The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 41

41: Murder for Money

Fu Yu’an was almost amused by the absurdity.

What kind of logic was this? Did these people have no respect for the law at all?

Qi Ren had no patience for their nonsense. He shoved the man outward: “I don’t care what your situation is,what kind of man hits a woman? If this happens again, I’ll report you to the authorities!”

At the mention of reporting to the authorities, the old woman grew fearful.

Hadn’t Old Wang’s family from the west end of the village been dragged into court after their daughter-in-law secretly reported them?

Those damned officials were utterly heartless, demanding twenty taels of silver just to release someone. If her son were arrested, where would they get the money to bail him out?

“Oh, kind sirs, please spare us this once! We won’t dare do it again, we swear!” she pleaded with an ingratiating smile, reaching out to pull the woman back.

The woman shrank back in fear, casting a pleading look at Fu Yu’an.

He knew the old woman’s words couldn’t be trusted, but he also had no right to keep the woman from her family.

“If they hit you again,” Fu Yu’an said, “go report them to the authorities. We’ll stand as witnesses for you!”

The old woman rolled her eyes discreetly, muttering curses under her breath.

Outwardly, she continued to grovel, repeatedly promising they wouldn’t lay a hand on the woman again. The man yanked the woman away, and the group retreated to the main house in the rain.

“What a pitiful situation.” Fu Yu’an sighed. “But since she owes them her life, that woman will probably never escape.”

“She already has a child—it’s not like she has no ties. How could she just run away?”

“Then take the child with her!”

“…If you put it that way, I suppose it’s possible.”

Qi Ren chuckled softly, picking up the cloth from the basin. “In any case, it’s someone else’s family matter. Why worry so much? Here, let me wash your back!”

“No, thanks.” Fu Yu’an snatched the cloth back. “I can do it myself.”

Qi Ren’s expression darkened instantly. He gripped Fu Yu’an’s shoulders and turned him around forcefully. “Stay still! Or I’ll tie you up!”

How unreasonable, Fu Yu’an thought. But since he was no match for him in a fight, he had no choice but to obediently let him wash his back.

The atmosphere was unbearably awkward. Stiff and tense, Fu Yu’an faced away, counting the nails on the door to distract himself from the strange sensations on his back and shoulders.

Qi Ren, having trained in martial arts for years, had calloused hands—this much Fu Yu’an already knew. But now, with nothing separating them, the touch felt even more pronounced.

It was somewhere between tender affection and domineering restraint.

The sound of water, mingled with the wind and rain outside, created a chaotic backdrop. After what felt like an eternity, the ordeal finally ended.

Qi Ren tossed the cloth back into the basin. “Done. Come to bed!”

Only when the touch on his shoulders disappeared did Fu Yu’an finally relax.

The bed was flimsy, and with two grown men lying on it, neither dared move much for fear of breaking it.

Qi Ren rested one arm behind his head, giving Fu Yu’an the only pillow.

Fu Yu’an lay rigidly still.

Fortunately, Qi Ren didn’t do anything inappropriate. The narrow bed forced them to press close, bare skin against bare skin, making even shifting positions uncomfortable.

Fu Yu’an lay with his back to him, listening to the rain outside as he tried to fall asleep—but sleep wouldn’t come.

He wanted to turn around and ask Qi Ren about the assassins from earlier or when Li Ke would finally find them, but the words stuck in his throat.

Weren’t we still in the middle of an argument earlier? How can I be the first to speak? That would make me seem spineless.

“Forget it, forget it. If he won’t say anything, then neither will I!”

The sound of rain outside gradually faded—it seemed the storm was about to stop.

The breathing of the man beside him grew steady, a sign that he had fallen asleep.

Fu Yu’an sighed, finding himself utterly unable to sleep.

With great difficulty, he turned over in the man’s embrace and poked Qi Ren’s face.

“What’s wrong?”

The other man’s low voice carried no trace of drowsiness.

So he couldn’t sleep either.

Fu Yu’an said, “It’s nothing—”

Knock, knock, knock!

Suddenly, a series of urgent knocks came from outside, sounding frantic.

Qi Ren opened his eyes, exchanged a glance with him, then got up and went to open the door.

Fu Yu’an also sat up, throwing on a robe.

Most of their original clothes were unwearable now—torn and tattered—with only a few undergarments still somewhat intact.

It was the beaten woman.

Her face was filled with terror, and she held a little girl of about seven or eight in her arms, the child’s eyes brimming with unshed tears.

“Sir, sirs, you must leave now! They’re going to kill you! Go, quickly!”

Fu Yu’an, hearing this, also got up and approached. “Don’t be afraid. What’s going on?”

“They’re plotting to rob and murder you. You must leave now! Hurry— Ah! He’s coming! Help!”

Before she could finish, the lights in the main room flickered on, followed by a dark figure rushing toward them—it was the mute man.

The little girl immediately burst into loud sobs, wailing and trying to hide in her mother’s arms.

The old woman also came out, holding an oil lamp, her face twisted with rage. “You ungrateful wretch! After all these years we’ve raised you, you dare betray us? Might as well chop you down too!”

The mute man raised his axe and swung it down without hesitation. The woman screamed, dragging her daughter behind Qi Ren for protection.

Qi Ren had never expected that a simple request for lodging would lead to such a deadly encounter with violent villagers. Fury surged in his chest as he lifted his foot and kicked the man square in the chest, sending him flying back several zhang—only stopping when he crashed into the large jujube tree in the yard.

The old woman shrieked in horror, wailing as she scrambled toward him.

“Hmph! Overestimating yourself!”

Qi Ren flexed his wrist, stepping forward to shield the others. He picked up the fallen axe and, with a single motion, snapped its handle in two.

The mute man was all brute strength—no match for Qi Ren. He spat out a mouthful of bl00d and lay there, unconscious.

The old woman now realized they had provoked someone far beyond their reckoning. Her defiance crumbled, and she threw herself at Qi Ren’s feet, clutching his pant leg and begging for mercy. “Sir, sir, spare us this once! We were blind—”

Qi Ren was thoroughly disgusted and was about to kick her away when Fu Yu’an stopped him. “Don’t act rashly.”

“Oh, kind sir, please show mercy—”

“Hand them over to the authorities! You carry that man.” he said, pointing at the unconscious brute. “Elderly one, your legs aren’t steady—stay here and wait!”

Qi Ren pushed her aside, strode over to the mute man, and hoisted him onto his shoulders. With a jerk of his chin toward the door, he said, “No time to waste. Let’s head back now! You—lead the way!”

Fu Yu’an gently nudged the woman and reassured her in a soft voice, “Don’t be afraid. We’ll see justice done for you and your daughter.”

The little girl, still clutched in her mother’s arms, had been utterly terrified by the ordeal and buried her face in silence.

Tearfully, the woman kowtowed to them twice in gratitude, then hurried out without packing anything, her daughter in her arms.

Finally, they could escape this den of horrors!

Qi Ren was still bare-chested. Fu Yu’an moved closer to him and made as if to take off his own robe to give to him, but Qi Ren quickly stopped him. “You’re delicate and frail—keep it on! I’ll be fine!”

As he spoke, he even freed one hand to thump his own shoulder, tilting his chin up with a rather smug expression.

Fu Yu’an: “…”

Fine, freeze for a while then!