Chapter 1088

First Volume, Chapter 1088: The Three Liu Sisters

The Yamen Runner's cry of pain instantly pierced the heavens.

All the bystanders froze, turning toward the direction the arrow had come from, where a terrifying group of cavalry had appeared on the Official Road, seventy or eighty steps away.

At their head, a young general clad in Black Armor, his crimson cloak billowing in the wind, stood with unmatched valor, drawing his horsebow.

Clearly, that arrow had been shot by him.

"That hurts like hell—who dares do this?!"

"Ahh!!! My hand!"

The Yamen Runner clutched his hand, stomping in pain, glaring furiously at the arrow's source—but the curse died on his lips.

Before him stood a group of cavalry in Heavy Armor; even if he were the most brazen, he dared not challenge these unwelcome riders.

Zhao Yuxiong slowly lowered his horsebow, turned to Qin Feng, and said apologetically: "Brother Qin, I couldn't hold back."

"That Yamen Runner is despicable—even if punishing a criminal, he shouldn't target a little girl."

Qin Feng didn't care about Zhao Yuxiong's initiative; even if Zhao Yuxiong hadn't acted, Qin Feng would have ordered his men to rescue the sisters.

After observing so long, Qin Feng had already realized this incident was far more complex than merely punishing a criminal.

At Qin Feng's nod, Zhao Yuxiong spurred his horse out of the formation and rode to the edge of the City Gate.

Looking up at Zhao Yuxiong, the Yamen Runner swallowed hard, forgetting his pain, and stammered: "M-Military Master, what's going on?"

Zhao Yuxiong didn't answer, but asked: "What are you doing?"

At this, the Yamen Runner froze again.

What am I doing?

Could it be… this man didn't even know what we were doing, yet still shot an arrow? How brazen!

The Yamen Runner cursed inwardly, but seeing Zhao Yuxiong's elite, martial armor, he dared not retaliate—only gritted his teeth, enduring the agony in his hand, forcing a smile uglier than crying.

"Military Master, these nubi are from Liu Family Village outside the city—they're harboring fugitives. I was ordered to make them reveal the fugitive's whereabouts."

At this, Zhao Yuxiong's eyes flashed with cold fury: "If this is an interrogation, why strike a little girl so viciously?"

A little girl?

The Yamen Runner glanced at the unconscious woman and said: "Military Master, this wretch isn't a girl—she's cunning, and she's the fugitive's elder sister!"

Zhao Yuxiong's gaze grew colder still: "No more lies—I saw it all."

"If not for this woman blocking the whip, the one lying unconscious wouldn't be her—it would be the little girl."

Zhao Yuxiong pointed to the trembling child cradled in the woman's arms.

The Yamen Runner's heart sank—seventy or eighty steps away, with crowds blocking the view—how could this man see so clearly?!

Seeing he couldn't hide it anymore, the Yamen Runner gave up: "So what if I hit her?"

"They're all criminals—do you expect me to kneel and beg them?"

Zhao Yuxiong said nothing; the Yamen Runner wasn't wrong—suspects deserved no courtesy—but to deliberately target a child in front of so many witnesses was utterly shameless.

Zhao Yuxiong didn't dwell on it, fixing the Yamen Runner with a warning: "Don't lay another hand on that child."

"Interrogate as you must—but don't bring shame upon the Great Liang Code."

With that, Zhao Yuxiong tugged the reins, preparing to leave.

As a military officer and an outsider, Zhao Yuxiong had no authority to interfere in another county's affairs—his only option was to issue a warning.

Whether the Yamen Runner would heed him was beyond Zhao Yuxiong's control.

Just as he turned his horse, the little girl suddenly burst from the crowd, sprinting to Zhao Yuxiong's side and falling to her knees, pounding her head on the ground.

"General, please save my sister!"

"My sister is bleeding badly—she's going to die—please…"

Zhao Yuxiong, seated on his horse, looked down at the twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl with a blank expression: "Little girl, breaking the law brings punishment—I cannot help you."

"If you truly want to save your sister, tell me where the fugitive is."

Hearing this, the girl wept harder: "The fugitive… is my sister too."

Zhao Yuxiong, who had remained expressionless until now, frowned: "What do you mean?"

The girl wiped her tears, looked up at Zhao Yuxiong—she knew this general was her only hope.

To save her life and her sister, she ignored the vicious Yamen Runner beside her.

"Grand General, my name is Liu Yunqiu."

"The fugitive the County Yamen is hunting is my second sister, Liu Yunxia."

"The one being beaten to death is my elder sister, Liu Yunchun."

"Our parents died early—we three sisters survived together. But when Father couldn't pay the land rent before he died, to settle the debt, Second Sister went to work as a servant in the Wang Family."

"Young Master Wang had long lusted after her—if he'd married her, it might've been better, but he only molested her, refusing to give her any status."

"Second Sister naturally refused."

"Young Master Wang beat and cursed her, forcing her to submit—she endured endless torment until she fled the Wang home at night, accidentally knocking down the Wang Family's patriarch as he tried to stop her."

"The Wang patriarch twisted his foot and, in rage, ordered the County Yamen to hunt down Second Sister."

Beside her, the Yamen Runner, fearing further complications, grabbed Liu Yunqiu's hair and snarled: "Lies!"

"Your second sister stole money from the Wang Family and fled with stolen goods—you little brat, how dare you slander the Wang Family? I'll beat you to death!"

Liu Yunqiu burst into tears, too terrified to resist.

At that moment, the Yamen Runner heard a dull metallic clang behind him—the whip froze mid-air.

When he turned, he saw Zhao Yuxiong had dismounted.

Facing Zhao Yuxiong, who towered over him by half a head, clad in full Armor, imposing and majestic, the Yamen Runner instantly felt fear.

Zhao Yuxiong didn't waste words—he seized the Yamen Runner's right hand.

Since the arrow was still embedded in the Yamen Runner's right hand, Zhao Yuxiong's twist sent him gasping in pain.

"Let go! Let me go! It hurts like hell!"

Zhao Yuxiong's gaze remained cold, his grip tightening further as blood continuously seeped from between his fingers.

The Yamen Runner, eyes red with pain, released Liu Yunqiu's hair and swung a fist straight at Zhao Yuxiong's face.

The result was predictable!

Zhao Yuxiong didn't dodge or flinch—merely turned his head slightly, and the Yamen Runner's fist smashed squarely into his Helmet.

"Ah!"

The force of the blow shattered two of the Yamen Runner's finger bones.