Chapter 21

Isn’t that too much of asking?

Shao Qing was dumbfounded.

Seeing that she remained motionless for a while, Wei Jing urged again.

Shao Qing swallowed nervously and said, “Uh, no need—it doesn’t hurt; just untie it.”

Wei Jing frowned. “What’s wrong with letting me see?”

What’s wrong?

In Wei Jing’s eyes, Shao Qing was his wife—even though they had not yet consummated their marriage, his concern as her husband to check on her was perfectly natural. But Shao Qing wasn’t on the same wavelength. It wasn’t a matter of Wei Jing being right or wrong; she had simply never even considered such an issue.

After a long stretch of fleeing and evading capture—exhausted, with her nerves stretched to the limit—who had time to worry about such trivial matters? Although they had shared life and death, slept in the same bed, and deeply trusted and cared for one another, their closeness felt more akin to comrades-in-arms. Yet now her comrade was insisting on checking her chest.

Shao Qing felt blood rush to her head; her face flushed a fierce red, and in alarm, she exclaimed, “Nothing’s wrong!”

In truth, it wasn’t that she hadn’t noticed Wei Jing’s attitude—it was just that she had never thought about it before. Reflecting on all their past experiences and their current predicament, she felt it wasn’t the right time to discuss this matter openly.

Finding it hard to contradict Wei Jing—and naturally unwilling to agree—she glared at him in a mix of shame and anger: “Don’t check! I don’t feel any pain!”

She turned and climbed back into bed, lowered and securely closed the curtains, and only then, with her back turned, allowed several helping hands to untie her restraints so she could, pitifully, catch her breath.

Inside the curtained enclosure, soft rustling could be heard. Naturally, Wei Jing did not rashly pull the curtain aside; however, he was puzzled by Shao Qing’s mood. Furrowing his brows, he stared at the curtain for a while, as the image of Shao Qing’s half-reproachful, half-angry face flashed before him. It was so different from her usual calm expression—yet remarkably animated.

After a moment, he spoke softly, “Are there any bruises? Do you need some medicine?”

“Not at all, I’m perfectly fine!!”

……

This awkward topic finally passed. They spent the night in silence, and when morning came, Shao Qing lowered the bed curtains and prepared to proceed as usual.

Wei Jing furrowed his brows and said, “It’s fine to loosen it a little.”

Shao Qing felt embarrassed. Still, since he was at least showing concern for her, she mumbled an ambiguous reply while continuing with her own routine. She resolved to endure a little longer; she had every confidence in Wei Jing. Whether it was “Lord Qu” or the county officer Qu, taking them down wouldn’t take long. However, during this process, it was best for her to remain cautious—after all, she was temporarily using Yang Ni’s identity to avoid any unforeseen complications.

The group left the tavern and wandered around in Pingtao City.

Pingtao was a large county with over 20,000 households. The city walls were sturdy, and the surrounding mountains and forests provided excellent cover for troops; best of all, it bordered two barbarian tribes, making conflicts all too likely. When conflicts erupted, increasing the recruitment of county soldiers was considered normal. Nowadays, the county magistrate held both military and administrative power, directly commanding the troops.

The local people were robust by nature—a quality Wei Jing appreciated, for weak and gentle people simply did not suit his tastes. The vigorous ones, once trained, became formidable soldiers, while the gentle ones were inherently lacking. Overall, he was relatively satisfied.

“We should go take a look at the Qu Mansion and the county office.”

It was time to deal with the matter of the county officer Qu. With that in mind, Wei Jing turned and headed toward the center of the city.

It was said that the county officer’s Qu Mansion was located right next to the county office—quite convenient, as it meant he wouldn’t have to run between two locations.

That was what Shao Qing thought, too—until she arrived and was taken aback.

The two tall gatehouse buildings stood side by side. Compared to the bustling Qu Mansion on the left, where visitors came in droves, the official county office on the right was strikingly deserted. Only two constables in dark uniforms guarded the front gate, looking utterly bored and indifferent.

This government office was not only deserted but also bore a distinctly shabby, outdated air. Up close, the red paint on the main gate was riddled with cracks and even peeling off, and looking inside, weeds had sprouted in the gaps of the blue stone flooring in the courtyard; the tiles were dull and the walls yellowed—clearly showing that no repairs had been made in a long time.

Shao Qing was silently astonished—this office didn’t seem to be in regular use at all. Could it be that all official business was handled at County Officer Qu’s residence?

When a county magistrate leaves office, a replacement is promptly appointed—and with term limits in place, Pingtao County would be without a magistrate for at most a few months, wouldn’t it?

So why was the county office in such a state? What kind of life had the previous magistrate led?

Wei Jing glanced over indifferently, his emotions barely shifting. The others behind him, who had mentally prepared themselves in advance, maintained equally composed expressions.

He ordered Kou Xuan, “Wait—you deliver a message.”

The new county magistrate had arrived, and it was normal for subordinate officials—such as the county officer, the county deputy, and others—to come out and greet him.

Kou Xuan quickly responded.

“Let’s go back.” Wei Jing spoke softly to Shao Qing. Shao Qing acknowledged, withdrew her gaze from the brightly lit and bustling Qu Mansion, and followed him away.

Just as the group turned around, they suddenly heard the rapid clatter of horse hooves approaching from afar. From around the corner on the other side of the county office, several riders on fast horses appeared, galloping this way with a resounding “da-da-da.”

Leading the charge was a young man in red with a silver crown, probably in his early twenties. His skin was fair and his features refined, but an air of haughty disdain completely marred his handsome appearance.

The horse was speeding along. When a pedestrian hesitated for a moment to avoid him, the young man in red did not hesitate to raise his riding whip and deliver a fierce lash.

“Ah!” A pedestrian let out a piercing scream and lunged forward, while one of the attendants spat disdainfully and shouted, “You lowly commoner blocking the way—scram!”

Everything was changing too fast. Shao Qing’s group was actually very close to a few riders; just moments ago, that man had been whipped only seven or eight steps away. The young man in red finished one off and then swung his whip in this direction again.

The whip cracked through the air as nearby pedestrians cried out and dodged, yet Shao Qing wasn’t overly frightened. Sure enough, when she felt a tight sensation around her waist, she had already retreated to a safe distance.

“Huh?”

Compared to the flustered pedestrians, Wei Jing and Shao Qing remained remarkably calm and unhurried—their agile movements catching the eye. The red-clad youth, in addition to his surprise, now looked rather intrigued. He tightened his reins, raised his hand holding the whip, and pointed, “You two… come here so I can take a look.”

“Ah! Ah! Ah!” Before he could finish his words, the fine steed under him—still neighing loudly from its sudden halt—stumbled abruptly. It buckled, and unable to maintain its balance, both rider and horse tumbled down together.

The fall was heavy, hurling the red-clad youth into the air; with two loud “thuds,” he landed—first hitting one part of his body and then another.

After shards of silver struck the horse’s hoof, Wei Jing withdrew his hand and, with a cold stare, watched the man and his horse as they wailed in pain. The red-clad youth—who had been so arrogant just moments before—now lay face-down with the lower half of his face covered in blood. He curled up, spat twice in disgust, and outright coughed up two front teeth that had been broken off flush.

“Let’s head back, shall we?” Shao Qing tugged at Wei Jing’s sleeve.

It was obvious that the red-clad youth was from the Qu Mansion. A few of the gatekeepers over there were visibly shocked; they hurriedly called out towards the mansion and dashed over as pedestrians scrambled in panic, turning the scene into utter chaos.

This fellow was undeniably a nuisance, but there was no need to act rashly—settling accounts later would suffice. There was no need to disrupt their own plans over him.

Wei Jing withdrew his gaze and left with Shao Qing, while Kou Xuan and the others hurried to follow.

“Third Young Master! Third Young Master!” One of the attendant gatekeepers quickly helped the man to his feet and repeatedly inquired. The red-clad youth—Third Young Master Qu Qian—clutched his mouth and groaned, “Ugh, it hurts so much! Who? Who did this?!”

His horse had been carefully selected and had been ridden for two years without any mishaps. This must surely be the work of someone sabotaging him!

Furious, he gritted his teeth in pain while keeping a sharp eye on those around him. Suddenly, he recalled that extremely agile and striking young man from earlier. His eyebrows shot upward as he quickly looked in that direction.

Meanwhile, Wei Jing—with Shao Qing in tow—had already turned and walked a short distance away when Qu Qian squinted through the crowd. Suddenly, his eyes widened in excitement, “A beauty! She’s a beauty!”

Startled into action and disregarding every bit of the pain coursing through his body, he sprang to his feet like a leaping carp and shouted, “Quick, quick—chase after her for me!”

“Chase after what now?” One of his attendants squinted to get a better look and noticed two men over there—one tall and one short (the taller a young man and the shorter appearing to be a teenager), with broad shoulders and a sturdy build that left no doubt they were both male.

The onlookers exchanged puzzled glances. Hadn’t they ever heard that Third Young Master was renowned for his amorous ways?!

“You don’t know a thing! Can a man and a woman ever walk the same way? Such graceful, light steps—this gait is undoubtedly that of a top-tier beauty!”

Blessed with extraordinary talent and having charmed countless women, Qu Qian was well-versed in all their nuances. He had seen through her disguise merely by the shape of her back, and was immediately overjoyed. “Hurry up, catch up to her!”

He intended to pursue her himself. However, his knee throbbed painfully, and he hobbled along no more than a couple of steps before the chief attendant caught him.

“Third Young Master, you take care of your injury first!” Like everyone else, couldn’tthe chief attendant discern any hint of Shao Qing’s graceful stride. Glancing at the spot where she had turned the corner and disappeared, he was utterly baffled and could only reluctantly advise, “As long as she stays in Pingtao, there’s still time to treat your wound later—won’t that be according to Third Young Master’s wishes?”

Qu Qian covered his mouth as blood continued to drip steadily from between his fingers, staining his lapel and the ground a deep red. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “Alright, then quickly call for a doctor.”

He was helped back to receive treatment. Fortunately, he hadn’t broken any arms or legs—but his front teeth were lost for good, doomed to leave a permanent gap.

Fuming with regret and anger, and still obsessing over that beauty, Qu Qian quickly ordered his men to rally the troops and search out the group responsible for “intentionally injuring” him. It had to be that scheming young man in black; once caught, he vowed to have him knocked senseless—have all his teeth bashed out, throw him into hard labor on the riverbank, and, after enough torment, kill him.

As for that beauty, he planned to rescue her from a life of misery and have her live in luxury, with him cherishing her every single day.

Qu Qian rubbed his hands; in his urgent excitement, his whole body felt feverish—yet he didn’t spare even a thought for the batch of new and old concubines in his room. Instead, he turned over, sat up, and prepared to ride out himself.

However, he ultimately failed to carry out a search. Leading a group of county soldiers out in an imposing manner, he was soon halted in the front courtyard by his father.

County Officer Qu Cheng, holding a slip of paper, furrowed his brows and said, “Where are you off to again? Hold on—change into your dark official robe and come with me out.”

“Father, what are you doing?”

Qu Qian then noticed that his father’s trusted aides—such as Master Bo—and his two elder brothers had hurried over, all clad in proper formal attire. Moreover, his father instructed the local gentry and aristocratic families throughout the county to be notified to arrive within half an hour. This greatly surprised him.

“What’s with your mouth?” his father chided.

After returning home, Qu Cheng had already received a report from Kou Xuan, though he was unaware that his youngest son had been injured. But he had no time to worry about that now. “The new County Magistrate Yang has arrived. Will you come with me to welcome him?”

“Welcome?”

Qu Qian’s eyes widened. “The new magistrate has come—so why must we go out to greet him?”

Is it really necessary?

Qu Qian’s thought was not unfounded. As the saying goes, even a mighty dragon cannot conquer the local snake. The Qu family had long been the local power, and these successive new magistrates were no match for their authority.

For those who are wise, it’s best to accept certain benefits and coexist peacefully; for those who aren’t, they’ll naturally end up tasting the consequences of their intransigence. After all, the Qu family had dominated Pingtao for over a dozen years—even though magistrates had come and gone, they remained proudly unchallenged to this day.

“This time, County Magistrate Yang is rather interesting.” Qu Cheng narrowed his eyes. Since the new magistrate was lodging at the guesthouse, he must surely have heard of the illustrious Qu family. Yet he even dared to send his own family to deliver a message?!

Is he as fearless as a newborn calf, or does he have someone powerful backing him up?

If it’s the latter, Qu Cheng didn’t quite believe it. After all, in this far southwestern border—so remote from the heartland—which noble scion with a solid backing would be exiled here? Besides, to be on the safe side, he had even spent a great sum of money to grease the wheels.

“Since he has delivered the letter, then let’s go greet him. Whoever he is, we’ll soon find out.”

If it turns out he’s an ignorant hothead—hmpf—then don’t say he wasn’t warned.