Chapter 304: Zhi Wan’s Counter-Kill
Chapter 304: Chapter 304: Zhi Wan’s Counter-Kill
"Yes," Tong Da said, opening his palm. "This is the Miss’s earring. The man said he must see the Princely Heir by morning, between 7 and 9 a.m., otherwise he’ll harm the Miss."
"Then report to the Princely Heir immediately," Chen Jiu said. "I’ll stay here with my men and keep watch."
"Right."
Tong Da had barely left when a guard sent by Lu Zhan found Chen Jiu and relayed the message Lu Zhan had received.
Although Chen Jiu wondered how the Princely Heir knew the Miss’s whereabouts, he knew the Princely Heir never acted without cause. The information had to be true. Not daring to delay, he immediately led his men to Santian Town.
There was only one inn in the small town, so he and his men found it easily.
However, when he found the room where Zhi Wan was staying, it was already empty. The only things left were shattered porcelain and food strewn across the floor in a mess.
His expression changed. He assumed Zhi Ye had learned of their rescue attempt and moved the Miss ahead of time.
"Captain, the lock on this door is broken. It looks like it was smashed open with something." At that moment, a guard noticed something unusual and immediately reported it.
Hearing this, Chen Jiu walked over to take a look. Sure enough, the lock was broken, not opened with a key.
’Zhi Ye has the key. If he was the one who moved her, why would he go to the trouble of smashing the lock? Couldn’t he have just used the key?’
At this thought, his expression shifted. He realized there must be another party involved besides Zhi Ye.
He quickly crouched down, searching for clues.
On the soup-splattered floor, he could clearly see drag marks.
"Captain, there’s blood here."
Just then, another of his men found a clue in the hallway outside and came in to report.
Startled, Chen Jiu hurried out to check.
And indeed, there were bloodstains on the floor.
There wasn’t much, but it was visible upon close inspection.
Chen Jiu led his men, following the blood trail all the way to the back door.
"She must have been taken out through the back door," Chen Jiu said decisively.
Outside the back door, the drag marks on the ground were even more distinct.
"After them!" Chen Jiu commanded.
The group followed the drag marks in pursuit.
...
Zhi Wan had been dragged for so long that her back throbbed with a fiery pain.
The person dragging her had grown too tired to continue and was now resting against a tree.
While her captor wasn’t looking, Zhi Wan began sawing at her ropes with a shard of porcelain.
"Zhi Wan, did you ever imagine you’d see this day?" Seeing Zhi Wan collapsed on the ground, disheveled and covered in dirt, the person felt a surge of satisfaction and kicked her.
Zhi Wan replied coolly, "I never did. After all, I have people who dote on me, cherish me, and protect me. My only regret is feeling pity for you that day in town."
As if struck a sore spot, the person abruptly stood up and began kicking Zhi Wan frantically.
"I was born into a wealthy family too! I had parents who doted on me! But then you people came and destroyed my family, left me homeless! Now even my mother is dead, and I’m all alone, forced to live by begging! You’ve ruined my life, so how dare you live so well?
Especially you, Zhi Wan! Do you have any idea how much I want to slash that face of yours whenever I see it?
You just use that face to seduce people, to make them dote on you and protect you, don’t you?
But I’ve changed my mind. You can keep that face—it has another use. I’m going to make you experience the most miserable fate imaginable.
To be used by a thousand men and bedded by ten thousand. How does that sound to you?
When that Lu Zhan of yours finds out, do you think he’ll be disgusted by you? That he’ll cast you aside?"
As she spoke, the person broke into a crazed laugh, as if already picturing Zhi Wan’s tragic demise.
Zhi Wan’s heart sank. Her hands, tied behind her back, worked faster to saw at the ropes. Even as the porcelain shard tore her flesh to a bloody pulp, she didn’t dare stop.
’She’s trying to sell me into a Brothel.’
She forced herself to remain calm and stared at her captor. "You’re Zeng Jiayi?"
The person froze for a moment, then murmured, "It’s been a long time since anyone called me by my name..."
Hearing this, Zhi Wan understood.
This person was Zeng Jiayi, daughter of the former Assistant Magistrate of Yangzhou, Zeng Gong.
’What a cruel twist of fate, to run into her in a small town like this.’
To distract Zeng Jiayi, she feigned curiosity. "How did you find me?"
’Even Tong Da was thrown off the trail, yet Zeng Jiayi managed to find me so precisely.’ She was genuinely surprised.
Zeng Jiayi looked smug as she began to explain.
"The day I ran into you in town, I wanted to kill you on the spot. I staked out the inn, waiting for an opportunity. Last night, I saw someone carrying you jump out of a window, and I knew my chance had arrived.
But that man was cunning. He carried you and escaped into the dense forest.
But I’ve been begging in the nearby towns for a while now, so I know the lay of the land.
I knew that forest led to Santian Town, so I went straight there to wait.
And just as I expected, I saw the man bring you into Santian Town and check into the inn.
I kept my eyes on the inn. When I saw that man leave, I snuck inside and dragged you out." At this, Zeng Jiayi squatted down and looked at Zhi Wan with contempt. "It seems quite a few people hate you. Everyone wants a piece of you."
Zhi Wan ignored her and asked directly, "Where do you plan to sell me?"
"The neighboring Four Directions Town is on the main road to the capital. It’s a bustling place with a very famous Brothel called the Soul Capturing House. The women there aren’t just beautiful; they’re also exceptionally talented. People come from all over just for a chance to spend a night of passion with one of them.
With a face as beautiful as yours, if I sell you there, don’t you think those men will be drooling over you, fighting to spend a fortune on you? I’ve already arranged it with the people from the Soul Capturing House. I’m waiting for them here. They should be arriving any minute now." Zeng Jiayi grew more excited as she spoke.
But her laughter died in her throat after just two chuckles.
The woman who had been limp on the ground just a moment before was now sitting up, a sharp porcelain shard clutched in her blood-soaked hands, pressed firmly against Zeng Jiayi’s throat.
Zhi Wan didn’t hold back. The shard pressed hard against her skin, and in an instant, bright red blood trickled down her neck.
Zeng Jiayi’s face changed, and she glared. "Zhi Wan, I really underestimated you."
Zhi Wan ignored her. With her other hand, she grabbed a rock from the ground and, without hesitation, smashed it against Zeng Jiayi’s head.
THUD. Zeng Jiayi crumpled to the ground.
Before she lost consciousness, a flash of regret appeared in her eyes. But it was too late.
The sky was beginning to lighten with the first light of dawn.
Remembering what Zeng Jiayi had said, Zhi Wan immediately stripped the clothes off Zeng Jiayi, took off her own, and dressed the unconscious woman in them.
Then, Zhi Wan put on Zeng Jiayi’s tattered clothes and smeared her own face with dirt.
Once she had done all this, she took the rope that had bound her and quickly tied up Zeng Jiayi.
Seeing a ditch nearby, she dragged Zeng Jiayi over and gave her a good washing.
Zhi Wan was quite satisfied seeing Zeng Jiayi’s pretty face emerge from under the grime.
’Zeng Jiayi spoke so familiarly about the Soul Capturing House. It’s clear this isn’t the first time she’s done something like this.’
Lost in thought, she dragged Zeng Jiayi back under the tree, then used a stick to write a message in the dirt before quickly hiding.
Sure enough, a short while later, the sound of footsteps echoed through the woods.
Two men appeared shortly after.
When they saw Zeng Jiayi propped against the tree, their eyes lit up. At the same time, they noticed the words written on the ground.
"Ah Yi said he had some business and had to leave first. He wants us to take the girl ourselves, but he wants the full payment in silver, not a penny less," one of the men said.
"Whatever. We know him well enough. Besides, he always finds us good merchandise. The Madam is very happy with him. His help saves us a lot of trouble," the other man said.
"Yeah, this one looks even better than the last. The Madam will definitely be pleased."
"I’ll give him that, Ah Yi really knows his stuff. The girls he finds get prettier every time."
After they spoke, they tossed down a coin purse, hoisted Zeng Jiayi onto their shoulders, and left.
Only after she was sure they were long gone did Zhi Wan emerge from her hiding spot.
She picked up the coin purse, weighed it in her hand, then erased the writing in the dirt with her foot.