“My second uncle is the county…”
The tigress thought Jin Feng hadn’t heard, screaming to repeat her uncle’s title.
But before she finished, Jin Feng pressed his foot down again, and she wailed in pain.
Watching this, Tang Dongdong recalled Jin Feng’s words, feeling an overwhelming sense of security.
Tang Xiaobei, standing nearby, looked thoughtful.
She was certain Jin Feng had heard the tigress’s threat and knew she was the county governor’s niece.
Yet, he showed no mercy, suggesting he wasn’t afraid of the governor.
She had asked Tang Dongdong about Jin Feng’s background, a scholar from a remote Jinchuan village, while the governor was Guangyuan’s top official, she couldn’t fathom where Jin Feng’s confidence came from.
“Sister, does the governor have some dirt in Mr Jin’s hands?”
It was her only explanation.
“Brother Feng is new to the county, never met the governor, how could he have dirt on him?”
Tang Dongdong was stunned by Tang Xiaobei’s imagination.
“No dirt?”
Tang Xiaobei’s face changed.
Could she be wrong, was Jin Feng just a hot-headed scholar acting recklessly?
Panicked, she said, “Sister, if Mr Jin has no leverage, stop him, the governor’s daughter died young, he dotes on this niece like his own, if the governor comes, we’re done!”
“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”
Tang Dongdong rubbed her sister’s shoulder, “Brother Feng never acts without certainty, he has his reasons.”
“Never acts without certainty?”
Though new to this world, Tang Xiaobei had brothel training in reading people.
Seeing Tang Dongdong’s confidence, Qing Mulanzhou watching casually on horseback, and Amei standing guard without worry, it was clear Jin Feng had other cards up his sleeve, ones Tang Dongdong hadn’t shared.
Though she couldn’t guess what, knowing he had a trump card was enough.
Her fear vanished, she glanced gratefully at Jin Feng, then picked up the tigress’s dropped whip.
“Xiaobei, what are you doing?”
Tang Dongdong grabbed her sister.
“Sir is a man, he shouldn’t tarnish his name over this tigress.”
Tang Xiaobei stepped to Jin Feng, “Sir, can you leave her to me?”
“You want to deal with her?” Jin Feng asked.
“What she did to me and my sister, I’ll do to her,” Tang Xiaobei said firmly, word by word.
Her voice was soft but resolute.
“Fair enough, she’s yours.”
Jin Feng nodded, stepping aside.
His attack on the tigress was partly out of anger, partly to set an example.
His business would reach the county, if Iron Hammer was nearly beaten to death and Tang Dongdong almost stripped and paraded, and he did nothing, he’d lose all standing in the county, anyone could bully him.
He couldn’t go soft.
Though he understood, beating a woman in public, even a vile one, felt uneasy.
Tang Xiaobei saw this and stepped forward.
“Sir, have her strung up.”
She pointed to the tree where she and Tang Dongdong had been hung.
“Fine.” Jin Feng signalled the veterans, “Da Liu, that’s enough.”
Da Liu and the veterans returned, leaving the servants groaning on the ground.
None were dead, but none could stand.
“Hang her up.”
“Yes!”
Da Liu and two veterans dragged the struggling tigress, hanging her where Tang Dongdong had been.
“Do as you see fit.”
Jin Feng nodded to Tang Xiaobei, stepping aside.
“Alright, sir.”
Tang Xiaobei rubbed her wrist, whipping the tigress’s leg.
“Ow!”
The tigress twisted in pain, her voice distorted.
She loved whipping others, but this was her first time being whipped.
It hurt so much…
“For hitting my sister!”
“For cursing my sister!”
“For spitting at me!”
Tang Xiaobei shouted, whipping repeatedly.
The crack of the whip and the tigress’s cries filled the air.
“Well done!”
“She deserves it!”
Onlookers whispered, relieved.
The tigress’s husband had business in the smelting workshop, often bullying local merchants and residents, but her status as the governor’s niece forced them to endure.
Now, someone was venting their anger, and the crowd felt satisfied.
Slowly, the tigress lost strength to struggle, starting to beg.
“Miss Xiaobei, I shouldn’t have spat at you, shouldn’t have called you a slut…”
“Open your dog eyes and see clearly!”
Tang Xiaobei pulled out her freedom papers, “You’re the slut, your whole family are sluts!”
She whipped twice more.
“Miss Xiaobei, stop, I was wrong, I’m the slut!”
The tigress, in unbearable pain, sobbed and begged.
“Evil needs evil to grind it down, why did it come to this?”
Jin Feng sighed but didn’t stop Tang Xiaobei.
The tigress brought this on herself.
If Jin Feng had arrived later, the sisters might have been stripped and paraded.
That would have broken them!
Tang Xiaobei, exhausted from being hung and now venting her anger, felt sore all over.
“Thank you, sir!”
She walked to Jin Feng, whip in hand, “Sir, she was going to…”
Biting her lip, she continued, “Can I hang her at the Pleasure Quarter’s gate?”
She couldn’t say “strip and douse in waste.”
But she didn’t need to, the tigress, nearly fainting, was so terrified she wet herself.
The mess flowed down her skirt.
Her eyes mirrored the sisters’ earlier fear.
“I’ve left her to you, decide as you wish.”
Jin Feng said calmly, “But she gave me time to arrive, so I’ll give her time to call for help. Rest a bit, we’ll wait one incense stick, if no one comes, do as you said.”
His goal was to make an example, and the main player hadn’t arrived.
“Alright, sir.”
Tang Xiaobei nodded, feeling even more secure.
From Jin Feng’s expression and tone, she was now certain he had a trump card!
As Da Liu lit the incense, rapid footsteps echoed from the street.
“The main event is here!”
A glint flashed in Jin Feng’s eyes as he looked toward the street.
