Chapter 15 Devil! Beast!

Qian Faliang, believing himself to be suave, smiled and used the handkerchief in his hand to dab at the drool at the corner of his mouth.

"If you don't speak, I will take that as your consent!" he declared.

"I granted you six days to consider, and now I've come in person, you should be grateful."

With a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Come, carry him back for me."

"Qian Faliang, are you not afraid of divine retribution?" Zhao Yonglian burst out, bumping into two Government Officials as he shielded Zhao Xiyan.

"Divine retribution? What's that? Here, at this station, I—Qian Faliang!—am the heaven!"

He glanced at the torrential rain outside and let out a deranged laugh.

"Take him away, we've wasted too much time already."

"Yes, sir!"

Six Government Officials looked at each other and started approaching Zhao Yonglian with whips in hand.

Outnumbered six to one, Zhao Yonglian was swiftly restrained.

His arms and legs were bound behind him in a bow shape with a whip.

Even his mouth was gagged with a whip, resembling a zongzi.

"Mmph, beasts..."

Inside the carriage, Zhao Yongzhe was unable to move his legs, his eyes almost bled with rage.

He harbored hate.

Hate that despite his lifelong service and honors, he had been humiliated and was unable to save his family.

He moved his battered body, trying with all his might to protect Zhao Xiyan.

"Qian Faliang, come at me, not my son!"

Hearing this, Qian Faliang snorted with laughter and raised his orchid finger, pointing distantly.

"You," he sized up Zhao Yongzhe, examining him as if evaluating an object, "—are too old, and dirty."

"You!" Zhao Yongzhe, suppressing the tumult in his heart, warned, "Qian Faliang, my Zhao Family has served the nation all our lives. If His Majesty knew, he wouldn't let you off!"

"Hahahahaha... His Majesty!" Qian Faliang laughed madly, barely able to catch his breath, "Does His Majesty even know who you are anymore? Hahahahaha..."

Still recovering from severe injuries, Zhao Yongzhe was so provoked that he spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted.

"Husband, husband!"

Shen Yu collapsed onto Zhao Yongzhe and called out several times, tears streaming down her face.

At that moment, she could no longer concern herself with her husband. As a mother, she was even more determined to protect her son to the end.

She shielded Zhao Xiyan, her delicate face showing stubborn perseverance.

"You beasts, if you dare touch my son, I will kill you."

The Government Officials, upon hearing this, burst into laughter.

"Oh, you'll kill us? How? With those tender little hands of yours? Hahaha..."

"No, she probably plans to use herself! Isn't there a saying, 'Better to die beneath the peony, for even as a ghost you'll be charming'? Hahaha..."

"I agree, let's take her back too!"

Shen Yu was not yet forty and had maintained herself well, her skin still soft and delicate.

Despite wearing tattered clothes, her appearance was still captivating.

As the wife of a duke, she had never been humiliated like this, wishing she could bite her tongue and die.

Zhao Shuanghua, seeing her mother insulted, also rushed forward to protect her.

"You, you beasts! You will not die well! Even as a ghost, I won't forgive you!"

Zhao Shuangyue found a dagger from somewhere and, holding it in front, rushed to the forefront.

"If you dare come closer, I—I will kill you!"

Seeing this, the Government Officials laughed even more smugly.

"Miss, do you even know how to kill someone? Would you like your brother here to teach you?"

"These little girls are quite understanding, knowing that their brothers have been longing for them for many days!"

"Perfect, one for each of the two! Hehehe..."

Zhao Shuangyun and Zhao Shuangxue saw the dire situation and dashed outside, but a Government Official blocked them.

The two saw their second uncle Zhao Yongxin and his family in the crowd and started shouting at the top of their voices.

"Second Uncle, Second Brother, Third Brother, please save Big Brother, save our aunt!"

"Who are you? I don't know you!"

Zhao Yongxin quickly dragged his sons and buried himself in the dung.

Zhao Shuangyun and Zhao Shuangxue, unwilling to give up, knelt on the ground and continued to plead.

"Please, save my Big Brother, he is a good man, a hero."

"Two years ago, he protected Beiyuan, have you all forgotten?"

"..."

Their begging did not provoke the imagined courage to stand up; at such a moment, everyone was too busy running away to come forward.

"Mother, you take the sisters aside," Zhao Xiyan's cool voice rang out.

Shen Yu shuddered, looking at him incredulously, "Yanyan!"

"Mother!" Zhao Xiyan's gaze was firm, he slowly shook his head, "This is my affair."

Shen Yu knew her son and knew that if she did not back down, Zhao Xiyan might just end his own life on the spot.

She retreated with tears in her eyes, guarding the four sisters behind her.

Qian Faliang saw the hand crossbow in Zhao Xiyan's hand, and a gleam flashed in his beady eyes.

"You are trying to stall for time, waiting for that Miss Qi to come and save you, aren't you?"

He squeezed a silk handkerchief and wiped his nose, glancing at the Government Official beside him.

"What do you say, can Big Li and Big Qiang take down that fat woman?"

A Government Official stepped forward with a smug smile, "Sure, that fat lady might be a bit strong, but she's no match for Big Li and Big Qiang!"

Hearing this, anger flashed across Shen Yu's face, and Zhao Xiyan's hand holding the crossbow trembled slightly.

"She is General Qi's daughter, how dare you treat her like this?"

Qian Faliang sneered coldly.

"General Qi is dead and gone, and if it weren't for his old subordinates, his daughter would be nothing! Take Zhao Xiyan away!"

At his command, several Government Officials surged forward.

"Wait," Zhao Xiyan spoke coldly, "please clarify, Mr. Qian, where are you taking me? And for what?"

Hearing this, Qian Faliang chuckled.

"You really don't know?"

"I don't know." Zhao Xiyan's cool voice was calm and unflustered.

Qian Faliang rolled his eyeballs around, grinning, and pointed at the clean-faced young man.

"Why don't you ask him? He knows very well."

The designated young man suddenly jumped up, holding a rock in his hand and charged towards Qian Faliang.

"Devil! Beast! I will kill you!"

Qian Faliang, as if he had foreseen this, stood still and at the moment the young man came close, he thrust a sharp knife from his sleeve into the young man's throat, then yanked it out.

"Pff!"

Bright red blood sprayed out in a fan-shaped pattern in the air, like a fleeting rainbow shadow, it instantly fell to the ground, seeping into the dung.

Qian Faliang's face turned ferocious, and he stretched out his blood-red tongue, hooking a few drops of blood on his lip corners into his mouth, laughing triumphantly.

"I wonder if Young Marquis Zhao's blood is even sweeter? Hahaha..."

"Don't worry, Young Marquis, I will definitely take good care of you. I have some fun toys in my room, all of which you will get to try, haha, take him away!"