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Su Zhi heard the sudden commotion around her and saw everyone screaming and running in panic. She glanced to the side and saw a horse charging towards them. Before she could react, someone grabbed her and placed her on the side of the street. On the other side, Liu Siniang and Li Qing’s Wife were pulled to the back of the cart by Li Shi. It was only then that Su Zhi realized it wasn’t just a horse; there was also a carriage behind it. The carriage scraped against the edge of the cart, producing a piercing sound!
Su Zhi broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that if she had still been standing there just now, even if she hadn’t been hit by the horse, she would have been crushed by the carriage. The consequences would have been terrifying!
The startled oxen pulling the cart started to low and stamp their hooves in alarm, but they didn’t bolt. They remained obedient, with one particularly obedient ox. Su Zhi patted its head, and it immediately calmed down, lowing plaintively as if seeking comfort. Su Zhi patted its head again, thinking to herself that this ox, which drank from the spring, was not only growing stronger but also seemed to be getting smarter.
The horse, after just passing the cart and experiencing some resistance from the collision, made another dash to the side, crashing into a nearby stall before finally coming to a stop.
“I’ll go check. Wife, don’t move from here!”
Shen Zi’an, feeling the surge of anger at the thought of his wife being in such a dangerous situation just now, hurriedly went to confront the owner of the carriage.
But as Shen Zi’an approached the front of the carriage, before he could even speak to the coachman who had jumped down from the carriage, the horse, still thrashing its hooves and tossing its head, neighed again, lifting its front hooves. Astonishingly, it started pulling the carriage again!
“Oh no! There are still people in the carriage! Madam! Miss!”
The coachman, who had just jumped off the carriage, was left behind, frantically hopping towards the runaway carriage.
Shen Zi’an didn’t stop to think. He ran after them, his pace swift like an arrow. He quickly outpaced the coachman.
The horse had only gone a few steps before it collided with another stall, and Shen Zi’an caught up. Seizing the perfect moment, he grabbed hold of the carriage shaft. The carriage continued to surge forward, the horse desperately pulling ahead with Shen Zi’an hanging on. With a furrowed brow and clenched teeth, Shen Zi’an leaned back, lifting his hands up and pushing down with all his might. He exerted every ounce of strength he had.
The carriage suddenly came to a halt, though the horse continued to paw at the ground, its efforts only causing the carriage to jolt forward a few times before becoming immobile. After a few whinnies, it resorted to stamping its hooves in place, no longer madly charging forward.
By this time, the coachman had arrived and retrieved the broken reins from Shen Zi’an’s hands, expressing his gratitude profusely.
Shen Zi’an’s expression was grim. Although he realized upon seeing the broken reins that the runaway wasn’t the coachman’s intention, and they had all been startled, this realization didn’t quell his anger at the fright his wife had endured.
The coachman, wearing a pained expression, apologized, “Brother, thank you so much. The horse got startled, and it wasn’t intentional on my part. Just a moment ago, as we passed through a street, something was thrown from somewhere and hit the horse’s head. It spooked the horse, and then the reins broke. I really appreciate your help, brother. You’re truly extraordinary; otherwise, no one could have stopped the horse and carriage. Thank you, thank you!”
Shen Zi’an listened to the coachman’s explanation and understood that it was an unexpected disaster. As the coachman offered his apologies again, Zi’an, realized there was no point in being angry or seeking compensation didn’t say anything else. This incident would have to be left as it was, though his expression remained grim.
Seeing Shen Zi’an’s displeasure, the coachman refrained from saying more, understanding that it was better not to provoke him further. Instead, he turned his attention to the occupants of the carriage.
“Madam, Miss, are you both alright? Everything’s fine now. Thanks to a hero who helped stop the carriage.”
The coachman addressed the occupants of the carriage, feeling distressed inside. He considered himself unlucky today, even though it wasn’t his fault. He hoped that the lady and the young miss inside the carriage would blame their misfortune on fate rather than on him. Additionally, he thought of diverting their attention away to Shen Zi’an, hoping that their gratitude towards the hero would make them forget about him. So, he quickly stopped Shen Zi’an, thinking that this brother had also done him a favor, and he deserved some reward.
“Please, young brother, stay for a moment.”
A woman’s voice came from inside the carriage, and then the curtain was lifted. A woman dressed in green stepped out first, carrying a stool from the carriage. She reached out to assist the other person getting down. Two women followed, both stepping down from the carriage with the aid of the stool and the green-clad woman. Judging from their actions alone, it was evident that the girl in green was a maid, while the two behind her were the mistresses.
The woman who alighted first had her hair styled in a married woman’s bun, sleek and shiny. Adorning it was a golden hairpin fashioned like a peony flower, gleaming brightly under the sunlight. She also wore golden earrings and bracelets, shimmering with a golden hue. Appearing to be in her thirties, she had a dignified demeanor, dressed in a purple silk jacket and a green skirt.
The one who followed was a young girl in her prime, with a graceful and serene appearance. She wore a apricot-colored blouse and a water-colored skirt, adorned with pearls and jade, the epitome of a young lady from a noble family.
“Young man, I must thank you for your timely assistance. Without you, my daughter and I might have been injured or even lost our lives,” the woman said appreciatively. Despite her affluent attire, she didn’t exude an air of superiority. Instead, she seemed genuinely grateful for Shen Zi’an’s intervention, offering a slight bow. The young girl followed suit with a polite gesture of her own.
Shen Zi’an replied, “No need for thanks. If you truly feel remorseful, you can compensate the pedestrians and vendors who were affected by your carriage’s collision. My wife was just startled, and I need to go back and check on her. Goodbye.”
With that, Shen Zi’an turned and left. The owner of the carriage, understanding that the incident was unintentional, apologized sincerely. Shen Zi’an, despite his initial anger, didn’t want to escalate the situation further, especially with two women involved. Concerned for his wife, who had been frightened, he hurried away. Just as he squeezed out of the crowd, he saw his wife standing before him and immediately walked over, taking her hand.
“Wife, are you alright now?” he asked.
Su Zhi shook her head, looking at Shen Zi’an’s hand, which had been scraped by the carriage’s shaft. “I’m fine, but you’ve hurt your hand. Let’s find a clinic and have it bandaged,” she insisted.
Shen Zi’an glanced at his hand and replied, “It’s just a scratch. I’ll be fine with a makeshift bandage.”
Li Shi and the others also caught up with the ox cart.
Li Qing’s wife patted her chest and said, “I was really scared just now! Luckily, Brother Zi’an and Brother Shitou were quick to react. Otherwise, we girls could have been hit!”
Shugen’s wife also expressed relief and lingering fear.
Liu Siniang, recalling the scene just now, felt a shiver run down her spine. She glanced at Li Shí and then turned her head away, realizing she hadn’t thanked him yet for saving her. But now, she found it hard to speak up. After all, Li Shí had pulled her away by the hand, and she had ended up colliding into his embrace. It had been chaotic at the moment, and nobody had paid attention, but bringing it up now might draw unwanted attention. It didn’t seem appropriate.
Li Shí stepped forward and patted Shen Zi’an’s shoulder, saying, “Good brother, I always knew you were strong, but I never imagined you could hold onto a galloping horse and carriage like that! It must have taken hundreds of pounds of force! And to think you weren’t even using your full strength when carrying wood during work!”
Shen Zi’an just smiled. He wasn’t one to show off; he used as much strength as needed, without flaunting it.
The bystanders couldn’t stop praising Shen Zi’an; they had never seen someone so strong.
Su Zhi hurried to take Shen Zi’an to get his wound patched up, and they turned onto another street with the ox cart.
Meanwhile, the owners of the horse-drawn carriage found themselves surrounded by the crowd after Shen Zi’an had left. They demanded compensation for their losses. By the time they had settled these matters, Shen Zi’an and his group were nowhere to be seen.
“We’ve encountered someone who does good without expecting anything in return. If we encounter such a person again, we should still show some gratitude,” the woman remarked with a smile. The carriage was no longer safe to ride in; who knew if the horse would go berserk again, especially with the reins broken. They decided to have the coachman lead the horse-drawn carriage away first. She and the young girl entered a nearby inn, instructing the maid to hire another carriage. The maid left to fulfill her task.
The young lady looked at the bustling street outside the inn but couldn’t spot the man from earlier. She pursed her lips and followed the woman into the inn.
After the frightening incident, Shen Zi’an finally allowed Su Zhi to take him to the clinic to have his hand treated. Then, the group went to a nearby inn. It turned out Li Qing’s wife was quite resourceful; she brought eggs to the inn before going to the market to see if they could sell them. Over time, the inn had become accustomed to accepting them.
By the time they arrived at the inn, it was almost noon, and there were already patrons inside. Xiaosuo and Huzi couldn’t help but drool over the dishes on the tables.
Li Qing’s wife tapped Huzi’s head lightly, feeling embarrassed and sorry seeing her son salivating.
Su Zhi also glanced at the dishes on the tables, not out of hunger, but out of curiosity about the quality of the food in the inn. She had read in novels that the female protagonist could make money by selling recipes, and she wanted to see if the cuisine in this era was different from that of her original world. In her mind, she already had expectations; she assumed that in an era where ingredients like star anise, vinegar, and even dumplings and candied haws were unknown, the variety of dishes would not be as rich. She guessed that many of the dishes she had eaten before might not even exist here.
Seeing Su Zhi eyeing the dishes, Shen Zi’an thought she was hungry and immediately decided to stay for a meal.
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