97 - Little Peasant Wife

Shen Lüman kicked Liu Guanshi to the ground and crushed his wrists with her feet in the same brutal manner. She intended to reduce him to a helpless state, where living would be agonizing and death unachievable. Imagining this, she grabbed his mouth, pulled out his tongue forcefully, and crushed it with disdain. Turning to Jing Aoxue, she instructed, "Feed him some pills to keep him alive!" Jing Aoxue blinked, somewhat in shock, then nodded and stepped forward. She took out a porcelain bottle, poured all the pills inside into Liu Guanshi's mouth, causing the blood to mix with the medicine as he swallowed. The horrific scene had left everyone present in stunned silence. Though the Liu family servants were not paragons of virtue, Shen Lüman couldn't afford to waste time. She quickly bound them all to the courtyard pillars with ropes. She then coldly commanded the Zhang family members, "Do with them as you wish, but I'm taking Zhang Qiao'er with me. If I'm dissatisfied with their fate, I'll kill Zhang Qiao'er. Any of you who dare to escape, know that even if you run to the ends of the earth, I'll catch you and give you the same fate as Liu Guanshi." With that threat, she dragged Zhang Qiao'er away. Jing Aoxue clicked her tongue, ignoring the others' looks of terror and despair, and hurriedly followed, thinking, “My wife is truly formidable!” Behind the Zhang family courtyard stood several horses. Shen Lüman hoisted Zhang Qiao'er onto a horse and, with a crack of the whip, they sped toward the town. Jing Aoxue was quick to follow, mounting a horse and catching up. The two made excellent time, arriving just as the town gates were about to close. They abandoned their exhausted horses at the gate and, using their spiritual energy, quietly headed toward the Liu residence. Outside the Liu residence, two gatekeepers stood watch. Zhang Qiao'er whispered, "I know the layout of the Liu estate. Enter through the main gate and you'll find..." She outlined the details calmly and then said, "Without Liu Guanshi at my side, walking in will surely raise suspicions. The best way is to have someone disguise as my mother, walking in openly through the front gate." Jing Aoxue pinched her cheek without any concern for bullying a child, saying, "Don't even think about pulling tricks; your mother and brother are still in the village." Tears welled up in Zhang Qiao'er’s eyes from the pain as she protested, "I hate the Liu family too. What's happened to Liu Er is my fault. Aunt Jing, I was blind before and didn't know you and Aunt are immortals. I realize that now and I won’t make any more mistakes." “Please give me a chance to redeem myself. Liu Er should be fine for now, as the Liu family and that National Master are clean freaks. Once they abduct someone like Liu Er, they’re first washed and disciplined. If they keep crying or resisting, they'll be drugged until they're compliant before being handed over to those vile adults." Hearing this, Jing Aoxue exchanged glances with Shen Lüman. Shen Lüman nodded slightly, "Alright, I'll play your mother." Jing Aoxue pursed her lips; she wanted to take on the role too, but being an inhuman, she couldn’t. She watched Shen Lüman straighten her clothes and used a cleaning spell on Zhang Qiao'er, wiping her face clean of tears, snot, and dust. After tidying up, they walked toward the Liu residence gate. The two gatekeepers asked a few simple questions, and after Zhang Qiao'er slipped them some money, they let them in with smiles. Jing Aoxue leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath. She wasn’t going to stand idly by, not with both her wife and kids inside that hellish Liu residence. She had to find a way in. With that resolve, she easily leapt onto a beam, planning to sneak in undetected. Just then, a familiar voice startled her, “Jing Aoxue?” She spun around only to see Liu Zhiyong, and noticing the patrolling servants approaching, she quickly pulled the black-clad man into the shadows. This place was far from safe. Any disturbance could alert the Foundation Establishment-stage National Master, spelling disaster. Gritting her teeth, she covered Liu Zhiyong’s mouth and led him away from the Liu residence. Once at a safe distance, she frowned, “Wu Zhiyong, what are you doing here?” Wu Zhiyong scratched his head and gestured towards an unseen direction, where several light footsteps landed around Jing Aoxue, encircling her. Gone was the mild-mannered demeanor Wu Zhiyong typically showed; with sharp eyes, he demanded, "What are you doing at the Liu residence? Do you have a death wish?!" Jing Aoxue folded her arms, retorting calmly, "Your daughter and your nephew were both captured by the Lius." “What did you say?” Wu Zhiyong paused, his anger flaring as he demanded clarification. Jing Aoxue added, “They were taken with my daughter, which is why I'm here – to rescue them.” Wu Zhiyong spun frantically, his previous sharpness fading like a dream. He gritted his teeth, anxious, “Is this really true?” "Hmph," Jing Aoxue, in no mood for being doubted, retorted testily, “Do you think I’d lie for fun?” Furious, Wu Zhiyong clenched his fists, too rushed to inquire further. He quickly warned, “The Liu family isn't one to be messed with. They have at least hundreds of guards, including several of the National Master’s confidants with peculiar skills. Even a five-star warrior would struggle against them. You're lucky you ran into me, or you’d be dead and not know it.” Jing Aoxue frowned, “No way, my wife’s inside. By what you’re saying, she could be in real danger.” Wu Zhiyong nearly fainted from frustration, pacing in place like a confused fly—just like his brother, Wu Zhian. They certainly were siblings. Gritting his teeth, he proposed, “We can't solve this alone. Come with me, we’ll ask General Qin for help; she's wise and resourceful. She’ll know how to save the kids!” Shen Lüman, disguised as Zhang Qiao'er's mother, smoothly infiltrated the Liu residence. Pretending to be close, she held Zhang Qiao'er's hand, following her through the fragrant gardens until they reached Madam Liu's courtyard. Zhang Qiao'er addressed a young maid about ten years of age, "Sister Han Tao, I've returned from visiting home. My mother was worried about my safety traveling at night, so she came to escort me back. She also wants to thank Madam Liu for her generous guidance during this time." As she spoke, the maid Han Tao glanced at Shen Lüman. Shen Lüman, feigning timidity, stammered, "I wanted to thank Madam Liu. She truly is a kind and generous person." Han Tao laughed, a trace of disdain in her eyes, "Wait here, I'll inform Madam Liu." With that, she turned and left to deliver the message. A nearby housekeeper smirked, then addressed Zhang Qiao'er, "Don't mind that hussy, flaunting Madam's favor as if she's forgotten who she is." The housekeeper then looked at Zhang Qiao'er holding hands with Shen Lüman and remarked, "Oh, Qiao'er, you're so pretty, and your mother is beautiful too. Look at you, holding hands so closely. You two must be quite the pair." Zhang Qiao'er gave a sweet smile and greeted the housekeeper shyly and modestly. Shen Lüman played the part of an ignorant village woman visiting a grand estate for the first time, full of cautious excitement and curiosity, to perfection. To an outsider, the scene would not raise any suspicions about her identity, and they would likely think them to be a loving mother and daughter. In truth, though, Shen Lüman was gripping Zhang Qiao'er's slender wrist tightly, her thumb occasionally pressing on her wrist’s artery as a warning. Despite the tension, Zhang Qiao'er maintained a calm exterior, not showing a hint of her distress, even as cold sweat dampened her back. Shen Lüman couldn’t help but feel a chill; the girl was heartless and cunning at such a young age, destined to grow into a formidable and potentially threatening entity. Reflecting on her own daughter, Liu Er, now five years old, she recognized they lacked even a fraction of Zhang Qiao'er's "talent." Shen Lüman used to think Liu Er was too naive, contemplating toughening her up through harsh means. But now, compared to Zhang Qiao'er, she suddenly appreciated the idea of Liu Er remaining innocent and sweet. Not wanting to dwell on Zhang Qiao'er, Shen Lüman looked around. Feigning innocence, she committed the estate’s layout to memory, discreetly preparing contingencies as she went. After a while, the maid Han Tao returned with a smile, waving them in casually as if summoning a pet, "Madam wants to see you. Stop standing there like a fool and come in." Zhang Qiao'er smiled sweetly, but Shen Lüman noticed the shadow of malice and hatred in her eyes. She mused how environments shape people—Zhang Qiao'er used to be merely ambitious, but after only a month in the toxic Liu household, she had become what she was now. Following Zhang Qiao'er into Madam Liu’s chambers, Shen Lüman pretended to be crude and unrefined, her eyes greedily scanning the gold and jewels, filled with feigned longing. Madam Liu chuckled lightly, which made Shen Lüman blush as if embarrassed and nervous. Zhang Qiao'er tugged at Shen Lüman's sleeve, "Madam, this is my mother. She's just a village woman unfamiliar with etiquette. I apologize on her behalf." "Thanks to Madam’s kindness, I've been so fortunate. My mother adores you and took it upon herself to visit. Mother, don't just stand there, kneel and thank Madam!" In an instant, Zhang Qiao'er had dug a pit for Shen Lüman, who eyed her coldly, knowing she was not one to behave. Unwilling to kneel, Shen Lüman stepped forward, babbling with spit flying, "So you're Madam Liu? You’re quite striking! I hope Qiao'er grows up just as beautiful." Madam Liu, splattered, turned pale with anger, "Alright, alright, you’re just a crude villager. Leave, and don't let me see you again!" Startled, Shen Lüman quickly pulled Zhang Qiao'er, forcing her to kneel, "Qiao'er, thank Madam! It's late, and the road back isn’t safe. Could we spend the night in the Liu estate’s woodshed and leave at first light?"