Chapter 434: Chapter 409, Pricking a Voodoo Doll_1
“War? What war? Is there going to be a battle in the north?” Daohua asked anxiously.
Yan Wenkai nodded sullenly, “These past two years, our Daxia suffered from droughts and floods. The common people have had a hard time, and the situation for those northern Tartars is even worse than ours. It seems they can’t get through this year, so they often come down south to harass our borders.”
“The first half of the year was somewhat better, just some minor skirmishes, but as winter is approaching, the frequency of battles has increased.”
Looking at her two elder brothers’ countenances, Daohua hurriedly asked, “Don’t tell me both of you are thinking of going to the north to fight?”
Yan Wenkai: “We would like to, but no one is taking us.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Daohua hit him on the shoulder, “Big brother is right, you two really don’t know how high the sky is or how deep the earth is. Do you think you can go to the battlefield after just a few days of training in the military camp?”
“Can just anyone go to the battlefield? Do you understand that swords and spears have no eyes? Do you realize that you only have one life? Do you know how hard it was for the family to raise you?”
Yan Wenkai stubbornly retorted, “When the country is in trouble, every man is responsible.”
Daohua: “One should do only as much as one is capable of. On the battlefield, mere martial skills and passion are not enough; you also need brains.” She pointed to her head, “Brains, do you have them?”
Feeling insulted, Yan Wenkai stiffened his neck and said, “Of course we have brains.”
Daohua sneered, “If you had brains, would you have been led by some gold thieves deep into the mountains? If I hadn’t been here today, you wouldn’t have been able to deal with these gold thieves and might even have got yourselves killed. With your skills, I would be reluctant to have you work for me, let alone go to war.”
Hearing this, the five people inside the chest felt as if their own worth had been forcibly downgraded.
Seeing her two brothers unable to raise their heads, Daohua kept silent for a moment, then patiently said, “Wanting to do something for the country is a good thought, but it’s not necessary to go to war, right?”
Yan Wenkai retorted, “Then what else could we do?”
Daohua: “Didn’t you say that the soldiers lack food and clothing? You could help them gather some.”
This time, even Wentao looked dubious, “How to gather it? Would others give us anything?”
Daohua: “Don’t underestimate people’s patriotism. You have many contacts among the sons of major families, don’t you? Within what they can afford, people are certainly willing to help.”
Seeing the two deep in thought, Daohua smiled, “If you really want to do it, I’ll definitely support you. I will donate ten thousand stones of grain and ten thousand stones of medicinal herbs, how about that?”
Upon hearing this, not only Yan Wenkai and Wentao were stunned, but the five people inside the chest were also somewhat surprised.
The young lady is quite generous.
But where does she get all that from?
A dowry?
Did the Yan Family really give the dowry to the young lady to manage so early?
Yan Wenkai sarcastically said, “Big sister, you’re really wealthy and generous.”
Daohua: “It’s all money I’ve saved up bit by bit through hard work. No one’s fortune comes out of thin air, even if it’s an inheritance; that’s because someone had a hard-working ancestor.”
After a while, Daohua picked up Jing Cao, “Actually, all this is just trifling. If we could find a gold mine…”
Before she could finish, Xiaoliu’s voice came from outside.
“Miss, Third Master, Fourth Master, we’ve arrived at Taohua Village.”
Daohua handed Jing Cao to Wang Manman and directed Yan Wenkai and the other, “Third brother, Fourth brother, first move these five men to my estate.”
….
“Bang, bang, bang!”
Now that they knew the five men inside the chest were gold thieves, Yan Wenkai showed no courtesy; upon arrival at the estate, he dragged and dropped them directly onto the ground.
“Ouch!”
Although Yang Chenghua had some martial training, he was more of a scholar. Unable to hold back, he cried out in pain.
This startled everyone present.
“When did you wake up?!”
Yang Chenghua’s face stiffened, “Old man says, ‘I just woke up.’ Would you believe that?”
Daohua obviously didn’t believe him, worried that he might shout and attract the villagers’ attention, she immediately said, “Fourth brother, gag him.”
Without a second word, Yan Wenkai stuffed his handkerchief into Yang Chenghua’s mouth.
Seeing this, Yang Chenghua’s face turned iron blue from anger.
Daohua didn’t pay any attention but commanded Wentao, “Third brother, Fourth brother, quickly check the other four, see if any of them have woken up?”
This stumped Yan Wenkai and Wentao.
Seeing the two men motionless, Daohua was speechless, “When I say you guys have no brains, you still argue back. Such a small matter, and you can’t even solve it.”
Yan Wenkai immediately retorted, “If you’re so capable, you do it.”
He and his third brother had already exerted enough force when dragging the person. If the other four could endure that, then kicking or hitting them would be useless.
Daohua: “If I must, then I will.” Saying this, she turned to look at Wang Manman, “Go, bring me an embroidery needle.”
Upon hearing these words, the unconscious lot of Master Five involuntarily shuddered.
Yang Chenghua, on the other hand, felt a wave of relief that he had come to his senses, and immediately turned his gaze towards Daohua.
The little girl is ruthless enough!
A mix of emotions flooded Yan Wenkai as he watched Daohua: “Big sister, I never thought you could be so… so…”
Daohua raised an eyebrow: “Big Brother, are you trying to say I’m cruel?”
Yan Wenkai: “Isn’t it cruel?” They were resorting to needles, after all.
Daohua: “My embroidery needle is meant for stabbing ‘little people’.”
Yan Wenkai had no comeback, so he just shrugged, signaling her to do as she pleased.
Soon, Wang Manman came with a bag full of embroidery needles.
Daohua took one, glanced at the unconscious four, and decisively handed the needle to Yan Wenkai: “Big Brother, you’re stronger, you do it.”
Yan Wenkai was at a loss for words: “If you’re afraid, just say it. What does strength have to do with needlework?”
Daohua pursed her lips and remained silent, not admitting her fear.
Yan Wenkai rolled up his sleeves and walked towards the unconscious four.
Yang Chenghua saw the young fool heading straight for Master Five and became frantic, wailing loudly.
Unfortunately, no one paid him any attention.
Luckily, the little girl was there to save her simple-minded brother in time.
Daohua: “Big Brother, start with the leader first.”
Yan Wenkai indeed changed the needle’s direction.
At this moment, Eunuch An almost wanted to curse. Who had said he was the leader? Among the five of them, wasn’t he the lowest and most pitiful one?
Yan Wenkai held the needle over Eunuch An’s body, wondering, “Where should I stab?”
Daohua: “The ‘Ren Zhong’ point or the fingers, these two places hurt the most.”
Yan Wenkai: “Let’s go for the fingers. I don’t want to see his face; a grown man with a greasy, powdered face is an eyesore.”
Upon hearing this, even Wu Jingyi felt like he was about to burst.
How could this dolt be so straightforward?
Eunuch An must feel like dying out of anger.
Just as Yan Wenkai was about to strike with the needle, two people arrived at the manor.
“What are you all doing?”
Daohua turned around to see her master supporting Granny Gu; she immediately ran over: “Master, Granny, we caught five gold thieves.”
Gu Jian frowned, “Gold thieves? What gold thieves? Let me have a look.”
He had been roaming around the mountaintop with his sister just now and happened to see Daohua and the others arriving in a boat, acting sneakily as they carried two chests, which had left him somewhat worried, so he came down to take a look.
Meanwhile, all of Master Five’s men had opened their eyes.
Unlike the harmless kids Daohua and her group appeared to be, they felt threatened as soon as Gu Jian entered the room.
This newcomer was a master!
Gu Jian took a few steps forward, and upon seeing Master Five on the ground, he stood still in shock, motionless.
Seeing her brother like this, Granny Gu felt puzzled. With Daohua’s help, she walked over, but as soon as she saw Master Five’s face, she seemed to lose her soul and collapsed. Daohua couldn’t hold her up.
On the other side, Master Five was also staring, dumbfounded and in disbelief.