Abandoning literature for martial arts, starting by unleashing the beauty's bow.

Lu Fengnian's voice was very soft, but when it reached Granny Liu's ears, it was like a thunderclap, shaking her to her core.

She finally couldn't hold on any longer and kowtowed repeatedly to Lu Fengnian, saying, "I really didn't mean it. Wang the Cripple is the most domineering. If your sister wants to go back on her word, how dare I talk to him?"

Lu Fengnian narrowed his eyes slightly. "If you don't dare to speak up, why did you still accept money from my family?"

Granny Liu stammered, "I never expected things to turn out this way..."

Lu Fengnian snorted coldly, "Do you think I would swallow my anger and let Wang the Cripple do whatever he wants after my sister was kidnapped?"

Granny Liu shook her head repeatedly, "No, I didn't think that..."

Lu Fengnian waved his hand, "How much money have you taken from our family in total?"

After a moment's thought, Granny Liu replied, "Three hundred coins in total."

At this point, she added, "I've been thinking these past few days about when I should pay this money back."

Lu Fengnian's lips curled slightly. "Hearing you say that, it seems your heart isn't completely black yet."

Granny Liu quickly looked at the honest-looking middle-aged man and scolded him angrily, "You stupid thing, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and get the money."

"Go and fetch three hundred copper coins right away."

The middle-aged man nodded repeatedly and was about to return to his room.

"Wait a minute."

Lu Fengnian spoke softly: "You played a significant role in getting things to this point."

"At this point, can three hundred coins solve the problem?"

Granny Liu's face changed drastically, and she hurriedly said, "I am willing to pay double the compensation, I am willing to pay six hundred coins."

Lu Fengnian looked down at him, "Three taels of silver, not a penny less."

Granny Liu turned pale and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Three taels of silver is too much. Even if I sell everything I own, I still can't come up with that much silver."

Please, have mercy on me and let me go.

I promise, I will never do it again…

Lu Fengnian raised his hand to interrupt her, "In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, I don't care what method you use, quickly gather three taels of silver for me."

For every incense stick's time that is wasted, I will cut off one of your fingers.

"If I can't collect all ten fingers after cutting them off, I'll cut off your head."

He said these words with a blank expression and his voice devoid of any emotion.

Hearing this, Granny Liu and her husband felt a chill run down their spines.

Granny Liu continued to kowtow and beg for mercy, but Lu Fengnian turned his gaze to Cao Meng and said, "You take the time."

Cao Meng chuckled, staring coldly at Granny Liu.

Granny Liu trembled and hurriedly looked at the honest-looking middle-aged man, "You simpleton, hurry up and get the money!"

The middle-aged man said "Oh" and hurriedly ran towards the house.

A moment later, he ran back, carrying a pile of copper coins and silver scraps in his arms, sweating profusely, and said:

"I searched the entire house, and there was only a little over two ounces and seven mace, not even three ounces!"

Granny Liu looked at Lu Fengnian and pleaded, "We only have this much silver at home, and we've already given it all away."

Please, have mercy on me.

I know I was wrong…

However, Lu Fengnian didn't even glance at her, his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky.

Granny Liu quickly looked at her husband, "Hurry up, we don't have enough money, let's borrow from someone else!"

The middle-aged man said "Oh" and hurriedly ran out of the yard.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn has passed.

Granny Liu's face was ashen, and she kept saying, "Soon, he'll be back soon, and he'll definitely have gathered the money."

"Wait a little longer, my man will get the money soon."

…………

However, neither Lu Fengnian, Cao Meng, nor Cao Meng's two subordinates paid any attention to her.

Just as the second incense stick's time was up, two soldiers shoved Granny Liu to the ground.

Cao Meng strode forward, quickly drew his military knife from his waist, and cut off Granny Liu's left little finger.

Granny Liu cried out in pain, wailing and screaming incessantly.

Lu Fengnian's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "Stop the bleeding, and after another incense stick's time, cut off her right little finger."

Upon hearing such chilling words, Granny Liu nearly fainted.

Fortunately, not long after, the kind-looking middle-aged man returned. When he saw Granny Liu's bloodied left hand, his expression changed drastically. He quickly went to Lu Fengnian and handed him a handful of broken silver and copper coins.

Lu Fengnian glanced at the middle-aged man, his cold and sharp gaze making the man tremble with fear.

Then he turned his gaze to Cao Meng, "Take the money and let's go."

After saying that, he quickly turned around and strode out of the courtyard.

…………

"Master, here's the silver."

Cao Meng moved closer to Lu Fengnian and handed him the loose silver and copper coins.

Lu Fengnian waved his hand, "You've followed me all the way and done a lot for me. Thank you for your hard work."

"Keep this money, use it to buy drinks for you and your brothers."

Cao Meng was taken aback at first, then shook his head repeatedly, "How could I accept my master's money? It's only right that I do things for my master."

Lu Fengnian shook his head, "If it were just you alone, I naturally wouldn't be polite to you."

But you're a division chief, leading a group of people. If you can't bring them tangible benefits, they definitely won't genuinely follow you.

Cao Meng hesitated for a moment, then chuckled, "Thank you, Master."

After saying that, he happily put the silver away.

Lu Fengnian asked in a low voice, "How much is your monthly salary?"

Cao Meng replied, "Three qian of silver. My soldiers are paid one qian of silver a month."

Lu Fengnian nodded. "That's not a small amount."

Cao Meng shook his head repeatedly, "Is that not enough? In this world, wars are going on year after year, and bandits are rampant."

We soldiers could be transferred to the front lines at any time, or sent to suppress bandits in various places.

They're risking their lives; they're drinking today, and they might be dead tomorrow.

"They only get one tael of silver a month. If they couldn't find a better way to make a living, who would want to be a common soldier?"

Lu Fengnian hummed in agreement, "Now that you mention it, the monthly allowance is indeed not much."

However, I've heard that officials and soldiers, whether from the county or the prefecture, are quite adept at extorting money and bribes from the people. If you take all that into account, their monthly pay is definitely more than this.

Cao Meng nodded. "If you include these, it will definitely be a lot."

For example, Liu Laosan, whom you killed at the Liuzhou camp, had many ways of extorting money from the people. He could easily make at least ten taels of silver a month, living a life of extravagance and debauchery.

Lu Fengnian asked, "Why don't you act like them?"

Cao Meng shook his head. "Before I joined the army, my mother told me that joining the army was to defend the country, protect our homeland, and safeguard the people."

All these years, I've always remembered my mother's words: How could I possibly bully ordinary people?

Lu Fengnian asked, "You have a good mother, is she still in good health?"

Cao Meng's expression darkened. "She passed away five years ago. She wasn't my biological mother. She adopted me when I was six years old and we were fleeing famine..."