The hand Shen Qingyue was holding with Huo Anding instinctively tightened, but then he heard the person pulling him say softly: "Don't be afraid."
After speaking, Shen Qingyue saw Huo Anding's eyes, which were usually more playful than serious and often smiling, suddenly turn sharp. Following that, an extremely swift sweeping leg technique knocked the burly man lunging at them to the ground.
Seeing their companion beaten, the group immediately became angry. They grabbed whatever was nearby—bean pole rods, firewood logs—and attacked.
Huo Anding shielded Shen Qingyue behind him. Using only one hand, he chopped and broke all the bean poles and firewood sticks swung at him.
In a mere moment, more than half of the group lay on the ground: "I don't hit women or gers. Be sensible and move aside."
The remaining people trembled with fear, their legs shaking. None dared to step forward and fight anymore, quickly retreating to the side of the road.
Huo Anding, holding Shen Qingyue's hand, strode away.
"What, what kind of people have we provoked!"
"Ouch, my old back! Someone this formidable, is he really the material to be a live-in son-in-law?"
Amid the chorus of complaints, the two quickly left the village.
After leaving the village and darting into the woods, only when they were sure no one was chasing them did Huo Anding slow his pace.
Shen Qingyue caught his breath. He shook off the hand that was tightly gripping his and cast a scrutinizing look at Huo Anding: "You know martial arts."
Huo Anding pressed his lips together: "It's just... I know a bit of fisticuffs, just some three-legged cat kung fu (limited or amateurish skill)."
"Three-legged cat kung fu can take down over ten people? Can kick a person's door down with one foot?"
"Those opponents were just too weak, which made me seem stronger."
Huo Anding saw Shen Qingyue's cold expression, clearly indicating this excuse was too flimsy.
"Alright, alright. The truth is, when my father was young, he was conscripted and guarded the border for ten years. So he taught me some self-defense skills since I was little, told me not to be like a weak scholar, but I guess I really am just a weak scholar after all."
Shen Qingyue said: "Then why didn't you use them yesterday."
"I am, after all, a scholar. Even if I have some self-preservation skills, my father told me not to cause trouble outside, to avoid conflicts and just hide if something happens. If that old man hadn't tried to force a sale, I wouldn't have wanted to cause any trouble either."
Shen Qingyue sneered: "You certainly have plenty of self-preservation tactics. You can either throw medicine at people and run, or get serious and run."
"My little father knows medicine. I'm useless and didn't learn much, but when traveling outside, one should always carry some medicine, to prevent wind-cold or feverish conditions."
Huo Anding spoke logically and convincingly, and it seemed like honest words, but Shen Qingyue was still somewhat angry.
He didn't say anything in reply, turned his head, and walked ahead by himself.
Logically speaking, Huo Anding was a stranger who had merely acted out of a sense of justice on the road, and Shen Qingyue should feel grateful. Yet, he felt a nameless anger in his heart and could not quite identify its source.
Perhaps it was precisely because every question had a logical and reasonable answer, or perhaps it was the feeling that he had been toyed with and made a fool of by a young man who was merely touring the sights for amusement.
"Young master, are you angry?"
Huo Anding chased after him: "Don't be angry, alright? We've just escaped with our lives. When we get to Baojing Prefecture, let me treat you to a meal as an apology, okay?"
"Oh, my young master, please be magnanimous and don't hold it against a lesser man."
Shen Qingyue turned a deaf ear. He didn't know how long the two had walked in this stalemate when shouts came from the distance.
He immediately recognized the voices of his own servants and responded at once.
A moment later, they finally regrouped.
It was reported that the thugs had already been dealt with. They were said to be a local group of rebels who specifically targeted wealthy and noble families. Their goal was to use these attacks to oppose the local government and the imperial court.
They had already harmed several families in the area. This time, having encountered Shen Qingyue's party on the official road and judging them not to be commoners, the rebels had thus taken action.
The old coachman was deeply concerned for Shen Qingyue, fussing over him with a stream of questions about his well-being.
But Shen Qingyue concealed all the misfortunes encountered during the journey, stating only that he had lodged at a farmer's house.
On the road, Huo Anding tried several times to speak to Shen Qingyue but received no response. The coachman just smiled and told him the young master needed to rest.
Thinking that Shen Qingyue had probably been frightened during the journey, Huo Anding behaved himself and didn't bother him further.
Having a carriage made the journey faster. In just over half a day, they reached Baojing Prefecture.
As they approached the city gate, they could see peach and plum blossoms blooming in the distance within the city, lining the streets in pink and white. The spring scenery of the third lunar month was refreshing and delightful.
Huo Anding was in high spirits. He turned to the person in the carriage and said: "Young master, I'm leaving now."
Seeing there was still no response from inside, Huo Anding smiled. He jumped down from the carriage: "Thank you all for giving me a ride. This humble scholar is extremely grateful."
"It's we who should thank you, young gentleman, for taking care of our young master. May I ask where you are headed on your journey? So that when we return, we may send gifts to express our thanks."
"Since the young master hasn't revealed his name either, there's no need to concern yourselves with my whereabouts."
Huo Anding patted the mule's head: "The green hills remain, the blue waters ever flow. Let us part ways here."
[青山不改，綠水長流 (qīngshān bù gǎi, lǜshuǐ cháng liú): lit. the green hills remain, the blue waters ever flow; fig. we will meet again someday, our paths will cross again]
Having said that, he nimbly vaulted onto the mule. The young man's posture was straight and tall, brimming with high spirits and vitality.
Just like the light of the third lunar month, it dimmed countless sights in the human world.
"Huo Anding, my name is Shen Qingyue."
Thank you for the update!!
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