Chapter 99: Blood Debts Collected

At the same time, at the Chen residence, Su Er ran in, flustered.

“Young master, bad news!

Bad news!”

 

Chen Zhou frowned and looked up.

“What’s all the panic about?”

“It’s Wei Lan and Lu Zijin.

They’ve returned.

I heard they’ve already entered the Lu residence.”

Su Er was sweating profusely from fear.

 

Chen Zhou was also stunned for a moment.

He asked, “Wasn’t it said that Wei Lan and the others were going south on business?

Why have they suddenly returned to Panyang?”

“This lowly one doesn’t know either, young master.

The Lu residence has been desecrated like that.

Do you think Lu Zijin and Wei Lan will find out that we were the ones who did it?”

Su Er’s face was covered in sweat.

He was already feeling guilty, and mainly, he had heard about Wei Lan’s deeds in the capital – if she could kill a second-rank high official as easily as that, wouldn’t it be even easier for her to make people like him die, easier than chopping vegetables?

 

Chen Zhou was also a bit uneasy, but he still pretended to be calm.

“What’s the panic?

No one knows we hired people to smash the Lu residence and spread rumors.

And I already gave those thugs silver to leave Panyang and lie low for a while.

Even if Wei Lan and the others want to investigate, they won’t find those people.

Don’t lose your head.”

“Yes, young master.”

Su Er quickly replied.

 

However, Chen Zhou didn’t know that those thugs had already returned to Panyang City and had even taken up residence in the Lu residence.

 

Wei Lan and the others continued searching the various courtyards of the Lu residence.

They found many more thugs and hooligans.

The courtyards were filthy and chaotic, with human waste everywhere.

The originally planted flowers and plants had been destroyed.

Even the sturdy trees in the garden had all been cut down for firewood by these people.

 

Wei Lan’s expression was terrifyingly dark with anger.

Along the way, she had executed several more thugs and hooligans.

 

When she and Lu Zijin reached Fuqu Pavilion, where she used to live, they saw it was filled with beggars.

The beggars were lying lazily in the shaded areas, resting.

The courtyard was smelly and dirty.

An old tree in the middle had been cut down, and firewood was piled on one side of the courtyard.

 

Seeing someone approaching, those beggars, perhaps afraid these people would take their spot, shouted, “We’ve already claimed this courtyard.

Don’t come looking for trouble.”

 

With that, seven or eight strong male beggars stood up, looking at Wei Lan and Xi Ye with hostile expressions.

 

Wei Lan beckoned behind her.

Soldiers rushed over, grabbing all the beggars inside and tying them up with ropes.

 

The beggars panicked at the sight of soldiers coming to arrest them, shouting incessantly.

“We’re just beggars!

On what authority are you arresting us?”

“Sir, release us!

Sir, spare us!”

“Yes, we are all poor wretches!

On what authority are you arresting us?”

 

Wei Lan looked at these arrested beggars and sneered.

“Poor wretches?

You are strong and healthy, with hands and feet.

If you choose to be useless, who can you blame?

At the very least, you could go to the city docks and carry grain, earning a few dozen coins a day.

That’s better than living by begging every day.”

 

One of the strong beggars was still dissatisfied and shouted, “What’s wrong with begging?

Does Dazhao law forbid begging?

On what authority are you arresting us?”

“Yes, on what authority are you arresting us?”

“Release us now!

Release us!”

 

The other detained beggars chimed in one after another, their voices rising in waves.

 

Wei Lan looked at these people coldly.

Indeed, pitiable people often have detestable qualities.

She pointed at the ringleader in the middle who had started the shouting.

“Execute him.

Anyone else who dares to bark will be executed too.”

“Yes.”

 

The soldier directly pulled the man out.

Two soldiers held him down, and another drew his sword and struck.

 

Blood sprayed far away.

The remaining beggars, seeing someone killed for the first time, were scared half to death, wailing uncontrollably.

 

Wei Lan just watched coldly and said nothing more.

But with Wei Lan’s previous order, the soldiers didn’t dare hesitate.

They pulled out another loud shouter and executed him.

 

But clearly, these people were used to playing the victim and couldn’t keep their mouths shut.

So, one by one, they were pulled out and executed.

In the end, only five or six remained, crying with tear-stained faces, biting their lips and not daring to make a sound.

 

Wei Lan said coldly, “Take all these people to the main gate of the Lu residence.

Move the bodies there as well.”

“Yes.”

The soldiers immediately set to work.

Some escorted the beggars, while others found wooden carts to transport the bodies.

 

Wei Lan and Lu Zijin then walked to the back gate of the Lu residence.

They saw that the back gate was in even worse condition than the front gate.

The front gate at least only had two large holes big enough for a person to enter.

But the back gate had been completely removed.

 

Wei Lan was so angry she laughed.

“These animals.

They must be severely punished.”

 

Lu Zijin was also livid, her face pale.

Her own home had been desecrated like this.

She wanted to kill them all.

“And Chen Zhou.

Meng Bai, you personally lead a team to arrest Chen Zhou and bring him here.

Surround the Chen residence.”

Lu Zijin said coldly.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Meng Bai immediately took fifty soldiers in armor and headed to the Chen residence.

 

Wei Lan looked at Lu Zijin, reached out and took her hand, and said, “These people all deserve to die.

Come on, let’s go back to the main gate and handle matters first.”

“Mm.”

Lu Zijin’s face was pale with anger.

The two returned to the main gate of the Lu residence via a different path.

 

A large area in front of the main gate had been cordoned off by a hundred soldiers.

Seventy to eighty people knelt in that area, and there were over twenty corpses on the ground, some still bleeding.

 

Many citizens were watching the excitement, discussing animatedly.

“What’s going on here?

Why have so many people died all of a sudden?”

“What, you don’t know yet?

The Grand Princess used to be the mistress of the Lu residence.

Now, the Lu residence has been taken over by all sorts of unsavory characters, and they’ve made a terrible mess of it.

Of course, the princess is angry.”

“Look, many of these people are local thugs.

I think they deserve to die.

The Grand Princess and the Prince of Ning are ridding the people of evil.”

“I agree.

Look at that man with the mole on his face in the middle.

He was collecting protection fees in the Eastern Market just a few days ago.

Good riddance.”

“Exactly.

Who told them to dare to live in the Grand Princess’s residence?

They deserve it.”

 

At the same time, Meng Bai had already taken fifty soldiers to the Chen residence.

She sent ten soldiers to guard the several gates of the Chen residence.

Then she led the remaining forty directly inside.

 

The guards at the gate tried to stop them, but Meng Bai shouted them down.

“Acting on the orders of the Grand Princess to arrest a criminal.

All bystanders, step aside.”

 

With that, the soldiers pushed the guards aside and entered the Chen residence to make the arrest.

 

Meng Bai grabbed a servant boy and asked, “Where is Chen Zhou?”

 

The servant boy, seeing the soldiers in armor behind her, was almost scared witless and quickly said, “The young master and Manager Su are in the study.”

 

Meng Bai shoved him and said coldly, “Lead the way.”

“Yes, please follow me.”

The servant boy trembled as he led the way.

 

Meng Bai and her group passed through several corridors before reaching Chen Zhou’s courtyard.

 

The servant boy pointed to an open door.

“That’s it.

That room with the open door is the study.”

 

Meng Bai shoved the servant boy aside and charged in with her soldiers.

 

Chen Zhou and Su Er had just heard the commotion when Meng Bai had already burst in with her soldiers.

 

Chen Zhou, seeing this display, broke out in a cold sweat.

“Who are you?

How dare you break in?”

 

Meng Bai looked coldly at Chen Zhou.

“Her Highness the Grand Princess has ordered me to arrest you.”

“I haven’t done anything!

On what authority do you arrest me?

On what authority?”

Chen Zhou backed away, shouting and yelling.

 

Immediately, soldiers grabbed Chen Zhou.

Chen Zhou yelled even louder.

“On what authority?

On what authority do you arrest me?”

 

Two crisp slaps rang out.

Meng Bai slapped Chen Zhou twice across the face.

 

Chen Zhou immediately felt a burning pain on his face.

He cried and howled, “Release me!

I beg you, release me!”

“Too much talk.

Gag him and take him away.”

Meng Bai said impatiently.

 

Immediately, a soldier found a rag used for wiping tables in the study and stuffed it into Chen Zhou’s mouth.

Chen Zhou’s voice immediately stopped.

 

Just as Meng Bai was about to leave with Chen Zhou, she spotted Su Er cowering in the corner.

She immediately said, “Wait.”

 

The soldiers stopped, waiting for Meng Bai’s instructions.

“Take Chen Zhou’s dog leg too.

He might be useful.”

“Yes!”

The soldiers stepped forward and tied up Su Er as well.

 

Su Er was so scared he nearly fainted.

Before he could even cry out, his mouth was already gagged tightly.

 

When Zhou Yu’e heard the commotion and rushed over, she saw her son being tied up by soldiers and dragged towards the gate.

She nearly cried herself to death.

 

She threw herself at one of the soldiers and shouted, “Officer, my son is a good person!

Our family has been merchants for generations!

We are all good people!

On what authority are you arresting my son?”

 

She cried with tears and snot streaming down her face.

Seeing that the soldiers were unmoved, she continued, “You clueless fools!

Do you know that our family is related to the Grand Princess?

If you dare arrest my son, the Grand Princess will not let you off!”

 

Annoyed by her noise, Meng Bai kicked her aside and said coldly, “We are acting on the orders of Her Highness the Grand Princess to make arrests.

If you dare shout again, I’ll take you too.”

 

With that, Meng Bai led the soldiers away.

She only took five soldiers to escort Chen Zhou and Su Er back.

The remaining forty-five soldiers were ordered to guard the Chen residence and allow no one to enter or leave.

 

Soon, Meng Bai brought Chen Zhou and Su Er to the gate of the Lu residence.

Seeing the bloody, over twenty corpses lying on the ground, Su Er’s legs immediately went weak.

He collapsed to his knees.

Even Chen Zhou’s face turned pale with fear.

 

He had provoked Lu Zijin and the others many times before, but never had he been this scared.

The main thing was the twenty-something corpses lying nearby.

He was really terrified.

 

Wei Lan looked at the two coldly and waved her hand, signaling for the rags to be removed from their mouths.

 

Chen Zhou was almost suffocated by the stinking rag, but he couldn’t care about that now.

The smell of blood kept assaulting his nostrils, and he was almost scared to death.

 

Wei Lan looked at him coldly and said, “Someone says you ordered them to smash the Lu residence’s plaque, break its gates, and later send people to spread rumors that the Lu residence was abandoned and could be freely occupied.”

“No, no, it wasn’t me!

I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it!

Those people are lying!

I didn’t do it!”

Chen Zhou was nearly scared to death, denying it loudly.

 

Wei Lan pointed at one of the men who had just identified Chen Zhou.

“Chen Zhou says you’re lying.

What do you say?”

“Prince of Ning, this lowly one really wouldn’t dare lie.

It was truly Chen Zhou who ordered me to do this.

I would never dare deceive you.

If you don’t believe me, you can ask Su Er by his side.

He was the one who handed out the silver to us afterward.”

 

Wei Lan’s gaze fell on Su Er.

Su Er was trembling all over.

“I don’t know.

I don’t know him.

I don’t know him.”

 

Wei Lan laughed coldly.

“Fine.

You don’t know him, do you?

Break both his legs.

Help him remember.”

 

As soon as Wei Lan finished speaking, soldiers immediately pulled Su Er out.

A burly guard kicked Su Er directly in the knees.

The sounds of screams and bones cracking filled the air.

Su Er passed out from the pain.

 

Wei Lan had someone fetch some water from nearby and splash Su Er awake.

 

Wei Lan stood up and walked over, saying calmly, “I don’t have the patience to ask again.

If you still won’t speak, I’ll have your entire family executed.”

“I’ll talk!

I’ll talk!

Please, Your Highness, calm down!

Yes, it was Chen Zhou who ordered all these things.

He has always held a grudge against you and Her Highness the Grand Princess.

At the time, because of the Jiangnan situation, Panyang City was also a bit chaotic, and the Lu residence was unguarded.

So, he decided to have people smash the Lu residence’s plaque, break all its gates, and spread rumors to attract many people to come and loot the Lu residence.

Some people even moved in directly.”

 

As Su Er spoke, sweat poured down his face.

He gritted his teeth and continued, “And before that, he’s hurt you many times too.

Besides sending people to fake an accident at your tavern, he also had your cloth warehouse burned.

Oh, and your father going to the gambling house – he had someone lure him there too.

Everything was done on his orders!

The one you should kill is Chen Zhou!”

 

Chen Zhou also panicked.

He shouted, “Shut up!

Shut up, you animal!

You’re slandering me!

When did I ever do such things?”

 

Seeing Wei Lan staring coldly at him, his body was tied, but he didn’t let that stop him from kowtowing repeatedly to Wei Lan.

“Prince of Ning, Prince of Ning, don’t listen to his nonsense!

Our families are relatives, after all!

I am Her Highness the Grand Princess’s cousin!

How could I have hurt you?”

 

Wei Lan kicked him directly in the face.

This kick used all her strength.

Chen Zhou was knocked to the ground, his nose broken by Wei Lan’s kick, blood immediately streaming out.

“You have the nerve to say that!

This Lu residence is the Grand Princess’s ancestral home.

You deliberately lured these people to damage it.

And you’ve schemed against us multiple times before.

Your crimes are unforgivable!”

Wei Lan said angrily.

 

Chen Zhou quickly scrambled up from the ground.

He spat out a mouthful of blood and mumbled, “No, no, it shouldn’t be like this.

I didn’t do those things.

I didn’t do them, I didn’t.”

 

Wei Lan was so angry she laughed.

“You still won’t confess?

Beat him.

Beat him until he confesses.

Just leave him breathing.

No need to hold back.”

 

As soon as Wei Lan finished giving the order, three soldiers immediately walked over.

They used their sword sheaths as clubs, beating Chen Zhou relentlessly on his body and face.

“Ah!

Help!

Save me!

Zijin, Zijin, save me!

Cousin, for the sake of our family, save me!

I beg you…”

 

The sounds of the beating mingled with Chen Zhou’s screams.

But soon, he was beaten until his skin was split and his flesh was torn.

His face was swollen bigger than a pig’s head.

Several bones in his body were broken.

He no longer had the strength to scream.

“Stop.”

Wei Lan had them stop, afraid they might kill him.

 

Seeing that Chen Zhou had fainted, the soldiers immediately splashed him awake with cold water.

 

Wei Lan walked over and asked coldly, “Was it you who ordered this done?

I’ll ask one more time.

If you don’t answer, I’ll have your family executed as well.”

“No, no, it was me.

It was all me.

Don’t kill my parents.

They are innocent.”

Chen Zhou’s face was pressed against the ground.

Blood was still dripping from his face and eyes.

 

Wei Lan nodded and said coldly, “At least you have a shred of conscience.

But for destroying the Lu residence alone, you deserve to die eight hundred times.”

 

Wei Lan returned to her chair and sat down, then said slowly, “Chen Zhou, for maliciously destroying the Lu residence, with ironclad evidence, is to be executed immediately.

The rest of the Chen family are to be exiled to Lingnan.

All their property and residences are to be confiscated.

Furthermore, those who trespassed and lived in the Lu residence, damaging its buildings, are all to be executed.

Not a single one spared.”

“No!

Prince of Ning, spare us!”

“Spare us, Prince of Ning!

We’ll never do it again!”

“Prince of Ning, spare us!”

 

Wei Lan was unmoved.

She continued, “Don’t behead them at the Lu residence gate; it’s bad luck.

Take all these people to the vegetable market in the west to be executed, as a warning to others.”

“Yes.”

The soldiers immediately escorted these wailing criminals to the vegetable market in the west.

Then, in groups of five, they were beheaded in order.

 

Many of these people were local thugs and hooligans from Panyang City.

These people were usually arrogant and had bullied ordinary citizens.

Now, they were wailing uncontrollably.

 

Soon, head after head fell to the ground.

Wei Lan did not go herself.

Even if these people died a hundred times, it would not compensate for the damage they had done to the Lu residence.

“Meng Bai, you are to inform Lu Feng immediately.

He is to send bailiffs now to exile the Chen family.

They are to leave today.

Additionally, you will lead two hundred soldiers to search and confiscate all valuables from the Chen residence.

Their various businesses are also to be sold off as quickly as possible.

All these things are to be confiscated by the state.

You will have someone keep detailed records, and when you return to the capital, they will be turned over to the national treasury.”

Wei Lan instructed.

She wouldn’t even take this paltry amount of money from the Chen residence into consideration.

Besides, having killed so many people in Panyang City, this matter would surely spread quickly.

The items and silver seized from the Chen residence should, of course, belong to the nation.

“Yes, this subordinate will arrange it immediately.”

Meng Bai immediately went to carry out Wei Lan’s orders.

 

Wei Lan left about a hundred soldiers to guard the Lu residence.

They certainly couldn’t stay there tonight.

As for Lu Feng, Wei Lan naturally wouldn’t go to his place.

After all, Lu Feng was definitely negligent in his duties.

Knowing that the Lu residence had an owner, he had allowed these thugs and ruffians to occupy it for so long.

Lu Feng was not qualified to remain city lord.

 

She thought for a moment, then walked over to Lu Zijin and said, “Why don’t we go stay at Xiao Nanyan’s place?”

 

Lu Zijin nodded.

“Alright.

It will also be a chance to catch up with an old friend.

But the Lu residence…”

“I’ll send someone to find craftsmen to repair the Lu residence tomorrow.

Don’t worry.

We’ll leave twenty servant boys to maintain it.

And we’ll have Nanyan send someone to check on it every month, to make sure those servant boys are doing their jobs.”

Wei Lan said.

 

Lu Zijin nodded.

“Alright.”

 

After speaking, the two had the procession head to the outskirts of Panyang City.

Xiao Nanyan liked quiet, so the Xiao residence was not in the center of Panyang.

 

Xiao Nanyan had naturally heard that Wei Lan and the others had returned.

She wanted to go see her friend, but she had heard that Wei Lan had killed many people over the Lu residence matter, so she hadn’t gone to add to the chaos.

 

She had actually heard about the Lu residence being occupied before.

She had even gone to the city lord’s office several times to remind Lu Feng.

But in the end, she was just a merchant.

After mentioning it twice, Lu Feng had clearly become impatient.

She couldn’t bring it up again.

And she had no standing to take her own people in to drive them out.

In her letter before leaving, Wei Lan had instructed her to try to distance herself from the Lu residence, so she couldn’t intervene.

 

However, she hadn’t expected those people to be so bold.

If Wei Lan killed people this time, it meant those people must have done something extremely serious.

Otherwise, based on what she knew of Wei Lan, she wouldn’t kill.

 

Just as she was thinking about these things, a servant boy rushed in to report, covered in cold sweat and trembling all over.

 

Xiao Nanyan was baffled.

She frowned and asked, “What’s wrong with you?

Shaking like that?”

“Bad news, bad news, miss!

The Prince of Ning… the Prince of Ning and the Grand Princess have arrived outside the main gate!”

Because Wei Lan had just killed quite a few people, this servant boy clearly thought Wei Lan had come to arrest people, and he was almost scared to death.

 

Xiao Nanyan also hadn’t expected Wei Lan and the others to come.

But she wasn’t as worried as the servants.

 

She quickly stood up and walked to the main gate.

Qi Ji followed by her side.

 

When Xiao Nanyan quickly reached the main gate, she indeed saw Wei Lan and Lu Zijin.

 

She smiled and walked over quickly.

But then, as if remembering something, when she was still a few steps away from Wei Lan and Lu Zijin, Xiao Nanyan was about to kneel and bow, but Wei Lan stopped her with quick hands.

“Alright, we’re friends.

You don’t need to be so formal with us, right?”

Wei Lan pulled Xiao Nanyan, who had just been bending over, back up, and then let go.

“Alright, I won’t bow then.

Come inside first.”

Xiao Nanyan smiled and made a ‘please’ gesture.

 

Wei Lan and Lu Zijin followed Xiao Nanyan into the Xiao residence.

Xiao Nanyan didn’t think anything of it, but the servants of the Xiao residence were nearly scared to death, afraid that they would be exiled to Lingnan like the Chen family.

 

Xiao Nanyan welcomed them into the front hall and had someone prepare pastries and tea.

 

Wei Lan asked, “After we left, did anyone cause you trouble?”

 

Xiao Nanyan shook her head.

“No.

Not long after you left, Jiangnan fell into chaos.

But the situation in Panyang City was quickly stabilized.

Not long after that, the new emperor ascended the throne and the dynasty changed.”

“That’s good.”

Hearing that her friend hadn’t been implicated, Wei Lan was relieved.

“I wasn’t able to help with the Lu residence matter.

I actually mentioned it to the city lord twice, but for some reason, he didn’t want to listen.”

Xiao Nanyan said.

“Probably because we offended him by leaving so suddenly.

After all, the Lu residence was a major taxpayer in Panyang City.

Our leaving affected his political achievements.”

Lu Zijin reminded her.

“Maybe.”

“Anyway, let’s not talk about him.

I’ve executed all those people anyway.

But Zijin and I have no place to stay for the next few days.

Can we stay at your place for a few days?”

Wei Lan smiled.

“Of course.

My place is very large.

Stay as long as you like.”

Seeing that Wei Lan was still the same as before after more than half a year apart, Xiao Nanyan’s lingering apprehension disappeared.

 

Wei Lan took out a gold token from her pocket and handed it to Xiao Nanyan, smiling.

“A token of the Prince of Ning’s residence.

If you ever run into trouble, it should help.

Consider it our rent.

If you come to the capital in the future, you can use this to find me anytime.

I’ll definitely treat you well.”

“In that case, I’ll accept it.”

Xiao Nanyan didn’t stand on ceremony.

With this, no matter who became the city lord of Panyang in the future, they would have to show her some respect.

After all, she was a friend of the Prince of Ning.

“Keep it.”

 

The three chatted for a few more sentences.

Then Xiao Nanyan personally took them to a courtyard next door.

Everything in this courtyard was new and cleaned regularly, so they could move in directly.

 

The maidservants and servant boys of the Xiao residence, seeing their mistress chatting and laughing with Wei Lan and the others, finally felt that their heads, which had been hanging in the balance, were back on their necks.

After all, the Prince of Ning and the Grand Princess didn’t seem to have come seeking revenge.

 

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