After Cracking Three Madmen’s Skulls - Chapter 1

People bustled through the market, buying and selling. Upstairs in the teahouse, well-heeled patrons pushed open their windows to stare down.

“Please, my lady. Save me.”

The man before me was slender, his eyes shimmering with tears. Even brought so low, the once-admired third-place scholar retained a beauty that took one’s breath away.

Pity, contempt, and vicious delight washed over him from every direction.

Everyone was waiting.

Waiting for the Shen family’s notorious daughter to whip Ling Zhao, who lay prostrate like a dog, until his skin split open.

My maid Xiaohe looked disgusted and terrified.

“My lady, beat him to death and throw him out! Don’t let this trouble land on our heads!”

Despair flickered in Ling Zhao’s eyes. His face was pale with helplessness.

Laughter and hoofbeats sounded nearby.

Ling Zhao closed his eyes, slowly clenching his hands.

He bowed to me one last time.

“Please save my life, my lady.”

For a moment, everything went quiet.

I crouched and lifted his chin with the handle of my whip.

“I’ll only ask once. Will you follow me in earnest?”

Ling Zhao jerked his head up, disbelief filling his eyes.

The next instant, he was desperately knocking his forehead against the ground.

“Please save me!”

I took off my cloak and crouched to wrap him securely in it.

When my hand touched his back, I faltered. The whole world revolved around this painfully thin man.

“Whoa!”

A tall black warhorse stopped dangerously close. Its hooves came within inches of my face.

Expressionless, I brushed the dirt off my cheeks.

“You there. Lift that cloak. Let me see who you’re covering.”

The man wore armor that gleamed coldly. He sat high on his horse, towering above us, radiating menace and the smell of blood.

Pei Yi, the Defender-General.

Xiaohe stepped in front of me, hands on her hips.

“Who are you to be so rude? Our young lady is the Duke of Shen’s daughter by his principal wife!”

Pei Yi dismounted.

“General Shen’s daughter, is it? My apologies. I am your father’s colleague, Pei Yi.”

I gave a cold laugh.

“I wouldn’t dare expect your courtesy, General. Provoking me in the street just to seize my servant is hardly acceptable behavior.”

Pei Yi was growing impatient.

“Then I’ll pay a hundred taels of silver for him.”

His dark, sinister gaze settled on the small bundle. The cloak covered most of Ling Zhao, but a sliver of pale skin remained visible, enough to stir his desire.

Hearing the certainty in his voice, I felt my heart sink.

Suddenly, the cloak fell open.

Ling Zhao gripped a shard of iron and slashed it hard across his own face.

Pei Yi’s pupils contracted. He took half a step forward.

“You—”

I immediately blocked his way.

“You’ve pressed us so hard that my servant and I are being driven to bloodshed in the street! Is Yanjing yours alone to command? I’ll seek justice at the Court of Judicial Review!”

The crowd kept growing. Accusing looks turned toward Pei Yi.

Seeing her chance, Xiaohe collapsed to the ground and began to wail.

“Our poor young lady! A defenseless woman, with neither father nor brother here, bullied like this!”

Pei Yi laughed in fury, fixing me with an icy stare.

“Very well, Lady Shen. This isn’t over. We’ll meet again.”