Volume 6: Dream Record Chapter 417: Taking Life Seriously
"Fan Lang, when you were away, Ouyang Xu hired someone to bully us, and he even drove us out of Tokyo!"
Song Yinzhang snuggled in Yuan Xudong's arms and cried. At this time, Zhao Pan'er caught up from behind. Yuan Xudong immediately hugged Song Yinzhang and got off the horse. He walked towards Zhao Pan'er. His eyes could not hide his concern. He pulled the embarrassed Zhao Pan'er over and put his black cloak on her. He said with an unpleasant face:
"What's going on? Did Ouyang Xu hire someone to bully you?"
At the moment, Yuan Xudong was dressed in fine clothes and riding a horse, full of vigor and vitality, which formed a sharp contrast with the disheveled Zhao Paner. Zhao Paner forced herself to suppress the bitterness in her eyes and lowered her head and said:
"It's okay, I just got a little injured. Ouyang Xu called the officials from the east wing of the city to drive us out of Tokyo!"
Seeing that Zhao Pan'er was unwilling to say more, Sun Sanniang and Yinping, who had been following behind her, interrupted and complained:
"Master, that bastard official that Ouyang Xu hired took Uncle De's money right in front of us, and tied us up without any reason, saying that we were bitches who were trying to get close to officials and extort money from them!"
"That's right. He also said that we were refugees without permission and were not allowed to enter Tokyo. He also made us ride on a donkey cart and parade through the streets as a warning to the public. The people of Tokyo threw rotten eggs and rotten vegetable leaves at us!"
At this time, Song Yinzhang also looked up at Yuan Xudong and complained:
"That clerk stripped us of our clothes to humiliate us. He also ordered his officers to beat us. My sister's forehead was injured and she bled a lot!"
"What?"
After listening to Sun Sanniang, Yinping girl, and Song Yinzhang talking in unison, Yuan Xudong's face turned pale. He reached out to check the wound on Zhao Pan'er's forehead, but Zhao Pan'er unconsciously turned her head away, not wanting him to see the scar on her forehead. She pretended to be calm and tried to change the subject:
"It's okay, I just got a little injured. I'm healed now. By the way, why did you come back alone? Where are the other people in your Xiao family?"
"They are all resting at the post station. Officials from the Ministry of Rites will pick them up tomorrow!"
Looking at the stubborn Zhao Pan'er, Yuan Xudong frowned and said:
"Can you please stop being so stubborn in front of me? Tell me if you have any problem. Even if the sky falls, I can still support you!"
"Do you really want to see me laugh?"
Seeing Yuan Xudong becoming more and more domineering in his words and deeds, Zhao Paner suddenly felt wronged. Her eyes were sore and she choked with tears, saying:
"Your clothes look really nice and impressive. You should always wear them like this in the future. Don't be so careless like you were in Qiantang!"
"Zhao Pan'er, is this interesting?"
Seeing Zhao Pan'er's eyes reddening and trying hard to hold back tears, Yuan Xudong took her into his arms and said gently:
"I'm sorry for making you suffer. Come back to Tokyo with me and I'll help you get revenge!"
"good!"
Being embraced by Yuan Xudong, Zhao Paner could no longer hold back her tears and began to sob. Looking at the sad and crying Zhao Paner, Yuan Xudong gently stroked her face, lifted her hair from her forehead, and examined the wound. The wound was not deep, just a few narrow abrasions. It should be nothing serious and would not leave permanent scars.
…
Yuan Xudong brought Zhao Pan'er and others back to Tokyo City. He found a famous medical clinic. Zhao Pan'er was wearing Yuan Xudong's cloak. A doctor was dipping medicinal wine in the water to clean the wound on her forehead. He said:
"The wound caused by alcohol will be a little painful, you have to bear with it!"
After saying that, seeing Zhao Pan'er nodded slightly, the doctor used medicated wine to clean her wound. Zhao Pan'er felt a sharp pain and couldn't help but cry out softly. Sun Sanniang, Song Yinzhang, and Yinping girl next to her were also using medicated wine to treat their wounds, but they were quiet. Seeing them like this, Zhao Pan'er couldn't help blushing. At this moment, Yuan Xudong walked in from outside the clinic. He deliberately avoided Zhao Pan'er and others and ordered Xiao Yan and Xiao Li to take people to capture the clerk of the east wing of the city. As for Ouyang Xu, he would personally take people to deal with it. After all, Ouyang Xu was the son-in-law of Gao Guancha, married by the virtuous concubine in the palace, and he was the third place in this year's imperial examination. In public, Yuan Xudong really couldn't do anything to him. However, no matter how high a person's status is, when the moon is dark and the wind is high, it will only take one knife to kill him. If it doesn't work, then two or three knives will do the trick. Death is the greatest thing.
Walking into the clinic, Yuan Xudong heard Zhao Pan'er's soft cry, and walked up to the doctor and said:
"Let me do it!"
"good!"
The doctor handed the cotton ball and medicated wine to Yuan Xudong. Yuan Xudong took the cotton ball, dipped it in the medicated wine, and gently wiped Zhao Pan'er. Zhao Pan'er looked up at the gentle Yuan Xudong, and immediately calmed down, with gentle eyes, just a slight hiss from time to time. Zhao Pan'er was sitting on a chair, and it was inconvenient for Yuan Xudong to stand, so he knelt on one knee in front of her, gently supporting Zhao Pan'er's back with one hand, and gently wiping the wound on her forehead with the medicated wine with the other hand. Seeing that Zhao Pan'er frowned slightly in pain and hissed from time to time, his movements couldn't help but become more careful and gentle. His eyes were extremely serious and gentle like water.
Gradually, Zhao Pan'er was still enduring the pain, but seeing Yuan Xudong being so gentle, she couldn't help but look at him a few more times. It was during these few more times that she was attracted by Yuan Xudong's seriousness and gentleness. She looked at him steadily, her eyes as gentle as water, and for a moment she actually forgot the pain. When Yuan Xudong wiped her wound, she saw that she was still looking at him infatuatedly, and couldn't help but smile:
"What's wrong, silly?"
Hearing Yuan Xudong's teasing, Zhao Pan'er came back to her senses, her face slightly red, and hurriedly covered up:
"No, it's just that the smell of alcohol is a bit pungent!"
"Smoke people?"
Seeing Zhao Pan'er suddenly become shy, Yuan Xudong knew what was going on and couldn't help but laugh:
"It's not the wine that makes you drunk, it's you who makes you drunk, right?"
"No!"
Looking at Yuan Xudong who was making fun of her, Zhao Paner blushed and said:
"What are you talking about? Who is drunk? I can't understand what you are saying!"
"Of course I'm drunk!"
Looking at Zhao Pan'er who was avoiding his gaze, Yuan Xudong missed her scent very much. As the saying goes, a short absence is better than a new marriage. Yuan Xudong was thinking about this. He stood up slightly, stroked Zhao Pan'er's back with his left hand, supported his right hand on the chair next to her, leaned down, pecked her bright red lips lightly, and said with a smile:
“It still tastes familiar!”
"you……"
In front of Song Yinzhang, Sun Sanniang, Yinping girl, and several old doctors, Yuan Xudong pecked her lips lightly. Zhao Pan'er blushed and said:
"You, what are you doing, you disgusting person!"
"Hate?"
Just when Yuan Xudong wanted to continue teasing Zhao Pan'er and help her vent her emotions, Xiao Yan and Xiao Li came in to report that the wardens from the east wing of the city had been captured. Yuan Xudong asked them to wait outside and bought some clothes. After Zhao Pan'er and the others had their wounds treated and changed into clean clothes, Yuan Xudong took them to the backyard of the clinic. This clinic was one of the Xiao family's businesses and also one of the Xiao family's numerous intelligence bases.
It's not very hidden, but ordinary people can't find it, and those who can find it will mostly choose to turn a blind eye. In Tokyo, the Imperial City Bureau is the most powerful intelligence organization. This time back in Tokyo, Lei Jing, the chief official of the Imperial City Bureau, and Xiao Qinyan secretly reached an offensive and defensive alliance. Gu Qianfan also suddenly became the second-in-command of the Imperial City Bureau, only under Lei Jing. Before Xiao Qinyan lost power, as long as Yuan Xudong didn't do anything too excessive or was caught by others, he didn't have any taboos.
In the backyard of the clinic, the clerk had already been beaten up by Xiao Yan and the others. He was now kneeling on the ground crying and begging for mercy like a jerk. When he saw Yuan Xudong leading Zhao Pan'er and the others into the yard, he finally realized who he had offended and kowtowed to beg for mercy:
"Master Xiao, please spare me, Master Xiao, please spare me. I was blinded by greed. It was all the work of the newly crowned top scholar Ouyang Xu who ordered me to do this. When he first moved to the East Square of the City, he sent me a welcome gift. This time he sent me another 15 strings of cash. Please have mercy on me, Master Xiao!"
Zhao Pan'er also knew that it was Ouyang Xu who was looking for him, but she didn't know if there were other people. Thinking of this, she looked at the clerk who was kneeling on the ground begging for mercy and asked:
"Besides Ouyang Xu, is there anyone else who instructed you? For example, Gao Guancha from the Gao family?"
"No, no!"
Hearing Zhao Pan'er's question, the clerk was so frightened that he shook his head and begged for mercy:
"I am just a minor official in the East City. How could those real high-ranking officials ask me to do things for them? Madam, please spare my life, please spare my life!"
"Mercy?"
Looking at the embarrassed official kneeling on the ground begging for mercy, Sun Sanniang pinched her waist and cursed:
"You bastard official, didn't you say you are the law? You made us sisters sit on a donkey cart and parade us through the streets as a warning to others, and now you just kowtow a few times and ask for mercy? How can such a good thing happen in this world?"
"Madam, please spare my life, please spare my life. Oh, I still have 500 strings of cash. This is all my wealth. I can compensate you!"
Seeing Yuan Xudong's cold eyes and knowing the Xiao family's style of doing things, Xiangli regretted his decision and hated Ouyang Xu and Uncle De in his heart. He shouldn't have taken advantage of them. At that time, Zhao Pan'er and the others had already said that they were from the Xiao family. He had originally backed out, but Uncle De temporarily added a bag of gold and silver. He saw that Zhao Pan'er and the others were outsiders and knew nothing about the basic situation of the Xiao family, so he believed that they were deceiving him. But he didn't expect that they were really from the Xiao family and now they were hurting him. Thinking of this, he quickly crawled to Yuan Xudong's feet, hugged his thighs and cried for mercy:
"Master Xiao, please spare my life. Master Xiao, please spare my life. I have eighty-year-old parents to support, and a wife and children who are crying for food. Please have mercy on me, Master Xiao!"
"Eighty-year-old parents, and a wife and children crying for food?"
Looking at the clerk crying and begging for mercy, Yuan Xudong kicked him away with all his strength and said with a smile:
"It's really unfair that someone like you can have a happy family!"
After that, Yuan Xudong turned to Xiao Yan and ordered:
"Take him out, leave him an intact body, and give 500 strings of cash to his family!"
"yes!"
Xiao Yan obeyed the order. He grabbed the clerk by the back of his neck with one hand and was about to walk out. The clerk was so frightened that he became incontinent on the spot, and his pants were soaked with urine. He wailed loudly and begged for mercy:
"Mr. Xiao, please spare my life. Mr. Xiao, please spare my life. I was wrong. I really know I was wrong. Please spare my life!"
Not only was the clerk frightened to the point of incontinence, Song Yinzhang, Zhao Pan'er, Sun Sanniang, and Yinping were also frightened. Although what the clerk did to them was really excessive and they wanted to retaliate against him, they had never thought of killing anyone. After all, it was a living life. Seeing the clerk being dragged out and slaughtered by the Xiao family's guards like a pig or sheep to be slaughtered, Zhao Pan'er was the first to come to her senses. She immediately stood up to stop him and said:
"Wait, don't kill him, just beat him up, and then give us 400 strings of cash as compensation, and write !"
Hearing this, Xiao Yan could not help but look at Yuan Xudong. Seeing that he did not express anything, he continued to walk out with the clerk. Seeing that Yuan Xudong was indifferent, the clerk placed his last hope on Zhao Paner. He burst into tears and said:
"Madam Zhao, I was wrong. I really know I was wrong. I am not a human being. I will compensate you and write a letter of guarantee. Please spare my life. I will definitely be a new person in the future. My child cannot be without a father. Please spare my life!"
Seeing the clerk was so pitiful and seemed to have really come to his senses, Zhao Pan'er, Sun Sanniang, Song Yinzhang, and Yinping girl couldn't help but soften their hearts and persuaded Yuan Xudong:
"Fan Lang, please spare his life. He did make mistakes, but his crime does not deserve death!"
"Yeah, Fanlang, I don't want you to kill anyone , it's not worth it!"
"Sir, just do as Sister Pan'er said. Beat him up to vent your anger, and then ask him to pay compensation and write a letter of commitment to collude with Ouyang Xu!"
"Master Xiao, we only suffered minor injuries, it's not a big deal. Although it's a bit humiliating to be paraded through the streets in a donkey cart, there's no need to kill anyone for it!"
Seeing that Zhao Pan'er and the others were pleading for the clerk, Yuan Xudong knew that they were soft-hearted and could not bear to see others suffer, so he looked at Xiao Yan and ordered:
"Xiao Yan, just do as Madam wishes!"
"yes!"
Xiao Yan took the order and left. Yuan Xudong chatted with Zhao Pan'er and the others. After about half an hour, Xiao Yan came back with a letter of commitment and a heavy purse. Yuan Xudong handed the purse to Zhao Pan'er, kept the letter of commitment, and said calmly:
"Take this money, and leave the written agreement with me. Don't worry about Ouyang Xu's affairs from now on. Leave it to me!"
"But……"
Without waiting for Zhao Pan'er to open her mouth to refute, Yuan Xudong glared at her and said:
"You must listen to me on this matter. Also, where is the gold medal I gave you? My Xiao family's gold medal doesn't even take a clerk seriously?"
Zhao Pan'er's heart skipped a beat when she heard Yuan Xudong mention the gold medal. She glanced at Song Yinzhang inconspicuously and saw that her head was almost buried in her chest. She couldn't help but take the responsibility and said:
"I didn't have the gold medal with me, and the official thought we were trying to trick him, so..."
"Yeah?"
Seeing Zhao Pan'er's dodging gaze, Yuan Xudong interrupted her without waiting for her to finish her words:
"Zhao Pan'er, I haven't seen you for a few days. Have you learned to lie? Tell me the truth. Did you lose my gold medal?"
“It’s not lost!”
Looking up at Yuan Xudong, Zhao Paner couldn't help but lower her head and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito:
"I lent my gold medal to someone else!"
"What?"
He was very close to Zhao Pan'er, otherwise, Yuan Xudong really suspected that he had heard it wrong. The cloud-patterned gold medal was equivalent to a symbol of his status, and he could call on the resources of the Xiao family for his own use. He was worried about Zhao Pan'er and others, so he gave her such a valuable gold medal, but Zhao Pan'er actually lent it to someone else. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but said angrily:
"Zhao Pan'er, what are you thinking? You've only been in Tokyo for a few days. Who is so important that you would lend him all my Xiao family's gold medals? Do you know how important that gold medal is?"
Seeing Yuan Xudong getting angry, Song Yinzhang, Sun Sanniang and Yinping girl all lowered their heads and dared not say a word. Sun Sanniang and Yinping girl secretly glanced at Song Yinzhang, only to see her standing there shivering, crying and wiping her tears. Sun Sanniang originally wanted to explain to Yuan Xudong, but seeing her like this, she had to give up the idea and let Zhao Pan'er bear it. Young Master Xiao liked Pan'er so much, he shouldn't punish her, right?
In front of them, Yuan Xudong scolded Zhao Paner. Although Zhao Paner knew that she was wrong, she couldn't help but say aggrievedly when she thought about how wronged she had just been and how Yuan Xudong was still mean to her, and that she was also taking the blame for Song Yinzhang:
"When you gave me the gold medal, you didn't tell me how important it was? Besides, why did you give it to me when I couldn't afford something so important?"
"You, I don't want to quarrel with you now!"
Looking at Zhao Pan'er who was trying hard to hold back her tears, Yuan Xudong couldn't help but suppress his anger. He was angry that Zhao Pan'er casually lent such an important thing to others, and he was also a little jealous. He gave her the gold medal that represented his identity because he cared about Zhao Pan'er, but she just lent it out casually. What did she think of him?
"Tell me, to whom did you lend the gold medal?"
Yuan Xudong asked, suppressing his anger.
After taking a look at Yuan Xudong, Zhao Pan'er naturally couldn't tell him who she had lent the gold medal to. If she gave Zhang Haohao away, Song Yinzhang would be implicated. She owed her life to Song Yinzhang's sister and promised her that she would take good care of Song Yinzhang. Zhao Pan'er could never repay her for saving her life and could only try to fulfill her original promise and regard Song Yinzhang as more important than her own life. These thoughts flashed through her mind, and Zhao Pan'er looked at Yuan Xudong and said:
"I can't tell you who I lent it to, but I will help you get it back!"
"you……"
Looking at Zhao Pan'er who was unwilling to tell anyone she had lent it to , Yuan Xudong said angrily:
"Okay, since you don't know how to cherish it, then just give it back to me. Tomorrow, give it back to me at this time tomorrow!"
"good!"
Zhao Pan'er said firmly, and then she glanced at Yuan Xudong who was still angry and said:
"Can you take us back to the inn?"
“No!”
Yuan Xudong said angrily.
"If you don't want to send me off, then don't send me off. We'll walk back by ourselves!"
After glaring at Yuan Xudong, Zhao Paner walked towards Song Yinzhang, Sun Sanniang, and Yinping Yatou. She held the hand of Song Yinzhang, who had his head lowered the whole time, and said to Sun Sanniang and Yinping Yatou:
"Yin Zhang, San Niang, Yin Ping, let's go!"
"stop!"
Seeing Zhao Pan'er leading Song Yinzhang and others to walk all the way back to Sanyuan Inn, Yuan Xudong called them and said:
"I have a villa in Osmanthus Alley, Guangdefang. It should be ready these days. You can move in. It's not a good idea to always stay at Sanyuan Inn!"
Hearing this, Zhao Pan'er did not refuse. Although she had a little conflict with Yuan Xudong, she was not so bad as to have a hard time with money. Living in Sanyuan Inn was so expensive. Food and accommodation all cost money. Living in her own home was much better. At least she could save money on accommodation. She could cook and eat at home, which would save even more money. Thinking of this, she looked at Yuan Xudong and said:
"Our luggage..."
Without waiting for Zhao Pan'er to finish her words, Yuan Xudong said unhappily:
"I'll send someone to get it, let's go!"
"All right!"
Zhao Pan'er led Song Yinzhang and others to the outside of the clinic, with a happy look on their faces. They came from Qiantang to Tokyo and finally had a yard to settle down. This made them feel a sense of belonging, instead of the drifting feeling of living in an inn. Yuan Xudong walked behind, and at this time, Xiao Yan walked up to him and reported:
"Sir, everything has been handled. He will be dead within half a month. The coroner can't find out the hidden injuries!"
After taking a look at Xiao Yan, Yuan Xudong said without comment:
"On the day of his funeral, remember to give him a gift of five hundred strings of cash!"
"Yes, sir, be merciful!"
Hearing Xiao Yan praising him for his kindness, Yuan Xudong paused. He glanced at Xiao Yan, who looked serious, and said directly:
"Are you serious?"
"yes!"
Xiao Yan looked at Yuan Xudong and said as a matter of course:
"In the Qiantang case, dozens of Imperial City spies died. Your Excellency compensated each of them with 120 guan in the name of Commander Gu. The families of those people were all very grateful. 500 guan is much more than 120 guan. A life is not worth so much money!"
"Really? That human life is really worthless!"
