11 Chapter 11

◎The rich woman and the gigolo◎

Li Hengqing's heart moved, and he quickly stood up and said, "Let's go and take a look."

The street corner was bustling with people, who had already gathered in three layers.

Li Hengqing approached with his personal guards clearing the way. He looked through the layers of people and barely managed to make out the kneeling figure in the center of the crowd.

It was a very young scholar, no more than an adult, wearing a washed-out blue-collared scholar's robe. The edges were worn and a little white, but it was starched very clean and presentable. His thin figure seemed as if he could not bear the clothes, and he had a handsome face and fair skin, which made the red circles under his eyes, which had suddenly turned red during the argument, even more eye-catching.

A street scoundrel with a face full of flesh was pointing at his nose and cursing, spit flying everywhere, making everyone around him retreat several feet away: "...You little white face, pretending here, it's bad luck! You're blocking your grandfather's way to wealth, get out of here now!"

The scholar was obviously not good at verbal arguments. His ears turned red from being scolded, and his lips trembled constantly. He could only squeeze out a few words from between his teeth: "A gentleman... a gentleman should not do things... How can I allow you to bully me like this in broad daylight..."

This flowery excuse caused laughter from those around him.

Li Hengqing's eyes fell thoughtfully on the wooden plaque in front of the scholar. The four words "Selling myself to bury my father" were written on it in elegant small regular script with flowers on it, which showed that he had some knowledge.

She raised her hand gracefully, and a silver ingot flew through the air, landing squarely in the scholar's arms. The sudden change made the crowd who saw it fall silent: in this difficult world, who would just throw money on the street?

"Selling myself to bury my father." Li Hengqing opened his mouth and read the words on the wooden sign. "How much silver do you want?"

The scholar frantically took the silver in his hands and weighed the heavy weight in disbelief: "...Enough, enough..."

"Then he's mine." Li Hengqing nodded. His guards took his cue and prepared to clear the crowd. "The deal is done. Let's go."

The crowd dispersed, leaving only the young scholar who was still in a daze.

He raised his head a little slowly, and through the layers of white gauze on the woman's veil, he vaguely saw a pair of clear and compassionate eyes.

Lang Yue immediately shouted, "How dare you! Do you think you can look my wife in the face?"

The scholar took in Li Hengqing's womanly hair and lowered his eyes again. After clearing his throat with difficulty, he dared to speak: "Thank you, Madam, for rescuing me. My surname is Cen, my given name is Jue, and my nickname is Runsheng. I have no way of repaying your kindness, and I will do anything Madam command me to do. I will go through fire and water without hesitation."

"Can you read? Have you ever achieved any honor?" Li Hengqing asked.

A flash of self-mockery flashed across Cen Yu's face. "I'm not talented. I was the top scorer last year. Now... I'm just a criminal."

At such a young age, having won first place in the provincial examination, he should have had a bright future. Li Hengqing understood and didn't ask any further questions, simply saying, "I don't want you to go through fire and water."

Lang Yue on the side secretly complained: This guy with small arms and legs doesn't look as strong as her. How can he be willing to go through fire and water for her princess?

"I can not only read and write, but also keep accounts and manage the household..." Panic flashed in Cen Yu's eyes. He was afraid that Li Hengqing would abandon him, so he said hurriedly.

Li Hengqing lowered his eyes to look at him, and waited until the other man had finished speaking before saying, "Sir, there's no need to be so polite. I simply want to find a teacher for my children, but the grasslands are bitterly cold, and few are willing to take on the responsibility of educating them. If you're willing, I'll give you some time to handle the funeral, and then you can come with me."

All of Cen Yu's words were stuck in his throat.

After a long time, he slowly and deeply kowtowed to her.

"I...will obey Madam's orders."

*

Hundreds of miles away in the Canglang Tribe, another change that could influence the future is quietly taking place.

Helian Xiao was in the golden tent, with the locations of various tribes and clans on the grassland marked on the map in front of him.

"Go ahead." He waved his hand. "Remember, only deliver the message and don't initiate conflict with anyone. Deliver this recruitment notice to every hungry tent on the grassland."

The scouts took the order and left, leaving only Helian Xiao and his trusted guards in the golden tent.

The Silver Moon Valley recruitment order, drafted and personally revised by Li Hengqing, was simple and direct: Anyone who volunteered to participate in the development of Silver Moon Valley, regardless of their background, would be allocated a hut and a private plot of land, and could exchange their work for sufficient food. Their children would have priority admission to the tribal school...

"Khan," the guard whispered, "Chief Alatan and several elders have been waiting outside the tent for a long time. They say that you've issued such a significant order without the kurultai's approval. This is... a violation of ancestral rules."

"Rules?" Helian Xiao's expression remained unchanged. "Rules are for people to survive, not to starve to death. Let them wait."

He did not immediately deal with these internal disturbances, but instead asked: "How is the situation on the Khatun side?"

An expression of admiration unconsciously crossed the young guard's face, but upon meeting the Khan's sharp gaze, he immediately lowered his head in fear and reported tremblingly, "Reply, reply Khan, everything went smoothly, the business was very good, and we returned with a full load. It is, it is..."

Hearing his wife's great success, Helian Xiao's lips curved up uncontrollably in a happy arc and asked, "What is it? Straighten your tongue."

"That's right," the guard observed his expression and added timidly, "On the way back, we brought back another person."

"people?"

"Hmm, a pale-faced scholar." The guard tried to describe him. "He looks... even better looking than the actors in Nansheng. I heard his family suffered a disaster, and he sold himself on the street to bury his father. The Khatun personally paid for him to be bought. The Khatun said he wanted him to come to our school and become a teacher."

A... handsomer-looking scholar than an actor?

Helian Xiao glanced at the guard, his smile gone. He forced himself to suppress the unspeakable annoyance that surged in his heart, but did not ask any further questions. Instead, he ordered in a deep voice, "Let Chief Alatan come in."

【Author’s words】

[Starry Eyes][Starry Eyes][Starry Eyes] There is a list, and there will be another chapter tomorrow~