Chapter 200

Zhao Lang had some personal guards following behind him; seeing their own general riding a perfectly fine horse, they suddenly lunged forward, almost stepping on people, and rushed over, dismounting.

Immediately, a large group of Zhao family troops appeared before Jinzhi; those personal guards, upon seeing they were from the Rui Wangfu, finally found an outlet for their pent-up frustration from the past few days.

Nowadays everyone in Shang Jing knows that the Third Prince's mansion is taking a concubine; this concubine was originally the general's wife, and although that woman is no good, doing this is a harsh slap to General Zhao's face.

Consequently they also harbored some resentment toward the Rui Wangfu; unexpectedly running into people from the Rui Wangfu this time, and hearing that this woman, whose half face is ruined, is a close aide of the Princess Consort of Rui.

Sometimes people's feelings are complicated; these normally reasonable, straightforward fellows, just because of a matter of face, also grew a bit of ill will toward a little girl from the Rui Wangfu.

"Isn't this someone from the Rui Wangfu?"

"I heard they're a close aide of the Princess Consort of Rui!"

"Hmph! The Rui Wangfu really has no decent people; they're all misshapen melons and cracked dates!"

Although Jinzhi cannot speak, she understands that these people are mocking her; she cannot help but her eyes turn slightly red with anger—what did she do wrong to be targeted like this in public?

Jinzhi lowered her head, wanting to leave, but she was surrounded by the Zhao family troops like an iron barrel.

The Zhao family troops lost many brothers in Wuzhou this time, but they cannot directly go to the Third Prince or reason with Xiao Yin; they can only swallow their anger and bear the loss.

But after all, so many lives were lost; now that they finally found a lone person from the Rui Wangfu, they certainly won't let them go.

Zhao Lang stood before Jinzhi; his tall, sturdy frame made her delicate, petite figure seem even more so, and she felt the man before her looked like he wanted to devour her; his powerful aura made her tremble.

Jinzhi wanted to flee, but she felt an oppressive pressure, as if a beast had its eyes on her and she could not escape.

She could only lower her head and let them scold; surely these many people wouldn't bully a little girl like her in public, would they?

Zhao Lang raised his hand to stop the chaotic rebukes behind him and coldly said, "Grudges have a source, debts have a debtor; this has nothing to do with her."

Those people behind him immediately fell silent, daring not to speak further.

Zhao Lang stared fixedly at Jinzhi before him, looking at this half-beautiful, half-hideous little monster, and coldly said, "Go tell your lord, in a month send me another wife to settle our Zhao family's honor, or else I won't let this rest between us and him!"

Jinzhi's gaze was flustered; she could not withstand the man's aura, she stepped back a step and nodded.

"Do you understand?" Zhao Lang, seeing her perfunctory attitude, instantly grew angry, "Speak!"

Jinzhi quickly raised her hand to gesture; the people around instantly understood—she was actually mute.

Zhao Lang only knew that the Princess Consort of Rui had a few close maidservants; having just arrived in Shang Jing, he wasn't familiar with them, so he naturally didn't realize Jinzhi was actually mute.

He instantly felt some regret, wondering if he had gone too far, but then a chill rose in his heart—could the Rui Wangfu have not gone too far?

He snorted coldly, no longer bothering with a little mute girl, and turned to leave.

Who would have thought that a few of his subordinates behind him were unwilling to just let the Rui Wangfu people go, and they all jeered, "Hmph! Sure enough, they're people from around the Rui Wangfu, taking in all sorts; they even keep that poisonous woman from the Su clan in their mansion!"

"If the beam is not straight, the lower part is crooked! The prince is a sickly schemer!"

"Hmph! How could the princess consort be any good? She's just a stupid unmarried pregnant woman no one wants..."

Before the word "cargo" could even be spoken, Jinzhi instantly became angry.

Scolding her is fine, but scolding her princess consort is absolutely not allowed.

Her princess consort is the best person in the world; at this moment she was so angry her whole body trembled, her mind went blank, just then the shopkeeper came out carrying a large packet of sweet cakes.

Jinzhi took it without a word, chased after Zhao Lang a few steps, not knowing where she got the courage to do so, and fiercely threw it at the back of his head.

Immediately an exclamation rang out all around, and everyone looked at Jinzhi in disbelief.

Zhao Lang is nevertheless the most formidable young general of his generation, whether in the frontier or Shang Jing, his reputation is excellent.

This time he was actually struck on the head in public; the wrapping scattered, palm-sized sweet cake lumps fell on Zhao Lang's broad shoulders and collar, scattered on the ground, and one sweet cake even hung from his hair, looking especially ridiculous and comical.

Swish!

Those Zhao family personal guards all drew the knives at their waists and pointed them at Jinzhi.

Jinzhi trembled all over, her whole body tensed like a bow, standing there.

A flash of disbelief crossed Zhao Lang's handsome face, then surged into towering anger—how dare she, who does not bully the head, smash his head?

He slowly turned around and walked toward Jinzhi step by step.

Jinzhi felt her nerves were about to snap; she was truly afraid, and the blow she just gave Zhao Lang really left her mind blank—just anger.

Because they scolded the princess consort and she grew angry, she impulsively smashed it directly onto Zhao Lang's head.

Anyway, his entourage spoke rudely, and he himself is no good either!

Zhao Lang raised his hand and grabbed her cheek, squeezing it tightly; Jinzhi trembled with fear, yet unwilling to yield, she stared fixedly at the man before her.

Zhao Lang furrowed his brows slightly; in the borderlands he was the Asura King who made Bei Di children dare not cry at night, an invincible great general, yet he did not want to return to Shang Jing, nor did he want to fall into a woman's hands.

Even a lowly maid in Prince Rui's residence dared to humiliate him; he clenched Jinzhi's bun-like face, grinding his molars, and said, "You're asking for death!"

Tears welled up in Jinzhi's eyes; she had always been gentle with others, never having had any conflict, and she never expected that her first confrontation would be with a great general.

She seemed to have expended all the courage of her lifetime, yet she still refused to yield, glaring fiercely at Zhao Lang.

Zhao Lang was instead stunned by her stare; the eyes of this little mute girl across from him were actually quite lovely, gentle like a fawn that had inadvertently wandered into a hunter's territory—flustered and at a loss, yet putting on a show of strength.

Zhao Lang's heart skipped a beat, then he loosened his grip and said coldly, "Don't let this general see you again next time! Humph!"

Having said that, he leapt onto his horse, the motion tugging at his sword wound; he also recalled the humiliation the Prince Rui's residence had inflicted upon him, and he looked down at the pale-faced little mute girl, whose lips suddenly curled slightly, revealing a hint of coldness.

Zhao Lang raised his riding crop, pointed it at Jinzhi, and said word by word, "You wait for me!"

Jinzhi watched as that man led his entourage away on horseback, going far off; only then did she let out a long breath, discovering that her legs would not move, feeling a bit weak.

She hurried toward the Prince Rui's residence, her whole self feeling dazed.

It was the first time in her life she had such a fierce conflict with someone, and yet it was with a general who held military command—truly somewhat surreal.