Chapter 517 — Retribution

Song Han struggled with all his might.

All at once, the force pinning him down vanished; he actually wrenched himself free of their grip, went lurching forward, and crashed to the ground.

Everyone in the room was startled by this turn of events; Miao Zhi and Qixia shrieked and darted behind Song Zhi.

The men holding Song Han were struck dumb by the sight. One of them could not say how, but his elbow had gone numb, and his hand simply lost its strength...

"Duke of the Realm, sir!" He tried in terror to explain himself to Song Cen. But just as suddenly his hand was working as though nothing had happened; he could only swallow his bewilderment and stride forward to seize Song Han again.

But Song Han was like a tiger loosed from its cage, and with a savage face he hurled himself at Song Cen.

Song Cen was horrified, so frightened that for a moment he lost all presence of mind, and simply watched as Song Han lunged forward and clamped both hands around his throat.

"I will teach you to twist the truth. I will teach you to call black white!" Song Han muttered, his gaze fixed and vacant.

The corner of Song Yan's mouth curled upward in a cold smile.

Dog biting dog, a mouthful of fur apiece—what business was it of his?

The Lu family stood by, enjoying the spectacle.

Song Maochun did think of stepping in to pull the two apart, but seeing that neither Song Yan nor the Lu family made a move, he hesitated a moment, then turned his face away.

Song Fengchun and Song Tongchun had always followed Song Maochun's lead, so they too sat tight.

Song Qin and the others were of the younger generation, with no right to speak; all they could do was watch.

Zeng Wu had long since slipped away to some unknown corner.

And so the whole room watched with open eyes as Song Han throttled Song Cen until his face turned purple and his tongue lolled out.

In the end it was the guards who had been holding Song Han who saw that if no one intervened there would be a death on their hands, and gritted their teeth and went to break up the fight.

But Song Han, who looked rather slight, proved as strong as an ox in that moment; pull as they might, they could not pry him loose.

One guard set about prying Song Han's fingers apart.

The pain made Song Han let go with one hand.

The guards breathed a sigh of relief.

But Song Han's eyes had gone red, and he opened his mouth and sank his teeth into Song Cen's throat.

Song Cen let out a yelp, his face going white with pain.

"Second Master, let go, let go!" The guards spun in frantic circles around them, some pulling at Song Han's men, some pounding on Song Han's head, others tickling him, but Song Han was like a man possessed, his teeth clamped fast to Song Cen's throat and refusing to loosen.

Blood ran from the corner of Song Han's mouth and dripped onto his own lapels.

Only then did Lu Chen's expression change. He exchanged a glance with his cousin Lu Shi, rose to his feet, and bellowed, "Enough!": "Song Han, will you not let go? Do you mean to murder your own father?"

Song Han paid him no heed, his eyes savage as a wild beast's.

Song Maochun and the others felt their hearts lurch; something here had slipped beyond the ordinary order of things.

The three brothers exchanged a look, and Song Maochun seized a teapot and brought it down hard upon Song Han's head.

Song Han's eyes went fixed and blank, and after a moment he slumped gently to the floor.

Song Cen clutched at his throat, no longer able to speak, blood welling ceaselessly out between his fingers.

"Second Uncle, Second Uncle!" Song Qin wept, pressing the hem of his own robe to Song Cen's throat, while Song Maochun, his face ashen, shouted, "Fetch the physician, now!" The Lu brothers strode over with grave faces, and the room fell into chaos—only Song Yan sat to one side, cold and unmoved, with Miao Zhi and Qixia trembling behind him.

No one had the least thought to spare for Song Han.

Blood seeped slowly from Song Han's head, spreading in a dark stain across the flagstones.

Huang Qing, the chief steward of the Ying Duke of the Realm's household, came rushing in at the head of a crowd of serving women; they tore a door panel loose for a stretcher, shouted to know when the physician would arrive, and in bustling confusion carried Song Cen out.

Song Cen, clutching his throat in agony, was lifted up—and in that instant the corner of his eye caught Song Yan, standing quietly where he was, watching this life of his with a cool, indifferent gaze.

For no reason he could name, he thought of fifteen years ago.

He had been duped by the Earl of Guang'en; Lady Jiang, great with child, instead of resting quietly at home to safeguard her pregnancy, had gone running to Jiang Meisun—and Jiang Meisun, far from helping him, had carried the whole matter to Father. Lady Jiang had even put on a show of pleading for him, and the upshot was another tongue-lashing from Father and the loss of his right to manage the household...

Sisters and brothers, .update.

o(n_n)o~

※(To be continued..)