuch Chang Gui revealed nothing. He only said it was the Emperor's decree and that you, Master, should go receive it quickly."
"The Emperor's decree?" Master Li felt a hint of unease. "Quick, get me dressed!"
He couldn't bother with anything else and hurried out, almost running.
No one had expected this sudden turn of events.
The guards exchanged glances and quickly followed him with their knives.
Watching everyone leave, Zhang Yang finally realized that he had narrowly escaped death.
He slumped to the ground, a smile of relief appearing on his face, but then he was overcome with fear.
A boy around ten years old sat in the blood, crying and laughing, his appearance oddly frightening.
The next moment, Zhang Yang suddenly thought of something and turned to look at his parents' corpses.
Their faces were still etched with shock, staring at him with unseeing eyes.
Zhang Yang shivered.
If they had held on a little longer, then...
No, it wouldn't have happened!
The Li mansion guards were all martial artists. Even if they had resisted with all their might, they wouldn't have lasted long. He had no choice.
Father and Mother loved him so much, they would surely understand.
Didn't they want to risk their lives to let him escape?
Yes, Father and Mother would understand!