“Look at you right now, like a ghost that’s lost its soul. Going to town alone like this, aren’t you just asking to die? Those wolves in the yamen will chew you up and spit out your bones!”
Murong Yanran gritted her teeth in anger, but everyone could see she was clearly worried about Xu Lang.
“Husband, let Sister Yanran go with you. She knows martial arts. She can protect you.” Hua Yourong gently persuaded him as well. She took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve and pressed it into Xu Lang’s hand. “This is some wound medicine I made before. Keep it with you, just in case… just in case you need it.”
Xia Zhiruo and Li Xiuzhi had already cried until they were a mess of tears.
“Husband… you must come back safely…”
“We… we’ll wait for you…”
Xu Lang looked at their reddened eyes and at Murong Yanran’s outwardly fierce but inwardly anxious expression. The frozen wasteland in his heart, formed after Wang Erniu’s death, cracked open slightly.
He reached out and patted each of their heads in turn. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
He glanced at Murong Yanran and deliberately teased, “With that temper of yours, if you come with me, even if nothing happens, you’ll stir something up. Stay home obediently and watch the house for me.”
“You! Xu Lang! You bastard!”
Murong Yanran stomped her foot in anger, her pretty face flushed red.
“I’m kind-hearted and you treat it like trash! If you die out there, good! I can remarry!”
After shouting that, she turned her head sharply to the side, refusing to look at him.
Xu Lang smiled and said nothing more. Carrying the wild chicken, he strode out of the courtyard.
His heart felt a little warmer. He pushed open the gate.
The chilly morning wind blew against his face, clearing his muddled thoughts somewhat.
Watching Xu Lang’s back disappear at the village entrance, Murong Yanran suddenly turned around. Gritting her teeth, she pulled a cold gleaming dagger from her boot and stuffed it into Hua Yourong’s hand.
“You all wait at home!”
“I’ll follow him in secret. If those corrupt officials dare play tricks, I’ll risk my life to bring him back!”
Without waiting for the other three to react, she gathered her breath and leaped away, disappearing behind the house in a few bounds.
…
Dahe Village was not far from town, but Xu Lang walked very slowly.
Wang Erniu’s death weighed on his chest like a massive stone, making every step feel suffocating.
He could not fall.
If he fell, what would happen to the four women at home?
After reaching town, he did not waste much effort before finding Constable Li Si at the yamen gate, yawning lazily.
Li Si slanted his eyes and picked at his teeth, looking utterly indifferent.
Xu Lang said nothing. He simply placed the heavy wild chicken onto the table in front of him with a dull thud.
The plump bird weighed at least four kilograms. Its glossy feathers shimmered in the sunlight.
Li Si froze mid-toothpick. His murky eyes lit up instantly.
“Oh?”
He grabbed the chicken and weighed it in his hand. The laziness on his face was replaced by greed. “Not bad! Must be around four kilograms, right? Brother, what’s this about?”
“Constable, just a small token of respect.” Xu Lang clasped his hands and got straight to the point. “Something happened in Dahe Village last night.”
He recounted the events, embellishing them slightly and painting himself as a bullied commoner who rose in self-defense.
“…Zhao Dahu broke into my house at night with his men and tried to harm my wives. In the panic, I… accidentally killed them.”
The smile on Li Si’s face gradually faded. He set the chicken back on the table and tapped it lightly with his fingers.
“Accidentally?”
He gave Xu Lang a half-smile. “You alone accidentally killed Zhao Dahu and his three brothers? Xu Lang, right? Do you think I’m a three-year-old child that easy to fool?”
He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “This isn’t easy to handle. Four lives. If this case is reported upward, losing your head would be the lightest punishment. I can’t shoulder that responsibility. Unless…”
He dragged out the final word, his crafty eyes roaming over Xu Lang.
Xu Lang sneered inwardly but put on a frightened expression. He pulled out a small cloth pouch from his sleeve as if to take out some broken silver.
His hand trembled deliberately. “Ah!”
The pouch fell to the ground. The opening loosened, and white, crystal-clear rice grains spilled everywhere.
“This… the road was too bumpy. I brought this rice back for my wives…”
Xu Lang crouched down to gather it.
Li Si’s breathing stopped instantly.
He stared fixedly at the scattered white refined rice, his throat bobbing. He nearly drooled.
This was fine rice.
In all his years as constable, he had never seen rice of this quality.
“Oh my! Brother Xu! What are you doing!”
Li Si’s attitude changed completely. He grabbed Xu Lang’s shoulder enthusiastically. “Why didn’t you say so earlier! Zhao Dahu’s gang was a local tyrant in the village, oppressing the people and committing countless evils! You eliminated a scourge for the people! That’s a great deed!”
He helped Xu Lang up and patted his back warmly. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
At the same time, he quickly shuffled the rice toward himself with his foot while righteously declaring, “This case is settled! It will be recorded as ‘bandits fighting among themselves, dying in mutual slaughter, deservedly so!’”
He thumped his chest confidently. “Don’t worry! In that godforsaken place called Dahe Village, what I say goes! From now on, if you have any trouble in the village, just mention my name, Li Si! Whoever dares touch you is going against me!”
“This… Constable…”
“Still calling me Constable?”
“Fourth Brother.”
“That’s more like it!”
Li Si grinned and patted Xu Lang’s shoulder. “From now on, you’re my own little brother.”
“Fourth Brother, next time I hunt more game in the mountains, I’ll bring it to you first…”
…
Half an hour later.
Leaving the yamen, Xu Lang let out a long breath.
Four deaths had been settled with one wild chicken and one kilogram of rice.
This world was truly rotten.
He turned into a deserted alley and stopped. Facing an empty corner, he spoke calmly, “You’ve been following me all the way. Aren’t you tired?”
“Still not coming out? Do I need to invite you, Yanran?”
Behind the corner, a figure stiffened.
Murong Yanran stepped out awkwardly, her face a mix of shock and annoyance.
“Y-You… how did you notice me?”
Her tracking skills were taught by her father. They were not top-tier, but more than enough against ordinary people.
Xu Lang turned around and looked her up and down before curling his lips. “With those amateur skills of yours, you couldn’t even fool a mountain pheasant. You think you can fool me?”
He walked toward her step by step. Looking at her flushed, embarrassed face, he suddenly smiled. “But since you’re so worried about your man, I’ll pretend I didn’t notice.”
“Who… who’s worried about you!”
Murong Yanran’s face turned bright red. She stubbornly retorted, “I… I was afraid you’d die and I’d have to become a widow! I don’t want to be widowed at such a young age!”
Her words were tough, but her watery eyes clearly showed lingering fear and relief.
“I won’t let you become a widow. Tonight, I’ll let you be a happy wife instead,” Xu Lang said with a grin.
“Bah. Your mind is always full of improper thoughts.”
Murong Yanran stomped her foot and hurried after him, muttering softly, “I don’t even know what I saw in you. Hmph.”