Hearing the commotion, the Yang family members came out and saw a large crowd gathered. They came over to check the situation and overheard Zuo Lanzhi and Zheng Yunwan's conversation.
Seeing that Xiao Yunying looked unwell, Aunt Yang said gently, "Go and call Yunying's parents quickly. Don't let the child be bullied by anyone again."
"Okay, I'll go right away."
Xiao Yunying stepped to the left, blocking Zuo Lanzhi's view: "If you want revenge, come find me."
Zuo Lanzhi glared at her fiercely: "You too, Xiao Yunying, you just wait, I will definitely make my parents kill you!"
Xiao Yunying responded with a blank "Oh," and said, "If that's your attitude, then don't blame me."
"What...what else do you want to do? Do you really dare to let Luo Sheng kill me?"
She didn't answer, but just watched as the person hanging from the tree frowned slightly, as if deep in thought.
Zuo Lanzhi tugged at the rope uneasily: "Xiao Yunying, what exactly are you trying to do?!"
“I told you, I will repay you double. I will hang you here for a day, pour several buckets of ice water on you at night, and give you ten lashes before I let you go home.”
Zuo Lanzhi couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was she supposed to be hung up like this for a whole day?
"You dare!"
"Since you've already kidnapped me, why do you think I wouldn't dare?"
"You! You filthy woman!"
Xiao Yunying tilted her head: "If you insult me again, I'll hit you."
Her tone was flat and emotionless, as if she were simply saying that the weather was nice today.
"You dare!"
"You can give it a try."
The sound of a horse-drawn carriage could be heard on the main road, and it stopped near the crowd.
The Minister's wife stepped down from the carriage, and the coachman urged the crowd to make way, saying, "Make way, everyone make way."
The guards who followed raised their longswords and dispersed the onlookers: "Stop watching, everyone, disperse!"
This situation was clearly not to be trifled with, so even the villagers who loved watching a good show dared not stay, fearing they might find out something they shouldn't and be killed to silence them. They all left as quickly as possible.
Aunt Yang was worried and quietly walked over to Zheng Yunwan's side to ask, "Yunwan, what exactly happened?"
Zheng Yunwan replied softly, "Auntie, go home first. This is not something we can control. But don't worry, with Young Master Luo here, Sister Yunying will be fine."
Aunt Yang could tell that this was not something she could control: "Then I'll go back first. If you need any help, just shout it out loud. In short, we can't let Yunying be bullied."
"I understand, thank you very much, Auntie."
After all the outsiders had left, the Minister's wife anxiously walked to Zuo Lanzhi's side, looking at her daughter with heartache: "Lanzhi... quickly put the young lady down, and get her another coat to put on her."
Xiao Yunying watched from the side and said, "No, she has to stay suspended until night."
"How dare you! Who do you think you are, to dare do this..."
The Minister's wife turned around, and when she saw the woman's face clearly, her words stopped abruptly.
She scrutinized Xiao Yunying's face carefully, then asked uncertainly, "Are you Xiao Yunying?"
Xiao Yunying didn't understand why she asked that question, and didn't say anything.
Suddenly, the Minister's wife grabbed her arms and asked excitedly, "Are you really Xiao Yunying? Are you from this village? Where are your parents?"
Xiao Yunying frowned, her brows furrowing as she felt a sharp pain from the pinch, and said, "You're hurting me."
Madam Luo couldn't bear to watch any longer and came over to brush her hand away: "Qi Shuang, let go, Yun Ying is still injured."
The Minister's wife, having lost her earlier imposing manner, withdrew her hand somewhat awkwardly: "I'm sorry, I lost my composure."
He then looked at Xiao Yunying's face more closely and continued to ask, "Yunying, are you a local? Are your parents also locals?"
Zuo Lanzhi, who was standing to the side, was the first to think of something. She looked at Xiao Yunying's face, then at her own mother's face. The excitement she had felt at thinking she would be saved vanished instantly, replaced by a wave of panic.
She cried and said, "Mom, my arm hurts so much, please put me down."
Xiao Yunying then responded, looking at her and saying, "I won't let you down until you've been suspended for a full day."
Zuo Lanzhi only wanted to interrupt her mother's thoughts, and once again started to make a scene: "Xiao Yunying, even if I was in the wrong first, you can't abuse your power. If my father impeaches Luo Sheng, you will implicate him because of what you did today!"
Xiao Yunying calmly said, "No, I can exchange my merits for your life, and I won't implicate Luo Sheng."
"What did you say?"
"If I can become someone useful to His Majesty, let alone hanging you here for a day, even if I kill you right now, His Majesty will not bear to harm me."
Zuo Lanzhi also sensed that something was wrong with Xiao Yunying. She felt that Xiao Yunying was very indifferent, but she was still able to respond to her words.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Have I knocked your brains out?"
Xiao Yunying spoke with the utmost calmness and confidence: "If I can create a weapon, at the very least it can be used for self-defense, and on a larger scale it can be used to expand territory. At that point, let alone your life, even if I wanted to take your parents' lives, the Emperor wouldn't openly agree, but he would secretly..."
"Yun Ying!" Luo Sheng had to interrupt her: "You must not speak recklessly."
Xiao Yunying pursed her lips, realizing she had said too much, and fell silent.
"What unrealistic dreams are you having? What weapon has such power and effect? Have I really knocked your brains out?"
Xiao Yunying stopped talking about the previous topic and turned to Luo Sheng, asking, "You won't have someone put her down, right?"
Luo Yong reassured her, "I'll keep watch for you and won't let anyone put her down."
Madam Luo felt the heat emanating from her through her clothes: "Yun Ying, you have a high fever right now. Go back and rest first. You can leave things here to Sheng'er."
Xiao Yunying thought about it carefully, as if hesitating whether Luo Sheng could be trusted, and finally agreed: "Okay."
"Xiao Yunying, you bitch, you'll die a horrible death..."
Zuo Lanzhi glanced at the Minister's wife, whose gaze was fixed on Xiao Yunying, and her panic turned into uncontrollable anger. She began to curse loudly.
Zheng Yunwan frowned and took out a handkerchief. Luo Sheng instantly understood her intention, forcefully pried open Zuo Lanzhi's mouth, and made her stuff the handkerchief into the other person's mouth.
Still feeling uneasy, he cut another piece of hemp rope, wrapped it around her mouth, and tied a knot at the back of her head to make sure the handkerchief wouldn't fall off.
The maidservant beside her was anxious, but the Minister's wife had been lost in thought ever since she saw Xiao Yunying's appearance clearly, and hadn't paid any attention to Zuo Lanzhi at all.
Seeing that Xiao Yunying was about to go back, she hurriedly walked in front of her and blocked her way.
"Yun Ying, you haven't answered my question yet. Are you from this village?"
Mu Lianrong and Xiao Shanhai arrived with their families at this moment, just in time to hear the Minister's wife ask such a question, and the old couple's expressions changed.
Xiao Shan Hai subconsciously glanced at his wife, Mu Lian Rong, who stormed over angrily: "Isn't that obvious? My daughter, where else could she be from if not this village?!"
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