Chapter 549 – The World in Turmoil (19)
“Who’s the instigator?”
“Who dares to stand up and admit it? That’s a hundred lashes! You’d be lucky to survive that!”
“Survive? What if it costs you your life?”
In an instant, the common people kneeling below turned pale as a sheet. Except for the seven-year-old boy, still a bit dazed, everyone else was sweating profusely, trembling in fear. The old woman even fainted, her eyes rolling back, looking like she was gasping for air.
Feng Jin looked astonished. If that old woman actually died from fright, it would definitely tarnish the Lord’s reputation.
The old woman’s son, daughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law all wore expressions of despair and panic, creating a cacophony in the hall.
Jiang Pengji leaned against the table, coldly observing these people putting on a performance.
The audience in the live stream was seething with indignation. Just as the old woman fainted, someone sprang up to criticize Jiang Pengji for being cold-blooded.
【Loli for the Win】: Oh my gosh, someone’s going to die! Although this family is quite a bunch, don’t you think the host is in the wrong too? If you really scare someone to death, we’ll see how you wrap this up, you cold-blooded animals.
【Three Years of Blood Profit】: Why hasn’t the state shut down this live stream yet? The principles here are completely off, and there’s violence and bloodshed!
【Spam Brigade Explodes】: Can’t shut it down! It’s live on every platform, spreading like a virus! Unless they shut down all streaming services, cut off the internet entirely, they can forget about shutting this one down! But do you think that’s even possible?
【Death Penalty Not a Loss】: Tsk tsk, this live stream is so gruesome even minors can’t resist committing crimes after watching it! Don’t infect the kids with your twisted morals. What if one day someone actually goes out and commits a crime following what they see here? That would be too late!
Jiang Pengji was used to being cursed out by these viewers; she didn’t care. Their mouths were attached to their own bodies, there was no way for her to control what they said. If only they had the guts to say that to her ancestors’ faces!
She smirked and shot back at them.
【Host V】: I see @Death Penalty Not a Loss, who’s an expert at how to write those loli stories. So, are you out there abducting young girls?
In her live streaming room, she had a memory like an elephant—she remembered what each user had said.
Trying to play double standards with her?
Better clean up your own act first!
The audience had their fair share of people attacking her, but most still supported Jiang Pengji; after all, they had followed her for years and knew she wouldn’t act without reason. Plus, this matter affected the dignity of her female soldiers.
If it wasn’t handled properly and military regulations weren’t followed, who would let their daughters marry into such a family?
More importantly, was that marriage really for their daughter’s good or just for a good price?
In short, Jiang Pengji was forming a unit of female soldiers, not a training class for young women waiting for marriage.
If they wanted to take advantage of her, they better check if they could withstand a hundred lashes first!
The common people below were crying and wailing beside the old woman, tears streaming down their faces. The older female soldier felt uneasy, fears of being expelled from the ranks pressing against her conscience. She worried for the old woman’s safety; if something happened to grandma, wouldn’t the whole family blame her?
Just as their parents said, they were her blood relatives; of course, they would want what’s best for her, how could they harm her?
Feng Jin looked awkwardly at Jiang Pengji, while the younger female soldiers, initially panicking, soon calmed down.
She was used to watching that grandmother throw a tantrum and, when things didn’t go her way, feign fainting. One shout of “unfilial” could break someone’s backbone!
Looking at her face, rosy and healthy, where was the pallor and weakness of someone who had fainted?
“Lord—this—”
Jiang Pengji scoffed, “Seems like no one’s willing to step up and admit they were the instigator, so I’ll decide. This boy’s only seven, he couldn’t possibly instigate his older sister, so he’s off the hook. This old woman, however, is truly despicable, raising her children so poorly, ten lashes! The rest will share the remaining ninety lashes. Take her down and execute the sentence! That soldier is expelled and never to be used again.”
Playing the fainting game against her? Did she think she was blind?
The old woman still wasn’t waking up. Jiang Pengji continued, “Previously, this old woman tried to attack the guard, so add three more lashes… Moreover, pretending to faint in front of me is another crime; add another ten lashes. That’s a total of twenty-three lashes. Make sure to carry it out, don’t skimp!”
Feng Jin responded, “Yes, Lord.”
He called for the guards outside to drag the common people away to carry out the punishment.
The older female soldier instinctively resisted, but thankfully the guards were ready and the first ones to deal with her.
Even so, one guard got his arm injured.
Jiang Pengji sneered at the sight.
“What good is skill if your character is so weak? No wonder anyone can step all over you.”
The older female soldier was strong enough to handle several burly men but, when faced with the pressure of family, consented to be married off to a man old enough to be her father—a stepfather to someone even older than her.
Jiang Pengji wasn’t known for her kindness.
She gave one chance, and if it wasn’t taken, then no matter how things turned out later, don’t blame her!
The old woman was being dragged out by the guards, and she could no longer hold her act, kicking her legs and crying out, rolling on the ground.
Those who had previously defended the old woman blushed, not from shame, but from a red face from the slap in the face.
The older female soldier tried to kneel down to plead for mercy, comforting the old woman, only to receive a slap that left five bloody marks on her face.
As mentioned earlier, that old woman had thick, long nails, and with years of hard work, she was stronger than many young men. With that slap, even the trained soldier was taken aback and fell to the ground. Her right cheek swelled immediately, and her teeth felt loose.
“You witch—if someone dies, it’s on you!”
“Better off dead than living with scum like this—ahhhh!”
“Old man, why’d you go so early and leave me alone to be bullied by these lowlifes and shameless harlots?”
The older female soldier stared wide-eyed in disbelief, stunned that such words were coming from her own grandmother.
The old woman wouldn’t get up, continuously shouting profanities loud enough to offend anyone around.
Jiang Pengji raised her hand, exhaling, “Drag her away, don’t hold back. Give her as many lashes as needed.”
A group of guards, sensing Jiang Pengji’s suppressed fury, silently cursed the old hag for seeking trouble, then each took a side and dragged her out. The old woman attempted to claw at the guards’ arms with her nails, quickly leaving bloody marks behind.
The guards winced in pain, puzzled at how a nearly fifty-year-old woman could hold so much strength.
Jiang Pengji lowered her gaze and coldly said, “Considering her old age, the twenty-three lashes can be borne by her son, daughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law. Of course, that’s if they’re willing to help her bear it; if they refuse, she’ll just have to take it herself.”
