CHAPTER 185: CHAPTER 183: WORSE THAN LIVESTOCK

Li Cong reached out and thrust the soft sword in his hand towards Song Xian. His martial skills were already inferior to Xiao Chi, and after the night’s ordeal, his sword’s edge was easily blocked by the sword Song Xian wielded.

Li Cong swung his arm again, using all his strength to break free from Song Xian’s suppression. But that was all he could do. As Li Cong took another step forward, his shin was kicked hard, and then a cold blade was pressed against his neck.

As Li Cong’s leg could no longer support his body’s weight and he knelt on one knee, Song Xian pulled out the dagger and hidden weapons from his waistband.

Sweat dripped down Li Cong’s chin, his eyes bloodshot as he glared fiercely at Song Xian, a gaze resembling Xiao Chi’s.

Yet behind this facade was a trace of excitement. He didn’t want to die, but the thought of potentially overcoming Song Xian gave him some solace.

If it had been Song Qizheng, Li Cong would have been unwilling, but Song Xian was different. If not for Song Xian, how would the Great Liao have retreated from the Juma River? So many elite soldiers had perished at Song Xian’s hands.

Song Xian’s reputation was vast, and only twenty years old, stationed in the North, he was a perpetual obstruction to the Great Liao.

If Song Xian were to die at his hands, he would die honored, and his son would surely receive rewards from the Emperor and Empress Dowager of the Great Liao.

He had been set on a path of death by the epidemic, and Song Xian too wouldn’t escape.

Li Cong’s eyes flickered with a burgeoning smile. Just then, a sudden pain struck his jaw as he received a punch.

The salty, metallic taste surged into his mouth, and Li Cong bent over, spitting out blood and teeth.

It was customary to extract the teeth of spies, lest they find a chance to die by their own means. As long as they lived, they would endure repeated interrogations.

Li Cong tightly clenched his hands, enduring the humiliation. His spirit wouldn’t break, as he still had one last move, one Song Xian wasn’t aware of yet.

Li Cong’s thoughts were interrupted as his mouth was forced open, and something was shoved inside, sliding down his throat.

Li Cong looked in astonishment at Chang An in front of him.

Chang An ignored him and turned to Song Xian, "The medicine has been administered, it’ll take effect soon. There will be no vomiting or diarrhea."

At these words, Li Cong stiffened, sweat bristling along his spine, as if hearing the most terrifying words in the world.

What did this mean?

Li Cong was all too familiar with vomiting and diarrhea; he’d been like that all night.

But how did Song Xian know?

If suffering from an epidemic, that’s how it would be, but if Song Xian had seen it coming, how would he dare come so close? Were they not afraid of infection?

No, no, with a mouth full of blood, Li Cong almost crushed his fist. Song Xian not only knew but also gave him medicine.

Suddenly, Li Cong shouted, "You tricked me... you all..."

Chang An said, "This is Daqi, and you think you can drink Daqi’s water freely?"

Li Cong recalled the water Geng Er took from the farmer’s house, which had been drugged, so they weren’t sick with an epidemic, they’d been tricked by Song Xian.

Since there was no epidemic, Song Xian wouldn’t die either.

Like a wild beast, Li Cong struggled to pounce on Song Xian, wanting to tear him apart. His neck muscles bulged, his visage grotesque, yet no one feared him.

Song Xian coldly looked at Li Cong, "I heard he was Li San under Xiao Xingzong, using him for battle practice, but he’s no better than farmed livestock."

Hearing the word ’livestock,’ Li Cong’s face flushed purple-red, his eye corners nearly tearing. Trying to speak, he was gagged with a rag, only hearing his own beast-like roars.

Song Xian said, "Such a person dreaming of coveting Daqi’s territory, harming the people, today we shall execute Li Cong’s subordinates to honor the souls of Daqi’s deceased."

With a wave of Song Xian’s hand, footsteps sounded behind, steel blades glinted, and several heads rolled to the ground instantly.

Those were the men Li Cong brought with him.

Sharing the same fate was Geng Si. Having witnessed even bloodier scenes, today felt different. The ruthless execution by the Song Family Army instilled fear from within, making him tremble like a leaf.

Song Xian didn’t execute Li Cong, Geng San, and him, for they wouldn’t die easily and faced endless torment.

Geng Si knelt on the ground, "The Third Young Master has several more men in Yingzhou..."

Li Cong glared at Geng Si, his eyes like blades wanting to mince Geng Si into pulp.

Geng Si said, "I’m willing to reveal their locations, just for a quick death." Even if he didn’t speak, Geng San would. Geng Wu might have already fallen into Song Xian’s hands.

He didn’t want to see maggots consume his body alive or experience excruciating torture.

Without Song Xian’s command, Chang An ordered someone forward to arrange everything. Song Xian mounted his horse, escorting Li Cong back to Zhenzhou Prefecture.

...

"Sister, Sister."

Gouzi’s voice was hoarse, shaking Liu Erniang’s arm.

Mrs. Gao advised beside him, "Don’t worry, the doctor said your sister doesn’t have the epidemic."

Gouzi anxiously asked again, "Auntie, please check if my sister is injured? They must have hit her."

Unable to see Liu Erniang’s condition, Gouzi’s tears kept falling.

Mrs. Gao observed Liu Erniang’s injuries, withholding some truth, "She is hurt, but it’s not severe. She’ll be fine after some rest."

Old Mrs. Chen lamented the misfortune, a family of only siblings depending on each other.

Gouzi cried for a while and said, "I know why they kept my sister, because Father and Brother-in-law are men, and my sister is most vulnerable. They want to break her to reveal information about Lingqiu.

Father told us, even if we die, we can’t divulge anything about General Zhang and his men; the Liao people will harm General Zhang."

Even if it meant death, Gouzi spoke what he couldn’t reveal, right in front of the people of Chen Family Village.

Old Mrs. Chen patted Gouzi’s back reassuringly, "It will get better in time."

Gouzi kept blinking, unable to stop the tears. He leaned closer to Liu Erniang and said softly, "Sister, recover well. Don’t worry about Father and Brother-in-law, I’ll... I’ll send them rice... so they won’t starve."

Mrs. Gao wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve.

Old Mrs. Chen pulled Gouzi up, "You should leave. We need to apply medicine to your sister."

Gouzi didn’t say anything more. He retreated obediently to the corner, unwilling to leave.

Out of his sight, Old Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Gao let him be.

After busying themselves for nearly an hour, ensuring Liu Erniang was settled, Old Mrs. Chen finally left the room.

Chen Zigeng had been waiting in the courtyard. Seeing his grandmother, he hurried to support her, "Grandmother, I miss Sister. I wonder when she’ll return."

"Soon," Old Mrs. Chen also longed deeply, unable to eat or sleep well without her granddaughter by her side. "Without these troubles, it’ll be over soon, and we won’t miss the spring plowing."

Xie Liangchen wouldn’t return so quickly, but after Zhenzhou stabilized the epidemic, Old Mrs. Chen and Chen Zigeng were allowed into Zhenzhou City.

Standing outside the epidemic prevention station, Chen Zigeng intently watched the door. After several people walked in and out, he finally saw his sister.

Xie Liangchen stood at the doorway, waving to Old Mrs. Chen and Chen Zigeng.

Chen Zigeng was initially overjoyed, then said, "Sister, you’ve become thin."