It is said that at that time, the executioner raised his sword and chopped off the heads of seven prisoners, blood splattered, and the execution was successfully completed.
The relatives of the prisoners wailed and cried, while the onlookers applauded and cheered, happy that the local tyrant had been eradicated. The applause drowned out the crying, and the execution ground was in chaos.
"Now that we've seen the excitement, let's go home."
"It's so hot, I'm going to die from the sun, let's go!"
Apart from the relatives and friends of the prisoners who were busy collecting the bodies, the rest of the people left in groups of three or five, crowded and scattered, no one giving way to anyone else. In the chaos, some people called out to their friends, some muttered and complained, and some pushed and shoved and cursed.
Guo Hongxuan stood still, craning his neck to peer towards the execution platform. "No rush, no need to squeeze in with everyone. It won't be too late to reunite with my second sister-in-law and the others after the crowd disperses."
The servant asked, "Shall we go back to the yamen together?"
Guo Hongxuan nodded.
"Okay, then I'll go out later."
However, the next moment, a crowded crowd rushed in and made them unable to stand steadily.
"Don't, don't push. Ouch, hiss." Although Guo Hongxuan was tall, he couldn't withstand the surging crowd. He was first forced to walk out with the crowd. Then, someone stepped on his toe hard. He gasped in pain and glanced around hurriedly, "Who stepped on me?"
The servant was eager to protect his master, and hurriedly helped him up. He looked around and cursed, "Who? Who did this? You stepped on our master's foot, and don't you know how to apologize? Hey, who is it?"
"Alright, alright! What are you yelling about? I'm not hurt. It's too crowded, they probably didn't do it on purpose." Guo Hongxuan waved his hand to stop the servant, stamped his feet, and before he could stand firm, he was pushed a few more times by the crowd. He sighed helplessly and simply left the execution ground. "Forget it, I'll go out and wait, so as not to stand here blocking the way."
The servant obeyed and said, "Okay. Slow down and watch out for those ignorant people who push and step on you."
The master and servant followed the crowd out of the execution ground and stood at the street corner waiting.
The servant looked around for a long time, then asked in confusion, "Why hasn't the magistrate come out yet? Could it be...she's already gone back to the yamen?"
Guo Hongxuan was not a stupid person. Although he didn't know that his sister-in-law was looking for him in the execution ground, he shook his head firmly and said, "Impossible! My second sister-in-law is very careful. She knew that I followed her here, so she would definitely ask me to go back with her." She was afraid that I would get into trouble outside or sneak away to Beiqie.
"Then wait a little longer."
After a long time, the crowd completely dispersed.
It was noon, and the sun was blazing. Guo Hongxuan was sweating profusely, and he was also puzzled. "Strange, why hasn't she come out yet?" He ordered, "Go in and see what my second sister-in-law is doing."
"Yes!" The servant rushed to the execution ground. After a cup of tea, he returned and reported, "The magistrate is with County Magistrate Huang, Lord Pei, and the others. They look quite serious, as if they are discussing official business."
"Oh?" Guo Hongxuan asked casually, "What are you discussing?"
In reality, the servant had only watched from afar, not hearing a single word, completely unaware that Jiang Yushu was wondering, "Where is Hongxuan?" He shook his head, "I don't know. The adults are heavily guarded, and outsiders are always forbidden to approach, so I didn't dare approach or disturb them."
Any outsiders?
These four words are like a needle, piercing the hearts of those with bleak futures.
Alas, I am also a "stray person." Guo Hongxuan had been worried about his future after failing the exams many times. Suddenly, he felt very uncomfortable, his face was hot, his whole body was uncomfortable, and he was indescribably ashamed. He lowered his head and pretended to wipe the sweat off his face. He calmed down and quickly regained his carefree attitude. He said nonchalantly: "Since she is busy, I guess she won't be done for a while, so it's really not appropriate to disturb her. Forget it, let's not wait for them. I want to go to the bookstore and pick out some books."
"Okay!" The errand boy agreed happily, wholeheartedly trying to please the county magistrate's relatives. He led the way and said, "The bookstore is over there, not far away."
"Well, you lead the way." Guo Hongxuan walked away from the execution ground as if he was escaping.
The master and servant walked one after the other to the bustling street market.
The little errand boy was born and raised in Tuning, and was eloquent. He talked endlessly about the customs and people of Tuning.
Guo Hongxuan took a walk to relax. As he listened, his depressed mood gradually improved. A smile appeared on his face, and he occasionally joined in the conversation.
Soon, the bookstore was just across the street. When the master and servant were about to cross the street, a loud roar suddenly sounded behind them:
“Get out of the way!”
"Everyone, please make way."
"drive!"
The servant turned around and hurriedly grabbed Guo Hongxuan, "Fourth Master, be careful! They are here on military business and have the right to pass first. They can kill someone by hitting or stepping on them, and they don't even have to pay with their lives."
"I understand. Who would want to compete with the border troops for the road? That would be too ignorant." Since his brother was joining the army, Guo Hongxuan was happy to give way.
In a blink of an eye, five or six soldiers rode through the street, not looking around.
Pedestrians gave way and retreated to the sides of the street. Guo Hongxuan leaned against a tree, wiping his sweat in the shade. He glanced around curiously, then suddenly opened his eyes wide and blurted out:
"Changxing?"
"Hey, Changxing!"
Guo Hongxuan recognized him as his brother's confidant. His eyes lit up, his mind heated up, and he gave chase eagerly, wanting to inquire about his brother's news. He waved as he ran, excitedly shouting, "Changxing, stop! It's me! I, I have something to ask you."
However, the speeding riders showed no intention of stopping and passed by like a gust of wind.
"Changxing!"
In fact, Peng Changxing discovered Guo Hongxuan and heard the shouting, but he was busy with his work and had no time to stay. At the same time, it was not difficult to guess what the other party wanted to ask. Due to his difficulties, he simply pretended not to hear and focused on rushing to the city gate.
"Hey, how can this be? Are you deaf?" Guo Hongxuan chased for a while, sweating and panting, and watched his brother's confidant's back as he walked away with regret.
The little errand boy followed closely behind, breathless and bewildered, asking, "Was there anyone you knew in there just now?"
Guo Hongxuan remained silent, staring at the disappearing horses. His chest heaved violently, a sudden surge of irritation igniting a nameless fire. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he spotted several horses tied to trees on the street. The impulsive energy in his bones suddenly surged, and without a second thought, he strode over and bent down to untie the reins.
"Hey? Fourth Master?" The servant was bewildered. "What do you want to do? Whose horse is this?"
"No problem, I'll borrow it for a while."
Guo Hongxuan quickly untied the tied horse, touched its neck, and seeing that it was docile, he jumped on the horse and shook the reins. "Gee!" With a serious face, he spurred his horse to chase Peng Changxing.
The servant was stunned and tried in vain to catch up, shouting, "Fourth Master, you, you—hey, where are you going?"
A moment later, the horse's owner heard the noise and ran out of the noodle shop in surprise, jumping up and down in anger and cursing, "Oh my God! This is outrageous! He dared to steal a horse in broad daylight!"
"Horse thief, catch the thief, catch the thief!"
Guo Hongxuan heard the curses behind him, curled his lips, took out his money bag with one hand, threw it back without looking back, and shouted: "Take the money! Who wants your broken horse? I'm just borrowing it for a while."
"ah?"
The horse owner was stunned and was about to pick up the purse, but the servant got there first.
"Who cares about that broken horse? Who are you calling a 'horse thief'? Do you know what kind of person our master is?" The servant was aggressive but timid. He untied the money bag, counted the money, and stuffed a small silver ingot into the horse owner's pocket. "Here, rent! Take it! When our master finishes his business and comes back, he will definitely return the horse to you."
The horse owner was stunned for a moment, biting the silver ingot. Seeing that it was real, his expression relaxed and he said hesitantly, "I run a noodle shop, not a horse and carriage shop."
The servant stiffened his neck and said, "Shopkeeper, why are you so stubborn? Just like making money from noodles, renting horses is also profitable. Look at our master, how generous he is!"
"Yes, I am quite generous." The horse owner smiled subconsciously and bit the silver ingot.
Immediately, the guards secretly arranged by Jiang Yushu rushed in and were forced to show up. They also stuffed a small silver ingot into the shopkeeper and quickly untied the other horse. "I'll rent this horse."
"Well, sir, this is really not a carriage and horse inn!" The horse owner accidentally earned two silver ingots and was at a loss.
The guard ignored him and only whispered, "Boy, don't reveal the Fourth Master's background, and don't shout out the magistrate, or I'll beat you. Remember?"
The servant recognized the visitor and nodded with relief, whispering, "I've got it! The magistrate is urging the Fourth Master to return? Is he sending you to pick him up?"
The guard didn't answer, but quickly mounted his horse and chased after Guo Hongxuan.
More than half an hour later, Guo Hongxuan rode out of the city gate on horseback.
The docile horses of the common people are far inferior to the war horses in terms of speed; the riding skills of ordinary people are far inferior to those of well-trained soldiers.
Therefore, he did not catch up with Peng Changxing at all, and did not even see his shadow. He just rushed out of the city on impulse and in a hot-blooded manner.
"well!"
"Whoa."
Guo Hongxuan was panting like an ox, his face flushed from the sun. He reined in his horse and wiped the sweat off his face, muttering angrily, "That Peng Changxing bastard clearly saw me, but he pretended not to see me. What's the point?"
"We've known each other for over ten years. Even though you're no longer a servant in the Marquis' Mansion, even though you're unwilling to continue respecting me, but, but—you're now a soldier under my second brother!"
"I just wanted to ask about my second brother's whereabouts, but you refused to stop. What do you mean?"
"Could it be...that even my former servant has begun to look down on me?"
Guo Hongxuan was filled with wild thoughts and wild guesses. He was angry, frustrated, and extremely upset. He was worried about his brother's safety and his own future. He sighed and walked aimlessly, reining in his reins and thinking to himself:
Then what?
What should I do now?
Alas, I don’t know, I don’t know.
Let’s take a walk.
He often takes the first step impulsively, and then worries about what to do next. Worrying comes and goes, and in the end he either deals with it hastily or escapes and retreats, comforting himself: It's okay, I just need to be more careful next time.
The guard followed closely, looking around in confusion. He wanted to go forward several times, but he didn't dare to disturb Guo Hongxuan who was obviously annoyed.
As a result, they wandered around until dusk, when the guard finally made up his mind and approached to persuade him, "Fourth Master, it's getting dark, and the Madam sent me to take you back."
Guo Hongxuan didn't think much about it. He replied listlessly, "Well, let's go."
The two men rushed back, but were a step too late. Before they could enter the city, the city gate was closed. The guards asked their acquaintances to report to the higher authorities, and it took a lot of effort for them to return to the county government office.
Late Night, Back Court
It was quiet outside. The maid was making tea skillfully, and the porcelain dishes made a soft sound.
"Well, I'm really sorry for causing trouble to my second sister-in-law again."
"But this time, it was really an accident!"
Guo Hongxuan apologized: "We rushed as fast as we could, but we still couldn't catch up on time. The city gate was closed, so—"
Jiang Yushu interrupted him with a wave of her hand. She already knew her brother-in-law's character well, so she wasn't surprised at all, nor did she have the energy to get angry. "As long as you're safe, remember the time. Next time you return to the city, be sure to go early."
"good."
Jiang Yushu asked nervously, "You said you saw Changxing, are you sure?"
"Yes, absolutely true!"
Guo Hongxuan was immediately excited. "Changxing and the others are family children. They've been following my second brother since they were very young. We've known each other for over ten years. I would never mistake them for someone else! At that time, he rode by on horseback, and when I called out, he clearly turned his head. He clearly noticed me, but he ignored me and didn't even stop. He just ran away at full speed. It was so infuriating!"
Jiang Yushu stared intently at the candlelight and said seriously, "Changxing and the others are loyal and have always been your second brother's confidants. Changxing wouldn't ignore you on purpose. He must have something urgent to do and no time to stay."
"Yes." Cuimei nodded vigorously to show her agreement.
"Well, from what I've observed," Guo Hongxuan said worriedly, unable to help but speculate, "Changxing has a frown on his face. He seems, seems, very embarrassed. I guess he understands what I want to ask and doesn't dare to answer, so he slipped away?"
Cuimei was apprehensive, tears welling in her eyes. She asked anxiously, "Could it be that Second Master and the others... lost the battle? Did they really, truly suffer a defeat?"
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Jiang Yushu stood up suddenly, her face stern. "The battle isn't over yet, and the outcome is still unknown. No one is allowed to say anything discouraging! Everyone, be patient. After a while, maybe there will be good news."
Guo Hongxuan hesitated to speak, looking at his pale and haggard sister-in-law, and finally nodded, "Sister-in-law is right, I believe in my second brother, good fortune will come to those who are lucky."
"Yes, yes." Cuimei bit her lip, "Good luck will come to those who are lucky!"
Jiang Yushu walked to the window, looked up at the dark night sky, and was silent for a while. Without turning her head, she said softly, "Why are you panicking? The sky hasn't fallen. It's late. You should go and rest first."
"lady--"
"go."
Guo Hongxuan hesitated, wanting to get closer to comfort her, but it was inconvenient for him to get too close. He advised, "You should rest too. You still have official business to attend to tomorrow. Take care of yourself."
Jiang Yushu turned her back to the crowd, her voice and tone normal, "Well, I'll cool down in the breeze and rest later."
Everyone was unable to persuade him and could only leave.
It was three o'clock in the morning, the night wind was cool, and everything was quiet. Suddenly, a slight "click" sound was heard on the windowsill.
Unconsciously, she burst into tears, tears dripping onto the windowsill, but she didn't make any crying sound. Her hands supported the windowsill, veins bulging, her whole body tensed like a spear, her eyes flashing with anger, she wished she could kill all the enemy soldiers and drive them back to the snow-capped mountains at the end of the grassland.
But this spear was trapped by layers of shackles.
She is not only a wife, but also a mother, daughter-in-law, and official, and she dare not act willfully.
Another sleepless night.
The next morning
She washed and dressed calmly, walked out of the room, ate breakfast calmly, and then busied herself with official business.
The crops in the fields are ripe, it is the summer harvest season, and there are many official duties.
Li Qigong and others were beheaded, leaving several vacancies in the county government office. She was selecting people to fill the vacancies while cleaning up the mess left by the corrupt officials. When she was busy, several soldiers from Tu Ningwei came with messages.
Jiang Yushu couldn't help but feel anxious and couldn't sit still. She leaned forward and asked with bated breath, "Did General Song send you here?"
"yes."
The personal guard was polite, bowed slightly, and said with a fist: "The general has ordered that the county magistrate go to the camp immediately to discuss an important matter."
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