Chapter 144

144. Chapter 144: Design of the Courtyard Wall

Zhao Wailai's rat-like eyes darted up and down over Jiang Wei across from him; he couldn't help swallowing hard, his heart tight with nervousness and urgency.

"You bitch, don't you understand what I'm saying?! Take off your clothes right now—your daughter's still in my hands!" Seeing Jiang Wei unmoving, Zhao Wailai pressed his knife against Jiang Xiaoxiao's cheek and threatened with a ferocious snarl.

Yet no sooner had he finished speaking than his entire body convulsed violently, as if struck by lightning; the next instant, the kitchen knife clattered to the ground and Zhao Wailai collapsed stiffly onto the earth.

Jiang Xiaoxiao slowly lowered the self-defense stun gun in her hand, glanced at the unconscious man on the ground, her face showing not a trace of panic from being held hostage—only coldness as she said: "Mother, what should we do with this man?"

Before she could finish speaking, her mother swept her into a tight embrace.

"Let me see your neck—did it get cut?"

Her mother acted more like a child than she did, frantically pulling open Jiang Xiaoxiao's collar to inspect the skin of her neck.

"Mom, I'm fine—I've got the stun gun you gave me." Jiang Xiaoxiao quickly reassured her.

At this moment, Jiang Wei was immensely grateful she had left Jiang Xiaoxiao a self-defense stun gun.

She turned again to Zhao Wailai, still unconscious on the ground; a flash of killing intent passed through her eyes, and with a grasping motion through empty air, a pistol materialized in her hand.

The muzzle pressed tightly against Zhao Wailai's forehead, Jiang Wei's face twisted with malice, and without another word, she moved to pull the trigger.

"Mom, don't kill him." Jiang Xiaoxiao hurriedly pressed down on Jiang Wei's hand—she didn't want her mother to bear the crime of murder over such a scumbag.

Besides, letting Zhao Wailai die so easily was too kind!

"Fine." Jiang Wei holstered the pistol, glanced toward the distant Mountain, then seized Zhao Wailai by the collar like picking up a chick and headed uphill.

Halfway up, she turned back and said: "Xiaoxiao, come with me—I can't leave you alone at home."

She now dared not leave Jiang Xiaoxiao alone in the house at all.

"But Mom…" Jiang Xiaoxiao pointed to the pile of blue bricks in the courtyard—if no one was home, what if someone stole the bricks?

"If they steal them, we'll just buy more."

Jiang Xiaoxiao: "..."

Thus, mother and daughter climbed the Mountain together under cover of deep night.

Also accompanying them up the Mountain was Little Tiger.

…

Night wind rustled gently; tree shadows swayed.

Zhao Wailai opened his eyes and saw only the deep, silent Deep Mountains—his body jolted.

How did he end up here?!

He—he wasn't at the Jiang Family's home?

As Zhao Wailai stared in bewilderment, a strange odor suddenly reached his nose—as if emanating from his own body.

Even the clothes he had taken off to create a diversion were still neatly on him, drenched in some kind of liquid, the strange smell rising from the fabric.

"Aow—"

At that moment, distant howls of wolves suddenly echoed—coming straight from his direction.

Zhao Wailai jumped in terror, scrambling to rise—but for some reason, his entire body felt utterly limp, without an ounce of strength.

At this hour, the fierce beasts lurking in the Deep Mountains had emerged to hunt.

The more he tried to flee, the weaker his limbs became.

The wolves' howls drew nearer; between the swaying shadows, several sleek black forms leapt out and charged at him.

In the darkness, Zhao Wailai could see only the glint of sharp fangs and the green, glowing eyes of the Wild Wolves.

Terrified, he urinated and defecated in panic, crawling and rolling away.

But before he could crawl two steps, a wolf clamped its jaws onto his thigh.

The next instant, searing pain ripped through him as flesh tore.

Zhao Wailai screamed like a slaughtered pig.

It hurt—so much, so unbearably!

The Wild Wolf had torn a chunk of meat clean off his thigh.

The scent of blood further stoked the wolves' frenzy; over a dozen Wild Wolves surged forward, opening their bloodied maws to tear into the man on the ground…

…

At dawn, the eastern sky faintly whitened.

The Jiang Family's Courtyard was already bustling with activity.

Some laid bricks, others rinsed rice, still others washed vegetables…

Jiang Wei emerged from the Kitchen carrying two firewood axes and called to Liu Dagang and Zhao Youcai in the Courtyard: "Da Gang, Tiezhu's father, go to the Backyard and chop some Bamboo—cut plenty, then sharpen all of them."

Liu Dagang and Zhao Youcai, who had been mixing Cement, said nothing, set down their pestles, took the axes, and headed for the Backyard.

Master (Carpenter) Zheng was assigning workers to begin building the Courtyard Wall; the Jiang Family had hired many laborers, and with his own Apprentices, there were over forty people—houses rose rapidly, changing daily, so he allocated over ten men specifically to the Courtyard Wall.

Jiang Wei had emphasized the Courtyard Wall's design: it must be two to three meters taller than ordinary homes, thick and sturdy, with two extra layers of bricks beyond those used for the Wu walls, then layered with Cement—guaranteed to withstand even a Wild Boar charging down from the Mountain.

Master (Carpenter) Zheng noticed Jiang Wei ordering Liu Dagang and Zhao Youcai to chop and sharpen Bamboo—clearly intending to plant them along the wall's top to deter thieves.

He couldn't help teasing: "Your Courtyard Wall is four meters high—I've never seen one so tall. Don't worry, no thief can climb that."

A normal person is barely over one meter tall; only four people stacked on top could reach it, and even if they did, jumping down from four meters would break their legs.

"Not necessarily," Jiang Xiaoxiao shook her head, "Uncle Zheng, what if someone brings a ladder? Or what if someone with Light Skill comes to steal?"

She deliberately pointed to the mixed Cement in the Courtyard.

Master (Carpenter) Zheng looked at the Cement and instantly tensed—it was all stuff the Jiang Family had promised to sell him; he might even buy more long-term. If thieves stole it, he'd be heartbroken!

After all, in this era, there were martial artists capable of leaping effortlessly over four- or five-meter walls using Light Skill.

He immediately said: "Miss Jiang, sharpened Bamboo isn't enough—don't you have broken porcelain shards in your Courtyard? I'll have men embed them along the wall's top—any thief touching the wall will get his hands slashed bloody!"

"You're right," Jiang Wei nodded in agreement and immediately assigned two people to sort through the scrap piles and pick out only the sharpest ceramic fragments.

These ceramic shards were all transported from the town's best kiln; they were extremely durable, able to withstand wind and sun, and their edges were razor-sharp. When Old Zhao brought them back, he accidentally cut his hand and bled immediately, suffering pain for several days.

Jiang Xiaoxiao watched helplessly as her mother and Master (Carpenter) Zheng, rarely aligned, discussed how to increase the danger factor of the wall's edge—when suddenly, the village head rushed into the courtyard.

"Xiaoxiao's mother, something's wrong!"

…