Chapter 7 The Enemy's Self-Reproach
Xuanfeng and Qimen strolled leisurely to the teahouse, where they sat in their familiar private room and began to boil water and brew tea.
Suddenly, Xuanfeng frowned and asked, "Immortal Master, have we... forgotten something?"
"Hmm?" Qi Men looked up at Xuan Feng.
The two pondered for a while.
"Girl!"
"Yao'er!"
The two hurriedly got up.
"Immortal Master, wasn't the girl always with you? How could you lose her?!"
"Oh dear, my lord! It's always just the two of us on our journeys, and now that Yao'er has suddenly joined us, I'm really... not used to it yet..."
"I think you're not just having trouble adapting! You're just too old! You made mistakes during the purge, and now you've lost Yao'er!"
"Don't worry, sir! Yao'er is so smart, she'll definitely come back to the inn and wait for us!"
"No matter how smart she is, she's never left Qianlong Town since she was a child, and her parents have spoiled her so much that she's practically helpless. How could she not be bewildered in this dazzling place?!"
As soon as the two went downstairs, they ran into an older woman who was rushing over.
"Who is Yao'er's father?! Who is Yao'er's father?!" The aunt ran into the teahouse and shouted.
Xuanfeng bypassed the aunt and walked towards the door with his head down, but Qimen grabbed him. "Sir, Yao'er's father... is that you?"
"Hmm? Father?"
...
Inside the celestial court, the judge sat upright in the hall, while Su Yuyao knelt below, sobbing. The old man pointed at Su Yuyao arrogantly and said, "Your Honor, my name is Fan Er. I want to accuse this girl of assault and robbery! I kindly let her into my house and gave her a drink of water, but I never expected her to injure me and steal my money! I caught her today!"
"What's your name?!" the judge asked, looking at Su Yuyao.
"My name is Su Yuyao."
Is what Fan Er said true?
"No! I got separated from my family and went to him to ask for water. He had ulterior motives towards me, and I injured him in self-defense. Besides, I didn't take any of his money!"
Do you have any evidence to support your claims?
“I…” Su Yuyao was at a loss. What evidence did she have?
“She has no evidence, but I do!” Fan Er pulled out a stone model of a half-naked woman and said, “This is the one that injured my eye!”
Looking at the items in Fan Er's hands, Su Yuyao didn't know how to refute them. She could only wipe away her tears and say, "He took off his clothes and pounced on me. I hit him in a moment of panic!"
"You're talking nonsense! I didn't do that at all! But you've already admitted to injuring me!" Fan Er said smugly.
"Then what evidence do you have to prove that I took your money?" Su Yuyao asked.
"Just look at your clothes! When you first appeared at my house, you were wearing dirty and tattered mourning clothes, but today you're dressed so neatly. You must have taken my money! You bought these with my money!"
"You said that I was wearing tattered and dirty clothes when I was at your house. How do you know that I didn't change into clean clothes after I found my family?" Su Yuyao began to retaliate.
Fan Er was stunned for a moment, feeling a little guilty. Could this girl have really found her family?
"My lord! My family is in the teahouse in front of the city gate. If you don't believe me, you can send someone to look for them. If they can't find them, then you can deal with me later!"
"Very well! This official..."
"No need to look anymore!" Xuanfeng's voice came from the crowd.
Su Yuyao turned around and looked at Xuan Feng, whose face was full of anger, and burst into tears. Fear, grievance, and worry all turned into snot and tears.
You brat, you still have the nerve to cry?!
"My lord, I am indeed Su Yuyao's..." Xuanfeng stood in the hall and spoke leisurely.
"Sir, this is the child's stepfather! He married the child's mother, but after she passed away, he abandoned the child, took the money, and eloped with his servants! That's why the child came all the way here, only to be bullied by Fan Er on the way!" The woman who threw the eggs spoke very fluently, stringing together the true and false events in just a few words.
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd outside the hall erupted in uproar, whispering and pointing at Xuanfeng. Even the Qi family was not spared.
"This servant is so old? What's the point of taking care of him? This girl is so much better!"
"Well... besides, although the little girl calls him 'Dad,' they're not actually related by blood..."
"This man is so strong, I wonder if we can still find him..."
The more Xuanfeng listened, the sharper his gaze became towards Su Yuyao.
You brat! You're making up stories about me! Just wait until I teach you a lesson!
"Bang!" The gavel struck.
"Su Yuyao, I ask you, who exactly is this man to you?"
"Yes..." Su Yuyao glanced fearfully at Xuan Feng. What should she do? If she told the truth, Xuan Feng's identity would be exposed, and it would also confirm that she had lied. But if she didn't tell the truth, did she really have to acknowledge him as her father?
Xuan Feng looked at Su Yuyao, who was struggling with her inner turmoil. His arm trembled slightly, and a wooden plaque engraved with the words "Fu Guang" fell from his sleeve. Just as he was about to raise it, he heard Su Yuyao slowly say, "He is... my... stepfather..."
Xuanfeng frowned, cursing inwardly, "You brat! What kind of father are you claiming to be?!"
"What?!" Fan Er was also stunned. He hadn't expected that Su Yuyao actually had family.
Everything went very smoothly. Fan Er was imprisoned for making false accusations and for the immoral things he did to Su Yuyao, while Su Yuyao's actions were all in self-defense, so she was not held accountable.
It was a tough situation for Xuanfeng and Qimen, who became the subject of ridicule throughout Flying Dragon City. Wherever they went, they were pointed at and glared at.
Xuanfeng was so angry that his face turned purple, while Qimen stroked his beard and laughed heartily, looking completely unconcerned. Su Yuyao, on the other hand, was crying her eyes out and obediently followed behind the two of them.
"Little sister! Have you found your father? Want a sugar figurine?" The sugar figurine vendor was really persistent!
Su Yuyao pursed her lips, staring at the golden-brown, translucent sugar figurine, thinking to herself: How could I possibly have the nerve to ask for a sugar figurine? I might get a beating when I get back...
So she shook her head and said with a wry smile, "Thank you, uncle, I..."
"Which one do you want?" Xuanfeng said coldly.
"Huh?!" Su Yuyao looked at Xuanfeng, whose face was glowing purple, in surprise.
"Hurry up and tell me! Which one do you want?!" Xuanfeng said, his eyes wide and his temper barely contained.
Looking at that face, Su Yuyao dared not ask for it anymore, shaking her head repeatedly and saying, "No, no, I don't want to eat it."
Qi Men smiled and pulled Su Yuyao to the candy cart, saying softly, "Which one does Yao'er want? Uncle will buy it for you!"
Su Yuyao asked cautiously, "Really?"
"What do you mean, 'real' or 'fake'? If you really don't want it, then get out of here!" Xuanfeng's anger was about to explode.
Su Yuyao looked at Xuanfeng worriedly, and tentatively asked Qimen, "Uncle, can I... have the biggest one?"
"Okay, boss, give me the biggest one!" Qi Men said with a smile.
"And you still have the nerve to ask for the biggest one... really..." Xuanfeng put his hands on his hips, trying to catch his breath.
The shop owner glanced meaningfully at Xuanfeng and Qimen, pursed his lips, suppressed a laugh, and used syrup to draw a pair of rabbit figurines on the steaming hot iron plate.
Su Yuyao was happily licking the rabbit-shaped sugar figurine, but was sandwiched between Xuanfeng and Qimen, who were afraid of losing their child. This attracted even more people pointing and commenting.
"Uncle, can I... have a piece of rice cake?"
"sure!"
"Uncle, can I watch a magic show for a while?"
"Sure!"
"I want to eat steamed buns!"
"good!"
"Ah! It smells so good! It's roast goose! Uncle! Uncle! Let's eat roast goose!"
"purchase!"
Su Yuyao held the roast goose and giggled. She broke off a goose leg and hesitated before looking at Xuanfeng.
Xuanfeng, his face flushed a deep purple, was sulking. "You brat! You made me look so pathetic! And you still have the nerve to eat?!"
Suddenly, a greasy goose leg was thrust towards his mouth.
He frowned and lifted his eyelids, looking at Su Yuyao's rosy cheeks and red, swollen eyes.
"Hmm... Xuan..." Oh, right, I can't call him by his name. "Um... Master... have some goose leg... don't be angry..."
Xuanfeng glanced down at the goose leg at his mouth, then looked up at Su Yuyao. This brat, is she trying to fool me?
Seeing that Xuan Feng didn't move, Su Yuyao thought to herself, "Oh no! He's really angry. What if he kicks me out? How am I supposed to get revenge? I have to appease him."
"Um..." Su Yuyao said cautiously, "I was wrong... I'll take this goose leg as an apology, okay..."
Interesting... Xuanfeng suddenly wondered what other tricks this girl could pull.
Su Yuyao pursed her lips, racking her brains for a solution. What should she do? Should she try to charm him? But he doesn't seem to respond well to that!
Xuanfeng narrowed his eyes, waiting with great interest. How would you know if I'd eat it if you didn't try?
Could it be... that she should call him... "Dad"? Su Yuyao gradually frowned.
What?! Xuanfeng's eyes widened.
“That…” Su Yuyao found it very difficult to say.
You brat! Shut up!
"Uh... Dad?" Su Yuyao blushed and said, "Have a goose leg... Don't be angry..."
Xuanfeng, who was originally furious, felt a sense of satisfaction as he watched Su Yuyao's face gradually turn purple and heard a timid "Father." His anger suddenly dissipated.
His complexion gradually returned to a neutral pale color. He took the goose leg and said, "Let's leave it at that this time. But if there's a next time, forget about eating sugar figurines or rice cakes; I'll make sure you get a good spanking! You hear me?"
Su Yuyao nodded with a grin and replied, "Okay! Okay!"
Seeing that Xuanfeng's complexion had returned to normal, she finally breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the roast goose, found a step to sit down, and thought to herself, "That stinky turtle is really hard to coax!"
Just as Xuanfeng was about to put the goose leg in his mouth, he heard Su Yuyao's thoughts and immediately lost his appetite.
He turned around and shoved the goose leg into Qimen's hand, who was still laughing heartily, saying angrily, "You eat it! It's too greasy!"
...
"Sir! Sir! The child is sleeping by the door again!" the landlady called out, banging on the door.
Xuanfeng lit the lamp, opened the door helplessly, and looked at Su Yuyao lying at the door. They had already changed her room, so why did she come here again?!
Qi Men also put on a coat and came out, saying, "It seems Yao'er is still scared..."
"Oh my goodness!" The proprietress covered her mouth, blushing as she laughed, "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"What's there to be embarrassed about! There are two beds inside!" Xuanfeng finally couldn't hold back his anger.
"Yes, yes! Two!" The proprietress covered her face and laughed, then ran away.
"You brat! You've caused me so much trouble!" Xuanfeng grumbled as he picked up Su Yuyao and said to Qimen, "I'll take her back first and come back later."
"Hey! It's back!" A snicker came from down the stairs.
Xuanfeng really didn't want to explain anymore. He carried Su Yuyao back to the room, gently placed her on the bed, and slowly lay down on his side.
Su Yuyao nestled her head into Xuanfeng's arms, her chubby little hands resting on his chest, seeking a sense of security.
“Mother…” she muttered.
Looking at Su Yuyao, whose eyelashes were wet, Xuanfeng didn't know whether he felt regret, heartache, or self-blame. He began to reflect on what had happened that day.
What did the girl do wrong this time? She was almost bullied by bad guys, and instead of comforting her, I kept getting angry with her. Wasn't she just making up lies to survive? Sigh... I really shouldn't have gotten angry with her...
"Ah!" Su Yuyao suddenly screamed and trembled.
Xuanfeng quickly hugged her tightly and gently stroked her back.
Soon, Su Yuyao calmed down. After a while, she gradually stretched out her body, loosened her grip on Xuanfeng's clothes, turned over, and muttered, "You stinky turtle... my... goose leg..."
Xuanfeng couldn't help but chuckle. "You brat, you don't even forget to scold me in your sleep."
He got up, carefully covered Su Yuyao with the blanket, and sat by the bed for a while to make sure Su Yuyao wouldn't wake up again before leaving with peace of mind.
"My lord, is Yao'er fast asleep?" Qi Men asked, looking at Xuan Feng as he entered the room.
"She's fast asleep." Xuanfeng lay down on the bed and said, "Immortal Master, our matter is too dangerous. Perhaps... we should send the girl to a safe place..."
"What you mean, sir..."
"Let's go to Frost Peak tomorrow and also visit Ice Wheel Palace. We'll send the girl to her aunt's place..." As he said this, Xuanfeng suddenly felt a little reluctant.
Qi Men said softly, "My lord, although Yao'er is young, she has her own unique insights and ideas. Her father is a diviner, so perhaps she has some talent as well. Why don't we..."
"It was too dangerous. I owe her too much. Now that she's survived, let her live a good life..." Xuanfeng stopped talking.
"Yes, sir..."
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