Chapter Eighty-Seven: An Unwelcome Visitor

“Damn it! That woman’s trying to run!” Zhang Dong cried out and sprang up onto the heated bed.

The woman was remarkably nimble, and every movement of her body showed that she knew martial arts. After kicking the window open, she even turned back and shot Zhou Zhi a vicious look, as if she meant to remember his face forever.

That poisonous glance burned itself into Zhou Zhi’s mind, and only then did he realize that she was by no means an ordinary woman. He had simply been careless before and paid her too little mind.

Fortunately, Zhou Zhi was certain the woman would never escape. Liu Hui outside was no fool. He had brought forty or fifty men with him for exactly this purpose: to guard against intruders and prevent anyone inside from getting away.

As expected, before long there came a burst of shouts from outside. One ruffian chuckled and said, “Oh, this little beauty’s skin is really tender. Nice. Heh heh!”

Then came a string of lewd laughter.

“Mouse, be careful. Don’t go groping around blindly. Didn’t you see how decent her fists and feet were just now? She’s a fierce one,” another voice said.

“Heh heh! I like that fierce kind of flavor,” the man called Mouse laughed on.

“Stop fooling around. Tie her up,” Liu Hui’s cold voice rang out.

After that came the rustling sounds of movement outside, and then everything fell quiet.

Zhou Zhi looked coldly down at Geng Zhong and asked, “Speak. Who exactly ordered you to do this?”

When Geng Zhong had seen the woman flee, he may have held a trace of hope. But after hearing that she had been seized outside, and realizing there were many men waiting there as well, his heart turned icy. Still, it had to be said that his pain had eased somewhat by then. His big eyes rolled a few times, and a flicker of cunning appeared in them.

With the oil lamp lit in the room, nothing he did could escape Zhou Zhi’s eyes. Zhou Zhi reached under the pillow on the heated bed and felt around. Sure enough, there was something beneath it: a gleaming narrow-bladed knife.

Zhou Zhi took the knife in hand, flashed it once before Geng Zhong’s dark head, then suddenly changed direction and drove it brutally into his shoulder hollow.

Geng Zhong screamed in pain and rolled on the floor again, nearly fainting. In his heart he cursed miserably: My heavens, this bastard is ruthless. He doesn’t even give a warning, just strikes without the least sign. What kind of person is he? How did I Geng Zhong end up provoking such a killing demon?

Too terrified to hesitate any longer, he gritted his teeth and forced down the pain. “It was all that woman who ordered me to do it.”

The woman was a widow from the village, named Li Xiaoying.

Li Xiaoying had a lover, a Taoist priest, and the two were deeply entangled. Under that priest’s instigation, Li Xiaoying had me frame Zhou Tiegge. They promised to give me fifty taels of silver as payment, and Li Xiaoying was also supposed to stay with me for several nights.

Truth be told, I’m just a poor wretch. When have I ever seen fifty taels of silver? But the priest was generous and gave me the fifty taels up front.

Besides, though I’m already past thirty, I still haven’t married. In all my life, I’ve barely touched a woman a few times. Li Xiaoying is beautiful and alluring. I was momentarily bewitched and agreed to help them, and so I set up Zhou Tiegge.”

“I ask you, was that priest surnamed Li?” Zhou Zhi’s eyes were already blazing with fury at the words, but he still forced himself to remain calm as he asked.

“I... I don’t know that, sir. I only know he was called Taoist Qingyun!” Geng Zhong answered, his voice trembling.

Taoist Qingyun was Li Shun.

Zhou Zhi ground his teeth until they clicked. In his heart he swore fiercely: Li Shun, I will make you pay for all of this.

But for now, Zhou Zhi remained calm. He knew that with his present strength, he could not yet deal with Li Shun. After all, Li Shun had the Chen family backing him now, and the Chen family was wealthy and powerful, with extensive connections among the officials at Qingdu County Office.

He would have to find a way to suppress the Chen family first. And he must not neglect his studies. By next year’s prefectural examination, he had to pass the county level and earn the degree of licentiate. Once he held that title, his status would naturally rise, and the officials at the county office would have to think twice before crossing him.

Zhou Zhi then waved the narrow-bladed knife again before Geng Zhong’s eyes. Frightened out of his wits, Geng Zhong hurriedly ducked aside and begged, “Please spare me, Young Master. I swear I’ll never do wicked things again.”

It was no wonder he was terrified. Zhou Zhi drove this knife into him whenever he pleased, without a word of warning, without the slightest sign. Who could endure that?

After a brief silence, Zhou Zhi said, “Geng Zhong, I’ll let you off this time. But...”

Before he could finish, Geng Zhong was already kneeling on the ground and pounding his head against the floor with heavy thuds, saying over and over, “Thank you, Young Master. Thank you, Young Master. Whatever you say, I’ll do it.”

By now, he was utterly scared witless.

“Didn’t that thieving priest give you fifty taels of silver? Bring it all out. I brought quite a few brothers with me this time. I can’t let them come for nothing,” Zhou Zhi said with a cold smile.

To Geng Zhong, those fifty taels of silver were naturally a treasure. But compared with his own life, his life was obviously far more important. Without the slightest hesitation, he pointed beneath the heated bed.

Zhang Dong immediately went over, lifted the mat on the bed, and found a hole underneath. In the hole was a cloth bundle. He took it out quickly, opened it, and inside were heaps of gleaming silver coins, shining with a bluish luster in the dim yellow lamplight. It was a most pleasing sight.

“Brother Zhou, it’s all here.”

Though Zhou Zhi was still young, Zhang Dong had already changed the way he addressed him, from Young Master Zhou to Brother Zhou.

That change may have seemed minor, but in truth it showed Zhang Dong’s deep admiration for Zhou Zhi. He now truly regarded him as his leader. In his eyes, Zhou Zhi was not only ruthless, but also immensely loyal. Just one sentence from him had brought the brothers here; there was no way they could be allowed to come for nothing. That alone made Zhang Dong fully respect him.

“Put it away. When we go back later, divide it among the brothers,” Zhou Zhi said in a low voice without even looking at the silver.

The matter should have been settled by then. Zhou Zhi turned and said, “Zhang Dong, let’s go!”

He did not even glance at Geng Zhong, who was still clutching his shoulder and trembling on the floor, but simply turned and left.

At last, that killing demon was gone. Geng Zhong did not dare delay any longer. He hurriedly struggled to his feet, found some medicine by the edge of the bed, and smeared it roughly over his shoulder. Then he stared at the empty room, his eyes dull and fixed. Perhaps for the rest of his life, he would never again want to encounter a devil like Zhou Zhi.

Zhou Zhi and Zhang Dong had just reached the courtyard when, before they could even speak with Liu Hui, a clamorous uproar rose from beyond the gate.

“Quick! Quick! Something’s happened at Geng Zhong’s house! Don’t let them get away!”

By then the moon had slanted westward, yet it shone especially bright. Zhou Zhi and the others could see clearly that from all directions around Xinzhuang Village, many men were surging toward Geng Zhong’s house with clubs and weapons in hand.

Clearly, these newcomers meant no good.

Liu Hui was experienced. He immediately ordered the ruffians to assemble into a rough formation and get ready for a brawl.

At that moment, Li Xiaoying, who had been bound with ropes, suddenly let out a shrill laugh and said, “Heehee, you wicked thieves still think you can run? Once you came to Xinzhuang, you came for good. None of you will leave alive. Your dog’s lives will all stay here.”

Her voice sounded like the screech of a night owl, hideous beyond words, and it sent an instant chill through the marrow, making one’s hair stand on end.