Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Seeing his intense reaction, with even the corners of his mouth stained red, Qian Tong guessed the reason. Shame or no shame, it didn’t matter—she had already kidnapped the man and didn’t care if he scolded her. She smiled lightly and said, “I’ll take you somewhere.”

Song Yunzhi’s voice was cold. “I won’t accompany you.”

Qian Tong stepped forward. “There’s no time to lose.”

Song Yunzhi cast her a cold glance.

Qian Tong took out a note and handed it over. “Here.”

Song Yunzhi’s eyes dropped to see her fingers clutching a silver note worth five hundred taels.

“I promised you before that I would help your family. I keep my word.” Five hundred taels was enough for a poor commoner to live a lifetime, but for a merchant family like the Qians, it was a modest sum. Still, she had to maintain her pride and boasted confidently, “One day, I’ll show you what true merchant generosity looks like.”

Song Yunzhi refused to take it, so she moved forward.

“Stand still!” Knowing her tendency to be physical, Song Yunzhi swiftly stepped back, avoiding her like a venomous snake, and quickly snatched the silver note from her fingertips.

Recognizing money but not the person, Qian Tong sighed helplessly. “I must be the most pathetic person in the world—giving money so eagerly and still not getting a bit of gratitude.”

Song Yunzhi glanced over; the young lady was expectantly waiting for his thanks.

Now under someone else’s roof, Song Yunzhi was not permitted any temper. After a moment’s silence, his voice lowered, “Don’t do this again.”

Qian Tong didn’t know why, but the more he was stubborn, the more she wanted to provoke him. Before she could think of the consequences, she blurted out, “What do you mean?”

The teasing smile on her lips was clear, and Song Yunzhi’s brow twitched. Incorrigible! He turned and strode inside.

Having annoyed him, Qian Tong finally remembered the main business and hurried after him, babbling excuses: “It’s not the lipstick on my lips, I had it prepared earlier. You stay up late anyway, come with me.”

So what if it was on her lips? She applied it, not kissed anyone.

“It’s not proper for a young lady to go out alone at night. If you come with me, it will save us a lot of trouble.” Qian Tong didn’t ask if he wanted to; she turned to A Jin and instructed, “Prepare the carriage. The young master and I are going out.”

—

Qian Tong went to the dental shop to intercept the second young master of the Cui family.

Breaking the rules was a risky move, but suited the temperament of Cui Er. The Cui family’s restaurant was sealed off, the head of the family imprisoned, and at the end of their rope, preserving their only profitable asset was crucial.

Their asset was people.

Qian Tong didn’t enter through the front or back door. She circled the courtyard, found a wall, handed a box to Song Yunzhi, wiped her palms, and climbed up.

Sitting on the wall, she could now clearly see the faint lights she had glimpsed earlier.

“Hurry up, move faster…”

“Anyone who dares to make noise will be killed on the spot.”

Standing in the courtyard’s center, dressed in black and holding a long sword, was none other than Cui Er.

Behind the walls, figures emerged — young men, women, and children—all bearing various injuries, worn from long-term torment. At the sight of firelight, they shrank back like startled birds.

Cui Er’s sword pointed at their chests, as if selecting objects, inspecting each one before pointing toward a carriage to assign them, “You, go there.”

Nearby, a woman held a terrified child, who trembled uncontrollably and was on the verge of tears. The woman covered his mouth.

Too far away for Qian Tong to hear, but she could see the woman’s lips moving, likely soothing the child.

Soon they reached Cui Er. His sword hesitated over the child, then tilted toward a carriage.

The woman tried to follow but was stopped by the sword blocking her path. “You, go that way.”

The child, comforted all along by his mother, held back tears. Seeing her not follow, his fear peaked. He clung tightly to her, crying, “Mother, I don’t want to leave you…”

The woman, frightened, quickly covered his mouth again, instinctively turning to shield him. “Son, don’t speak!”

They were trying to escape tonight, yet this man shouted at them. Furious, Cui Er kicked the woman’s back hard. “Not weaned yet, huh? I’ll teach you what obedience means.”

The mother and child were knocked down, rolling on the ground.

Ignoring her pain, the mother struggled to her feet, fiercely protecting the child, begging, “Sir, spare my son. I’ll do anything. Please, spare him…”

Qian Tong knew what horrors Cui Er was capable of, but had never witnessed it firsthand until tonight. Seeing him raise his sword, she couldn’t bear it any longer and shouted, “Hey, Cui Er, may thunder strike you down!”

Along with her voice, a wooden box flew straight at him, hitting the back of his head.

The impact was so sudden Cui Er couldn’t turn in time. He staggered, then fell flat on the ground.

Qian Tong looked beside her at a young man with a dark face. When did he come up? And did he throw the same wooden box filled with contracts she had given him?

“You…”

Song Yunzhi jumped down without looking at her.

Qian Tong, less skilled, found climbing down harder and dared not jump, so she sat on the wall temporarily, watching the young man clear out the villains below.

The young lord carrying the escort indeed fought fiercely.

When she cautiously slid down, the fight in the courtyard was over. The young man, single-handedly, had defeated the Cui family’s gang.

Qian Tong approached but saw he did not move, gripping the long sword Cui Er had wielded. The sharp tip was stained with fresh blood, grim and terrifying.

An escort noble was indeed ruthless.

Fearing he might have killed Cui Er, which would make her all-night effort pointless, she went over and nudged him with her shoe. “Wake up…”

Cui Er stirred slightly, still alive.

Qian Tong turned and called toward the entrance, “Bring help in!”

After a long pause, Song Yunzhi finally moved. Seeing the Qian family rushing in with torches, he realized she had come well prepared tonight. He was used to the cunning of this sly woman; everything he saw now made him disregard her hidden motives.

He glanced at the frightened townsfolk huddled in corners, then went to the carriages, lifting the curtains one by one.

From elderly men in their sixties to toddlers barely three years old, over fifty people were loaded into five carriages. Where were they to be taken?

The peace and prosperity won by countless soldiers’ lives and blood was turned into a profit scheme by these unscrupulous merchants.

Song Yunzhi clenched his fingers tightly, murderous intent rising. He was about to throw his sword at the barely living Cui Er, but a hand grabbed his wrist, whispering, “Put the sword down. You’re scaring them.”

Song Yunzhi regained his senses and noticed the townsfolk’s reactions.

Because of his earlier killing and lifting the curtains, everyone had retreated further away, watching him warily.

Qian Tong seized the sword, raised her voice, “Don’t be afraid. He’s here to save you. Those who can stand, stand up, check your wounds; we’ll treat them immediately…”

A Jin ran swiftly and was the first to enter the dark room. He soon came out, pale-faced, swallowing hard, and said, “Mistress, there’s still…”

Qian Tong knew Cui Er’s cruelty and was mentally prepared.

But witnessing the scene inside shocked her—rooms filled with mangled flesh, severed limbs, bodies strewn everywhere…

It was nothing short of a living hell.

She never imagined Cui Er could be so brutal, cursing all the ancestors of the Cui family.

Some were still alive…

Qian Tong could no longer hold back and cursed loudly, “Cui Yunfang, you beast lower than pig or dog! Aren’t you afraid of heavenly thunder? You’ve ruined the reputation of all merchants!”

She pushed the nauseous A Jin aside. “Hold on, save them!”

She carried out anyone still breathing. Whether they could be saved was another matter, but at least they had to see the light outside.

As she gasped and moved the people one by one, Song Yunzhi had already tied up the survivors, piling them together. Cui Er had awakened; Song Yunzhi held him up by the collar, bloodied cloth stuffed in his mouth, his head drooping weakly.

Qian Tong twitched. “Wait!”

Song Yunzhi lifted his eyes; the black pupils reflected the firelight, piercing the darkness, staring at her like a blade.

Raised on poetry and classics teaching how to discern wickedness, forged by bloody battlefields into an unyielding warrior with an undefeated record, he was like a bright moon intolerant of any impurity.

Where he shone, no filth could hide.

He knew clearly who to hate and never hesitated: hate meant death.

The four great merchants must die!

Yet the fierce gaze fell on the girl beside him, supporting a woman with a broken leg. Blood spread over her clothes, staining them heavily. She showed no disgust or fear, only anxious eyes on the captives in his hand. “Don’t kill him yet. I need him.”

Tonight, the young man exuded a righteous and unyielding spirit.

Qian Tong was momentarily stunned.

Afraid he might slit Cui Er’s throat, she hurried to instruct Fu Yin, “Go tell Madam Cui and the eldest young master: Cui Er is with me. If they want to see him, they must trade for me, the Qian family’s lady.”

She never trusted the Cui family’s character, doubly so now.

These scoundrels!

“Why are you just staring? Come help!” A voice filled with worldly warmth snapped, dragging the moon of righteous vengeance from the sky down to earth. “Since you know medicine, come save them, quickly!”