Chapter 007 – Ironclad Judgment (Part 3)
“Shut up!” For the Bandit Leader, nothing was more vital than discovering who had killed Mo Niang. “I’ll take on this task!”
Everyone here was a desperate outlaw; who would truly submit to whom?
The Bandit Leader’s actions clearly jeopardized the overall interests. If that was the case, it might be better to eliminate him and slowly enjoy those beauties later.
After all, they didn’t have any so-called significant others… that stinky woman’s tricks posed no threat to them.
Just then, Jiang Pengji suddenly addressed the twitching-eyed Second-in-command, “Want to know where your son was taken?”
Her enchanting eyes swiveled, landing on another bandit. “How about your wife and brother—did they crown you with a few green hats? Don’t you want to know?”
Everyone: “…”
Now, those with restless thoughts dared not to move recklessly.
Unlike the Bandit Leader’s mysterious past, many in the lair knew of the Second-in-command’s lost son from when he was young.
They also knew that while the Second-in-command could still ‘perform’, he couldn’t produce any offspring.
Without the capability, what was the difference from a eunuch?
Thus, that son was his last lineage, immensely significant!
As for the Fourth-in-command’s wife giving him green hats… pfft, some informed people secretly chuckled to themselves.
This matter, apart from a few thick-headed fools and the Fourth-in-command himself, was somewhat known to the other brothers. Not just that, some even went to visit.
However, some people who were laughing inwardly soon found their smiles fading.
The Fourth-in-command may not have feelings for his wife, but his possessiveness was intense. If he discovered someone had violated her, the consequences… would truly mean death.
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted; everyone had their own schemes, and no one dared to cover Jiang Pengji’s mouth, as it would be like admitting guilt—too suspicious for a thief!
Thus, they could only secretly sweat, hoping Jiang Pengji was just guessing… but who could guess so accurately, stepping right on another’s sore spot? Now that was too bizarre!
“If you want to know…” Jiang Pengji’s gaze roved, taking in everyone’s performances, then right in front of all the bandits, she effortlessly broke free from her rope bindings, suddenly flashing a charming smile, her voice low, “One by one, there’s no rush.”
Though still quite young, Jiang Pengji’s clear gaze showed no signs of fear even when surrounded by a crowd, proving she was genuinely composed.
Looking at her attire, it was obvious she belonged to a noble family—how could she have known their ordinary lives in advance? If she hadn’t investigated beforehand, how could she hit the crucial points with every word?
Suddenly, a common thought welled up among all: could she possibly be a fortune teller?
Those who had heard too many street rumors couldn’t help but recall the famous “Ironclad Judgment” of the Dongqing Dynasty—a contemporary sage, Mr. Yuanjing!
It was said that Mr. Yuanjing was not only scholarly but could also perceive the past and present, easily seeing through a person’s identity and history.
With such a vague concept brewing, some bandits began to have doubts, including the two named.
Or rather, they had to believe it because Jiang Pengji had directly hit their weak spots without missing a single beat.
The Second-in-command was maddened by thoughts of his son, and the Fourth-in-command could not tolerate any man laying a finger on his woman.
At this point, the System vaguely speculated Jiang Pengji’s true intention for doing this—she was not only buying time for herself but also for those noble girls captured, and she was certainly the deadliest opponent…
Killing with a borrowed knife!
With this thought, the System almost burst into tears.
With a host like Jiang Pengji, a battle-ready powerhouse, how could there be any worry about the Empress throne?
Those noble girls were led out from the small dark room in a daze, and though the bandits still salivated over them, they did not dare to make a move.
Even though they hated those lecherous gazes, the situation had significantly improved compared to earlier.
Wei Jingxian subtly tugged at Jiang Pengji’s sleeve, her eyes filled with questions and wariness, “You…”
Jiang Pengji’s heart stirred; now they were starting to doubt?
She lowered her gaze slightly, faced the attention directly, and gently said, “I was able to protect Jing’er under the pear tree, and I can do the same now.”
When Wei Jingxian was young, she was very mischievous. Once, she climbed up a pear tree to avoid the servants and ended up unable to come down, crying up there for quite some time.
In the end, Liu Lanting found her, coaxing her that he would catch her if she fell.
As a result? The young lady was so plump that Liu Lanting, who was quite weak, was left injured, forced to rest for three months.
This was a shared secret between Wei Jingxian and Liu Lanting, one that even the close maidservants didn’t know.
Wei Jingxian’s wariness gradually faded, replaced by concern for her. “This isn’t as simple as climbing a pear tree now…”
“As long as it concerns Jing’er, no matter how difficult it is, it must be done,” Jiang Pengji stated earnestly, reaching out to tuck Wei Jingxian’s stray hairs behind her ear and fixing her crooked hairpin, “A promise from a gentleman is as heavy as five mountains; this is no sweet talk.”
Feeling her face heat up from this caring gesture, but remembering Jiang Pengji’s gender, her heart sank.
She didn’t harbor romantic feelings toward Liu Lanting, but as a young girl in her prime, he was the fiancé her family had set for her, and both families viewed it positively. She didn’t detest it. If they could marry, even if there was no tender affection, they could still respect each other.
But now… everything was ruined; the images she’d imagined in her mind felt more like mockery.
“Right now… how can you still be considered a gentleman?”
Jiang Pengji sensed her contradiction and laughed lightly, “If Jing’er says so, then it is; if Jing’er says otherwise, then it’s not.”
Wei Jingxian was thrown into a fluster by her words, struggling to maintain her previously aloof demeanor, “You, you…”
Could it be that upon having her identity revealed, she couldn’t even be bothered to maintain the facade anymore?
“Don’t worry…” Stopping her from speaking further, Jiang Pengji’s gaze was filled with confidence, “Doesn’t Jing’er believe me?”
Wei Jingxian: “…”
To be honest, if Liu Lanting hadn’t been scared senseless by the bandit’s knife, she could’ve granted a bit of trust.
The Bandit Stronghold was quite shabby, with only a few huts of varying sizes scattered around.
If it weren’t for the tall, fierce-looking bandits exuding a thuggish aura, you would think this was just an ordinary village hidden deep in the mountains.
Jiang Pengji grasped these bandits’ weaknesses, keeping the Bandit Leader, Second-in-command, and Fourth-in-command in check, while the other small-time thieves didn’t dare to act recklessly, occasionally stealing glances at the noble girls while carefully avoiding Jiang Pengji’s gaze.
Leaving the small, shabby room where they were kept, the bandits escorted them all into a modest hall with a simple sign hanging outside.
“I’ll discuss those matters directly with you. Can we move to the back hall?”
Jiang Pengji observed the group with a seemingly meaningful smile, saying, “Some people are feeling guilty about their thieving hearts. If I were to speak publicly, I might fear you would jump up in a fit and kill someone out of guilt. I don’t mind a bit of bloodshed; you’re rough men used to the wind and waves, but then again, we have delicate flowers here. If you frighten them, it would be a real sin.”
Having said that, she cast a look filled with compassion over each noble girl, finally lingering for a moment on Wei Jingxian, making all the ladies blush with indignation yet too intimidated to voice it. If it were said by someone else, there would surely be outrage, but Liu Lanting…
She was no rough man.
If she overreacted, wouldn’t that just make her seem too delicate and spoiled?
Wei Jingxian, who was receiving special attention, couldn’t help but feel warmth on her cheeks, but soon returned to normal.
Repeating thrice—Liu Lanting is a woman! A woman! A woman!
