The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

As they spoke, General Su led his men into the crowd like an iron torrent. Su Yunruo's gaze searched carefully through the crowd, and when she spotted the handsome prince in the group, dressed in luxurious robes, her heart skipped a beat. That man was none other than the Third Prince, Si Yunyuan, with whom she had once been engaged.

She stared intently at Si Yunyuan, a surge of expectation welling up within her, hoping to see a glimmer of warmth in his eyes. However, when their gazes met, Si Yunyuan's eyes were as cold as icy stars, devoid of any warmth, as if he had never known her before.

That expectation vanished instantly, replaced by a deep sense of loss and pain. Su Yunruo's heart sank, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand. She stood there, stunned, trying to find answers in Si Yunyuan's eyes, but there was nothing but indifference in them.

She felt a chill creep through her, the cold seeping into her very bones, making her tremble uncontrollably. She stared blankly at Si Yunyuan, her eyes filled with despair and sorrow.

She couldn't understand why that once gentle man had become so cold and ruthless. Was everything between them just a dream?

She preferred to believe it was all a misunderstanding, that perhaps Si Yunyuan had some reason for treating her this way. But at this moment, she couldn't find any explanation in his eyes.

"Why..." she murmured to herself, tears blurring her vision, her voice hoarse with sorrow.

Si Yunyuan did not respond to her at all, as if she were a complete stranger.

At that moment, Su Yunruo's world completely collapsed. She lost her last shred of hope, and collapsed to the ground, her heart ashen, letting her tears flow freely.

Just then, General Su stared directly at the bandit leader Xiang Yuntian, his eyes flashing with anxious yet resolute light. His voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable authority: "Where is Su Ning'er right now? I demand that you release her immediately!"

Xiang Yuntian stared coldly at General Su, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He replied in a defiant tone, "Have you brought the person I requested?"

General Su took a deep breath, his brows furrowing tightly. His gaze was fixed on Xiang Yuntian, then he exchanged a glance with the Third Prince beside him. He then looked at Xiang Yuntian again and said firmly, "I cannot hand the person over to you, but I am willing to offer other terms in exchange. And I have already brought the money; please release the person."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Yuntian's sneer deepened, as if mocking General Su's naiveté. He crossed his arms and sneered, "General Su, you're quite the schemer! You must bring both the money and the people before I'll consider releasing them. Otherwise, I can't guarantee the safety of your daughter and niece."

Su Yunruo listened silently to her father's conversation with Xiang Yuntian, her heart filled with helplessness and bitterness. She knew that her father had always doted on Su Ning'er, treating her with utmost affection; while he seemed indifferent and neglectful towards his own daughter. She had tried to change all of this, but each effort had ended in failure. Now, faced with this situation, she could only choose silence and silently accept reality.

A flicker of envy crossed her eyes. Su Ning'er possessed her father's boundless love and care, while she herself was merely a forgotten corner. A self-deprecating smile crept onto her lips, as if mocking her own ignorance.

Suddenly, a commotion shattered the tranquility. Everyone turned to look, and saw a man covered in blood rush into the crowd. His face was filled with terror and anxiety, and he brandished a blood-stained longsword. As he ran, he shouted, "Oh no! They still have Shadow Guards! Boss, they've rescued Su Ning'er!"

Before the words were even finished, General Su and the Third Prince's men had already engaged in fierce combat with the bandits. Swords clashed, and shouts of battle echoed through the valley. The disparity in strength was significant; the bandits gradually gained the upper hand, while General Su and the Third Prince's men suffered a steady retreat.

Su Yunruo stood to the side, her heart filled with anxiety and fear. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, yet she felt no pain. Looking at the chaotic battle before her, her heart grew heavier.

She knew all too well that the outcome of this battle was no longer important. Watching the standoff between her father and Xiang Yuntian, a nameless sorrow welled up within her. She knew that no matter the result, she would be unable to change her place in her father's heart.

Just then, the strategist, sword in hand, stood beside Su Yunruo. His eyes were icy as he stared ahead, shouting to General Su in the distance, "General Su! Stop immediately! Your daughter is in our hands!"

Upon hearing this, General Su smiled contemptuously and replied, "It doesn't matter! Ning'er has been rescued, and I no longer care about her life or death. I came here today only to wipe out your band of mountain bandits!"

Hearing these words, Su Yunruo felt a sharp, agonizing pain in her heart. She couldn't understand why her own father would treat her this way. She pondered to herself, she had never done anything wrong, nor had she ever offended her father, so why was he so heartless and cruel? Unable to contain her grief and anger any longer, she shouted at her father, "Father! What wrong have I committed to deserve such cold-hearted treatment? Since childhood, I have lost the care and protection of my family, and now, after finally returning home, I suffer such torment! What crime have I committed?"

Upon hearing General Su's words, Su Yunruo's face showed an expression of disbelief. She stared at General Su with wide eyes and asked in a trembling voice, "Father... what did you say? I'm not your biological child? How is that possible? Su Ning'er is your biological daughter? Then... what about me? Who is my mother?"

General Su replied coldly, "Of course you are not my biological child. When you went missing, it was actually my deliberate arrangement so that you would never come back and disturb our lives again. Do you know that from the very beginning, you did not belong to this family? You were just an extra person."

Upon hearing these words, Su Yunruo's body trembled uncontrollably. Her eyes were filled with shock and despair, as if her entire world had collapsed in an instant. She couldn't accept this cruel reality: all along, she had been an outsider.

At this moment, Su Yunruo finally understood why Su Ning'er was always hostile towards her, and why the servants in her household looked down on her so much. It turned out they had known the truth all along, while she remained completely unaware.

Su Yunruo felt as if a thousand needles were piercing her heart, causing unbearable pain. She gritted her teeth, trying to hold back her tears, but the sorrow in her eyes was impossible to conceal. She couldn't help but recall all the grievances and unfair treatment she had suffered in the past, and now she realized it was all because she wasn't of the Su family bloodline.

In a daze, Su Yunruo suddenly saw General Su approaching her with a long sword in hand. His eyes turned extremely sharp, as if he wanted to kill her.

Su Yunruo's eyes widened as she tried to resist, but the blow she had just suffered had left her with most of her strength. General Su's longsword pierced her abdomen with lightning speed. A sharp pain shot through her, and she couldn't help but scream.

General Su glanced coldly at Su Yunruo lying on the ground, then kicked her, sending her tumbling into the abyss.

Su Yunruo's body plummeted through the air, and she felt her life slowly slipping away. Her heart was filled with pain and despair, as if the whole world had abandoned her.

As she fell, Su Yunruo silently murmured, "If there is an afterlife, I will live more freely and unrestrained! I will never suffer such humiliation again!" As she spoke, her consciousness gradually blurred, and she eventually disappeared into the endless darkness.