Chu Jinjin always gets straight to the point when she beats someone up. She can't kill him, especially since he's a master. This punch is aimed at his stomach, intending to incapacitate him first.
So vomiting is normal.
The city gatekeeper's dinner was quite good, but the vomit was particularly colorful and disgusting to look at.
After an almost endless silence, the city gate commander slowly straightened up, an unidentified substance lingering at the corner of his mouth, his face ashen: "What happened?"
After figuring out the situation, he took a deep breath and said coldly, as if he were interrogating a criminal: "Without evidence or personal speculation, you injured more than a dozen members of my Li family, Chu Jinjin. This is the capital city. Don't think that just because you know a few kung fu moves you can do whatever you want. Men, take him down!"
He just said it offhand.
This isn't the government office; the guards have all been beaten to the ground, there's no one else around.
The atmosphere was extremely awkward.
The city gate commander, forcibly trying to maintain appearances, waved his hand and issued an order: "Pass on my order to the city gate office immediately to arrest Chu Jinjin. If she resists, proceed directly to the Chu family."
Things are going in the worst possible direction.
The group of noble ladies finally returned to their own world, looking at Chu Jinjin with schadenfreude.
No matter how powerful they are, or how many they can take on, they'll still have to surrender in the end.
Now, even the Chu family has been implicated.
Chu Lanlan mustered her courage: "Lord Li, this matter arose because of me; my elder sister was just momentarily angered..."
The city gatekeeper interrupted her calmly: "You will also be going to assist in the investigation."
That's the difference between money and power.
The Chu family has a vast fortune, but they rose to power too quickly and don't have enough connections to deal with the Shangguan government.
Without any evidence, the Li family was utterly destroyed, and they were arrested on charges of causing trouble. No one could say anything about it.
That would make the Imperial Concubine even happier.
Unfortunately, he ran into Chu Jinjin.
Chu Jinjin said calmly, "Lord Li, what if I have evidence that your family framed me?"
Li Chengmen narrowed his eyes: "If there is sufficient evidence, without Miss Chu needing to say it, I, Li, will never protect anyone."
“Okay.” Chu Jinjin nodded and walked to the servant’s side. “Come with me.”
As she expected, she was stopped.
Li Chengmen personally stopped him: "Where are you taking him?"
“He’s the only one who knows the truth. Whether he was instructed or not, only he knows.” Chu Jinjin spoke politely, but her words were harsh. “I’m afraid he won’t live past tonight.”
After tonight's series of events, the servant's mentality had long since collapsed. He seemed to be able to see his own end. Hearing what Chu Jinjin said, he subconsciously took a step closer to her.
“I understand Miss Chu’s concerns.” Li, the city gate commander, showed no emotion. “However, you can rest assured that as the city gate commander and a local law enforcement officer, I would never do anything that violates the law. I guarantee that he will not be harmed in any way.”
Chu Jinjin shook her head: "I'm not at ease. I can't trust the Li family."
The previously tense crowd: "..."
This is tantamount to pointing fingers and cursing directly in someone's face.
Li Yulu angrily retorted, "How dare you, a mere merchant's daughter, insult my Li family like this!"
Chu Jinjin had no interest in paying attention to her and sighed, "Lord Li, you shouldn't have stopped me."
She was just testing the waters.
Let's see if this is just a trick among the women in the inner quarters, or if Li Chengmen was also aware of it.
Given the normal reaction, it would be inappropriate for the servant, who is the only witness, to be taken away or left behind.
Her concerns are valid. On the contrary, she wonders if taking her away would involve coercion or inducement.
Li Chengmen stopped him without hesitation, a clear indication of his guilty conscience.
"I must take him away tonight." Chu Jinjin's face turned cold: "Whether Lord Li believes it or not, we'll meet at the yamen tomorrow."
This was her escape route, which she had planned before she took action.
Chu Jinjin didn't want to make a big deal out of it. After all, Chu Lanlan wasn't hurt, so a beating would be enough to teach her a lesson. But as she said, the Chu family doesn't cause trouble. If someone comes to bully them, then they'll fight.
Li Chengmen suddenly burst into laughter: "What a sharp-tongued and arrogant Miss Chu! If I don't agree, are you going to forcibly take her away?"
Chu Jinjin nodded: "That's right."
No one can stop it.
Li Chengmen seemed to see through her thoughts, and smiled meaningfully: "I admit that your skills are indeed quite good. Even I might not be your match. But what about the rest of your Chu family?"
As if to build momentum for his words, heavy, powerful footsteps suddenly echoed from afar, and in the distance, there was a faint glow of fire in the sky.
The city gate guards' reinforcements have arrived.
Li Chengmen laughed even more smugly: "Third Miss Chu, do you still want to resist?"
"Rebel against your mother!" Chu Jinjin uttered the first curse she ever uttered in this world. Her movements were incredibly fast; in the blink of an eye, the flashy dagger appeared at Li Chengmen's throat.
Family is her bottom line.
Chu Jinjin said menacingly, "I don't know whether I can protect my family or not, but I do know that you will die ahead of me."
The young ladies watching were terrified, unable to understand how a pleasant flower-viewing banquet had turned into a life-or-death struggle.
Chu Jinjin leaned close to his ear and said through gritted teeth, “You surnamed Li, remember this: if my family suffers even the slightest harm, not only you, but everyone in the Li family will pay with their lives. Compared to Black Eagle Mountain Stronghold, your little city gate leader is nothing.”
The timid fear the bold, and the bold fear the reckless.
Chu Jinjin is reckless.
"I'll give you one last chance." Chu Jinjin exerted a little force, and the unsharpened dagger pierced Li Chengmen's throat. "Either your Li family dies first, and my Chu family perishes, or we each go our separate ways—don't try anything else. I want your life, and you can't escape it, and no one can stop you."
You only realize how terrifying it is when you actually face death.
Li Chengmen, who had been so defiant just moments before, trembled all over and said, "Fine, fine."
But Chu Jinjin was still worried.
What method can be used to ensure absolute safety?
A trembling voice weakly rang out.
"Miss Chu, Uncle, I have a few words to say."
Yang Minjing, the cousin of Chu Lanlan's future husband, is addressed as Uncle Li Chengmen according to seniority.
She's usually a very calm girl, but right now, she can only barely maintain her composure.
Chu Jinjin said irritably, "Speak."
“Uncle, your servant did indeed show signs of ill intent. I asked him to get the net, and he headed towards the pear orchard. Moreover, I saw him deliberately trip and fall. If Miss Chu hadn't reacted quickly, Lanlan might have already been knocked into the pond.” Yang Minjing hesitated for a moment, glanced at Chu Lanlan, and suddenly huffed like an angry cat, “Lanlan and my cousin are already engaged. Uncle, what you're doing is far too disrespectful to the Yang family. I will report this to my father.”
Chu Jinjin relaxed her body little by little, and nodded with an approving smile: "Continue."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
