Chapter 838

First Volume, Chapter 838: Jing Ci's Transformation

Qin Feng's reply left Jing Ci even more astonished, her gaze shifting repeatedly.

At that moment, Jing Ci finally understood: in Qin Feng's heart, helping the Common People solve their struggles with food, clothing, shelter, and travel was only natural—even the slightest deception was unnecessary.

No wonder all the Common People under Qin Feng's rule lived in abundance, with Food and Clothing Security.

This man, whom countless lives in Northern Di hated with gritted teeth, was in fact the one who cared most for the Common People.

Jing Ci quietly exhaled, her resentment toward Qin Feng long gone; even though she knew he was the nation's mortal enemy, she simply could not hate him.

Just then, a boy clutching a hot steamed bun, intent only on rushing home to satisfy his hunger, lowered his head and sprinted forward recklessly.

For the sake of convenience in conversation, Jing Ci's escort guards had all remained at a respectful distance behind her.

Even when they spotted the reckless boy, they were too late to stop him.

Before the eyes of all, the boy slammed straight into Qin Feng's chest.

Half a month ago, Qin Feng had survived an assassination attempt by Old Wu; though healed, as the saying goes, Shang Shang Xin Xin takes a hundred days, and his body was still weak—he lost his balance under the boy's full impact and fell with a thud to the ground.

This sight terrified everyone present.

The first snow of winter had just fallen, the temperature still not low enough to preserve snow—snow melted instantly upon hitting the ground, leaving the pavement damp and slick.

Qin Feng's expensive overcoat was now smeared with dirt.

He looked utterly disheveled.

Jing Ci frowned slightly; she knew too well how ruthless Qin Feng could be—back in Yucheng, he had made Ning Hu tear out the tongue of the Yucheng White Crane in front of a crowd of scholars.

Clearly, though he showed compassion for the Common People, he would never tolerate anyone challenging his authority.

The boy had undoubtedly committed a grave offense.

Before Jing Ci could speak, the guards rushed forward, swinging their sword scabbards and slamming one hard against the boy's forehead, bellowing furiously.

"You little beast, you blind dog! How dare you collide with the Princess's Imperial Carriage and knock down Marquis Qin? How many heads does your entire family have to lose?!"

The Common People watching the snow were too terrified to even breathe.

The boy was dazed, stars dancing before his eyes; after a long while, he finally regained his senses.

Seeing the ferocious guards and Qin Feng, covered in mud, being helped up by Ning Hu, the boy finally realized the magnitude of his mistake.

He was no child—he was already ten years old; by local standards, in another two or three years, he could even be married.

Yet faced with this scene, whether you called him a boy or a child, he burst into loud, wailing sobs.

The boy scrambled to his feet and knelt before Qin Feng and Jing Ci, bowing his head like a pestle pounding garlic.

"I… I'm worthless, please spare my dog's life!"

No one dared speak; after all, this brat had knocked down Qin Feng.

Not to mention Qin Feng's status in Liang Kingdom—even in Northern Di, this hostile foreign land, no one dared harm him lightly.

The earlier Bao Gao had already proven that relations between the two nations were slowly improving, meaning Qin Feng's status was gradually shifting from infamous enemy to foreign guest.

Jing Ci tried several times to speak up for the boy, but each time the words died on her lips.

In truth, even she feared Qin Feng.

This man controlled the rise and fall of the entire Di Kingdom; offending him carried a cost too great for anyone to bear.

Just as everyone believed the boy was surely doomed, Qin Feng brushed the mud off his backside, shrugged off his overcoat, shook it vigorously twice, and put it back on.

He glanced at the boy, grumbling: "You little brat, in a hurry to be reborn? Can't you watch where you're going? Lucky for you, you hit me—if you'd knocked down the Princess, you'd be in deep trouble."

As he spoke, Qin Feng kicked the boy squarely in the buttocks: "This Wang Du is full of the rich and powerful—knock into anyone else, and you couldn't possibly survive. You're just a kid—don't bring trouble to your family. Learn your lesson, got it?"

The boy stared at Qin Feng, unable to believe his ears.

After all, colliding with the Imperial Carriage was punishable by immediate beheading.

He had committed such a grave offense, yet he wasn't executed on the spot—only given a single kick, and that was it?

The boy felt as if he were dreaming, too stunned to recover for a long while.

Unbeknownst to him, Jing Ci was equally astonished—she had witnessed Qin Feng's brutality firsthand, so how could he now seem like a different person? Only when she recalled the rumors about Qin Feng did she suddenly understand.

In Liang Guo Jingdu, Qin Feng was infamous as a demon king—any noble or elite who provoked him lost at least a layer of skin.

But if it was an ordinary Common Person, even a Worthless Bones, he showed unusual leniency.

Coupled with Qin Feng's earlier efforts to help the Common People secure Firewood for winter, Jing Ci couldn't help but wonder: was this Qin Feng born to stand up for the Common People?

The Common People present were equally stunned.

When Qin Feng first entered the city, they had even joined the Bao Tong, and some had thrown rotten eggs at him.

At least in their minds, Qin Feng had been a bloodthirsty, heartless demon.

But now, witnessing his mercy firsthand, everyone found it unbelievable.

Had it not been for the guards behind Jing Ci, the Common People would have surged forward to demand: Is Qin Feng a bodhisattva or a demon?

The boy snapped out of his daze, thanking Qin Feng profusely; seeing the bun on the ground, he instinctively reached for it—only for a guard to kick it away.

"You little scum, you've been given your life back, and yet you still want to pick up a bun? You're truly Worthless Bones."

Though Jing Ci disliked the guard's attitude, she knew their duty was to protect her safety, so she said nothing.

Instead, Qin Feng gave a signal—Ning Hu grabbed the guard by the collar and tossed him back into the crowd.

With a roar like a tiger's, booming with authority, he cursed: "You dog, using your master's power to bully others? If you've got guts, face me, Tiger General! Why pick on a little brat?"

"Get lost!"

The guard knew Ning Hu was one of Qin Feng's Tiger Generals—he dared not speak, slinking back into the ranks in shame.

Qin Feng then picked up the bun from the ground, peeled off its outer layer, and placed it back in the boy's hand.

"In the past, I'd have just replaced your bun—but now, your kingdom's finances are strained, everyone's struggling to make ends meet, and everyone must learn frugality. This bun's still edible—don't waste it."

"Alright, remember not to run around like a headless fly. Go on now."

Qin Feng gave the boy a light tap on the back of the head; the boy finally came to his senses, tears welling up in his eyes, too overwhelmed to speak, walking away with frequent glances back.