the empress livestream
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“What did you say?” The bandit boss took a single step forward and made a grab for Jiang Pengji’s collar.
She spun on a heel and dodged him. “I dislike grabby people.”
The bandit boss was dumbfounded. He suppressed his feelings and snarled, revealing yellow teeth. Paired with his beard, he looked like a demon from hell.
“Who are you and what do you know?”
“Who I am is not important. You wouldn’t have heard of me even if I told you. All you need to understand is that I know more than you do.”
The boss leveled a cold, calculating gaze on Jiang Pengji. It did not escape her notice that he was out for her blood—he even had a hand on the hilt of his sword.
“I know you killed in a moment of anguish when your beloved killed herself out of shame. You were about to receive the brand that marks you a killer, but you escaped during the transportation. You then stole away to Hejian County where you called the wilderness your home. Am I right?”
The other bandits were stupefied, while the captured nobility were captivated by her actions. They had all forgotten about their situation for a moment.
Just… What is going on right now?
System: “…”
Da*n it. How does she know all this? The System did not provide her with this information.
As a multidimensional livestreaming system, its features were not limited to what it had revealed to Jiang Pengji. It had plans to slowly reveal all its functions at a later time. If Jiang Pengji wanted information, all she had to do was obey and stream, not refuse or threaten the System. It had been planning to dangle its features and information to her like a carrot on a stick.
Jiang Pengji could have used currency and paid the System in exchange for information. Even so, there was information that not even money could buy. And that included the bandit boss’s history.
But the System was without the resources Jiang Pengji needed at that moment. Even if it wanted to lend her its aid, it was still limited, which was why it could not understand how she managed to get the information on the boss’s tragic past.
The bandit glared at her before throwing his head back in laughter. “What nonsense…”
“Your mother. You haven’t seen her in long time,” Jiang Pengji continued. “You call yourself filial, and yet, after your escape, you haven’t gone back to see her once. This is your take on filial piety?”
The boss’s laughter died in his throat as his smile froze. At last, he gritted his teeth and expressed his rage.
“Oh? Are you planning to kill me? Are you going to swipe at me like a cat that had its tail stepped on? What else can you do? Abuse a poor, weak girl? If you do that, how could you face your beloved? Before her death, she was so willing to marry you.”
Silence settled over the shack like a blanket. No one dared to breathe or give in to their curiosity to glance at the fuming bandit.
One daring underling tried to sneakily grope one of the girls and nearly got his nose shaved off when his boss drew his sword.
Not caring in the slightest about his fearful underling, the boss coldly demanded, “Who? Who told you?”
Jiang Pengji laughed as if she were a cold-hearted queen upon her throne. “This is how you ask for a favor?”
“You’re my prisoner! If you don’t tell me, I’ll let my boys have their fun with all of you!” the bandit boss yelled, his temper getting the better of him.
Seemingly unaffected by the threat, Jiang Pengji chuckled. Her hands were still tied and she was at their mercy, but she behaved as though it was the other way around.
“What are you laughing at?” the bandit boss demanded uneasily.
“That beloved of yours. When she was forced upon, it was the same situation as it is right now.”
Jiang Pengji’s reputation as a devil preceded the Corps Seven. She was well known for not just for her combat ability but also for her sharp tongue.
High combat ability + brusque and biting remarks = Human killing machine.
If she were in a good mood, the enemy might die with his whole body intact. Bad mood? He would be wishing for death to come quicker.
Once she had spoken, the bandit boss had to fight hard to suppress his anger. He pushed one of the girls into Jiang Pengji’s arms. The girl fell against her and blushed.
“If you dare lie to me, I will sell you to a brothel after I’m done with you,” he threatened in a low voice.
“Lie? Have I once lied since I have spoken? If they were all lies, would you have stood there without moving?”
Jiang Pengji gave a contemptuous smile. Even with her long black hair across her shoulders, she was alluring to the girls. She had a “bad girl” appeal that was really not that bad—an appeal that captivated their attention and played with their heartstrings.
Even Wei Jingxian, who was steadily ignoring her, quietly turned around. Her gaze was veiled in concern, bafflement, and suspicion.
“I did what you want me to do… Now, tell me who did it! Who caused Xin’niang to die!”
The boss gripped his hair, and an expression of agony was etched on his face. None of the onlookers dared to make any movement, save for Jiang Pengji who sneered at him.
“She just died a few years ago and you forgot her name? Her name’s Xin’niang?”
The boss froze and his eyes turned red.
His beloved’s name was not Xin’niang; his actions were an act. He wanted so badly to believe Jiang Pengji, but he was suspicious of her. He had said a false name in the hopes of tripping her up to reveal her act.
“Alright…” He rubbed his face and took a deep breath. “Tell me which b*stards killed Mo’niang, and I promise you, you will leave this place safely. No one will dare touch you!”
“I reject your offer. It is not enough for such important information.”
“What do you want then?” he asked. He quickly looked at all the girls in the shack. “How greedy… So you want all the girls here…” He tsked when he realized what Jiang Pengji wanted.
“It is totally up to you, of course. If you don’t believe me, you can always reject me. You’re also welcome to try forcing the information out of me.” A rebellious expression was set upon Jiang Pengji’s face, showing how unafraid of the circumstances she was. She let her gaze fall on all the bandits in the room before letting out a cold hmph.
In that second, everyone felt as though a carpet had been ripped from beneath their feet. Who was really at the disadvantage here?
“Boss…” Even though some of the bandits were influenced by Jiang Pengji, the rest still held some semblance of respect for their leader.
The bandits had kidnapped the daughters of Hejian nobility. Would the county let them off so easily? They were as good as dead men. Would it not be such a waste to die before enjoying their spoils?