My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 113 Part 2

The Chief Registrar, seeing the soldiers stumbling in, was about to curse when he looked up and saw Duan Chi and Huo Shu entering. He swallowed his words.

"Master Duan, what brings you here with such leisure? Could it be…"

Before the Chief Registrar could finish, a piercing scream came from a soldier beside him. The soldier's body went limp and he collapsed against the Registrar.

Huo Shu had directly broken the arm of the soldier restraining Ji Taoyu. Seeing their companion in such a state, the other two soldiers holding Ji Yangzong instinctively let go.

Seeing that they had returned, Ji Yangzong, who had been tense, relaxed considerably.

Ji Taoyu looked at the man supporting him, his brow furrowing slightly, feeling somewhat wronged.

Though filled with complex emotions, he opened his mouth and ultimately condensed those feelings into a simple, ordinary phrase: "You're back."

As if it were just an ordinary day, leaving in the morning and returning at dusk.

The Chief Registrar, seeing his man being directly thrown to the ground by Huo Shu without even a word of greeting, his face darkened with anger. Even though he was somewhat wary of Duan Chi, this was too much of a loss of face for him.

His face turned ashen. He was just thinking of how to respond when he first heard a cold, piercing voice from behind: "Will you leave now, or shall I make you leave?"

Hearing this, the Chief Registrar also exploded: "You bold ruffians! How dare you show such contempt... Aiyo, damn it!"

Before he could finish, the man was kicked off the courtyard's porch steps.

Duan Chi looked down at the man on the ground: "Liu Diande, this isn't our first time dealing with each other. Coming to the village to arrest people when they are unprepared is rather despicable. Take your men and leave on your own."

The man climbed up from the ground, flushed with anger and humiliation: "I am here under the Magistrate's orders! Duan Chi, don't push us too far! The court's military provisions were lost within the boundaries of Yuchang, and it was the work of bandits. Your Wayang Stronghold is the most suspicious!"

Duan Chi said coldly: "Huo Shu led men south this time to donate provisions to the imperial army. The grain from the farmers here has already been given to the court. Is the Magistrate trying to extort them a second time?"

"As for the military provisions, I would also like to know where they went."

Liu Diande's face turned pale upon hearing this.

His original thought was that with the war in Tongzhou over, the Magistrate estimated these refugees would return. Thinking of letting them have a bountiful year here for nothing felt like a pity.

Therefore, they increased the troops to search and, by threatening and coercing people from nearby villages, managed to find this location.

Having suffered losses before, they conducted a secret investigation this time and found that there were surprisingly few men in the village. Seizing this opportunity, they brought a large force, planning to take the leader first and have them pay the ransom after the money and grain were delivered.

Seeing the current situation, Liu Diande's courage immediately shrank.

"In that case, I... I will go report to the Magistrate. Farewell."

With that, Liu Diande immediately led his men away.

Once outside, he saw several dozen extra men suddenly in the village. A chill ran down his spine. Fortunately, he had seen Duan Chi and abandoned the idea of using force, otherwise he didn't know if he could have walked out of there alive.

The government officials had arrived with great force and bluster, but now they retreated in a disgraced and dejected manner.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing the men who had been gone for over a month return, the stone weighing on their hearts finally settled.

Duan Chi noticed that Tian Yin today was not around, so he didn't stay long. Before leaving, he said to Huo Shu: "Pay no mind to these people. They are merely like grasshoppers in late autumn."

Huo Shu didn't take them seriously either.

"You're back, it's good that you're back."

After surviving the disaster, everyone was especially happy.

Everyone gathered in the courtyard, eagerly asking about the situation in Tongzhou. Huo Shu patiently answered each one.

"Now that everything has settled down, can we go back?"

"Tongzhou is still being cleared. Although the army has already entered and taken over management, we can't guarantee there aren't any stray enemies left in the area. For safety's sake, it's better to wait until the court appoints and dispatches a new prefect before returning."

After hearing Huo Shu's words, everyone nodded and calmly agreed to follow his arrangement.

After some time, everyone finally dispersed.

Huo Shu finally got time alone with Ji Taoyu.

Despite the fright outside, Xiao Taohe was sleeping soundly in bed. Huo Shu watched him for a long while at the bedside, and just as he reached out to tuck the corner of the quilt for the little one, unexpectedly Xiao Taohe woke up.

The little baby blinked his eyes and looked at Huo Shu several times before stretching out his chubby hand: "Dada."

Huo Shu smiled, reached out, and picked up the little one.

The little guy, just woken up, was very warm all over and clung to Huo Shu happily.

"It's remarkable that Xiao Taohe has a good memory and remembers who his father is."

Ji Taoyu laughed.

He was just about to get a small outer garment for Xiao Taohe to wear. As he stretched, a sharp pain immediately shot through his arm, making him gasp.

Huo Shu's expression changed upon hearing this: "What's wrong?"

Ji Taoyu held his arm: "Perhaps it was from being pulled by that soldier earlier."

Huo Shu quickly placed Xiao Taohe sitting on the couch. He examined Ji Taoyu's arm, the shoulder area was noticeably red.

He hurriedly fetched the medicated oil, warmed it by rubbing it between his hands, and applied it to Ji Taoyu: "I came back too late."

"If I had returned as promised, these things wouldn't have happened."

"You pacified Tongzhou. I don't blame you."

A smile lifted the corner of Ji Taoyu's mouth, and he said softly: "Now that peace is restored, that's what matters most."

Huo Shu glanced at Xiao Taohe beside them, who was staring at the two of them with wide eyes, his head slightly tilted, seeming not to understand what his father was doing.

He said: "Soon we can return to Tongzhou."

After Huo Shu finished speaking, he didn't get a response from Ji Taoyu. He only felt the person leaning against him go soft. When he looked down, he found that Ji Taoyu had actually fallen asleep against him.

During this period, Ji Taoyu hadn't slept well. Now that he felt settled, drowsiness came over him.

Huo Shu looked at the big one and the small one, they really were like two peas in a pod.

He scooped Ji Taoyu up by the waist and laid him on the bed, then turned to carry Xiao Taohe to the bed as well.

Xiao Taohe, who had just woken up, opened his watery eyes. Seeing that he was back on the bed, he seemed about to throw a tantrum, but when he saw his big father holding his little father against his chest, he quieted down. He imitated his little father's posture and lay down on his big father's chest too.

The room was quiet, and he didn't make a sound either.

Huo Shu pulled up the mattress and had a good sleep holding the big one and the small one.