11. Collaboration
After saying that, she lowered her head and continued to pound the medicine, no longer paying attention to Xiao Cixiao.
Xiao Cixiao looked at her, feeling helpless. He knew Su Wanting would never admit it.
But he also knew that this letter must have been sent by her. Although she said that she didn't want to care about him and didn't want to care about the Su family's affairs, she still cared about them in her heart.
He didn't ask any more questions, but turned and left the pharmacy. He decided to use the clues in the letter to bring down Zhang Tao as soon as possible.
As long as he can make achievements in the Northwest, as long as he can overturn the verdict for the Su family, perhaps Su Wanting can trust him again.
In the next few days, Xiao Cixiao followed the clues in the letter and found the place where Zhang Tao hid the accounts. He also got evidence of his collusion with the powerful.
He compiled the evidence and sent it to the capital at full speed, requesting the emperor to send an imperial envoy to the northwest to thoroughly investigate Zhang Tao's case of withholding grain money.
After receiving Xiao Cixiao's memorial, the emperor was very angry and immediately sent an imperial envoy to the northwest.
Zhang Tao was very scared when he heard the news.
He knew that if the imperial envoy came, his crimes would be exposed.
He decided to strike first and send someone to kill Xiao Cixiao and destroy all the evidence.
That night, Xiao Cixiao was sorting out evidence in the tent when he suddenly heard a fight outside.
He knew that it was Zhang Tao who sent someone.
He picked up a sword and prepared to go out to fight, but saw Su Wanting running in from outside.
"Why are you here?" Xiao Cixiao's eyes were full of surprise.
"I'm here to help you." Su Wanting's tone was very calm. "Zhang Tao sent people to kill you. You are no match for them."
Xiao Cixiao looked at her and felt touched. He knew that although Su Wanting said she hated him, she was still worried about him in her heart.
"Wanting, thank you." Xiao Cixiao's voice was a little hoarse.
"I'm not doing this for you," Su Wanting said coldly, "I'm doing this for the Su family. If you die, no one will be able to overturn the case for the Su family."
After saying that, she picked up a knife and rushed out of the tent with Xiao Cixiao and started fighting with the people sent by Zhang Tao.
Although Su Wanting was a woman, she was quite skilled. She had learned some martial arts from her brother when she was young, so she was more than capable of dealing with a few minions.
Soon, the people sent by Zhang Tao were beaten away by them.
Xiao Cixiao looked at Su Wanting, his eyes full of tenderness: "Wanting, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Su Wanting shook her head and said nothing. She looked at Xiao Cixiao, feeling a complicated feeling in her heart.
She didn't know what she felt towards Xiao Cixiao.
Is it hatred, resentment, or a subtle concern?
Just then, the sound of horse hooves could be heard in the distance. Xiao Cixiao knew it was the imperial envoy.
He looked at Su Wanting and said softly, "Wanting, the imperial envoy is here, and Zhang Tao will be overthrown soon. The Su family's case will also be overturned soon."
When the sound of the imperial envoy's horse's hooves broke through the morning mist in the northwest, Su Wanting was squatting in the backyard of the medicine shop, drying herbs.
The smell of dry herbs mixed with dust choked her and made her cough twice, but her fingertips still carefully separated the damp licorice. These herbs were to be distributed to the refugees, and she couldn't be careless at all.
Qingdai ran in from outside, her voice panting: "Miss Awan, the imperial envoy has arrived! I heard that Lord Xiao handed over all the evidence of Zhang Tao withholding grain money, and Zhang Tao has been arrested!"
Su Wanting paused while drying the herbs. The sunlight fell on her face, but did not warm her eyes.
She had known that Xiao Cixiao would do this. In that anonymous letter, she not only wrote down where the accounts were hidden, but also attached the transaction records of Zhang Tao's collusion with the powerful. She had secretly copied them down while she was treating the powerful's family in the pharmacy.
She was not helping Xiao Cixiao, but she didn't want to see the refugees go hungry again, and she didn't want corrupt officials like Zhang Tao to continue doing evil.
"I see." She replied calmly and continued to sort the herbs as if it was just an insignificant matter.
But she didn't expect that trouble would come knocking on her door.
That afternoon, several strange men came to the pharmacy, wearing shorts and with fierce eyes.
As soon as they entered the room, they looked around. When they saw Su Wanting, the man in the lead stepped forward and said in a bad tone, "Are you Awan?"
Su Wanting's heart tightened, but her face remained calm: "Yes, I do. What do you want to talk to me about?"
"We are Mr. Zhang's men," the man sneered. "Did you tip off Xiao Cixiao about Mr. Zhang's arrest? Come with us if you know what's best for you, or don't blame us for being rude!"
Qingdai turned pale with fear and hid behind Su Wanting: "Don't come over here! We're going to report to the police!"
"Call the police?" The man sneered. "All the officials here have been offended by Xiao Cixiao. Who would care about your business?" As he said that, he reached out to grab Su Wanting's arm.
Su Wanting was prepared and dodged sideways. She picked up the pestle beside her and held it tightly in her hand: "I didn't tip off anyone. You've got the wrong person."
"You still dare to be stubborn!" The man was so angry that he punched Su Wanting.
Although Su Wanting had learned some self-defense skills, she was a woman after all and was not as strong as a man. After a few rounds, she was forced into a corner and her arm was grabbed by the man, causing her to frown in pain.
At this moment, a cold shout came from outside the door: "Stop!"
Su Wanting looked up and saw Xiao Cixiao walking in quickly, still wearing his official uniform. It was obvious that he had just come from the imperial envoy.
When he saw Su Wanting being arrested, his eyes instantly turned cold. He quickly stepped forward, pushed the man away, and protected Su Wanting behind him: "How dare you seize a woman in broad daylight? Do you still respect the law?"
When the man saw Xiao Cixiao, his expression changed, but he still said stubbornly: "Sir Xiao, this is a private matter between us and this woman. It has nothing to do with you!"
"She is mine, and her affairs are my affairs," Xiao Cixiao said with unquestionable authority.
"Now, get out of here! If I see you bothering her again, I won't let you off!"
The men were afraid of Xiao Cixiao's identity and didn't dare to say anything more. They glared at Su Wanting fiercely, turned around and walked away in shame.
Xiao Cixiao turned around and looked at Su Wanting, his eyes full of worry: "Wanting, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Su Wanting broke free from his hand and took a step back, her tone still cold: "Thank you for saving me, sir. I'm fine. You'd better go back early to avoid being gossiped about."
She didn't want to have anything to do with Xiao Cixiao anymore. If someone saw what happened just now, they might say something unpleasant.
Xiao Cixiao felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw her deliberately distant look.
He knew that she still hated him, but he couldn't help but care about her: "Those people are the remnants of Zhang Tao, they will definitely not let it go.
It's too dangerous for you to stay here alone, come with me to the tent and I will protect you."
"No need," Su Wanting shook her head. "I live very well here, so I won't bother you anymore."
Xiao Cixiao wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Su Wanting: "If you are alright, please go back. I still need to dry the herbs."
Xiao Cixiao looked at her resolute back and knew that it was useless to say anything more. He could only sigh helplessly and turn away.
Before leaving, he specifically asked someone to guard the door of the pharmacy to prevent Zhang Tao's remnants from causing trouble again.
Su Wanting looked at the direction Xiao Cixiao left, feeling a complicated feeling in her heart. She had to admit that when Xiao Cixiao protected her just now, her heart did have a slight throbbing.
But that throbbing feeling was soon drowned out by the pain of the past. She could no longer trust him and could not repeat the same mistake.
In the next few days, Zhang Tao's case progressed smoothly.
With the evidence provided by Xiao Cixiao, the imperial envoy quickly found out that Zhang Tao had withheld grain money and colluded with powerful people. He threw him into prison and ordered that all the withheld grain money be recovered and distributed to the refugees.
That night, Xiao Cixiao was reviewing official documents in the tent when he suddenly heard a commotion outside.
When he walked out, he saw a group of refugees gathered outside the tent, holding torches in their hands and looking excited.
"Master Xiao, this is bad!" A refugee saw Xiao Cixiao and hurried forward to say, "Zhang Tao's remnants set fire to the granary. Now the fire is huge and there is no way to put it out!"
Xiao Cixiao's heart sank.
The granary contained the newly recovered grain money and the grain that was about to be distributed to the refugees. If it was burned, the refugees would be in dire straits again.
"Hurry, follow me to the granary!" After Xiao Cixiao said this, he immediately ran to the granary with his entourage.
When they arrived at the granary, the fire was already very big and the flames lit up half the sky red.
The refugees took buckets and basins and tried to put out the fire, but the fire was too big and it was of no use.
Xiao Cixiao looked at the burning granary with great anxiety. He knew that if the granary burned, he would not only be unable to explain to the court, but also disappoint the refugees.
More importantly, he had promised Su Wanting that he would provide food for the refugees, and he could not go back on his word.
"Everyone, don't panic!" Xiao Cixiao shouted, "Everyone retreat, don't get burned! I've sent people to the nearby town for reinforcements, and help will be here soon!"
When the refugees heard Xiao Cixiao's words, they gradually calmed down, retreated one after another, and no longer blindly put out the fire.
Xiao Cixiao stood in front of the granary, looking at the fire, feeling despair in his heart.
He didn't know when the reinforcements would arrive, nor did he know whether the granary could be saved.
Just then, he saw a familiar figure rushing into the fire with a bucket of water.
It’s Su Wanting!
"Wanting, it's dangerous, come back quickly!" Xiao Cixiao shouted and wanted to rush in to pull her, but was stopped by his followers.
"Sir, it's dangerous, you can't go in!" the attendant advised.
Xiao Cixiao looked at Su Wanting's figure in the fire scene, and his heart felt like it was being cut by a knife.
He knew that Su Wanting was worried that the granary would burn and that the refugees would have no food to eat, so she rushed into the fire regardless of the danger.
He pushed his followers aside and rushed into the fire: "Wanting, I'm here to help you!"
Su Wanting was stunned when she saw Xiao Cixiao come in, then she said, "Why did you come in? It's very dangerous here, get out!"
"I'm not going out. Let's go together!" After Xiao Cixiao said that, he took the bucket of water from Su Wanting's hand and poured it on the fire.
The two of them were at the fire scene, fetching water and putting out the fire together, with such a tacit understanding that they seemed like partners of years.
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