?

  Chapter 56: Fury (Part 1)

  The second update is delivered. (niuwen.com)

  ——*——

  The peony relied on the widely popular ghost mask to cover its face, and it easily reached a place about three feet away from the watch shed. After wandering around for a long time, it decided to use the old trick again, go back and report the case, and ask the patrolmen to stir up trouble.

  Who knew that just a few steps into the street, they heard the sound of horseshoes ringing out loudly, and people screaming and dodging to get out of the way. Some were even shouting curses. It seemed like someone was riding a horse at full gallop, and Peony didn't have time to turn around before quickly moving to the side to avoid being trampled. Before she could even get out of the way, she heard people screaming beside her, and a horse came charging straight for her, its rider holding high a whip that sliced through the air like a venomous snake, striking down at her with all his might.

  When Peony saw the venomous smile on Qing Hua's face, her heart almost stopped. To dodge to the left was a horse hoof, to dodge to the right was a whip, unable to move forward or backward, unable to escape... She made a split-second decision, covering her head and face, and sidestepped, hit me if you must, but hit my back then.

  The mistress of Qinghua saw Peony shrinking into a ball and couldn't help but feel a thrill, so you also have such a miserable time? Just now when she was hugging Liu Changan together, was it also so pitifully charming? As the whip was about to hit Peony, she suddenly changed her mind, forcibly turning the whip in another direction, fiercely lashing the horse's buttocks. The horse was in pain, let out a loud neigh, lifted its front hooves and stepped towards Peony.

  Everyone screamed and shouted, telling Peony to hide quickly. Peony completely lost her ability to think, acting solely on instinct, desperately dodging while a voice in her mind frantically shouted that she couldn't escape, where could a person run faster than a horse?

  Tsinghua County Master laughed with relish, but her mouth pretended to exclaim: "Ah, damn it, stop quickly!" On the other hand, she called for someone to come and help: "Don't you hurry up and help?" In fact, she was calling for someone to replace her to block Peony. Her subordinates did not dare to disobey, and they all rode forward on horseback.

  But then, a figure suddenly jumped out of the crowd, extremely quickly grabbed the saddle of the horse that was running with the Qinghua County Master's entourage, swung his long legs and flipped onto the horse, and with an elbow strike, knocked the person on the horse to the ground. The person let out a scream and fell off, and the horse thief hesitated for a moment before whipping the horse forward to chase after Peony. The entire action was swift and ruthless, extremely familiar, as if it had been done countless times before, evoking a burst of amazement.

  The peony heard the horseshoes behind him getting more and more chaotic, knowing that today was a day he couldn't avoid no matter what. He might as well tear off his mask and turn to face Qinghua Junzhu, preparing to make his final speech. It's not like he's going to die or anything, he can just reincarnate again later, but he definitely can't die in such a pathetic manner.

  Tsinghua County Master saw that she was no longer hiding, and couldn't help but sneer as he urged his horse forward, while shouting in an even more terrified tone: "Quickly get out of the way!"

  Before she had even finished speaking, a horseman suddenly appeared from her left rear and swiftly overtook her, scooping up Peony onto his horseback with a swift motion. He then quickly turned around, brushing past her horse's head as he sped away. Her own horse let out a loud whinny, rearing up wildly in fright. Fortunately, the horse was well-trained and normally gentle, but even so, it had scared Qinghua County Mistress half to death. She desperately clutched at the reins, using all her strength to calm the horse down.

  "Who dares to be so bold? Are you looking for death?" The young lady of Qinghua was shocked and furious, looking around, but saw that the two men had already stopped not far away. The person who took the horse was carefully helping Mudan sit up properly. And her own people only reacted now, nervously coming forward to attend to her, saying that the leg of the person who was pushed off the horse was broken.

  Tsinghua County's mistress was furious, not to mention that she had almost lost her life, and now she was humiliated and embarrassed. She raised her hand and gave a whip to the servant closest to her, shouting: "Who is so bold? In broad daylight, you dare to steal horses and hurt people, bring him to me, I don't believe there's no law!"

  Just as she was about to order the crowd to seize the horse thief, five or six men and women in bright clothes came riding up quickly and surrounded the horse thief. The Qinghua Princess saw clearly that the woman didn't say anything, but the several men were wearing golden dragon and phoenix rings and ceremonial knives with gold thread wrapped around the handles. Only imperial bodyguards or palace guards could wear such knives. The Qinghua Princess suddenly had an idea and stopped the people beside her from approaching, watching quietly instead.

  But then the horse thief spoke in a low voice to Peony, helped her down from the horse, and had someone bring over another horse for her. After settling her in safely, he led the stolen horse at a slow pace towards Miss Qinghua.

  He wore a cyan satin robe with arrow sleeves and a round collar, black high-heeled boots, and a horizontal knife at his waist. He had broad shoulders and long legs, and his expression was calm and composed, exuding an air of confidence. The onlookers saw that he not only didn't run away but instead took the initiative to come back and ask for trouble. They couldn't help but admire him as a chivalrous and fearless man who wasn't afraid of trouble, and they made way for him.

  That man walked to a place about one zhang away from the young lady of Qinghua, stopped his horse, threw down the reins, and bowed with his fists clasped together, saying loudly: "Young lady, it's been a long time, I hope you didn't get frightened just now?"

  Tsinghua County Master turned around, and had already seen who the newcomer was. It was Jiang Changyang, who had flown a knife to slice fish at the flower banquet that day. She roughly knew some of his background, but thinking about how he had almost made her lose face just now, she couldn't swallow her anger. Just as she was about to erupt, she suddenly saw someone hastily walking out of a nearby pavilion - it was Liu Chengcai.

  How did he end up here? And how much of what just happened did he see? The Qinghua County Master pretended not to notice Liu Chengcai, barely suppressing his anger, taking a deep breath, straightening his back, and putting on the usual royal dignity and elegance, sitting upright on horseback with fists clasped together in respect. He laughed loudly and said: "It turns out that thanks to Brother Jiang's help, otherwise today's matter would not have known how to end." After finishing speaking, he pointed at the attendants with his whip and scolded: "You bunch of useless things saw my horse get startled but didn't even have the ability to hold it back. If it weren't for Mr. Jiang's help, who knows what kind of disaster would have happened? Someone could have lost their life! What is the point of keeping you all? When we return, each of you will receive twenty large slaps!"

  Jiang Changyang listened to her speaking with a calm and collected demeanor, lightly turning a sentence that had been a premeditated murder into an accident. He glanced at Liu Chengcai out of the corner of his eye, understanding in his heart, and a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes. With a faint smile, he said: "Since the princess doesn't blame me, then it's all for the best. I'll take my leave first." Without even looking at the attendant he had pushed off the horse and broken the leg of, he turned around and left.

  The mistress of Qinghua was originally going to suppress her anger easily, and after saying those grandiose words, she just waited for Jiang Changyang to hand over a ladder for her to climb down. If Jiang Changyang had asked about the injured servant and expressed some apology, it would have been settled temporarily. But unexpectedly, he didn't say another word, obviously not putting himself in her eyes at all. She shouted: "Brother Jiang, are you leaving just like that?"

  Jiang Changyang stopped and turned back, saying calmly: "Is there anything else you'd like to instruct, Young Mistress?"

  Tsinghua County Master smiled and glanced at Peony from afar, enunciating each word as she spoke: "I'd like to host a banquet to thank Brother Jiang for his assistance today. I wonder if Brother Jiang would be willing to grant me the honor?"

  Jiang Changyang hesitated slightly, thought for a moment, and nodded in agreement. However, he was thinking of taking the opportunity to retaliate. If he didn't go, it would be He's daughter who would suffer. Either way, he would offend someone, so going wouldn't make much difference.

  The mistress of Qinghua Manor smiled coldly in her heart, with a humble expression on her face: "I don't know where Brother Jiang is staying? I'll send someone to pick him up."

  Jiang Changyang said calmly: "I live near Furong Garden in Qujiangchi. Just ask and you'll know."

  "Good, good, don't decline when the time comes, Brother Jiang," said the mistress of Qinghua with a loud laugh. After speaking, she rode her horse forward, fixed her eyes on Peony, and smiled: "I was wondering why I felt so familiar, it turned out to be Dan Niang. I say, this horse of mine is really something, it was fine just now, but as soon as it saw you, it suddenly got startled! Fortunately, you have good luck, otherwise, wouldn't I have committed a great mistake?"

  "Perhaps she's gone mad," Peony said faintly. She was indeed lucky, for if Rain Lotus hadn't run into Jiang Changyang halfway, and Jiang Changyang hadn't turned back to look for her with a soft heart, she would probably have lost her life under the horse's hooves by now.

  Tsinghua County Master hummed and sneered: "You'll have to come too, Jiang brother is your lifesaver, you should be the one to toast." Seeing Peony lower her head in silence, she leaned over and whispered in Peony's ear: "He Peony, do you dare to come? If you dare to come, we can settle this once and for all."

  "Peony was furious, glaring at the Qinghua County Master and shouting: 'What have I done wrong? You've already gotten what you wanted, why must you cling to me so stubbornly? Don't you just want my life? Take it then, die early and be reborn early, I'm not interested in playing along with you.' The humiliation she had suffered in her two lifetimes combined was not as much as today."

  Tsinghua County Master saw her blow up for the first time, somewhat unexpectedly, and immediately sneered: "It's nothing more than that, a merchant girl is just a coarse and unrefined merchant girl, why bother" Then he whipped his horse's buttocks and walked away with his head held high.

  Peony's face was gloomy, not looking at Jiang Changyang and his companions' faces, nor noticing the eyes of the surrounding onlookers, jumped off the horse, and went straight to Liu Chengcai, saying loudly: "Liu Shangshu, please raise your noble hand and spare my cousin"

  Liu Chengcai inadvertently saw a good show performed by Qinghua County Master, although Qinghua County Master was very clever and timely to stop it, but he still had some heart palpitations in his heart - indeed the most poisonous is the heart of a woman. Then, seeing Peony eating like a leopard's gallbladder, walking towards him straightforwardly, shouting out loud, he was stunned for a moment, then sank his face and said: "What nonsense are you talking about? Where did your rules go? Which daughter-in-law would dare to shout at her father-in-law like this? Is this how the He family teaches their daughters?"

  "Peony burst out today, coldly saying: 'Doesn't Liu Shangshu know yet? Princess Kangcheng just personally agreed with Qinghua Junzhu that they will soon ask the Emperor to grant their marriage at our residence. Tomorrow, come to our residence to take my divorce papers. Qi Furen has already agreed, don't you know? I heard from my cousin's family servant that my cousin was wrongly detained here by you, unconscious and unaware of what happened. Could it be because he punched your son, so you want to use this opportunity to frame him and vent your anger?"

  ——*——*——*——

  I'm sweating bullets... This chapter has been written and rewritten countless times since last night, and I'm finally somewhat satisfied with it. This is the 360th version.