nucmednet Chapter 238 Persuading Li Shiqi 5
Chapter 238 Persuading Li Shiqi 5
Hearing the magistrate's furious rebuke, Li Shiqi frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Magistrate, please calm down. I truly did not intend to implicate you, but this matter goes against my own wishes, so I really cannot obey." However, the magistrate was not listening to these words and was about to lash out again when Tian Guang reached out and stopped him.
Tian Guang calmly said, "Since Mr. Li Shiqi is unwilling, then let's drop this matter." After saying that, he turned around without hesitation and strode away, his steps crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
As Li Shiqi watched their departing figures, a sense of loss welled up in his heart. He had thought these people would try every means to force him to submit, but he hadn't expected them to give up so easily. Especially when he saw the county magistrate following closely behind Tian Guang, jogging all the way, a faint sense of guilt swept over him.
At this moment, all around was silent, and no one paid any attention to Li Shiqi. Helpless, he could only silently turn around, leave the county office, and slowly walk towards Gaoyangli.
Meanwhile, the county magistrate, panting as he followed Tian Guang, secretly thought that Li Shiqi was indeed difficult to persuade. But to his utter surprise, this man dared to defy him in public, which made him tremble with anger and unable to utter a word for a long time.
At this moment, the magistrate's greatest worry was that Tian Guang would return to Xianyang and report the matter to his superiors. If that happened, not only would Li Shiqi be in trouble, but even he, a mere magistrate, would likely face punishment. Thinking of this, the magistrate felt as if he had thorns in his back, filled with fear and unease.
"It seems we need to find a way to get Qianqian to Tian Guang's side as soon as possible! As long as we can establish this relationship with him, then no matter what Li Shiqi does afterward, at least I can rest easy." Thinking of this, the magistrate sighed heavily, his face full of worry.
On the way, the magistrate could no longer suppress his curiosity and worry. After hesitating for a long time, he finally asked, "Sir, are you really not going to persuade Mr. Li Shiqi to change his mind?"
Tian Guang frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed and replied firmly, "No, there's no point in saying more."
Upon hearing this, the magistrate grew anxious and hurriedly asked, "Then... what are your plans next, Your Excellency?"
Tian Guang turned his head, staring intently at the magistrate, and said slowly, "I have already made plans for this matter, so the magistrate need not worry. In any case, I will not let this matter involve the magistrate."
Hearing Tian Guang's assurance, the magistrate finally felt a little relieved. He breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "Then I'll trouble you, sir. But what are your thoughts on my daughter's matter?"
After a moment's thought, Tian Guang replied, "I will be returning to Xianyang soon. As for Miss Chen, I will definitely discuss it with my parents after I get back. If it is feasible, I will send someone to inform you, Magistrate, of the result."
After hearing what Tian Guang said, the magistrate understood that the other party's words were not just empty talk, and he felt somewhat relieved. He nodded gratefully and replied, "That's good, that's good!" Then, the two parted ways.
Night fell, and all was quiet. At Tian Guang's command, the group of men and horses galloped off like arrows released from a bow. The sound of hooves echoed through the night, shattering the surrounding tranquility. They raced along the winding country roads, heading straight for Gaoyangli. The night sky was overcast, with only the faint moonlight struggling to pierce through layers of mist, barely illuminating the bumpy road ahead.
Upon reaching the village entrance, Tian Guang and the others carefully tied their horses to the tall azalea tree there. They moved with utmost deliberation, as if afraid of disturbing the sleeping village. Like ghosts, they moved silently towards Li Shiqi's house.
After spending the entire afternoon inquiring, they had already learned everything about Li Shiqi's address and family members. Not long after, the group arrived at Li Shiqi's house without incident. The low wall seemed like nothing to them; the group moved nimbly and easily leaped over it.
Upon reaching the door, one of the men took out a small, exquisite bamboo tube from his robes and slowly blew a puff of sleeping powder through the crack in the door. The powder drifted into the room like a wisp of smoke, quietly waiting for the person inside to inhale it. After a moment, once the scent of the powder had been almost completely absorbed, the other man, wielding a sharp dagger, skillfully pried open the bolt on the door. With a soft "click," the bolt opened.
The group filed in and quickly slipped into the various rooms. The people inside were sound asleep, completely unaware of the impending danger. Tian Guang and his men swiftly bound the sleeping people with ropes and effortlessly carried them onto the carriages parked outside.
Tian Guang was a "kind-hearted person." Before leaving, he carefully searched the house again, stuffing everything he thought he could take and that might be useful into the carriage. And so, the carriages, laden with people and valuables, hurriedly left the quiet little village, their wheels rolling, raising a cloud of dust, and speeding away into the distance.
After arranging for the people to escort the carriage, Tian Guang returned alone to the backyard of the county government office. He returned to his room in a cheerful mood, lay down to sleep, and quickly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window and fell on Tian Guang's face, waking him from his sleep. After washing up, Tian Guang tidied his clothes and went to visit the county magistrate. The magistrate warmly welcomed him and invited him to enjoy a sumptuous lunch. During the meal, the two chatted amiably.
Tian Guang looked at the county magistrate with a smile and said softly, "To be honest, I will be setting off back to Xianyang this afternoon."
Upon hearing this, the magistrate couldn't help but show a hint of regret on his face, and slowly said, "Oh dear, Your Excellency, I had hoped to stay a few more days, but it is truly a pity that you have to leave in such a hurry!"
Tian Guang sighed and said, "Alas, this trip has been fraught with difficulties, and I have failed to achieve my goals. I can only return to Xianyang and ask the princess for her decision."
The magistrate quickly comforted him, saying, "It's alright, it's alright. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Please don't be troubled by this, sir. I believe the princess will understand." Then, the two exchanged pleasantries for a while.
After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, Tian Guang realized it was getting late, so he stood up, cupped his hands in farewell to the magistrate, and said, "I am deeply grateful for your hospitality, Magistrate. Now that it is time, I dare not delay any longer and will take my leave. I hope you will take good care of yourself, Magistrate."
The magistrate also stood up and returned the greeting, saying, "Have a safe journey, sir. If you have time, please come to my county again for a visit." After saying this, Tian Guang turned and hurriedly left the county office, rushing back to his residence.
Upon returning to their lodgings, Tian Guang immediately packed his belongings and summoned several attendants. Once everything was ready, they set off on their journey home. They rode at breakneck speed, hoping to catch up with the carriages that had departed the previous night before nightfall.
Meanwhile, inside a speeding carriage, Li Shiqi awoke to horror to find himself and his entire family bound hand and foot. He was about to cry for help when Tian Guang and his men, already on alert, noticed him. Tian Guang lunged forward and delivered a powerful punch to Li Shiqi's neck. Li Shiqi felt a wave of dizziness and immediately lost consciousness again.
Thus, whenever Li Shiqi regained consciousness and tried to struggle and shout, he was mercilessly beaten by Tian Guang and his men until he fainted again. Tian Guang harbored utter disgust for Li Shiqi; in his eyes, this stubborn old man was like a stubborn rock in a latrine, foul and unbearable. Since the other party was so arrogant and rude, he might as well let him suffer and taste the bitterness of torment.