Zhao Er spat out a mouthful of sour water from the pain. His whole body flew backward like a torn sack, crashing heavily against the courtyard wall before sliding down to the ground. Clutching his stomach, he curled into a ball, hurting so badly that he could not even speak.
“You wretched woman!
How dare you lay hands on me!”
Wang Hongwei was both shocked and furious. With his free hand, he frantically reached toward his waist for the packet of Soft-Bone Powder. “I think you’re tired of living!”
A cold light surged in Shen Qinghuan’s eyes. The hand gripping his wrist suddenly twisted hard.
Crack!
A crisp sound of bone breaking rang out. Wang Hongwei let out a shrill scream that echoed through the entire courtyard.
The packet of Soft-Bone Powder slipped from his trembling fingers, fell to the ground, and scattered white powder everywhere.
“Ah, my hand!
My hand is broken!”
Wang Hongwei’s face turned deathly pale from the pain. Cold sweat streamed down his face, beads the size of beans rolling off his forehead. His eyes were filled with terror and venomous hatred. “You vicious woman!
My mother won’t let you off!
Madam won’t let you off either!”
“Your mother?”
Shen Qinghuan let out a cold laugh. She lifted her foot and stepped on his broken wrist, grinding down hard. “Wang Pozi relied on Madam’s power to torment me every day, to deduct my food rations. If not for my tough fate, I would have starved to death in this thatched cottage long ago!”
“She’s already dead, yet you’ve delivered yourself to my door again!”
The intense pain made Wang Hongwei’s entire body convulse. Looking into Shen Qinghuan’s icy eyes, the killing intent surging within them made fear seep into his very bones. He finally realized that the woman before him was no soft persimmon to be bullied at will.
“Y-you… what do you want to do?
I’m warning you—if you dare touch me, Madam won’t let you go!”
Wang Hongwei shouted fiercely to hide his fear, though his voice trembled.
“Madam?”
Shen Qinghuan let out a mocking chuckle. She bent down to pick up the remaining Soft-Bone Powder from the ground, pinching a bit between her fingers and rubbing it lightly. The chill in her eyes deepened. “Your Madam wants my life. Am I supposed to sit and wait for death?”
She suddenly raised her hand, grabbed Wang Hongwei’s jaw, and forced his mouth open, pouring the entire packet of Soft-Bone Powder into his mouth!
“Mmm!
Mmm!”
Wang Hongwei struggled desperately, but Shen Qinghuan pinned him down firmly, leaving him unable to move.
The bitter powder made him cough violently, tears and snot streaming down together.
“This Soft-Bone Powder—weren’t you planning to make me drink it?”
Shen Qinghuan’s voice was cold as ice, every word laced with poison. “Then taste it properly yourself!”
After she finished speaking, she released him. Wang Hongwei collapsed onto the ground, his strength draining away as if sucked dry. He did not even have the strength to lift a finger.
He stared at Shen Qinghuan in horror, guttural sounds escaping his throat, his eyes filled with despair.
Shen Qinghuan slowly turned and looked toward Zhao Er, who was curled up in the corner.
Zhao Er was scared out of his wits. He scrambled backward on his hands and knees, babbling incoherently as he begged for mercy. “Spare me!
Miss Shen, spare me!
Wang Hongwei forced me!
I didn’t do anything!
I was just running errands!”
“Didn’t do anything?”
Shen Qinghuan walked toward him slowly. Her footsteps landed heavily on the muddy ground, each thud striking Zhao Er’s heart.
She crouched down and looked at his ashen face, a mocking curve lifting her lips. “Just now outside, who said he would keep watch for him?
Who coveted those ten taels of silver?”
All the color drained from Zhao Er’s face. His lips trembled, but he could not utter a single word.
Shen Qinghuan stood up, her gaze sweeping over the two men on the ground. There was not the slightest trace of pity in her eyes.
She took out the silver needle laced with anesthetic from her sleeve. With a flick of her fingers, it gleamed with a cold light.
The original owner had been soft-hearted, and that was why she had been schemed against.
But she was not the original owner. She would never make the same mistake.
Mercy toward enemies was cruelty toward herself and her child.
She walked to Wang Hongwei’s side and looked at his venom-filled eyes. “You said you would kill me and throw me to the wild beasts?”
Wang Hongwei trembled violently, terror filling his gaze.
Shen Qinghuan said nothing more. The silver needle in her hand moved like lightning, precisely piercing the center of his brow.
Wang Hongwei’s pupils suddenly dilated. A short whimper escaped his throat before all sound ceased.
His body collapsed limply to the ground, his eyes still wide open, filled with unwillingness and fear.
Seeing this scene, Zhao Er was so frightened that he lost control of his bowels. A foul stench spread through the air.
He kowtowed frantically, his forehead striking the cold mud until blood streamed down. “Spare me!
Miss Shen, spare me!
I won’t dare again!
I’m willing to serve you like an ox or a horse to repay you!”
Shen Qinghuan slowly turned her head and looked at him, her gaze terrifyingly calm.
Zhao Er’s pleas grew weaker and weaker. Watching Shen Qinghuan approach step by step, the fear in his eyes reached its peak.
He knew that he would not survive today.
Shen Qinghuan crouched down and looked at his trembling figure, speaking softly, “Just now you said that since I’m pregnant, killing me would be troublesome to explain?”
Zhao Er stiffened, not daring to respond.
“What a pity,” Shen Qinghuan’s voice was light and airy, yet carried a bone-chilling coldness, “you shouldn’t have colluded with Wang Hongwei.”
As her words fell, the silver needle struck again, swift as a ghost, piercing into Zhao Er’s neck.
Zhao Er’s body jerked violently once, then went completely still, no longer making a sound.
The courtyard fell silent in an instant, leaving only the mournful sound of the wind blowing across the roof of the thatched cottage.
Shen Qinghuan looked at the two corpses on the ground, her eyes utterly calm.
She raised her hand and wiped away the blood splattered on her face. Her fingertips were icy.
This was the second time she had killed with her own hands since transmigrating.
There was no panic or fear as she had once imagined—only the exhilaration of avenged hatred.
Lowering her head, she placed a hand over her lower abdomen. Her voice was gentle, as though coaxing a child to sleep. “Baby, don’t be afraid.
Mother will protect you. No one will harm us.”
The child in her womb seemed to sense her intention and moved slightly, as if responding.
A trace of warmth flickered in Shen Qinghuan’s eyes, only to be replaced once more by cold resolve.
With Wang Hongwei and Zhao Er dead, that Madam would never let the matter rest.
She had to dispose of the two bodies quickly. Not a single trace could be left behind.
Shen Qinghuan’s gaze fell upon the dried-up well in the corner of the courtyard, a sharp light flashing in her eyes.
With a thought, she took out an iron shovel from her space.
She had found it earlier in the storage warehouse of the space—it was a farming tool left behind by the previous master.
Taking a deep breath, she began to dig.
The spiritual energy within the space had nourished her body, increasing her strength considerably. As she swung the shovel, earth flew aside. Soon, a deep pit was dug beside the dried well.
She dragged the corpses of Wang Hongwei and Zhao Er over and threw them into the pit. Then she filled it back in, tamped it down, and smoothed it over, leaving no flaws.
After finishing, she took out spirit spring water from the space and sprinkled it across the courtyard, washing away the bloodstains and filth on the ground.
The spirit spring water had purifying effects. In only a short while, the foul odor disappeared without a trace, replaced by a faint fragrance of grass and trees.
Shen Qinghuan stood in the middle of the courtyard, looking at the renewed scene. The killing intent in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by firm determination.
Shen Cong’an, Shen Chuchu, Madam Wang—just wait for me.
She would settle this debt, one stroke at a time.
She lifted her head toward the horizon. The rising sun broke through the clouds, golden light pouring down upon her as though gilding her in brilliance.
Shen Qinghuan clenched her fists, a bold smile curving her lips.