Chapter 148: This Grudge Cannot Be Delayed

It didn't take long before the carriage arrived, and inside it was already laid out with several layers of soft, thick bedding.

She lifted him with a princess carry; at that moment Yuan Jiaqi's face turned bright red, and he quickly closed his eyes, fearing others would see the scene.

After getting him onto the carriage, she turned and asked the Daifu of the Yiguan, saying that the medical and academy fees had all been paid, and only then did she board the carriage, sitting cross‑legged on his side inside.

After Yuan Jiaqi took the Pill, he felt the injured spot itching.

"What is this medicine?"

"It's for treating your wound; I met a Buddhist monk while out, and out of kindness, this is his repayment."

"Seems much better, and it doesn't hurt much anymore."

"Mm, as long as it works!"

The carriage hurried on, and only when night fell did they reach Tianshui Town; Qiao Mai gave the driver some silver and told him to find an inn on his own.

At the gate of the Qiao Family, Yuan Jiaqi tried to walk in himself, but Qiao Mai ignored him, directly using a princess carry and kept carrying him into his courtyard.

"Why would mother carry you in when there's nothing wrong?"

But these don't prevent her from entering.

Given the force she applied, Feng Yinshi's leg was certainly broken; not only was the lower leg broken, part of it was also shattered, and it would take at least ten or twenty years before it could heal.

Back home, she quietly went to check on Yuan Jiaqi; both father and son were asleep, and the rest of the Qiao Family were also sleeping.

A crippled leg and his merit being taken away are both his own fault.

The stripping of his merit was Wang Zongsheng's doing; now, whenever the Qiao Family is mentioned, he becomes especially sensitive.

Originally, the Academy's supervision was inadequate; two students were injured in succession, so it should bear some responsibility and compensate Feng Yinshi, and the compensation money was given to Yuan Jiaqi.

After a short rest, she easily passed through the city wall and quickly arrived at Fenglin Shuyuan.

In fact, she wanted to kill him, but since Yuan Jiaqi would later study there, a death would tarnish the Academy's reputation.

Seeing that the good family of Qiao Niang was being bullied, he felt very guilty, so he took away the merit that shouldn't have been taken, and now the Feng Yinshi who has just come home is wailing and sobbing.

Startled, the other students hurried to find the duty teacher; Qiao Mai stood on the roof, let out a cold snort, and with a breath leapt toward the distance.

"Yes, it's because your mother fears dad will get knocked and bleed again."

Moreover, his front leg had just been injured, and his hind leg resulted in a death; it's not hard for people to focus on Yuan Jiaqi, and she doesn't want to cause him trouble.

Three days later, Feng Yinshi incited a fellow student to expose the assault on Yuan Jiaqi, and he was expelled from the Academy.

Beside them, the newly married daughter‑in‑law and the little concubine who had been taken in, lowered their heads and quietly wiped tears; they had just married in, and their husband's merit was gone, his legs crippled—how could they get by?

She opened the horse's power at full speed, the surrounding trees flashed by like a fast‑forward camera; after an hour, she, panting heavily, appeared beneath the wall of Weicheng.

"Father, father, how are you?"

Yuan Jiaqi was beaten so badly he couldn't move, and that same day the people returned to Tianshui Town; this was verified at each city gate, and a driver also testified.

"You don't study properly; why look for someone to beat him? A gentleman may take revenge even after ten years; wait until you pass the imperial exam, become an official, and then act—it's not too late. Look at now, everything is gone, everything is gone!"

File a complaint? It won't pass at Prefect Wang's place; where can we lodge a complaint?

He didn't dare go to Tianshui Town to cause trouble, but here he felt safe, as if the Academy were his own realm.

The walls of Fucheng are higher and much sturdier than those of the County Town, with City Soldiers stationed on top, and their discipline is stricter than the soldiers of the County Town.

Feng Yinshi kept wailing; after everyone lit the lamps, they saw him clutching his leg and howling, and rushed forward to inquire.

That scumbag is lucky! Hmph!

Moreover, after that boy Feng Yinshi was rushed to the Yiguan, the Daifu examined him and reached a conclusion.

The boy's lower leg suffered a crush fracture; after hearing this, Feng Yinshi's vision went black.

Feng Yinshi claimed to be of the Qiao Family, but after the County Magistrate's Office's investigation, they stopped paying him any heed.

So the matter of his beating remained without any clue.

Even if he recovers, walking remains difficult, and naturally his Shizi will no longer have any trace.

Moreover, Chuan'er is not material for martial training; before Qiao Niang, Feng'er, and Yun'er, the father and son seem as fragile as a wind that blows them down.

So when he realized he was crippled, the words "regret" finally came to mind.

In the end, because his leg was crippled, the County Magistrate's Office did not impose a severe sentence; they stripped his merit and had someone send him back home.

He changed into Night Clothes and vanished into the darkness.

"Then I'll have the Chufang deliver it to mother's courtyard."

Regarding Yuan Jiaqi's case, they investigated tightly, and before they could finish, the Feng Yinshi incident arose.

Fenglin Shuyuan is the most renowned in all of Weicheng, and also one of the most famous academies nationwide.

No one feared offending anyone, so they decided to investigate to the end; Feng Yinshi temporarily took residence in the Yiguan.

His front leg had just been separated from Lu Ruxin, and his hind leg the Feng family told him about a merchant's daughter; after hastily marrying her into the house, they carried that beloved woman into the doorway as a concubine.

Yuan Jiaqi's face flushed red; after Qiao Mai placed him on the kang, she reached out to help Chuan'er wipe away a tear.

Chuan'er is still a child; seeing that his father can talk to him, his arms and legs can all move.

Thinking of Qiao Mai, such a petite woman, carrying him was as easy as moving a box, and he felt his face flush with heat.

"Why are you crying? Father just slipped a bit and bruised his skin, it's nothing."

Tomorrow is the Academy's holiday; students who live nearby leave that afternoon, while those from farther away depart early the next morning.

Entering her own room, she as usual brewed herself a pot of tea and drank it.

"Leg, my leg!"

However, this bit of wind and rain is not a world‑ending matter for the Academy; every teacher at the school has some background.

Chuan'er had been waiting for him; seeing his father like this made him burst into tears.

Fenglin Shuyuan investigated thoroughly, asking what to do about the Qiao Family's beating? Who told you to deliberately stir up trouble?

Qiao Mai returned to the back courtyard, gave Ling'er a hug, and after reminding Yuehong and Yuexia, handed the child to the two before entering the house.

Qiao Mai lifted her hand, and several Stones simultaneously flew toward the candle; the lights in the room went out completely, leaving darkness.

"Just one serving, okay. Your father's fine, I need to go back and check on Ling'er, I'll go there to eat."

Anyone who dares to move the person she shields, this grudge can't wait until tomorrow; it must be reported at once.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?"

Qiao Mai searched in every courtyard; it was still before bedtime, and many students were lighting lamps to study through the night.

Taking advantage of the lull, she darted in like lightning, a sturdy stick in her hand, and struck Feng Yinshi's leg.

Mrs. Feng asked for the full story and was so angry she wanted to beat Feng Yinshi.

Now she could relax, "Father, you're hungry, right? I'll go to the kitchen and bring you something to eat."

It didn't take long to find that damn thing, and she saw Feng Yinshi with a smug, self‑satisfied look.

Alas, a scholar who is good for nothing—what a fitting remark.

"Son, you were wrong!"

The Lu family's words fell on deaf ears; as soon as the term began, he went to Fenglin Shuyuan, and after the wedding he only stayed at home for three days.

"Your mother hasn't eaten either."

I have to say, Feng Yinshi is literally smashing his own foot with a brick.

The Qiao Family could never fly to the academy to commit a crime; his leg ended up like this because he brought it on himself.

After Qiao Mai left, Yuan Jiaqi's face stayed pale for a long while before returning to normal.

"Oh, then make it double."

Thinking that he had trained with the child for so long, yet he has no improvement at all; he's not even better than a child.

Qiao Mai guessed correctly; the incident with Yuan Jiaqi was indeed his doing, together with several School Bullies from the academy who beat up Yuan Jiaqi.

Two words: deserved!

In other words, as long as the Wang Family is in Fucheng for a day, this place becomes the Wang Family's realm, and the Feng Family can't move against the Qiao Family at all.

Even in the County Town, they still can't act whenever they please.

They can only endure hardship and bide their time, hoping for future results.

(End of chapter)