The unexpected situation startled both Hong Xiaoduo and Quan Jinghuai. How could they have been so careless when they had been so cautious along the way?
Feiyan, who was walking ahead holding Yaoguang's hand, was also terrified. After glancing at Hong and Xiaoduo, who were both there, Feiyan felt a little relieved. Even so, she still pulled Yaoguang closer to her side and cautiously glanced at the pedestrians standing around.
"Auntie? What's wrong? You can tell me, I'll help you. Could you let go of that child first? He's young and easily frightened." Hong Xiaoduo whispered to the other person, while also tentatively taking a step forward.
The woman simply held Kaiyang tightly, without intending to harm him. She was very emotional, staring at the child in her arms, tears streaming down her face like broken beads. Her lips trembled as she tried to speak, but no sound came out.
That's why Quan Jinghuai and Hong Xiaoduo didn't make a move just now.
At this moment, Kaiyang, who was in the woman's arms, was no longer frightened at the beginning. He was still a little nervous, but he did not struggle. He looked at the woman who was holding him and crying, and then looked at Hong Xiaoduo.
Kaiyang could sense that the woman meant him no harm, and she didn't seem like a bad person, especially since his mother and master were both around.
Upon hearing Hong Xiaoduo's words, the woman turned to look at her, then at the child in her arms, loosened her arms slightly, and then, seeing that Kaiyang did not intend to break free, loosened her arms even more.
The woman was unarmed and not a martial artist. She was thin and weak. Logically, seven-year-old Kaiyang should have been able to break free at this time, but seeing the woman with tears streaming down her face, Kaiyang couldn't bear to do so.
Many pedestrians had stopped to watch, making various guesses and discussing the matter.
Suddenly someone rushed over, but Quan Jinghuai didn't even turn around; he raised his hand and used his sword to block the attacker.
"Please don't make things difficult for my lady." Sensing the murderous aura emanating from the swordsman and seeing the situation ahead, the man stopped moving his hand on the hilt of his sword and pleaded from where he stood.
Hearing the voice, Hong Xiaoduo turned around and recognized the person being stopped by Quan Jinghuai as the guard-like man she had seen before.
He seemed to be in a hurry earlier, as if he were looking for someone. Could he be looking for this woman?
"Your wife?" Hong Xiaoduo asked, pointing at the woman.
The man nodded, wanting to step forward, but a sword blocked his way.
Although he had never fought the other person, the man knew very well that he was no match for him.
Most importantly, the other party doesn't seem to have any intention of making things difficult for my wife. In that case, why should I get into a conflict with them? Doing so might just implicate my wife.
Hong Xiaoduo nodded to Quan Jinghuai, and the man immediately sheathed the sword in front of his chest.
"I'll go and try to persuade my wife." The man realized who he could talk to and quickly consulted with Hong Xiaoduo.
Hong Xiaoduo took a step to the side and watched the man step forward.
"Madam, please come back with me," the man said cautiously to the woman.
Upon hearing this, the woman shook her head vigorously.
“Madam, it’s fine if you don’t want to go back with me. Please take your medicine first.” As he spoke, the man took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out a pill, and handed it to her.
Seeing that the woman glanced at the medicine in his hand but did not take it, he had no choice but to continue, "If Madam does not want to go back with me, then she will not go back, but she must take the medicine first, so that I can explain when I return."
Upon hearing this, the woman hesitated for a moment, looked at the man, then at Kaiyang in her arms, and finally raised a hand to take the medicine from the man's hand.
Just as the woman's hand was about to touch the medicine, the man subtly moved his hand away slightly. In order to get the medicine, the woman leaned forward a little. At that moment, the man seized the opportunity and swiftly reached out to press the woman's pressure point. The woman closed her eyes and collapsed softly.
The man reached out his arm and caught the woman just in time. He was about to say something to Hong Xiaoduo when he suddenly called out to the opposite side, "Ruanniang, the madam is here, come quickly."
A maidservant, covered in sweat, squeezed through the crowd and hurriedly stepped forward to support the woman on the other side.
I've seen this maid before when I was dining at the restaurant.
The servant was strong and supported the frail woman without any difficulty. The man released her hand and walked towards Hong Xiaoduo, cupping his fists and saying, "My lady has a heart ailment. Recently, she had an attack and became delirious, which frightened the young master. I apologize to everyone on her behalf."
After saying that, he took out a silver note from his pocket and handed it to Hong Xiaoduo with both hands, saying, "This is a small token to help the young master calm his nerves. Please accept it, young lady."
Hong Xiaoduo did not reach out to take the silver note, but at this distance, she could clearly see the face value of the note, which was one hundred taels, so it was quite a sincere offer.
“We have received your apologies. Forget about the money. You said your wife was having a heart attack and was not in a good mental state. She didn’t mean any harm, and my child is fine.”
"If she's really scared, even ten of these wouldn't be enough. Take her back quickly," Hong Xiaoduo replied.
Huh? The man didn't expect Hong Xiaoduo to be so easy to talk to. Looking at the clothes and appearance of the other party, they were not ordinary people. If he continued to insist on paying compensation, it would be inappropriate. Therefore, he clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Hong Xiaoduo again, and hurried to find the carriage.
"What's wrong?" Seeing Kaiyang frequently turning his head to look in the direction the carriage left, and still looking somewhat downcast, Hong Xiaoduo couldn't help but ask.
Kaiyang thought about it seriously and replied, "I don't know either. I just feel a bit uncomfortable and sad. That lady is so pitiful."
Upon hearing this, Hong Xiaoduo gently patted Kaiyang's head: "She's just sick. Judging from her clothes and family background, she must be quite well-off. And the reactions of the guards and servants show that she is valued at home. Perhaps, she will soon meet a good doctor and be cured."
Hong Xiaoduo didn't know how to comfort Kaiyang, so she just said whatever came to mind.
Kaiyang nodded after hearing this and gave her a smile. Having spent quite a bit of time together, Hong Xiaoduo naturally understood that Kaiyang's smile was simply to reassure her.
Children are kind-hearted, and it's inevitable that their mood will be affected by something like this. Not to mention Kaiyang, Hong Xiaoduo herself wasn't feeling very comfortable either.
"Xiao Duo, that's rare. You actually refused the money that someone offered you?" Quan Jinghuai, who was walking beside her, also felt that the atmosphere was a bit oppressive, so he spoke up with a joke to lighten the mood.
Hong Xiaoduo understood his intention perfectly well, but she still pretended to be confused and cooperated, saying, "What do you know? This is called a gentleman who loves money but earns it in a proper way. I won't let go of a single copper coin that is rightfully mine."
In a situation like that, how could I possibly stop myself?
The guard said that his wife had a heart condition and had recently been experiencing a seizure that left her delirious.
In that case, it's definitely not a heart disease, but rather an illness caused by overwork, worry, or anger—in other words, a mental illness.
Thinking of this, Hong Xiaoduo sighed. It was a pity that she didn't know any medicine and couldn't help the woman.
After the group returned to the inn, Tian Shu led his younger siblings to take out brushes, ink, paper and inkstones to practice calligraphy, while Hong Xiaoduo sat in a rattan chair thinking about what to buy the next day.
I was sound asleep in the middle of the night when someone knocked urgently on the door...
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