Chapter 132 – Concern
“Probably on foot.”
Long Er thought for a moment before replying.
Just now, Long Yi had only escorted their group of five to the outer east wing. Then Yao Jin took them to a side hall of the county court for a meal. With Yao Jin’s character, how could he possibly arrange carriages to send them back to Shaoyao Village?
Hearing this, Long Yu’s brows immediately furrowed.
Walking from the Xize County city back to Daxing Town, then from Daxing Town back to Shaoyao Village, that was quite a long way.
In his concern, he didn’t even consider that Yan Xiaosi had just earned twenty taels of silver and could easily hire one or two carriages or ox carts back to Shaoyao Village.
“Long Er, immediately arrange a carriage and send them safely back to Shaoyao Village.”
Hearing the master’s tone, clearly very concerned for those people, Long Er didn’t dare be negligent towards those the master cared for.
“Yes, master.”
Seeing Long Er stride out purposefully, Murong Qinjian toyed with his teacup and stared at Long Yu with an inscrutable smiling gaze.
“Long Yu, you’re so concerned about that boy, could it be that you really do want to raise him?”
Long Yu glanced at him. “If I truly needed catamites, I would certainly take you first.”
Murong Qinjian’s expression slightly changed as he looked at him.
“I have some precious medicinal herbs that need drying. I’ll take my leave from drinking tea and playing chess with you for now.”
If Long Yu really wanted him as a catamite, as a powerless, insignificant wandering doctor, he truly had no ability to resist.
Seeing Murong Qinjian stumble away in a panic, the corners of Long Yu’s mouth lifted with a hint of a smile.
The Yan family of five had just left the county court when Long Er caught up to them.
Long Er caught up to them by carriage.
“Young Master Yan, please wait.”
Ms. Zhong and the Yan sisters stopped and looked back to see the War King’s guard sitting on a carriage. Their expressions immediately changed.
Could it be that the War King had changed his mind and wanted to take Xiaosi to the military camp as an army doctor?
On the chaotic battlefield, Xiaosi was just a young girl. Ms. Zhong felt extremely nervous.
“Sir, is there anything else?”
Looking at Yan Xiaosi, Long Er said, “Young Master Yan, General Zhan ordered me to escort your family back to Shaoyao Village in Daxing Town. Please get on the carriage.”
Yan Xiaosi had been thinking of bringing Ms. Zhong and the others to a carriage service to spend some money on a carriage back to Daxing Town. Since the War King had arranged it, it saved them the money to hire a carriage.
“Mom, eldest sister, second sister, third sister, let’s get on the carriage,” she said.
Ms. Zhong and the sisters didn’t move, wariness in their eyes.
Seeing their guarded looks, Yan Xiaosi said, “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”
She wouldn’t have dared get on a carriage sent by County Magistrate Yao Jin, but she felt at ease with the driver being the War King’s personal guard. Although that War King looked cold externally, he was more upright than Yao Jin.
Reassured by Yan Xiaosi, Ms. Zhong and the sisters finally got on the carriage.
In broad daylight, it only took over half an hour to get from Xize County’s main city to Shaoyao Village in Daxing Town. Long Er personally escorted their family of five to the village entrance.
The tall carriage drawing into the village immediately attracted the villagers’ attention.
That morning, after hearing the third branch of the Yan family had been taken to the county court in the middle of the night, most of the Yan family had been awaiting bad news. Now seeing Yan Xiaosi and the others disembark safe and sound from that grand carriage, Ms. Li’s group and Ms. Hu’s group were extremely jealous.
Ms. Hu nudged Ms. Li with her elbow and whispered, “The third house was gone overnight and only just returned. Eldest sister-in-law, what do you think that noble wanted them for?”
Ms. Li impatiently replied, “You’re asking me? Who should I ask?
Ms. Hu said, “When eldest brother and Wenfeng come back, you can ask them. Weren’t they also at the county court last night? Speaking of which, the third house is back, how come eldest brother and Wenfeng still aren’t back? Could something have happened?”
Yan Shujing fiercely glared at Ms. Hu.
This aunt was just hoping for something to happen to the first branch so the second branch could inherit everything in the Yan manor.
“Second aunt, have you forgotten? Last night grandfather ordered my father and eldest brother to not return to the old residence. Father must be busy at the county court right now and eldest brother must be at school,” Yan Shujing rebutted.
Ms. Hu smiled. “I was just casually asking. Jing’er, why are you so angry?”
“Whether you were really casually asking, you know in your heart, second aunt.”
“Yan Shujing, what’s with you talking to your elder like this?” Yan Shuxiu yelled at Yan Shujing. She just couldn’t stand Yan Shujing’s pretense at being honorable.
But at that moment, no one among the onlooking villagers paid them any attention, all eyes were on the third branch of the Yan family.
“Guard Long, thank you for sending us back.”
“This was my master’s order. Young Master Yan need not be so polite.”
Seeing Yan Xiaosi conversing politely with Long Er, the onlooking villagers were envious and jealous.
That morning after hearing the third branch of the Yan family had been taken to the county court overnight, they assumed the third branch had committed some crime. But now it seemed they hadn’t committed any crime and had just met nobility instead.
Thinking this, those who had grudges with Ms. Zhong felt especially guilty, especially Village Chief Liu Qianhe’s family. Just yesterday they had driven these people out of the straw temple.
Village Chief Liu Qianhe’s wife Zhao Lixia had a guilty expression as she walked to Ms. Zhong’s side. She gently poked Ms. Zhong’s arm and asked, “Why did the county magistrate summon your family to the county court?”
Ms. Zhong was a frank and kind woman. She honestly answered, “The general from the capital wanted my Xiaosi to go to the military camp to be an army doctor. My Xiaosi, he…”
“Mother, it’s getting late, let’s go back up the mountain.”
Ms. Zhong had been about to tell Ms. Zhao that Yan Xiaosi declined, but was interrupted by Yan Xiaosi before she could finish speaking.
Although she didn’t want to be an army doctor, they could pretend she did to deter the villains of Shaoyao Village using the general’s name.
Hearing this, Zhao Lixia immediately turned pale. She grabbed Ms. Zhong’s arm anxiously and said, “Sister, your Xiaosi is going to prosper. Don’t make trouble for my family. It was under the Yan family’s orders that my husband drove your family of five out of that broken-down straw temple.”
In her nervousness, Zhao Lixia didn’t lower her voice. Her words were heard by all the villagers present.
They all looked at Ms. Li’s group and Ms. Hu’s group meaningfully. Though not daring to speak it aloud, they thought – so it was under the Yan family’s orders that Liu Qianhe had driven them away. The Yan family was truly heartless to have driven away the widowed mother and orphans of their third branch, not even leaving them that broken-down temple.
Under the villagers’ meaningful looks, Yan Shujing’s face alternated between red and white. She gritted her teeth, grabbed Ms. Li’s hand, and said, “Mother, let’s go back.”
With Ms. Li leaving, Ms. Hu’s group could only follow along.
