6
Qingquan Town was crisscrossed with waterways, divided by several ancient bridges into four districts: East, West, South and North. The residence where Madam Zhu lived was in the northern part of the town. This area was a gathering place for merchants, with tea houses and taverns everywhere. Further back, there was also a fish market selling a variety of seasonal river delicacies.
Inside the side room, Advisor Liu ended weakly against the pearwood footstool, his fleshy face showing signs of dejection.
Madam Zhu brough him a bowl of blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicinal decoction, then twisted her handkerchief and said indignantly. “I thought that girl’s fiancé had abandoned her long ago. I never expected him to suddenly return! I didn’t inquire carefully before, so I really didn’t know he knew martial arts…”
Advisor Liu took the medicine bowl, glanced up at Madam Zhu, but said nothing.
Madam Zhu sighed and continued. “I kindly tried to arrange a marriage for that girl. I don’t know what she was thinking. Why would she refuse to be respectable concubine and instead choose a retired soldier who’s a ruffian?”
The more she spoke, the angrier she became. All the silver she could have pocketed was gone because of Ruan An and that paramour of hers.
Advisor Liu had the day off today, but he kept thinking about when the imperial censor sent from the capital would arrive. During his days of recuperating from his injuries, he had already covered up all the dirty deed Tang Yi had done before. There shouldn’t be any loopholes for people to discover.
Yet Advisor Liu still felt a pent-up anger, all because of the boorish paramour of the village girl named Ruan!
Just as Advisor Liu was thinking about how to teach Huo Pingxiao a lesson, he heard a deep, cold, and familiar male voice from outside the door—
“Is Madam Zhu here?”
As soon as the words fell, Advisor Liu’s expression changed slightly.
It was that brat’s voice.
The moment he heard Huo Pingxiao’s voice, Advisor Liu remembered the scenes of being brutally beaten by him that day. His entire body broke out goosebumps.
Advisor Liu couldn’t help trembling, but then a sudden idee came to his mind.
Although this Huo Pingxiao knew some martial arts, he was nothing more than a local ruffian throwing his weight around at the village entrance. Ordinary common folks, thinking that getting involved in a lawsuit or going to the yamen wasn’t worth it, usually avoided such desperate characters.
But who was he, Advisor Liu?
A sly, malicious smile gradually surfaced in Advisor Liu’s murky eyes. he then signaled Madam Zhu to come to his side, leaned in, and whispered some instructions to her.
After hearing him out, Madam Zhu frowned and asked. “But what if he gets rough with me? You couldn’t withstand his martial arts. How could I possibly?”
Advisor Liu gave her a glare of frustrated disappointment. “Can’t you just stay out of his way? Let me make this clear to you. If you can get that brat thrown into jail, even if the young master and that village girl don’t end up together, I’ll still give you those dozen taels of silver, and I’ll send someone to completely renovate your side room.”
After hearing the terms Advisor Liu laid out, Madam Zhu couldn’t help but be tempted. After thinking it over for a moment, she decided to agree to Advisor Liu’s request.
“Bang, bang, bang.” Outside the side room, the man’s knocking on the door grew louder each knock showing his waning patience. “Is Madam Zhu here?”
“Coming, coming. What’s the hurry?”
When she opened the door and saw Huo Pingxiao’s appearance, Madam Zhu finally understood why Ruan An refused to be Tang Yi’s concubine and instead chose this ruffian as her husband.
This young ruffian was incredibly handsome. Even with a hideous, long scar on his neck, people would first notice his superior, ruggedly handsome features.
But even if this ruffian was good-looking, she was still going to get him thrown into jail today!
After Ruan An and Huo Pingxiao entered the small courtyard outside the side room, they got straight to the point.
Her voice, though soft, carried a distinct chill of detachment. Her face flushed with a hint of anger as she demanded, “You are merely my master’s second wife. I have shown you a measure of respect out of courtesy, but how dare you presumptuously arrange my marriage?”
Madam Zhu narrowed her eyes, thinking to herself that this girl had indeed found a backer, daring to speak to her like this!
She sternly scolded Ruan An, “You ungrateful girl, don’t be so insolent. Just because you know a bit of medicine and have latched onto some wild man, don’t think you’re someone important!”
Having said this, Madam Zhu looked up at Huo Pingxiao. Seeing the man’s cold, stern expression without any sign of explosive rage, she felt she hadn’t provoked the two enough.
Knowing Ruan An’s weakness, Madam Zhu continued to use foul language to enrage her: “You little slut! You run off and elope with some wild man from who knows where, and now you dare to throw your weight around with me? You’re just like your short-lived mistress – all bluster, clearly born with a fate for an early death!”
“Don’t you dare insult my mistress!”
At the insult to her mistress, Ruan An’s frail little body trembled with rage. The girl clenched her silver teeth, her eyes rimmed red as she said, “You’re not worthy to mention her!”
Renowed Physician Sun and Ruan An’s mistress had originally been a loving couple. However, when Renowed Physician Sun reached middle age, he made a mistake and had an illicit affair with this woman, Madam Zhu.
After giving birth to Sun Ye, the mistress’s health had already been compromised. Upon learning of the affair between Renowed Physician Sun and Madam Zhu, she fell into a deep depression and passed away early.
Although Renowed Physician Sun later married Madam Zhu as his second wife, he always felt guilty towards the mistress, eventually succumbing to illness and dying from accumulated melancholy.
These misfortunes began with Renowed Physician Sun’s infidelity and indecisiveness, but they were also inseparable from Madam Zhu’s despicable schemes.
Ruan An and Sun Ye could have avoided being orphans, having someone to rely on in this turbulent world. Yet, not only did Madam Zhu fail in her duty as a stepmother, but she also tried to push Ruan An straight into a den of wolves.
As Ruan An was nearly brought to tears with rage, Madam Zhu looked up again to observe Huo Pingxiao’s expression. Seeing the veins on the man’s temples slightly protruding, he also lowered his head to look at the young girl beside him, seemingly wanting to comfort her.
Why wasn’t this man resorting to violence yet? It seemed she needed to do something more drastic to provoke him into landing in jail.
Thinking this, Madam Zhu raised her hand, ready to strike the girl’s fair cheek, her voice turning vicious as she said, “You little wretch, raised without a mother to teach you manners. Today, I’ll discipline you on behalf of your master…”
“Ah—”
Before Madam Zhu could finish her words, Huo Pingxiao’s dark brows were already pressed down with a menacing rage. With one hand, he opened his stance, twisted his wrist left and right, and suddenly seized Madam Zhu’s arm mid-swing. The man questioned coldly, “You dare bully my wife?”
As he spoke, his powerful grip erupted with a brute force capable of shattering steel—there was a distinct “crack.”
The man lowered his eyelids with disgust and added contemptuously, “Right in front of me.”
Madam Zhu had clearly heard the sound of her own arm bone breaking. Accompanied by an excruciating pain she had never experienced before, her face turned deathly pale, and beads of sweat began to trickle down her temples.
This brute… this brute had actually shattered her arm!
Madam Zhu screamed in terror, nearly driven insane by Huo Pingxiao’s actions.
Advisor Liu, who had been in the inner chamber, heard the commotion outside. He hadn’t expected Huo Pingxiao to be so ruthless. With a terrified expression, he ran out and pointed at Huo Pingxiao’s nose, cursing, “You bastard, how can you lay hands on a woman? What kind of hero are you?”
The disturbance in the alley was considerable and naturally alerted the patrolling soldiers nearby. As they arrived on the scene, a gloating, mocking smile flickered in Advisor Liu’s eyes.
The soldiers who came all knew Advisor Liu and respectfully bowed to him.
Advisor Liu narrowed his eyes, clasped his hands behind his back, and ordered the soldiers, “This man is a ruffian. He broke into a private residence and assaulted an innocent citizen. Arrest him immediately and take him to the yamen. The county magistrate happens to be holding court today, and he will surely sentence him to several years according to the laws of the Great Li Dynasty!”
Inside the County Yamen.
County Magistrate Tang followed behind Censor Liang with an obsequious expression. A crowd of officials accompanied the two men as they passed through the towering archway standing beside the yamen, revealing in turn the watchtower, the red steps, the ceremonial gate, and other solemn, majestic structures.
The officials passed through the corridor and entered the ancient, quaint main hall, which was five bays wide.
Meanwhile, the soldiers and Advisor Liu, with Huo Pingxiao in custody, entered the yamen through a side entrance for commoners.
Ruan An was blocked outside the side entrance by soldiers with drawn blades. Although she knew Huo Pingxiao’s true identity, any commoner, once inside this yamen radiating official authority, would inevitably feel fear and trepidation.
The girl’s gentle, beautiful face showed worry. She stood on tiptoe, continuously peering into the side entrance.
Then she saw Huo Pingxiao suddenly break free from the spear held by a soldier. Before the two soldiers beside him could react, the man had already turned to look at Ruan An.
The midday sun was at its peak. Huo Pingxiao faced the light, the color of his jet-black pupils gradually lightening, yet the unrestrained sharpness at the corners of his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.
Someone like him, no matter where he was, was always the most eye-catching presence, just like the blazing sun in the sky.
The man mouthed two words to her: Don’t. Worry.
Ruan An’s eyes rippled with emotion, her heart seemingly adrift on the water’s current, swaying incessantly, even filled with an indescribable thrill.
Her mood slightly eased, the girl nodded at him.
Advisor Liu, however, sternly ordered the soldiers to keep a tight watch on Huo Pingxiao, allowing him no further sudden movements.
Inside the hall.
Censor Liang wore a light crimson official robe with a belt adorned with wild geese holding ribbons. The horn-shaped Xiezhai crown on his bun gave his entire demeanor an air of solemnity and uprightness.
After he took his seat, County Magistrate Tang couldn’t help but feel nervous, even uneasy.
This supervisory censor had arrived completely unexpectedly. Advisor Liu was still recovering from his injuries today, and if he wasn’t present, County Magistrate Tang always felt that handling matters would be difficult.
County Magistrate Tang dispatched a clerk standing behind him and ordered, “Go summon Advisor Liu from his home.”
Shortly after, a clerk arrived outside the hall to announce, “Advisor Liu has arrived. He has also captured a rogue who has been terrorizing the area.”
County Magistrate Tang’s heart leaped with joy. He hadn’t achieved any political merit in nearly half a year.
Advisor Liu was indeed his capable assistant, delivering political merit right to his doorstep!
That ruffian might even be connected to the banditry plaguing Jiazhou. This time, he might even receive praise from the censor. How wonderful, how marvelous.
With this thought, County Magistrate Tang cleared his throat and said to Censor Liang, “Censor Liang, as it happens, a criminal has arrived. Would you prefer to have him interrogated in the hall first, or have him temporarily detained in the jail?”
Censor Liang replied indifferently, “No hurry. County Magistrate Tang may proceed with interrogating the criminal first.”
County Magistrate Tang ordered the clerk, “Tell Advisor Liu to bring that rogue vagrant into the hall.”
“Majestic—”
The bailiffs standing on both sides of the high hall, holding water-and-fire staffs black on top and red on the bottom, stomped the ground in unison several times.
After Advisor Liu and the soldiers escorting Huo Pingxiao entered the hall, Advisor Liu noticed an unfamiliar official with a solemn expression sitting on a chair to the side.
Just as Advisor Liu was utterly bewildered, Censor Liang rose from his seat and walked over to stand before them.
“Your subordinate greets the Marquis of Dingbei.”
Censor Liang cupped his hands and bowed respectfully to the man beside Advisor Liu.
Ding. Bei. Marquis.
Accompanied by County Magistrate Tang’s censorious gaze, Advisor Liu felt as if his head was about to explode—”BOOM—”
The three characters “Marquis of Dingbei” struck like sharp blades, each one piercing his wildly pounding heart.
This young man was actually Huo Pingxiao, the Marquis of Dingbei?
Huo Pingxiao was a marquis of the current dynasty, the legitimate eldest son of the powerful prime minister Huo Lang, and a valiant cavalry general with illustrious military achievements. At that time, the man had not yet stepped down from his post as the Military Governor of Jiannan.
One Jiannan Circuit governed dozens of prefectures and hundreds of counties.
And he was merely a lowly clerk in one county of Qijun Prefecture, Jiazhou…
With this thought, Advisor Liu’s vision darkened, and with a “thud—”, he fell to his knees on the ground.
**