Chapter 341
Qiu Feng narrowed his eyes as he sized up Zhan Feiyu, his gaze brazen and filled with undisguised malice. "Seeing is believing, Miss Zhan has truly not disappointed me."
Yang Xu stood beside Zhan Feiyu, warily eyeing the hostile Qiu Feng. Ever since he learned that Qiu Jinyu was a spy for the barbarians, Yang Xu no longer dared to trust anyone, especially the man before him.
Previously, Old Man Tie had provided Yang Xu with detailed intelligence on Qiu Feng and Qiu Zongzhang. If Qiu Zongzhang merely relied on his age and seniority, then Qiu Feng, not yet thirty, was truly a creature of venom and cold-bloodedness, with countless lives on his hands. He was a madman who treated human lives as worthless weeds.
"Brother Feng, no need to waste words with them. This wretched girl won't shed tears until she sees her coffin!" Qiu Jingyuan urged, looking smugly at Zhan Feiyu, anticipating her groveling apology.
"Miss Zhan intends to gamble?" Qiu Feng's voice was chilling, as if laced with damp coldness. He smiled at Zhan Feiyu with a particularly sinister air. "It will take at least half an hour for the garrison to arrive. Isn't Miss Zhan afraid of capsizing in a ditch?"
The hundred or so people who had followed Qiu Feng into the Qiu mansion now stood in the courtyard, a dense, dark mass. With a single command from Qiu Feng, these desperate outlaws would swarm forward like hyenas spotting prey.
In the ensuing chaos, there would be dead and wounded. Even if the imperial court investigated, these desperate souls would have already fled with the wealth plundered from the Qiu mansion. The Great Qing Dynasty was vast, and with ample silver in hand, they could find a place to settle anywhere.
Zhan Feiyu was unfazed. She glanced towards the door and, with a smile, replied, "'If all places are where one is born, then all are sentient beings. This is based on the transmigration of the five paths of karma. All sentient beings in the world are reincarnated within the thirty-six paths. My life is no more precious than anyone else's. If I die today, taking one with me is not a loss; taking two would be a gain.'"
Her smiling gaze swept over Qiu Feng and Qiu Jingyuan. Zhan Feiyu was indeed outnumbered, but she could issue a warning: before she died, she would definitely have someone kill Qiu Feng and his ilk.
A sharp, piercing laugh suddenly rang out. Qiu Feng roared with laughter. "I am but a lowly life. If I have Miss Zhan for company on the road to the underworld, then I shall die content."
"When words fail, actions speak. Since that is the case, let us settle this with our skills!" Zhan Feiyu nodded in agreement, her right hand instantly gripping her dagger. She still possessed that sweet, innocent appearance, but her words were filled with icy killing intent. "Ah Sheng, take their heads and then escort me out!"
"Yes!" He Sheng responded. His voice and demeanor were ordinary, but the long sword in his hand was already unsheathed, its cold blade gleaming even indoors.
Qiu Jingyuan, who had been clamoring incessantly, trembled. As arrogant and overbearing as she was, it was all based on her Qiu family status and her numerical superiority.
But looking at Zhan Feiyu, her face filled with killing intent and ready for a fight to the death, Qiu Jingyuan inexplicably felt a chill spread from her feet to her entire body. For the first time, Qiu Jingyuan felt panic and fear.
At that moment, Qiu Jingyuan finally remembered what Madam Qian had said. Last year in Huai'an Prefecture, after Zhan Feiyu narrowly escaped death, she had hung forty-eight corpses on the city wall for several days.
Madam Qian, who had been standing quietly in the corner, also looked pale. She had thought Qiu Feng was a madman before, but now, seeing Zhan Feiyu who seemed to be in earnest, and He Sheng standing ready, Madam Qian deeply regretted getting out of the carriage. Her life was not worth sacrificing to curry favor with the third branch.
"Enough! What nonsense are you two young people spouting here!" Suddenly, an angry voice rang out. Qiu Zongzhang reprimanded them with feigned ferocity.
However, upon closer inspection, Qiu Zongzhang's tightly clenched hands were also trembling with fear.
Qiu Zongzhang had originally intended to seize the opportunity to humiliate Qiu Zongxi and avenge himself. But he never expected that before he could even speak, and before that old scoundrel Qiu Zongxi had said anything, these two juniors would dare to speak such wild words, shouting about fighting and killing!
What was crucial was that Qiu Zongzhang knew Qiu Feng's methods. Qiu Feng truly dared to give orders to kill at the slightest disagreement. Seeing Zhan Feiyu, who was no less formidable, Qiu Zongzhang's legs also began to tremble. No wonder she could be taken as a disciple by Scholar Gu; she was no normal person!
Zhan Feiyu and Qiu Feng both looked over. Their eyes were calm, but it was precisely this eerie calmness that was more chilling. These were people who would kill without a second thought!
Qiu Zongxi let out a scoff, looking disdainfully at the frightened Qiu Zongzhang, a coward with the heart of a thief but not the courage!
"Miss." A gentle voice came from the doorway, breaking the suffocating atmosphere in the room.
He Nuan strode in and then stood beside Zhan Feiyu. She glanced at He Sheng, whose sword was already drawn. Although she didn't know what had happened, He Nuan immediately drew the soft sword at her waist, ready for a bloody battle.
"Don't you dare! Murder is punishable by death!" Qiu Jingyuan's voice was shaky. No matter how spoiled and overbearing she was, she didn't believe that Zhan Feiyu, who had led her followers into a barbarian army and then gone to rescue Aozikou, was bluffing.
Ignoring Qiu Jingyuan, Zhan Feiyu smiled and looked at Qiu Feng. "Are we fighting or not?"
"Interesting, truly interesting!" Qiu Feng also laughed, his sinister gaze fixed on Zhan Feiyu. "Since Miss Zhan is in such a mood, Qiu Feng will naturally accompany you, even at the cost of his life. Attack!"
Almost at the same moment Qiu Feng gave the order, the group of desperate outlaws lurking outside the courtyard immediately gripped their weapons and charged in. They had long known about Zhan Feiyu's wealth, and had heard that a carriage of goods was sent to Xiangwu County every three days from the capital.
The cheapest of the young lady's jewelry and ornaments was probably worth over a hundred taels. Just pocketing a few pieces would fetch thousands of taels of silver, enough for them to live on for several years.
"Who gave you permission to attack! Get out, get out..." Qiu Zongzhang shouted in terror, but his voice was drowned out by the shouts of combat.
Almost simultaneously, Qiu Feng grabbed Qiu Jingyuan by the arm and, taking advantage of the chaos as people entered, immediately fled with his men.
The clash of swords and blades erupted fiercely. The main hall was spacious enough to accommodate fifty or sixty people, but with the obstruction of tables and chairs, it appeared exceptionally chaotic.
Meanwhile, hearing the sounds of fighting, Commander Dou kicked a chair away in a fit of rage. "These madmen! Send the signal immediately, and the rest of the men follow me!"
Two quarters of an hour earlier, Qiu Feng had led his men to violently force open the gates of the Qiu mansion. Commander Dou did not believe he would actually dare to act. Even though he brought over a hundred desperate outlaws, it was more for intimidation.
However, given the status of Zhan Feiyu and Qiu Zongxi, this was Xiangwu County, the territory of the Yang family of the General's mansion. The Yang family had remained inactive because they had no reason to intervene. But if Qiu Feng were to commit murder within the Qiu mansion, Yang Shoucheng could bring his troops to capture these people.
County Magistrate Gao, who had also rushed over after receiving the news, had a darkened expression. He was a man of integrity. Qiu Feng daring to commit violence in broad daylight was a blatant disregard for the laws of the Great Qing and the imperial court!
As soon as Commander Dou's forces moved, those who had remained stationed at the alley entrance also rushed towards the Qiu mansion, fearing they would be too late and the treasures of the Qiu mansion would be claimed by others.
...
Blood splattered, and bodies lay strewn across the ground. The vast Qiu mansion was now in disarray. The rioters, blinded by their bloodlust, no longer cared about anything. As soon as they grabbed something valuable, they scaled the walls and fled. Some even took the opportunity to raid the homes of wealthy households in the county town. Since they had already robbed the Qiu mansion, why hesitate to rob a few more?
In an instant, the entire Xiangwu County was in chaos. Old Man Tie, after sending the signal, immediately led the Yang family's men to the scene.
"Don't kill me... I have money, I'll give you the money..." Qiu Jingyuan, hiding in a corner, cried out in terror. Like a madwoman, she pulled off the hairpin from her head and threw it away. But when she looked up and saw it was Yang Xu, she froze for a moment, then burst into tears.
"Shut up!" Yang Xu roared irritably. Everyone had thought Qiu Feng wouldn't dare to act, but Yang Xu was now separated from Lin Jiang and his men who were protecting him. However, he knew that among the desperate outlaws brought by Qiu Feng, some were targeting him.
"How dare you yell at me?" Qiu Jingyuan also shouted, emerging from the corner. She glared at Yang Xu in anger and yelled, "If it weren't for you, would I have come here? I was almost killed just now, and it's all your fault!"
Qiu Jingyuan was truly terrified. She had never experienced such danger before. Those people were like lunatics. If she hadn't hidden herself, Qiu Jingyuan suspected she would now be a corpse, just like Qing Hong.
Qing Hong's pearl earrings had been torn off, and even half of her earlobe had been ripped away, leaving a bloody mess. The memory made Qiu Jingyuan tremble with fear; those people were madmen without reason.
Yang Xu felt even more annoyed. He would rather remain unmarried for his entire life than be betrothed to Qiu Jingyuan!
"Be careful!" A shout rang out, and Zhan Feiyu's dagger was suddenly thrown.
The attacker, who was ambushing Yang Xu, was caught off guard and retreated a step in pain. Seeing this, Yang Xu immediately drew his sword and charged forward.
Zhan Feiyu picked up the sword from the ground. Although it was a bit heavy, it was usable. Without a word, she rushed forward to help.
"Ah..." Qiu Jingyuan screamed in terror again. But in her fright, she forgot to retreat to the corner and could only let out continuous cries.
A moment later, seeing the bodies fall, Zhan Feiyu breathed a sigh of relief and looked back at Yang Xu. "Are you injured?"
Shaking his head, Yang Xu wiped the blood splattered on his face. Hearing the still piercing cries, he had to roar again, "Shut up!"
Qiu Jingyuan shuddered at his outburst, covering her mouth with her hands. Her eyes widened in terror, as Zhan Feiyu's actions were too terrifying.
After the person fell, Zhan Feiyu went forward and delivered another sword strike. The splashing blood splattered onto Yang Xu's face, making Qiu Jingyuan feel the terror of death for the first time. In her eyes, Zhan Feiyu was comparable to a Rakshasa demon.
"How dare he actually act?" Yang Xu panted, stretching his sore wrist. In the chaos, Qiu Feng was nowhere to be seen.
Zhan Feiyu used the blood-stained long sword as a crutch. Although it was chaotic, some of the men brought by Qiu Feng were after the Qiu mansion's wealth. Therefore, after the fighting broke out, they immediately scattered into various courtyards of the Qiu mansion, their objective being wealth.
Another group was targeting Yang Xu. Zhan Feiyu guessed they were enemies of the Yang family, but these men were all blocked by Lin Jiang and his companions.
The last group consisted of death warriors from the Qiu family's third branch, likely seeking revenge for Qiu Jinyu. He Sheng and the others had been separated from Zhan Feiyu precisely because they had to block these individuals.
"How dare he actually act?" Yang Xu panted, stretching his sore wrist. In the chaos, Qiu Feng was nowhere to be seen.
Zhan Feiyu used the blood-stained long sword as a crutch. Although it was chaotic, some of the men brought by Qiu Feng were after the Qiu mansion's wealth. Therefore, after the fighting broke out, they immediately scattered into various courtyards of the Qiu mansion, their objective being wealth.
Another group was targeting Yang Xu. Zhan Feiyu guessed they were enemies of the Yang family, but these men were all blocked by Lin Jiang and his companions.
The last group consisted of death warriors from the Qiu family's third branch, likely seeking revenge for Qiu Jinyu. He Sheng and the others had been separated from Zhan Feiyu precisely because they had to block these individuals.