Walk another block ahead and turn right, and you’ll see the Kaifeng Government Office right above your head.
But now, Ma Bing stood at the roadside, hesitated, and couldn’t lift her feet.
“Miss! Be careful!”
She didn’t know how long she had been standing there when suddenly a voice came from behind.
Startled, Ma Bing turned around and saw a line of large carts loaded with grain approaching. The carts were very wide, with bulging grain sacks on both sides, almost occupying half the street.
She quickly moved aside.
As she passed the men escorting the grain carts, she noticed a few sun-browned faces flashing shy smiles.
Interrupted like this, Ma Bing actually made up her mind.
She turned around and went to a pastry shop on the street first, buying four-color pastries. She watched the shop assistant skillfully wrap them in oil paper and tie eight auspicious knots. Then she went across the street to buy a roasted suckling pig.
The suckling pig had just come out of the oven, its dark golden skin glossy and shiny, like top-grade rock candy.
A worker nearby was chopping pork, the knife pressed down on the crispy sugar-like crust making a crunching sound, and fine oil seeped instantly from the cut, drawing countless onlookers drooling.
The rich aroma mixed with warm steam kept rising, filling Ma Bing’s nostrils and magically improving her mood.
Indeed, food is the best comfort.
“Sir?” Seeing Xie Yu suddenly stop, Huo Ping also halted instinctively, following his gaze and spotting Ma Bing emerging with packages in both hands.
“Miss Ma is going out?” Huo Ping remarked.
Walking in that direction seemed to be… the Pei family’s place?
It was said that recently Ma Bing had gained Lady Meng’s favor, often summoned for company. Now and then, Lady Meng even sent people to deliver clothes and snacks, treating Ma Bing like a beloved younger family member.
Xie Yu watched her walk further and further away until she disappeared into the crowd before finally turning his gaze back and continuing forward.
Huo Ping hurried to follow. After walking a few steps, he edged closer to Xie Yu and whispered, “Why didn’t you go talk to Miss Ma?”
Not long ago, the two of them had been so close that even exchanging a glance from afar was enough to make others’ teeth ache.
Xie Yu’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, but he remained silent.
Huo Ping scratched his head and muttered, “With all due respect, don’t take offense, but since returning from outside the city yesterday, you and Miss Ma have both seemed off.”
Xie Yu showed no change in expression, but his hand gripping the reins tightened.
Seeing that Xie Yu didn’t refute him, Huo Ping knew he was right and became even more emboldened, continuing to chatter.
“Miss Ma is understandable—after going through such a big ordeal, not crying is already impressive enough…”
Honestly, Miss Ma’s heart must be pretty big!
Late last night, the two bandits died one after another.
In fact, when they were first brought back, Wang Heng had examined them and said that they had lost too much blood to be saved.
Everyone originally intended to keep this from Ma Bing, but someone with a loose tongue had let the cat out of the bag, and she found out anyway.
Everyone had been quite nervous at first, fearing she might be shocked, since injuring someone and killing someone were completely different matters.
But she acted as if nothing had happened.
“Hmm, understood.”
As a physician, no one knew better than her whether someone would die or not.
It was so normal that Wang Heng couldn’t sleep all night, scratching his head and pulling out his hair, sneaking over to talk to them about it—though perhaps it wasn’t that normal after all.
Xie Yu didn’t sleep a wink that night.
He felt like his mood wasn’t quite right either.
As soon as he closed his eyes, the scene from that day would appear in his mind:
In the wilderness, the autumn wind blew cold, the girl stood alone just as she had arrived, blood splattered on her cheek, crouched on the ground, wiping her sword stroke by stroke…
Xie Yu couldn’t quite describe his feelings.
Certainly, there was relief from having survived a disaster.
Anger? Indignation?
Even more so.
He realized he was becoming less and less able to be a dutiful son and loyal subject. Throughout the entire night, he had been thinking rebelliously about why the late emperor had committed so many wrongs, harming the country and its people.
Because of the late emperor’s tolerance and tacit approval, Prince Su had acted with such impunity. Even now, with the situation already decided, he, a defeated general, still dared to attempt an assassination in Kaifeng City!
Who gave him the courage?
The late emperor!
The man whom Xie Yu called his maternal grandfather.
It was the late emperor who had given Prince Su the power to act tyrannically and slaughter the people, who had granted him the iron-clad guarantee of a prince of the first rank, and who had given him the confidence to kill innocents…
But beyond that?
Xie Yu was also angry at himself.
Perhaps, as the old ministers had said, he was still too young, underestimating the evil in human nature, thus giving evildoers an opportunity.
If he had been more vigilant, more powerful, more resolute, wouldn’t Prince Su have dared not to act recklessly?
He was even a bit angry at Ma Bing, angry that she had sensed the danger but still went out of the city alone…
True enough, in the end, she won, but what if there had been an ambush?
What if there had been more than just two enemies?
What if they had not confronted her directly, but instead used underhanded, treacherous methods?
Had she even considered all this?
Had she thought about what would happen if she failed?
You fear harming innocents, but why not fear harming yourself?
Didn’t you consider that now you are not alone, and if you get hurt—or worse—others would be heartbroken and devastated?
They had once confessed their feelings to each other, firmly choosing one another, but now Xie Yu realized that, in fact, whether he existed or not, that girl would still live on as she always had.
He felt like he had indeed entered her heart, and yet maybe he hadn’t.
At this thought, Xie Yu suddenly realized he couldn’t stay angry any longer. The faint resentment he’d harbored toward her swiftly transformed into heartache—a dull, throbbing pain in his chest.
Why was she like this, if not because of the late emperor’s sins?
Why had she lived so many years alone, with no one to rely on, trusting only herself and depending only on herself?
It was their fault…
“… A man should be bold and thick-skinned. Are you expecting a girl to come running to hold your hand?”
Huo Ping kept on talking, his voice as loud and annoying as a loudspeaker, giving Xie Yu a headache.
Pointing at Zhuang Peng behind them, he continued, “Take Old Zhuang for example. He’s capable, and even after being rejected by the girl, he’s still living just fine.”
Zhuang Peng: “…”
Thank you so much for that, Brother Huo! On behalf of my whole family!
Already in a bad mood, Huo Ping just had to bring up the sore spot—wasn’t that deliberately poking at his wound?
Xie Yu also looked complicated, but still couldn’t help glancing at Zhuang Peng.
People who are suffering themselves always like to see others suffering even more, which somehow makes them feel better.
Zhuang Peng: “…”
Why are you like this too, my lord?!
Huo Ping laughed heartily, “What’s there to fear? A determined woman can be won over by persistence!”
A few days ago, Zhuang Peng couldn’t hold back anymore and confessed his feelings to Zhang Baozhu, only to be rejected on the spot.
“Master Zhuang, I understand your feelings. I’ve seen and remembered everything you’ve done for me these past days, but… I really don’t want to look for another relationship anymore.”
After several months of recovery, Zhang Baozhu’s complexion and spirit had fully returned, truly radiant like a precious pearl.
But her eyes and mindset had changed.
Once a girl yearning for love suddenly realized that marriage was nothing special.
Whether there was a man or not, it wouldn’t hinder her life.
She had her dowry and family, who loved and cherished her. Why should she force herself into a completely strange family to suffer?
Serving a husband and calling strangers with no blood relation or care for her parents… she never wanted to experience betrayal and that kind of life again.
Zhang Baozhu and her family had long seen Zhuang Peng’s intentions.
Indeed, he was a sincere and good man, but just because he was good, did she have to marry him?
She admired heroes and felt grateful toward them, but she didn’t want to confuse admiration and gratitude with love.
And precisely because she respected him, she didn’t want to deceive him.
Not liking someone simply meant not liking them.
So after Zhuang Peng visited several times, the Zhang family prepared a generous gift and sent it to Zhuang Peng’s house and the Kaifeng Government Office, publicly bowing in thanks to fully repay the debt of saving her life.
From then on, they were even.
Zhuang Peng wasn’t stupid either and understood the Zhang family’s intentions.
This was their way of saving face for him.
He had been down for a while and had even thought about giving up.
But feelings come from the heart—how could they stop just because one willed it?
Zhuang Peng still couldn’t help gravitating toward the Zhang residence, not entering, but simply watching from afar, feeling reassured when he saw no one bullying her.
A few days ago, he saw Zhang Baozhu again.
The past hardships no longer dimmed her radiance. Zhuang Peng, overcome with emotion, approached to pour out his feelings, and then…
That was it.
Zhuang Peng sighed heavily, like his core had been hollowed out, his tall figure slightly hunched, looking truly pitiful.
Xie Yu felt a strange sense of balance and comfort.
Huo Ping tried to comfort him, “Girls are shy, especially after going through such an ordeal. It might take years to recover. We can talk about it later…”
“Better not to talk about it at all,” Xie Yu suddenly said.
Huo Ping: “…”
That’s not comforting at all! Why did you suddenly interrupt?!
Xie Yu gave Zhuang Peng a warning glance and said coolly, “Not all girls are insincere. If she has clearly stated she doesn’t want it, then she truly doesn’t. Forcing someone is not the act of a gentleman.”
Everyone was stunned into silence.
That was true.
If they insisted forcefully, how would they be any different from those lecherous villains?
Zhuang Peng smiled bitterly and said, “My lord is right. That’s exactly what I think.”
Actually, Zhang Baozhu was somewhat similar to Miss Ma—both were independent women.
If they didn’t like someone, they wouldn’t hesitate but would politely decline.
If they did like someone, they wouldn’t pretend to resist.
Zhang Baozhu said she didn’t want to remarry—she truly didn’t.
Zhuang Peng was indeed heartbroken for a long time, but he never considered forcing her.
She was the girl he loved—how could he bear to make her uncomfortable?
Seeing that Zhuang Peng understood, Xie Yu nodded in satisfaction.
Huo Ping looked at him for a moment, suddenly his eyes lit up, as if he had just figured something out.
This straightforward man came over again, with a look of “I understand everything” on his face, “So, my lord, that’s how you empathize with Miss Ma, right?”
Even if she ran away, it’s okay?
Xie Yu: “…”
He closed his eyes heavily and, when he opened them again, his gaze was cold.
“Huo Ping.”
“At your service.”
“You’ve just lost your salary for this month, next month, and the month after.”
“What?!”
What the heck?!
Xie Yu glared at him fiercely, finally unable to stop himself from cursing in his mind using vulgar street language.
Zhang Baozhu… for some reason, Xie Yu suddenly remembered—he still didn’t know Ma Bing’s real name to this day!
It was even worse than Zhuang Peng’s situation!
Thinking of this, the young marquis felt terrible again.
He gripped the reins tightly, his lips pressed into a thin line.
“Did you bring the bodies?”
Huo Ping quickly turned around to confirm, “Yes, they’re here.”
Xie Yu raised his hand, his voice filled with killing intent, “Go to Prince Su’s mansion!”
If you won’t let me have peace, I won’t let you have peace either!
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