Chapter 330: with translation of chapter title

Even if Chen Wuji could see that those two people were not soldiers in the Lìng, they were very likely civilians from outside, but he also did not immediately go up to stop Qian Fugui; instead, he gestured and called over a soldier.

"What the hell is this kid getting worked up about?" Chen Wuji asked, jerking his chin at Qian Fugui.

The soldier didn't know the details, only saying: "In the afternoon, Qian Commandant went home once, and when he came back he brought these two people with a face full of anger. I, your humble subordinate, also don't know what happened; Qian Commandant didn't say anything, just ordered people to tie these two up, and they've been beating them ever since."

"Go away."

"Yes!"

Chen Wuji walked over.

Since they were brought from home, there must be a reason.

It doesn't look like the things he was worried about.

The two people on the pillar were now almost at death's door, their bodies covered in dense whip marks, their clothes torn from the lashing, flesh turned up.

"Where did you get these unlucky bastards? How dare you turn the drill ground into an execution ground?" Chen Wuji casually glanced at their condition and asked Qian Fugui flatly.

Qian Fugui, who was fuming, snapped his head around and quickly stood at attention: "Commandant, these two old bastards ran to my house threatening my father, demanding he submit to the Cao Clan and that I find a chance to stab you in the back."

"They threatened that if we father and son didn't comply, they'd kill one of our family every other day, starting with my mother."

Chen Wuji's face darkened instantly.

He looked at the whip in Qian Fugui's hand and gestured to him.

Qian Fugui glanced, understood, and handed over the whip.

Chen Wuji looked it over, then called another soldier and told him to fetch some nails.

The iron nails of this era have a round top, square sides, only the tip is round, resembling a drilling tool, only much smaller.

Furniture and construction all use mortise-and-tenon joints, nails are hardly used; their main purpose is to nail horse hooves and secure Lìng Tents, etc.

The soldier quickly came running with a wooden box.

Chen Wuji right there pulled a strand from the whip, then inserted the nails one by one, securing them with cord, and in a spare moment asked Qian Fugui casually, "Did your father bring any message?"

"Commandant, your divine calculations are spot on!" Qian Fugui exclaimed, "He told me to relay to you that the Qian Family are merchants, with integrity as their foundation."

Chen Wuji gave a faint smile, "You say that yourself?"

"Heaven's sake, Commandant, if I made this up myself, I'd be unrighteous and unfilial, lying to you two outright—I'd be as low as a person can get." Qian Fugui explained immediately.

Chen Wuji smiled faintly and nodded, "Any ideas?"

"No ideas." Qian Fugui said loudly.

"If I were leading the army on my own, I'd definitely have a bunch of ideas to vent this anger. But now, being in the camp, no matter how angry I am, aside from beating them half to death, I can only wait for the Commandant's order."

"Close the Lìng gate, have Qian Yong and Wu Bu Yong get ready; tonight I'll take you to the Cao Family as a guest." Chen Wuji said.

"Yes, sir!" Qian Fugui replied loudly with a ferocious expression.

Chen Wuji continued head down, making the whip; the whip was wound tight, making it hard to insert the nails.

Qian Fugui is absolutely clever.

Actually, this is just a small matter; he hardly needed to mobilize so much.

The Qian Family certainly could have killed these two quietly, and perhaps he wouldn't even have known, but Qian Fugui still brought them to the camp with great fanfare.

Qian Fugui isn't just venting anger; he's doing this for Chen Wuji to see.

This show of face really pleases Chen Wuji.

Especially given that Lu Ping'an wants to rise on his own and he is being targeted by those who despise him.

The Cao Family will send people over; they should brandish this tiger skin to strengthen their persuasion.

When Qian Fugui had finished delivering the order and returned, Chen Wuji's whip was finally done.

Seeing Chen Wuji holding that whip bristling with countless iron nails, Qian Fugui's mouth opened, his pupils twitched sharply, "Commandant... truly a talent, this lash ought to kill them with pain, right?"

"Want to try?"

Qian Fugui reached out, took the whip, which cracked open with a snap, then lashed it at one of them.

As the whip came down, blood sprayed red like a light rain.

The man with his head drooping, whether unconscious or feigning sleep, let out a sudden howl, veins bulging on his neck, his face instantly flushing crimson.

"I don't care who you are; answer my question clearly, and I'll give you a quick death. Or I'll use this whip to strip away all your flesh." Chen Wuji said calmly.

The chill in those words made even Qian Fugui nearby shudder involuntarily.

Actually, he initially minded a great deal being Chen Wuji's subordinate.

He and Chen Wuji first met at Li Si Fencha.

At that time, Chen Wuji was merely a hunter, still peddling his iron pot around.

While he was the Qian Family's eldest son, who went about with retinues of guards.

It was his old father's earnest instruction, forcibly pressing his head down, making him lower his status before Chen Wuji and place himself in a subordinate position.

Even then, during that initial period, whenever he had a moment he'd remind himself that he was now the Guoyi Commandant, Chen Wuji's subordinate.

All this change came from the Battle of Shenxian Ling.

It was that night he saw the terror of Chen Wuji and the Chen Clan.

And he was utterly convinced.

Those people were hardly human.

If it weren't for the Chen Clan leading the way, giving that overwhelming comparison, Qian Fugui would surely have lacked the courage to fight so hard that night, and definitely lacked the strength to lead the troops over mountains and ridges in a desperate battle.

He is the Qian Family's eldest son—he's never suffered such hardship since birth.

The man on the pillar, a bloody mess, trembled violently all over, stiffly turning his head toward Chen Wuji, "You... ask."

"Where does the Cao Clan get their backing?" Chen Wuji asked.

"Commandant!" Qian Fugui blurted out, "I know this one—I'll say it: it's Lu Ping'an. Our Strategist has rebelled, betrayed the Court, and wants to hold Nan Jun while eyeing the world."

"When those two old bastards came to my house, they were full of themselves—holding their heads high, looking down their noses at my family's Old Immortals, speaking in a strained voice: 'You all better think carefully, this is Lu Ping'an's order.'"

"Hum, damn it, they have a Rebel behind them and got all puffed up, we have a Commandant behind us, which is His Majesty the Emperor, what did I say?"

Chen Wuji's mouth corner twitched slightly.

Actually, there's no need to put him in the middle.