4: The village bully fiancé
“Ah—”
Tang Yi’s agonized scream came from outside the cottage, piercingly shrill: “My arm! My arm is about to break!!!”
“Could there be ghosts outside this cottage? Where did all these people suddenly come from?”
“Young Master… perhaps we really have run into ghosts…”
“What are you standing there for? Forget about that village girl! Quick, cover me and let’s get out of here!”
Outside, the highly skilled attendants from the Northern Bureau moved as lightly as swallows, their comings and goings as elusive as ghosts. Tang Yi and his men were beaten and sent scurrying in panic, yelping in pain.
Sun Ye walked up to Ruan An, his face alight with excitement, and whispered with a playful expression, “Ah Xu, that military officer is a marquis!”
“It looks like he definitely won’t stiff us on the consultation fee. Ah Xu, you should ask him for more silver—he’s loaded, he won’t miss it.”
Sun Ye was so immersed in the joy of the anticipated hefty payment that he failed to notice the faint trace of disappointment in Ruan An’s expression.
The young woman quickly masked the fleeting emotion in her eyes and instructed Sun Ye and the two wide-eyed apprentices, “Go back to copying the medical texts. No slacking off.”
The sounds of fighting outside the cottage gradually subsided. Tang Yi and his officers had fled madly down the mountain, clutching their heads in terror.
Huo Pingxiao was now inside, privately discussing matters with an attendant named Yang Wei.
Ruan An overheard fragments of their conversation and learned that Huo Pingxiao not only held a noble title but was also the military governor of Jiannan Circuit, where Jiazhou was located.
A few years ago, the Great Li had transitioned from a garrison system to a mercenary system. As a result, the military governors of various inspectorates not only commanded military forces but also managed administrative affairs such as military agriculture, salt, and iron. Their power had grown to such an extent that even the emperor in Chang’an viewed them with apprehension.
Ruan An knew that most military governors were past thirty, yet Huo Pingxiao was clearly only in his early twenties.
Brute force alone on the battlefield could not have earned him such a position at such a young age.
From the way he led his troops, Ruan An could tell that beneath his seemingly arrogant and untamed demeanor, his mind was exceptionally meticulous. He was not stubbornly self-reliant but possessed both courage and strategy.
He was not merely a fierce warrior; he was a leader with true charisma, skilled in training his soldiers. The armies he commanded advanced in tight, orderly formations, the soldiers calm and silent. The rhythmic beats of the drums and the clashes of the gongs were perfectly coordinated and precise.
Thinking of this, Ruan An tried to console herself.
Though she had lost her virginity, she was still Huo Pingxiao’s savior. For now, Advisor Liu and Young Master Tang could not touch her. She and the children were safe.
Meanwhile, Ruan An was in the cottage’s clinic, preparing medicine for the villagers.
Yang Wei spoke respectfully, “My lord, I have selected a suitable inn. You may descend the mountain tonight and stay there.”
Ruan An was pulling open a wooden drawer to gather herbs. When she heard this, her small, pale hand froze in midair.
Was Huo Pingxiao… leaving?
The young woman’s profile was serene, but her eyes lowered with a hint of dejection. Her thick, long eyelashes cast a shadow on her delicate eyelids.
She slowly pushed the wooden drawer back into place and understood why her second-senior’s wife, Mrs. Zhu, and Advisor Liu had acted so boldly.
The household registration for the two apprentices was still unresolved. Advisor Liu held considerable influence among the county clerks and would continue to block her path in the future.
After Huo Pingxiao left, she would once again have to face these matters alone.
So, even if it meant forgoing the consultation fee, she had to ask the powerful Huo Pingxiao to help resolve these matters before he left.
Just as she was about to get up and find Huo Pingxiao, she heard the man’s familiar, low voice, tinged with a hint of weariness, reply to Yang Wei: “No need. It’s more convenient to recover in the mountains.”
The young woman’s somewhat unsettled emotions were temporarily soothed by this response. The matter that had been weighing on her mind, unresolved for so long, finally found some resolution.
She must never mention that incident to anyone.
Her status was that of a commoner from a village, while Huo Pingxiao was a noble granted a fief and title.
Although the Great Li had no law stipulating that princes, marquises, and dukes must marry ladies from aristocratic families, everyone knew that any marriage required a suitable match of status.
Even the county magistrate’s eldest legitimate son thought she was only fit to be a concubine.
If she brought up that matter with Huo Pingxiao, would she not be humiliating herself?
By staying silent, she could at least avoid that awkwardness.
Elsewhere, Yang Wei followed Huo Pingxiao out of the room. When he saw a gentle, soft-looking young woman with fair skin and dark hair approaching, he was momentarily taken aback.
In Chang’an, he had grown accustomed to seeing heavily made-up noble ladies and famed courtesans with their elaborate hairstyles and flower-adorned hair, but he rarely encountered a beauty like Ruan An.
The girl’s beauty was natural, unadorned—like a pure, ethereal immortal. Three words instantly sprang to Yang Wei’s mind: ethereal, innocent, pure.
Then he saw the soft-spoken young woman tilt her face upward, looking at them, and hesitantly say, “I… I’ll go prepare your medicine.”
Since Huo Pingxiao was staying for now, Ruan An decided to find another time to bring up the matter of the apprentices’ household registration.
“Thank you.”
After Huo Pingxiao’s low words of thanks, Ruan An went into the kitchen alone.
Yang Wei watched the young woman’s petite figure retreat and raised an eyebrow.
Although he had guessed that Huo Pingxiao would likely stay in the cottage rather than go to the inn, he was still surprised to hear it said aloud.
The Marquis of Dingbei’s birth and appearance were exceptional. Before he even reached the age of capping, he had earned his title through military achievements, overshadowing even the emperor’s own princes. He was truly a favored son of heaven.
Yet the man’s temperament was arrogant and cold. At his core, he was utterly indifferent to matters of romance. Though he never intended to set young ladies’ hearts ablaze, countless noble maidens still threw themselves at him with reckless passion.
Yang Wei mentally counted the young women who, unable to win his affection, had threatened to take their own lives in despair—
The second daughter of Minister Liu, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; the gentle and dignified eldest legitimate daughter of the Count of Changping; the beloved youngest daughter of the Duke of Ying…
Were not all these women talented and beautiful noble ladies?
Each of them had once captivated the capital, yet the Marquis of Dingbei never spared them a moment’s glance. He was utterly indifferent to their overtures, his every movement exuding a cold, aloof detachment.
Everyone in Chang’an wondered what kind of woman could ever catch the eye of the Marquis of Dingbei.
Seeing that Huo Pingxiao seemed to have taken an interest in this beautiful mountain girl, Yang Wei could not help but mutter to himself: How extraordinary.
Two days later.
The Northern Bureau’s elite operatives came and went without a trace, working with lightning speed. In just a few days, they had completely renovated the side room where Huo Pingxiao was staying.
They added curtain hangings on all sides, a grand flat-topped bed with a canopied frame, a lacquered black low table with railed legs, two armchairs with reclining backs, and many other luxurious pieces of furniture that Ruan An had never seen before.
She was still trying to figure out how those attendants had managed to transport all this furniture halfway up the mountain.
Just then, Sun Ye came running toward her excitedly on his short legs: “Ah Xu, I asked the marquis—after they leave, all this furniture will be left for us!”
Ruan An scolded him in a low voice: “Stop asking people for things all the time. Quickly take the medicine I prepared last night to Xinghua Village. Don’t delay the villagers’ treatments.”
Sun Ye, thrilled at the prospect of acquiring the new armchair, didn’t feel discouraged by Ruan An’s criticism. He cheerfully replied, “Got it! I’m off!”
After Sun Ye left, Ruan An looked at the two food boxes on the low table.
The attendants had also bought some exquisite food for Huo Pingxiao overnight, and had prepared the same portions for her and the children.
Inside the food boxes were tender and delicious salt-and-pepper roasted duck, whole boneless white-scaled fish sliced into sashimi, rare and expensive vermilion cherries, roasted pears, roasted taro, bean-paste-filled translucent cakes, cloud-shaped pastries…
Some of these delicacies Ruan An had never even heard of. Yet that morning, she had heard Yang Wei say to Huo Pingxiao: “My lord, this is all we could find. Please make do with it.”
Yang Wei had said this with complete seriousness, without a trace of flattery or exaggeration.
Ruan An realized that with Huo Pingxiao’s background, it was only natural that everything concerning his food, clothing, shelter, and transport should be of the highest quality.
As she and the children feasted on the delicious food, Ruan An also wondered about Huo Pingxiao’s intentions.
His decision to stay here was certainly not just for the sake of treating his wound.
But though she was curious, Ruan An knew well that she was merely the physician treating him—it was not her place to probe his thoughts.
At the hour of the Goat, the sun was at its peak.
Ruan An was about to head to the river to wash clothes with some of the village women when she saw Sun Ye returning from Xinghua Village on the village chief’s ox cart. The boy’s face was flushed with excitement, beaming with joy.
A sense of unease began to creep into Ruan An’s heart. She quickly walked over to the ox cart with her wooden basin and shot Sun Ye a sharp glance.
Sun Ye immediately wiped the smile off his face and mouthed silently to Ruan An that he had not revealed Huo Pingxiao’s identity.
Ruan An breathed a sigh of relief.
The village chief’s ox cart was loaded with several wooden cages containing live chickens and ducks, and even a few adorable pink piglets. In a wooden barrel behind them were several live fish swimming in water.
Roosters flapped their wings, and ducks let out low, guttural quacks.
Ruan An was bewildered by the scene before her, utterly at a loss.
Then the village chief led a bleating lamb up to her and said kindly, “Miss Ruan, why didn’t you tell me that your fiancé, who was in Chang’an preparing for the imperial examinations, has come back to find you?”
“?”
Ruan An was completely confused and didn’t even know where to begin explaining.
Old Mrs. Wang and Old Mrs. Li in the village were always eager to play matchmaker, constantly trying to introduce her to eligible young men so she would marry sooner.
Ruan An had no desire to marry so early, but she couldn’t keep brushing them off. So, she had invented a story: when the renowned physician Sun was still alive, he had arranged a betrothal for her. The young man’s father was a declining official in Jiazhou.
The young man’s father had passed away years ago, and his widowed mother, wanting her son to succeed, had exhausted their family fortune to buy a house in Chang’an, so he could focus entirely on preparing for the imperial examinations.
The villagers had all believed her story.
When Sun Ye went to the village to deliver medicine, he probably hadn’t revealed Huo Pingxiao’s true identity, but he must have mentioned some of his background.
Though Huo Pingxiao served as military governor in Jiannan, his family, the Huo clan, was based in Chang’an. He was not from Jiannan—he was from Chang’an…
Could it be that the village chief had mistaken Huo Pingxiao for her fabricated fiancé?
Ruan An was about to explain to the village chief, but he spoke first, his expression filled with concern: “There’s more than just Xinghua Village in these Mei Mountains. You know that since Shi Yong joined the army, our village hasn’t had a strong man like him to protect everyone.”
“Village chief…”
“Miss Ruan, these things are wedding gifts from the villagers for you and your husband. From now on, we’ll rely on your husband to take Shi Yong’s place.”
“Village chief! He’s not, he’s not my—”
“Quick, help Miss Ruan drive those chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep into the pens!”
Seeing that the village chief wouldn’t give her any chance to explain, Ruan An grew even more confused.
What was going on?
The two fights outside the cottage must have been witnessed by the villagers and reported to the village chief.
But even if the village chief thought Huo Pingxiao was highly skilled in martial arts and wanted him to take over Shi Yong’s role as the so-called village protector, his attitude wouldn’t be so certain. Why would he come straight over with those “protection fees”?
Ruan An glanced back at the cottage. Huo Pingxiao was again discussing important matters with Yang Wei, so she decided not to bring this up with him for now.
She sighed helplessly and prepared to go to the stream to wash clothes.
When she arrived at the stream, more than ten village women had already gathered. As soon as they saw Ruan An, they warmly greeted her.
“Miss Ruan is here! I’ve just finished washing my clothes. The water here is clear—I’ll leave this spot for you~”
“Miss Ruan, the soapberry I bought in town last time works really well. I saved some for you—try it out later.”
“Oh, Miss Ruan, that prescription you gave me is so effective. I’ve been sleeping much better these past few days than I did before.”
The air by the stream was fresh and the sunlight was bright. After chatting for a while with the women she knew well, Ruan An found a spot to begin washing clothes.
Xiao Tao, the village chief’s daughter, was Ruan An’s closest friend in the village. Xiao Tao walked toward her, her expression somewhat grave, as if she had something to say.
Ruan An waved at Xiao Tao, signaling her to come over and talk.
A relieved smile finally appeared on Xiao Tao’s face. Just as she was about to reach Ruan An’s side, she noticed that the women around them had all stopped talking.
A spring breeze blew, causing the grass by the stream to rustle softly.
Ruan An looked up and realized that the women’s gazes seemed to have all fallen on something beside her.
Just as the young woman was about to follow their gaze, she felt a sudden tickle on her forehead.
Something brushed across her brow, then stopped at the tip of her nose. Ruan An instinctively closed her eyes, catching a faint scent of fresh grass.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
The man’s voice was distinctively cold and sharp, highly recognizable yet not overly deep.
The afternoon sun was blazing. When she opened her eyes again, Xiao Tao had disappeared from beside her. The young woman’s bright almond-shaped eyes caught the light, a hint of gentle moisture welling up in them.
She raised her small hand to shield her eyes from the glare.
As her vision cleared, she saw that Huo Pingxiao was sitting beside her.
The man’s handsome features were striking yet cool, his profile sharply defined. Even with his eyes half-lowered, his inherent pride and sharpness were unmistakable. His long, well-defined fingers were holding the small blade of grass, slowly grinding it between his fingertips.
Ruan An was momentarily stunned.
Why had he come over?
**