SEC Chapter 329 Who is truly despicable?
Chapter 329 Who is truly despicable?
“I will not lead the way for you. You Han Chinese, you’re dreaming if you think you can ambush my Rongdi tribe!” shouted a Rongdi man.
Shen Li stopped and looked over the bars at the man shouting from inside the cell, her expression somber.
Prefect Zhao Mao, the jailer who was about to open the prison door, and everyone else in the prison looked at Shen Li, wondering how she would treat this first person who stood up and refused to cooperate.
"Let him out and talk," Shen Li ordered.
The cell door opened, and the man tried to rush forward, but was pinned to the ground by the jailer. His face was pressed to the ground, but his eyes were filled with rage: "You despicable man, if you have the guts, then kill me. I won't lead the way for you!"
"Someone like you probably doesn't make much money in business, right?" Shen Li asked.
"I don't make money by going against my conscience. It's you officials who read the classics and do the most despicable and insidious things. What kind of scholars are you?" the Rongdi man continued to curse.
"You're asking for death." Ma Zheng stepped forward, his knife already drawn.
"Go ahead and kill me! I'm not a hero if I even blink!"
Ma Zheng tightened his grip on the knife, but still kept an eye on Shen Li's expression.
"Let him go." Shen Li raised her hand.
The jailer hesitated for a moment before releasing him. The burly man, who was a head taller than Shen Li, stood up and was clearly surprised to be released. He asked in confusion, "What do you want to do?"
"Let me make it clear to you, which side, my Great Zhao or your Rongdi, is more despicable?" Shen Li's voice was not loud, but it was firm and resolute.
"Since the founding of our Great Zhao Dynasty, the Rong and Di tribes have repeatedly invaded our borders, killing our people, raping and abducting women, and plundering countless riches and grains."
The man looked frightened upon hearing this, while the soldiers and jailers of the Great Zhao Dynasty looked indignant.
"Since you claim to be a righteous hero with a conscience, I presume you are upright. May I ask, have I made any mistakes in the above-mentioned matters?" Shen Li stared intently at him.
The tall man lowered his head and then raised it slightly again, but his voice was still weak: "Yes...so what? It's normal for two dynasties to fight each other. It's despicable to bully the people."
"It seems you're no hero. You Rongdi people dare to do it, but you don't dare to admit it," Shen Li sneered.
The man's face turned even uglier.
"Speaking of bullying the people, how do you explain this time when your Rongdi invaded our borders and maliciously massacred the people of our two towns, causing rivers of blood to flow on the border?" she continued to ask.
"Who...who knows if what you're saying is true or false? You're all cunning." The man still stubbornly refused to admit it.
"So this is what the Rongdi men are like—so sophistical and cowardly. I overestimated your magnanimity," Shen Li said disdainfully.
“You…” The Rongdi man’s face turned red.
Those present exchanged glances, thinking to themselves that he truly deserved to be called an imperial censor; his words hit the nail on the head.
Those in the crowd who had just shared the same righteous indignation as this man lost their arrogance and felt guilty and ashamed.
Prefect Zhao Mao gained a new understanding of Shen Li. Judging from her ability to handle unexpected events and her eloquence, she would be quite suitable to be an imperial censor.
"Now that the logic is gone, is your youthful vigor still intact?" Shen Li asked again.
The man realized he was in the wrong, but after much deliberation, he still braced himself and said, "No matter what, I'd rather die than lead the way for you. If you have the guts, kill me!"
"Don't say you weren't given a chance." Shen Li looked at Ma Zheng: "Give him the knife."
Knowing his master's strength, Ma Zheng eagerly handed the knife to the man, who was somewhat bewildered upon receiving it.
What does it mean?
At the same time, Shen Li took a knife from the soldier beside her and said to the man who was still in a daze, "Come on, if you can kill me, you can walk out of here."
"Are you serious?" The man looked incredulous.
This was clearly a woman, who appeared thin and small to me, as if a strong wind could blow her over. Even if I didn't know martial arts, I could easily defeat her.
She wants to compete with herself?
"Your Excellency, you mustn't!" Prefect Zhao Mao broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this and hurriedly dissuaded him, "Your Excellency, official business is important; you mustn't get angry with this brute."
In his view, this statement was just giving Shen Li a way out, allowing her to let it go. It was clear that this situation meant they couldn't really fight.
As Shen Li turned her head, Ma Zheng pulled Zhao Mao aside.
The soldiers and jailers retreated simultaneously, revealing an open space.
"I keep my word," Shen Li said coldly.
"Then you're courting death!" the man shouted as he charged forward, raising his broadsword with both hands to slash at Shen Li.
Shen Li raised one hand and used the knife in her hand to knock the knife away, and at the same time kicked the man's leg.
"Crack!"
All that was heard was the sound of bone cracking, and the burly man, who looked to weigh over 200 pounds, immediately collapsed, rolling around clutching his bleeding leg.
The entire prison was silent; clearly, no one had expected this outcome.
"Hold him down," Shen Li ordered.
Two jailers immediately pinned the man down, pressing his face heavily to the ground.
Shen Li stepped forward, brandishing her broadsword in front of the screaming man, and asked, "Now, is there anything else you're not satisfied with?"
"You... let me go..." he struggled violently.
"Let you go?" Shen Li chuckled. "I risked my life for you, haven't you thought about what you'd give me in return?"
The man was startled, and at the same time, Shen Li swung her sword down with both hands.
As soon as the knife fell, blood gushed out and a head rolled off.