Day 06: “There seems to be Another Fight.”

The next morning, Zhao Baiguang and Li Xiang brought us to their business in this village. The four of us went to the village chief's house to talk about the village matters. Strictly speaking, the village chief isn't really a village chief, he's a former runaway prisoner whose case has already been put down. He was a former thief who's stealing for his family to eat, both Liao Yan and I couldn't say anything about it. We respected his reason but we still can't approve of his actions. Apart from trying all the various works and business, this guy decided to join a thief group and become a rogue.

"We have already talked about this before, but your village is against the rules.", Zhao Baiguang said seriously as she sipped the tea. Beautiful women do look even more charming if their faces have gotten serious.

"I believe my answer is still the same as yesterday. Our village may be accepted the runaway prisoners, but we didn't harm others, we only wished to have a second chance to repent and live our life peacefully.",

"Did you honestly think I would believe that?", Zhao Baiguang took a few documents from her sleeve and handed it to the village chief. The village chief read it for a while and later got shocked by it.

"H-how could it be? Our village has nothing to do with this criminal case!",

"You said that, but we have proof that your family had connections with the current case. Li Xiang…", Zhao Baiguang called Li Xiang and Li Xiang took a blue scroll from her sleeve and handed it to Zhao Baiguang, "We have proof that your son is the instigator to the case.",

"There's no way I would believe that! He's a good kid and filial to his parents!",

"Yes, but he gathers people to assassinate an official's daughter.",

"Fuck you! Your people must frame him for my mistakes ten years ago!",

Hearing the village chief cursing at Zhao Baiguang, Li Xiang drew her sword and pointed it at the village chief, "With all due respect, your case has already been put down and this had nothing to do with past cases."

"There's no way my son would be the culprit behind the official's daughter murder case!",

"Why don't you call your son and show these documents to him? If he's so-called 'filial' he won't be lying to you.",

The village chief fell silent and took a sharp breath, "Fine. But if it turns out someone framing him, you will have to donate a huge amount of money to this village.",

"That won't be a problem.",

The village chief stood up and called out his wife to bring their son here. However, the wife claimed that the son took a job to secure a wine carriage to Luoyang city. Zhao Baiguang and Li Xiang had no change of expression, it's as if they already knew that something was up with that suspicious delivery.

"Alas, my son was on a delivery expedition. He'll probably be back in three days.",

"I don't have as much free time as you.", Zhao Baiguang said strictly and left no empty room to argue.

"You officials are always so arrogant.",

I gulped when I heard the village chief called Zhao Baiguang an official. Li Xiang tried her best to keep her cool, while on the other hand, Zhao Baiguang seemed to pay no mind to the village chief's insult. The two of them kept arguing until the village chief really couldn't do anything to bring his son here. In the end, Zhao Baiguang asked Liao Yan and Li Xiang to travel to Luoyang. Since I'm Zhao Baiguang's personal doctor, I'm tasked to stay by her side. Liao Yan and Li Xiang nodded and departed as soon as possible. It took a day's journey to arrive at Luoyang, in the end, we still had to wait a few days. Zhao Baiguang and I returned to the restaurant and had a cup of tea to spend the day. I poured the tea into her cup and she drank it gracefully, although it was just for a moment, my heart is once again beating fast. Sometimes, I really need to slap my face to remind me that she's already married.

"Is there something wrong?",

I was surprised when Zhao Baiguang suddenly asked me. I swallowed my saliva and said, "This subject just thinking about the village chief's son.",

"Oh? Do you have an inkling regarding this matter?", Zhao Baiguang turned her full attention to me and was ready to listen to my thoughts.

"This subject didn't dare.",

"You're free to say anything regarding this matter. Perhaps it could help us.",

I hesitated a bit, I do have a bad premonition about this matter, but I'm afraid it was just a false alarm.

"This subject had a bad premonition about this matter.",

"How come?",

"This subject had a hunch that the village chief was lying about his son. The village chief may be actually the real culprit behind the murder case.",

"Can you explain? This is a serious cause.",

"Yes, this subject thinks the village chief was the real culprit because if the culprit was his son he won't be bringing the previous case in the conversation earlier.",

Zhao Baiguang seemed to understand something and asked, "Now that you mention it, it does seem pretty suspicious.",

"The village chief knew the case was already put down, but why is he still thinking about the previous case that aged like wine? Unless there is someone who tends to bring up the case again?",

"You mean the official's daughter?",

"Yes, perhaps the official's daughter was trying to bring up the case again because there was something perturbing… and the reason to send his son to Luoyang was--",

"--To trap us in.",

The restaurant's door suddenly opened wide and a couple of muscular men surrounded us with a Scimitar on their waist. One of the men drew his sword and pointed at Zhao Baiguang,

"It is too bad that we had to kill a beautiful lady. But a contract is a contract, so how about we had some fun before we beheaded you?",

These men are so unruly that even Zhao Baiguang furrowed her eyebrows. Judging by their arrogant and unethical behavior, it seems like they are a group of outlaws. I wanted to stand up but I couldn't even stop my shaking feet under the table. I took a look at Zhao Baiguang and she seemed to pay no mind to these outlaws. Her action angered the outlaw's leader, he was about to touch Zhao Baiguang. However, before I knew it, Zhao Baiguang already pulled his hand and threw him over to the window. Seeing their leader gets taken down, the rest of the outlaws went into outrage and attacked Zhao Baiguang. Zhao Baiguang lifted the hem of her sleeve, took a chopstick, and stabbed the outlaw's eye, the other chopstick was used to block the scimitar's attack, the chopstick was cut into two, she used the sharp end to stab the second outlaw's leg, then punched him. Zhao Baiguang moved here and there, doing kung fu stuff and brutally beating up the rest of the outlaws like John Wick. She really was a general not for nothing…

The waiter just stood there still putting his usual smile as if it's just another normal day at the restaurant. Zhao Baiguang defeated all the outlaws in two minutes all by herself. I took out my handkerchief and handed it to her because her beautiful hand like a white jade has been stained by their dust and blood. Lesson learned from this experience, don't expect an outlaw to take a regular bath like normal people.

"Never… ever… interrupting my tea time.", Zhao Baiguang said grumpily at those unconscious outlaws on the floor. It was unnecessary but the way she's saying it was pretty cool.

"This subject apologizes for being unable to help.",

"No worries, I know you're more like a scholar than a fighter.", Zhao Baiguang seemed to remember something and continue, "Speaking of, it seems like your bad premonition was right.",

"Should we send someone to alert Lady Li and Liao Yan?",

"That would be unnecessary.",

Li Xiang came with Liao Yan, there were crimson blotches on Li Xiang's beautiful white hanfu, it seems like they were ambushed as well.

"Apparently, the village chief made an escape plan while leaving his wife behind. This subordinate have already executed him, what should we do with his wife?",

"What do you think, physician Xun?",

Both Li Xiang and Liao Yan were shocked to hear that Zhao Baiguang asked for my opinion instead of deciding things by herself like usual. I was no different than them, I cracked my head and finally come up with a solution, "This subject didn't dare to decide someone else's fate.",

"Don't worry, I'm just asking for ideas.",

Yeah, as if we're going to believe that…

"This subject thinks the villager chief's wife had helped him to cover for his crime. However, she didn't expect to be left behind by her husband. As for the villagers, now that their leader has been killed, they must have already escaped by then. Hence, this subject thinks giving hard labor for the wife somewhere would be a perfect punishment for her.",

"I see. Alright then, Li Xiang settled the village chief's wife's punishment just as physician Xun said.",

"This subordinate understand.",

Holyshit… She actually listened to my opinion. Thank god, I didn't bestow a death punishment lest she came for revenge.

"This subject thanked Her Highness for her kindness.",

"No worries… and as for the waiter.",

"He had escaped as well.",

"Then, it means we have finished our task. Let's go back to the palace.",

And that's how Liao Yan and I received huge rewards after that. Liao Yan was hired as Li Xiang's assistant while I was hired as Zhao Baiguang personal's physician. They brought us to the palace and provided us with an expensive room to stay. This is a truly great merit for a mere student like us to live. However, our struggles had just begun starting from now on...