Chapter 487

Chen Wuji didn't even see clearly how Chen Wuyi moved his hands; those few young masters, right before him, fell helter‑skelter all over the ground.

Some were holding their legs, some were holding their arms.

The worst off was the one whose face was ruined.

How he got hit, Chen Wuji saw clearly; it wasn't that exaggerated—he just took two punches to the face from Chen Wuyi.

But this guy seems not very resistant to blows; one punch sent half his teeth flying, and the next punch flattened his nose against his face, making it look like his nasal bone was completely broken.

What a waste of such a sturdy build—he's practically made of mud.

Looking at him, there's little hope his face will ever heal properly; his nose will surely be crooked, and his speech will inevitably leak air.

"Gentlemen, how much of the wine's effect has worn off? Tell me your identities!" Chen Wuji said, looking down at them.

The young masters only kept wailing, treating Chen Wuji as if he weren't there.

"Wuyi, knock some sense into them—are they really this arrogant? I, a Deputy Commander, am speaking to them, yet they treat me as nothing!" Chen Wuji said angrily. Since taking charge of Hezhou, he hadn't suffered such insolence in a long time.

Among the young masters, one suddenly raised his right hand and shouted at the top of his voice: "Deputy Commander, stop, stop hitting—I'm awake now."

Chen Wuyi effortlessly snapped the boy's arm.

Before Chen Wuji spoke, he continued to carry out Chen Wuji's earlier order firmly.

Give them another wake‑up call.

"Anyone willing to talk to me now?" Chen Wuji shouted.

"I… I'll speak!" a young master cried out, "My name is Yuan Dingcheng, son of Yuan Qi."

Chen Wuji glanced at the boy in surprise. "The son of Yuan Qi?"

That old bastard said their family was very good at enduring—does he call this enduring?

If Chen Wuji remembers correctly, this boy was one of the three who mocked him most fiercely.

Letting him get away with a face‑to‑face provocation—is that what Yuan Qi meant by being adept at reading the situation?

Just before this, Chen Wuji actually believed what Yuan Qi had said that day.

Now it seems we should examine things dialectically, not just take that old man's one‑sided word.

After Yuan Dingcheng spoke, the other young masters who were being beaten finally realized how to reply to Chen Wuji, and they all shouted, tears and snot streaming.

"I am Jia Xingwang, son of Jia Wentao."

"I am Jia Xingyuan, my father… also Jia Wentao."

"I am Zhu Ji, son of Zhu Wanglin."

"I am Zhao Quanyou, my father… my father Zhao Fumin."

……

Chen Wuji listened to each of them wailing through their self‑introductions, his expression growing increasingly odd.

Hezhou City really is big when you say it's big, and ridiculously small when you say it's small.

He'd just gone out to find someone, yet he accidentally bumped into nearly all the wealthy young masters of Hezhou City—almost a complete set.

"You've brought your servants, right? Have them call your fathers to ransom you!" Chen Wuji said.

There's nothing to discuss with these young masters; whether today's incident is big or small depends on their fathers' attitudes.

If their attitudes are good, everything can be negotiated; if not, Chen Wuji will have to stir up trouble just to vent his anger.

Yuan Dingcheng struggled to his feet: "Sir, I've brought them, I've brought them all—I'll go call someone."

"Go on—don't keep me waiting, and don't think about sneaking off; I can find your home." Chen Wuji said with a faint smile, "We're adults; each of us bears responsibility for our own actions. Don't drag in family or clan—show a little responsibility, right?"

Yuan Dingcheng's face turned deathly pale as he nodded repeatedly.

He had both arms snapped by Chen Wuyi twice, and now he looks as if he's lost half his life; his ashen face is beaded with fine sweat, the pain making him bite his lips raw.

"Hurry up!" Chen Wuji waved his hand.

Having received Chen Wuji's order, Yuan Dingcheng staggered hurriedly toward the front courtyard.

Chen Wuji sat down in the corridor: "All of you, be quiet, don't make a noise while I rest; if anyone makes the slightest move, I'll feed you to the turtles."

"Just now someone misspoke—I don't like kicking people's heads like a ball; it's bloody everywhere, filthy, unpleasant to step on. But I do like using people to feed turtles, to plant flowers and grass; you may lack experience in this, but flowers grown from human flesh turn out exceptionally well—top‑grade fertilizer."

The ones who had been howling in pain instantly fell silent.

Even if their bodies trembled with pain, they clenched their jaws, not daring to make a sound.

A moment ago they were arrogantly insolent, thrusting their faces at Chen Wuji; now not a trace of pride remains on their faces—only pleading.

Each one's gaze was so pitiable that Chen Wuji could hardly restrain himself from feeling compassion.

Chen Wuji nodded satisfactorily: "Eleventh Uncle, where do they get their nerve?"

"Perhaps it's from Gu Wenjie." Chen Li said with a light smile.

Chen Wuji was somewhat surprised: "Since even a fierce man like Gu Wenjie has shown them extra courtesy, they think I should be begging them? That can't be right—extra courtesy and looking up to their noses are two different things."

He deliberately raised his voice so those young masters could hear him clearly.

Chen Li shook his head, puzzled: "Maybe they really think that way—after all, they're the big shots of Hezhou City, aristocratic families."

"Perhaps so—I truly didn't expect that just going out for a stroll would land me in such trouble." Chen Wuji sighed sincerely, "I ought to have stayed home today; going out was ill‑advised."

Just then, hurried footsteps came from down the corridor.

A moment later, a group of girls rushed over, lanterns in hand.

Leading them was a girl in white robes and a green skirt, her black hair loosely pinned with a wooden hairpin, striding forward like a fresh pear blossom drifting on the breeze.

"I am Gu Nianqing, paying my respects to Deputy Commander Chen."

Chen Wuji gazed at that especially familiar face and asked softly, "Shopkeeper Gu, do you have a sister named Zhang Xiuer?"

That face instantly pulled Chen Wuji's thoughts back to a not‑so‑distant past that felt as if it were ages ago.

That was the first wealthy young lady he had ever met.

Moreover, that young lady did not look down on him because of his hunter background; she had helped him several times and even shown some affection toward him.

Unfortunately, that beautiful and clever girl had a father named Zhang Mingyuan.

Everything was destined to have no good outcome.

But why did she appear here, and even change her name and surname, living as another person?

At first sight of her, Chen Wuji was certain she was Zhang Xiuer.

In this world, it's impossible for there to be two people exactly alike.