Fifty strokes of the board!
The moment he heard the sentence, Chen Feicai’s legs nearly gave out beneath him.
All thoughts of maintaining his scholarly image vanished as he cried out at the top of his lungs.
“Your Excellency, I’m innocent—!”
Magistrate Zhao cut him off sharply.
“Guards!”
“At your service!”
“Drag Chen Feicai outside and administer fifty strokes of the board. His scholar status is to be further investigated.”
“Yes, Your Excellency!”
Two constables stepped forward and hauled Chen Feicai out of the courtroom.
Moments later, the sounds of blows and agonized screams echoed from outside.
“Your Excellency, I’ve truly been wronged… AHH! Xiuxiu, save me… Ugh! Ahhh!”
“Madam Chen Lin is found innocent and released.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.”
Only fifty strokes?
That was letting the useless waste off easy.
Feeling the marriage contract tucked inside her clothing, Lin Xiazhi lowered herself respectfully once more.
“Your Excellency, this common woman requests the dissolution of my engagement with Chen Feicai. I hope Your Excellency will grant it.”
Magistrate Zhao hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
“The engagement can be dissolved, but you have already been…”
Pain flashed across Lin Xiazhi’s face.
“Even if I never marry again for the rest of my life, I don’t want any further connection to him. I beg Your Excellency for mercy.”
Magistrate Zhao snorted coldly.
“Very well. A person like him isn’t worth sacrificing your entire life for. Bring me the official seal.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
When the seal was brought forward, Lin Xiazhi hurriedly presented the marriage contract.
Magistrate Zhao quickly stamped it.
“You are free now.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.”
After receiving the officially annulled contract, Lin Xiazhi supported Liu Juan and Zhao Xiaomei as they headed outside.
Ignoring Mu Zheng entirely, she sincerely thanked the two women.
“Thank you, Auntie Liu and Auntie Zhao, for speaking the truth on my behalf.”
“Forget the thanks!”
Instead of exchanging pleasantries, Liu Juan grabbed her arm and hurried toward the exit.
“You need to come back to the village immediately! Your mother and Qingbei are practically being beaten to death!”
Zhao Xiaomei nodded repeatedly.
“That’s right! We came all the way to town to find you. Hurry and think of something. Go save your mother!”
In Maple Leaf Village, Liu Juan and Zhao Xiaomei were as close to Shen Ying as sisters.
They always looked out for one another.
The moment they heard Shen Ying was in danger, they immediately asked around until they discovered Lin Xiazhi’s whereabouts and rushed into town at first light.
By pure coincidence, they had passed by the yamen and heard Chen Feicai shouting.
Sensing something was wrong, they had joined the crowd.
And in the end, they had become crucial witnesses.
“My mother was beaten by the Lin family?”
Lin Xiazhi’s expression darkened instantly.
The chill in her eyes was enough to make people shiver.
Meeting that gaze, Liu Juan involuntarily trembled.
“Yes. We don’t even know what condition she’s in now.”
Lin Xiazhi quickly calmed herself.
“What bad habits does Lin Dagou have?”
The two women froze.
Zhao Xiaomei hurriedly answered.
“He loves gambling. I’ve heard he owes a mountain of debt outside the village. They’ve already mortgaged everything they own. The only thing left to sell is your younger brother!”
Liu Juan added,
“The reason Sister Shen was beaten was because of those ten taels of silver on her…”
Understanding dawned immediately.
Lin Xiazhi already had a plan.
She turned and began walking away.
“Aunties, please go back first and check on the situation. I’ll be there shortly.”
Without a word, Mu Zheng followed after her.
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Liu Juan and Zhao Xiaomei exchanged glances.
Something about Lin Xiazhi had changed.
Yet neither could explain exactly what it was.
Pushing the thought aside, they hurried back toward the village.
Noticing Mu Zheng still following behind, Lin Xiazhi skipped the small talk and went straight to the point.
“Do you know where I can hire some guards? I need a few men.”
“Come with me.”
Following Mu Zheng through winding streets and alleys, they soon arrived at a modest escort agency.
The place wasn’t particularly impressive.
Lin Xiazhi frowned and started walking inside.
Mu Zheng reached out to stop her.
“I know the people here. Tell me how many you need, and I’ll bring them out. No need to waste time.”
“Five strong men. The fiercer they look, the better.”
“Understood.”
He glanced at her.
“It’s all men inside. It wouldn’t be convenient for you to enter. Wait here.”
“…”
A short while later, Mu Zheng returned with five burly men.
They were tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular.
Each wore a sleeveless vest that exposed powerful arms.
Their hair was tied into high ponytails.
Even their thick mustaches looked intimidating.
With fierce eyes and imposing expressions, they looked exactly like professional thugs.
Mu Zheng walked over and smiled.
“Are these satisfactory?”
Lin Xiazhi nodded.
“They’ll do.”
At that moment, a carriage stopped outside the agency.
Lin Xiazhi looked toward Mu Zheng.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
“Taking a carriage will save a lot of time. You might even catch up to Auntie Liu and the others.”
“I won’t forget this favor.”
After thanking him, Lin Xiazhi climbed into the carriage.
Mu Zheng and the five men followed shortly afterward.
On the way, they made a brief stop at the yamen.
Lin Xiazhi casually grabbed the blood-soaked Chen Feicai and tossed him into the carriage before continuing the journey.
Not long afterward, they caught up to Liu Juan and Zhao Xiaomei and brought them aboard as well.
Inside the carriage, Lin Xiazhi glanced at Chen Feicai, who was groaning pitifully in pain.
She gave Mu Zheng a meaningful look.
Mu Zheng immediately understood.
With a swift chop to the back of Chen Feicai’s neck—
“Ugh…”
Before he could react, he slumped over and lost consciousness.
As for Liu Juan and Zhao Xiaomei, Lin Xiazhi had no intention of hiding her plans.
She spoke openly.
“Listen carefully. When we get there, beat Lin Dagou and Zhang Cuiyu as hard as you can.”
“Leave everything else to me.”
“The harder, the better. Don’t hold back.”
“We’ve got it!”
All five men nodded in unison.
Liu Juan looked worried.
“We won’t accidentally kill them, will we?”
Lin Xiazhi let out a cold snort.
“Whether they end up crippled or dead depends on their luck.”
Having spent years in an apocalypse where life and death were decided in an instant, she found herself increasingly annoyed by worlds governed by laws.
One way or another, Lin Dagou would not survive the night.
Meanwhile, the Lin family courtyard was already surrounded by villagers.
Everyone stood outside watching the spectacle.
Not a single person stepped forward to help.
“You actually dared spend money redeeming that useless girl! You had silver but didn’t think to honor your own father first? I’ll beat you to death, you ungrateful woman! Later I’ll sell both you and your son!”
Seeing the silver in his hand, Lin Dagou became furious all over again and viciously kicked the figure lying on the ground.
Shen Ying was covered in mud.
Her face was swollen and bruised beyond recognition.
After enduring more than two hours of beatings, she lay motionless on the ground.
No one could tell whether she was alive or dead.
Only seven-year-old Lin Qingbei remained kneeling beside her.
Using his tiny body as a shield, he blocked Lin Dagou’s path.
“You’re not allowed to hit my mother!”
“Move, you little bastard!”
Lin Dagou grabbed him and flung him aside.
Then he delivered another savage kick to Shen Ying’s back.
Lin Qingbei rolled several meters away.
Yet he immediately crawled back while crying and wrapped himself around his mother’s lifeless body.
“Mother! Wuuuu… Mother…”
“That’s enough, Dagou.”
An elderly woman with graying hair and a harsh expression approached from beneath the eaves.
It was Zhang Cuiyu.
“Teach her a lesson if you want, but don’t actually beat her to death. How are you supposed to repay your debts tomorrow if she’s dead?”
“Don’t worry, Mother. I know my limits.”
Lin Dagou was tired from all the hitting.
He dropped onto a stone stool, though his vicious gaze remained fixed on Shen Ying.
“If I’d known her family could come up with silver, I would’ve forced her to visit them more often.”
Zhang Cuiyu also felt regret.
In her mind, a fortune had slipped through their fingers.
“It’s not too late. Her father is a butcher. How could he possibly be short of money? She kept claiming she couldn’t borrow any. I actually believed her.”
“Hmph! Ungrateful white-eyed wolf!”
After speaking, Zhang Cuiyu viciously stomped on Shen Ying’s hand.
The woman didn’t even react.
“Go away! Leave us alone!”
Lin Qingbei slammed into Zhang Cuiyu with all his strength.
His voice was hoarse from crying.
“You’re all bad people! All of you are bad!”
“You little bastard—”
“Is this the Lin family residence?!”
A thunderous shout suddenly rang out from outside the courtyard, cutting Zhang Cuiyu off.
The villagers jumped in fright and turned around.
Only then did they notice a carriage that had arrived without anyone realizing.
Five intimidating men were climbing down from it.
Their expressions were fierce as they pointed toward the crowd.
“What are you all staring at? Has everyone gone mute? I’m asking if this is Lin Dagou’s house!”
“Yes… yes, it is…”
Realizing trouble had arrived, the villagers hurriedly stepped aside and opened a path.
“What are you looking at? Move!”
The five men swaggered into the courtyard, looking every bit like dangerous enforcers.
“Lin Dagou! Get out here!”
“Who the hell is looking for me?!”
Lin Dagou looked up.
The moment he saw five muscular men covered in tattoos marching into his yard, his face turned white.
His legs nearly buckled beneath him.
The fierce arrogance he had displayed while beating people moments ago vanished completely.
Only fear remained.
“Y-you… you’re from the gambling house?!”