Chapter 393: This Person is Fierce

The woman was tied up securely. To prevent her from attacking again, they checked her thoroughly from head to toe this time, not leaving her even a small “weapon” like a stone. Her hands were bound tightly, making her upper body resemble a zongzi. Then the guards threw her back onto the cart that had delivered the weaving machine and assigned several men to watch over her. They escorted her all the way back to Gaojia Fortress.

Back in the fortress, they needed to handle a dangerous prisoner like her seriously. This was especially vital as she was being taken to see the Saint Lady, requiring heightened security. So the engineer went to the barracks again and invited Ground Rabbit and Zheng Gouzi, the two “experts” who had long guarded the Saint Lady, to escort her.

Thus, Ground Rabbit and Zheng Gouzi, one on the left and one on the right, escorted the woman tied like a zongzi, and entered Gaojia Fortress.

The woman glanced at Zheng Gouzi and felt he seemed somewhat decent, but the Ground Rabbit beside him looked nothing like a good person no matter how she looked; his whole aura reeked of ruffianism. She felt a bit panicked inside: Why did they hand me to such guys? Where is he taking me? Damn it, I really should have smashed my neck against the knife blade to die earlier. Now that I’ve fallen into these hands, the thing I dread most might just happen.

Just as she thought it, Ground Rabbit spoke up: “You woman, daring to assassinate Head Guard Zhong is truly vile. Lucky this old man wasn’t at the scene; if I had been, humph, I’d make you taste Mr. Rabbit’s big blade.” These were such foul words. The woman was stunned inside: Terrible! This man is indeed a shameless lecher, starting with such brazen talk. If I’m in his grasp, I can neither live nor die with ease.

Ground Rabbit added: “What are you staring at? Daring to glare at me? I hate your kind the most. Believe it or not, I’ll deal with you right now.” The woman: “!!!”

Li Daoxuan chuckled inside: How many years had Ground Rabbit been in Gaojia Village? Still spouting underworld slang! Kill if he means kill—why say “deal with”? How terrifying that sounded to the woman. He suddenly recalled Ground Rabbit’s arrival; he wanted to “join the militia” but said “enter the gang,” infuriating Cheng Xu. Such slang was fine for jokes among men, but to a woman, the meaning shifted instantly.

The young woman gritted her teeth: “I’ll haunt you even as a ghost.” Ground Rabbit replied: “Mr. Rabbit never fears ghosts.” He was upright and straightforward, never did wrongs in his life, so why dread ghostly knocks? But he couldn’t phrase it well; a boastful word left his mouth and soured fast: “Mr. Rabbit has strong yang energy; any female ghost arriving can only kneel before his sword.” Li Daoxuan: “…” Zheng Gouzi: “…”

The young woman: “!!!” How could they keep talking? The young woman clenched her lower lip and went silent. No woman enjoys chatting with a ruffian.

Silently, the group entered the watchtower… Passing the ancestral hall, the woman’s eyes briefly lingered on the Dao Xuan Deity Statue before she turned away. Since she was doomed anyway, she refused to submit to Gaojia Village’s deity.

Soon, the three of them ascended the watchtower. On the balcony, Gao Yiye was already waiting. Qiu Ju and Dong Xue sat respectfully behind her. Ground Rabbit and Zheng Gouzi pressed the woman down to sit on the floor opposite Gao Yiye, then moved to guard Gao Yiye’s left and right to prevent the woman from leaping up to harm the Saint Lady.

With that posture set, the woman wondered doubtfully: Seems I worried too much earlier. The leader here is actually a woman, so she won’t let that self-proclaimed Mr. Rabbit disgrace me, right? Li Daoxuan spoke out: “What is your family name and given name? Who is your brother? How many years were you with Wang Zuogua’s forces? What role did you hold? Spell it all out clearly.”

Hearing Gao Yi Ye’s questions, the woman hardened her heart: “I won’t give my name; there are nine clans to protect. Call me Yizhangqing (a historical figure). My brother’s nickname was Little Yue Fei. He was just an obscure nobody under Wang Zuogua.”

Ground Rabbit asked curiously: “Huh? Yizhangqing? Such an unlucky name? Isn’t that San Niang from Water Margin? She lost her father, mother, brother, and married Short-Legged Tiger.”

The woman snapped: “Illiterate! Yizhangqing was originally the wife of Northern Song general Ma Gao. After Ma Gao died, she married Zhang Yong, a general under Yue Fei. The author of Water Margin just stole the alias for San Niang.”

Ground Rabbit exclaimed: “Oh? That really happened?” Li Daoxuan reacted: “Huh? That really happened?” Well, even the Deity was ignorant, so no point blaming Ground Rabbit. “Seems you’re educated, not a fool.” Li Daoxuan asked: “Your brother Little Yue Fei died in our fight with Wang Zuogua?”

Yizhangqing clenched her jaw: “Yes! So I planned to trade my life for a big shot from Gaojia Village, if only to avenge him.” Li Daoxuan reasoned: “That revenge is costly—two for one.” Yizhangqing realized it wasn’t Gao Yi Ye speaking to her but the Dao Xuan Deity; the Deity talked from the skies while the girl in front listened intently and relayed the words.

Thoughts of conversing with a deity stirred faint excitement— an absurd, unwelcome emotion she resented: “Costly or not, I have to fight. How else can I avenge my brother?” Li Daoxuan countered: “Right now, it’s 0 to 1 between Gaojia Village and your family. You trade one, it’s 1 to 2—still one loss to you. Don’t fight, your family loses one, but you live. Thinking calmly, not fighting seems profitable.”

Yizhangqing declared: “God or not, I won’t joke now. Kill me or slice me—I’ve long stopped wanting life.” “No, you want to live,” Li Daoxuan retorted. “If you truly wished death, with ten blades at your neck, you’d have smashed into one decisively. Why let us tie you like a zongzi and drag you here? Now in this state, if Gaojia Village does worse to you, suicide is impossible.”

Yizhangqing protested: “I can bite my tongue.” Li Daoxuan explained: “Biting your tongue won’t kill you; it’ll only hurt badly. After fainting from pain, heavy bleeding blocks your airway, causing death. But if someone nearby clears the blood to unblock it, you survive.”

Yizhangqing: “!!!” Li Daoxuan pressed: “Then your tongue aches, you can’t die or curse, and enemies torment you endlessly—that’s worse, isn’t it? See Ground Rabbit beside you? He’s fierce; children hear his name and fear nighttime cries. Are you truly unafraid of his hands?”