Just a few days after the trespassing incident, Pang Dashan came again.
Jiang Sheng was still upset about her older brother's injury, so she stopped being so attentive and enthusiastic towards him, and even stopped calling him "Big Mountain Brother".
Pang Dashan was at a loss, like a child who had done something wrong, repeatedly asking, "Jiang Sheng, did I make you angry? Why are you unhappy?"
Jiang Sheng rummaged around in her sleeves with both hands.
She didn't know that Pang Dashan could be so shameless. He had clearly colluded with the constable Gao to do such a thing, yet now he kept asking her why.
Doesn't he know why?
However, since Fifth Brother had said it was not advisable to fall out with Pang Dashan for the time being, Jiang Sheng could only suppress her resentment and reluctantly said, "I'm not angry, Brother Dashan. I'm just a little down because I was bullied."
Were they bullied by the yamen runner?
Pang Dashan wanted to ask, but he couldn't open his mouth, and hesitated several times before speaking.
Remembering Chang Yan's instructions, Jiang Sheng managed a smile, "But it's alright, Second Brother is going to Yunshui County to collect vegetables soon, then he can earn money to buy new things."
"Really?" Pang Dashan was taken aback. "When are we going?"
Jiang Sheng, innocent and carefree, said, "I'll go tomorrow."
She counted on her fingers, "The journey to Yunshui County is long. It will take three or four days to get there by donkey cart. My second brother said we should set off as soon as possible so that we can come back sooner and maybe even make it in time for the Lantern Festival."
Pang Dashan seemed thoughtful. "Are you going too?"
“I’m not going.” Jiang Sheng shook her head. “My second brother has already learned how to ride a donkey cart. He says one person is enough, and more would take up too much space.”
Pang Dashan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
But then he struggled again, as if hesitating about something.
Fortunately, Jiang Sheng had her head down and couldn't see, and was just muttering to herself, "I wonder what good things my second brother will bring me this time, whether there will be any delicious food or fun things, but as long as he comes back from Jiankang, that's all that matters."
Pang Dashan was taken aback and slowly lowered his head.
Time flies.
the next day.
Jiang Sheng waved goodbye to Zheng Ruqian as he left from the entrance of the dilapidated temple.
"Second brother, come back soon." She tucked her hands to her mouth. "You must bring me something delicious."
After the donkey cart and Zheng Ruqian's figure disappeared.
Jiang Sheng turned to look at Chang Yan, "Fifth Brother, will Officer Gao really send someone?"
Chang Yan said confidently, "Yes."
Having just suffered a loss in the dilapidated temple, Officer Gao will surely be unable to restrain himself.
"What if Pang Dashan didn't tell Officer Gao about this?" Jiang Sheng still held onto a sliver of hope.
He didn't answer this time, but only looked at Fang Heng, who was returning in a rented donkey cart.
The group, from the lame Xu Mo to Wen Zhiyun carrying the medicine box, all boarded the donkey cart.
They followed the direction Zheng Ruqian had gone.
But let's talk about the distant place.
Yunshui County is directly south of Xieyang County. You can either walk through the county on the official road or take a shortcut.
Zheng Ruqian chose the side road.
He sensed something was wrong as soon as he left the territory of Xieyang County.
A carriage followed him, neither too close nor too far, neither too fast nor too slow, as eerie as a ghost.
Zheng Ruqian dared not turn back, and increased the force with which he swung the rope, wanting to get back to the official road as quickly as possible.
The official road was bustling with people and patrolled by cavalry, making it the safest road in the Great Yu Dynasty.
But the carriage seemed to have realized his intention and actually sped up.
Before long, he overtook him.
Zheng Ruqian turned his head and saw three people on the carriage shaft.
One was a high-ranking constable, one was a stranger, and the last one was Pang Dashan.
His face darkened.
Although I had long suspected that Pang Dashan was colluding with Gao Yayi, seeing it with my own eyes was a different story.
He lamented that he was alone and powerless, and did not know where his younger siblings had gone. He dared not confront them rashly, so he could only whip them fiercely, trying to shake off Pang Dashan and the other two.
Unexpectedly, these men were incredibly audacious. They jumped from the horse-drawn carriage onto the donkey cart while the two carts were side by side, and even stole the whip.
With a bray, the old donkey's iron hooves nearly sparked as it struggled to a stop.
The horse-drawn carriage followed closely behind, blocking the direction the donkey cart was heading.
Zheng Ruqian was pressed onto the flatbed, his face against the wooden board, unable to move.
"How do we deal with him?" the man holding him down asked.
The constable sneered and gritted his teeth, "These little brats are quick on their feet."
It's fast, so you have to break their legs.
The constable Gao turned around, pulled a stick as thick as an arm from the carriage, aimed it at Zheng Ruqian's thigh, and raised it high.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
The stick was about to fall.
Suddenly, the image of Jiang Sheng wailing appeared in Pang Dashan's mind. He was moved and rushed over to stand in front of Zheng Ruqian.
"ah……"
With a scream, his arm went limp and fell to the ground.
"Pang Dashan, are you crazy?" The one holding Zheng Ruqian looked completely bewildered. "What are you doing? If you're looking to die, don't do it now."
The constable was even angrier, shouting, "Get out of here!"
They kicked Pang Dashan aside, raised the wooden stick high again, and aimed it at Zheng Ruqian's thigh.
Suddenly, Pang Dashan rushed over again, grabbed Zheng Ruqian, and frantically begged for mercy, "Please let him go, please let him go! He's just a child. If you break his leg, he'll be finished. Please let him go."
The two men became even angrier and raised their sticks to strike Pang Dashan, showing no mercy even as he rolled on the ground screaming in agony.
"Pah! What are you? You're just my dog. I'm just talking to you, and you think you're a human being?"
"You dare to stop us? We'll beat you to death first!"
The sticks fell like a torrential downpour, showing no mercy.
Fang Heng, who was hiding in the shadows, could no longer hold back. He drew his long staff and rushed forward, parrying and slashing.
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