Chapter 1065

First Volume, Chapter 1065: Hatred Drives One Mad

"Each of them will carry ten taels of silver; this sum is enough to sustain them for a long time."

"They will be scattered to foreign lands and will never see their families again in this lifetime."

"If these old, weak, sick, and crippled can still find their way back, then I, Qin Feng, will wash my neck clean and offer it for execution."

In this era, once stranded in a foreign land, returning home by one's own strength was nearly impossible.

Even women "married far away," whose hometowns might be only fifty or sixty li distant, would never see their parents again in their lives.

Qin Feng stared at the pale-faced young woman.

"As for you, time can change everything."

"These children, though filled with hatred, will gradually return to normal if their living environment changes."

Saying this, Qin Feng stepped forward and looked down at the young woman's belly.

"Chen Ba's child has not yet been born—he is still a blank sheet."

"If I wish, I can instill in him any thought I choose. You hate me, don't you? Then why not let him grow up viewing the Chen Family as his mortal enemy?"

The young woman staggered two steps, nearly falling, but Qin Feng seized her arm.

Her eyes widened in terror as she stared at Qin Feng.

She was not afraid of death—even under torture, she would never disgrace the Chen Family's honor—but she had gravely underestimated Qin Feng's cruelty.

To alter these children's minds, make them worship their enemy, and grow up to slaughter all Qin Feng's foes—including the Chen Family?

What kind of evil being could conceive such a thought?

"You… you are a soul-snatching demon!"

"You will die without even a grave to bury you."

Facing the curses of Chen Ba's wife, Qin Feng showed no reaction: "I am not afraid of living—why should I fear death?"

"In this regard, Chen Si sees clearer than you all!"

"Chen Si hates me more than any of you, yet he has never sought revenge against me outside the battlefield—even if he wants to kill me, he will face me with weapons on the battlefield."

"Because he knows that grudges outside the battlefield are endless and unending."

"Three days! With the speed of the Brocade Guard, they can reach Bozhou."

Hearing this, the young woman's face turned even paler: "You… you intend to use us as hostages to lure Brother Chen Si?!"

Qin Feng's expression remained blank, each word deliberate: "You forced me to do this, didn't you?"

"When Chen Si dies, the Chen Family will never rise again."

Qin Feng released his grip; the pregnant woman staggered two steps and was caught by the Chen children behind her.

Qin Feng turned slowly, showing no lingering emotion, and said coldly: "The Chen Family, the most loyal aristocratic family in all of Beidi—pity they insist on their own destruction."

"I can tolerate you; you cannot tolerate yourselves."

Qin Feng departed indifferently; the bound Chen family members were taken away in batches.

Qin Feng claimed to be staying at the Chen residence, yet he did not linger in the courtyard—he walked straight out and boarded his carriage.

Looking at the womenfolk, Qin Feng opened his mouth but held back.

Finally, Jing Qianying touched Qin Feng's weary cheek and whispered comfort.

"Feng'er, I understand you."

"Once hatred takes hold, it is hard to escape."

"Just as once, the Beidi King hunted me—he pursued me throughout my entire youth…"

"We may control the situation, but we cannot control our emotions."

Qin Feng nodded, leaning against the carriage's wooden panel, exhaling softly.

Eliminating the Chen Family was not merely for personal vengeance—it was for the greater cause of Heaven. The Chen Family's prestige was too high, their strength too great; with their intense hatred, they would inevitably recruit soldiers and gather weapons. When war reignited, it would be the Common People who suffered.

Dispersing these Chen family members who posed no threat, and keeping the helpless women and children under control—this was Qin Feng's only remaining option.

These women and children would be taken to Shedynasty, far from Beixi County, and subjected to lifelong education and surveillance by the Brocade Guard.

Qin Feng hoped they could erase their hatred and live normal lives.

Three days later, the Brocade Guard reached the borders of Bozhou. He deliberately provoked unrest; when local soldiers chased him, he threw the military dispatch on the ground and left without looking back.

Three more days passed, and the dispatch reached Chen Si's hands.

He read its contents, slowly closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh.

"Foolish! Too foolish!"

Chen Si burned the military dispatch, donned his armor, and stormed out of the barracks.

"Who among you is willing to follow me back to Zhuozhou to die?!"

Chen Si raised his arm and called out—hundreds answered, none asking why.

Soon, a cavalry force of three hundred rode toward the City Gate.

Jing Peng and Wu Kang did not stop him; for them, Chen Si's departure was the best outcome—otherwise, someone in the army would always resist their command.

Moreover, Chen Si took only three hundred men—a negligible loss for the entire Bozhou garrison.

Chen Si led his three hundred cavalry straight back to Zhuozhou. When he pushed open the Chen Family's Door, the entire compound stood empty.

Every usable item had been stripped away.

Chen Si was not angry—he knew Qin Feng would not do such a thing. It must have been nearby Common People, hearing the Chen Family was ruined, who came en masse to loot whatever they could.

Exhausted, Chen Si searched every corner of the courtyard—found nothing.

Finally, his soldiers discovered the Chen Family's graveyard on the open ground behind the compound.

Over a hundred graves, neatly arranged before Chen Si's eyes.

"Qin Feng… did not massacre the Chen Family."

"The women and children are still alive..."

The heavy weight on Chen Si's chest finally eased a little. He knelt on the ground, offered a brief mourning to his clansmen, then led his soldiers in a fierce pursuit along the Path Qin Feng had taken.

"Qin Feng! The grudge between us should be settled today."

By all rights, Chen Si had fought his way back from Bozhou, a gap of seven full days in between. As long as Qin Feng wanted to run, Chen Si could never have caught up.

But before long, Chen Si discovered the markers Qin Feng had left along the road.

Realizing Qin Feng was waiting for him, Chen Si's eyes blazed like torches. He raised his arm and called out in a low voice: "Comrades, Qin Feng is just ahead!"

"This time we go, it will be to the death."

The soldiers behind him, sworn to follow Chen Si unto death, roared in unison: "We will go to the Yellow Springs together with our general!"

Chen Si followed the markers Qin Feng had left, running for a full day and night, until the War Horses were so exhausted they could no longer move, and only then did he stop to rest.

"Qin Feng... where exactly are you?"

Just as Chen Si stood at a loss, a volley of Arrows shot out from the darkness, and the countless soldiers sworn to follow Chen Si to the death tumbled from their Horses at the impact.

Immediately after, a dense swarm of the Enemy Army came charging out from all directions.

Looking at the Enemy Army numbering over a thousand, Chen Si sat astride his Horse and could not help but give a bitter laugh: "Qin Feng, you won't even grant me this last meeting?"