Encountering the old

The next morning, I noticed something was off about the atmosphere in the inn. Huai Xu and Feng Qiao, who were usually more chattering than sparrows, were completely silent, and Lin Zhong was also nowhere to be seen.

When Feng Qiao saw me, he pointed to the counter and made a throat-slitting gesture.

I went closer to take a closer look and saw that there were several sprigs of wormwood stuck in the bamboo tube on the counter.

I originally shaved this bamboo tube to use as a vase when I had nothing to do. Whenever I remembered, I would pick a few hollyhocks from the yard and put them in it; when I didn't remember, I would just let the hollyhocks I put in dry into the air.

Lin Zhong didn't like it, so he wouldn't let me touch it anymore. He trimmed the bouquet himself and changed the vase arrangement every day. Hollyhocks have a long blooming period, lasting from late spring to late summer, but this year, the first hollyhock of spring was about to bloom when it was ruined by a group of scoundrels.

I picked up the gourd that was lying on its side and shook it—it was empty.

Hey, that biggest idiot is me.

The grass resembles a dog's tail; its spikes feel soft and springy when stroked smoothly, but prickly when picked up from behind.

I saw it all, and it stung me.

Huai Xu said timidly, "Godmother, Uncle Lin is angry with you."

“I know.” I walked to the corner of the wall and picked up a bamboo basket. “I’m going to the mountain to pick some mushrooms to make soup for your Uncle Lin. If you two see him, tell him that I was wrong and shouldn’t have tried to take his hollyhocks.”

I wandered around the mountains, picked up a small basket of mushrooms, chased rabbits for a while, and when the sun rose, I picked up the basket and headed back.

As I approached the inn, I saw Huai Xu peeking out from the courtyard gate. As soon as he saw me, he ran over immediately.

“Godmother, godmother! When you went out just now, that bastard named Bu Li came looking for trouble again.”

A few years ago, quite a few bandit leaders from Nanguangxi Village asked me for my hand in marriage. Some were from remote mountain villages, while others were from local communities. My condition was simple: I had to beat Lin Zhong first.

These people were no match for Lin Zhong, and as I grew older, they finally quieted down.

Only Bu Li is an anomaly; he still comes to propose to me every year or two, and then gets into a fight with Lin Zhong. In the last two years, he hasn't even shown his face to me; if he sees Lin Zhong, he immediately starts a fight.

I suspect that his real purpose is not to marry me, but to challenge the martial arts of the Central Plains.

"I haven't seen this person in a long time. I thought he wouldn't come back."

Huai Xu took the basket from my body: "He must have gone somewhere to learn from a master. His swordsmanship has improved a lot. Although he lost again, Uncle Lin seems to be injured and won't let us tell you."

I hurriedly threw off my basket and ran to Lin Zhong's room. I burst through the door and found a faint smell of blood inside. There was a basin of water on the table, and Lin Zhong was tying the straps of his coat with his back to me.

I picked up the cloth from the edge of the basin, threw it into the water and wrung it out: "Let me apply the medicine."

"No need, I can manage on my own."

"Where are you hurt? Let me see how serious it is." Lin Zhong didn't move, and I got a little angry. "Why are you being so difficult with me? What part of your body haven't I seen? When I picked you up, even your buttocks were injured, and I was the one who cleaned you up."

Lin Zhong lowered his eyes and said, "Master, please leave."

Lin Zhong rarely said "please" to me. My chest tightened, and I let go of his hand. The cloth sank to the bottom of the water. "Okay. I'll have Feng Qiao help you."

I took the empty wine gourd from the counter and headed towards the stable. Huai Xu caught up with me and asked, "Godmother, where are you going?"

"Go to town to buy some things."

"Me too, I want to go."

We rode together on one horse and bought rice, oil, and some daily necessities at the market. As we passed a sewing shop, we bumped into Huai Xu's sister, Luo Erying.

The two of them kept chatting, so I decided to leave Huai Xu behind and go to the tavern to buy wine by myself. I had only taken less than ten steps when I heard Luo Erying scream, "Sister Huai Xu!"

I turned around in shock and saw a middle-aged man in tattered clothes being held back by Huai Xu on the street.

The man looked alarmed: "You've mistaken me for someone else!"

Huai Xu kicked him to the ground, grabbed his collar, and slapped him hard.

The man screamed, "Help!"

Huai Xu was still punching and kicking when I suddenly realized what was happening. I rushed to Huai Xu's side and grabbed her arm, saying, "Stop hitting her! Someone will die!"

"Don't stop me! Let me kill him!"

Huai Xu's eyes were bloodshot. He forcefully threw me away, and I staggered back several steps before Luo Erying caught me.

"Aunt Qing!"

"Yingzi, quickly help me stop her!"

"Stop!" A shout came from ahead, and a group of constables parted the onlookers and surrounded us.

One of the constables, who was carrying a sword, bowed to Luo Erying and said, "Miss Luo Er."

Luo Erying pointed at me and Huai Xu and said, "Wu Bantou, they are my friends."

Wu, the squad leader, said, "Miss Luo, even if it were you, let alone your friend, if you were to fight in broad daylight in the street, you would still have to go to the yamen, wouldn't you? For your sake, we won't arrest you. Please have your friend come with us!"

I never expected that my reunion with Wei Ji would come so soon.

Yesterday we were chatting by the river, but today we meet again. He sits in the hall, and I kneel below. We are worlds apart, with a clear distinction between superiors and inferiors.

Who is kneeling below the hall?

"Qingcheng, a commoner."

"The Ordinary Woman's Preface".

"A commoner named Ni Liu."

"Stand up and answer."

"Thank you, sir."

Wei Ji's gaze swept over me and Huai Xu, landing on Ni Liu: "Ni Liu, who hit you?"

Ni Liu knelt down with a thud, pointed at Huai Xu, and said in a trembling voice, "It's her, it's her! Your Excellency must do justice for this humble person!"

Wei Ji looked at Huai Xu and asked, "Huai Xu, why did you hit Ni Liu?"

Huai Xu also knelt down, weeping and kowtowing, saying, "My lord! It was him! He killed my mother!"

A sudden chill ran down my spine. Could this Ni Liu actually be...?