bookcurios Chapter 165 Blackmail
Chapter 165 Blackmail
Shu Ling was overjoyed to see all these brand-new things, nodding her head repeatedly in thanks, "Thank you, sister! I will definitely teach the children to read well!"
"There's no need to rush, just take your time to adapt, and there's also your injury."
Jiang Mianmian re-bandaged her wound and gave her some medicine. "Take your medicine and change your dressing on time. Don't get the wound wet."
After giving a few instructions, I was still worried that a young girl like her wouldn't be able to handle it on her own, so I stopped talking and said I'd see if I could get someone to come and take care of her later.
After all, he's just a child, and he's suffered such a serious injury, so we still need to be careful.
After leaving Shu Ling's house, Jiang Mianmian wandered around.
Everything is fine and vibrant, and the residents here are living well and eating well, with their merit points increasing at the maximum limit.
She went to find Shi Yi and arranged for him to select another three hundred people from the camp the next day. This time, she wanted to do it secretly and whet people's appetites so that the other people would be more motivated, right?
"After they've made their selections, let them go to the valley first. I'll come back when I have time to sign the contracts for them; otherwise, they won't be able to get in."
"Okay, don't worry."
Shi Yi yawned, "You're only arriving now? What have you been busy with?"
"I'm doing a good deed."
She couldn't very well admit to robbing someone, could she? After explaining herself, Jiang Mianmian quickly made her escape.
Master Yuan had already made all the pregnant men write confessions, and he himself had also honestly written a few.
Seeing her return, he gave her everything at once, "Two or three families have already come, do you want to start?"
Jiang Mianmian nodded. "Let's begin."
She picked up the whip. "Which family goes first?"
The first person to be tied to the iron frame was none other than Mr. Li from Wanfu Restaurant, who had been electrocuted.
He was the one who shouted that he wanted the old woman to whip him a hundred times!
"What are you going to do?"
Master Li was so frightened that his legs went weak, but fortunately he was suspended by iron rings, which allowed him to barely hold on.
The barbs on the whip gleamed coldly, and his voice trembled as he cried, "Don't do anything reckless!"
Will Jiang Mianmian listen to him?
That can't be done!
He raised his arm and lashed out with the whip, yelling, "You seem to enjoy watching others get whipped, don't you? Why don't you experience it yourself!"
"what!"
"master!"
Master Li's screams and the woman's wails rang out at the same time.
As soon as Madam Li was ushered in, she saw her husband being whipped and nearly fainted. Crying, she rushed onto the stage, crying, "Master, Master, hold on!"
The Yuan family guards didn't care how pitifully she cried; they yanked her down hard and yelled, "Sit down! Behave yourself!"
However, she wouldn't listen and insisted on climbing up.
"Snapped!"
Jiang Mianmian lashed out with the whip again, "If you crawl any further, I'll hit you again!"
Her round eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she smiled, clearly a picture of innocent cuteness, yet the whip was dripping with blood.
Madam Li's heart, which had been pounding wildly, suddenly stopped beating. Her forward-leaning body stopped abruptly, and she fell to the ground with a thud.
Master Li screamed several times before recovering and cursing her fiercely, "You idiot, get back to your seat!"
"Ah, yes, yes."
Madam Li retreated in a state of utter despair.
The wives of the other men, or the older ladies, were also present.
He was 'invited' to a chair by the Yuan family guards and sat down steadily.
The pot-bellied old men were also tied up onto the stage one by one. However, there was only one iron frame, so they could only squat in the corner like dogs.
Jiang Mianmian coldly glanced at everyone, "Master Yuan, begin reading. Start with Master Li's."
What they read aloud was, of course, a confession: on such and such a month they abducted a woman, on such and such a month they buried an old man, on such and such a month they hired someone to smear their rival for a certain business deal, and so on.
Everyone was terrified, especially Madam Li.
She couldn't understand why the master had revealed all her secrets! How was she supposed to face people in the prefectural city after this?
After the reading was finished, the room fell into a deathly silence; no one dared to speak.
They were used to their men going out for social events and didn't think much of it today, but suddenly they received a 'safe letter'!
It's called a "safe letter," but it's actually extortion! It says everything's fine, but demands they bring all their belongings to pick them up—isn't that extortion?!
These were all prominent figures in the prefectural city, yet someone dared to be so bold! Therefore, they came with a lot of anger! Not only did they stubbornly refuse to bring any money, but they also completely ignored the letter forbidding them from bringing anyone or reporting to the authorities, and came in a menacing manner.
But now, seeing his master in such a miserable state, his heart was pounding, and he was even sliding down in his chair.
"Gentlemen, Master Li's crime is no small matter. If you want to live, you'll have to pay 300,000 taels of silver and 50,000 shi of white rice! If you can't pay, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Jiang Mianmian broke the silence in the room, her gaze falling on her main focus, Madam Li. "Well? Is Madam Li ready? I'll only give you three breaths to consider."
This was her top auction price; now that it's being offered to these pot-bellied gentlemen, it's practically raising their value.
"I...I don't have that many."
Madam Li wept bitterly, "Please, please spare my husband!"
Jiang Mianmian looked at Master Li in surprise, "Weren't you all so enthusiastic when you were bidding on me? Didn't you even want to buy me at this price in the end? How come you don't have the money now? Did you trick the vegetable vendor? Or did your wife simply not want to save you?"
Her eyes were full of curiosity and amusement.
Master Li was in pain all over his body, and he barely managed to say, "Give it to me, I'll give it to you!"
"Snapped!"
Jiang Mianmian cracked the whip hard in the air, "Did you hear that? Your husband said he'd give it to you, are you going to give it to him or not? I don't have that much patience!"
"Give, give, give!"
Madam Li dared not cry anymore. "I'll go back and gather the silver and grain right away. I'll be right back when I have enough!"
Jiang Mianmian raised her chin. "Next."
Some people followed Madam Li back to prepare things, while others went up on stage to untie Master Li and replace him with the next person.
The second one had more charges than Master Li's, and the price was also higher, rising from 300,000 taels of silver to 400,000 taels. Since they couldn't afford white rice, they reluctantly switched to brown rice.
Later, some people wanted to use farmland as collateral, but Jiang Mianmian didn't want farmland. After some bargaining, she exchanged it for 137 donkeys and 36 cows!
After several rounds, Jiang Mianmian reaped considerable rewards.
At this moment, the government officials arrived and all rushed into the house.
The leader was a middle-aged man in official robes, who shouted sternly, "Witch, how dare you cause trouble again! Seize her!"
The ladies, who were already anxious, suddenly beamed with joy and retreated behind the yamen runners. "Lord Meng, quick, save my master!"
"What do we do now? We can't go against the authorities!"
Master Yuan panicked a little, "Didn't I say not to report this to the authorities? Why are they going back on their word!"
"You're really stupid. How could they not report something this big to the authorities?"
As soon as Jiang Mianmian finished speaking, the yamen runners rushed onto the platform.
The squad leader raised his waist knife and swung it down.