Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 366 Have you ever heard of the most brutal tortures?

Lin Chen rested in Nanlin City for two days before setting off again.

This time we're heading east.

As they left the city, A-Yue leaned against the window, looking in the direction of the Nanzhao Kingdom, and whispered to Yao Yao:

Will we come back?

Yao Yao thought for a moment: "Probably? Didn't my husband say he'd take you to the mountains to catch spirit beasts next time?"

Ah Yue's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously, "Yes!"

The carriage traveled eastward at a moderate pace.

As they passed through several county towns on the way, Lin Chen, as usual, asked Yan Da to check the accounts.

The results were largely the same—those who should have been killed had already been killed, those who should have fled had already fled, and those who were left were all honest people.

Occasionally, they would encounter a few daring individuals who would tamper with the accounts. However, when Yenching University investigated, they would be exposed, arrested, their homes confiscated, and beheaded—a one-stop service.

Lin Chen was too lazy to even go to the county government office. He leaned back in the carriage, drinking and listening to Yan Da's report upon his return.

"My lord, the magistrate of Linchuan County has been arrested for embezzling three thousand taels of silver."

"Cut it down."

"My lord, the magistrate of Anyuan County has fled, and his property has been confiscated."

"Chase him, chase him to the ends of the earth and bring him back to me."

"My lord, the accounts of Qinghe County are clean, and the magistrate is an honest man."

"Give him two hundred taels of silver and tell him to do a good job."

They continued on their journey, killing and rewarding their followers.

With fewer and fewer corrupt officials, people's lives are visibly improving.

In the past, when the villagers passed through the villages, they would run away at the sight of the officials. Now, when they see the officials, they actually dare to stand by the roadside and watch. Some even bring out water for the soldiers to drink.

Yao Yao leaned against the window, watching this scene, and suddenly said:

"My lord, have you wiped out all the corrupt officials in Dayan along the way?"

Lin Chen leaned back on the cushion, legs crossed, holding a wine glass in his hand, and said slowly:

"Clean? You can't kill them cleanly."

Corrupt officials are like leeks; they grow back after you cut them down.

But you have to cut it, otherwise it will grow wildly.

Lan Fenghuang laughed from the side: "Your analogy is quite apt."

"That's right. I may not have many other skills, but I'm incredibly good at using metaphors."

Yao Yao rolled her eyes: "You're just bragging."

Lin Chen chuckled, offering no rebuttal, but a shadow of gloom flashed in his eyes.

That day, the group arrived at a mountainous area.

The mountain road was rugged, and the carriage moved slowly, swaying and rocking like a sedan chair.

Lin Chen was dozing off with his eyes closed when he suddenly heard a commotion ahead.

He opened his eyes and asked calmly, "What's wrong?"

Yan Da rode over on horseback, his face grim: "My lord, a corpse has been found ahead."

Lin Chen frowned: "A corpse?"

"A young woman, about fifteen or sixteen years old, with injuries on her body, who was raped by multiple people before she died."

Lin Chen's face immediately darkened.

He jumped down from the carriage and followed Yenching University.

A girl lay by the roadside, barely clothed, her body covered in bruises, her face covered in blood, her eyes open, empty, staring at the sky.

Yao Yao followed over, and after just one glance, she covered her mouth, her eyes reddening.

Ah Yue hid behind her, trembling all over.

Liu Shengxue stood at a distance, expressionless, but her hands were clenched tightly.

Lan Fenghuang squatted down, glanced at the girl, and said in a heavy voice:

"She was raped and killed!"

Lin Chen took off his cloak, squatted down and covered the girl with it, then reached out and closed her eyes.

Then he stood up and looked at Yenching University:

"Investigate! Find out who did it. Turn this area within a hundred miles upside down."

"yes!"

Yan Da left with his men.

Lin Chen stood by the roadside, looking at the girl without saying a word.

Yao Yao walked over, took his hand, and whispered, "Husband..."

Lin Chen patted the back of her hand without saying a word. With a wave of his hand, a crack appeared in the ground, burying the girl's body deep inside.

……

An hour later, Yan Da returned.

"My lord, we've found it."

They were a gang of womanizers, seven or eight people, who specialized in ambushing and killing young women passing by in the mountains.

He's already ruined dozens of girls; the leader, a beggar-turned-butterfly, is at the early stage of a Grandmaster level.

Lin Chen nodded, his voice calm: "Where are they?"

"We caught five, two escaped, and the butterfly got away."

"They can't escape." Lin Chen turned to look at Yan Da. "Bring those five people here."

Yenching University brought people with them.

Five men, bound hand and foot, were kneeling on the ground.

They were all terrified, their faces turned pale, their bodies trembled, and they cried out, "Have mercy!"

Lin Chen walked over, stood in front of them, and looked down at them.

"How many people have you harmed?"

One of the bolder ones looked up and said, "Sir...this is our first time..."

Lin Chen kicked him in the face.

The man was sent flying three zhang away, crashed into a tree, spat out a mouthful of blood, and fainted.

Lin Chen looked at the remaining four, his voice cold:

"I'll ask you one more time, how many people have been harmed?"

The four men were so frightened they couldn't speak, their bodies trembling like leaves.

Yan Da, standing nearby, said, "My lord, there are at least thirty-eight verifiable cases."

Lin Chen nodded.

Thirty-eight.

He looked at the four people and suddenly smiled.

That smile sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

Have you heard of the "Ten Cruelest Tortures of the Qing Dynasty"?

The four of them were completely dumbfounded, but they instinctively felt their souls trembling!

Lin Chen turned to look at Yan University:

"Prepare for the following punishments: slow slicing, waist-cutting, dismemberment by chariot, skinning, boiling, disembowelment, castration, needle insertion, live burial, sawing. Do them one by one."

Lin Chen's voice was very calm, frighteningly calm.

"Let them enjoy it at their own pace."

Yan Da was taken aback for a moment, then clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "Yes!"

Yao Yao listened from the side, her face a little pale, but she didn't say anything.

Lan Fenghuang walked over and said softly:

"My lord, should we also deal with their families?"

Lin Chen glanced at her and said calmly, "Exterminate their entire family."

"All the men were executed, and the women were sent to slavery; not a single one was spared."

Lan Fenghuang paused for a moment, then nodded: "Serves you right."

Liu Shengxue spoke calmly: "Crush to ashes."

Lin Chen glanced at her and smiled: "You're right, grind them to dust."

Upon hearing this, two of the four men fainted from fright, and the remaining two wet their pants.

Lin Chen waved his hand: "Take him away."

Yan Da waved his hand and ordered his men to drag the person away.

Lin Chen stood by the roadside, looking at the distant mountains, and remained silent for a long time.

Yao Yao walked over and took his hand: "Husband, don't be too sad."

Lin Chen shook his head: "I'm not sad, I'm just angry."

"What are you angry about?"

"It's infuriating how there are so many beasts in this world."

Yao Yao didn't say anything, but simply tightened her grip on Lin Chen's hand.

Lin Chen took a deep breath and turned to look at Yan University:

"Chase the flower butterfly, I want to see him alive or dead. After you catch him, don't kill him, bring him back, I'll deal with him myself."

"yes!"

Yan Da left with his men.

Lin Chen returned to the carriage, leaned against the cushions, and closed his eyes.

Yao Yao followed him and sat down next to him, watching him cautiously.

Ah Yue huddled in the corner, too afraid to make a sound.

Lan Fenghuang boarded the carriage, sat down next to Lin Chen, and gently took his hand.

"My husband, you have already avenged those girls."

Lin Chen didn't open his eyes, and said in a very soft voice, "What's the use of revenge? The person is already dead."