Chapter 284: Punishing the Slave

When Qi Biao woke up, the sky was already bright, and Tan San was attending to him by his side.

Hearing Qi Biao stir, Tan San exclaimed joyfully, “Has the General awakened?”

Scanning the room, Qi Biao recognized it as the one he had slept in before. He remembered holding Fang’er in his arms every night, but now, his beloved was no longer there. Without responding to Tan San’s greeting, Qi Biao rose and headed straight for the opposite room.

On the kang in the opposite room, Lin Fang lay just as before, her complexion rosy and free of any signs of illness. A warmth stirred in Qi Biao’s heart.

Sitting on the edge of the kang, Qi Biao leaned down to examine Lin Fang closely, his large hand gently stroking her head. He asked Tan San, who had followed him in, “Has the Sixth Young Lady eaten yet?”

Tan San replied respectfully, “Yes, Granny Liu just fed her. She is now accompanying the Fifth Cousin Young Lady for a walk outside.”

“Hmm?” Qi Biao lifted his gaze to Tan San, his icy eyes filled with questioning.

Understanding his master’s unspoken query, Tan San quickly explained, “It’s the Fifth Cousin Young Lady. Yesterday, the owner of this residence returned, and his adopted daughter recognized Granny Liu. Though mute and physically disabled, she can write. After several confirmations, Granny Liu verified that she is the missing niece of General Li. Since yesterday, the Fifth Cousin Young Lady has stayed in the Sixth Young Lady’s room, with Granny Liu accompanying her whenever she comes or goes.”

Qi Biao ordered, “Go inform Tan Yi. I wish to meet the owner of this residence.”

“Yes,” Tan San acknowledged, then added, “General, you have slept for four days. We only managed to feed you some liquid nourishment, which is hardly sufficient. Would you like to eat something first?”

Qi Biao replied, “Food can wait. Go arrange the meeting.”

By protocol, Wei Zhongqi, as a servant, should come to see Qi Biao, not the other way around. However, since the main quarters housed female family members, it would be improper for Wei Zhongqi to enter. Thus, Qi Biao had to leave the room to summon Wei Zhongqi elsewhere.

Tan San went to arrange the meeting as instructed. Qi Biao then commanded, “Guard the Sixth Young Lady well.”

A voice from within the room responded, “Master, rest assured. If anything goes wrong, this servant will take his own life.” It was one of the Qi brothers.

Qi Biao summoned Wei Zhongqi in Tan Yi’s room. After Wei Zhongqi and his family paid their respects, Qi Biao asked how to exit the formation.

Wei Zhongqi hesitated, “Second Master, it’s not that this servant dares to defy you, but I truly cannot break the rules. Without the master’s permission, I cannot release anyone from the formation.”

Tan Yi rebuked angrily, “How dare you! The General is the Marquis’ own nephew. Would the Marquis trap him here?”

Wei Zhongqi immediately knelt and kowtowed to Qi Biao, “Second Master, General Tan speaks rightly. The Marquis would never trap you here. Allow this servant to send my youngest son to report to the Marquis. Once permission is granted, I will escort you out.”

Qi Biao said coldly, “I must leave this formation today.” He was in a hurry to find the old monk and Master Shen—to have the old monk help him return to Qin Yi’s body and see if Master Shen could cleanse the remaining poison from Lin Fang’s system.

“Second Master, forgive this servant for disobeying, but the Marquis’ rules cannot be violated,” Wei Zhongqi insisted, maintaining his loyalty.

“General, this servant has something to say, but it must be discussed elsewhere.” Seeing Wei Zhongqi’s stubbornness, Qi Wu recalled what Wei Zhongqi had said on the way into the reincarnation ditch. For caution’s sake, it was better to speak away from the Tan family.

The Tan brothers were Qi Biao’s personal guards, bound by servitude. Having fought alongside him through life and death, Qi Biao treated them differently from ordinary servants, allowing them to refer to themselves as subordinates and address him as “General.”

The Qi brothers, however, were shadow guards gifted to Qi Biao by his mother, the imperial consort. Though Qi Biao had long since relieved them of their shadow duties, they still referred to themselves as servants and called him “Master.”

Qi Biao strode out of the courtyard, with Qi Wu following closely. Once outside, Qi Wu whispered what Wei Zhongqi had revealed—that the exit of the maze could be discerned at night by those with night vision, without relying on Wei Zhongqi.

Upon hearing this, Qi Biao was filled with regret. Since entering the formation, he had searched for an exit daily, but only during daylight. Had he known the exit was visible at night, he wouldn’t be in this predicament, separated from Fang’er across lifetimes.

Regret was futile. He needed to find the old monk as soon as possible. Qi Biao ordered everyone to prepare to depart as soon as darkness fell.

Since Qi Biao had not dismissed Wei Zhongqi’s family, the four of them remained kneeling on the cold ground. Wei Zhongqi’s youngest son, though awake, was still groggy from the lingering effects of medicine and soon collapsed.

Granny Liu returned with Li Yinwei. Upon hearing from Tan San that they would leave the ditch that night, she was overjoyed and carefully washed and dressed Lin Fang.

Li Yinwei paid her respects to Qi Biao, who merely nodded without a word. Apart from Lin Fang, no other girl held his attention.

Aside from the morning meal fed to Lin Fang by Granny Liu, Qi Biao personally fed her the other five meals that day. Li Yinwei looked surprised, while the others showed no reaction, accustomed to their master’s doting on the Sixth Young Lady.

As night deepened, Qi Biao’s frown grew more pronounced—his night vision had not returned.

Tan Yi and the others noticed his anxiety. Learning the reason, they were at a loss. Qi Biao ordered Tan Er to bring Wei Zhongqi’s youngest son, Wei Shoutai.

“Ah, ah ah!”

Li Yinwei suddenly cried out, gesturing. Granny Liu handed her paper and a brush. Li Yinwei wrote: *I can lead the way.*

Granny Liu was astonished, “Fifth Cousin Young Lady, you know the way?”

Eager to leave, Qi Biao didn’t question further and ordered the departure. He carefully carried Lin Fang on his back, wrapped in a cloak by Granny Liu. The entourage, each holding a torch, exited the courtyard.

Not far from the gate, a voice shouted from behind, “Sister, don’t go!” It was Wei Shoutou, stumbling after them.

Tan Yi and Tan Er immediately shielded Qi Biao and Li Yinwei, while Tan San and three others blocked Wei Shoutou’s approach.

Having knelt on the cold ground all day, Wei Shoutou could barely stand. Reaching for Li Yinwei, he pleaded, “Sister, don’t go. Mother said you’re my wife, to bear my children. You can’t leave!”

Wei Zhongqi and his wife, He Shi, rushed out after him. He Shi tried pulling her son back, while Wei Zhongqi knelt, kowtowing and begging forgiveness. Li Yinwei trembled in fear, hiding behind Granny Liu.

Enraged, Wei Shoutou broke free from his mother and charged at Tan San and the others, fighting barehanded with terrifying strength, heedless of injuries.

Losing patience, Qi Biao signaled, and Wei Shoutou fell—struck down by a hidden guard. Three of the five Qi brothers remained concealed.

“Tou’er—!” He Shi wailed, throwing herself over her son, who was already lifeless.

“Give me back my son!” Grief-stricken, He Shi drew a soft sword from her waist and attacked Tan San and the others.

Wei Zhongqi initially tried to stop his wife, but seeing Qi Biao’s emotionless gaze, he changed his mind. Knowing the Black-Faced God’s ruthlessness, he realized that even if he obeyed, he would not escape death. Resigned, he drew his whip and joined his wife in battle.

Despite being outnumbered, the couple gradually gained the upper hand.

“Eliminate them.”

At Qi Biao’s command, Tan Er joined the fight, and hidden weapons flew from the shadows. Wei Zhongqi and He Shi, though skilled, couldn’t defend against both open and covert attacks. Badly wounded, they tried to retreat to protect their unconscious youngest son but were pinned down.

“Ah, ah ah!” Li Yinwei emerged from behind Granny Liu, kneeling before Qi Biao and kowtowing desperately to plead for mercy.

Qi Biao watched coldly, silent. Unable to speak, Li Yinwei continued kowtowing until she collapsed from exhaustion, still struggling to rise.

With a glance, Qi Biao signaled Tan Yi, who shouted, “Halt! The General has spoken.”

The combatants paused, eyeing each other warily. Qi Biao declared, “Spare their lives. Cripple their martial arts. Take the youngest.”

Knowing his son was already in the shadow guards’ hands, Wei Zhongqi surrendered to save him. Tan Er disabled their martial arts, reducing them to ordinary people. He Shi, resentful, glared venomously until Tan Yi blinded her with silver needles.

Qi Biao then forced Wei Zhongqi to swallow a pill.

The group pressed onward.

Moments later, agonized screams echoed behind them. Tan Yi hesitated briefly, but Qi Biao said, “No matter. He will never leave now.” They continued.

Qi Biao’s night vision was a side effect of childhood poisoning, treated by Master Shen with counteractive toxins. Though useful, it drained his energy. Master Shen prescribed pills to suppress it at night, aiding sleep and recovery.

Over years of treatment, Qi Biao learned medicine from Master Shen. Though not as skilled as Tong or Shen, or the old monk, he surpassed ordinary physicians. He now made his own pills.

Wei Zhongqi, exhausted from battle and crippled, suffered terribly from the pill—losing his night vision and enduring unbearable pain. His temporary blindness, unlike He Shi’s, would pass, but his night vision was gone forever.