Rebirth: So what if my husband is a little crazy? He loves me.

Chapter 223 The Calm Hostage

While he was still excited, Shen Li handed him another hundred taels: "That's all. I promise she won't scream. Can you take the cloth off her mouth?"

The burly man's eyes widened even more as he looked at the two hundred taels of silver. After this job, he could leave the gang, buy a house, land, and get married.

With that kind of money, who would still do a dangerous, high-risk business?

"Do whatever you want," he waved his hand.

Shen Li then removed the cloth from Yu Die's mouth, opened the food box, took out two pieces of rice cake, and fed one to Yu Die herself.

"Miss, I don't want to eat." Yu Die was both amused and exasperated; how could she possibly eat it?

"Oh." Shen Li then took it back and started eating. While eating, she asked, "Brother, where are we going?"

“Going to the mountains… ugh… you talk too much, girl.” The burly man replied before realizing he shouldn’t say it, so he put on a stern face again.

"Don't be nervous, I can't run away." Shen Li even tried to reassure the robber.

The burly man was puzzled and asked, "Who exactly are you?"

Yu Die thought to herself, "This is my chance. These people really don't know who my young lady is. I must scare him."

"Don't you recognize me, hero? Do you know which family in town is rich, or which family has a stranger visiting?" Shen Li retorted, not giving Yu Die a chance to speak.

"Oh, I heard that Master Wang brought back a young girl from out of town to be his thirteenth concubine. Is that you?" The burly man looked her up and down and said, "You are indeed beautiful."

If Yu Die hadn't received a look from her young mistress, she wouldn't have been able to help but ask, "Who is the concubine?"

Shen Li neither admitted nor denied it. She didn't know if the other party was bluffing her. She only said, "I'm new to this town and haven't made any enemies. I think the other party is just after money, so there's nothing to be afraid of."

The robber, convinced he had guessed correctly, immediately said, "Master Wang may be rich, but others may not necessarily be after money."

Shen Li realized that this person was more likely not bluffing her, but genuinely didn't know who she was.

However, it makes sense. These people are just bad, not reckless. Who would dare to kidnap an official, especially since this official's family is full of officials, each one more powerful than the last?

Shen Li did indeed love this rice cake. After eating some and drinking some water, she also ate a serving of fried glutinous rice balls. Only then did she feel that her stomach was full, so she wouldn't be very hungry even if she stayed up until evening.

Watching Shen Li slowly and carefully eat so much food, the robber couldn't help but say, "It's only families like Master Wang's that can afford to support you; most families really can't."

"You flatter me." Shen Li wiped her mouth and hands with a handkerchief, then clenched her fists and held out both hands to the robber: "Tie him up."

"Hey, you've put me in charge here." It was the first time the hostage-taker had been controlled by a hostage, and the worst part was that he had to do as he was told. He found it quite novel.

“You’re too good for being a concubine. I think you’d be perfect as an official’s wife,” he said as he tied her up.

Shen Li then asked, "Then why not become an official?"

"What are you thinking about? Becoming an official? Are there any female officials in this world? Hey, it seems there really is one." The robber thought for a moment and then said, "Yes, I remember there is a female official who is said to be in the palace up there."

"But I've also heard that she's the daughter of the Grand Secretary and the wife of Lord Yama. Of course, she can become an official whenever she wants. How can you compare to her?"

"..." Rain Butterfly.

This guy must be an idiot; he tied himself up without anyone knowing and then dared to do it.

"If I were to pay you to kidnap that female official, how much would it cost?" Shen Li asked.

"Do you think I'm stupid, girl? I already told you that she's the Lady of Hell. Do you think I'd risk my life to provoke her?" the robber said irritably.

Yu Die looked at him: You're just tired of living.

When the carriage arrived at its destination, the robbers took out two black cloths and blindfolded Shen Li. Then they led her along a mountain path for a full quarter of an hour before giving her a push, and she almost fell.

"Miss, Mr. Zhou, the person has been brought here. My brothers and I are guarding outside," the robber said.

Yu Die's mind raced. Why were there women here? And who was Mr. Zhou?

Moreover, she smelled an unpleasant odor; there was no wind, so it was clearly inside a cave.

"Hmm," a man's voice responded.

After the robbers left, the man lowered his voice and said, "I'll leave this place to you, young lady. Just give me your order and I'll take care of the people outside. I promise I won't leave any trace."

"Okay," a female voice replied.

Yu Die was very familiar with this, and immediately wanted to speak, but her mouth was covered, and she could only make 'woo woo' sounds.

That ungrateful wretch! She dared to lay a hand on the young lady; she's utterly vicious.

"Girl, you'd better hurry, she'll be found if she stays missing too long," the man warned again.

"Don't worry, how long can her little body withstand this?" the woman chuckled.

Yu Die could hear the sound getting closer and closer. Soon, her eyes lit up as she saw the masked woman in front of her and a blue-clad figure with a headscarf covering his head, revealing only his eyes, at the exit in the distance.

It seems that the man in blue must be Mr. Zhou, the robber. But who exactly is he, and why would he help Liu Yue?

However, what terrified Yu Die was that in a corner of the opposite cave, five or six ragged beggars were squatting, their eyes filled with lewdness as they looked at the two of them.

The narrow entrance to the cave was blocked by large rocks, and the only light in the cave was provided by a few candles on the cave walls.

"Shen Li, I never thought you'd end up like this, did I?" Liu Yue removed the blindfold from Shen Li's eyes and also took off her own mask, revealing her face.

Shen Li looked around and found that there was no one else in the cave except for the three of them and the beggar.

"What day will I have?" Shen Li asked curiously, "You dare to tie me up? Don't you want to live?"

"Shen Li, you're already in my hands, so don't put on airs in front of me." Liu Yue was angry when she saw her like this:

"Now it is you who is going to die, and in the most humiliating way. Soon the death of you, the most talented woman in the world, will become the talk of the world."

"What did I do to you?" Shen Li asked.

“If it weren’t for you, my cousin would definitely have married me. But because of you, I can’t even be a concubine. Shouldn’t you die?” Liu Yue became more and more agitated as she spoke, her expression becoming somewhat distorted.

"This doesn't sound like it's my fault." Compared to her hysteria, Shen Li's expression remained calm.

"You're stalling for time..." Liu Yue suddenly sneered, "Shen Li, you're being too clever for your own good. I'm not going to give you any time."

"What are you all waiting for? Don't you want to taste the flavor of the most beautiful woman in the world?" Liu Yue looked at the beggars who came out from the corner.

Yu Die knew where the smell was coming from. These people weren't faking it; they really were the dirtiest beggars on the street, some even with sores on their bodies.