Whoa!
Jin Feng yanked hard on the reins.
The girl, terrified by the warhorse, went weak at the knees and fell to the ground with a thud.
“You little bitch! If I catch you, I’ll break your bloody legs!”
A bare-chested man came storming out of the alley, cursing loudly and brandishing a stick as thick as a finger.
Jin Feng glanced down. Crimson welts stood out vividly on the girl’s face and bare arms.
“Hey, the master’s back!”
The man spotted Jin Feng and hurriedly put on a fawning smile.
Jin Feng usually wore a cheerful expression around the village, but now his face was dark and he stared coldly at the man without a word.
“He’s finished!”
Inside the carriage, Qing Muluan whispered.
“What’s happening?” the Ninth Princess asked curiously.
“Now that life in West River Bay has improved, many girls who couldn’t marry elsewhere have come here as concubines. This girl is one of them,” Qing Muluan explained. “Country men usually beat their new wives a few times to establish authority as soon as they enter the house. Concubines get it even worse. This fellow must be ‘teaching’ his concubine.
The master hates that sort of custom most of all. Look at his face, it’s practically dripping water. He’s furious.”
The Ninth Princess gave a slight nod and watched the scene outside with great interest.
Jin Feng was indeed furious.
The man, however, still hadn’t realised. Seeing that Jin Feng ignored him, he kicked the girl again.
“You little bitch, have you no eyes? Didn’t you see you nearly ran into the master? Hurry up and apologise!”
Terrified, the girl trembled, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed to Jin Feng. “Master, Honghong wasn’t watching where she was going…”
“I’ll deal with you when we get home!”
The man grabbed the girl by the hair and grinned at Jin Feng. “Master, yesterday I caught two pheasants up the mountain. I’ll bring them round tonight for your honoured guest to try!”
With that, he started dragging the girl away, but the next instant Jin Feng raised his riding crop and lashed the man across the face.
Crack!
A bloody welt appeared instantly.
“Master, you…”
Covering his cheek, the man stared at Jin Feng in bewilderment.
“What’s this, Xu the Third? You want to defy the master?” Da Liu glared. “Keep staring and I’ll gouge your eyes out and feed them to the dogs!”
“I wouldn’t dare!”
The man lowered his head, still resentful.
“Do you know why I struck you?”
Jin Feng put away the crop and asked coldly.
“Because this little bitch bumped into the master and made you lose face in front of your honoured guest…”
Xu the Third kept his head down as he answered.
He had been escorting merchant caravans for months and considered himself worldly.
The moment he emerged from the alley, he had spotted the Ninth Princess.
Though he did not know who she was, her hair ornaments, clothing, and the guards around her told him that the beautiful girl sharing a carriage with Qing Muluan was no ordinary person.
“Wrong!”
Jin Feng noticed that even now Xu the Third still gripped the girl’s hair.
The girl’s face was twisted in pain, yet she dared not struggle.
Jin Feng lashed him again. “Let go!”
Xu the Third hurriedly released her hair.
“Who is she?” Jin Feng pointed at the girl.
“My newly taken concubine.”
“Why were you beating her? What did she do wrong?”
“She didn’t really do anything wrong, but my mother says a new wife has to be beaten a few times to learn the rules…” Xu the Third answered in a low voice.
“Ridiculous! How many times have you ‘established rules’ with her?”
“Only twice so far…”
“How many concubines have you taken in total?”
“Six… she’s the youngest.”
“And you’ve established rules with all the others?” Jin Feng narrowed his eyes.
“Y-yes… I have.” Xu the Third finally sensed something was wrong.
Jin Feng had left West River Bay to rescue Qing Muluan.
Guan Xiaorou, Tang Xiaobei, and the others had all been worried sick. Before Jin Feng even reached the village entrance, Tang Xiaobei, who was checking the trading company’s accounts in the study, received word from the duty escort.
She immediately dragged Guan Xiaorou to the entrance to welcome him.
They arrived just in time to witness the scene.
“My husband, you’re back at last!”
Seeing Jin Feng still able to ride, Tang Xiaobei knew he was unhurt. She pointed at Xu the Third and the girl. “What’s going on?”
“Xiaorou, go fetch Xu the Third’s other concubines.”
Jin Feng’s face remained cold.
“Right…”
Guan Xiaorou always obeyed Jin Feng without question. Seeing his dark expression, she hurried off to summon them.
Xu the Third’s house was not far from the entrance. Soon Guan Xiaorou returned from the alley with three girls, followed by an old woman leaning on a cane.
“Dear, two of the concubines are at work in the textile mill,” Guan Xiaorou said. “Shall I call them too?”
“Bring them all,” Jin Feng said grimly. “Da Liu, you go!”
“Got it!” Da Liu flicked his reins and galloped into the village.
Moments later the two remaining girls arrived at the entrance, panting heavily.
Tang Dongdong, the village head, Xiao Yu, and others who had heard the commotion also hurried over.
“Xiao Yu, Dongdong, perfect timing.”
Jin Feng pointed at the concubines. “Take them inside and examine them. Count every injury and see what caused it.”
Lately many girls had come to West River Bay as concubines. Although Jin Feng had repeatedly forbidden beating them, some men still did it to “establish rules”.
Many new female workers at the textile mill arrived bearing wounds.
Tang Dongdong had long been unhappy about it, but with Jin Feng away she had said nothing.
Realising Jin Feng intended to make an example of Xu the Third, she immediately took Xiao Yu and led the concubines away to check their injuries.
The results were shocking.
Across the six girls there were more than a hundred welts of various sizes, all inflicted with wooden sticks.
“Dongdong, Village Head, tell everyone to put down whatever they’re doing and gather at the village square for a meeting!”
Jin Feng’s face was black with anger. “Oh, and notify the second group and Guanjia Village as well. Village Head, send people.”
“Understood!”
Both Tang Dongdong and the village head could tell Jin Feng was truly furious and hurried off to spread the word.
“My husband, who is that young lady?”
Tang Xiaobei stole a glance at the Ninth Princess and whispered, “From her clothes and bearing she’s clearly no ordinary girl. Where on earth did you abduct her from?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.” Jin Feng lightly tapped her forehead. “She is Qing Hou’s and Muluan’s cousin, and none other than the reigning emperor’s Ninth Princess.”
“The N-Ninth… Princess?”
Tang Xiaobei and Guan Xiaorou’s eyes widened in unison.
They could not comprehend how Jin Feng, who had set out simply to rescue Qing Muluan, had somehow returned with a princess.
Heavens above, an actual princess!
Ordinary commoners would tremble at the sight of a county magistrate, let alone an imperial princess.
Even Tang Xiaobei, who prided herself on staying calm, felt her breath catch.
