Rebirth of the Useless Young Master’s Counterattack Chapter 89

Chapter 89: The Doll  

"Why?" After Mu Lichuan left, Su Xiaoran stared at her husband, her face filled with deep hatred.  

Shao Yu was surprised by his mother's attitude, but Shao Yiyun said to his son, "Go upstairs first. There are some things I need to discuss with your mother."  

This matter had been hidden for nearly twenty years. Who would have thought it would resurface through their daughter? The younger sister from her maternal family, who always appeared kind and affectionate, turned out to harbor such malice.  

Su Xiaoran and her husband had an arranged marriage, but they fell in love at first sight. Their married life had been happy, and she thought it would stay that way forever. Yet, some things turned out differently than she expected.  

"I'm sorry." Shao Yiyun apologized first. "Back then, I had feelings for Su Xiaomei."  

Slap! 

Su Xiaoran struck him hard across the face, her expression icy. "You hid it well. How many years has it been? You two really know how to act."  

She still remembered their first meeting, Su Xiaomei had pretended not to know her husband. Who knew if they had been entangled all these years?  

"Wife, this is my fault. I should have told you from the beginning, but I couldn’t bear to see you hurt," Shao Yiyun said hoarsely.  

He had once thought his love for Su Xiaomei was real, but later realized his true love was Su Xiaoran.  

"Couldn’t bear to see me hurt? Or were you afraid I’d call off the marriage?" Su Xiaoran felt deceived by both her sister and her husband. But she knew the most important thing now was saving their daughter.  

Shao Yiyun remained silent. He had indeed been afraid his wife would refuse to marry him, so he forbade Su Xiaomei from revealing their past. It was pure selfishness.  

"I don’t care what your reasons were. This time, I won’t let Su Xiaomei off easily," Su Xiaoran said coldly. A mother’s love makes her strong. For her daughter, she had nearly risked her life.  

"Neither will I." A faint killing intent emanated from Shao Yiyun. How dare she target his daughter? She had a death wish.  

Mu Lichuan had no interest in the Shao family’s affairs. When he stepped outside, night had already fallen, and the city was aglow with lights.  

"Today is…?" Mu Lichuan frowned. It wasn’t the Ghost Festival, so why could his Yin-Yang eyes see so many spirits? While they didn’t harm ordinary, healthy people, they still disrupted order.  

Could it be related to Mount Le or Mount Sheng? Rumored to be the boundary between two realms, even if no demons emerged, the evil or Yin energy could still harm people. Like the malicious spirit that had possessed a human, amplifying their dark desires until they committed horrific acts.  

Mu Lichuan ignored the spirits and took a private car home. "Uncle, this isn’t the right way…"  

"What do you mean? I’m heading to the Road to the Underworld…" Before the driver could finish, a yellow talisman was slapped onto his forehead. The car screeched to a halt.  

"Ah—!" The ghost dispersed into nothingness without even a scream. Mu Lichuan didn’t bother looking at the driver before, so he didn’t notice the man had been possessed.  

"What… what just happened?" The driver asked, dazed. He only felt groggy and unusually cold.  

"Nothing. Please take me to the villa at XX District." Mu Lichuan leaned back and spoke indifferently.  

The middle-aged driver said nothing more and drove the young man to his destination.  

When Mu Lichuan arrived home, he found two unexpected visitors.

"Seniors." His tone was flat. Seeing his great-grandfather’s respectful demeanor, he knew how much these cultivators had influenced him.  

Min Yong looked awkward. "Young friend, we need your help again."  

Mu Lichuan’s instincts told him this wouldn’t end well.

"Life-threatening?" Frankly, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was no match for these old-timers. Why would they seek him out?  

"Yes." Mi Rong said gravely. It wasn’t that they were unwilling to sacrifice themselves, they simply couldn’t locate the boundary.  

"In that case, please leave. I value my life." Mu Lichuan refused coldly.  

Min Yong and Mi Rong exchanged glances. "Haven’t you seen the spirits roaming outside?" They felt guilty. Their lack of ability had led to this situation, where ghosts flooded the capital at night.  

"So what? I’m no saint. I’m just an ordinary person with my own desires." Mu Lichuan’s expression remained indifferent. "I won’t sacrifice myself for others. I’m not that noble."  

He admitted he wanted to become a cultivator, to grow stronger so no one could bully him. But now that he’d just touched the threshold of cultivation, was he supposed to die? His heart wasn’t that generous.  

Min Yong and Mi Rong were taken aback. This young man’s philosophy of cultivation differed from theirs. Had they misjudged him?  

"Please leave. If even you mighty ones can’t solve this, how could I?" Mu Lichuan reiterated, clearly dismissing them.  

"Young friend, you’re also from Country C, aren’t you? Do you really want to see the capital in ruins? Please reconsider." Min Yong pressed before he and his old friend took their leave.  

Mu Lichuan said nothing. They wanted him to risk his life? These old men had some nerve. Xiao Mo had already said the evil energy wasn’t his problem.  

Mu Xiaoran glanced at his great-grandson. "If you don’t want to go, then don’t." Though he feared the pressure from these powerful figures, his great-grandson’s life mattered more.  

"Thanks, Grandpa. Let’s eat." Mu Lichuan smiled and pushed the matter aside.  

The next day, while in class, Mu Lichuan received a message from Su Xiaoran. The person had been brought home, and she hoped he could come as soon as possible.  

"Teacher." Mu Lichuan stood up and addressed the English teacher. "I have urgent business and need to leave."  

The English teacher's face reddened slightly but said, "Go ahead." The principal had already instructed that Mu Lichuan could come and go freely. She knew better than to interfere.  

Under the gaze of his classmates, Mu Lichuan strode out of school and took a taxi to the Shao residence.  

Su Xiaomei wore a comforting expression, her hypocrisy making Su Xiaoran sick. If not for lifting the "curse" on her daughter, she wouldn’t even look at this woman.  

"Sister, what’s wrong?" Su Xiaomei asked with a smile.  

Su Xiaoran shook her head. When she saw Mu Lichuan enter, she stood up eagerly. "Student Mu."  

Su Xiaomei frowned. The student was indeed handsome in his international school uniform, but she knew her sister well. For her to be so deferential to a student? Something was off. And why had she been summoned? Could it be…? No, that secret couldn’t have been uncovered.  

Mu Lichuan nodded slightly and flicked out a talisman. The yellow paper flew toward Su Xiaomei, who tried to dodge but was too slow. She stumbled, knocking over a teacup. "Sister, what are you doing? Letting a student play pranks?" Yet a chill ran down her spine, this young man seemed like a true master.  

"Su Xiaomei, how long will you keep pretending? Look at the jade pendant you gave me!" Su Xiaoran pulled out the pendant. Its green surface was streaked with thick black lines, clearly tainted by Yin energy.  

Su Xiaomei’s heart raced. After all these years of secrecy, how could the truth have surfaced? "Sister, what nonsense are you spouting? That pendant nourishes the body!"  

Su Xiaoran ignored her. "Student Mu, please proceed."  

Mu Lichuan nodded and began forming hand seals. Since the curse was on her, the first step was purging the evil energy from her body.  

"Ah!" Su Xiaomei paled as a black object shot out from her, radiating cold Yin and evil energy.  

"A doll?" Mu Lichuan frowned. The doll’s heart bore a red mark, its body woven from strands of black hair.  

The doll moved on its own, even letting out a creepy laugh. Su Xiaoran collapsed in terror. Shao Yiyun and his son, watching from the shadows, were equally shocked—this defied all logic.  

"Gah… gah…" The doll was small, no larger than a thumb, but exquisitely crafted. It lunged at Mu Lichuan.  

"Pathetic trick!" Mu Lichuan sneered. His soul force lashed out, engulfing the doll in flames. It sizzled before crumbling to ash.  

As for Su Xiaomei, she vomited blood, her face deathly pale.  

"You… you…" She convulsed in agony. Years of planning, ruined in an instant. She had been so close to success.  

"Evil begets retribution. You brought this upon yourself." Mu Lichuan watched her fading life. "The backlash will kill her."

The Young Master Becomes a Wife Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Rebirth  

Yan Jingshu suddenly widened his eyes. Of course he remembered, how could he not? No matter how much time passed, no matter what happened, he would never forget this day. Because on this very day, during his grandmother’s sixtieth birthday celebration, an incident occurred that completely altered the course of his life, cutting off his future and forcing him onto a path he had never imagined.  

At the time, he had sunk into deep pain and despair over this incident, unable to free himself for a long time. But now, facing the same situation again, he felt not a trace of bitterness in his heart—only overwhelming gratitude and relief.  

Gratitude to the heavens for allowing him to return from death, and relief that not only had he been given a second chance at life, but he had also been sent back to the very beginning of it all, granting him the opportunity to make up for the regrets and misfortunes of his past life.  

“Shu’er, what’s wrong with you?” Seeing Yan Jingshu silent, his face alternating between tears and laughter, shock and excitement, the Duke of Anguo grew increasingly uneasy. Had he truly lost his mind?  

Snapped back to reality by the Duke’s voice, Yan Jingshu abruptly recalled his current situation. Suppressing the turbulent emotions in his heart, he forced himself to calm down.  

“Father, I’m fine. I just woke up, and my mind is still a bit muddled.” A maid placed a large pillow behind him, and Yan Jingshu relaxed against the headboard, smiling faintly at the Duke.  

Seeing that Yan Jingshu’s speech had returned to normal and that he could understand him, the Duke finally let out a sigh of relief. “Good, good. As long as you’re fine.”  

As for Yan Jingshu’s apparent closeness to and defense of Jiang Chenghan, the Duke chose to ignore it. If his mind was still muddled from just waking up, then it must have been mere rambling.  

The Duke then asked, “Shu’er, do you remember what happened earlier? How did you return to your room, and what occurred afterward that caused you to fall unconscious?”  

Yan Jingshu, of course, remembered. At the time, he had only felt slightly intoxicated during the banquet, so he returned to his room to change clothes. There, the maid Qiulan brought him a bowl of sobering soup. After drinking it, he began to feel his body grow feverish and sluggish. Qiulan, thinking he was ill, helped him to bed. But before a physician could be summoned, waves of inexplicable heat surged through him, gradually burning away his consciousness.  

Hearing this, the Duke’s expression grew complicated. Considering that Yan Jingshu still didn’t know the full truth, he looked at him carefully and said in a measured tone, “Shu’er, don’t be upset. Listen to me calmly. You weren’t actually ill. The physician just examined you, you were drugged with an aphrodisiac, which caused your condition.”  

After speaking, the Duke noticed that Yan Jingshu merely nodded, his expression calm and unsurprised. Puzzled, he asked, “Shu’er, had you already guessed?”  

This time, Yan Jingshu shook his head. “At first, I didn’t know what was happening to me. But later, I heard it with my own ears.”  

“Heard it?!” The Duke was utterly shocked and immediately pressed, “What did you hear?”  

Yan Jingshu replied, “Though the drug made me lose control of my senses, I still remember everything I heard and saw at the time. I clearly heard a man and a woman. After confirming that I had indeed been drugged, one of them guarded the door to prevent others from discovering me inside, while the other went to lure someone over.”  

Pausing, Yan Jingshu looked at the Duke and continued, “Actually, I heard them say that their original plan was to lead Zhao Xian, the second son of the Marquis of Yongchang, to my room after I was drugged. But whether they mistook the person or something else went wrong, the one who ended up coming was Brother Jiang.”  

“They had intended to lock Brother Jiang in the room with me. Once he drank the drugged tea and lost control, he would have entangled himself with me. But they didn’t expect Brother Jiang to quickly notice me and realize something was wrong…”  

What happened afterward was something Yan Jingshu also knew, the Duke had told him after he woke up in his past life. But since the Duke hadn’t mentioned it yet this time, he could only pretend to be unaware.  

“So that’s how it was.” The Duke listened quietly, his brow furrowing slightly when he heard Zhao Xian’s name.  

He had heard of this man, he was a notorious playboy in the capital. Though his family was prestigious and his looks decent, his frivolous and dissolute behavior made him thoroughly detestable. The Duke couldn’t help but think that if Zhao Xian had indeed entered Yan Jingshu’s room today, even without the aphrodisiac, Yan Jingshu’s innocence might not have been preserved.  

The thought sent a chill down the Duke’s spine, and he couldn’t help but feel grateful that the one who had come today was Jiang Chenghan - a man of strong will and upright character. Sighing, he said, “It seems I wronged Jiang Chenghan.”  

Fortunately, he had listened to Jiang Chenghan’s explanation earlier and hadn’t immediately punished him. Otherwise, he would have repaid kindness with injustice.

“Brother Jiang was innocent in all this, he was only dragged into it because of me. Not only is he blameless, but he also did me a great favor. Please thank him properly on my behalf, Father. Once I’ve recovered, I’ll express my gratitude to him in person.” Yan Jingshu added.  

His tone was calm, though tinged with weakness, giving no hint of anything unusual. But only he knew how tightly he was clenching his hands to suppress the desperate urge to see Jiang Chenghan immediately.  

The memory of waiting at home in his past life for Jiang Chenghan, who never returned, only to finally receive his cold, broken corpse, still tore at his heart like a fresh wound.  

Back then, he had fallen gravely ill from grief. While preparing Jiang Chenghan's body for burial, he discovered strange marks on Jiang Chenghan’s body - evidence that he had been poisoned and murdered on the battlefield. This grim revelation alone kept him from joining Jiang Chenghan in death.    

Thankfully, heaven had taken pity on him, sending him back three years to the very beginning. This time, he would protect Jiang Chenghan just as Jiang Chenghan had protected him in their past life. He would never allow Jiang Chenghan to be harmed again.  

“Of course. I would have done so even without you saying so. But Jiang Chenghan is the least of our concerns right now. The most pressing matter is finding out who tried to harm you.”  

The Duke was not the type to let his status cloud his judgment. Since he knew he had wronged Jiang Chenghan, he would apologize and thank him as necessary.  

But compared to that, he was far more worried about Yan Jingshu. The mastermind behind this plot was still remained uncaught, and there was no telling whether they would strike again if their first attempt failed. Thus, the priority was to uncover the truth and identify the culprit. Fortunately, Yan Jingshu had heard the voices of the man and woman involved, providing at least some clues to work with.  

Yan Jingshu, however, was not as concerned as the Duke. He knew exactly who was behind this—because in his past life, that person had personally confessed everything to him. How much that person resented him, how that person had schemed to ruin him. On the day he left the capital in his past life, that person had stood before him with malicious satisfaction and revealed it all.  

But if he revealed the name now, his father would never believe him. Without solid evidence, speaking rashly would only alert the culprit, making things more difficult.  

With this in mind, Yan Jingshu said, “Father, today is Grandmother’s birthday banquet. With so many guests in the residence, it wouldn’t be proper for you to stay away for long. You should return to the main hall. As for the person who tried to harm me, I did overhear some clues from that man and woman, but we still need to verify them. Since I’m in no state to see anyone right now, leave Uncle Zhong with me. I’ll ask him to investigate on my behalf. Also, Mother has been working tirelessly for Grandmother’s banquet. To avoid distressing her, let’s wait until the truth is fully uncovered before telling her.”  

In his past life, though he had known his mother had never liked him, he hadn’t connected her to this incident. After regaining consciousness, he had told her everything, expecting her to stand up for him. Instead, she had swiftly silenced the witnesses and destroyed all evidence, even forging a confession that framed the two culprits’ actions as retaliation for his past cruelty and mistreatment - adding another layer of shame to his already tarnished reputation.  

But this time, he wouldn’t give her the chance.  

Unaware of Yan Jingshu’s thoughts, the Duke still found his reasoning sound. As the head of the Duke of Anguo’s household, his prolonged absence from the banquet would be disrespectful to the guests and could spark unwanted rumors. As for the Duchess, with guests still present, informing her now would only distract and worry her. It was better to keep it hidden until the investigation was complete.  

“Very well. I’ll leave Yan Zhong with you. But you must take care of yourself, don’t overexert your mind. If anything happens, send someone to inform me immediately.” After weighing the options, the Duke agreed to Yan Jingshu’s suggestion, though he repeatedly emphasized caution.  

Yan Jingshu naturally agreed to everything. Only then did the Duke stand up and leave the inner chamber. But just as the Duke lifted the bed curtains, Yan Jingshu’s peripheral vision caught a familiar figure.  

His heart trembled. Yan Jingshu turned his head, and time seemed to slow—the pale bed curtains were drawn aside inch by inch, gradually revealing a silhouette etched deep into his soul. In an instant, his eyes turned red, his breath caught in his throat. He pressed his lips tightly together to stifle a sob.  

It might have been just a moment, or it might have been an eternity—but when the curtains fell back into place, obscuring that figure, Yan Jingshu’s gaze remained fixed for a long time.  

On the other side of the curtains, Jiang Chenghan seemed to sense something. But by the time he looked over, the Duke had already stepped out. Over the Duke’s shoulder, he could only vaguely make out the slender, frail figure reclining against the headboard behind the curtains.

The Rebirth of Crazy ger Chapter 74 Part 1

Chapter 74  

"Brother Heng..." Wang Jin called out weakly, his fingers twitching as he clenched the white fur beneath his hand.  

With great effort, he managed to open his eyes slightly, peering at the figure standing protectively in front of him.  

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Yuan Heng in his beast form.  

Instead, it was a large white fox. It had a fluffy tail and snow-white fur, appearing exceptionally elegant and noble. Standing among those grotesque giant beasts, it seemed to glow, making it strikingly conspicuous.  

It took a couple of measured steps toward the giant lizards ahead. Its movements were light, as if it were tiptoeing like a cat, exuding an air of extreme grace. Its limbs were lean and powerful, clearly built for speed. Its explosive sprinting strength was undeniable.  

Now, it stood protectively in front of Wang Jin, baring its sharp, serrated teeth at the giant lizards with a menacing snarl. Its low growls seemed meant to intimidate the beasts. Under normal circumstances, such a display might have scared them off, but this was during a beast horde—the creatures were single-mindedly focused on advancing and hunting, with no instinct to retreat.  

The giant lizards paused briefly before charging forward in waves, their thick, stubby legs carrying them with brutal force. The white fox dodged swiftly, seizing every opportunity to strike with precision, biting into the lizards' necks—each attack aimed at a fatal weak point. Every bite killed one.  

Beyond the circle of lizards were other monstrous beasts. The slain lizards were flung behind the white fox, quickly becoming prey for the other creatures.  

Those that had already gotten their fill of food temporarily held back from attacking. Yet, even so, the number of beasts surrounding the white fox continued to grow.  

Before long, the fox's pristine fur was stained with blood, no longer the elegant, snow-white figure it had been. Its movements, too, lost their initial agility...  

Wang Jin remained curled within the fox's fluffy tail—the soft fur serving as his only protective barrier. At first, the fox seemed mindful of the person it was carrying, moving with caution and steadiness.  

But as the beasts multiplied, its movements became erratic and chaotic. The tail coiled and uncoiled, swinging Wang Jin wildly to evade snapping jaws, no longer caring for his comfort. The violent tossing left Wang Jin dizzy and disoriented.  

His consciousness began to fade...  

Inside the leader's courtyard, a group of gers stood gathered, while beastmen guarded the perimeter, all wearing grave expressions.  

Mu ger stood to the side, his face pale as he stared anxiously at the gate, his eyes filled with worry.  

Suddenly, the door burst open—the leader rushed in, carrying someone in his arms.  

Mu ger immediately ran forward.  

Following the leader, Lai Yuan, Xiao Ruo, and over a dozen other beastmen entered, all bearing injuries. The heavy stench of blood instantly filled the courtyard.  

Some of the gers quickly brought out basins of medicinal liquid, splashing it around the courtyard.  

The fragrant water masked the overwhelming scent of blood.  

Mu ger scanned the crowd of beastmen but didn’t see the petite figure he was searching for. He rushed to Lai Yuan, grabbing his arm and demanding, "Where’s A-jin?"  

"..." Lai Yuan’s lips parted and closed several times, as if struggling to speak. Finally, he gestured weakly toward the leader’s back with his chin.  

Mu ger released him and ran to the leader, who was looking down at the person in his arms. Mu ger followed his gaze—  

A pale, blood-streaked face was barely recognizable as Yue ger. 

Yue ger had been recovered... but where's A-jin?  

Mu ger looked up at the leader, who met his gaze with heavy eyes. A sense of dread settled in Mu ger’s chest, his fingers trembling slightly. Swallowing hard, he forced out the question: "Leader... where is A-jin?"  

His lips quivered, his voice breaking before he pieced the words together and directed them at the beastman.  

The leader didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed a nearby blanket - left out to dry and not yet put away, and draped it over Yue ger, his attention entirely elsewhere.  

"..." Mu ger’s legs gave out. Just as he was about to collapse, Lai Yuan’s heart clenched, and he quickly stepped forward to catch him, murmuring, "A-Mu, don’t... we did everything we could..."  

"Why was Yue ger found, but not A-jin?!" Mu ger’s eyes reddened.  

Lai Yuan opened his mouth, then hesitated. "I... I don’t know."  

Xiao Ruo, seeing Lai Yuan’s struggle, stepped in to explain, "A dozen of us lured the beasts away while the leader went in to rescue them... but only Yue ger was brought out. None of us know exactly what happened inside, only the leader does."  

"!" Mu ger turned to the leader, demanding confirmation, "Did you not find A-jin? Or is he already—?"  

The leader, feeling Yue ger’s weakening breath, was consumed with distress. Hearing Mu ger’s relentless questions, his patience wore thin.  

He shoved past the two blocking his path and said dismissively, "I found him. But I couldn’t save them both, so I left him behind."  

With that, he carefully laid Yue ger on a nearby lounge chair before shouting toward the inner rooms, "Where’s the healer?! Why hasn’t he come yet? Someone save him!"  

Left him behind?  

Mu ger’s mind went blank, those words ringing in his ears.  

This man had found Wang Jin, and abandoned him in the beast horde...  

Mu ger stood frozen before his body began trembling uncontrollably in fury. He stared at the leader in disbelief and roared, "You... you abandoned A-jin?! After everything he’s done for the tribe, you just left him?!"  

"I had to save A-Yue. That meant leaving him behind," the leader said matter-of-factly.  

"!" Mu ger was livid. "Yue ger used raw meat to lure the beast horde, he nearly got us all killed! He’s a criminal to the tribe! A-jin contributed so much, and you chose to save Yue ger over him?!"

My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 52 Part 2

"Hey, hey! Anyone needing help, come this way! We’re running out of hands! If you wait any longer, even higher pay won’t get you anyone!"  

"No haggling, sir! Look around, where do you think we are? That slope gets steeper with each pass, and the roads are muddy. Save your bargaining for the merchants in Lianping Prefecture. We’re just poor laborers trying to make a living."

They saw a large round boulder as tall as a man squatting by the roadside, carved with the words "Longwei Slope."

Huo Shu's convoy had just arrived beside the boulder when they spotted a bustling crowd at the foot of the slope from afar.  

An uninformed observer might have mistaken it for a small market, with the sounds of haggling rising and falling in waves.  

"Master, we've reached the boundary of Longwei Slope. Would you like to hire laborers to help cross Longwei Slope?"  

"We have strong draft livestock that can carry a lot of goods and get you across in one go."  

Before Huo Shu and his group could even approach to see what was happening, someone had already stepped forward.  

"This slope is steep, and with yesterday's rain, the road is nothing but slippery mud. Many merchant caravans have gotten stuck halfway."  

Ge Liang exchanged a glance with Huo Shu before asking, "Who are you people?"  

"We're farmers from nearby. Hearing that caravans and travelers were getting stuck here, unable to cross, we brought our own livestock to help. Master, traveling merchants like yourselves have it tough—damaged goods from unfamiliar roads are one thing, but what's worse is that this area isn't very safe, with bandits appearing after dark."  

"Since it's not yet spring plowing season, we're idle anyway. Might as well lend a hand, earn a bit of loose silver, and accumulate some merit and blessings."  

The man, dressed as a farmer, spoke earnestly, as if genuinely helpful.  

"If you cross now while it's still early, you won't have to camp here and risk running into bandits."  

Huo Shu cut straight to the point: "How much?"  

"Two taels per donkey, three taels for an ox."  

Ge Liang burst out laughing at the price.  

The rest of the group was stunned—charging two or three taels just to haul goods once was daylight robbery.  

A couple of trips like this, and they wouldn't even need to farm for half a year.  

Ge Liang said, "We're just a small caravan, running a modest business. We can't afford your livestock. Hiring three or five would mean this whole trip was for nothing."  

"The sky's getting dark. If you can't cross this slope, and you can't see the road at night. Whether you tumble into a ditch or run into bandists—well, who knows?"  

The man's honest and kind demeanor vanished as he flicked his sleeves, adopting a shameless tone:  

"If the masters don't want to hire our livestock and think they know this terrain better, fine. But let me warn you, if your donkeys or oxen run out of strength halfway and you come crawling back, the price won't be the same."  

Without waiting for Huo Shu's group to respond, the man turned and swaggered off, clearly confident that merchants passing through would eventually come begging.  

Huo Shu halted the convoy: "Repack the goods."  

"The mountain path is muddy and rugged. Unload everything from the carts and strap them directly onto the livestock."  

Everyone hurriedly dismounted and followed Huo Shu's orders.  

Ji Taoyu also stepped down from the carriage, walking on foot to lighten the livestock' burden.  

With the goods loaded onto the livestock, the group began ascending the slope.  

Longwei Slope wasn't as steep as the locals made it out to be, but after the rain, loose rocks and collapsed earth had been trampled into thick mud by travelers and livestock, making the road treacherous.  

Each step required tremendous effort to pull their feet free from the clinging muck, turning even this modest slope into a grueling challenge.  

Though the livestock walked more steadily than humans, their heavy loads slowed progress to a crawl.  

Everyone watched the path and their livestock nervously, hearts in their throats.  

This was Ji Taoyu's first time on such a difficult road. Huo Shu gripped his hand tightly, practically dragging him along.  

Head bowed, staring at the muddy path, Ji Taoyu wondered if taking off his shoes would make walking easier—though he knew it would only make him slip more and didn't dare try.  

Fellow travelers trudged past, sweating and straining.  

Noticing a much smaller figure among them, many couldn't help but steal glances.  

Ji Taoyu had been bundled up earlier, but climbing the slope made him shed his cloak, revealing his face.  

People were surprised to see such a fair and delicate-looking young ger on this brutal road. Even with their hearts in their throats, their eyes kept drifting toward him.  

Huo Shu frowned, suddenly gripping Ji Taoyu's waist and hoisting him onto his back.  

Before Ji Taoyu could process why he was being carried, his arms instinctively tightened around Huo Shu's shoulders. He whispered, "What are you doing? I'm not tired, I can still walk!"  

Besides, everyone was moving slowly. He didn't feel like a burden.  

Huo Shu didn't answer, merely pressing Ji Taoyu's head against his neck. "Don't talk. You'll fall."  

"Move, you stubborn mule!"  

"Believe me, I'll whip you to death!"  

The crack of a whip against flesh rang sharply across the mountain path. The livestock let out a muffled cry.  

Tian Fu and the others saw a traveler ahead lashing his donkey, leaving bloody streaks across its hide. The stench of blood mixed with wet earth was nauseating.  

Halfway up the slope, the donkey, dragging four massive crates, refused to budge despite the whipping, infuriating its master:  

"Once we're past this slope, I'll slaughter you myself!"  

As if understanding, the donkey suddenly bolted wildly forward.  

Screams erupted.  

"The donkey's gone mad! Get out of the way!"  

A crashing sound followed, then a series of collisions, ending with a heavy thud—silence.  

"The donkey fell off the cliff!"  

The man who had been whipping it stood gaping, then rushed forward—only to slip and fall face-first in the mud.  

Scrambling up, he stumbled to the cliff's edge. "No no no!"  

He slapped his thighs, hopping and cursing at the cliff's edge: "Damn beast! My goods!"  

Huo Shu's group moved closer to inspect the scene. The donkey lay at the base of the cliff—not a fatal drop, but the fall with its load had shattered its bones.  

Crates lay in splinters, herbs and tools scattered everywhere.  

"I told you this slope was bad. Had to pinch pennies, and now you've lost big."  

A local leading his own livestock past tossed out the jab.  

Not that the locals at the slope's foot were entirely to blame—many who refused to pay for help found their livestock balking halfway up, too exhausted to continue.

Tian Fu and the others witnessed this disaster firsthand and couldn't help but take a deep breath, turning their gaze to their own livestock.  

Seeing the donkeys still steadily carrying their loads without showing any signs of laziness, they finally relaxed.  

The group spent nearly two hours finally crossing Longwei Slope safely.  

The Sweet little Fulang Chapter 223 Part 3

    Lu Gu, just stepping into the Liu family’s yard, froze at these words. His gaze snapped toward Lu Fulang, who was speaking directly to little Lingjun.

    His mind buzzed as if exploding into blankness, a surge of fury suddenly rising from the depths of his heart. He didn’t even know how he walked in—grabbing the crying little Lingjun and pulling him behind his back in one motion, then pointing at Lu Fulang’s nose and cursing, “You blind, black-hearted bastard, with rotten guts! How dare you say such things in front of a child? Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?”  

    Caught gossiping behind someone’s back, Lu Fulang immediately shrank back, stammering and not daring to respond.  

    “Tell me, who died? Speak!”  

    Lu Gu’s hands trembled. Seeing Lu Fulang remain silent, he stopped pointing at him. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, his whole body shaking uncontrollably. Tears streamed down his face unbidden as he took a step forward, gripping Lu Fulang’s collar with all his strength.  

    “He’s hitting me! He’s hitting me!”  

    Lu Fulang immediately began shouting, putting on his usual act of making a scene. As they struggled, he realized Lu Gu wasn’t the type to brawl, so he reached out, aiming to claw at Lu Gu’s face.  

    Though he had never fought anyone before, Lu Gu instinctively dodged backward, nearly tripping over little Lingjun, who was still crying behind him.  

    The child’s wails grew louder, and Granny Liu quickly carried him aside.  

    Lu Gu had never been this furious in his life. His mind was in a daze, his tears now dried, his eyes red with rage. Without thinking, he avoided Lu Fulang’s hand and swung a slap with all his might.  

    Caught off guard, Lu Fulang had been reaching for Lu Gu’s hair. They were too close, and though he tried to block, he was half a second too late—his cheek took the full force of the blow, instantly burning as if on fire.  

    Unlike the town’s fulang, Lu Gu had done hard labor back in his hometown—carrying water, farming, none of it easy. He still had some strength.  

    But he had never been in a fight before, and Lu Fulang managed to grab his hair, making his scalp sting sharply.  

    “Someone, come quick!” Granny Liu set the child down and hurried over to break them apart.  

    Shen Yan, who had been serving food when she heard little Lingjun crying, now rushed in. Not knowing what had happened, she and Granny Liu pulled Lu Gu and Lu Fulang apart.  

    Seeing Lu Fulang still gripping Lu Gu’s hair, despite her own tears Shen Yan acted swiftly, seizing Lu Fulang’s hair and yanking him sideways with force.  

    “Damn you, you little whore! I’ll teach you to act wild!”  

    Lu Fulang, his scalp being pulled, howled like a slaughtered pig. Neighbors came running in from all sides.  

    The moment Lu Fulang loosened his grip, Lu Gu slapped him again. Where the strength came from, he didn’t know—but when Lu Fulang tried to hit Shen Yan, Lu Gu grabbed his wrist with both hands, preventing him from scratching, and bit down hard.  

    Before the fight could escalate, eight women and fulang swarmed in, chattering loudly as they quickly separated the three, stopping the brawl.  

    Little Lingjun and Shen Yan were both crying. Lu Gu wiped his tears, unable to swallow his anger. In front of everyone, he demanded of Lu Fulang, “I’ll ask you this, did you open the heavens’ eyes, or did you see my Erqing’s corpse with your own?”  

    “You told our child he's dead, do you have proof? A corpse? If you’re so sure he’s dead, show me his corpse! If not, how dare you curse someone to death with empty words? Where’s your conscience?”  

    “The whole neighborhood is here. You’d better explain yourself today, did you see him die?”  

    His teeth clenched, voice sharp with accusation, yet tears kept falling uncontrollably.  

    At these words, Granny Liu and the others glared at Lu Fulang. Even if Shen Xuanqing might have died out there, the Shen family was still searching. How could anyone say such things to their face? This went beyond mere humiliation, it was utterly despicable.  

    Seeing the tide turn against him, Lu Fulang panicked. “I didn’t say it! I didn’t!”  

    “You didn’t? Then was I the one cursing my own Erqing to die?” Lu Gu’s voice rose sharply in anger.  

    “Lu Dongsheng, we all know you love to gossip, but cursing someone to death? That’s too low.”  

    “Exactly. Aren’t you afraid your mouth and guts will rot?”  

    “People say disaster comes from the mouth. With all that wagging, aren’t you afraid the wind will cut your tongue?”  

    Everyone knew what kind of person Lu Dongsheng was. Unable to stand it, they took turns mocking him, leaving him humiliated. Just as he tried to defend himself, he was cut off again.  

    “You should keep some decency. Saying such things in front of a child, how dare you? From now on, we won’t associate with you.”  

    “That’s right. Little Lingjun is only two years old. How could you gossip to a toddler? Have you no shame? Aren’t you afraid of divine punishment?”  

    Outnumbered, Lu Fulang could only swallow his anger, his face swollen, and slink away in disgrace. Only after leaving did he spit toward the Liu family’s gate—though he made sure no one saw.  

    “Aunties, Grannies, I’ll head back first.” Lu Gu picked up little Lingjun, wiping the tear tracks from the child’s face, then nodded to the eight elders before leaving with Shen Yan.  

    The neighbors, knowing their family’s troubles, urged them to go rest and not dwell on that black-hearted Lu Dongsheng—just pretend he didn’t exist from now on.  

    Granny Liu was the angriest. After Lu Gu left, she cursed Lu Dongsheng to the bone.  

    She had actually overheard what Lu Dongsheng said to little Lingjun but hadn’t had time to stop him before Lu Gu stormed in, leaving her embarrassed too. Wondering why she had been so foolish today, inviting Lu Dongsheng over to chat and sew.

The Fulang's Modern Young Husband Chapter 9 Part 2

Zhao Ger felt like his ears had been sharply pricked. Fang Zichen, seeing him suddenly go quiet, chuckled.  

The sound was low, muffled, yet pleasant, carrying a hint of amusement.  

Zhao Ger was just too innocent, wasn’t it just a slightly suggestive and somewhat vulgar remark? Look, it had already stunned him into silence.  

Tsk...  

Around mid-afternoon, Aunt He finally arrived, carrying a basket on her back.  

From a distance, she could see two people standing in her field.  

The one digging was the familiar Zhao Ger, while the other, lazily wandering around the field, was that Fang Zichen from overseas.  

The matter between Fang Zichen and Zhao Ger had been the talk of the village these past two days, its popularity not waning. Village Chief He Zhi and Aunt He Ying were siblings, and since Fang Zichen had saved her father, Aunt He recognized him as their benefactor.  

Even setting that aside, Fang Zichen was the only one in the village with short hair - an oddity that made him stand out.  

Aunt He approached with a grin, "Young Fang, you’re here too! Oh, you really know how to dote on someone."  

Back then, she hadn’t had the chance to speak to Fang Zichen, only catching a glimpse of him from afar before rushing off to fetch a doctor for her father. At the time, she hadn’t seen him clearly, only thinking how tall he was. Now, up close, he was truly striking.  

Fang Zichen’s exposed neck and cheeks were fair and translucent, his nose bridge tall and straight, beads of sweat glistening on the tip. His brows and eyes carried a heroic air—undeniably top-tier looks.  

Goodness, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone this handsome even across ten villages.  

That skin... even her own daughter, He Xiaoyu, who spent all day lounging indoors, couldn’t compare.  

Fang Zichen tossed a sweet potato playfully and called out, "Aunt He."  

"Aye~" Aunt He beamed, but when she turned and saw the small basket left in the field, half-filled with rotten sweet potatoes, her smile froze on her face.  

"...Zhao Ger," she instinctively wanted to scold him, but then she felt a gaze slide over her—dark, fierce, like a lion lurking in the grass, eyeing its prey’s neck... a gaze of death. She slowly looked up and saw Fang Zichen staring at her without blinking.  

"...Y-Young Fang?"  

Fang Zichen said nothing.  

The atmosphere grew heavy. Zhao Ger dropped his hoe and moved behind Fang Zichen, quietly tugging at his sleeve.  

"I was the one who accidentally ruined these," Fang Zichen pointed at the small basket, his expression shifting back to a cheerful grin. "I’ve never done this kind of work at home, so I’m not skilled yet. My apologies."  

Aunt He’s scalp was still tingling. Looking at Fang Zichen’s gentle smile, she could only think that what she’d just sensed must have been an illusion. "N-No worries, just a few sweet potatoes. It’s nothing."  

After a while, Aunt He’s husband and son arrived. They brought carrying baskets and, after exchanging brief greetings with Fang Zichen, began loading the sweet potatoes he had gathered into the baskets to carry them back.  

Once they were gone, Zhao Ger whispered, "Uncle He and Big Brother He seemed a little afraid of you."  

Aunt He was digging on the other side. Her husband also shared the surname He. Fang Zichen shrugged. "Aren’t you afraid of me too?"  

"I-I’m not."  

Fang Zichen, still hung up on the matter of losing face, brought it up again. "Oh, right! You really aren’t, you even dared to hit me with a rock."  

Zhao Ger: "......"  

It wasn’t a rock!  

"Father, Daddy," Guaizai rubbed his eyes as he walked over, his hair sticking up in all directions, looking like he hadn’t fully woken up yet. He swayed as if he’d drunk two pounds of erguotou. Spotting Aunt He at the edge of the field, he called out, "Grandma He."  

[Erguotou (二锅头): a strong Chinese liquor, typically around 50-60% alcohol by volume. It's a clear, distilled spirit made from sorghum and is one of the most popular and affordable baijiu (Chinese white liquor) varieties.] 

Zhao Ger crouched down. "Still sleepy?"  

Guaizai had never had the habit of taking naps before. When Zhao Ger was with the Ma family, aside from when it was too dark to work at night, he was almost always busy. Guaizai, still small, would get covered in mosquito bites when gathering firewood in the mountains or suffer under the sun in the fields, yet he never complained, following Zhao Ger everywhere.  

At first, Zhao Ger hadn’t taken Guaizai with him everywhere. Before he turned one, Guaizai couldn’t be left alone, so Zhao Ger carried him all day. Later, when he got a little older, Zhao Ger would lock him in the woodshed. Once, while Zhao Ger was working in the fields, someone came running to tell him, "Zhao Ger, you’re still working? Hurry back!"  

"What’s wrong?"  

"Your son, Ma Dazhuang shoved his head into a water vat."  

Zhao Ger’s mind exploded. He sprinted home. The yard was crowded with people, and Guaizai lay on the ground, pale and dripping wet.  

Zhao Ger’s legs gave out on the spot.  

Fear, panic, terror—all the worst emotions surged over him at once.  

That feeling... Zhao Ger never wanted to experience it again in his life.  

The reason Ma Dazhuang had attacked Guaizai was simple.  

That day, Zhao Ger had forgotten to latch the door. Guaizai, thirsty, had tried to fetch water from the kitchen. Still unsteady on his feet, he fell in the yard, cutting his head. The pain made him cry out twice. The weather was sweltering, and tempers ran short. Ma Dazhuang, annoyed by the noise, knew Guaizai wanted water, so he grabbed him by the collar, dragged him to the kitchen, and shoved his head into the vat. "You want water? I’ll give you water."  

The commotion was so loud that even the neighbors heard it. An old man from next door, unable to stand it, sent someone to fetch Zhao Ger while he pushed Ma Dazhuang aside and pulled Guaizai out of the vat.  

Zhao Ger knew the Ma family was cruel, and since Guaizai wasn’t one of theirs, if Ma Dazhuang could hurt him once, he’d do it again. Guaizai wouldn’t always be so lucky.  

After that incident, Zhao Ger took Guaizai with him everywhere.  

Guaizai was sensible. Even in the hottest afternoons, he’d follow Zhao Ger around, rarely resting.  

This was practically his first time taking a nap.  

"My head feels dizzy," Guaizai said. "I see two Daddies now."  

Zhao Ger touched his forehead - no fever. After a moment’s thought, he said, "I’ll take you to wash your face. You’ll feel better after."  

"Okay!"  

Washing up did help. Once refreshed, Guaizai ran all over the field.  

One moment, he was picking up sweet potatoes near Aunt He. The next, seeing Fang Zichen falling behind, he rushed over to help, as if he’d taken some miraculous energy-boosting medicine, his stamina endless.  

Aunt He praised him with a smile, "Our Guaizai is so well-behaved!"  

She used this as an opening, hoping Fang Zichen would respond and warm up the conversation. But Fang Zichen ignored her.  

How strange!  

According to He Xi, Fang Zichen didn’t seem to dislike Guaizai and treated him quite well.  

Fang Zichen was picking sweet potatoes behind Zhao Ger, chatting idly.  

"She only paid you three copper coins before too?" Fang Zichen tilted his chin toward Aunt He, keeping his voice low.  

"Yeah," Zhao Ger matched his tone. "Most folks in the village aren’t well-off. They do their own chores. Aunt He has a kind heart. She pitied me and wanted to help, otherwise her family could’ve managed on their own."  

Fang Zichen curled his lip.  

Kind heart? More like black-hearted.  

Zhao Ger said daily wages here ranged from nineteen copper coins (with a meal) to twenty-three at most.  

If Aunt He truly pitied him and wanted to help, even paying eight or ten copper coins would’ve been understandable. But three? What was that?  

A single egg cost two copper coins.  

This wasn’t charity, it was exploitation! Taking advantage of Zhao Ger’s desperation under the guise of kindness.  

Xiaohe Village was poor, but Aunt He’s family was relatively well-off. Outside of harvest season, her two sons worked at the docks in town, earning twenty-five copper coins a day. Their family never went hungry.  

With that kind of income, couldn’t they afford to pay half the usual wage?  

That black-hearted old woman.

The Fulang's Modern Young Husband Chapter 9 Part 1

Chapter 9: Past Events  

Zhao Ger was also a bit dazed. Fang Zichen frowned, looking at the spot on his chest where he had been hit—still smudged with bits of mud. He seemed to be deep in thought, visibly unhappy.  

Zhao Ger grew anxious, his heart pounding. He was just about to open his mouth to apologize when, unexpectedly, Fang Zichen once again defied expectations.  

"You threw a rock at me from so far away. If I’d been standing right in front of you, would you have just slapped me instead?"  

Zhao Ger secretly sighed in relief: "......That wasn’t a rock."  

A rock could kill someone.  

"And yet you still did it," Fang Zichen brushed off the mud. "Don’t they say around here that 'the husband is greater than heaven'? How dare you hit me! Absolutely lawless."  

Having hit him once, Zhao Ger seemed to have gained some boldness. Seeing that Fang Zichen didn’t seem truly angry, he pointed at the clump of dirt which was still intact after hitting its target, lying at Fang Zichen’s feet and argued, "It was that thing that hit you, not me."  

"Oh, ohoho!" Fang Zichen hadn’t expected the previously obedient, timid Zhao Ger to suddenly pull such a stunt. Like a rogue spotting a beauty, he circled Zhao Ger once, scrutinizing him up and down. Zhao Ger tensed under his gaze, his fingers gripping the hoe so tightly his knuckles turned white.  

Only when Zhao Ger was on the verge of cracking did Fang Zichen finally speak: "If you’re this good at shifting blame, you might as well be called 'Blame Ger' instead of Zhao Ger."  

"You were the one spouting nonsense first," Zhao Ger muttered under his breath.  

Fang Zichen, standing close, heard him: "When did I spout nonsense?"  

"You said, you said..." Zhao Ger couldn’t bring himself to repeat it.  

He was too embarrassed to mimic it.  

First calling it a "little bird," then a "little brother"—wasn’t that nonsense? And on top of that, insinuating that he was the perverted one!  

And now he was pretending innocence.  

"See? You can’t even say it yourself," Fang Zichen said. "Next time you dare throw a rock at me—"  

"It wasn’t a rock."  

"I don’t care what it was. If you dare hit me again, I’ll hit back." Fang Zichen threatened, trying hard to salvage his dignity. "You were there when I beat up Ma Dazhuang and the others. When I hit someone...tsk, it’s truly something to behold." He pinched Zhao Ger’s thin arm, so frail it seemed like a light squeeze could snap it. "With just one punch, I could knock down ten of you. And that’s not an exaggeration or a boast."  

Zhao Ger, as if he’d truly grown a spine, said, "But that day, you told the village chief that you don’t hit women or ger."  

So that’s why you’re acting so bold?  

Fang Zichen choked for a second before replying with a roguish grin, "Ah, that’s why women and ger are so naive. A man’s words are a devil’s lies, only a fool would believe them."  

Zhao Ger seemed to have an obstinate trust in him and didn’t buy it, but he still asked, "So would you really hit me?"  

Fang Zichen couldn’t be bothered to argue. Instead, he suddenly smacked Zhao Ger’s backside - whack! The sound crisp and loud. "What are you standing around for? Ugh, if you don’t get back to work, see if I don’t beat you to death."  

"Give you an inch, and you’ll take a mile."  

Zhao Ger: "......"  

Zhao Ger’s face instantly flushed crimson, steam practically rising from his head as his entire body burned. He twisted away and hurriedly put distance between himself and Fang Zichen, moving to the other side of the field.  

Fang Zichen assumed he’d finally scared him and felt secretly pleased.  

Just yesterday, Zhao Ger had been so nervous around him he could barely stand being in the same space. And now, after just one day, he was bold enough to throw dirt at him? If this continued, would he be stabbing him next?  

Fang Zichen was no pushover.  

Last time, when he’d saved Zhao Ger and ended up getting hit for no reason, he’d wanted to retaliate on the spot. But seeing it was a woman, he’d held back. While it was true he never laid hands on the weak, elderly, women, or ger, a little intimidation was still fair game.  

Coming from the modern era, he hadn’t given much thought to the future, but he also didn’t believe in controlling Zhao Ger, making him orbit around him and report his every move. People were born free. Marriage shouldn’t mean trapping someone in a cage. The ideal dynamic was one partner being strong-willed and the other gentle and accommodating. If both were domineering, they’d just end up bickering every day, with frequent trips to the hospital.  

Now that Zhao Ger was showing signs of rebellion, daring to act out and even throw things, he couldn’t let it slide. He had to nip it in the bud. Otherwise, if things escalated to the point where he couldn’t even discipline him, how were they supposed to live together?  

Fang Zichen finished gathering the sweet potatoes he’d dug up earlier and headed over to Zhao Ger’s side.  

Guaizai had already been tricked into napping under a tree.  

Standing behind Zhao Ger, Fang Zichen’s steps faltered as he caught sight of the sunburnt nape of Zhao Ger’s neck, glistening with sweat.  

Zhao Ger was truly small and thin. His ill-fitting clothes hung loosely on his frame, now clinging damply to his slightly protruding spine as he bent forward, his shoulder blades becoming more pronounced with each movement.  

When the Ma family had caused a scene before, the village chief had told Fang Zichen about Zhao Ger’s past.  

Zhao Ger had been sold to the Ma family at the age of seven, he was originally meant to be a child bride for Ma Dazhuang’s second son, Ma Tao - a boy born with intellectual disabilities. The plan was for Zhao Ger to grow up and marry him, taking care of him. But Ma Tao drowned at the age of ten.  

Back then, the Ma family’s circumstances were still decent, but they didn’t want to keep feeding an extra mouth. They considered selling Zhao Ger again, but Ma Wen - Ma Dazhuang’s eldest son, threw a fit, insisting he liked Zhao Ger and refusing to let them sell him.  

Ma Wen was the favorite, evident from how his and his brother’s names (Ma Tao (涛: waves) and Ma Wen (汶: river)) stood out among the village kids’ nicknames like "Gouzi (dog child)," "Niudan (ox egg)," "Dahu (big tiger)," and "Erwa (second chile)." With Ma Wen blocking the sale, Ma Dazhuang had no choice but to relent.  

However, there was an old saying: "The wealthy do not marry ger." Though the Ma family wasn’t rich, they still put on airs, telling outsiders that Zhao Ger was just Ma Wen’s concubine.  

A concubine in a poor family was no different from a slave. The Ma family was inherently cruel, treating Zhao Ger like livestock, berating and beating him at every turn. The villagers all saw it. Even if they lied through their teeth, none could claim the Ma family had treated Zhao Ger well.  

The village chief sighed deeply as he spoke, saying Zhao Ger had endured a great deal. Most others would have drowned themselves in the river long ago.  

And it was true.  

Twelve years of abuse would twist anyone’s personality beyond recognition. Facing endless whippings and curses day after day, who’d want to keep living?  

The village chief lamented, but Fang Zichen, having grown up sheltered, couldn’t even imagine such a life. People who suffer long-term abuse usually become insecure, introverted, fearful yet unstable, timid and weak-willed - some even grow emotionally numb or mentally impaired. But he felt Zhao Ger was resilient, like a vine growing in a dark well. Unafraid of the darkness, it would climb toward any sliver of light.  

Zhao Ger’s temperament was still decent. Otherwise, Fang Zichen would’ve worried that one day, over a single word or incident, he might wake up to a knife in his gut.  

Fang Zichen kept staring intently, and even Zhao Ger - normally so slow to notice things, eventually became aware of it, growing inexplicably flustered. His hoe strokes became clumsier, and after nearly striking his own foot for the sixth time, he finally turned around and asked, "W-why are you staring at me?"  

"Because you’re beautiful," Fang Zichen blurted out without thinking.  

Zhao Ger pressed his lips together, about to retort that his face wasn’t on his back, when Fang Zichen suddenly backpedaled, his mouth running off again: "Which eye of yours saw me looking at you?"  

Then, derailing completely: "Your asshole?"  

Zhao Ger: "......"  

Was this really a young master raised in a wealthy family?  

How could his mouth be so foul?  

Even the village men probably couldn’t compare

My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 52 Part 1

Chapter 52

Ji Taoyu, hearing the talk of bandits outside the carriage, couldn’t help but feel his heart tighten.  

He peeked his head out slightly to see what the caravan planned to do.  

The group was unsettled by the man’s words. Given that bandit troubles had already reached Tongzhou’s borders, and this being their first long journey with no prior experience, it was only natural for them to panic.  

"Why don’t we just speed up the livestock and try to get through Longwei Slope in one go?"  

"Right, the sooner we cross, the sooner we’ll be safe. That’ll put everyone at ease."  

Ge Liang didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he tugged at his horse’s reins and asked Huo Shu, "Brother Huo, should we pick up the pace?"  

"No need. Keep moving at the current speed."  

Ge Liang trusted Huo Shu’s judgment completely. If he said so, there must be a reason.  

Seeing this, he announced, "We’ll follow Brother Huo’s lead and proceed as planned."  

While Ge Liang had faith in Huo Shu, the men from Hongli Village weren’t as convinced.  

That morning, they had heard Tian Fu muttering a few words, planting seeds of doubt in their minds. Now, seeing Huo Shu calmly insist on maintaining their pace as if the matter was trivial, they grew uneasy.  

If they turned back now after a few days on the road, they’d only lose time and face ridicule from the villagers—but at least they’d make it back in time for spring planting.  

But if they got delayed and ran into bandits midway, it would be a matter of life and death.  

"Brother Huo sure is composed. Even after hearing how dangerous Longwei Slope is, he’s still unfazed. Who knows if he’s just being cautious and distrustful of outsiders, or if he’s worried about jostling his sickly fulang."  

"But while his fulang's health matters, our lives matter too."  

Ge Liang immediately snapped, "Tian Fu!"  

"If no one else will say it, I will! I’m not afraid of offending anyone!"  

"If we run into bandits by sheer bad luck, I, Tian Fu, will accept it. But if it’s a risk we can avoid, why shouldn’t we?"  

Tian Fu slurred his words as he shouted, "If it’s not for his fulang's sake that he’s slowing us down, then what is it?"  

"We’re all poor farmers who left our families behind to make some money on this trip, not to escort a couple on a leisurely outing."  

Ji Wenliang, hearing this, flared up. "What are you implying?!"  

Ji Taoyu, still inside the carriage, frowned at the commotion outside. He quickly called out to Ji Wenliang—letting this escalate into an argument would only make things worse.  

But at this moment, anything he said would only add fuel to the fire.  

He turned to Huo Shu. "I’m really fine. Maybe we should speed up a little."  

"This isn’t about you."  

With that, Huo Shu urged his horse forward and coldly addressed Tian Fu: "If you resent me for bringing my fulang along, we haven’t left Tongzhou yet, you’re free to turn back now."  

"But if it’s because some stranger’s words have made you panic and doubt my decisions, then let me explain why we’re keeping our pace."  

"Longwei Slope is steep, and the mountain paths will be muddy after the rain. Donkeys aren’t horses, they’re slower and have less stamina. If you exhaust them on flat, easy roads now, what strength will they have left for the climb? And if they stubbornly refuse to move, can you guarantee you’ll be able to drag them?"  

Tian Fu opened his mouth but found himself speechless under Huo Shu’s questioning.  

He hadn’t interacted much with Huo Shu and knew him as a man of few words. This was the first time he’d heard him speak so much to him.  

After a stunned pause, Tian Fu didn’t dare retort, though he still muttered under his breath, unconvinced.  

"You’re too impulsive, flying off the handle at the slightest thing. Brother Huo has traveled this route south before. Even if he lacked experience, wouldn’t he still know better than someone who’s never been here?"  

Ge Liang couldn’t help but scold him as well.  

This entire venture had been Huo Shu’s doing. He had negotiated the goods and handled most of the arrangements. Ge Liang had only trained a couple of men and contributed little capital.  

Yet now, it seemed he had only managed to toughen their bodies, not their minds or tempers.  

Tian Fu was someone he had personally recruited. Seeing him cause trouble like this on the road made Ge Liang feel guilty toward Huo Shu.  

Aside from Huo Shu and himself, none of the others had invested any money.  

In truth, they were just hired hands, paid the standard daily wage for laborers in Tongzhou.  

But to ensure they took responsibility and didn’t shirk their duties when trouble arose, the agreement was that once the goods were safely delivered and sold, the higher the selling price, the more everyone would earn.  

This was the only reason they had been able to gather so many men so quickly.  

After all, the journey to the northern frontier was long and perilous, they were risking their lives for this money. Without substantial profit, no one would dare make the trip.  

Ge Liang understood the men’s worries, but being caught in the middle made things difficult for him.  

"Brother Huo, don’t take it to heart. He’s not a bad person, just blunt. When he’s anxious, words just spill out without thinking."  

"I’ll make sure to reprimand him properly later."  

Tian Fu, seeing Ge Liang humbling himself to plead on his behalf, only grew more resentful.  

His face darkened, and he pressed his lips together, refusing to say another word.  

Huo Shu said, "My stance remains the same: if anyone wants to leave, do it now before we cross the border. If anyone tries to turn back after we leave Tongzhou, don’t blame me for being harsh."  

Everyone in the caravan lowered their eyes, not daring to meet Huo Shu’s gaze.  

Not a single person stepped forward to leave.  

Seeing this, Huo Shu didn’t press the issue further. Without delay, the group continued onward.  

The rest of the journey was unusually quiet. Still, whenever they passed other caravans rushing their livestock forward, the men couldn’t help but glance over, their unease lingering.  

The weather today was clearer than yesterday, and by noon, the sun had even peeked out.  

The small carriage was stuffy, so Ji Taoyu rolled up one of the curtains.  

He noticed Huo Shu riding alongside his carriage, occasionally glancing his way.  

Ji Taoyu knew Huo Shu was worried about him—afraid he’d been upset by the earlier argument.  

Truthfully, he was fine. He wasn’t hurt or offended. With so many people involved, conflicts were inevitable. Even in the Ji family, quarrels and schemes were commonplace—life was never smooth sailing.  

Given his frail health, it was only natural for others to see him as a burden when their livelihoods depended on this journey.  

To reassure Huo Shu, he ate plenty in the carriage and then took a nap.  

He needed to rest well, they still had Longwei Slope to cross. 

The Sweet little Fulang Chapter 223 Part 2

    Once the rabbit was fully prepared, Lu Gu washed his hands in the nearby basin, then lifted his sleeve to wipe his tears.  

    Out front, the shop was filled with the clamor of voices. Most of the horse caravan's men were from Fenggu Town. Not all corpses had been found—some families identified their husbands or sons among the dead, while others, like Shen Yaoqing, still searched in vain.  

    Those who had ridden back with him in the mule cart now dispersed, shaking their heads, sighing, and wiping their tears as they returned home.

    At the entrance of the butcher shop, the fulang who had come to buy a rabbit overheard bits and pieces of the conversation. Though he couldn’t grasp the full story, he guessed most of it and feared the situation wasn’t good. He hesitated in front of the shop, if the rabbit hadn’t been properly slaughtered, he wouldn’t take it, not wanting to add to the family’s troubles during such a difficult time.  

    Before he could voice his thoughts, Lu Gu came in from the back with the freshly slaughtered rabbit.  

    "Ahma, here you go." Though his eyes were slightly red, his voice remained steady and his movements normal as he handed over the rabbit. He even managed a faint smile while accepting payment.

    When Shen Yaoqing and Shen Yan discussed the matter, they kept their voices low, careful not to let the child hear.  

    Lingjun was too young to understand much of what adults said, but sensing the grim expressions on his aunt and uncle’s faces, he sat quietly on his little stool without a word. Only when Lu Gu came to pick him up did he cling tightly to his amu’s neck, pressing his face against Lu Gu’s cheek and peering at the adults with wide, confused eyes.  

    The town was small, and with most people idle in winter, even the slightest whisper or rumor could spread quickly.  

    Shen Xuanqing's absence hung over the household like a dark cloud. The news had reached even Wei Lanxiang and Ji Qiuyue back in the village, leaving them anxious. Shen Yaoqing sent messengers urging them not to act rashly while he organized a search party with the Qiu family to scour Tianying Ridge.  

    Even the Gu family caught wind of the news. Gu Chengyue and Mrs. Gu hurried over, careful not to speak too much in front of Lu Gu. Privately, they asked Shen Yaoqing for details. Gu Chengyue’s elder cousin, Gu Chengyuan, was a boat trader who traveled far and wide hauling goods for others—he knew people and offered to help gather information.  

    Shen Yaoqing left with the mule cart. With no one to fetch rabbits from home, the shop remained closed. The few remaining chickens and ducks, Lu Gu decided to keep for Shen Xuanqing to eat when he returned.  

    The first few days of the twelfth lunar month passed without snowfall, making the roads easier to travel.  

    After seeing Shen Yaoqing off, Lu Gu and Shen Yan sat in the yard for a long time. Little Lingjun played by himself, and even Guaizi lay on the ground, his expression seemingly tinged with gloom.  

    "Guzi, Yan Yan." Yan Shi entered with a basket, her eyes nearly welling up at the sight of the two adults and the child.  

    The night before, Shen Yaoqing had asked her and Lao Yang to look after the household while he searched for Shen Xuanqing. With so many in the caravan dead and Shen Xuanqing missing, she hadn’t slept well, crying several times. Early that morning, after settling things at home and leaving her daughter and grandson with Lao Yang, she came straight over.  

    "Come, come. Grandma brought you something good to eat. I’ll cook for us at noon and make a delicious egg custard for our dear Lingjun." She picked up the quiet, bewildered little Lingjun and held him close, her heart aching.  

    With someone else to talk to, Lu Gu grew less silent.  

    He had made up his mind, he would wait for Shen Xuanqing’s return. Moping wouldn’t do,  little Lingjun still needed him. He couldn’t just sit there doing nothing.  

    There were still unresolved matters regarding Shen Yan and Gu Chengyue’s marriage, but with Shen Yaoqing away and the family in such a state, the Gu family wasn’t in a hurry. They set it aside for the time being.  

    Since Gu Chengyue was a man, it wasn’t proper for him to visit often. Instead, his mother and elder sister dropped by frequently to offer comfort and distraction.  

    By the fifth day, Shen Yaoqing still hadn’t returned. The sun was bright, so Lu Gu took Shen Xuanqing’s quilt to wash and aired out Luo Biao’s bedding as well.  

    Shen Yan was cooking in the kitchen while little Lingjun played next door with Xiao Hong. Hearing the child’s laughter from the neighboring yard put Lu Gu at ease.  

    "Brother Guzi, call Ling ger back. I’ll serve the food," Shen Yan called from the kitchen.  

    He had been soaking Shen Xuanqing’s thick winter clothes in a large wooden tub. At her words, he stood and replied, "Alright, I’ll go check."  

    Next door, Granny Liu was also preparing a meal. In her yard was Lu Fulang from the neighboring alley, around the same age as her. Lu Gu usually addressed him as "Lu Ahma."  

    Lu Fulang was gossipy, fond of backbiting and always looking to take advantage. Granny Liu sometimes got along with him, but when he overstepped, she’d distance herself. Now, with mealtime approaching and Lu Fulang lingering, Granny Liu muttered complaints in the kitchen but still half-heartedly invited him to stay.  

    "No, no. My man’s not home, but I can manage something simple on my own," Lu Fulang said—yet made no move to leave.  

    Granny Liu wasn’t particularly stingy, but Lu Fulang rarely let her gain anything in return. Hearing this, she cursed under her breath but said nothing more, dawdling in the kitchen.  

    Lu Fulang set down the shoe sole he was working on and noticed little Lingjun playing in the yard. Though the child was only two years old, he couldn’t resist spouting his usual venom.  

    "People say your father died out there. Did you know that?"  

The Young Master Becomes a Wife Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Regaining Consciousness

When Jiang Chenghan said he had been knocked unconscious, Kou Shijun immediately showed concern. Fortunately, Jiang Chenghan had only suffered superficial injuries and was fine, so Kou Shijun relaxed and then asked, "Do you still remember what the servant who led you looked like? If you do, we can find him and question him."  

Jiang Chenghan shook his head and said, "The servant was short and kept his head bowed the whole time. I didn’t get a clear look at his face."  

Kou Shijun frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then asked further, "Aside from the food and wine at the banquet, did you eat or drink anything else today at the Duke’s residence?"  

Kou Shijun had witnessed many underhanded schemes in his life, so as soon as he heard Jiang Chenghan describe his discomfort, he guessed that Jiang Chenghan must have been drugged—hence the question.  

Jiang Chenghan thought for a moment and replied, "Other than the banquet’s food and wine, I only drank a cup of tea that the servant brought while I was waiting for him. I didn’t eat or drink anything else. However, the teacup is now missing."  

Kou Shijun’s frown deepened, and he looked troubled. "The teacup was likely taken away and destroyed to prevent any traces from being found later. As for the servant who led you and served the tea, he’s probably untraceable now. But without evidence, how can you prove your innocence?"  

After speaking, Kou Shijun couldn’t help but glance at the Duke of Anguo, who had been silently listening the whole time. Jiang Chenghan’s account was merely his own word without any supporting evidence. Kou Shijun believed him, but the Duke might not.  

Jiang Chenghan was aware of this as well, which was why he hadn’t immediately tried to justify himself to the Duke earlier. Instead, he first requested a physician to examine Yan Jingshu.  

As a man of little influence, Jiang Chenghan knew the Duke wouldn’t take him seriously or easily believe him. But Yan Jingshu was different. Whether Yan Jingshu had been forced by him or if both of them had been framed would become clear once Yan Jingshu woke up.  

As for whether Yan Jingshu might falsely accuse him, Jiang Chenghan wasn’t worried. He and Yan Jingshu had no prior grievances, and the truth was something Yan Jingshu knew well. If Yan Jingshu falsely accused him, Jiang Chenghan wouldn't take it lying down, and Kou Shijun's support would add weight to his stance. If the matter escalated, it would bring no benefit to Yan Jingshu or the entire Duke’s household. Jiang Chenghan believed Yan Jingshu wouldn’t do something so self-destructive.  

Thinking this, Jiang Chenghan smiled at Kou Shijun and said, "General, there’s no need to worry. Once Young Master Yan wakes up, my innocence will be proven."  

Seeing Jiang Chenghan’s confident and relaxed demeanor, Kou Shijun felt slightly reassured. Besides waiting for Yan Jingshu to wake up, there was nothing else they could do for now, so he said no more.  

The Duke of Anguo remained silent the whole time, his expression unreadable. When Jiang Chenghan expressed his confidence, the Duke merely glanced at him, neither affirming nor denying anything.  

With no one speaking, the hall fell into abrupt silence. Before long, the elderly physician emerged from the inner chamber with his medical kit and addressed the Duke: "I have administered acupuncture to the young master. His fever has subsided, and he should regained consciousness shortly."  

"In that case, many thanks," the Duke said, rising to express his gratitude before subtly signaling to the steward beside him.  

The steward then took out a red envelope from his sleeve and handed it to the physician.  

At this moment, Kou Shijun stepped forward and said to the physician, "Doctor, if you would, please examine him as well." The "him" he referred to was naturally Jiang Chenghan.  

Even if the drugged teacup couldn’t be found, traces of the aphrodisiac should still be detectable in Jiang Chenghan’s body, which could corroborate his account.  

The physician naturally didn’t refuse and immediately proceeded to examine Jiang Chenghan. After observing, listening, questioning, and checking his pulse, the physician withdrew his hand and confidently informed everyone present that Jiang Chenghan indeed showed symptoms of having ingested an aphrodisiac.  

However, Jiang Chenghan’s constitution was much stronger than Yan Jingshu’s, so the effects weren’t as severe, allowing him to move freely now. Still, his vitality had been somewhat depleted, and he needed several days of proper rest.  

The physician’s words confirmed Jiang Chenghan’s account, greatly reassuring Kou Shijun. After thanking the physician, he also presented a generous fee. The physician was then escorted out of the residence by the steward’s men.  

Kou Shijun wanted to say something more to the Duke, but at that moment, a maid’s tearful, joyous cry came from the inner chamber through the draped curtains.

"Young Master, Young Master, you're finally awake. Master, the Young Master is awake!"  

"Shu'er is awake?! Wonderful—" The Duke of Anguo immediately turned and strode into the inner chamber.  

Considering that Yan Jingshu might currently be in an inconvenient state and unlikely to receive outsiders, Jiang Chenghan and Kou Shijun did not follow the Duke into the inner chamber but remained in the main hall instead.  

Arriving at the bedside and seeing that Yan Jingshu had indeed opened his eyes, the Duke's smile widened, and he repeatedly said, "Good, good, you’re finally awake. That’s all that matters."  

"...Father?" Yan Jingshu blinked, his gaze toward the man before him filled with confusion, as if he didn’t recognize him.  

"It’s me, your father. I’m here." The Duke assumed Yan Jingshu was still disoriented from just waking up and sat by the bed, soothing him gently. "Shu'er, don’t be afraid. Your father is here. It’s alright now, nothing to fear... Tell me, did that Jiang Chenghan mistreat you? If he truly wronged you, I will stand by you and make sure he pays for it."  

"How could that be?" Yan Jingshu frowned, puzzled by his father’s words. He didn’t want his father to think poorly of Jiang Chenghan, so he said, "Chenghan has always treated me well, never once mistreating me. Father, don’t misunderstand him."  

The Duke was stunned by Yan Jingshu’s casual use of "Chenghan." He had expected Yan Jingshu to accuse Jiang Chenghan of drugging and attempting to force himself on him, or perhaps, as Jiang Chenghan had claimed, that both had been framed. But he never imagined Yan Jingshu would speak of Jiang Chenghan with such familiarity and even defend him in front of him.  

This left the Duke deeply perplexed. After all, Jiang Chenghan had only returned to the capital from the northern border with General Kou Shijun less than ten days ago to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday. Meanwhile, Yan Jingshu had just returned home yesterday from his studies at Mushan Academy and hadn’t left the house since. Before today, the two should have had no opportunity to meet or know each other.  

He distinctly remembered that when Kou Shijun first brought Jiang Chenghan to the estate and he introduced Yan Jingshu, the two had clearly acted like strangers. Had they been hiding their acquaintance? But why would they do that?  

Unable to make sense of it, the Duke asked Yan Jingshu directly, "Shu'er, did you know Jiang Chenghan before today?"  

Yan Jingshu had just woken up, his mind still foggy and his body weak. His earlier response had been almost instinctive. Now fully awake, Yan Jingshu was deeply confused by the Duke's question.

Why is Father asking this? Of course I know Jiang Chenghan. We've been married for almost three years. How could we not know each other

Puzzled, Yan Jingshu was about to voice his confusion when something flashed through his mind, freezing him in place. After a brief moment of shock, he abruptly sat up, staring down at his hands with an expression of disbelief and dawning realization.  

Hadn’t I died? 

After finally uncovering clues about the people responsible for Jiang Chenghan’s death, he had been discovered, chased to a cliff by his pursuers, and ultimately fell to his demise. Had he somehow survived and been rescued, then brought back home?  

"Father, how did I end up at home? Who saved me? Who brought me back?" Overwhelmed with confusion, Yan Jingshu clutched the Duke’s sleeve and pressed for answers.  

The Duke had been waiting for Yan Jingshu’s reply, only to be met with questions instead. His son’s words only deepened his bewilderment, and he frowned slightly. "Shu'er, what are you talking about? Who saved you? Who brought you back? You’ve been at home all along."  

"What? How could that be? But..." The Duke’s answer did nothing to ease Yan Jingshu’s shock—if anything, it left him even more disoriented.  

Just then, the steward approached to report that a maid, sent by the Dowager Lady, had come to summon Yan Jingshu. The Marquis of Xinyang and his heir had received urgent news from their household and needed to leave early, so the Dowager Lady requested the Second Young Master to see them off.  

The Duke’s expression turned troubled. Yan Jingshu was still weak, he could barely get out of bed, let alone escort guests. He instructed the steward to inform the maid that Yan Jingshu was currently assisting him in entertaining an important guest and couldn’t leave. He asked the Duchess to handle the farewell instead.  

Today was his mother’s birthday, and she doted on her grandson. If she learned he was ill, she would surely come to see him. But with the matter of Jiang Chenghan still unresolved, the Duke feared the shock might harm her health, so it was better to keep it hidden for now.  

The steward left to relay the message, but Yan Jingshu was stunned once more.  

Is this real? Or am I dreaming?

His grandmother had passed away in autumn of the 26th year of Zhengde, the second year of his marriage.  

At that time, he had been far away in Yancheng, up north. By the time he received word of her critical condition and rushed back to the capital day and night, she had already been buried, and he hadn’t even been able to see her one last time. Yet according to the steward, his grandmother was still alive.

Seeing Yan Jingshu silent and dazed, the Duke grew concerned. He wondered if the aphrodisiac’s effects had been so severe that they damaged his mind. He had heard of cases where high fevers from illness left people mentally impaired. No longer eager to press for answers, he stood up, intending to consult the physician again.  

But Yan Jingshu grabbed his sleeve, his voice urgent and tinged with disbelief. "Father, what day is it today?"  

The Duke froze, studying Yan Jingshu’s expression carefully before replying softly, "Today is the third day of the seventh month in the 20th year of Zhengde, your grandmother’s 60th birthday. Don’t you remember?"