bestfiction Chapter 162: Not as good as a pig or a dog
Chapter 162: Not as good as a pig or a dog
Jichuan Wharf.
The small boat slowly approached the shore.
After Shao Ziping paid the silver to the dock, the three of them disembarked and went to the pier.
It was already afternoon, and some of the fishermen who had set sail in the morning had returned. The docks were filled with spontaneous fish markets, and many maids from various households were shopping there.
In the middle of the fish market, there was also a team of fishermen patrolling to maintain order at the dock.
After looking around, Shao Ziping asked in confusion, "It seems normal. Could we have been fooled by that old man?"
Qiao Lingwei shook her head and said, "I don't think it's a lie. Maybe we just came at the wrong time. There's some excellent food in the ship's building next door. Why don't we eat while we wait?"
Ye Kang nodded in agreement.
The three of them went to the best ship's deck, went up to the second-floor cabin, and through the window, they could see the view of the dock.
The steaming hot food was served, and Ye Kang remained silent, eating the fish while staring outside.
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
As the weather grew cooler, Shao Ziping and Qiao Lingwei were thinking of leaving when Ye Kang's expression suddenly froze.
His brows furrowed slightly, and the wine cup in his hand hovered in mid-air. The aroma of rice wine, accompanied by a terrifying killing intent, immediately made the two martial artists beside him tremble and involuntarily shiver.
On the dock, several large horses galloped over as if no one else was there. On the lead horse, a young man held a rein in each hand.
One rod for controlling horses, one rod for controlling people.
His left hand was holding the reins, which were clearly pointing to a naked, emaciated boy.
The boy was dragged by the horse, his whole body covered in bloodstains, his hair disheveled, his face filthy with mud and horse manure, and there were purplish-red marks on his stomach from being kicked by the horse's hooves.
The horse stopped, and the young nobleman dismounted, stepping right on the boy's head.
He remained oblivious, still holding his head high, showing no regard for the boy.
The dark-faced boy simply lowered his head and silently endured the situation. Then, with a pull of the reins, he knelt down on his own.
That really fits the idiom.
They are worse than pigs and dogs.
……
The murderous aura dissipated.
Ye Kang acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to drink his rice wine with a normal expression.
Upon seeing this, Qiao Lingwei and Shao Ziping exchanged a glance, then immediately called out tactfully, "Waiter! Come here!"
The waiters on the ship rushed in. These insignificant people dared not neglect these noble martial artists, and they even thought they had done something wrong, so they acted very nervous.
Shao Ziping pointed to the scene at the dock outside the window and angrily asked, "What's going on here!"
The waiter paused for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Are you interested in those young masters, sir?"
"Don't play dumb with me! I'm asking about the poor child!"
The waiter's face turned pale, and he immediately said, "Sir, please don't be kind! You can't be kind like that!"
Upon hearing this, Shao Ziping immediately understood the implications and became even more furious, saying, "Speak! Tell me everything in detail. If you miss a single word, I'll capsize this ship!"
The waiter hurriedly began to recount the story, his voice trembling with fear.
Actually, things are quite simple.
Ultimately, it was because Ye Kang's cultivation in that reed marshland caused quite a stir.
Shao Ziping and Qiao Lingwei helped him ward off many curious glances, but there were still some who weren't afraid of trouble and immediately rushed back to report to their master.
Those were the young masters at the dock.
Their martial arts aptitude was too poor; they usually just ate, drank, and had fun, wandering around aimlessly. When they heard there was something interesting to see in the reed marshes, they would go there together.
Of course, they found nothing, but they still refused to give up and turned the reed marshland upside down.
The boy named Hei Zi was too stubborn and still wanted to keep his promise to pick up Ye Kang, so he kept waiting in front of the reeds.
These young masters were certain that Hei Zi knew something, so they took him back and interrogated him, but they couldn't get anything out of him. Instead of releasing him, they felt that they had been looked down upon by a lowly fisherman.
Therefore, these guys turned Hei Zi into a slave and forced him to crawl like a pig or dog, living in a pigsty and eating pig feed every day.
The waiter said, "It's been several days now. He comes to the dock every afternoon to loiter. Actually, Hei Zi is quite pitiful. We all know him. He has no parents, but he's a good fisherman. Who knew that misfortune would befall the unfortunate? Sigh..."
"Okay, I understand. You can go now." Ye Kang suddenly spoke, calmly telling the waiter to leave.
Seeing this, Shao Ziping whispered, "Young Master Ye, what do you plan to do about this..."
Ye Kang took another sip of rice wine, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, stood up, and said, "What do you think?"
"Young Master Ye, you mustn't! Although I don't know them, these guys are so arrogant and completely disregard the government. They must have powerful connections. Young Master Ye, you should reconsider!"
Qiao Lingwei also said, "That's right. Actually, if we explain this matter to them, with your strength, it shouldn't be difficult to get the person back."
Ye Kang listened to their conversation, still expressionless as he looked at the dock. He opened the window and said softly, "Is it enough that we got the person back?"
"..."
Neither of them replied.
Yes, that's how they perceive it.
After all, they themselves came from aristocratic families. If it weren't for their talent in martial arts, they would probably be no different from the spoiled brats on the docks.
At the end of the day, he's just a lowly fisherman. If you bully him, so be it. Even if you kill him, who would dare to make a big fuss?
Getting the person back intact is already the best possible outcome.
Ye Kang thought for a moment and said, "If I wanted to turn all these people into slaves, what would you two do?"
Both of them trembled upon hearing this, staring at Ye Kang in astonishment, speechless for a long time.
Shao Zi calmed his breathing and advised, "Young Master, these people are indeed hateful. If you don't mind, we can teach them a lesson and make sure they can't get out of bed for three months. But if..."
Qiao Lingwei quickly cupped her hands and said, "Young Master Ye, strength isn't always everything. Even if you're stronger than us, you can't fight city hall."
"what for?"
"Young master, are you truly unaware? These few纨绔 (sons of wealthy and powerful families) are not important; what matters is the powerful forces behind them, which are deeply entrenched and complex. Young master, you can't kill them all..."
Qiao Lingwei's expression was complicated, but there was actually something else she didn't say.
That means her and Shao Ziping's families are most likely also in this network of relationships. If things really get out of hand, how will they handle it?
Ye Kang nodded, already understanding.
Without saying much, he flipped his hand, and three ingots of gold appeared in his palm.
"Thank you both for your hospitality along the way. We will meet again someday. Take care."
After saying that, Ye Kang put down the gold and walked out.
These three ingots of gold are not important, but the fact that he gave them away signifies the end; the friendship the three had built along the way vanished like smoke.
Shao Ziping and Qiao Lingwei looked at each other, their expressions both complex.