Chapter 20: Set off at Daybreak (I)
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Jiang Pengji did not enter the shack to rest. Instead, she chose to stay outside to stand guard. Staying out for one night would not tax her current body, and she would also be able to watch the newcomers.
She also presumed that if she stood guard, the girls would at least be able to rest well that night.
Jiang Pengji hugged her knees as she sat near the firepit. She occasionally added firewood to keep the fire going.
"Why are you staring at me?" She raised an eyebrow towards Feng Langjun before smiling.
Even though he was caught red-handed, Feng Langjun remained calm and returned the smile.
"I'm just curious… How did you end up in such a place?"
Jiang Pengji tsked softly as she stabbed at the fire with a stick. She gave a slight smile and replied, "Can't you tell that this is a bandit village? We've obviously been kidnapped. Why else would we be here if we have soft beds with our names written on them back home? Who would come here for a midnight stroll?"
Feng Langjun choked a little. If they truly were kidnapped, how did all the bandits die?
"This... This is unexpected. Bandits are ruthless… How did you… kill all of them?"
"They were strong blockheads. All I had to do was sow some discord, and they started hacking at each other," Jiang Pengji replied nonchalantly.
Her simplified explanation only served to confuse Feng Lanjun, but it also made him want to get to the bottom of everything that had happened.
"My guards examined the bandits and reported that there were signs they had fought with each other. We didn't realize it was all part of your scheme."
Sowing discord was not difficult, but trying to get a bunch of bandits to put aside their lust for even a moment had been quite a feat.
There were also bodies that had died in a different way. Someone had slit their throats from behind, but they had not bled much. If it had not been for the bodies' cold temperatures, one could think they were simply sleeping.
If a few words were all it took to cause gang members to turn on each other, bandits would not be running rampant in Hejian County.
But if what Jiang Pengji had said was true, then this "Liu Langjun" was not one to be trifled with.
Feng Langjun took this newfound knowledge about the girl to heart.
"Scheme? Did I even need to scheme against those blockheads? All I did was sow discord. Said a few words and they started killing themselves. Such stupidity."
Feng Langjun looked at Jiang Pengji's slightly dirty face and asked, "What did you say to them?"
Jiang Pengji was bored just sitting around, and Feng Langjun was insistent with his questions, so she didn't mind explaining everything.
After her explanation, Feng Langjun had an odd look on his face.
"They were killed by their own stupidity. The rest who weren't were killed by me," Jiang Pengji continued flippantly.
Feng Langjun gave Jiang Pengji a complicated expression.
He leaned forward and cupped his hands. "Liu Langjun is quick-witted, and I'm humbled by my own inferiority."
"That goes without saying. Although there's no need for me to brag," Jiang Pengji replied, startling the other boy with her directness.
Feng Langjun stared into the crackling fire and pointed at himself. In an unfriendly tone, he asked, "Then what can Liu Langjun see about me?"
Jiang Pengji did not understand why he was provoking her when they seemed to be having a pretty good moment.
As she tried to guess his motives, a string of messages scrolled across the stream screen and dispelled her doubts.
Toudu Feiqiu: "#laughcry I say, this kid's adorable and has a haughty, charming personality."
Malisu de Ai:" #laughcry +1 Hey streamer, you were too truthful, and he mistook it as a provocation. Please feel sorry for him."
Lancui Yu Buzhe: "Feel sorry +2."
Wujiang Zhacai Ye: "Feel sorry +3."
Jiang Pengji realized just then how her words had caused the misunderstanding.
In that era, a person had to be humble. Even if someone wanted to show off or be angry, they still had to remain calm and collected. Otherwise, people would think that you were overestimating your own abilities.
Even though the situation was caused by a cultural difference, Jiang Pengji had no intention of remedying it. Instead, she took a good look at the boy.
She hummed a little and then calmly replied, "Even though you're still young, you have a firm resolution. You can be unscrupulous when you want to attain your goal."
The other boy waited for a while. When he did not hear anything more, he was a little disappointed. "That's all?"
It was a simple opinion that could be used for anyone.
Jiang Pengji smirked.
Toudu Feiqiu: "I have a feeling she's about to unleash something. Hang on to your hats!"
Jiang Pengji suddenly asked, "So, how much of that dog meat did you eat?"
The boy flinched before turning to face her incredulously. "What… What are you saying?"
"You have a dog. It should come up to around your shin. It's loyal to you, and you love it."
He was shocked, and it showed, but Jiang Pengji continued. "You're not the eldest in your family. Even though your elders favor you, you're hindered by a capable older brother and an intelligent younger brother. You're easily overlooked. You brought your dog out with you, but due to some unforeseen circumstance, you had to kill it to satisfy your hunger…"
Nearby, some guards tried to eavesdrop. They were eager to hear some gossip about Feng Langjun.
"You also love incense. You perfumed your clothes every day to hide the smell of the dog. Even though you love your dog, you could still bear to kill it to satiate your hunger. Is this not 'You can be unscrupulous when you want to attain your goal'?" Jiang Pengji smiled. She did not have to be so detailed; it was like pouring salt on a wound.
His face went from green to red before settling on deathly pale.
"I admire your ability to deduce all that… How could you tell?"
"It's just a simple observation. If you scrutinize, you can see all the clues," Jiang Pengji replied without a single shred of modesty.
System: "One day you will be whacked to death, and I won't be surprised."
Having such an infuriating host was not what the System would have chosen. Definitely not!
Feng Langjun gave a bitter laugh.
He had not experienced Hejian County's legendarily sweet-tempered girls. However, he generally found girls to be more malicious and prone to bearing grudges than men.
Jiang Pengji continued cooking over the fire before she turned to face the boy. "Do you have any clean clothes I could borrow?"
This startled Feng Langjun. He blushed and quietly asked, "Aren't you afraid of tarnishing your reputation, Liu Langjun?"
Borrowing clothes from a strange man was a bold move in that era because it would certainly ruin her reputation.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone