Chapter 100: Beast

"Princess Consort." Su Xin took a clean bandage and some hemostatic medicine.

First wipe away the blood around the wound, then sprinkle on the medicinal powder, and bandage it with the cloth.

Jiang Yun Chu looked at the person with red eyes from crying and half-jokingly said, "What's wrong? Su Xin missing home?"

"Princess Consort! Let Su Xin protect you from now on." Su Xin stared at her earnestly, replaying today's events over and over in her mind.

Each time she did, she felt a bit more guilty.

Jiang Yun Chu chuckled, "Just because you're crying?"

"The Princess Consort is hurt and still teasing me." Su Xin, while angrily putting things away, made up her mind to practice martial arts diligently when she returns home.

Just as Jiang Yun Chu was teasing Su Xin, a shadow walked in from outside.

"Please, Princess Consort, decide for us." At that moment, a voice shouted outside.

Jiang Yun Chu frowned; she now had no good feelings toward anyone on this manor.

"Who's outside?" She tidied her clothes, put on a veil, then sat upright.

"He's a tenant on the manor; everyone calls him Old Li Tou." The guard replied.

Jiang Yun Chu found the name somewhat familiar; suddenly she recalled that the manor steward had asked to handle Old Li Tou's family affairs.

Thinking this, she nodded to the guard, "Bring him in."

All the manor's tenants have been suppressed by the Capital Prefecture's officials; the secret investigations of these past two days have uncovered enough to arrest everyone here.

Especially since they dared to plot the Princess Consort's murder—do they have the hearts of bears and leopards?

"Please, Princess Consort, grant justice to this old servant!"

As soon as the person entered, he dropped to his knees, and the sound of his kowtowing echoed loudly in the room.

"Raise your head." Jiang Yun Chu spoke.

The man lifted his head; his forehead was already flushed, his face pallid, as if he'd just recovered from a serious illness.

Moreover, amid his pale complexion were several red streaks, looking like whip marks.

"Where did the wounds on your face come from?"

"Replying to Princess Consort, it was the Second Young Master who struck me!" The old man dared not say more; he answered honestly whatever the Princess Consort asked.

Now he has thrown caution to the wind; no matter what, he will avenge his daughter!

"Second Young Master?" Jiang Yun Chu heard the title and furrowed her brows tightly.

"He's the steward's second son; we've always called him Second Young Master." The old man explained.

A title—she didn't say anything more about it.

The situation is now settled; there's no need to speak of these things further.

"Why did he strike you?"

Upon hearing the Princess Consort's words, the old man burst into tears, forgetting all fear.

"I'm an old man and my wife; we have only one daughter, and I was over thirty before she was born."

"Our daughter grew up fair and lovely, well liked by everyone."

"Before the Second Young Master stayed at the manor, our daughter was always safe and sound."

"But three months ago, the Second Young Master returned."

"That beast took a liking to my daughter, brought silver to our door, and wanted to buy her."

As the old man spoke, tears streamed down his face; the deep grooves and wounds on his cheeks could not compare to a father's tears.

"I only have this one daughter; I don't care how well she marries—I just wish to find someone who understands warmth and cold, who can accompany and protect her."

"I did not consent."

"Furthermore, our family is also prepared to leave this manor for her sake—anywhere will do."

"The steward's family has grown accustomed to bullying; naturally they won't let us go."

"But..."

The old man pounded the ground with his fists in anger—he hated it!

"I hate it so much!"

"On the night we tried to flee, people from the manor saw us and reported it to the steward."

"That beast, in front of everyone, violated my daughter."

"That beast deserves to die—die, be cut to pieces!"

As he spoke thus, Old Li Tou's emotions surged; his eyes, which had just been tearing, now burned with hatred.

All his life, he has had only this daughter; with a daughter comes a home.

"My daughter died after striking a tree."

He knelt there, like an abandoned child; at this moment he had no tears, his eyes filled with bewilderment and helplessness.

Jiang Yun Chu's fists clenched tightly.

Three months ago, at that time she had not yet gone to Ningguang Peak.

But...

Her heart, however, grew ever heavier.

"My daughter is dead; my wife drank the medicine and also passed away."

"Now I'm nothing but a useless wretch."

In Old Li Tou's eyes, the hatred showed no sign of easing; indeed it grew stronger.

"Where were you yesterday?" Jiang Yun Chu endured and endured, but finally could not hold back.

She had come the day before, but had not seen this person.

Old Li Tou seemed to regain his senses a little: "That beast tied me up in the woodshed."

They're afraid I'll cause trouble, they're afraid I'll inform.

Haha, they'll also be afraid!

Jiang Yun Chu's heart sank even more; it was because the Wang Fu failed to discern people, which caused so much tragedy.

But...

Those are two living lives!

She can't repay.

"What do you want to do?" Jiang Yun Chu asked, her voice light yet painful.

If it were Yue Yue, she wouldn't dare imagine whether she would go mad, whether she would slaughter everyone.

I want to cut that beast into a thousand pieces.

Princess Consort, as long as you let me cut that beast, this old Li head can be an ox or horse, a pig or dog in this life—anything goes.

He only wants to avenge his daughter; otherwise, even if he died, he couldn't face his daughter and wife!

Jiang Yun Chu slightly closed her eyes, "Give me one day; after one day, he will be yours."

She remained silent for a long time before saying such a sentence.

It's not that she is hesitating to decide, but that she needs to find her own voice.

In this monarchic society, a mere manor head's son dares to act like this—how tragic this world is!

"Good, the old man's life will henceforth belong to the Princess Consort." Old Li raised his head, stared at Jiang Yun Chu, and solemnly said these words.

Old Li left.

But Jiang Yun Chu's heart could not calm for a long time.

"Tell Shadow, I'll go interrogate someone shortly."

Before, she prepared to use this person to lure the manor head into a trap.

But now...

She changed her mind, lightly let go—it's impossible.

Cutting him into a thousand pieces is still too lenient; such a man deserves to die, deserves death after death, deserves a bad death.

"Yes!" Su Xin clenched her fists, looking at the Princess Consort with some worry.

Finally, she walked out of the room.

Tonight's night, with faint moonlight, the blocking dark clouds slowly dissipating, the moon's brilliance first appears.

"Will you speak or not?" Shadow stood before that person, whip in hand.

However...

That person was tied to the pillar, his body already bearing several whip marks, yet he lowered his head and said nothing.

At first he was still cursing, but now he's become honest, yet he no longer speaks.