Chapter 538 - 532_1
After sending off Zhang Qiusheng and his daughter and Fangcao, only Zhao Pingshun was left kneeling there, with a face full of stubbornness and defiance. He looked as if he had been persecuted and falsely accused by the Zhao Family. With a sneer, Zhao Erhu said, "Hmph! Boy, don’t be smug. You think just because you’re not a servant of my family, I can’t do anything to you? I have plenty of ways to deal with you."
Zhao Erhu simply couldn’t stand the sight of Zhao Pingshun looking like that, clearly having done wrong but refusing to acknowledge it, and acting as if he was beyond reach; too scheming, too cunning, clearly no good. Had Zhao Pingshun’s attitude been better, he might have been lenient with him. After all, in another way, Zhao Pingshun, though he had helped others, had also indirectly sabotaged the affair; otherwise, Zhao Erhu would not have realized it. Of course, who would be less guarded in their own home? But with this lesson learned, he would never allow others to take advantage again.
"Zhao Erhu, don’t scare me. There is law in this land; you have no evidence. If you dare touch me, I’ll report you to the government and have you thrown in jail." As Zhao Pingshun spoke, he even had a hint of triumph, thinking he had made a sound argument and could intimidate Zhao Erhu, not realizing that such a petty trick might frighten others in the village, but Zhao Erhu, who was not even afraid of the Magistrate Ceng Lu, would not take Zhao Pingshun’s words seriously.
"You just try and see. Come, tie up this wretched thing and beat him fiercely, just make sure not to kill him." As he spoke, Zhao Erhu went up and kicked Zhao Pingshun several times himself, venting his anger.
Zhao Pingshun had not expected Zhao Erhu to actually carry out a beating without hesitation. However, Zhao Pingshun subconsciously considered Zhao Erhu’s self-made household to be on an equal level, ’easy to bully’. Had it been another old landlord family, Zhao Pingshun wouldn’t have dared to do so. After all, there were landlords who had killed people. What was the law before money and power? Even if the law were to apply, it wasn’t something these lowly commoners could invoke. If he really did report to the government, it might be him who got seized first, demanding a fee for lodging a complaint. At least in the current state of Xin’an City, that’s how things stood.
Zhao Pingshun was beaten severely by Zhao Erhu’s servants, screaming like a slaughtered pig. After a while, when Zhao Erhu felt it was enough, he ordered them to stop. Although he wasn’t afraid of trouble, he also didn’t want to kill someone and stir up more issues.
"Come on, throw this scoundrel out, and his whole family with him. All of them, expel them. The ungrateful lot! Even if I had spare money, I wouldn’t keep such black-hearted, ill-intentioned vermin!" Zhao Erhu said disdainfully, even letting slip some profanity.
When Zhao Wufu heard that his son had been captured by Zhao Erhu’s servants, he had no idea what was going on and wanted to confront Zhao Erhu. Before he could find someone, he saw his son, beaten black and blue, covered in bruises, thrown at their doorstep. Then, their whole family was driven out by Zhao Erhu’s servants.