Chapter 172 Shen Chu Dons Women's Clothes and Kills the Old Ghost
She's dressed as a man now, so touching her like this might scare her.
After hesitating for a moment, Chen Chu finally placed the abacus in her hand and said softly, "Cry, and when you've cried enough, wipe away your tears. Let's go get revenge."
Zhang Lan gripped the silver abacus tightly, staring blankly at Shen Chu, "Revenge?"
Shen Chu nodded and took out the paper she had just given him. "The fact that you can draw this means you haven't given up."
You hope to leave this place one day and get your revenge, don't you?
It was a simple, makeshift map that clearly indicated where there were checkpoints and where passage was permitted.
After reading it, Shen Chu couldn't help but secretly admire Zhang Lan's intelligence.
"You fell into a den of wolves and tigers but did not give up on yourself, nor did you feel sorry for yourself. You even managed to find a way to leave. You are truly a strong and intelligent girl."
Zhang Lan wiped away her tears with her sleeve, a blush appearing on her face.
It was the first time I had been praised to my face by a man my own age.
This salt worker was quite good at praising people; his praise even dispelled some of the gloom in her heart.
Zhang Lan hung the silver abacus back around her neck. "This is what I wrote down during my walk in the village during the day, but it's not comprehensive."
There were also some hidden sentries I hadn't discovered.
“This has already been a great help.” Chen Chu spread the blueprints on the table. “Let’s discuss how to leave from here.”
"Leave?" Zhang Lan looked stunned. "You...you're willing to take me and my mother away?"
Shen Chu smiled and said, "Do you want to leave this den of wolves? Do you want revenge? If so, let's leave together."
She had a good impression of Zhang Lan and didn't want to see her continue to be bullied by bandits.
Zhang Lan bit her lip and knelt down with a thud.
“If you, brave warrior, can save my mother and me from this dire situation, Zhang Lan is willing to repay you with my life.”
May I ask your esteemed name, brave warrior?
Shen Chu reached out to help her up. "Just call me Lu Qi. Miss Zhang, please get up. Where is Madam Zhang?"
Let's go find Madam Zhang first, and then discuss how to leave.
Zhang Lan looked up, and her previously dim eyes brightened.
"Then I'll call you Seventh Brother. My mother is being held in a courtyard not far from here."
I bring her lunch every day at noon. It's almost time now, come with me.
She paused, then frowned and looked at Chen Chu.
"You can't go out like this, people will recognize you."
She turned around, opened the wardrobe, and took out a set of women's clothing.
"Seventh Brother, change into my clothes and dress up as my maid. That way you won't attract attention."
Wearing women's clothing?
Shen Chu frowned.
She has never worn women's clothing since her family was destroyed.
To make herself look more like a man, she deliberately imitated men in every word and action.
She even practiced relieving herself standing up like a man.
"Seventh Brother, I'm sorry to have wronged you." Zhang Lan said apologetically.
Shen Chu came to his senses and took the clothes with a complicated expression.
Zhang Lan quickly turned around.
There was a girl behind her, so Chen Chu didn't feel guilty. She took off her coat and trousers and quickly changed into a skirt.
"Alright, let's go."
Having not worn a skirt for many years, I took too big a step and momentarily lost my footing.
"Seventh Brother, be careful."
Zhang Lan reached out and supported his arm.
Shen Chu smiled helplessly, "I'm really not used to wearing skirts."
Zhang Lan smiled slightly, "Seventh Brother is a man, so naturally he's not used to wearing skirts. He can just take smaller steps when he goes out later."
She looked Shen Chu up and down, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Wait, something seems to be missing."
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Shen Chu carried the food box and walked behind Zhang Lan with her head down.
As she walked, she observed the situation in the village.
Leigongzhai is really big, almost occupying half of the mountain.
The village is filled with houses, and there are even gardens and artificial hills, with spring water drawn down from the mountain.
It's like a small town.
Zhang Lan whispered, "Lei Ying has been robbing and plundering a lot these past few years. He specifically targets wealthy merchants passing through. He kills the men and abducts the women to the mountains, where he plays with them until he's done with them, and then kills them too."
Don't be fooled by how well this place is repaired; it was all done by craftsmen that Lei Ying snatched from the foot of the mountain.
After the craftsman finished the repairs, they buried him alive.
Lei Ying also said he would build Leigong Village as luxurious as a palace, and then he would become the local emperor of Leigong Village.
Shen Chu's anger flared up upon hearing this.
"Has the government never suppressed any bandits in all these years?"
Zhang Lan's expression was complicated. "The government sends troops to suppress bandits every year, but these bandits are very cunning. They have their dens on several hills around here."
Every time the officers and soldiers went up the mountain, they came up empty-handed. Even if they did manage to catch them, they would only kill a few henchmen.
A few months later, they were still coming down the mountain to rob people.
Shen Chu frowned slightly.
How could they possibly miss their target every time? Unless someone tipped them off beforehand.
Every year, the efforts to suppress bandits have failed, no wonder the people believe that Magistrate Zhao is colluding with the bandits.
"Oh, young lady, what brings someone with you today?"
Before the two even reached the kitchen, someone stopped Zhang Lan.
It was that old ghost who searched her house this morning.
Zhang Lan said coldly, "I'm not feeling well, so I asked a maid to help me carry my meals. Is that not allowed?"
Old Ghost touched the mole on his chin and looked Shen Chu up and down.
"This girl looks unfamiliar. Where is she from?"
Shen Chu lowered her head and deliberately trembled as she said, "I've only been here for two days, and... I haven't had any assignments yet."
Having no job means being a woman who gets to be played with by her brothers.
The old ghost circled around Shen Chu, his lewd gaze sweeping unabashedly over her slender waist.
Shen Chu tightened her grip slightly on the food box.
Old Ghost snatched the food box and tossed it to Zhang Lan.
"The kitchen isn't far from here, young lady, please go and get your food yourself."
After saying that, he grabbed Chen Chu and pulled her into the next room.
Zhang Lan's expression changed drastically, "Seven..."
Shen Chu shook her head at her, signaling her not to panic.
The door was closed, and Lao Gui impatiently pressed Shen Chu against it.
"Even though you're a bit skinny, you can still satisfy my craving."
The old ghost pounced on him, panting.
A dagger swiftly and accurately slid across his neck.
Old Gui froze, instinctively reaching out to touch his neck.
Fresh blood gushed out.
The old ghost was so frightened that his eyes widened, and he died before he could make a sound.
Shen Chu sneered, rubbed the blood-stained dagger on the old ghost's body, and then dragged the old ghost to the bed, pretending to be asleep.
She then rummaged through the house and found a small bottle of sleeping pills.
Bandits always needed sleeping pills when they robbed and plundered.
She tucked it into her bosom, quietly opened the door, and slipped out.
The midday sun in June was like a blazing fire, and even the bandits stayed indoors to laze around.
Following Zhang Lan's blueprints, she successfully bypassed the patrol checkpoints and found the kitchen.
Zhang Lan was anxiously pacing outside the kitchen, carrying a food box.
Seeing Chen Chu, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Shh!"
Shen Chu gestured for her to be quiet, then swaggered into the kitchen.
"The chieftain sent me to ask why the food isn't ready yet, given the time of day."
She raised her chin and questioned the people in the kitchen with feigned dissatisfaction.
The women working in the kitchen were all elderly women who had been kidnapped by bandits and taken to the mountains.
Having been bullied by bandits in his daily life, he immediately pointed in a panic at the soup simmering on the small stove.
"The vegetables are cooked, we just need a soup, it'll be ready soon."
Shen Chu hummed in agreement and walked to the stove.
A large pot of mung bean soup was simmering in the nearby pot to cool off, while a clay pot was stewing chicken soup.
Behind the cooks' backs, Shen Chu quickly sprinkled the sleeping potion into the mung bean soup and chicken soup respectively.
Turning around again, I met a pair of small eyes.
Hey, you look familiar.
Shen Chu's eyes darted around, and she immediately burst out laughing.
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