After Transmigrating, I Was Kidnapped By A Scheming Beauty Into The Bridal Chamber - Chapter 12

“You’re the new one? What was Old Man Fan thinking? Sending us some scrawny weakling? Is he playing with our lives?” A burly yamen guard, radiating authority, demanded. This was Li Baokui, the County Magistrate’s favorite concubine’s brother and the current boss of the yamen. In this place, the Magistrate was the true boss, but Li Baokui was second in command.

“I’m sorry for being so frail,” Shen Hetang replied respectfully, completely unfazed by his harsh words. “The Magistrate’s Advisor probably couldn’t find anyone else and just used me as a placeholder. Please bear with me, Senior Brother.”

Li Baokui had intended to give the newcomer a rough welcome, but Shen Hetang immediately adopted a submissive posture, like soft dough. Yet for some reason, it felt like punching cotton.

“I heard you know some martial arts?” the slightly plump man asked.

“Just some fancy moves,” she replied calmly, thinking that keeping a low profile and playing along might be the best way to fit in.

“Then how about a little spar?” Li Baokui asked, his eyes narrowed.

“Hey, Chief Li, you’re picking on the new guy,” someone nearby chimed in, trying to smooth things over. “This young man’s skin is so delicate; he’s even more refined than a girl. He can’t possibly withstand your punches.”

But those words really affected Shen Hetang. She was still hiding her true gender, convinced it was crucial, though she couldn’t quite articulate why.

“Since you want to spar, I’ll gladly oblige,” she said, her gaze hardening. She gestured with her hand, inviting him to make the first move.

Li Baokui’s eyes lit up at her words. He might not dare challenge a tiger directly, but he couldn’t tolerate anyone trying to step over him, even temporarily. This challenge to his authority, especially from such a weakling, was intolerable.

After two feints, Shen Hetang still didn’t strike. Finally, Li Baokui couldn’t resist and threw a punch at her chest. The onlookers murmured that this was going to end badly. A blow from a two-hundred-pound brute like Li Baokui would leave this frail-looking scholar bruised for weeks.

Shen Hetang stood as straight as a sapling, her breathing steady and calm. She reminded herself to avoid using the original owner’s strength. Though she didn’t know how skilled the original owner had been, she was certain it far surpassed her own. In a contest like this, restraint was key. She might have been worried if the whole group attacked her at once, but she could handle two or three opponents.

Surprisingly, she sensed the fist’s wind with her ears before her eyes registered the movement. How incredibly sensitive, she thought, easily dodging the incoming blow with a light step back. Li Baokui’s anger flared when his punch missed, and he swung another strike at Shen Hetang’s head. She continued to evade without retaliating.

“When we go outside the city tomorrow, are you going to play hide-and-seek with tigers like this?” The Magistrate’s Brother-in-Law, his fists swinging wildly, grew increasingly frustrated.

Shen Hetang countered that her stamina was excellent. She had already circled the big man several times without breaking a sweat, her face calm and her breathing steady.

Seeing his mounting fury, and fearing he might suffer some ill effects from his rage, Shen Hetang finally reached out and caught his fist mid-swing. Li Baokui, thinking she was finally retaliating, was stunned to find his fist trapped in her grip, his entire arm frozen in place. His eyes widened in shock as he struggled to break free, but neither his fist nor his arm would budge from her grasp.

Just as he was fretting about losing face, Shen Hetang grabbed his fist and yanked him forward, sending him sprawling onto the ground with a thud. She casually rose, dusted herself off, and said, “Brother Li’s skills are truly impressive. I’m no match for you.”

“Hmph, good that you know your place,” Li Baokui replied, glancing around to gauge the reactions of the onlookers. Their brief exchange had been more of a demonstration than a serious fight, and most people probably hadn’t noticed the final move. Still, he felt a bit awkward after his somewhat forced display of dominance. This newcomer had some skill; she’d pinned his arm without exerting much visible effort, yet he’d felt as if his limb were nailed in place.

“You’ll lead the charge in tomorrow’s tiger hunt,” Li Baokui ordered, still slightly resentful. “After all, this job came about because of this very matter. Do I make myself clear?” The constables, all with families to support, were reluctant to risk their lives. Yet the tiger hunt would ultimately fall to them, and there was no avoiding it.

“We’ll need to rely on you, brothers, for support,” Shen Hetang replied. “The White Tiger isn’t some house cat. Only by working together can we hope to subdue it.” Hmph, they think they can get me to risk my life for a mere job? Not a chance. I’ll never risk my life again.

The next day, a well-equipped team set out for the mountains outside the city. Each member wore studded leather armor and carried swords. Shen Hetang patted her own heavy, riveted leather vest, feeling it would hinder her escape. It was so heavy she feared she wouldn’t be able to outrun a tiger if chased.

The mountains outside the city were dense and rugged. The fifteen-member team ambushed the area near the city gates for two days without spotting a single tiger. They had no choice but to venture deeper into the mountains. That afternoon, the already gloomy forest grew even darker as storm clouds gathered and a fierce wind rose.

“Chief Li, why’s it getting so dark? Looks like rain,” Constable Wang Quan said, his teeth chattering slightly as he looked up.

“So what if it rains? We’ve been guarding this place for days. Even if it’s pouring knives, we keep going. If I go back now, I’ll never dare come out here again,” Feng Wu, a lean constable in his thirties and a seasoned veteran of the Yamen, chimed in. He knew they had to catch the tiger now.

“Let’s check the western slopes again,” Li Jinkui ordered mechanically. He was starting to feel the effects of sleeping outdoors for days.

Seeing the yamen runners’ listless state, Shen Hetang finally understood why the County Magistrate was looking for a leader. It wasn’t just laziness; they seemed utterly devoid of energy and spirit. They’d collapse from exhaustion after a few days of mountain climbing, even without a tiger to contend with. This was the consequence of nepotism. No matter how capable the subordinates were, the credit and rewards would never be theirs. Over time, everyone just did what they had to do.

For some reason, the sight of these demoralized soldiers stirred a strange mix of contempt and anger in Shen Hetang’s chest. Why am I so angry? she wondered. Though she had grown up with her elderly grandparents and later earned full tuition and living expenses through sheer grit and relentless training, she wasn’t the type to blindly resent everything like an angry youth. Her resilience was tempered with pragmatism.

Suddenly, she recalled the figure from her dream, standing steadfast amidst swirling sandstorms like an ancient pine rooted deep in the earth. No gale could shake him; his crimson robes, golden armor, and raven hair billowed in the wind, while the eyes behind his mask radiated an icy, piercing light. Ah, no use dwelling on it now. I’ll figure it out eventually. For now, I need to focus on the tiger.

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