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The woman's words initially stunned the officer. Then, he understood completely. One hand impudently stroked the woman's slender waist, his gaze boldly appraising her from head to toe.
"Coincidentally, there's still a bowl left. Would you like to try it, my lady?"
The woman asked again, "Are there still biscuits?"
The officer feigned hesitation, but his hand lingered on the woman's waist. While she was distracted, his hand, resting on her lower back, squeezed hard.
A soft gasp escaped the woman's lips. The faint sound was soft and airy, like down feathers tickling the heart, making one's ears flush and tailbone tingle.
"Hiss—this young lady's voice is enough to make a man's soul fly. If you went to the Jiaofang, you'd become a top courtesan in a few days..." The officer loosened his grip. "As for biscuits, yes, there are some, but it depends on how well you serve me, my lady."
Although the woman was disheveled and a repulsive odor clung to her, conditions on the road of exile were harsh. On such a hot day, who wasn't reeking of stale sweat? Moreover, the officer hadn't touched a woman in a long time, so someone offering herself suited him perfectly. As he thought this, he couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. No wonder his colleagues enjoyed the task of escorting female prisoners; not only were the rewards generous and the work easy, but there were also such alluring opportunities along the way.
Who knew—
The woman raised her hand and placed it over his, gently moving it away under his puzzled gaze.
"What do you mean by this?"
Just as the officer was about to flare up, the woman unhurriedly said, "This servant is a woman who has already borne a son and a daughter. In terms of beauty, how can I compare to those fresh young girls? Fearing I might not serve you well, why not—"
As she spoke, her gaze shifted towards Shen Tang.
The officer understood immediately upon hearing this, sneering, "What a poisonous woman! She serves, and you drink the soup and eat the biscuit?"
"Sir, you misunderstand. This girl is my own flesh and blood."
"Your flesh and blood?"
His expression clearly showed disbelief. What mother would, for a bowl of meat soup and a biscuit, personally push her daughter into a man's arms to be defiled?
"What the first gentleman said is true: given the circumstances, entering the Jiaofang and enduring humiliation is inevitable. Rather than letting this girl's innocence be taken by some lowlife commoner and living a life of regret, why not ask for your help, sir? If you are satisfied, she can suffer a little less on the road."
The woman's performance was seemingly sincere, leading an unaware observer to believe she was a loving mother. The officer was dizzy with her words. Such a good thing? Not only can I enjoy myself, but I also do a good deed and accumulate virtue?
Shen Tang: "..."
Are you being polite?
You, a woman at most twenty years old by bone age, how did you give birth to an eleven or twelve-year-old daughter?
If you want to be a madam and harm me, just say so. How dare you shamelessly pretend to be my mother!
Completely unbearable!
No longer able to feign sleep, Shen Tang slowly "woke up" and stared intensely at the woman with her dark eyes. The officer's gaze flitted between the two. "Why isn't she close to you?"
The woman said, "This child was born with a brain illness, sometimes mad, sometimes dull. She has always been carefully attended to, and has fair, tender skin. Serving people won't be a problem..."
"Why is her surname 'Shen' and not 'Gong'?"
Not all these female prisoners could be casually touched. The officer, out of caution, glanced at the brand behind Shen Tang's ear. Not surnamed Gong, and young. Thinking about the prisoner list, she should just be a maid.
Who knew the woman immediately retorted, "She is my eldest daughter, born with my late husband before I was taken into the Gong manor. Naturally, she bears my late husband's surname. The master, out of compassion for her orphaned state, kindly allowed me to bring her into the manor to raise."
Officer: "..."
Since she wasn't an important female prisoner, taking her was fine. He chose Shen Tang. As for the woman... Xiaocheng was still far away; there would be plenty of opportunities. He also "kept his word," giving the woman a bowl of warm meat soup and a biscuit. After greeting his night watch colleagues, he led Shen Tang to the back of a distant small hill.
The night was dark and deep; only a blurry silhouette could be faintly seen. Because Shen Tang was "born with a brain illness," the officer wasn't afraid she would run. He knelt halfway, his expression impatient, and lowered his head to untie his waistband.
"Ugh—"
A dark shadow seemed to flash before his eyes. Before the officer could react to what it was, a thick hemp rope was tightly pulled around his neck from front to back. A sneak attack! Unprepared, how could he have imagined that Shen Tang would suddenly lash out? But even at his worst, he was still a low-ranking Gongshi; dealing with a female prisoner trying to escape shouldn't be difficult, should it?
He immediately activated his Martial Courage. His arms visibly swelled several times over, muscles hard as rock, filled with explosive power. This strength was enough to crush her head, break her limbs, and shatter every bone in her body. The officer effortlessly broke free from the hemp rope. He turned sideways and struck with lightning speed, preparing to capture Shen Tang. But unexpectedly, Shen Tang's punch was even faster, almost leaving an afterimage. It was swift, ruthless, and accurate, directly striking his chin. A faint sloshing sound could be heard in his head.
Seizing the opening, Shen Tang savagely pressed her full weight onto him, reversing his wrist into a lock, and with her other hand, choked his angry roar in his throat.
Crack, crack—
Her movements were without the slightest hesitation. Two bone-cracking sounds occurred almost simultaneously.
Shen Tang: "..."
Looking at the officer whose head was twisted at an unnatural angle, she felt a moment of unreality as her mind relaxed.
A low-ranking Gongshi...
Is that all there is to it?
Is that all there is to it?
She rolled over to the side.
"This is... too weak to fight..."
Although she had the advantage of a sneak attack, it was unexpectedly smooth. Since things had come to this, she had no time to ponder further. She quickly searched the officer's body, stripped him of anything valuable and edible, and then ran off in the opposite direction. Escaping was paramount. Once discovered and caught, she would only have two paths before her. Either she took down all the officers, including the three-rank Zanniao whose depth she didn't know—her intuition told her this path wasn't very promising. Or she would be beaten senseless, recaptured, and face a fate worse than death. As for that woman—
She'd find an opportunity to visit the Jiaofang in Xiaocheng later, and pay her a personal visit!
Shen Tang gritted her teeth and sprinted in one direction, not even caring that the sharp stones on the ground were tearing at the soles of her feet. Who would have thought—
She hadn't run for even half an incense stick (short period of time) when she faintly heard hooves behind her, rapidly approaching.
Hooves???
Wait, the exile party didn't have horses. Where did these hoofbeats come from?
Before she could even consider if it was an enemy or a passerby, an intense sense of crisis spread from her back to her entire body. Shen Tang instinctively dove to the right in a clumsy roll. As soon as she stood firm, she saw an arrow deeply embedded in the spot where she had just been. Following the direction from which the arrow flew, she saw it was the leader of the officers, riding a horse, his face filled with murderous intent.
Shen Tang: "...Damn it!"