The Daily Face-Slapping of the Junior Tutor - Chapter 8

Gu Jintang’s eyes widened in terror as she realized the boat was moving. Weren’t they supposed to inspect all the vessels? What’s going on with this one?

“That boat’s getting away! Quick, intercept them!”

“Notify the downstream checkpoints to intercept…”

Chaos erupted on the shore. Gu Jintang’s heart sank as she finally understood: the small boat was escaping right under their noses. Fuck! Why are they running?

Do they know I’m hiding here? That didn’t make sense. If they did, they would have thrown her overboard long ago.

Could it be they’re carrying some kind of contraband? Something they’re afraid of having confiscated?

Gu Jintang cautiously peeked out at the wooden crates filling the cabin. A restless curiosity stirred within her. She carefully crawled out of her hiding place and crept over to the nearest crate.

She touched it and discovered it was locked. What a pity. Her curiosity vanished, replaced by a desperate concern for her own survival.

Suddenly, a gruff voice boomed, “Damn it! Grand Tutor Lu really has too much time on her hands. She claimed she was just sightseeing in Yunzhou, but it turns out she was planning a surprise attack! Lucky we got away when we did, or wehad be caught by now!”

Gu Jintang froze, then scrambled back into the crate, curling up into a ball and holding her breath as she listened to the voices outside.

Why does that voice sound so familiar? she wondered.

“Exactly! That Lu Nan is a real piece of work. She posted a reward and withdrew it almost immediately. Looking for people? She’s just using it as a pretext to conduct inspections!”

“Hmph, I told you so! Good thing this is the last shipment.”

“After this job, we’re washing our hands of this business for good! Time to go home and enjoy the good life.”

Gu Jintang finally remembered the scene from a few days ago when she had been cornered in an alley by a group of female thugs. Damn my luck! she thought. Big sisters, did I wrong you in a past life?

And what exactly is this cargo?

Could it be… smuggled salt and iron? In ancient times, that’s a capital offense!

Sure enough, she caught a faint salty scent in the damp air—it must be salt.

Oh heavens, why did I have to stumble onto a smuggling ship? If we’re caught, will they execute me as an accomplice?

At that moment, several women entered the cabin, their faces lighting up with satisfaction as they surveyed the ship’s hold filled with crates. “After all these years, it’s finally over,” one of them said.

“Ugh, it’s all thanks to those damn Imperial court officials,” another woman spat. “Every last one of them is corrupt, greedy, and crooked. How can their official salt compare to ours? And they still sell it at such exorbitant prices! We’re honest merchants!”

“Exactly! Those government leeches are all the same—nothing but parasites. They monopolize the salt trade because it’s so profitable, and the salt they sell is barely edible…”

The women settled down on the floor of the rear cabin, chatting and complaining about the government while daydreaming about their bright futures.

“Those young men from the neighboring village used to look down on me,” one woman declared. “But when I return with money, I’ll marry one of them just to rub it in their faces!”

“What if he’s already serving a wife-master? Why bother?”

“I’ll have money! He’s just a man, right? I’ll buy him!”

******

The group of rough-legged, tomboyish women grew increasingly outrageous in their conversation, even delving into unspeakable topics like bedroom matters, a subject on which they seemed to have considerable experience.

Gu Jintang, trapped in the box, felt suffocated by the lack of oxygen. The vulgar words hammered relentlessly into her ears, compounding her torment. She rolled her eyes dramatically.

Big sisters, can’t you take this conversation outside?

But as they chatted, their talk suddenly turned to her!

“That pretty boy from a few days ago even though she’s a woman, I bet her touch would be absolutely divine, far surpassing any man’s.”

“Tsk tsk, what a shame. We were so close to getting our hands on her. It’s all that meddling busybody’s fault, whoever she is.”

“Sigh…” One of them sighed.

“Why the sigh?” the others asked.

“Ever since that incident,” the man said, “I think I’ve started liking women…”

The other women clutched their chests in horror. “You perverted bastard!”

“Who would like rough women like you? I’m talking about someone like that pretty boy from last time! If I catch her again, I’ll definitely…”

At that moment, a thump came from inside the chest, startling them all. “Who’s there?! Who’s inside?!”

Their faces instantly turned wary as they drew their daggers and crept toward the source of the sound. Reaching the chest, they exchanged glances before swiftly lifting the lid and raising their blades…

But the person hiding inside remained motionless, as if unconscious.

An eerie silence hung in the air.

“Boss, what should we do with this one?”

“Filthy beggar. Toss her into the river to feed the fish.”

******

Lu Nan paced back and forth in the Prefect’s manor, her cold, exquisite face etched with anxiety. “Why hasn’t there been any news yet? Damn it!”

This corrupt official is surprisingly good at hiding things, she thought. Even with the entire city’s garrison searching, they can’t find Gu Jintang, whose mind is like that of a five-year-old child. This shouldn’t be happening.

Unless Gu Jintang hadn’t lost her memory and had truly escaped.

At this thought, Lu Nan clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. If Gu Jintang has been deceiving me, I will never forgive her…

“My lord, would you like a cup of tea?” The Prefect, feeling the icy atmosphere in the room, instinctively shrank back and shoved the hapless constable forward. The constable, trembling, carried the tea over.

“No need!” Lu Nan turned sharply, her gaze piercing the Prefect. “Prefect, Gu Jintang must be found. If she escapes Yunzhou City, the Imperial court will hold you accountable…”

The Prefect spat inwardly. Accountable? The Imperial court never declared Gu Jintang a criminal. Lord Lu, are you aware you’re misusing official troops for personal matters?

“This humble official understands. I will do my utmost to find her, Lord Lu. Rest assured, the city gates are sealed, leaving only the waterways…”

“My lord, a boat has escaped via the waterways! We’ve dispatched men to intercept it at the next checkpoint, but their vessel is too fast. We can’t seem to catch up!”

There must be something suspicious about that boat. And that damned Gu Jintang is likely on board. Hah! So she managed to contact her confidantes and escape so quickly?

Lu Nan’s eyes flashed with sharp determination. “If we can’t reach the next checkpoint in time, proceed to the one after that. The river’s current will slow down. Remember that boat—we must intercept it!”

“Yes, my lord!”

Soon after, Lu Nan personally mounted her horse and rode downstream in pursuit. She spurred her steed to full gallop, reaching the next checkpoint where intercepting vessels were already lined up along the riverbank.

“Lord Lu, no boats have passed this way.”

Lu Nan pondered for a moment, then smiled coldly. “Gu Jintang, it seems your amnesia was a farce after all. Still as cunning and shameless as ever.”

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