Chapter 436: Chapter 435: Since You Won’t Say, Then Chop Them All Off
Seated in the front row as she was pushed, Shen Hua was utterly perplexed.
The new Shopkeeper was excessively obsequious, thinking he had handled his task properly; however, he soon froze upon seeing Xie Xun take a seat beside Shen Hua.
"Guest, this is our master’s seat. He will be arriving shortly. It is perhaps inappropriate for you to sit here."
"You may not know, he is the Shen Family’s Eldest Young Master. He and our lady are siblings. Seeing you come here with our lady, for her sake, the master might arrange another seat for you nearby."
"What do you think?"
Xie Xun glanced at him, "Eldest Young Master?"
The man’s back was straight with pride.
"Indeed, the embroidery workshop is now under his name, our master is a well-known and talented individual in Fengzhou City."
"Too bad, he won’t be able to make it."
With that, he raised his hand.
A Hidden Guard in black attire suddenly emerged from nowhere and, before the eyes of all, the Shopkeeper’s mouth was covered, and he was forcibly thrown out.
This quickly caused a disturbance.
"This... this man is too arrogant!"
"Who doesn’t know the exhibition is organized by the Shen Family? He came and took the seat that has always belonged to the Shen Family Head, and now he has thrown out the Shen Family’s Embroidery Workshop’s new Manager. Is he looking for trouble on purpose?"
"Looks unfamiliar..."
"Tch, just look who’s beside him, that’s Shen Hua, whoever she brings is no good. Who doesn’t know the Shen Family’s scandals? I think there will be quite a commotion today."
The crowd murmured one after another, yet the two people in the front row listened carefully but sat firmly in their seats.
How shameless they are.
"Brother, what did you do to Shen Qu?"
The girl turned her head and asked, as she moved, the step shake in her hair swayed gently, making a crisp bell sound.
Xie Xun’s expression was gentle.
"It wasn’t my doing, that beast only suffered some superficial injuries."
If not him, then it must be Cui Yun.
Xie Xun naturally wouldn’t tell Shen Hua the overly bloody details.
Under the night sky, with the window half-open, the man stood in front of the window, the silver glow of the moon making his emotionless face even more cold and indifferent, his eyes as sharp as a demon’s, without a trace of mercy to redeem souls.
He leaned forward slightly, the cold blade of the dagger pressed against Shen Qu’s throat.
"I came here just to seek some guidance from Mr. Shen."
Suddenly, the sinister look in his eyes had nowhere to hide, and his voice carried layers of chill.
"It’s your audacity!"
Even with his past life’s memories, Shen Qu had never seen such a spectacle before.
He was a bully when it came to the weak but a coward at heart; with no help from heaven or earth, he was scared to the point of prostrating himself, afraid that the dagger would pierce through and blood would splatter everywhere.
Seeing his cowardly state, Cui Yun withdrew the dagger and, using the faint moonlight, examined him closely.
"It is indeed too dull."
Ying Yi: "It’s my negligence."
He chuckled lightly: "You might ask, does Mr. Shen mind not taking offense?"
Shen Qu, recognizing the man, trembled even more anxiously. Before Ying Yi could ask, he thought he was clever and spoke tremulously.
"How... how dare I."
Cui Yun’s voice was devoid of warmth.
"It seems you are not afraid of pain."
Shen Qu dared not even breathe heavily: "If the Marquis finds the dagger unsatisfactory, I have one in my room that can cut through iron like mud. If you want..."
"Get it."
"Yes!"
He scrambled and tumbled around, rummaging through his belongings and presented it with both hands. His bald head, shining bright enough to reflect light under the moon.
But Cui Yun did not take it, he didn’t even glance at it.
"Which hand touched it?"
"It’s... it’s my fault, if I had known she was still the Marquis’s person, how could I dare to covet. You..."
He coldly interrupted: "I’m asking you, which hand did you touch with!"
Sweat rolled down his forehead in large drops.
But Cui Yun was running out of patience: "Since you won’t speak, then chop off both hands."
Shen Qu’s eyes filled with fear, and with a clang, a dagger dropped to the ground as he failed to hold onto it firmly.
Ying Yi held down Shen Qu’s hand, and with just a slight force, the latter couldn’t move a fraction. His posture indicated he was ready to strike at any moment.
"The right hand!"
He screamed out loudly. The dagger, offered in an attempt to please, was suddenly stained with blood; his left thumb had been sliced off. Bloodied, it rolled several times on the ground.
Within the Shen Residence’s inner courtyard, not a single servant was in sight, and it was unknown how Cui Yun managed to accomplish this. As Xie Xun approached, his path was unobstructed.
The heavy stench of blood rushed into his nostrils, but Xie Xun, already accustomed to slaughter, remained impassive as he drew closer to Cui Yun.
To execute a person, under absolute power, was nothing short of effortless, and would not result in charges of murder.
Who would dare to hold him accountable?
"At least leave me someone to teach a lesson to."
Cui Yun looked down, eyeing the dagger he had been playing with for a while.
"Indeed, one should not overstep their role."
He looked down towards Shen Qu who writhed in pain on the ground: "In my life, I despise two kinds of people the most: one being those who impose tyrannical demands without morality, and for personal gains, neglecting the lives of thousands. The other kind, like you, are shameless robbers who consider themselves superior, and find pleasure in tormenting others."
He enjoyed playing the game of the strong bullying the weak, didn’t he?
Now, he too had to taste this despairing agony.
He murmured: "Blunt perhaps, but still usable."
Leaning against the window, Cui Yun patiently instructed: "Take your time, no need to rush."
Xie Xun, with a gentle smile, disregarded the ear-piercing continuous screams.
He complimented Ying Yi: "Your technique, even the Chief Eunuch of the palace’s bath house should learn from you."
Shen Qu fainted from the pain, Ji Qing came with saltwater, splashing it towards his lower body, and with such a blunt dagger, Ying Yi emotionlessly kept cutting. Deliberately he kept him alive, making him fully aware as he saw his progeny and manhood completely ruined.
What’s the difference between this and killing him?
Looking back at Cui Yun, he leisurely shelled walnuts. His hands were beautiful, and the walnut meats he shelled were also intact.
"For Yangyang?"
"Practicing."
Cui Yun, a rare smile tugging at his lips: "This place is filthy, she’s delicate and would certainly find it distasteful."
After a while.
He said softly.
"Shen Qu."
In such circumstances, the man retained his elegance and nobility.
"If you cannot accept it, I truly apologize, you will just have to endure it."
As he spoke, he paused slightly, the gentleman’s composure reflected in his conduct, his words tinged with a trace of regret.
"It’s fate, it’s destiny, sorry to put you through this."
Xie Xun thought, Cui Yun must have some perversion in him.
It’s no wonder he caught Yangyang’s eye.
Seeing that Xie Xun was silent, Shen Hua opened her apricot eyes slightly, a tickling curiosity within her as she spoke with a gentle tone: "Brother, why aren’t you speaking anymore? Don’t tell me there’s something I shouldn’t hear?"
"Do you have secrets with Cui Yun?"
The girl relentlessly probed: "Is it truly just a superficial injury? But if it was just minor punishment, he probably wouldn’t make this trip."
She was not one to be easily fooled.
Furthermore, Xie Xun had just mentioned that Shen Qu couldn’t come.
How severe must the injury be for Shen Qu, hosting an exhibition for the first time, to be unable to attend?
Distrust filled the girl’s exquisitely pale face.
Of course, Xie Xun couldn’t say, your Cui Yun has made it so Shen Qu can no longer be a man!
After all, Yangyang was an unmarried young lady.
"As long as there is a breath left in him, how can it not be considered a superficial injury?"