The two of them paused. Ling Xiao frowned slightly, but he couldn’t muster the slightest interest in this sort of person. He said to Ye Wen Ni, "Let’s go."

Ye Wen Ni nodded obediently and shot a disgusted glance at the foreman, who was sizing her up with lecherous eyes. She couldn’t help but say coldly, "I’ll blind your filthy eyes!"

The foreman had been some distance away and had only seen a young couple. As he got closer, however, he realized they were dressed in magnificent clothes. The man was handsome and dashing, while the woman was a devastating beauty. He was suddenly alarmed. ’This pair is definitely not ordinary,’ he thought. In the distance, he could see two other people ahead of them who looked like attendants.

’Still, I’m used to throwing my weight around Penzes City,’ the foreman thought. ’My status might not be much better than a mud-caked peasant’s—how noble can you be, supervising a rice paddy on a day this hot? But I work for the Cui Family! They’re the noblest... and richest of the four great noble families in Penzes! The greatest noble here used to be the Lord City Lord, Count Li Houlin, with his Royal Family blood, but he’s gone now. And this newcomer, Viscount Lingxiao... ha, he’s just a Viscount! My own master is a Viscount, too! So, as far as I’m concerned, my master is the most powerful man in Penzes now. I don’t need to be afraid of anyone.’

’Besides, this little thing is just too gorgeous,’ he mused. He swore she was prettier than any top courtesan he’d ever had at the brothels. ’Even the way she curses has so much flavor!’

As these thoughts crossed his mind, he flashed a lecherous grin. "Well, well. Don’t tell me you two came all the way out here for a secret rendezvous? Heh heh. Little lady, take a look at the pretty boy next to you. He’s all show and no go. How could he compare to a man like me? I’m a Steward for the greatest noble family in this city, the Cui Family! Why don’t you come with me and..."

Before the foreman could finish, Ye Wen Ni sent him flying with a kick. He landed in the muddy water of the rice paddy with a huge splash, crushing a large patch of rice stalks. The few laborers nearby scrambled to get out of the way. They lifted their listless, wooden eyes to glance at Ling Xiao and Ye Wen Ni, then looked toward the foreman, a hint of vindictive pleasure on their faces.

"For someone like him, you could have just let Meng Li take care of it. There was no need for you to get your own hands dirty," Ling Xiao said with a light chuckle, taking Ye Wen Ni’s soft, warm hand.

Ye Wen Ni’s cheeks flushed. "He was the one spouting nonsense! That reckless fool! If this were back in the old days, I’d have made him suffer far more!"

Ling Xiao knew Ye Wen Ni had plenty of tricks up her sleeve, so he didn’t press the matter. They walked away together. Meng Li shot a cold glance toward the foreman, but Ling Xiao said calmly, "Don’t kill him. He’s just a bit player. It would only dirty your hands."

Meng Li lowered his head. "Understood."

The foreman had been kicked so hard by Ye Wen Ni that he’d almost blacked out. He lay groaning in the paddy for a good while before finally scrambling to his feet. He roared at the slaves standing there gawking, "Do you all fucking want to die? Get your asses back to work! Otherwise, none of you eat tonight!" Then, rubbing his chest, he muttered, "Damn, what a fiery little wench. That kick nearly killed your old man! If she were in bed..."

What the foreman didn’t expect was that upon returning to the Cui Family estate that evening, he was actually summoned by the Patriarch. His heart began to pound with anxiety. ’Could it be that the man and woman I harassed today have a powerful background?’ he wondered. ’Otherwise, a lowly field foreman like me would probably never be summoned by the Patriarch in his entire life.’

Filled with immense anxiety, this foreman, who acted so high and mighty in front of the miserable laborers, was now like a fawning dog. He bowed and scraped his way into Cui Ze’s room, not daring to lift his head as he obediently knelt.

"Greetings, my Lord."

"Get up. I have something to ask you." Cui Ze was about fifty years old, with a lean, wiry build. His triangular eyes gave him a cruel and severe appearance. He asked impassively, "Did you meet anyone in the fields today?"

Terrified, the foreman dropped to his knees again. "My Lord, spare me! Spare me!" he pleaded. "This lowly one only saw that the woman was beautiful and said a few inappropriate words! They kicked me half to death for it! My Lord, look..." As he spoke, he started to lift his shirt to show Cui Ze.

"Enough!" Cui Ze barked, frowning. ’What an idiot,’ he thought. ’No wonder he’s only fit to manage slaves. With a character like his, any one of them is probably more competent!’ Though disgusted, he said aloud, "I’m asking you, what did the man look like?"

"Er... well... This lowly one was only looking at the woman. I didn’t get a clear look at what the man looked like." The foreman kept his head down, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw the anger on his master’s face and hurriedly added, "But he was young, not yet twenty! And he must have been very handsome—he had the look of a young master from a great family..."

"That’s enough. Get out of my sight, you idiot!" Cui Ze spat. "How dare you harass just anyone you see! You’re lucky you’re still alive. Why didn’t that God of Slaughter just cut you down where you stood!" Cui Ze’s vicious words sent the foreman scrambling away, practically wetting himself in terror.

「Two hours later」

In a secret chamber within the Cui Family estate, four men were seated. They were the patriarchs of the four great noble families of Penzes City. Besides Cui Ze, there was Baron Huang Qiang, Patriarch of the Huang Family. He had a large, fat head and was estimated to weigh well over three hundred pounds. Sitting there, he resembled a heap of flesh. It was hard to imagine that such a man actually possessed the strength of a Tier Three Sword Master. One had to wonder if he could even defeat a Sword Attendant in a fight.