TSWPF -Chapter 249 Taken Away

Not long after, Zeng Tietou returned, followed by a small squad of the Imperial Guards.

The squad leader of the Imperial Guards stepped forward and barked, “Who’s causing trouble and beating people here?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he spotted Fifth Madam. His expression changed instantly, and he hurried over with a flattering smile. “Fifth Madam, what brings you here?”

Seeing a familiar face, Fifth Madam smiled smugly and shot a triumphant glance at Li Qingling. “Lord Qian, someone is stirring up trouble here. Are you going to deal with it or not?” Since someone she knew had arrived, things would be much easier. She wanted to see how this brat would be dealt with.

“I will. That’s my duty,” Captain Qian replied, nodding respectfully to Fifth Madam.

Hearing this, a gloating smile spread across Fifth Madam’s face. She lifted her chin toward Li Qingling and said to Captain Qian, “It’s her. Not only did she offend Her Majesty the Empress, she even dared to slander the Duke’s estate.”

Captain Qian’s eyes lit up. Taking advantage of the situation, he shouted, “How dare you slander Her Majesty the Empress! Men, take her away!” A chance to curry favor with the Duke’s estate had fallen right into his lap—of course he had to seize it.

Li Qingling shot a look at Zeng Tietou, stopping him from coming to help. She silently mouthed a sentence: Go to the Luo residence and find Grandmaster.

Zeng Tietou understood at once. Gritting his teeth, he turned and slipped away quietly.

Staying here wouldn’t help the mistress anyway. He would do as she said and go to the Luo residence for help.

Only after seeing Zeng Tietou leave safely did Li Qingling’s tightly strung nerves relax a little.

Fifth Madam had the Duke’s estate as her backing. She, too, had her shigong as support.

The only thing she didn’t know was whether the Emperor would favor the Duke’s estate—after all, it was his wife’s family.

Thinking of this, Li Qingling felt a trace of regret. She was afraid she might end up implicating Mr. Luo.

Forget it. She would deal with what was in front of her first.

“May I ask, Lord Qian,” Li Qingling said coldly, her gaze sharp as it fixed on Captain Qian, “which ear of yours heard me slander Her Majesty the Empress?” Her face was stiff with anger. “Your behavior—blindly favoring Fifth Madam without distinguishing right from wrong—fills me with contempt.”

From the moment she saw his actions, she knew he was trying to latch onto the Duke’s estate.

Someone who chased profit and forgot integrity like this was utterly unworthy of being an official.

Being humiliated in public by Li Qingling, Captain Qian instantly flew into a rage from embarrassment. He turned and shouted at the other Imperial Guards, “What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and arrest her!” Just for that remark alone, he had to teach this brat a lesson. “And gag her mouth while you’re at it—so she doesn’t keep spouting nonsense.”

The other Imperial Guards didn’t dare disobey him. They rushed forward, surrounded Li Qingling, and reached out to seize her.

The Imperial Guards were trained fighters. Li Qingling’s meager skills were nothing in front of them. In just a few moves, she was captured.

Her mouth was stuffed with a handkerchief as well.

When had she ever suffered such humiliation? Li Qingling shot a furious glare at Fifth Madam and Captain Qian.

She would remember these two.

Fifth Madam walked up to Li Qingling, raised her hand, and slapped her hard across the face. Smack! Instantly, Li Qingling felt her cheek burning with pain. Without even looking, she knew her face had swollen.

“Hmph… daring to slander Her Majesty the Empress and the Duke’s estate—you must be tired of living.”

Daring to oppose her—utterly ignorant of life and death.

If looks could kill, Fifth Madam would have been cut into a thousand pieces by Li Qingling’s gaze.

From childhood to now, Li Qingling had never been slapped by anyone. She would repay this slap.

“Keep staring at me like that, and I’ll gouge your eyeballs out,” Fifth Madam threatened in a low voice near Li Qingling’s ear. Then she turned to Captain Qian. “Lord Qian, I’ll leave this unruly commoner to you. Don’t disappoint me.”

Captain Qian understood the implication immediately and nodded and bowed like a lapdog. “Yes, yes, understood.”

Fifth Madam snorted coldly at Li Qingling, then took her son and the others and boarded the carriage.

Once Fifth Madam left, Captain Qian ordered Li Qingling to be shoved forward to go with them.

“Hey, officer, you’ve wronged her—it’s really not…” The old man hadn’t finished speaking when Captain Qian shoved him hard, knocking him to the ground.

“Scram! Dare to interfere with official business, and I’ll have you arrested too!”

“Mm—mm!” Li Qingling shook her head vigorously at the old man, signaling him not to speak. She was fine.

“Move!” Captain Qian shoved Li Qingling again, causing her to stumble and nearly fall. She turned back and glared fiercely at him, then looked at the old man and shook her head once more. Seeing that his eyes were red but he didn’t chase after them, she finally felt relieved.

She truly didn’t want to implicate the old man.

Not long after Li Qingling was taken away by Captain Qian and his men, Li Zhimou and the others arrived in haste.

Seeing that no one was left, Zeng Tietou panicked. “Old sir, where is my madam?”

With reddened eyes, the old man said she had been taken away by the Imperial Guards, likely to the Jingzhao Prefecture. He urged them to hurry there to rescue her.

That place was no easy place to stay in.

What he feared most was that Lord Qian might abuse his power for personal revenge and torture that young madam.

“Old sir, could you help us testify?” Li Zhimou stepped forward and asked sincerely.

Hearing this, the old man nodded without hesitation. He said he could.

“Thank you,” Li Zhimou said, bowing deeply to the old man, then helped him onto the carriage.

The group hurried toward the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Just as Li Qingling was being shoved toward the entrance of the Jingzhao Prefecture, Li Zhimou and the others arrived.

“Stop!” Li Zhimou shouted as he jumped down from the carriage. When he saw Li Qingling with her hands bound behind her back and a handkerchief stuffed in her mouth, rage flared violently in his heart.

The treasure he cherished so dearly—afraid she’d melt if held in his mouth, afraid she’d be dropped if held in his hands—had been treated so roughly. He truly wanted to kill these people.

Hearing that familiar voice, Li Qingling turned her head and saw Li Zhimou rushing toward her. Her eyes instantly reddened.

“Stand right there!” Captain Qian bellowed. “Take one more step and don’t blame me for being rude!”

“And how exactly do you plan to be rude, hmm?” Mr. Luo stepped down from another carriage behind them. With his hands clasped behind his back, he fixed Captain Qian with a cold stare.

The aura he carried alone was enough to make Captain Qian’s heart tremble—let alone the fact that he recognized who the man was.

Captain Qian’s expression changed yet again. He bent slightly at the waist and said, “Mr. Luo… why have you come?”

Mr. Luo strolled forward unhurriedly. “If I didn’t come, who knows how badly my granddaughter-in-law would have been tormented by you?” When he heard what Zeng Tietou reported, he had already made up his mind to teach the Duke’s estate a lesson.

The Duke’s estate had been arrogant for far too long. It was time for them to stumble.

Hearing this, Captain Qian was stunned. Since when did Mr. Luo have a granddaughter-in-law? “Mr. Luo, your granddaughter-in-law is…?”

“Right there behind you. Isn’t that my granddaughter-in-law?”

Captain Qian’s heart skipped a beat.

Could he really be this unlucky—actually provoking Mr. Luo’s granddaughter-in-law?

He was finished. Completely finished.

“This really is… a case of flooding the Dragon King’s Temple,” Captain Qian said, then quickly turned around to help untie Li Qingling.

“Don’t touch her,” Li Zhimou stopped him. He went to Li Qingling’s side, swiftly untied the ropes on her hands, and removed the handkerchief from her mouth. “I’m sorry. I came too late.” He hugged Li Qingling, whose eyes were brimming red.

When she hadn’t seen Li Zhimou and the others, Li Qingling had been strong beyond measure. But the moment she saw them, the wall called “strength” collapsed with a crash.

Leaning against Liu Zhimou, she cried silently.

Li Zhimou gently patted her back, repeating softly, “It’s all right now. It’s all right.”

Thankfully, they arrived in time and she hadn’t suffered too much. Otherwise, he truly would have gone mad.

After crying for a while, Li Qingling finally stopped.

She wiped away her tears, turned to Mr. Luo, and called softly, “Grandmaster.”

Although Mr. Luo hadn’t spent long with Li Qingling, he was extremely fond of this grand-disciple’s wife.

Now that he had seen her treated this way, how could he possibly tolerate it?

He nodded and said, “Xiao Ling, go beat the drum and seek justice. Don’t be afraid—Grandmaster is here.” With him backing her, he wanted to see who still dared to wrong her.

“Mr. Luo, this…” Captain Qian started to speak, but one look from Mr. Luo silenced him completely.

The pressure was overwhelming. Captain Qian was terrified.

“Go on, child.”

Li Qingling did not refuse Mr. Luo’s kindness. With an elder at home standing up for her, she was more than willing to accept it.

She smiled at Liu Zhimou, turned on her heel, and went to beat the drum to appeal for justice.

Hearing the loud, resounding drumbeats, Captain Qian’s face turned ashen.

He had wanted to cling to the Duke’s estate, but instead had offended someone even more formidable.

Judging by Li Qingling’s clothing and appearance, even if beaten to death, he would never have guessed she was Mr. Luo’s grand-disciple’s wife.

This time, he had truly kicked an iron plate.

Regret—deep, bitter regret.

When the Jingzhao Prefect learned that someone was beating the drum to appeal for justice and took his seat, he was shocked to see that the person was Mr. Luo. Cold sweat instantly poured down his back.

Even though Mr. Luo didn’t hold an official post, who didn’t know he was the Emperor’s teacher?

To put it bluntly, the Emperor might not listen to the Empress Dowager—but he would certainly listen to Mr. Luo’s counsel.

As long as Mr. Luo spoke, the Emperor almost never objected.

Moreover, despite his otherworldly demeanor, Mr. Luo’s eloquence was unmatched.

Well—except for his youngest disciple, Fourth Master Liu, who was even better. Truly, the student had surpassed the master.

Thinking of Fourth Master Liu, the Jingzhao Prefect’s eyes swept over Liu Zhimou. He was so startled that he pointed at him and stammered, “You… you… you…”

He… he was Fourth Master Liu?

No… no, the age didn’t match.

“Lord Fei, why are you so flustered?” Mr. Luo asked.

Hearing this, Lord Fei laughed awkwardly and sat back down. “Ah… I just saw someone familiar for a moment and got a bit excited.” He examined Li Zhimou again, and only after confirming that he truly wasn’t Fourth Master Liu did he breathe a sigh of relief.

If Fourth Master Liu had really come here, he would truly have been doomed.