CMWKSD -Chapter 33 A Life-Saving Grace

Almost without pause, the youth swung the whip again. One lash after another, each strike growing heavier.

He whipped and cried at the same time. When the whipping ended, so did the crying.

When everything finally scattered and faded, the youth collapsed to his knees on the ground, dazed and at a loss. What now? What should he do next?

Slowly, he turned his head.

Jiu Yue was sitting leisurely by the table, one leg crossed over the other, relaxed and carefree.

As if the youth’s outburst of rage had been nothing more than a farce to her—just idle entertainment.

Then he looked at the county magistrate lying on the ground, covered in wounds, unconscious beyond any hope of waking.

The youth shrank back slightly. His usually quick mind stalled for a moment, but when his gaze met Jiu Yue’s clear, calm eyes, he steadied himself again.

His thoughts raced—what should he do now?

The panic in his heart only grew stronger, yet he still shuffled on his knees to Jiu Yue and knocked his head heavily against the ground.

“Shaoqing thanks the young lady for saving my life.”

Jiu Yue had her face covered, but it was obvious she was a woman. Hearing Shaoqing’s words, she nodded indifferently.

“Done venting? Then let’s go.”

Shaoqing hurriedly tidied his disheveled hair and the clothes barely covering his body.

A gentleman must keep his appearance proper. His current state was far too obscene—yet even if he were to die, he could not die like this.

He grabbed the magistrate’s clothes and threw them on, trying to make himself look somewhat presentable.

His benefactor had already helped him too much. He could not drag her down with him.
The magistrate had ruled Qing Shui County tyrannically for years—his power was not something to be underestimated.

Someone had to pay with their life for what happened tonight.

That someone could only be him.

It was only a worthless life. Yet when he thought of his blind mother and young sister at home, tears welled in his eyes, helpless and bitter.

Wasn’t this simply the fate of people like them, the lowest of commoners?

How could insignificant nobodies like them fight against someone as powerful as a county magistrate?

He turned back, knelt again, and slammed his head to the ground with a loud thud.

“The grace of saving my life cannot be repaid. In my next life, Shaoqing will serve you as an ox or a horse.”

Jiu Yue turned back in confusion and saw Shaoqing gripping a small knife in his trembling hand, moving step by step toward the magistrate.

He intended to kill the magistrate—and then kill himself to atone.

Jiu Yue froze for a moment, then stepped forward to block him.

“What are you doing?”

Shaoqing was thin and small, about the same height as Jiu Yue. No one knew where he found the courage.

His eyes were red, but his gaze was firm as he looked at her.

“Benefactor, please leave quickly. If the yamen people come in and see this, you won’t be able to get away.”

Jiu Yue raised a brow. “And you?”

Shaoqing tightened his grip on the knife. “I’ll kill him, then kill myself. I won’t implicate you.”

Jiu Yue hadn’t expected this at all. “Why?”

“The magistrate’s elder sister is the prefect’s favored concubine. If she finds out you’re involved, she’ll definitely make things difficult for you. Please leave at once.”

As he spoke, Shaoqing moved forward again, but Jiu Yue stopped him with one hand.

“Since I came, it’s to take you out alive.”

Shaoqing was stunned.

He watched as Jiu Yue walked over to the magistrate, pulled out silver needles, and swiftly pierced several points on his body.

The magistrate convulsed twice, then was left with only the faintest trace of breathing.

Shaoqing hesitated. “Out… outside…”

He wanted to say that outside there were still the magistrate’s guards—skilled fighters. They wouldn’t be able to escape.

Jiu Yue shot him a sideways glance. “Enough nonsense. Move!”

Dazed, Shaoqing followed Jiu Yue out of the room. Outside the courtyard, the air was thick with the smell of blood.

He staggered after her, only to see that all the yamen runners who had abducted him were lying dead outside.

These four guards not only protected the magistrate, but also occasionally dressed as yamen runners to abduct people for him.

It was simply that the magistrate had been too impatient. The four men who abducted Shaoqing that night were all dead, and the only one who knew the truth—the magistrate—if he ever woke up again…

He would be nothing more than a fool.

Joy flashed across Shaoqing’s face. He was about to kneel and thank her again when he saw Jiu Yue dart nimbly through the estate.

Before long, she led him out through a dog hole in the wall.

Naturally, Shaoqing crawled through the hole, while Jiu Yue leapt lightly onto the wall and flipped over with a single motion.

Once outside, Jiu Yue pulled down the cloth covering her face.

Shaoqing froze. “Benefactor… it’s you!”

Jiu Yue waved her hand. “Go quickly. Wandering around dressed like that won’t lead to anything good.”

Shaoqing wanted to say more, but Jiu Yue tapped the ground lightly with her toes and vanished into the darkness in an instant.

Such martial arts—truly unfathomable.

Shaoqing swore silently that once he healed, he would go to Ji Village to find his benefactor and repay her life-saving grace.

Jiu Yue returned even earlier than Ji Yiqing.

By the time Ji Yiqing arrived back at the inn, Jiu Yue was already asleep.

The moment he stepped inside, the person on the bed suddenly flipped up, staring at him warily.

“It’s me,” Ji Yiqing said quickly.

“Oh.” With a soft pa, Jiu Yue flopped back down and fell asleep again—instantly.

Ji Yiqing: …

He had wanted to ask whether everything went smoothly. Instead, she was already asleep again.

Jiu Yue acted recklessly, never caring about the consequences—but someone had to clean up after her.

Most importantly, no one could be allowed to know that this was Jiu Yue’s doing.

Judging by the situation, things had been resolved perfectly.

Early the next morning, as soon as the city gates opened, the two left the city.

However, at the gates they were deliberately harassed by the soldiers. Ji Yiqing paid thirty copper coins, which earned him a look of strong disapproval from Jiu Yue.

Now sitting on the cart, she was clearly unhappy.

Ji Yiqing held the reins and drove.

Jiu Yue puffed up with anger. These people were simply lawless. Everyone else had passed smoothly before.

The only reason they hadn’t was because the goods in their cart were valuable.

Yesterday they hadn’t been troubled only because the guards on duty had a bit more conscience.

“This is outrageous,” Jiu Yue glared at Ji Yiqing.

Ji Yiqing laughed helplessly. “That’s how this world is. Once you wear the skin of an official, no matter how small the rank, commoners have no way to resist.”

“Why should that be allowed?!” Jiu Yue was still furious.

She stayed angry all the way home, storming straight through the gate without even noticing the terrified looks of the Ji family.

Ji Yiqing sighed.

But the cartload of goods still had to be unloaded. Otherwise, when Jiu Yue came out and saw it undone, she’d make a fuss again.

Hu Chunhua and Ji Shan huddled timidly behind the door of the main hall. Seeing that Jiu Yue hadn’t come looking for trouble, they finally felt relieved.

At their age, after being tormented for hours, Ji Shan had thought he might die in bed.

Ji Yiqing called Ji Dahai and Ji Dahu to help move the goods from the cart.

Ji Dahai ran out, saw the cart piled high, and his eyes widened.

“T-this… the Wang family just sent stuff yesterday, and now there’s another whole cart?”

Ji Yiqing hoisted a sack of rice onto his shoulder. “These are all things Jiu Yue bought. Put them in our room first. We’ll see how she wants to distribute them.”

In the countryside, food and daily necessities were strictly allocated. In large families, cupboards were even locked.

Hu Chunhua used to lock them too, afraid someone would steal food.

After all, food was limited. If someone ate an extra bite, that meant one less bite for her. How could she allow that?

Jiu Yue paced in circles in the room, fuming.

That damn county magistrate dared to abduct people in broad daylight.

And those gate guards—just wearing official clothes, yet they dared to extort thirty copper coins from her!

Thirty copper coins!

Absolutely unforgivable!

The more Jiu Yue thought about it, the angrier she became, to the point where she almost felt like killing them all.

Then she suddenly remembered what Ji Yiqing had said.

Official skin?

That meant… officials.