Desperate Situation

Jiang Shuo and the other two had stayed in the cave dwelling for several days without changing or washing their clothes. Now they were disheveled and filthy, a sorry sight. Thinking they had not recognized them, Jiang Shuo explained, "This is Miss Yu of the Hundred Flowers Sect. Let us in."

The soldier gave Yu Yuhan a sidelong glance, but did not lower the weapons pressed against their chests. "Orders from above. No one is allowed to enter or leave Yulin these next few days."

"Clear the way. We have important matters to report to the County Magistrate." Yu Yuhan's face darkened as she stepped forward, anger faintly rising in her voice.

"Isn't this my senior sister?" At that moment, a frivolous voice rang out. Chen Zhiqing sat astride a horse, leading a squad of soldiers slowly out through the city gate. Though he was speaking to Chen Zhiqing, his eyes remained fixed on Jiang Shuo. On the day Jiang Shuo had entered the sect, he had humiliated Chen Zhiqing in public. Chen Zhiqing had never forgotten that grudge.

"Chen Zhiqing, since we are fellow disciples, have them let me in." Yu Yuhan knew nothing of the feud between Jiang Shuo and Chen Zhiqing.

"Senior Sister Yu, it isn't that I don't want to help. The problem is, my father is the County Magistrate of Yulin. I'm nobody at all—how could I possibly order them around?" Chen Zhiqing said with a smile.

The lie was transparent. Who in Yulin did not know that County Magistrate Chen Bingting had only this one son and spoiled him beyond measure? How would these lowly soldiers dare disobey him?

"Have you considered the consequences of doing this?" Yu Yuhan's face grew exceedingly grim, her voice low and more like a threat.

"Consequences? Heh heh. I have important matters to attend to. I can't be bothered wasting time with you here." Chen Zhiqing shook his head mockingly. In Yulin City, his father was eldest brother and he was second brother. He was in the mood to call her Senior Sister, and she really thought she was somebody?

With that, Chen Zhiqing waved a hand, and the soldiers behind him rushed out one after another, heading toward the Disaster Victims closest to the base of the city wall.

"Get up, all of you! Get the hell out!"

Without a word of explanation, the soldiers began beating them, kicking, shoving, and crudely driving away the Disaster Victims.

The strength of soldiers who ate their fill every day and Disaster Victims who starved was worlds apart. Their instinctive resistance was like eggs striking stone, and they scattered with their heads in their hands. Some ran a little too slowly, and the soldiers caught up to them and lashed them across the head and face with whips, beating them until they clutched their heads and begged for mercy without stop.

Jiang Shuo froze. Then raging fury flooded his chest, and he shouted, "Chen Zhiqing, what are you doing? They were only staying here. How did they offend you?"

"A great personage will be coming to Yulin in the next few days. This mob of commoners is uncouth and ill-bred; they might cause trouble then," Chen Zhiqing said lightly.

"The blazing sun has scorched the land dry for dozens of li around Yulin. Where do you expect to drive them?" Jiang Shuo demanded.

"That has nothing to do with me." Chen Zhiqing spread his hands. Whether the Disaster Victims lived or died meant not the slightest thing to him.

Yu Yuhan gritted her teeth, stared at Chen Zhiqing, then turned and strode toward the soldiers whipping the Disaster Victims. "Stop!"

"Who the hell do you think you are, ordering—ah!" Before he could finish, Yu Yuhan seized the whip and gave it a fierce tug. The soldier flew through the air and landed in a Dog Eats Shit sprawl, making Li Zicheng cry out in delight, "Well struck!" Seeing this, the nearby soldiers shouted angrily as they rushed forward to help. Li Zicheng and Jiang Shuo did not stand idle either, and one after another joined the battle.

Seeing that the two men were highly skilled and that several enemies could not even get close to them, Yu Yuhan's eyes showed surprise. I really did underestimate him. Under the protection of the three, the Disaster Victims fled in panic.

"Are you trying to rebel?" Chen Zhiqing had been worrying that he would have no chance to take revenge. He immediately gave the order for more men to rush forward.

"Chen Zhiqing! You were just saying you couldn't order the soldiers around. What is this supposed to be now?" The soldiers belonged to the Imperial Court, so Jiang Shuo did not dare strike to kill. The pressure on him surged at once.

"Hmph, you beat Imperial Soldiers. You are like a clay Buddha crossing the river—unable to save even yourselves. Instead of worrying about others, worry about yourselves first!" Chen Zhiqing issued orders wildly. This time, he would make Jiang Shuo taste suffering.

"Senior Sister Yu, help!" By the time the Disaster Victims had mostly escaped, Jiang Shuo and the others had instead fallen into layer upon layer of encirclement. If this continued, they would sooner or later be worn to death alive.

"Alright!" Yu Yuhan understood. She joined Li Zicheng, and together they swept through the enemies charging forward wave after wave, forcibly tearing a gap in the tight encirclement.

"Bastards! You useless trash, don't let them get away!" Seeing that the situation was turning bad, Chen Zhiqing shouted in agitation. At his cries, a large number of fresh troops gathered around the outer perimeter. Then Jiang Shuo feinted outward, abruptly turned, and charged straight at Chen Zhiqing.

The sudden change caught the soldiers off guard. Jiang Shuo smashed through them like bamboo splitting before the wind and reached Chen Zhiqing in the blink of an eye. Jiang Shuo sprang into the air, curled his right hand into a Tiger Claw, and seized at Chen Zhiqing's face.

Chen Zhiqing, who had been so smug moments ago, was frightened out of his wits. His face turned patchy blue and yellow as though paint had been splashed over it, and his body shook like chaff in a sieve. He tried to flee, but forgot he was on horseback and fell straight to the ground. Jiang Shuo pounced on top of him, his hand climbing to Chen Zhiqing's throat. "Everyone, stop!"