Chapter 14: Chapter 14: The Ideal Lover of the World
On the fourth evening, when they stopped at the post station to spend the night, young and beautiful women also became victims.
Those who were unwilling to go were whipped half to death by the government officials accompanying Qian Faliang and then dragged away.
On the fifth day, Qi Baozhu, the daughter of Qi Yue’s second aunt, was chosen.
While a government official was dragging her halfway, Qi Fengzhang stumbled and rolled over to block them, pulling out a stack of silver notes to save Qi Baozhu.
Qi Yue estimated the stack contained one hundred thousand taels.
She felt an itch in her hands at that moment, thinking that the money should have been hers and felt an impulse to rush over and collect all the silver notes.
But thinking that it would be exposing herself to great danger, she firmly restrained herself.
On the sixth day, the situation did not improve.
The Zhao Family members were all trembling with fear, and Qi Yue could no longer sit still, worried that the next targets would be one of the Zhao family’s girls.
Shen Yu was a great beauty, and the men of the Zhao Family were each outstanding as well.
Zhao Shuangyun and Zhao Shuangxue, although still young, were also poised like slender stalks of lotus, endearing to all who saw them.
Especially Zhao Shuanghua and Zhao Shuangyue, who were of marriageable age, possessed beauty so captivating it could shame the moon and flowers.
During these days, although Qian Faliang had not bothered Zhao Xiyan again, his subordinates followed the Zhao family members constantly, their intentions unclear.
On the seventh day, rain suddenly began to pour, and the exile team hastened to reach the post station in Siping Town.
Fortunately, this post station used to be a horse farm, and Guan Yidao had everyone stay in the horse stables.
The rain was pouring heavily, as if the sky had opened a gap and was spilling water.
If it weren’t for the high stables, everyone might have had to swim in manure water.
For safety reasons, Qi Yue specifically placed the Zhao Family members at the innermost position.
“Mom, you must be hungry, I’ll go make some soup for everyone to drink something hot.”
As soon as Qi Yue spoke, Shen Yu embraced her tightly.
“Yueyue, can we not have soup? Let’s just eat some steamed buns,”
Several younger sisters-in-law also gathered around.
“Sister-in-law, we don’t want soup, don’t leave us.”
Zhao Yonglian finally spoke.
“Yes, niece-in-law, look at the situation now. If you’re not here, I’m afraid I can’t protect them!”
Qi Yue was worried too, but seeing the rock-hard steamed buns, she still felt the need to go.
“Uncle, don’t worry, I’ll just make some hot water and come back. We haven’t eaten anything hot in days. Dad and Zhao Xiyan have injuries, they can’t endure this,”
Despite the anxious glances from others, Qi Yue left the stable with a bit of worry in her heart.
Even though it was only momentarily, mishaps could still happen.
Recalling that there was a hand crossbow in the junk room of her space, she simply took it out and turned back.
In her previous life, the rural clinic where she worked was remote, with plenty of weasels, and this hand crossbow was quite effective in chasing them away.
Aimed correctly, it was one shot, one kill.
Zhao Xiyan couldn’t move his leg and had used swords before, so handling the hand crossbow was a piece of cake for him.
“Take this, shoot directly at anyone who’s troublesome.”
“Thank you.”
Zhao Xiyan was wearing a mask, so his expression was unseen, but Qi Yue could hear the pleasure in his voice.
The slight hint of a smile was wrapped within the word “thank you,” like a hawthorn candy coated with frosted sugar, instantly evoking in Qi Yue the sensation of a sweet and sour burst.
She bit her lip.
This damn voice fetish!
Qi Yue had never expected that.
Ever since she entered this stable, Qian Faliang’s men had been closely watching her every move.
And indeed, no sooner had she left than Qian Faliang entered the stable, accompanied by several Government Officials.
“Tsk tsk, look at this, how is one to step down here?” he said.
Qian Faliang, holding his fingers daintily, flicked a brocade handkerchief that reeked of cheap rouge.
The two Government Officials by his side immediately went out and soon brought in a large, ornate chair, placing it deferentially behind Qian Faliang.
Qian Faliang flicked his brocade handkerchief across his nose and settled himself into the chair with a wag of his head.
Sitting cross-legged, he squinted his small bean-like eyes, surveying everyone in the stable.
“Why is no one speaking? Are you all mute?”
All was silent.
More than three hundred people, except for those wearing shackles, had all curled up into tight balls, not even daring to breathe heavily.
The already cramped stable, because of the overcrowding, was somewhat stuffy and warm.
But in that moment, it was as if winter had descended suddenly, freezing the place.
Qian Faliang suddenly jumped up, squatting on the chair, looking down imperiously at the huddled convicts.
“Speak—up!!”
The crowd shrieked, dropping to their knees.
Qian Faliang extended his riding crop, pointing it at a young man with clear, handsome features.
“Bring him to me!” he commanded.
Immediately, two Government Officials stepped forward, dragged the youth out, and forced him to kneel before Qian Faliang.
A hand, like a hawk’s claw, seized his chin, “This mouth of yours, it’s fed by me, it drinks what I provide, and yet you cannot even speak?”
The young man clenched his teeth so tightly his neck almost formed a straight line and his eyes seemed to spit fire, yet he remained silent.
Qian Faliang caressed his chin a couple of times and then suddenly burst into creepy laughter.
“Ah, almost forgot, you were quite the noble young master, weren’t you? You probably don’t remember the events of that night, do you?” he said.
While speaking, he suddenly grabbed the young man’s hair, pressing his face brutally onto the seat between his legs.
The young man struggled violently, but the more he struggled, the more the foul stench invaded his nose and mouth.
“Mmph… mmph… beast…”
Suddenly, Qian Faliang seemed to lose interest and violently threw the young man aside.
“Damn it, wasting my precious time,” he muttered.
He stood on the chair, starting to search among the crowd.
Wherever his snake-like gaze fell, that area collapsed.
Everyone buried their faces down, some even began to smear dirt and feces on their faces.
But in the next instant, countless whips rained down on them.
The bullwhip, stained with who knew how much human blood, sounded particularly sharp and horrifying.
Amidst the deafening cries, only the Zhao Family members neither cried nor wailed nor smeared feces on their faces, maintaining an extraordinary calm.
Qian Faliang glanced over, and his beady eyes suddenly crinkled into a smile, “Found you.”
He jumped down from the chair, swaggering with his thin legs straight toward the back of the stable.
“Xiyan Zhao, quite good at hiding, aren’t you? Knew I was coming for you?” he called out.
The man before him was like a solitary orchid in a deep valley, exuding an unrecognizable delicate fragrance even amidst the dirt of the stable.
With a noble face and stunningly beautiful eyes, his aura bore a strange, bewitching charm.
Gazing at Xiyan Zhao, it felt as if a million ants were gnawing and biting in Qian Faliang’s heart.
How could such a creature of the world, an object of passion, let him rest easy?
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