Chapter 125 Stubborn
Ying Ziye smiled.
It's really bad, and "bad" isn't even enough to describe the current state of this store.
It was indeed a small shop, much like many ordinary taverns, but there was only one person sitting in a corner, and it would be hard to spot him if you didn't look closely.
He looks like a young scholar.
There was no food or drink on the table in front of him, not even a glass of water, only a book and a pen and ink beside him.
The small inkstone was no bigger than the palm of his hand, with a writing brush resting on it. He was so engrossed in flipping through the book in front of him that he didn't even notice someone coming in.
Ying Ziye was about to call for help, but Xiao Qing waved his hand.
She glanced to the side at the counter by the door. There was no shopkeeper or employee sitting inside, and she noticed that a thin layer of light white dust had accumulated on the countertop.
Forehead……
Ying Ziye whispered, "The owner of this shop is an old woman, and over there is her only son, named Qiao Bai, who is nineteen years old this year. I heard he is preparing to take the Dingzhou provincial examination this year."
Xiao Qing nodded, thinking to herself that Ying Ziye seemed to have come before and knew the situation quite well.
"Is there anything inconvenient for his mother?"
Ying Ziye nodded and continued in a low voice, "The old woman has difficulty walking, and she feels even worse when it gets cold. She should be in the backyard right now."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Qiao Bai only has his mother and son at home. Qiao Bai usually takes care of his mother. Those pastries were made by Qiao Bai's mother."
Xiao Qing thought to herself, if that's the case, it seems it's just a matter of similar tastes, and not the reason she secretly had in mind.
She glanced at the tavern, gestured to Ying Ziye and Ma Hong following behind, and then tiptoed out of the tavern.
After walking a few dozen steps, Ying Ziye asked, "Young master, wouldn't you like some pastries?"
Xiao Qing nodded, "Actually, I've been thinking about it, but it's not like we have to eat it right now. From what you just said, Qiao Bai and his mother depend on each other for survival. Although they rely on the tavern for a living, they have neither manpower nor business, so their life is probably... um... rather difficult, right?"
Ying Ziye nodded. "That's true. I've spoken with Qiao Bai before. He's..." He thought for a moment, "...a bit stubborn. Not good at running a business."
Xiao Qing was amused by his statement.
She thought for a moment, then turned to ask Ma Hong, "Do you have any money on you?"
Ma Hong nodded, "Whatever you want to eat or buy, young master, is enough."
Just then, three burly men staggered over from the intersection.
Ma Hong stood in front of Xiao Qing with a sullen face, while Ying Ziye was also on guard, lowering his head slightly.
Fortunately, the three burly men were not targeting them.
They were clearly a bit tipsy, and now they were leaning over chatting and laughing. One of them inadvertently saw Ying Ziye, and even though he had already passed by, he turned back to look at him, seemingly a little puzzled.
Ying Ziye didn't notice him, but Xiao Qing saw the scene.
This person...
As Xiao Qing was recalling, the person turned around and said something to the person next to him, and all three of them looked back at him.
Ma Hong's face was cold; he was ready to take action.
The three people, with their arms around each other's shoulders, actually walked towards them.
Xiao Qing could see clearly that they were looking at Ying Ziye.
"Do you know them?" Xiao Qing asked softly.
Ying Ziye also noticed the problem, but he shook his head, not remembering having any dealings with them.
Before Xiao Qing could say anything more, the person who had initially looked at Ying Ziye spoke up.
"Hey kid, I don't like your looks. If you give me some money for wine, I won't hold it against you, okay?"
Ying Ziye raised an eyebrow.
Since he joined the army and made a name for himself at the South Training Ground, it had been a long time since anyone had spoken to him like that.
He crossed his arms, slightly tucked his chin, and remained silent.
The man felt ignored and became angry.
"Are you deaf? Did you hear me?!" she said, clenching her fists as she charged forward.
Xiao Qing instantly remembered who he was.
In the blink of an eye, Ying Ziye swiftly extended his leg. Before the man could even get close, he was kicked far away, crashing hard into the wall before sliding down.
A drunk person is heavier than usual. The man fell down, his shoulders shaking, and never got up again.
The other two were taken aback, and their eyes turned quite hostile when they looked over again.
"You little brat, you've got some nerve! You dare mess with your grandpa?! I'll break your leg!"
The two seemed to have sobered up a bit, and with grim faces, they pulled out daggers from somewhere and rushed over.
Over the past three years, Xiao Qing has left the palace several times, but this is the first time she has actually encountered a fight.
Actually, she was a little excited.
Although Ma Hong and Ying Ziye would definitely not let her play, she still habitually lowered her sleeves, and the small bamboo tube hidden in her sleeves was already in her palm.
However, this approach wouldn't be necessary to deal with such thugs. She was merely following Mr. Wu's teachings, maintaining a posture of being prepared for danger at any time.
This is still the same small bamboo tube that Li Qinghe used to express his "sincerity," but after being modified by Mr. Wu, it is smaller in size—she can hold the whole thing in one hand, but it is more powerful. In addition to the functions originally designed by Li Qinghe, the bamboo tube also contains three long needles threaded with fine silk. The threads are like blades, and the needles can rotate, making it a powerful weapon for single combat.
Xiao Qing had wondered if Mr. Wu and Li Qinghe might be rivals in the martial arts world, but that was just a thought.
Originally, it was a two-on-two match, and once it was over, that was it.
But fate loves to watch the drama unfold, and things just happened to turn out this way.
The alley was too narrow, and even the slightest noise would attract the attention of every household.
Fortunately, there aren't many houses here, and even if there were, most people wouldn't risk their lives to run out and see what's going on.
But there was one person who was truly reckless. Not only did he run out, but he also shouted in a trembling voice, "Who...who are you people? How can you...commit violence with weapons in broad daylight?!"
The five of them paused, all eyes turning to look over. They saw Qiao Bai standing there with a pale face and clenched shoulders, clearly both scared and nervous. Surprisingly, he hadn't retreated.
Xiao Qing didn't know why, but suddenly wanted to laugh.
Ying Ziye frowned and said, "This is none of your business, get out of the way." With that, she took the initiative and walked towards the two people.
The two men's opponent was Ying Ziye, so they naturally wouldn't provoke Qiao Bai at this time. So they gripped their knives and surrounded Ying Ziye.
Seeing this, Qiao Bai quickly shouted, "You... Article 83 of the Great Xiao Law states that all citizens of the Great Xiao..."
The two men exchanged a glance, and one of them turned around, saying, "Kid, mind your own business and get out of my way! Or I'll chop your mouth off!"
Ying Ziye has already matched up with one of them.
Qiao Bai said righteously, "That's not right. Article 92 of the Great Xiao Law states..."
"You're fucking noisy! Da Xiao, Da Xiao, Da Xiao is only half left! What kind of law is this? Grandpa Jiang's rules are what they are! I'll chop your mouth off first!"
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