A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return

Li Lei frowned a little. It’s better for her not to know about some things.

But Su Tang looked sorrowful. “Miss Ye, don’t you know? It’s…”

“Su Tang.” Li Lei stopped her mid-sentence.

Xia Ling shot an unfriendly glance at him. “Let her finish. What are you hiding from me?”

Li Lei appeared innocent. “Why would I be hiding anything from you? I’m letting them cool down by getting some sea breeze. Once they’re calm, they will stop creating trouble.”

Xia Ling was suspicious. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

She looked at Li Lei, and then at Su Tang. Su Tang looked as if she had more to say, but stopped herself.

Xia Ling decided. “Take me there to have a look.”

“Have a look at what?” Li Lei asked.

“The sea breeze.” Xia Ling glared at him discreetly.

Li Lei said, “Xiao Ling, it’s going to take a while before the sun rises. The night is cold, and it’s pretty far from here—you shouldn’t go.”

“I want to go,” Xia Ling said. “Li Lei, I’m not as weak as you think I am, and I know what your family is like. You didn’t get to where you are today by talking things out amicably with the people around you. Take me there.”

Seeing that she was determined, Li Lei had no other choice. “Alright, but put on a few more pieces of clothes.”

She nodded and got him to lead the way. Su Tang naturally stood up to follow them.

Xia Ling stopped and turned to Su Tang. “Why are you coming along?”

Su Tang was surprised by her question. “Thank you, Miss Ye, for being willing to save them. I’ll lead the way for you.” She’d knelt for too long and looked a little exhausted. There were marks on her knees from kneeling on the soil, and her hair was a mess.

Xia Ling was rather unhappy. “Get yourself cleaned up. Don’t let others think that I’ve bullied you.”

Su Tang was caught by surprise. Wasn’t that exactly her plan? To kneel by the front door for a whole night and then plead with them pitifully on behalf of her fellow friends. Everybody would be grateful to Su Tang and see her as a loyal companion, and that would emphasize how cruel and cold-blooded this new woman was. By then, everyone would be on her side and reject Xia Ling.

Although Xia Ling wasn’t as scheming as her, she could sense that something was amiss.

And she hit the nail on the head.

Su Tang turned pale from anger and disappointment and was lost for words.

Li Lei frowned at her. “Su Tang, go back and rest well. Xiao Ling and I will handle the situation regarding Xiaoyao. He’s been with us for so many years, I know my limits.”

Su Tang hung her head low silently and was helped by the maid as she left.

The surroundings were quiet as they walked towards the sea. On the coast were large reefs and rocks that stood amidst the splashing of the waves.

The first light could be seen gleaming behind the clouds.

Li Lei slowed down and told Xia Ling, “It’s right ahead.”

Xia Ling walked in the direction he pointed and realized that there were a few people tied up standing. They were all those who spoke up yesterday, including Li Xiaoyao.

They were in no more than boxers, and there were evident wounds and cuts on their skin. The wounds were evidently fresh, and some of them were still bleeding. Each time the tides came, the seawater would come into contact with their open flesh, causing them to moan in agony.

“This is what it means to get some sea breeze,” said Li Lei in an innocent tone. “We use this to manage disobedient people. That’s how they learn.”

Xia Ling had a rather unpleasant expression. She could see that some of the wounds had turned white from the exposure to salt and appeared extremely raw. A few of them seemed to have passed out before, but their eyes were half-open from the pain that bolted them awake.

An eagle circled above their heads.

Xia Ling asked, “Will they die?”

Li Lei kept quiet for a while before saying, “It’s up to the heavens.”

He sounded so ruthless and cold that it disturbed her. She didn’t like this feeling and decided to take a few steps towards those tied up. “Release them.”

There were two men assigned to watch over those being punished. They looked at each other, and then at Li Lei.

Li Lei said to her, “According to the rules from our ancestors, they have to go through this for a full day. If the time’s not up, it’s not appropriate to release them.”

Xia Ling said, “I don’t care about those rules.”

Her slightly raised voice shocked them. Li Xiaoyao struggled to open his eyes and glared at her. “Ye… Xingling, drop… the pretense. You’re… the bad… guy…” He began coughing profusely.

As the tides came, some seawater entered his lungs and washed over his wounds.

Turning pale from the pain, his chest rose and fell weakly.

Xia Ling scoffed. “You look like a dying fish, but I’ll still let you go. I’m just soft-hearted and can’t bear to witness this.”

She was speaking the truth.

Although they offended her, she would never wish death upon them.

The punishment they’d received was more than enough.

She looked at Li Lei. “I said, release them.”

Li Xiaoyao sneered with a distorted face. “Wow… who do you think you are? He’s the leader… of the Lis, why should he listen to a woman…”

Before he had finished his sentence, he realized—

Li Lei was giving a command. “Untie them.”

W-What?!

Li Xiaoyao was shocked at what had happened. A few them—now alert and conscious—could not believe what they’d just heard. This punishment of “getting some sea breeze” had been passed down for generations. It was to be executed for precisely one entire day, and their life and death was up to their destiny. Even one minute more or less to this punishment was not to be tolerated.

But Li Lei actually flouted that rule and released them early.

“This… is not abiding by the rules!” Li Xiaoyao glared at Li Lei weakly. “Second Young Master, you’re actually making an exception… for a woman!” He growled like a provoked beast. He knew this woman was a troublemaker, and he was right! A rule that had been passed down for so many generations was now ruined in her hands!

“What a nag.” Xia Ling said coldly and kicked Li Xiaoyao, who was now lying on the ground. She asked Li Lei, “Can he be saved?”

Li Lei glanced at him and said, “He won’t die just yet.”

Hence, Xia Ling went ahead and kicked him a second time. This time, her shoe had hit his wound, and he let out a scream.