Chapter 11 "Are you satisfied now?"
Chapter Eleven
In an attempt to avoid Liu Qingshan, Lin Rong slipped and fell into the swift, icy river.
A loud thud.
The riverbank was surging with waves, whitecaps piled high, and the sound was like thunder.
Lin Rong's hands were bound, and although the cloth stuffed in her mouth was washed out by the river, she had lost her body temperature and was too weak to call for help or resist.
The rivers were not frozen in the dead of winter, but they were mixed with ice chips, and the water was extremely cold.
Lin Rong's cotton-padded coat absorbed water and swelled up, enveloping her and causing her to fall heavily downwards.
In that instant, Lin Rong suddenly felt utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally; she felt so tired.
Lin Rong is afraid of water and has not been able to swim since elementary school.
Her younger brother, who was only three years old, dared to go down into the river to catch fish, while she could only carry a bamboo basket to catch crabs and snails by the stream.
When Lin Rong was three years old, her father threw her into the river, and she nearly drowned.
Lin Rong remembers it very clearly.
That year, her younger brother was born. With a son in the family, her father no longer wanted to raise a money-losing child, so he deliberately lured Lin Rong to play by the river with a piece of candy.
That was the first time her father smiled at Lin Rong, and the first time he took her out to play.
Lin Rong still harbored filial affection for her father and had no suspicions until her father pressed her head down underwater. No matter how much she cried and trembled, her father remained unmoved.
Lin Rong nearly drowned when an old woman washing clothes by the river cried out in alarm, desperately warning Lin's father: "The little girl is full of resentment and will follow people home. Your son was just born and his birth chart is weak. Be careful of vengeful spirits seeking revenge."
To protect his son, Lin's father reluctantly let go, and Lin Rong seized the opportunity to give him air. Trembling with fear, she climbed back to shore and saved her life.
Lin Rong kept those words in mind.
She was born for her brother; her life is worthless.
Therefore, Lin Rong did not cry on the day her father sold her to a broker in order to support her younger brother.
She didn't feel upset or wronged; despite her young age, she carried a heavy burden in her heart.
The moment she stepped into the Pei residence, she paid off her debt to her family.
...
Lin Rong's hands and feet were numb, and she was shivering with cold all over.
The river was dark and murky, like a gaping maw of an abyss, swallowing Lin Rong whole.
She keeps falling; she will die here.
Until Lin Rong felt the force on her waist, a rope as strong as a water snake wrapped around the girl's slender waist without warning. With a flick of the whip, Lin Rong was swept up to the riverbank by a powerful force.
As the chaotic darkness at the bottom of the river receded, Lin Rong returned from the underworld.
She was pulled out of the water by a long whip and slammed solidly into the snow.
The girl was in a disheveled state, covered in bruises, but thankfully she survived.
Lin Rong struggled for a moment, her chest heaving violently, and soon she lay face down on the ground, forcing herself to vomit the salty river water.
Lin Rong didn't want to die; she wanted to leave the Pei residence alive.
Behind him, the man holding the whip retracted it and slowly approached.
The rope binding Lin Rong's arms was also pried open by the newcomer with a dagger.
Lin Rong was freed and was able to escape.
She let out a long breath, her hands weakly supporting her on the ground. Driven by her will to survive, she kept gagging her throat to spit out the dirty water she had swallowed.
Lin Rong was soaked to the bone and looked disheveled.
The buttons on the cotton-padded jacket were torn, and the hem was even more open from being washed by the river.
Lin Rong's hair tie was missing, and her wet, black hair was completely disheveled, falling down her back and barely covering her rounded shoulders.
Before she could stand up again, a faint, deep sandalwood scent wafted from afar and lingered around her nose.
Several warm, long fingers gripped Lin Rong's shoulders, pressing down firmly to prevent her from getting up.
Lin Rong's body stiffened.
She felt helplessly as the man's fingertips rubbed against her wet, snowy skin, leaving a strange, ambiguous sensation.
A string of cool-feeling beads tapped on the back of her neck, pressed against her spine, and rolled back and forth against Lin Rong's collar...
Lin Rong's lips were pale, and she was trembling.
She turned around blankly, only to be met with a pair of cold, deep phoenix eyes.
Pei Zan has arrived.
The eldest young master saved her.
Lin Rong's mind was in a daze. She had been frozen for too long and was unable to think. She could only stand there like a trembling sparrow, letting Pei Zan scrutinize and examine her.
Pei Zan didn't look at her; her two jade-like fingers slowly traced along the back of the girl's shoulder.
He saw that blood-red birthmark, as vibrant as a plum blossom...
Perhaps knowing that Lin Rong was about to freeze to death, Pei Zan showed a rare bit of kindness.
He unfastened his fox-fur cloak and covered the disheveled Lin Rong with it.
Thus, the bare-shouldered little girl was completely wrapped in Pei Zan's heavy robe.
The rich scent of sandalwood enveloped Lin Rong, her hands and feet slowly warmed up, and the surroundings were permeated with Pei Zan's elegant aura.
The soft cloak emanated warmth, attempting to thaw Lin Rong's icy exterior.
In the distance, Liu Qingshan, who had just seen Lin Rong rescued, was so frightened that he knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly.
"Young Master, you are wise. Rong'er and I are in love and have always intended to get married. We were just playing around by the river when Rong'er fell into the water..."
Liu Qingshan knelt down and begged for mercy, his clever tongue turning black into white.
Marriages among the servants of the household were not a big deal; it was common for maids from the outer courtyard to be betrothed to the stewards of the household.
Children born from marriages between servants and their families within the household are also called "house-born children." Because they are trained and cared for by their masters from a young age, these maids and servants are more trusted by their masters.
Liu Qingshan wanted to distance himself from the matter. He was desperate and resorted to this drastic measure, hoping Lin Rong would be clever enough not to argue. Otherwise, if they angered the young master, both of them would be in deep trouble!
Liu Qingshan was quite puzzled when he saw Pei Zan appear. He had always kept his distance from the masters of the inner courtyard and knew nothing about this powerful young master of the first branch of the family.
But he didn't think Pei Zan was a meddlesome person, and he didn't think that this pampered nobleman would treat a lowly maid with special regard.
There must be some reason for this.
Liu Qingshan was puzzled, but when he saw Fugui following him panting, he immediately understood.
Liu Qingshan was so angry he gritted his teeth, thinking to himself: So it was this kid who went out to fetch reinforcements! Let's see if he'll beat him to death when he gets back to the Pei residence!
Upon hearing this, Fu Gui was furious and quickly said, "Young Master, don't listen to his nonsense! This servant clearly saw him drug and kidnap Sister Rong!"
The two argued fiercely, but Pei Zan ignored them completely.
The man lowered his head, his cold, dark eyes silently gazing at Lin Rong. Perhaps his gaze was too icy, for Lin Rong felt a little overwhelmed and quickly thanked him in a hoarse voice, "Thank you so much for saving my life, young master..."
Before she could kowtow to Pei Zan, the man had already lowered his head and asked meaningfully, "The contraceptive medicine that day... was it given to him?"
Lin Rong was stunned by Pei Zan's question. Her mind raced for a while before she realized that Pei Zan was referring to the time a few days ago when the fish were delivered to the outer courtyard... Pei Zan had stepped on the contraceptive medicine herbs that she had scattered all over the ground.
Alas, it turns out he was well-read and knowledgeable in medicine; he should have known it was a contraceptive decoction.
Lin Rong gave Pei Zan a strange look again.
The man remained calm and indifferent, and she couldn't fathom his thoughts.
The night before, Lin Rong received Pei Zan's favor; the next day, Pei Zan accidentally broke her contraceptive medicine... Is the cause and effect so hard to guess? Or is it that Pei Zan didn't even realize she was the favored maid, hence his question?
Lin Rong couldn't understand her mistress's thoughts, but she honestly shook her head: "No, this servant has no relationship with him whatsoever."
Pei Zan curled his lips slightly, saying meaningfully, "If that's the case, then he's just a scoundrel spouting nonsense. Shall we take his life?"
Lin Rong was stunned by her master's sudden question.
Although Pei Zan spoke with a sense of discussion and compromise, Lin Rong understood that the young master had been an official for many years and his shrewdness was unfathomable; outsiders could not possibly see a glimpse of him.
In an instant, a chill ran through her heart, and a coldness also seeped into Lin Rong's bones.
Lin Rong looked up, cautiously studying Pei Zan's calm yet profound face.
Pei Zan stood beside her, his long eyelashes lowered, his delicate fingers playing with a sharp dagger. The moonlight shone on his fingertips, like a halo of divine light, making him look like a handsome male bodhisattva.
Lin Rong shook her head: "Even if you fall, there's no need to kill anyone."
Upon hearing this, Liu Qingshan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He was afraid that Lin Rong would do something reckless and deliberately make a big fuss about it.
"Young Master..." Seeing a glimmer of hope, Liu Qingshan hurriedly crawled two steps and begged Pei Zan for mercy.
Just as Liu Qingshan opened his mouth, the dagger he had been admiring suddenly stopped and pointed at him.
Upon seeing Pei Zan's murderous expression, Liu Qingshan couldn't help but step back.
But the dagger, driven by immense internal force, swept in like a gust of wind, hurtling straight toward the servant's face!
Liu Qingshan felt a blur before his eyes and was suddenly attacked.
His long neck was pierced by a sharp blade that could split clouds and shatter rocks!
Liu Qingshan's neck was broken, and he collapsed like a crooked jujube tree, with only a sharp sound like a torrential rain.
Accompanied by a sharp pain that pierced his heart and lungs, Liu Qingshan finally realized that the sound of splashing rain was not from anything else, but from a sharp blade piercing his neck, causing blood to gush out from his veins!
Liu Qingshan was dumbfounded. He was terrified and collapsed to the ground. The intense pain from his broken skin and fractured bones aroused his will to live.
The shocking red blood meandered across the ground, like plum blossoms growing in the snow.
As Liu Qingshan faced death, he was stunned, bewildered, and terrified. He screamed repeatedly, clutching his gruesome neck wound, and crawled towards Lin Rong, trying to grab her robe, crying, "Save me...save me..."
Lin Rong was also shocked and at a loss for what to do.
This was the first time Lin Rong had ever witnessed a murder scene; it was too bloody and too shocking.
She lost her tongue, her speech, and became mute.
Lin Rong watched helplessly as Liu Qingshan struggled on the ground to survive, barely clinging to life as he desperately crawled toward her.
Before the mutilated corpse could get close, a dark boot silently stepped on the bloodstained hand.
With a creak.
Pei Zan stepped on Liu Qingshan's finger bones to stop him from disturbing Lin Rong.
"The person you should beg is... me."
Liu Qingshan looked up, staring blankly at Pei Zan like a lowly ant.
Pei Zan lowered his head with pleasure, his long, dark hair falling down.
The man was handsome with red lips and white teeth, a slender waist and dark hair, wearing a flowing robe, surrounded by a bright moon. The moon's radiance was magnificent, like the Buddha descending to earth.
The foot that was trampling on the flesh gradually increased its force.
Pei Zan was ruthless and showed no mercy when he used his knife.
Liu Qingshan lost all speech.
Knowing there was no way to reverse the situation, he could only watch helplessly as his blood flowed onto the ground.
The moonlit night grew even more tranquil.
All of Liu Qingshan's vitality was extinguished.
His pupils were unfocused, and he was in immense pain. He died a wretched death in the silent night.
Pei Zan slowly withdrew his foot and asked Lin Rong in a deep voice, "Are you satisfied now?"
Lin Rong's face was as pale as paper. She dared not look at Pei Zan, feeling a chill run down her spine.
She knew that the young master hadn't done anything wrong.
Liu Qingshan deserved his punishment, and Pei Zan was simply punishing evil and promoting good.
Pei Zan merely curled his lips slightly, casually tossed his blade, and brutally murdered a servant on the spot; his methods were undeniably cruel.
It was only then that Lin Rong realized that Pei Zan's two questions were not intended to obtain her consent.
Pei Zan was simply being playful; he found it amusing and deliberately intended to tease those around him.
He had long harbored a mad, murderous intent.
A note from the author:
A heads-up: don't have any expectations of Pei Zan in the early stages...
Red gems still dropped today =3=
I recommend a completed novel by Dengdeng called "Daily Life of a Second Wife".
After being deceived by his ex-wife, the aloof prime minister, accompanied by his child, pursues her.
Both are virgins | Pursuing his wife | Reconciliation after a breakup | Male mother raising a child
When Lanzhi, the concubine's daughter of the Marquis, was traveling by water, she was unfortunately attacked by pirates.
Because of her outstanding beauty, she was captured by the pirate leader and made his wife.
In order to escape danger, Lan Zhi had a sudden inspiration and seduced a pirate henchman on her wedding night. However, during her escape, she was poisoned by love and had a one-night stand with the henchman, and ended up pregnant.
Lan Zhi was frail, and if she were to have an abortion rashly, she would be unable to have any more children. In order to preserve her health, Lan Zhi had no choice but to give birth to a son.
All the sweet words and vows she made to the henchmen were lies.
After finishing her postpartum confinement, Lanzhi lied and said she was going to pray for a good luck charm for her son. She then left home and never returned.
So what if she abandons her husband and children? She is a noblewoman from a noble family, and she is entitled to marry into a high-class family. From now on, she will never see her peasant husband from the mountain valley again.
Six months later, Lan Zhi returned home.
Knowing that she had been in distress for two years, her elders still took pity on her beautiful face and offered her as a gift to a high-ranking official, thus keeping her in the family.
From then on, Lanzhi once again became that pampered noblewoman who had everything done for her.
…
It is common knowledge that Xie Lin, the powerful Grand Secretary who held immense influence in the court, came from a humble background.
As the emperor's sharpest weapon, he once disguised himself and went to local prefectures, pretending to be a pirate to risk his life to suppress bandits; he also infiltrated the side of treacherous officials to clear obstacles to the emperor's rule.
Despite his high position and great power, after his ex-wife's death, he single-handedly raised his six-year-old son and did not add any more people to his household.
Until the Marquis's mansion, in an effort to win over the newly rich, presented the beautiful Lan Zhi.
Xie Lin, who never revealed his emotions in his interactions with others, angrily crushed his wine cup the moment he saw Lan Zhi.
Lan Zhi looked at the aloof and ethereal man on the table and couldn't help but feel apprehensive.
Until the man's sharp eyebrows furrowed in disapproval, and he let out a sneer.
"The lady abandoned her husband and children many years ago; she must have climbed onto some high branch of a tree."
Lan Zhi: "..."
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