Lady Jiang was terrified by Cao Wenzhao's savage expression.
Tears mingled with the blood at the corner of her mouth and streamed down without stopping.
In the three years since she had married into the Cao Family.
Cao Wenzhao had always indulged her every wish.
When had she ever seen the usually gentle, refined Cao Wenzhao look as though he wanted to devour someone?
Her face full of fear and grievance, she said, "M-my lord, even if the girls of my Jiang Family aren't worthy, we're still His Highness the King of Chu's own flesh and blood..."
"His own flesh and blood?"
Hearing those words, Cao Wenzhao seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world.
He was so furious that he laughed instead.
His laughter carried a chilling bitterness and self-mockery.
"You really think those words are a golden token that can spare you from death?!"
Cao Wenzhao seized Lady Jiang's chin and forced her to lift her head and look at him.
His bloodshot eyes held a stark understanding of how the world truly worked.
"I'll spell it out for you today, so you can bury that notion once and for all!"
"My sister and my brother-in-law eloped!"
"Before this, our Cao Family and the Li Family hadn't had the slightest contact for decades!"
Lady Jiang trembled all over. She opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.
Cao Wenzhao flung her face aside.
"And yet you tell me that our Cao Family counts as his own flesh and blood?"
"Do you think His Highness the King of Chu is some kindly, pious soul?"
"To reach where he is today, he's killed more people than you've eaten grains of salt!"
"Would a man like that care about empty pretenses of family affection?"
Cao Wenzhao drew