Chapter 25 2/2

Huang Yingsheng tapped Ji Taoyu’s head lightly. “It’s just going to another city, not a small town. Besides, even if the bandits dare to cause trouble, disturb the peace of entering and leaving the city, the prefectural government won’t just sit idly by.”

“But the bandits have already appeared within the borders of Tongzhou, which is really frightening! Even if the officials want to eradicate them, it will take some time.”

Huang Yingsheng said, “There’s still some time. Let’s not rush. We’ll see how things go later. If it’s really unsafe, we can send a message over.”

Ji Taoyu breathed a sigh of relief at his words.

“By the way, are you going back to the village today?”

Ji Taoyu hesitated for a moment, feeling uncertain whether to go back or not.

“If you’re going back, then go with Huo Yishi. It’s getting late, and I’ll feel uneasy if you go back alone. I’m afraid you might encounter people from neighboring villages who think you’re an easy target.”

Huang Yingsheng glanced at the person calmly sipping tea nearby.

Ji Taoyu pursed her lips. “Alright then.”

Huang Yingsheng said, “Since it’s not very peaceful around here, don’t go out alone during these days when you’re back.”

Ji Taoyu nodded obediently. “I understand.”

“Huo Yishi, are you going back to the village? Can you take Taoge with you?”

Huo Shu stood up at the mention. “Sure.”

Huang Yingsheng stood at the doorway, watching his grandson excitedly following alongside the tall Huo Shu, making him appear even smaller and weaker.

“Aren’t you worried about your brother?” Huang Yingsheng asked.

Huang Yingsheng shook his head. When he learned about the matter concerning the Yu family, although it was unexpected, it seemed reasonable. He didn’t regret the marriage proposal, but he was worried about Ji Taoyu’s feelings.

However, seeing her today made him feel like he had worried too much. Ji Taoyu was much better than he had imagined.

“Just be careful with your brother and that northern man,” Huang Yingsheng said.

“Those two seem to get along well. Taoge is willing to go with him,” Ji Taoyu said.

“That’s good. Life must go on,” Huang Yingsheng said.

The pharmacist knew what Huang Yingsheng meant. “Are you planning to matchmake them? But I’m afraid Ji Lijing won’t agree.”

“Whether she agrees or not depends on the children’s fate. If they are willing, even the most difficult matters can be resolved. If they are not, then even a wedding proposal at the doorstep will have to be abandoned.”

Huo Shu didn’t bring his horse when he came to the city today, so he and Ji Taoyu sat together in a carriage on the way back.

As he sat alone on the carriage, the people in the carriage dared not speak a word when they saw his stern face. Even the usually lively atmosphere in the carriage became unexpectedly quiet.

Ji Taoyu sat opposite Huo Shu, and neither of them spoke. In this silence, any conversation between them was undoubtedly heard by everyone in the carriage.

Huo Shu saw Ji Taoyu’s gaze occasionally drifting to his hands. Although he didn’t glance around, he couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of embarrassment. In the past, if he looked at people like this, it would have made them feel scared, but now he didn’t know why.

Ji Taoyu avoided his gaze and quietly looked at Huo Shu’s hands, wondering when his wound would heal. Her thoughts wandered, thinking about drying the mountain chrysanthemums that Huo Shu picked for her a few days ago, thinking about the book “Records of Washing away of Wrongs” that she hadn’t finished reading and whether her mother would find out about it…

“Here we are,” the driver announced.

Ji Taoyu looked up in surprise, recognizing the path leading to her village, and quickly got off the carriage.

Huo Shu took out some money from his pocket and handed it to the driver. Ji Taoyu hurriedly reached for her purse, but before she could say anything, the driver had already left with the carriage. She felt like she could see the relief on the faces of the people in the carriage when Huo Shu finally got off.

“I’ll give you the money,” Huo Shu said without acknowledging Ji Taoyu, heading straight for the village road. “If we don’t leave now, bandits might steal your crossbow, and I won’t be responsible.”

Ji Taoyu’s hand trembled slightly at his words, and she hurriedly ran after him. “Wait for me.”

Huo Shu didn’t respond, but he stopped in his tracks, allowing the young boy to catch up to him.

Seeing the soft top of the boy’s head, Huo Shu couldn’t help but smirk.

“In the future, you’re not allowed to come over. What’s the point of making friends with people like them? Do they think our Zhou family is nothing?” Huo Shu’s tone turned cold.

“If I had known about their family’s reputation, I wouldn’t have brought up this matter with you earlier. Fortunately, I came here today and heard about their reputation in the village. Otherwise, we might have suffered a loss.”

Just as the two entered the village, they saw two figures approaching on the village road.

From afar, they looked like the father and son from the neighboring village, the Zhous.

“Father, isn’t there some misunderstanding? Shouldn’t we go ask Ji Lijing in person about what happened?” the son asked.

“What misunderstanding could there be? Even if you ask him directly, will he admit that his son lacks self-respect? It’s better not to get involved with such families in the future,” the father replied.

Their conversation was heard by Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu, who were walking nearby.

Ji Taoyu was about to greet them when she heard their words, and she hesitated.

“Ta… Taoyu…”

The son, Zhou Zheng, wanted to refute his father’s words, but when he looked up and saw Ji Taoyu on the village road, his tongue tied up in knots.

However, Zhou Lijing did not immediately feel ashamed of being caught red-handed. Instead, he pulled Zhou Zheng aside. “Don’t let me down by being infatuated. If you bring back someone with such a reputation, your stepmother will be furious.”

“What kind of reputation is that? Explain yourself clearly,” Huo Shu said, his tone turning icy.

Feeling intimidated by Huo Shu’s imposing presence, the father and son suddenly lost their previous momentum. Although they tried to save face, they couldn’t maintain their composure in front of Huo Shu’s cold gaze. They hurriedly left.

Seeing the Zhous walking away, Ji Taoyu sensed that something was wrong. She hastily said, “I… I need to go back.”

“I’ll walk you,” Huo Shu said.

“No need. The village is just a few steps away. I’ll be fine,” Ji Taoyu replied nervously.

Seeing the anxiety on her face, Huo Shu reached out as if to grab her hand, but ended up grabbing the hem of her clothes instead. “Whatever happens, don’t cry. I’ll help you.”

Ji Taoyu hadn’t felt aggrieved before, but hearing Huo Shu’s words made her nose tingle slightly. She pursed her lips, nodded heavily, and then ran back home.

When Huo Shu saw that Ji Taoyu’s figure had disappeared, he turned back.

“You’re back?” Yuan Huiru had just returned from the fields with a hoe, and she quickly put down her basket. “Something’s wrong!”

“What happened?” Huo Shu’s brow furrowed.

“This afternoon, I heard someone in the fields saying…

With the words on her lips, Yuan Huiru found it difficult to speak, casting a hesitant glance at Huo Shu.

Seeing her hesitation, Huo Shu asked, “Is it about Taoyu? Foster mother mentioned it.”

Yuan Huiru nodded. “People in the village suddenly started spreading rumors, saying that during the engagement period between Taoyu and the second son of the You family, they secretly communicated and conspired. It’s really ugly to hear.”

“The second son of the Zhou family from the neighboring village was very satisfied after meeting Taoyu, but Ji Lijing never called him again. So, today, he brought Zhou Lijing to discuss the marriage and gauge the attitude of the Ji family.”

“Unexpectedly, the father and son heard gossip from the villagers while on the road. Zhou Lijing was angered by these unpleasant words, feeling ashamed, and he scolded a few words on the village road before leaving without even going to the Ji family’s door.”

Yuan Huiru happened to overhear these words in the field and hurried back to tell Huo Shu.

With such rumors spreading about a boy who hadn’t even married yet, how could he face others? How could he go on living?

Yuan Huiru was almost at her wits’ end.

After listening, Huo Shu immediately spoke coldly, “It’s impossible.”

Not only did Ji Taoyu’s strict adherence to etiquette make it unlikely for him to engage in such misconduct, even if he were less disciplined, it was impossible for him to have done anything like that, especially considering You Lingxiao’s sweet words and various attempts to woo him.

“If there were really such things between them, the Ji family would never agree to cancel the engagement. Even if the You family used other means to try to break off the engagement, the Ji family would never agree, even if it caused embarrassment to both families. How could they simply agree to cancel the engagement so easily?”

Yuan Huiru, upon hearing Huo Shu’s words, suddenly understood.

“That’s right. At the meeting just now, he only briefly mentioned it. Although it’s a fresh rumor, it’s not a big deal compared to the heavy tax burden. Although the villagers discussed it, they didn’t say much, as they all thought it was the You family’s sudden rise in status that changed their minds. After all, the new candidate for the village’s important position was from their household, so no one dared to talk openly about it.”

“Currently, it seems that Li Zheng was indeed intending to announce the cancellation of the engagement at that time, just to avoid too much gossip in the village.”

“Now that Yuan Huiru knows the current rumors are false, she doesn’t understand: ‘Then why would everyone suddenly spread such words? They know that child is from the Li family, yet they’re not afraid of offending Li Zheng.'”

“Huo Shu immediately asked: ‘Why worry about offending the Ji family? Wouldn’t it also offend the You family?'”

“People are saying that Peach Brother is good-looking, intending to captivate the second son of the You family with this, fearing that both families might regret the marriage because Peach Brother might delay the second son’s scientific examinations, and so on…”

“Yuan Huiru sighed: ‘People just love to listen to such gossip, regardless of its truth, only seeking amusement, but they don’t realize that by indulging in idle talk, they’ve already ruined someone.'”

“After saying this, she looked at Huo Shu: ‘A’Shu, what should we do?'”

“She tentatively said: ‘Now the Ji family has become a nest of rumors. If you prefer peace and dislike trouble, then, then the previous plan might as well be abandoned.'”

“Huo Shu frowned. With the rumors overwhelmingly against them, it was too biased. He replied to Yuan Huiru: ‘I’m not afraid of trouble.'”

“Yuan Huiru immediately understood his intentions and nodded in approval. If Huo Shu distanced himself from the Ji family because of this, she would feel somewhat strange.”

“If one expresses admiration but retreats when faced with difficulties, it’s too lacking in manly spirit.”

“‘Then why not get ready, and ask a matchmaker to propose marriage to the Ji family?’”

“Yuan Huiru thought: ‘We can’t let the villagers think that Peach Brother is unwanted.'”

“‘Proposing marriage at this time is no different from taking advantage of someone’s predicament.'”

“Huo Shu said: ‘Even if we want to propose marriage, we can’t do it at this juncture. We need to resolve this matter first.'”

“Yuan Huiru furrowed her brow: ‘With everyone talking like this, how can it be resolved? We can’t just silence them, can we?'”

“Huo Shu didn’t reply immediately. After a moment, he said: ‘I’ll find a way.'”