Chapter 5 Make Rose Kowtow Ninety-Nine Times
They all knew that Cressida had always been a dutiful daughter.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have dared to take on such a huge responsibility at fourteen, disguising herself as a man to join the army in Patrick's place.
Patrick was confident that Cressida would listen to him.
Cressida pressed her pale lips together and looked at Clio.
Only then did Clio stand up, wipe away her tears, and walk toward Cressida.
"Cressida, you're the eldest daughter. Since we adopted Rose, she's your sister, she..."
Clio tried to take Cressida's hand, but felt the rough calluses on her fingers.
In that instant, Clio's voice froze, and she pulled her hand back as if shocked.
Cressida watched her calmly.
In truth, how could she not understand? In her past life, when Clio saw the scars on her body, she would turn her head away.
Back then, Cressida thought she felt sorry for her.
Later, she overheard Clio telling Tatum: "She's always been headstrong and proud since childhood, not like Rose who needs people to feel sorry for her."
During those ten years at the border, Cressida went from being an unknown soldier to a great general.
She had fought her way up with blood and sweat.
She didn't have Rose's delicate skin or her tender, pale hands like spring onions.
Cressida bowed to Sophie: "Princess Russell, please show mercy."
Rose, lying on the ground, looked up with tearful eyes.
Sophie: "You want to plead for her?"
Cressida held the bloodstained uniform and red tassel.
"Since Rose has been adopted by my parents, she is my sister. Father is right—I should plead for my sister."
"However, I've also returned with the mission of bringing my brother's spirit home. My sister wearing bright red is indeed inappropriate."
"So I've thought of a compromise. Let my sister kowtow ninety-nine times before my brother's memorial."
Rose cried out: "What?"
Cressida's tone was gentle, as if full of compassion.
"This way, if my brother knows in the afterlife, he'll appreciate your sincerity and won't blame you for wearing the wrong clothes."
Clio nearly jumped up, her voice breaking: "My Cameron commanded thousands of troops—he would never make things difficult for his own sister over a piece of clothing!"
When Cressida disguised herself as a man, she went by the name Cameron, which she had chosen for herself.
Rose cried even harder: "Sister, you're trying to kill me. Are you upset that I took your place, that the servants mistook me for the Hamilton family's daughter and embarrassed you?"
"If that's the case, I'll bash my head in right now. I won't let you feel wronged, but we're both women—you can't humiliate me like this."
Patrick: "Cressida! Don't push it too far. If word spreads through Emerald City tomorrow, it'll ruin Cressida's reputation!"
Cressida's tone was flat: "Sister, how is kowtowing to my brother humiliating you?"
With one sentence, she completely trapped Rose.
Sophie finally spoke: "She should kowtow and repent properly. General Hamilton made great contributions to Novaria. If Doyle were here today, his punishment would be even harsher than mine."
The Hamilton family knew Sophie was telling the truth.
They'd heard that years ago, when Doyle was held hostage, he was forced by Eldoria's ruler to crawl between legs and suffered terrible humiliation.
When Cameron destroyed Eldoria and forced its ruler to shave his head and commit suicide before the entire army, it was a direct revenge for Doyle.
If he knew Rose dared to wear red while the whole city was in mourning, her only fate would be death.
Clio was completely out of options and could only cover her face and cry.
Patrick was more rational: "Rose, then you'll have to kneel..."
Cressida had Emma place the bloodstained uniform and red tassel at the entrance.
She knelt down first and choked out: "Brother, we're home."
When she tried to stand, she swayed, and Emma quickly supported her.
"Miss, you've been kneeling all the way here. You can't kneel anymore."
"Hurry inside. If you won't take care of yourself, I'll have to worry about you," Sophie said.
Hearing Sophie's words, Patrick suddenly realized and quickly invited Cressida into the Hamilton Mansion.
The urgent matter was to keep Cressida stable and prevent her from saying anything wrong in front of Sophie!
Thalia didn't want to get involved in this mess. Coming today, she'd almost offended Sophie, which made her quite upset. She felt the Patrick's family had no manners.
So Thalia hurriedly said goodbye, and before leaving, didn't forget to take back the bracelet she'd given Rose.
Sophie ordered Juliet to watch Rose kowtow.
The group went inside, and even Chris entered the Hamilton Mansion under the pretense of mourning to offer incense to Cameron's memorial tablet.
In the ancestral hall.
Cameron's memorial tablet had already been placed at the very top of all the tablets.
Cressida looked up at it. The ritual offerings were hazy, and the name "Cameron" on the tablet seemed distant and blurred.
The Hamilton family had always been mediocre, never producing anyone particularly outstanding.
Before Cressida joined the army in Patrick's place, Patrick's official position was only middle-ranking.
Patrick was a dispensable minor official who would have been replaced long ago if not for his family's legacy.
During those ten years Cressida fought desperately at the border, she elevated the family's nine generations of hereditary title, making them part of the elite nobility.
With such wealth and glory, no wonder they'd rather she actually died than return with a face identical to Cameron's.
Sophie also offered a stick of incense, then was invited by Patrick and Clio to the main hall.
They wanted to plead for Rose.
Only Cressida and Chris remained in the ancestral hall.
Emma withdrew to the doorway.
Using the ritual offerings, Cressida pulled out the secret letter from her sleeve and burned it.
It was Chris's reply, telling her he would immediately set out to meet her in Emerald City.
In her past life, when she first returned home, it was also the day Chris came back to Emerald City to report on his duties.
Chris had visited the Hamilton Mansion under the pretense of offering incense to Cameron, but didn't get to see Cressida—he only saw Rose.
At that time, Chris must have sensed something and even sent Cressida a secret letter asking if she needed help.
But back then, she was still worried about exposing her identity and implicating her family, so she didn't even reply to Chris's letter.
That's why, after being reborn, Cressida thought of him first.
"General Hamilton, those tokens you asked me to destroy—I couldn't bear to part with them, so I've kept them safe. If you need them, I can bring them back anytime," Chris said quietly behind her.
Cressida nodded slowly: "My army is now under Prince Russell's command. Prince Russell is decisive and ruthless. You and Casey must follow the prince's orders and lead the brothers to guard the border well."
Casey West was her second trusted aide, someone she trusted as much as Chris.
"Yes! But General Hamilton, you will always be our General Hamilton."
"You should go. It's rare to be back in Emerald City—go see your wife and children."
At the mention of his wife and children, emotion welled up in Chris's eyes: "Thank you, General Hamilton!"
Cressida was younger than him, but she'd won over both him and Casey not just through martial skills, but through winning hearts.
Casey had no family, but Chris had a wife and a pair of lovely children before joining the army.
So every three years when he returned to Emerald City to report, Cressida would allow him to stay an extra month.
As long as Doyle didn't investigate, she turned a blind eye to such matters.
Chris knew he owed her a debt of gratitude and was even more loyal to her.
Sophie sat for a while, and after Rose had kowtowed thirty-some times and fainted, she left.
Cressida accompanied Patrick and Clio to see her off.
Before leaving, Sophie said meaningfully to Cressida: "If you have any difficulties, come find me."
As soon as Sophie left, no one in the family paid any attention to Cressida. They all went to take care of Rose.
Clio even had Rose sent directly to the main courtyard, saying she would personally care for her.
Cressida remained calm and took Emma to the courtyard where she used to live.
The place where she'd lived at fourteen had now become Rose's residence.
To this, Cressida had only one thing to say.
"Emma, smash what needs smashing, throw out what needs throwing out. In two hours, I want to rest."