Chapter 106

Qingyun Xian was never big to begin with; there were only a few well-known doctors in the county seat. The fallen doctor Su Guangju was an acquaintance, and Liu Danggui, the proprietor of the Hall of Returning Spring, which was right next door to the Fulai Inn, were still neighbors. The several servants cursed and shouted: "You quack doctor, daring to come here and put on airs, delaying the Second Young Master's illness—you'll pay with your dog's life."

The Wan mansion's gate slammed shut with a bang. Although many onlookers gathered around, no one stepped forward to help—not because of cold human feelings or the fickleness of the world, but because the Wan family is immensely wealthy and powerful, and ordinary folk fear offending them.

Su Guangju also waited until the gate closed before daring to go over and help Liu Danggui up, speaking full of sympathy: "Shopkeeper Liu, what exactly happened?"

Liu Danggui saw that it was Su Guangju, his expression darkened, and he let out a long sigh: "Brother Su, it's hard to put into words!"

Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan helped tidy up his medicine box. When Liu Danggui fell and twisted his ankle, Su Guangju helped call a cart and took Liu Danggui all the way to the Hall of Returning Spring. Just before reaching the hall, Liu Danggui changed his mind; he dared not go straight home, instead suggesting they rest at the Fulai Inn, because his son Liu Kuohai is upright and hot-tempered—if he learned that the Wan family had beaten his father, he would surely rush over recklessly to fight. The Wan family is immensely wealthy and powerful; it's absolutely not something a household like theirs could afford to offend.

Su Guangju and Liu Danggui had been neighbors for many years, so of course they would help with this small favor.

Hu Xiaotian returned to his room; just as he stepped into the backyard, Liang Da Zhuang came rushing up with a sobbing tone and grabbed him in a hug: "Young master, you've suffered!"

Hu Xiaotian was being choked by this guy until he could barely breathe; he struggled hard to break free from the embrace. Seeing that Liang Da Zhuang, though sounding tearful, had not a single tear on his face—pure acting! Utter hypocrisy. Hu Xiaotian said: "You gentlemen, what are you crying for? Aren't you embarrassed?"

Liang Da Zhuang had originally wanted to force out two tears, but hearing Hu Xiaotian say that, he immediately swallowed his grief-stricken emotions: "Young master, I wasn't crying!"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head, then reached out and tapped his forehead twice: "Da Zhuang, oh Da Zhuang, after our host-guest relationship, you could at least show a little sincerity, couldn't you?"

Liang Da Zhuang sniffled, Hu Xiaotian had already brushed past him; Liang Da Zhuang hurried over and placed a lit brazier at the doorway: "Young master, step over it to dispel the bad luck."

Hu Xiaotian gave a wry smile; he hadn't expected this guy to know a thing or two, so he stepped over the brazier. Entering his room, the bathwater was already ready. Although Liang Da Zhuang is incapable of success and prone to failure, he's the only one who followed from the capital to this remote southwestern town. Originally Hu Xiaotian had planned to send him back once they reached Qingyun, but seeing him now, he could still be of considerable help. Though Hu Xiaotian usually shows him no pleasant face, deep down he still feels affection.

Hu Xiaotian soaked in a hot bath, recalling his experiences from yesterday noon until now—it felt like a dream. He wondered how the young widow Le Yao was doing now. Inside the Wan household, every member of the Wan father and son eyed her like a starving wolf; this piece of fresh meat in such an environment was fraught with danger, utterly awful. He didn't know why she hadn't followed him out of the prison last night. Thinking of this, Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but give a wry smile; fortunately Le Yao hadn't followed him in escaping, or she would surely have been caught by the constables, and who knows what turmoil she might have stirred.

The day after tomorrow is the date for taking up office at the county headquarters. From what he currently knows, County Magistrate Xu Qinglian is certainly no good bird; this scoundrel does all kinds of evil in Qingyun Xian—fleecing the populace, practicing fraud and extortion, committing every conceivable wickedness. Although he himself had no intention of being an honest official, even thieves have their code, and he cannot be as unprincipled and limitless as this man. Hu Xiaotian secretly resolved that, since he would serve one term in office, he must dominate the region; you, Xu Qinglian, dare to let your subordinates lock me up for a night—this grudge, I, will consider settled with you. Once I take office, the first thing I will do is topple you, this mangy monkey, and make you submit at my feet. Actually, Xu Qinglian is unaware of his detention, but this score still needs to be settled with someone.

In his previous life, Hu Xiaotian had never realized how strong his desire for power lurked deep inside him—whether it was innate or this twist of fate's transmigration changed him. Genes determine everything; in this process, his father Hu Buwei should have played a considerable role, his father's ambition and lust for power being tremendous, surely already deeply implanted in his blood.

After washing away the filth and donning fresh robes, Hu Xiaotian once again regained the extraordinary, dignified, and splendid bearing of a young master of old. While dressing, he noticed his jade pendant was missing; after thinking it over, he concluded it must have been lost when he fled the Black Miao Tribe's pursuit yesterday.

Stepping outside, Liang Da Zhuang had already brought him breakfast—a big bowl of steaming hot braised beef noodles. Hu Xiaotian had been hungry since noon yesterday, long dreaming of a bowl of beef noodles set before him; now the dream came true, there is nothing happier in the world. He thus seized his chopsticks and wolfed down the entire bowl, not a drop of broth left, feeling that even adding his previous life, he had never eaten such delicious beef noodles. Hu Xiaotian put his chopsticks in the empty bowl, only then noticing Murong Feiyan standing under the grapevine in the courtyard, smiling brightly at him, her voice unusually gentle as she asked: "How is it? Are the noodles tasty enough?"

Only then did Hu Xiaotian realize this bowl of beef noodles was personally made by Murong Feiyan; he nodded and said in a deeply solemn voice: "The flavor is superb!"

Murong Feiyan smiled even more happily, sat opposite Hu Xiaotian, resting her cheeks on her hands, and said: "I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday!"

Hu Xiaotian pretended not to know and asked: "What matter?"

Murong Feiyan gave him a sideways glance and said: "People don't know the customs of the Black Miao Tribe; I thought someone was really abducting a bride, so I went to uphold justice, never expecting to stir up such a huge joke."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I just don't understand why you let me take that Miao woman away first at that time."

Murong Feiyan said: "I originally wanted to protect you both as we escaped, but I didn't expect that those few Black Miao people would have such high martial skill; they entangled me, and I couldn't break free. By the time I shook them off, you and that Black Miao woman had already vanished without a trace."

Hu Xiaotian gave a bitter smile: "You still have the nerve to say that? Yesterday I became the target of everyone's anger; rather than saying I brought her along to escape, it's more like she was the one who brought me away."

Murong Feiyan asked: "Where exactly did you escape to? Why did you suddenly disappear afterward, and why were you then arrested by the constables?" She was very curious about Hu Xiaotian's subsequent experiences.

Hu Xiaotian couldn't possibly tell Murong Feiyan everything that had happened yesterday; he sighed and said: "Forget it—I hid with her, dodging here and there, then we split up to flee. After great difficulty we escaped the Black Miao tribe's pursuit; I had intended to return to the Fulai Inn to meet you, but feared the Black Miao might intercept us midway, so I found a place to hide and only after nightfall did I sneak back to the inn in the dark. Who would have thought that just as I neared the Fulai Inn, two constables seized me, claiming my behavior was suspicious and I didn't look like a good person." He glossed over his experiences at the Wan mansion entirely; though his talent for lying was always outstanding, it aroused no suspicion.

Murong Feiyan laughed: "You didn't tell them you're the newly appointed county secretary, Sir?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I did, but they said I'm the county secretary while they are the Prefect of Xiezhou, and without further discussion they threw me into the jail."

Murong Feiyan nodded, looking at the bruise on Hu Xiaotian's forehead, feeling sympathy arise unbidden. Although he spoke lightly, he must have endured much hardship last night; for a young master accustomed to comfort, being able to chat and laugh now is truly rare. The longer she spent with Hu Xiaotian, the more she noticed his shining points. She softly asked: "Is anyone bullying you in the jail?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "A blessing in disguise—if it weren't for yesterday's ordeal, I wouldn't have known Qingyun Xian hides so many dark secrets." He said nothing about the gang of inmates beating him in jail; after all, it's over, and mentioning it would only lose face.

Murong Feiyan's lovely eyes fixed on Hu Xiaotian's, trying to see through his current state of mind, but although he is young, his thoughts are meticulous; wanting to see through him is not that easy: "Do you already have an idea in mind?"

Hu Xiaotian smiled narrowly: "What idea?"

"You came to Qingyun to serve as county secretary; in one term you should benefit the locality. Having witnessed all sorts of unreasonable phenomena here, don't you want to do something about it?"

Hu Xiaotian yawned lazily and said: "I've always lacked ambition, just getting by; I came to Qingyun to enjoy life, not to benefit the region. A three-year term will pass in a flash—having time to roam the mountains and waters, to eat, drink, and have fun, isn't that delightful?"

Given Murong Feiyan's past temperament, hearing such defeatist words would have made her slam the table in anger long ago; yet now she showed no trace of anger, only smiling: "You've always been one way to the face and another behind the back; if you were allowed to muddle through each day, I doubt even you would agree."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You sound as if you really know me—well, I've never been a good person." He stood up and walked toward the front hall.

Liu Danggui had already changed into clean clothes, sitting in the front hall sipping tea to calm his fright. His right foot was twisted, which is easy to explain, but he had also scraped his face when he fell, and he feared it would be hard to brush off. He sighed: "Brother Su, later you help me explain to Kuohai—just say you saw me accidentally fall."

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