The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 482 A Worthy Life
At this point, everything is basically clear.

The instigator was the defendant Li Dabao mentioned, Huang Jiulang, who came to Kangfu County a year ago.

As for what happened next, it can be easily connected.

The people's last rebellion was brutally suppressed, and the infant and the woman disappeared from the Huang mansion. The woman's whereabouts remain unknown to this day, while the infants were abandoned in the mountains and taken in by wild men.

Then the savages made a deal with Zhao Wuji, who used the savages' military strength to expand rapidly. At the same time, he colluded with the county magistrate who had been won over by Huang Jiulang. One was in charge of internal affairs and the other was in charge of external affairs; one was isolated from the imperial court and the other from the martial arts world. Together, they completely turned Kangfu County into an isolated island.

The savages made a deal with Zhao Wuji to raise the children of the city's inhabitants. Zhao Wuji plundered the people, intercepted chivalrous individuals, and blocked messages for Huang Jiulang. At the same time, he drowned the children born in the mountain stronghold and supplied their milk to the savages. Huang Jiulang, in turn, ordered the county magistrate to shield Zhao Wuji from official trouble.

Thus, a closed loop is formed.

Zhao Wuji's ambition, the savage's kindness, the magistrate's greed, and Huang Jiulang's wickedness together built this city that devoured countless lives and innocent infants.

Now, only three questions remain.

Where are those women who were abducted from the city now?

Who exactly is Huang Jiulang, and what are his intentions?

And where does the Yang family bloodline of the wild people come from?

The answers to these questions will all be revealed by one person.

Huang Jiulang.

After finishing his story, Li Dabao collapsed to the ground, sobbing and wiping away his tears. It's impossible to know how many chivalrous figures he'd told this tale over the past year; now, having finished, he was completely devoid of spirit.

After listening, Li Miao twirled his fingers and remained silent.

It has been about half an hour since the county magistrate sent someone to invite Huang Jiulang.

The yamen was completely silent.

The magistrate in the hall and the yamen runners below looked solemn and imposing. But if you looked closely, you could see the beads of sweat dripping from their foreheads and their fingers trembling slightly from stiffness.

Official robes offered them no sense of security whatsoever.

Even now, the county magistrate doesn't know why Li Miao didn't just kill him, but instead brought out a "plaintiff," as if he really wanted to go to court.

He certainly didn't think Li Miao was a "law-abiding citizen".

Every time Li Miao looked up and glanced at him with a smile, he felt like a lamb being stared at by a tiger, breaking out in a cold sweat and feeling chills in his hands and feet.

No matter how fierce he looked, he was still a civil official.

How can I withstand Li Miao's murderous intent?
His reactions were all signs of panic. If no one came any longer, Li Miao might "watch him to death."

Fortunately, footsteps finally came from outside.

A constable ran in and stood to one side.

Then came a loud, boisterous laugh that grew louder as it approached.

"What, sir? Where did these thieves come from that you have to ask my master to deal with them personally?"

As they were speaking, a burly man with a full beard, yet dressed in a brocade robe, strode in. He spoke to the magistrate, but his gaze was fixed on Li Miao.

He first looked Li Miao up and down, then sneered.

"You bunch of blockheads, are you all scared by someone who doesn't know martial arts?"

Then, as if no one else was around, he walked into the hall, glanced at Li Dabao, and grinned.

"So you're the one who's going to sue my father-in-law?"

Li Dabao suddenly shuddered and hurriedly got up.

"Uncle Qu, Uncle Qu, no, I didn't mean it—"

"me."

He reached out and tugged at Li Miao's sleeve.

"I won't sue anymore, I won't sue anymore, I'm leaving now, I'm leaving now."

I tugged at it a few times, but it wouldn't budge.

He became even more anxious and trembled even more.

"Great hero, great hero, I beg you, I beg you."

“Uncle Qu is the head instructor of Master Huang’s household. He has countless lives on his hands. Several great heroes have been killed by him before. Don’t be reckless… We’ll accept our bad luck, but don’t risk your life…” “It’s not worth it for us…”

Seeing how frightened he was, Old Man Qu felt a surge of amusement. He bent down and leaned closer to Li Dabao, asking with a smile.

"You look kind of familiar. What's your last name?"

He didn't ask for names, only surnames.

Li Dabao naturally understood what he meant.

Over the past year, Huang Jiulang has never killed one person at a time, but rather in groups. Anyone related to him, as long as they cause trouble, will suffer the same fate.

Once he learns Li Dabao's surname, everyone in Fukang County with the surname Li will never see the sun rise again.

Li Dabao dared not answer; he could only tremble.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder.

"What do you mean, 'It's not worth it for people like you'?"

"What, are your lives so cheap?"

Li Dabao recognized the voice; it was Li Miao's.

But he really couldn't answer that question.

He really wanted to tell Li Miao that it wasn't true.

But facts and experience told him that yes.

Yes, their lives are worthless.

They were so despicable that they would lose their lives for two taels of silver, so despicable that they couldn't utter a sound, so despicable that they wouldn't even make a splash if thrown into the river, so despicable that they had no choice but to accept it.

If they don't admit it, people will die.

They would die for themselves, for their families, and for every hero willing to help them.

Yes, he should have accepted his fate.

But he felt a lump in his throat, preventing him from answering Li Miao's question.

Fortunately, someone answered for him.

"Yes, their lives are just that cheap."

Grandpa Qu shrugged.

"Powerless, ignorant, and incapable, they were born to be trampled underfoot. If they weren't so despicable, they wouldn't have ended up in this state."

"This isn't some kind of logic, it's stark reality. If you're just spouting nonsense, it's nothing more than a child's joke. What, you don't think their lives aren't worthless, do you?"

He looked at Li Miao, wanting to hear her answer.

If Li Miao were to utter naive words like "equalizing the rich and the poor," he would immediately take action—because he had no interest in talking to ignorant fools, even if it was just to pass the time.

Under his expectant gaze, Li Miao slowly curled the corners of his lips into a smile.

he said with a smile.

"You're right, it really is despicable."

Li Dabao was stunned, then lost his strength, trembling as he loosened his grip on Li Miao's clothes and collapsed to the ground.

But Grandpa Qu laughed heartily.

"Good, good, Wei Junjie from Xixi Materials!"

"you--"

He was interrupted by Li Miao waving his hand halfway through his sentence.

"But they are not the only ones whose lives are cheap."

"In this world, everyone is the same except for me and the people I care about. You, and your master Huang, are both equally despicable in my eyes."

"What, you don't think your life is so precious, do you?"

"No way, right?"

(End of this chapter)