strictlysupreme Chapter 2125 Conflict
Chapter 2125 Conflict
“An Cizhou and Qi Dongqiang,” Yan Ruyu slowly uttered the two names.
Huo Changhe was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized, raised his hand to pat his forehead and laughed, "So it was the two of them! I didn't expect it for a moment."
An Cizhou is meticulous and skilled in overall planning and coordination, while Qi Dongqiang has followed General Qi since childhood and is familiar with military horses. She understands horse behavior, knows how to train horses, and can also distinguish the quality of fodder. The two of them are a perfect match.
"Does Your Highness also think it's feasible?" Yan Ruyu asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's feasible, it's perfect!" Huo Changhe nodded with a smile, his tone full of approval. "With the two of them managing things here, I'm completely at ease."
Besides the fact that the horse farm is suitable, the key issue is that the two of them should also resolve their emotional problems.
Yan Ruyu was delighted to see that the people around her were finally united in love.
The two were having a pleasant conversation when they suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps.
The footsteps were chaotic and heavy, indicating that a lot of people had arrived, and there were also a few gruff shouts.
"Who are you? How dare you trespass on Liu's horse farm!"
Yan Ruyu and Huo Changhe exchanged a glance, and then turned their heads in unison to look in the direction from which the sound came.
A dozen burly men wielding sticks strode over, led by a dark-skinned middle-aged man with a coarse cloth belt around his waist and a furious expression on his face.
Huo Changhe slowly withdrew his hand from the white horse's neck, slightly shifted his body to the side, and stood silently in front of Yan Ruyu. He looked calmly at the newcomer and said in a nonchalant tone, "Liu Family Horse Farm? This horse farm has changed owners now."
After hearing this, everyone looked at each other and burst into laughter.
Huo Changhe's gaze swept calmly over those surrounding them, his face expressionless.
"Where did this arrogant brat come from, daring to trespass on our horse farm and spout such nonsense!"
A burly man with a face full of scars spoke first, slamming his stick on the ground with a dull thud, kicking up some dust.
His voice was rough and hoarse, as if it had been sanded: "If you know what's good for you, get out of here, or I'll break your legs and throw you to feed the horses!"
Another tall, thin man joined in the jeering, twirling a stick in his hand and pointing it at Yan Ruyu: "Look at this pretty boy, so delicate and tender, he probably can't even hold a horsewhip, yet he dares to come here and cause trouble?"
The crowd burst into laughter, the crude sound startling a horse in the distance, which snorted.
The middle-aged man at the head of the group raised his hand. He had a full beard and narrowed his triangular eyes, looking Huo Changhe up and down.
His gaze lingered for a moment on Huo Changhe's strong arms and steady steps, a calculating smile playing on his lips: "Wait."
The laughter stopped abruptly, and the burly men all looked at him with a hint of doubt in their eyes.
"He looks strong and muscular, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He looks like a good worker."
“Keep him here, feed him something to make him mute. The horse farm is short of a laborer to clean the stables and haul hay, so we won’t have to go out and hire someone.”
"Big brother is so thoughtful!" The tall, thin man who had been egging him on immediately chimed in, "This kid looks sturdy, he can definitely hold his own. If he's poisoned and mute, it'll save him from making a racket."
“That’s right, that’s right. It’s perfect for filling Old Wang’s vacancy. That old man was so tired the other day that he couldn’t get up, and we had to take care of him.” The burly man with a face full of scars nodded repeatedly.
The middle-aged man's gaze shifted and landed on Yan Ruyu.
His gaze was like a hook, sweeping from Yan Ruyu's hair to her shoes, greedy and blatant, with lustful light emanating from his eyes and brows.
He licked his chapped lips, his tone becoming flippant: "As for this one... she's prettier than the girls in the brothel, with delicate skin, like a woman, I think..."
Before he could finish speaking, the burly men understood immediately, their faces breaking into malicious smiles, and bursts of laughter erupted once more.
"Big brother, you want this pretty boy to keep us entertained?" The tall, thin man rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "We've been in this place for too long, and there's not even a pretty girl to talk to. It's really boring!"
"This pretty boy looks obedient; he'll definitely be able to keep the brothers comfortable!" Another short, fat, burly man chuckled, forgetting to grip his stick tightly, which slid down halfway.
The middle-aged man proudly raised his chin, took a step forward, and was no more than three feet away from Yan Ruyu: "Brothers are right, let's make fun of him!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his right hand shot out, heading straight for Yan Ruyu's cheek. His rough fingertips, calloused from years of holding sticks, were about to touch her fair skin.
Yan Ruyu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she took a small step, about to dodge, when Huo Changhe beside her had already moved.
He raised his hand to block, precisely grabbing the middle-aged man's outstretched wrist, his fingers tightening to firmly grasp his index and middle fingers.
The middle-aged man felt a sudden tightening on his wrist, as if it were being clamped by iron clamps. Just as he was about to exert force to break free, he heard a soft "click," so crisp that it was particularly jarring amidst the noise.
"Ah—!" A piercing scream of pain suddenly rang out, and the middle-aged man's face turned deathly pale instantly, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
He instinctively reached out with his other hand to cover his injured hand, but his body involuntarily bent over due to the intense pain, and his knees trembled slightly.
"My hands! My bones!" he roared, his voice distorted, all his former arrogance gone, leaving only unbearable pain.
The smiles on the faces of the burly men surrounding him froze instantly. They stared wide-eyed at the middle-aged man's hand being gripped, his two fingers bent at an eerie angle, a sight that made their teeth ache.
"What are you all standing there for? Beat him! Beat him to death! I want him dead!"
The middle-aged man caught his breath and roared at his men, his eyes filled with resentment and venom, his face contorted with pain and veins bulging.
"He dares to break my hand, I'll tear him to pieces!"
This loud roar seemed to ignite a fuse, and the burly men reacted, their faces revealing fierce expressions.
"Dare to hurt Brother Zhao, you're asking for death!" The burly man with a face full of scars was the first to swing his club and smash it down on Huo Changhe's back. The club whistled through the air and was incredibly powerful.
Huo Changhe flicked his wrist, shoving the middle-aged man to the side, causing him to stumble, while simultaneously dodging the incoming stick.
The stick slammed onto the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust, and the stick bent over.
Without stopping, he took a step forward and thrust his elbow into the burly man's chest.
The burly man groaned, as if struck by a heavy hammer. His face flushed red, and he staggered back several steps, landing heavily on his backside. The stick in his hand flew out of his hand.
"Attack them all! Kill them!" the tall, thin man shouted, and he and four other burly men surrounded Huo Changhe and Yan Ruyu, wielding clubs from all directions.
Some attacks targeted vital points, while others struck at the limbs; every move was ruthless.