Free Web NovelChapter 403: Chapter 157: Murder for Money (Part 2)
And that was the reason for today’s warning.
Never before had the peddler so desperately hoped that today’s savage beating, including Zhao Jing’s kick, was merely a warning.
But he knew it wouldn’t be.
This new Scholar carried himself with an air of nonchalance, but his eyes were dark and heavy. His very footsteps felt more oppressive than the raging storm outside.
There was no way today’s matter would end well.
As expected, he then heard Zhao Jing say, "I will not investigate whether you came to the Zhao Village on purpose. But deliberately destroying His Majesty’s memorial tablet is an act of great disrespect. The punishment, by law, is beheading!"
It was as if all the strength had been drained from the peddler’s body. He collapsed to the ground like a heap of mud, unable to muster even a shred of energy for a long time.
"Spare... spare my life! As long as you spare me, I’ll do anything you ask... I promise..."
The heavy rain fell for a full day and night, only beginning to subside in the small hours of the morning.
By dawn the next day, the rain had stopped and the clouds had parted. The sun soon broke through, promising another bright, clear day.
Despite the heavy rain, it was still summer. As soon as the sun appeared, the sticky, humid heat returned.
When Chen Wanyue woke up in the morning, she was, as expected, drenched in sweat.
She looked at the fleshy heap of a man beside her, bit her lip in resentment, and kicked out viciously.
The young man on the bed opened his mouth to howl in pain.
Worried that Mr. and Mrs. Shi outside would hear, Chen Wanyue quickly lunged forward and clamped a hand over his mouth.
The man opened his eyes, looking wronged. "Wife..."
"Who’s your wife? Someone like you? You think you deserve a wife? If you hadn’t been born lucky, a butcher would have slaughtered and carved you up long ago."
The man didn’t understand her. He just giggled foolishly. "Butcher kills pig. Eat meat, eat meat."
"That’s right, you’re the stupid pig. When I run out of money, I’ll sell you to a butcher for silver."
Overcome with sleepiness, the man paid no mind to what else Chen Wanyue said. He kicked off the thin blanket, exposing his greasy, corpulent body, and sprawled out, falling back asleep in moments.
Thundering snores filled the room. Outside, the sound of wood being planed and the CLANG CLANG of Mrs. Shi banging a basin to feed the chickens joined the cacophony. Annoyed, Chen Wanyue stomped her foot hard on the floor several times, her expression and her eyes growing dark.
She picked up a towel from the washstand, dipped it in cool water, and began to wipe herself down, her thoughts turning to the peddler.
’He still hasn’t shown up. Did the plan work?’
Just as she was thinking this, the old woman’s shouts erupted from outside.
"Oh, Jishan’s back! You were out all day, you must’ve sold a lot, right? Quick, let me see how much silver you made. Now that you’ve got some cash, you’d better hurry up and pay back what you owe us. We’re running a small business here. We don’t make much as it is, and we still have to feed you. We’re not asking you to pay inn prices, but you’ve got to give us at least a few copper coins."
The sounds of a struggle came from outside, followed by the peddler’s voice, thick with a sob story as he pleaded for mercy.
"Auntie, dear Auntie, please, have mercy on me! What silver? I hadn’t been out long before I was caught in a downpour and had to find shelter. I ended up in a ruined temple and ran into a gang of beggars. They beat me senseless and even stole all my goods!"
The moment the peddler said this, Chen Wanyue couldn’t stay in the room any longer.
She hurried outside and, just as she’d expected, saw that the peddler’s face was covered in bruises. The baskets on his carrying pole were in complete disarray.
The peddler, after all, cared more about his face than anything else.
He had a fine complexion; despite walking the streets and alleys every day, his face never tanned. Coupled with his thick brows, large eyes, and a charming way of speaking, many of the local women were so taken with his good looks that they would buy things from him they didn’t even need.
And if he happened upon a wealthy widow, it was an even bigger score. The peddler would practically be itching to tear off his clothes, show off his powerful physique, and tumble into bed with her.
It wasn’t just about sating his own lust. If he pleased her well, he could secure a long-term source of income. And if the widow was foolish enough, he could even coax her into handing over her entire family fortune...
That was the kind of shameless, despicable man the peddler was.
In her previous life, he had deceived her with sweet talk. She thought she’d found her salvation, so she scraped together all of the Zhao family’s assets and ran away with him. But she hadn’t even enjoyed two years of a good life before the peddler sold her off.
She had died young from a venereal disease, and the peddler was largely to thank for it.
Now, reborn, the peddler had somehow become her savior once again. But Chen Wanyue despised him, hating that she couldn’t just kill him, chop him to pieces, and throw him in the river to feed the fish.
