Chapter 30: Beaten to Death with a Staff

Zhang Desheng had been cautious. While the little eunuch went to fetch the village doctors, he had simultaneously dispatched men to the city to summon physicians from a medical clinic.

They had arrived just at this moment.

The doctor was brought inside, and being a man who knew how to read the room, he kept his head low. However, upon entering the chamber and catching a glimpse of Li Qian’s extraordinary bearing, he understood immediately that this was a high-ranking official and not someone to be trifled with. Consequently, he became even more diligent in his examination.

"There is nothing of great concern. This gentleman usually maintains his health well. It is merely a case of catching a chill from yesterday’s cold snow. I shall write a prescription shortly. After a few doses of medicine and a few days of proper rest, along with some ginger soup, he will be fully recovered in three to five days."

The doctor spoke with careful deliberation. As a eunuch took the prescription from his hand, the doctor cast a sidelong glance at Li Qian. Seeing that the man’s expression remained calm, he let out a sigh of relief, terrified of having said the wrong thing in front of such a noble figure.

After rewarding him with some silver, Zhang Desheng had someone escort him out.

Li Qian had recovered significantly by this point. He sipped his hot tea and said softly, "Since they could not be found despite being sought after repeatedly, are they busier than the physicians at the Imperial Medical Academy? There is no need to keep them. Have them all executed by the rod."

Li Qian spoke with indifference. Zhang Desheng, listening from the side, hunched his already bowed back even further. His heart trembled, and he instinctively glanced at Shen Quanyi, who was sitting beside Li Qian, his eyes filled with a flicker of expectation.

Shen Quanyi caught Zhang Desheng’s gaze and raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly before returning to his original posture, taking Li Qian’s hand. "It is not worth your anger, my lord, to deal with such people. However, it is indeed outrageous. How could they be unreachable several times while living right here in the village? It is truly strange."

Li Qian paused, a deep, inscrutable light flickering in his eyes. He rubbed the thumb ring on his finger unconsciously before finally waving a hand. "Very well. Go and investigate. See where those wretches are hiding."

Once he finished speaking, he seemed to recall something else. "If their conduct is without justification, have them executed by the rod on the spot. Do not bother bringing them before me."

Zhang Desheng could not describe his current state of mind. He dared not delay, fearing Li Qian might change his mind, and hurriedly bowed to withdraw, leading several young eunuchs away.

The teapots on the warming stove were boiling; the lids rattled incessantly, and steam billowed out, filling the inner chamber until the air grew stuffy. Shen Quanyi opened the window slightly to let in some fresh air.

Zhang Desheng was efficient. Within the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, he had brought the people in. As soon as the three doctors entered, they fell to their knees with a thud. Looking at the bright yellow-clad figure before them, their palms began to sweat uncontrollably.

Yet, Li Qian, sitting high above them, remained silent, his dark, deep eyes fixed upon them.

This silence threw them into a state of panic.

As they wailed and begged for mercy, the room erupted into chaos. Li Qian’s irritation reached its limit. Finally suppressing his frustration, he turned to Zhang Desheng. "It seems they are all mutes who have forgotten how to speak. In that case, drag them out and beat them."

At these words, the men froze. They hurriedly stifled their cries, bowed down, and knocked their heads against the floor with loud thuds.

One crawled on his knees toward Li Qian’s feet, not daring to look up at his face, and clutched at the man's robes. "We deserve to die, my lord, but please, grant us a chance to explain!"

After speaking, he peeked nervously at Li Qian. Li Qian lazily lifted his eyelids, looked at them with disdain, and gestured with his chin.

The men on the floor finally felt a sense of relief. As they looked up to answer, everyone’s expression turned grim. The men were covered in wounds; the eldest among them had a split forehead that was still oozing blood. They looked utterly wretched.

This was violence taking place within the village.

Li Qian’s brow furrowed with cold severity. "Explain yourselves."

Having received the order, the men wept. "We were summoned by Steward Zhang. She was punished with the rod yesterday, and in the middle of the night, she called for us. Because she was in pain, we prescribed painkillers, but the dosage for such medicine must be limited."

"Because the pain in Steward Zhang’s body could not be entirely relieved, she became spiteful. Having nowhere to vent her anger, she subjected us to her brutal beatings..."

At this point, these grown men actually began to cry.

"We truly could not survive it. That woman is vicious. Whenever anyone below her does not please her, they are met with a cruel lashing. If Eunuch Zhang Desheng had not come to fetch us today, we do not know when we would have been able to escape."

Shen Quanyi sighed lightly. "Since when did Steward Zhang become so capable? She has no sense of propriety at all. Does she mistake herself for the master of this estate?"

Li Qian’s expression shifted slightly.

Below, Zhang Desheng chimed in respectfully, "I have interrogated the servants in the courtyard, and it is indeed as they say. When I went to fetch them, that woman even lost her temper at me. That sharp, mean-spirited face of hers was enough to frighten even me."

Hearing Zhang Desheng’s words, Li Qian twitched the corner of his mouth with a mocking smile. He knew the eunuch was exaggerating. He had seen far worse; the idea that a mere Zhang could frighten him was laughable.

Not exposing Zhang Desheng, Li Qian’s eyes darkened slightly. Zhang Desheng smiled obsequiously and proceeded to pour out everything about how Zhang typically acted with arrogance and oppressed the servants below.

She had clearly begun to treat herself as the mistress of the estate.

Li Qian was also annoyed. Initially, he had only intended to give her a small punishment as a warning, but it seemed he had fed her ambition. A dog could be kept as a pet, but it could not be allowed to grow wolf’s fangs.

By then, simply pulling the teeth would not be enough.

"Enough. Drag them out and give them twenty strokes." Li Qian waved his hand. Zhang Desheng had the kneeling doctors dragged away; they gritted their teeth and kowtowed in gratitude, for a beating was better than losing their lives.

"As for that Zhang woman, there is no need to keep her. Clear her out along with all those in her circle."

Li Qian placed his teacup on the table and rubbed his temples, slowly closing his eyes, clearly exhausted. Zhang Desheng dared not speak further and bowed out. Shen Quanyi narrowed her eyes and signaled to Qiuyue, who understood and withdrew as well.

"Is my lord being a bit too harsh? Steward Zhang has served you for many years. You have always been kind and tolerant, this..."

Li Qian squeezed Shen Quanyi’s soft hand and sighed. "What is there to tolerate? You are just too kind-hearted. Last time, you endured that shrew’s temper and even pleaded for her. Your nature is too soft; you will be bullied in the future."

"She is just a lowly slave. What does it matter if she is gone? There are plenty of others who can do the work."

Li Qian spoke indifferently, feeling drowsy. Shen Quanyi helped him to the couch, where he lay down. She knelt beside him, her slender fingers kneading his shoulders and neck with measured pressure.

"That Zhang woman’s conduct earned her much hatred; there are many below who hope for her downfall. You have also suffered her slights, so why did you plead for her?"

There was a hint of playfulness in Li Qian’s eyes, but when he looked up, he met the innocent, confused expression in Shen Quanyi’s almond-shaped eyes. He suddenly laughed and reached out to stroke her fair face.

"Stay just like this—always like this. I like you this way."

After saying this, he closed his eyes, missing the way Shen Quanyi’s expression turned cold.