TSWPF -Chapter 357 Escape

Fate had a cruel sense of timing—just when they feared something would happen, it did. This time, the guards took one person from among them away, and the rest were instantly terrified.

If anyone could be said to be unafraid, it was the men in black.

Not only were they fearless, they were furious that Liu Zhimou had been so ruthless, actually using torture on their brother.

If they hadn’t had their acupoints sealed and been unable to move, they would have tried everything they could to die together with Liu Zhimou.

Unfortunately…

The man who was taken away was soon sent back and thrown into the cell again. After that, the remaining men were taken away one by one—and just as quickly, returned one by one.

Judging by their appearance, apart from slightly pale faces, there were no other injuries. That meant they hadn’t been tortured.

“It’s your turn.” The guard stood before the cell of the men in black and dragged out one of them, who glared at him in rage.

This man in black met the same fate as the first—after being tortured, he finally obediently told the truth.

As he was dragged back to the cell, he weakly uttered one sentence: “Answer honestly.”

Since the truth had already been exposed, there was no point in hiding it anymore. It was better to speak frankly than to suffer torture.

With those words from the man in black, the remaining ones answered Liu Zhimou’s questions honestly as soon as he finished asking. As a result, none of them were injured.

Holding a thick stack of written confessions, Liu Zhimou curled his lips into a smile. All settled. He could finally go home in peace.

He left a few guards behind to watch the prison and took the rest back with him.

Tomorrow, the case would be tried publicly.

This time, let’s see what excuse He Dianshi would come up with to escape punishment.

At this moment, He Dianshi had no idea that his plan had already failed. He was sitting in his study, waiting for the men in black to arrive.

Just imagining how rescuing those people would cause Liu Zhimou endless trouble filled him with excitement.

But the longer he waited, the more uneasy he became. Why hadn’t they come to report back yet? Could it be… they failed?

No. No, impossible. There was no way they could have failed.

He Dianshi shook his head vigorously in denial and stood up, pacing back and forth in the study to ease his anxiety.

When it was already the hour of Yin and no one had come, his face finally fell. He collapsed onto the floor, defeated.

The plan might really have failed.

If it had failed… would they betray him and expose him?

At that thought, He Dianshi’s face turned deathly pale. He scrambled up from the floor and dashed toward the main residence. He had to ask Cui Cuicui what to do.

Although Cui Cuicui was sharp-tongued and fiery, she was clever. She would definitely have a solution. He couldn’t panic.

“Wife—”

“Master, Madam hasn’t gotten up yet.” The chief maid beside Cui Cuicui stopped He Dianshi from rushing inside.

“Get out of my way.” He Dianshi shoved the maid aside and ran in. Reaching the bedside, he shouted loudly, “Wife, wake up!”

Smack!

A sharp slap landed on his face. Cui Cuicui opened her eyes and glared at him angrily. “What are you yelling for? Summoning the dead? You don’t want to sleep, so you won’t let anyone else sleep either?”

Being jolted awake from a deep sleep made her furious.

He Dianshi dared not speak in anger. He put on a flattering expression and said there was an urgent matter he needed to discuss with her.

Cui Cuicui turned to the side. “What could possibly be more important than my sleep? Can’t it wait until I wake up?”

“If I wait until you wake up, I’ll be arrested.”

Hearing this, Cui Cuicui frowned. She asked what exactly was going on—what did he mean by being arrested?

He Dianshi glanced back at the maid and told her to leave. Only then did he explain everything.

The moment he finished—

Smack!

Another heavy slap landed on his face.

Left and right—perfectly symmetrical.

Cui Cuicui glared at He Dianshi with hatred and snapped, “You fool! Haven’t I warned you again and again not to make a move against the county magistrate? Huh? Do you think the current county magistrate is the same as the previous ones, someone you can trample over as you please?”

He Dianshi’s actions made her chest heave violently in anger. She wished she could crack open his skull and see what was inside. “You don’t listen, you cause a disaster this big, and then you come running to me for help. How am I supposed to save you? Huh? How?”

How did she end up with such a stupid husband?

“Wife, wife, you must help me think of a way. Otherwise, I’m as good as dead.” He Dianshi grabbed her hand and begged in a low voice.

Cui Cuicui angrily shook his hand off. “Think of a way? How am I supposed to think of a way? What way could I possibly have?”

Doing things without considering the consequences, then demanding she clean up the mess—how ridiculous.

He Dianshi reached out again, tears and snot streaming down his face as he begged her, saying that if she didn’t help him, he would be arrested.

Seeing how pitiful he looked, disgust flashed through Cui Cuicui’s eyes. She forcefully pulled her hand back, got out of bed, and said, “Go find Fourth Uncle. See if he has a way.” As she spoke, she quickly changed her clothes and strode toward the door.

If it weren’t for not wanting her two daughters to lose their father, she wouldn’t care if he lived or died.

At the mention of Fourth Uncle He, He Dianshi shivered all over, his legs nearly refusing to move.

“What are you still standing there for? Aren’t you coming?” Hearing no footsteps, Cui Cuicui turned around and saw He Dianshi still standing by the bed. Furious, she shouted at him again.

He Dianshi shuddered, answered weakly, and hurried after her. Afraid others might see the slap marks on his face, he kept his head down and followed closely behind.

When they arrived at Fourth Uncle He’s residence, they waited in the reception hall for a full half-hour before he slowly appeared.

“It’s so late—what urgent matter brings you here?” If it weren’t serious, this couple wouldn’t have come to disturb him in the middle of the night.

Cui Cuicui stood up and greeted him, “Fourth Uncle.”

He Dianshi didn’t dare be negligent either and followed suit, keeping his head lowered.

Fourth Uncle He gave a slight nod and looked at He Dianshi. “Why are you hanging your head?”

He Dianshi stammered, not daring to speak.

“Lift your head. Why should a member of the He family lower it?” Fourth Uncle He truly felt both anger and disappointment toward this nephew.

If not for the sake of his deceased elder brother, he wouldn’t want to bother with him at all.

Sneaking a glance at Cui Cuicui, whose expression remained unchanged, He Dianshi nervously raised his head.

The moment Fourth Uncle He saw the two slap marks on his face, he understood everything.

He turned to Cui Cuicui and asked in a deep voice, “What’s going on? How can you hit your own husband’s face?”

Cui Cuicui replied calmly, “Fourth Uncle, that question should be asked of my husband, not me.”

Fourth Uncle He frowned, glanced at her twice, then turned to He Dianshi. “Xin’er, tell me what’s going on.”

A man of the He family being beaten by his wife—if word got out, it would be disgraceful even for him.

“Fourth Uncle, you must save me. If you don’t, I’ll soon be meeting my father.”

Fourth Uncle He sat down, his gaze deep and heavy. “Tell me what happened.”

He Dianshi clenched his fists tightly, not daring to look at him, and explained everything in a low voice.

In an instant, the hall fell silent—so quiet that only breathing could be heard.

After a long while, Fourth Uncle He grabbed a teacup from the table and hurled it hard at He Dianshi. “You bastard—you…”

How many times had he said it? Don’t act on your own. Don’t act on your own. He had agreed so readily back then, yet the moment he turned around, he threw all those words to the back of his mind. Now that trouble had erupted, he came begging for help. Truly—

He Dianshi didn’t dare move, nor did he dare make a sound. He only pleaded silently with his eyes.

All his hope now rested on Fourth Uncle. He couldn’t afford to anger him.

Seeing this, Cui Cuicui sneered inwardly, lowered her eyes, and looked at her brightly painted fingernails, as though none of this concerned her.

Fourth Uncle He inhaled deeply, exhaled, and repeated it several times before finally suppressing the anger in his chest.

He looked at Cui Cuicui. “Do you have any ideas?”

He knew this niece-in-law was clever. Everything in the household was managed by her.

She should have a solution.

Coming back to herself, Cui Cuicui gently shook her head. “I have no ideas. I nag him every day, telling him not to provoke the county magistrate. And what happened? Did he listen to me?”

For someone foolish and unwilling to heed advice, what ideas could she possibly have?

“Wife, I know I was wrong. I’ll listen to you in the future.”

“Too late…”

“Wife—” He Dianshi tried to beg again, but Fourth Uncle He interrupted him.

“Niece-in-law, Xin’er is your husband. If something happens to him, it won’t do you any good either.”

Though he was furious at He Dianshi’s actions, he was still his nephew. He couldn’t just let him die.

Hearing this, Cui Cuicui tugged at the corner of her mouth, forcefully vented the pent-up frustration in her chest, and calmly voiced her idea.

Leave Ninghua County.

Would that really work?

“What if… they expose me anyway?” He Dianshi asked anxiously.

Cui Cuicui shot him a cold glance. “Deny it to the death. If you’re not in Ninghua County, how could you possibly know about this? How could you possibly have ordered anyone to do such a thing?” She paused, her tone turning stern. “No matter what, you must not admit this has anything to do with you. Understand?”

Before He Dianshi could answer, Fourth Uncle He nodded in approval. “This is a good plan. We’ll do it this way.”

With no better options, He Dianshi could only follow their arrangement.

Cui Cuicui stood up. “Fourth Uncle, sorry to disturb you in the middle of the night. We’ll go back now and make the necessary arrangements.”

Better to leave early—no more delays.

Fourth Uncle He acknowledged with a hum, gave He Dianshi a few more instructions, and then let them go.

After returning home, Cui Cuicui hurriedly packed two sets of clothes for He Dianshi, stuffed three silver notes into his hands, and urged him to leave immediately.

“Then… wife… when can I come back?” he asked hesitantly.

“Come back in a few days.” After going over their story one last time, she urged him to go again.

He Dianshi didn’t dare waste any time. He got into the carriage and hurriedly left the He residence.

Watching him disappear, Cui Cuicui returned to her room, sat down heavily on a chair, and let out a long, exhausted sigh.

She could only hope everything would go smoothly.