Chapter 205: Mother, Save Me! Hua'er Is in Trouble [Many Thanks for Everyone's Support]

Yu Yu Huguang, the very person who had just answered Xu Xu Zaijing's question regarding punishments.

He hailed from the Yu family, a medical lineage of Bianjing; his grandfather served as an imperial physician, specializing in internal ailments of the viscera, and gifted as he was, before even reaching fifteen, Yu Yu Huguang had already mastered nearly all of the Yu family's medical arts.

Yet Yu Yu Huguang did not practice medicine; instead, he left Bianjing, relying on the robust physique cultivated since childhood and the martial skills he had learned, to become a low-ranking military officer engaged in capturing bandits, and through solid skills—such as forcing bandits to watch their own knotted tendons or using a bandit's blood vessels to feed water to another bandit—he rose to become a Capture Envoy for an entire prefecture.

While the Yu family's hereditary learning excelled in internal matters, these years of practical experience gave Yu Yu Huguang an even more intuitive understanding of the human body's bones and meridians.

Thus, as Yu Yu Huguang watched this brawl between Xu Xu Zaijing and many young generals of Bai Gao, whenever anyone was injured, it was as though his eyes could see through them, allowing him to easily assess their wounds.

"Tsk!"

"Hiss!"

"Broken!"

"Shattered."

Sitting at the table, Zhu Zhu Qinghu listened to the words of this Capture Envoy he knew, and said softly, "Envoy Yu, are their injuries severe?"

Yu Yu Huguang glanced around and whispered:

"Not severe. However, restoring them to even sixty percent of their current state in the future will be somewhat troublesome. This Young Master strikes too viciously... I like it."

"Commandant Zhu, seeing that you also come from a military background, do you know why the people of Bai Gao announce their affiliation upon emerging?"

Zhu Zhu Qinghu replied, "It is merely a custom of Bai Gao; so that if they die in a duel, someone will know which clan they belonged to."

Yu Yu Huguang shook his head while looking at the Physician currently treating Zhu Zhu Qinghu.

"Envoy Yu, why do you look at me so?"

"Commandant Zhu, would you like yourself and your sworn brothers to recover to seventy or eighty percent of your former selves?"

"Ah?"

The words Zhu Zhu Qinghu held back in his heart were: "Envoy Yu, you are a bandit-catcher; what the hell do you know about medicine?"

"Vile!"

Hearing this, Yu Yu Huguang looked at the arena in surprise.

In all his life, he had never seen anyone react so quickly; just now, he had merely seen an object fly past,

yet Xu Xu Zaijing, with his back turned, caught it and threw it back in the flash of lightning and spark of flint, and with such accuracy too; this...

After silently memorizing the names of the few individuals Xu Xu Zaijing had just defeated (and crippled), Zhao Zhao Meifeng watched the unexpected incident unfolding in the arena.

The first floor of Pan Lou was exceedingly spacious,

and after the accident occurred, bystanders among the common folk of Bianjing shouted:

"The people of Bai Gao are launching a sneak attack!"

"They are using hidden weapons!"

"This person is so despicable!"

But the people of Bai Gao could no longer pay attention to the surroundings.

The Bai Gao envoy urgently asked in the Bai Gao language, "Is there poison? Is there?"

The servant, whose eye socket had been pierced by the metal needle of a sleeve-arrow, writhed in pain and gritted his teeth to roar from his mouth, "There is! Think of a way to save me quickly!"

Hearing these words, the faces of the Bai Gao people in the arena instantly turned pale.

Prince Liang Yi Ren glanced at the arena, then looked at Xu Xu Zaijing, who was currently observing the scene here, and said, "You, must die!"

Then he turned to the officials of the Ministry of Rites and said, "Quick! Quickly go find the most skilled Physician in your Great Zhou!"

Seeing this scene, the eunuch who had come from the palace was frightened by these events and could only pat the Imperial Guard beside him, saying, "Go, hurry and report what just happened to the Inner Palace."

Today, when Zhu Zhu Qinghu and the Bai Gao envoy clashed, news of the incident had already begun to spread throughout Bianjing.

Furthermore, when Xu Xu Zaijing and Brother Qingyun had galloped their horses toward Bianjing, the commotion they caused forced many carriages belonging to noble and official families in Bianjing to pull over to the side.

Therefore, when Xu Xu Zaijing listened to Zhu Zhu Qinghu explain the cause of events, many households had already sent people to Pan Lou to investigate.

There were also meddlesome or idle descendants of noble families, such as Liang Liu Lang, Zheng Jun, and the young masters of the Duke of Britain's household, who, having heard of the events within Pan Lou,

and already being on good terms with Xu Xu Zaijing,

and since they were not too far away, rode their horses directly over to see what was happening.

Zheng Jun and the young masters of the Duke of Britain's household, who arrived quickly, entered Pan Lou before the Golden Armor Guards from the palace could control the entrance;

those who arrived slowly could only hear the screams of women from inside Pan Lou while standing outside, watching the Golden Armor Wu Shi among the Imperial Guards riding fast horses toward the palace.

Although the Imperial Guards had secured Pan Lou, they only prohibited commoners from entering and did not stop those from spreading news outward.

When seeing onlookers approaching, the Imperial Guards mostly just warned them not to crowd the entrance.

Since the Imperial Guards themselves contained many descendants of Bianjing's noble families, the guards who came with the eunuch, while standing at the entrance, were frequently called by name by acquaintances on the roadside asking about the situation.

Additionally, people emerging from within Pan Lou were grabbed by others and asked what exactly was happening inside,

so, outside Pan Lou, wealthy young masters and prodigals threw copper coins and silver toward the paper-covered windows of Pan Lou, shouting as they threw:

"Open the window and there will be a reward!"

"Hey! Open the window and tell us what's happening!"

"We all know each other; just speak!"

"Open the window!"

Very quickly, quite a crowd gathered around Pan Lou.

Many quick-tongued individuals described the situation inside, though their perspectives varied greatly.

"Xu Xu Zaijing is arrogantly boundless and seeking a fight."

"A Bai Gao Wu Shi attempted to harm someone secretly."

"Han Wulang Young Master of Marquis Marquis Yongyi's Hou Fu is fighting for a woman of low status."

"Han Wulang Young Master of the Xu family could not stand the Bai Gao Wu Shi insulting a Great Zhou woman."

"Brother Jing is seeking revenge for his sworn brothers."

"Viscount Zhu prefers older female musicians."

"The people of Bai Gao requested 'The Loyal Souls of Yanzhou' be performed face-to-face."

"The people of Bai Gao seek a duel with Brother Jing."

Perspectives differed, and so did what everyone heard, yet the matter became known to all.

"A Bai Gao warrior accepted the challenge and had his arm crippled."

"He had one leg crippled."

What followed were records of Xu Xu Zaijing injuring people at Pan Lou.

Regardless, Great Zhou and Bai Gao remained adversaries; upon hearing the events inside, the onlooking commoners and young masters quickly began cheering.

Shen Hour, exact mark (4:00 PM)

Another Jin Jia warrior rushed out from within; disregarding greetings to familiar scions of Bianjing, he mounted his horse and shouted loudly as he departed the scene.

"A Bai Gao attendant attempted to injure someone with a hidden weapon!"

"Sleeve arrow!"

"Truly despicable."

Inside Pan Lou,

various loud curses also drifted out.

Outside the building, voices asking questions grew louder alongside copper coins and silver fragments thrown at the windows.

Two marks of the hour later, a large contingent of Imperial Guards dispersed the commoners and noble scions near Pan Lou.

However, cunning individuals like Liang Liu Lang, Qiao Jiu Lang, and other scions from wealthy noble families had already hidden themselves in roadside houses or on second floors, continuing to watch developments unfold.

During this time, imperial physicians from the palace hurried into Pan Lou with anxious expressions.

Shortly after, dozens of Bianjing carriages were driven to the foot of Pan Lou, from which over a dozen men in varied attire were carried out—some wailing, some screaming, some crying out in pain, others unconscious.

By the time all the injured had been carried away,

those involved, including Tang Dajia and Yang Sister Luoyou, were ushered into carriages,

Xu Xu Zaijing, accompanied by an inner official, also climbed into a carriage, while the Bai Gao envoys and others similarly boarded carriages and departed the scene.

Once the Imperial Guard soldiers enforcing the curfew also formed ranks and withdrew,

very soon,

the area near Pan Lou returned to normal, whereupon many people emerged from the roadside and surged into Pan Lou.

Liang Liu Lang, Qiao Jiu Lang, and a group of their familiar companions entered the building; spotting Zheng Xiao, Zhang Zhang Fangling, and others immediately, they hastily gathered around them.

In the cold wind of the twelfth lunar month,

many high-ranking officials of Bianjing's various ministries and senior noble generals, who were preparing to eat, were located at their homes by inner officials,

some riding horses, others taking carriages,

and rushed urgently into the imperial palace.

Furthermore, young and old clerks from the Ministry of Justice and numerous other bureaus and prisons across all of Bianjing—whether seasoned veterans or sharp, capable hands—were summoned by imperial decree into the palace,

to conduct detailed interrogations of everyone involved in this Pan Lou incident.

Physicians from the Imperial Hospital and skilled medical officers from Bianjing were also summoned into the palace,

assigned to examine the injured from the afternoon's events at Pan Lou.

As for Xu Xu Zaijing,

he knelt honestly with head bowed in a warm palace chamber,

feeling the heated brick floor warming his knees,

The aged Emperor, holding a bamboo tablet used for palace punishments, paced back and forth before Xu Xu Zaijing in a huff,

and after gesturing several times, said:

"Wait until I return, then I will beat you!"

Having spoken, the Emperor walked outward, bamboo tablet in hand.

Soon, an inner official arrived in the hall, carrying an excessively thick cushion inside; two other inner officials followed behind him.

Of the three inner officials, two lifted Xu Xu Zaijing together, while the one carrying the object placed the cushion beneath Xu Xu Zaijing's knees.

Subsequently, the three inner officials withdrew silently.

After a while,

just as Xu Xu Zaijing was wondering whether his actions had been too ruthless,

the Emperor returned, still Liu Fuming,

slapped the bamboo tablet in his hand onto Master Yuan's desk,

glanced at the cushion beneath Xu Xu Zaijing's knees,

and was about to say something when he noticed the cute, simple-line embroidery of a galloping horse on the cushion.

The Emperor felt a surge of vexation.

"Hmph!"

Flicking his sleeve, he walked out again.

The Emperor's shoulder palanquin proceeded toward the hall where high officials had gathered and nobles congregated.

Along the way,

Zhao Zhao Zilong of the Imperial City Bureau presented several sheets of paper covered in writing to the Emperor just before he entered the hall.

"What is this?"

Holding those sheets of paper, the Emperor asked in a somewhat unpleasant tone.

"Replying to Your Majesty, these are urgent handwritten messages from the clerks managing secret archives in the Imperial City Bureau and the Military Machinery Bureau, concerning the Bai Gao warriors who participated in this brawl."

The sky was dim; the Emperor folded these few sheets of paper and said:

"You come in as well; have them bring over the more detailed secret files."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Zhao Meifeng, go at once."

Watching Zhao Zhao Meifeng turn and hurry away,

the Emperor said, "Run."

Zhao Zhao Meifeng stumbled, nearly falling; he braced himself hard with both arms,

then rose, hitched up his robes, and broke into a quick run.

A patrol of palace guards in armor marched past in neat step,

exhaling white vapor as they crossed paths with Zhao Zhao Meifeng,

while Di Jing, Zhang Zhang Huaiying, and their comrades in the ranks glanced sideways at this rare sight of someone running within the palace,

and soon Zhao Zhao Meifeng vanished into the darkening sky.

Jiying Lane

The Sheng household

Shou'an Hall

Wang Wang Wang Ruofu, face tight with urgency and accompanied by Nurse Liu, hurried through the dim candlelight into the front hall.

"Mother, save us!"

"Mother, the Xu family is in trouble; Hua'er is in trouble!"

Under the candlelight, Lady Sheng, who had been reading a Daoist scripture, jerked her hand.

Looking at the frantic Wang Wang Wang Ruofu, the old lady frowned and scolded:

"Silence! Do not speak nonsense!"

"What exactly has happened? Speak slowly!"

Hearing the old lady's two sentences, Wang Wang Wang Ruofu said anxiously, "Mother, just now my elder sister sent someone over, saying that the Xu family's Fifth Young Master fought with Bai Gao warriors at Pan Tower and killed someone!"

"What!"

Hearing this, the old lady frowned and said in a low voice, "No, it cannot be; Jing-ge'er is a steady child; he would not be so rash! Was Jing-ge'er injured?"

"Mother, who cares about injuries or not! The man the Kang family sent said that the Xu family's cousin, a young master from the Zhu family, quarreled with a Bai Gao envoy over a female musician and was beaten; only then did Jing-ge'er fight, and several were carried out from Pan Tower alone!"

"Killing an envoy would spark war between two nations; Hua'er is in the Xu—"

Meeting the old lady's sharp gaze, Wang Wang Wang Ruofu fell silent in embarrassment.

"You are the mistress of the house; how can you take every rumor as truth? Have you sent anyone to Qu Yuan Street to inquire? To ask among your father's old friends?"

Wang Wang Wang Ruofu stared blankly at the old lady and said, "Mother, is there any need to inquire? We of the Wang family, our relatives..."

"Da Da Niangzi, heed the old lady's words."

Nurse Liu, standing behind Wang Wang Wang Ruofu, said.

Seeing Wang Wang Wang Ruofu turn back with a puzzled expression, Nurse Liu said gravely, "Then, Da Da Niangzi, shall this servant go and make arrangements now?"

Seeing Nurse Liu's unusually solemn expression, and out of trust, Wang Wang Wang Ruofu blankly nodded.

Then she left Shou'an Hall with Nurse Liu.

Outside Shou'an Hall,

Wang Wang Wang Ruofu instructed, "When you send people to our Wang family's old acquaintances, have them ask clearly: in such a situation, can the young lady who married in be saved..."

Nurse Liu said in a low voice, "Da Da Niangzi, it is better to wait until the matter is clarified before making plans. The Xu family is now related by marriage to the Marquis of Lady Ningyuan, and in the military they are under the Cao family; first watch the movements of these two houses; your urgency will not be too late."

"Hiss, that's right!"

Inside Shou'an Hall,

Minglan walked out from the inner room and said, "Grandmother."

Lady Sheng took a deep breath and said, "Ming'er, when facing affairs, the first thing that must not become chaotic is your own heart."

"Yes, Grandmother."

Seeing Minglan's concerned eyes, the old lady said, "Rest assured; your elder sister Hua Lan will be fine."

Xingguo Ward

The Duke of Qi's mansion

The front hall

Princess Princess Pingning and the Duke of Qi sat in their chairs,

with no one else around.

"How was it? Did you see Her Ladyship?"

Princess Princess Pingning, holding her tea bowl, said thoughtfully:

"The Empress Dowager made me wait in the outer chamber for a while, then said the Imperial Prince was crying and she could not see me."

"Then, this matter of the Xu family's young man..."

Princess Princess Pingning set down her tea bowl, pondered for a moment, and said, "Before, when entering the palace, I often saw the Imperial Prince playing on a cushion embroidered with horses; today, while I was waiting, I saw it carried out by eunuchs."

"Could it be that the Imperial Prince cried because of this cushion? Did he take a dislike to it?"

"Then why would two eunuchs follow him..."

Seeing some dawning understanding in his wife's expression, the Duke of Qi said, "What have you realized?"

"Have you gathered a complete and clear account of what exactly happened at Pan Tower?"

After the Duke of Qi gave a brief summary,

Princess Princess Pingning lifted the corners of her mouth slightly and said:

"We must be even more friendly toward the Xu family."

Having finished speaking, Princess Princess Pingning shouted again, "Send someone! Fetch Heng-ge'er!"

When Qi Heng arrived before his parents and heard Princess Princess Pingning finish, he nodded, bowed, and said:

"Yes, Mother. Tomorrow I will definitely visit several Yuxian Yuxian Zhengdian restaurants in the capital to vindicate Jing-ge'er and speak out on his behalf."

Yu, an official in charge of mountains and forests, also refers to a mountain dweller.

Therefore, the reader Yu Yu Huguang shall take the surname Yu.

Thanks to alan4500 for the donation of 3000 Qidian coins.

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Many thanks to everyone for your vote support! Love you all!

The next update will be tomorrow; I have written one thousand words.

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(End of Chapter)