Ink Burns

Chapter 181 I Have No Choice
The corner cage on the first floor was now wide open for duels. Iron Hammer Lee's fists clashed, and with two loud "bangs," he pushed aside the naked fighter.

The war drums sounded, their rapid beats stirring up fighting spirit and making one's blood boil.

The cage opened and closed, and both fighters entered the ring. To the beat of the drums, the fighters threw heavy punches!
"boom!"

With a quick movement, Iron Hammer Li charged forward and swung his hammer at his opponent's face!
"boom!"

The private room on the second floor was also smashed open!

Chang Yusu immediately noticed the two teacups on the table!
"Uncle Chang—please speak calmly, let's talk this out—"

The servant boy caught up with them.

Chang Yusu shook off the servant who was trying to stop him.

The servant's head hit the sharp corner of the side table, and in an instant, blood flowed down from his head, the warm, damp blood instantly filling his eyes.

"Ah—" The servant screamed in terror as he saw blood everywhere!

The screams were instantly drowned out by the deafening drumbeats and the tidal wave of cheers from the onlookers!
Xue Chen was startled by the broken door. Turning around and seeing Chang Yusu, her initial shock subsided, replaced by panic. She immediately peered outside, but not seeing Wei Ruchun, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief and casually asked, "You're here too?" Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she added, "Oh, you never miss Iron Hammer Li's life-or-death game—"

Xue Chen smiled, a harmless grin spreading across her fair and delicate face. She teased casually, "How much silver did you spend today? Two hundred taels? Three hundred taels? The Marquis keeps a close eye on you; it's definitely Madam Zhou who secretly slipped you some money again."

Before the last word "play" could be uttered, Chang Yusu's round fist slammed into Xue Chen's nose!
"Kacha!"

That's the sound of a broken nose!
Xue Chen was forcefully thrown to the ground!
Two spicy, warm currents slowly flowed from his nose, and a familiar, dull, dizzying feeling rushed to the top of his head. Xue Chen opened his eyes and saw only white light. He raised his hand shakily as if looking for a lifeline: "You—what are you doing! Why did you hit me!"

"Who is that woman?" Chang Yusu crossed her arm and elbow, grabbing Xue Chen's neck and pressing the back of his head tightly against the wall!
Chang Yusu gritted his teeth: "Who is that woman! Answer me!"

The Chang family originated from a military household, with generations of soldiers who rose to prominence by going to the battlefield without fear of death or injury. As a result, the Chang family members all have similar broad and tall physiques and the strength to lift heavy objects!

Chang Yusu was half a head taller than Xue Chen, and the muscles in his arms were fully bulging, making it difficult for Xue Chen to breathe. His lips and eyelids turned blue instantly!
"You, you, you put me down first—elder brother—elder brother—you put me down first—" Xue Chen said with difficulty, wrapping his hands around Chang Yusu's elbows and pushing him outwards as if his life depended on it!
"Big Brother" is the name Xue Chen has called him since he was a child.

Zhu came from a humble background, and whenever he was bullied at the Imperial Academy, it was Chang Yusu who rushed to his aid. It was also Chang Yusu who introduced him to the elite families of the capital, such as Princess Suiyuan and the Cui family.
Chang Yusu loosened her grip by a third.

Xue Chen's nose was still bleeding, and his face was covered in blood. He looked at Chang Yusu cautiously, his voice trembling with tears, "Brother, listen to me. It's all just gossip from others. I've known Yu Niang since we were little. Even for the sake of Madam Zhou and you, I can't do anything reckless or get into trouble! No woman! Where are there any women? Brother—brother! You know me. I don't even have any maids in my room. I rely on the nanny who serves my mother!"

Xue Chen spoke sincerely, her voice choked with emotion and tinged with fear.

Chang Yusu lowered his head. He had a slightly wide jaw, with a short beard covering half of his face. His nose was high and straight, but his nostrils were slightly wide. His nostrils flared rapidly, but his emotions were noticeably calmer than before.

Chang Yusu lowered her eyes and saw a bright red lip print clearly imprinted on the rim of a teacup on the table!
A surge of overwhelming anger at being betrayed and deceived instantly welled up in Chang Yusu's chest!

"Dong dong dong—" The drumbeats on the first floor started again!
This time, the battle was clearly intense, and the drumbeats became increasingly rapid!

Hammer Lee became entangled with his opponent, and after two rounds of hand-to-hand combat, he finally turned the tables and took control of the situation, straddling his opponent with his legs spread apart and raising his fist high!

Chang Yusu suddenly looked up, his eyes turning blood red. He clenched his teeth, grabbed Xue Chen with one hand, and then spread his large hand to completely cover Xue Chen's forehead. He grabbed Xue Chen's hair and slammed his head against the wall again and again!
"one time!"

"Two!" "Three!"

The onlookers on the first floor were enthusiastically helping Iron Hammer Li count the punches he landed on his opponent!

Following the voices of the onlookers, Chang Yusu, his eyes bloodshot, also began to smash Xue Chen's head repeatedly!
“There’s still that woman’s lipstick mark on your teacup! I heard that woman say with my own ears that she was pregnant with your child! She was just waiting for Yu Niang to marry into the family so that you could all gang up on her and send her to Hanshan Temple! Why did you lie to me! Why did you treat Yu Niang like this!” Chang Yusu shouted, his voice rising from his chest, each shout louder than the last.

Xue Chen's head was held in one hand by Chang Yusu, his arms outstretched, wildly tugging at his head uncontrollably. His ears were buzzing, as if a million bees were swarming into his ear canals. A series of "bang bang bang" sounds echoed in his mind—as if something had snapped. In an instant, the scalding blood flowed without restraint or control, rushing aimlessly through his mind like a flood!

Xue Chen's eyes suddenly seemed to be covered by a misty white veil!
He is almost blind!
Xue Chen opened his mouth, straining to open his throat, but no sound came out!

Xue Chen struggled at first, but gradually his hands lost strength and slid down little by little. His eyes were open, but he unconsciously let Chang Yusu hold his head and hit it against the wall like an egg hitting a stove!
"He's going to die! He's going to die!" The servant cried, clutching his head, blood gushing onto the ground. "Young Master Xue is about to die! Please stop! Please stop!"

"Dong dong dong! Dong dong dong!"

The outcome of the battle in the corner cage on the first floor has been decided!
Iron Hammer Li stood up arrogantly and patted his bare chest like an animal in the jungle!
Chang Yusu released his grip, and Xue Chen fell backward onto the second-floor floor with a "thud," like tofu covered in dust. His eyes were open, and blood slowly flowed from his eyes, ears, nostrils, and the corners of his mouth.

Suddenly, a flurry of hurried and chaotic noise erupted on the first floor!
"The Prefect of the Capital has received a tip-off that a murder has occurred at the Hexagonal Pavilion! Everyone, face the wall and do not make another sound!"

Warnings were loudly proclaimed downstairs.

Before long, short, hurried footsteps could be heard coming from the deep, narrow stairwell.

"Young Master Chang—" An incredulous voice came from outside the Chunfen private room: "Second Young Master Xue!?"

Chang Yusu's eyes were bloodshot. He stood halfway to the side, turned his head, and his eyes were full of lingering killing intent. He raised the corner of his lips and sneered. He put his hands behind his back with great familiarity: "The Hexagonal Pavilion dares to report my Master Chang's case!"

Chang Yusu stood familiarly beside Yin Wei, the Prefect of Jingzhao, dressed in dark blue robes, and glared at Xue Chen and the servant slumped on the ground: "When I get out, I'll take your dog lives!"

Chang Yusu lifted his foot and walked away without a word.

The servant rushed to Xue Chen's side, crying out, "Help! Quickly call a doctor to save Young Master Xue! Help!"

Xue Chen was helped up by the servant. His vision was filled with a white mist, as if his consciousness and clarity were gradually fading away. Suddenly, he seemed to see a young girl wearing a black veil hat hidden in a corner of the white mist.

"Please...use acupuncture to save me!" Xue Chen desperately reached out her hand, her lips trembling and her voice weak.

The young girl wearing a veil slowly lifted her black veil, revealing round, large eyes and two shallow, vibrant dimples, her gaze clear and innocent.

She moved her lips.

She is speaking.

"I, I, I have no choice either—"

She smiled innocently, timidly, and conflictedly, and said this.

During that wildfire, Xue Chen could have saved Qiu Erniang, but he said, "I, I, I have no way."