CHAPTER 203: CHAPTER 0201: AFFECTIONATE GLANCES (1)

That person saw her, his expression even more surprised than hers, "Are you... Wenzhen?"

Xue Family had imagined thousands of scenarios for seeing Yu Wen Zan again, but never thought it would be when she was in her most embarrassing state.

Her current appearance was like a maid who does chores at the Prince Mansion, and she was being flirted with by a disgusting thug, as embarrassing as could be.

Should she admit it or not?

After finally meeting, if she doesn’t admit it, then how long will it take for another chance?

Xue Family felt very irritated.

Thinking that her current situation was caused by the Princely Heir, she felt even more resentment towards the Princely Heir.

And more regret for marrying the Princely Heir.

"Hey, who are you? Do you know who I am? How dare you steal my woman?" The thug crawled up from the ground, rolled up his sleeves, and charged towards Yu Wen Zan.

A big man standing by Yu Wen Zan quickly swung his fist, knocking the thug out first, "How dare you, this is a fourth-rank court official on a private visit! If you peasants don’t want to die, get lost immediately!"

"Ah, yes yes yes yes—" The thug was hurt by the punch and became scared when he heard he was a court official, picking up his robe and running.

But Yu Wen Zan called and stopped him.

"Stop!" His voice was deep, carrying an unquestionable authority.

The thug, biting the bullet, turned back with a face full of smiles, "S...sir, what instructions do you have?"

"Kneel! Bow down and apologize to this lady!" Yu Wen Zan pointed at Xue Family and shouted sternly.

Xue Family’s heart jumped to her throat, was Yu Wen Zan seeking justice for her?

Thinking of the incompetent Princely Heir, she felt more and more she had married the wrong person!

The thug did not dare to run again, came back and knelt in front of Xue Family, kept knocking his head on the ground, "I didn’t recognize the big mountain in front of me with my eyes, offended the lady, please forgive me this time, I will certainly be a good person in the future."

The ground on this street was nothing like the ground in the Capital, the ground in the Capital was paved with the best bluestone.

The ground in Prefecture and County was paved with slabs and was also very smooth.

But the ground at this country market was just made of some broken stones.

Some stones were quite sharp, knocking your head on them for less than five times would make your forehead bleed.

The thug knocked his head three times and his forehead broke the skin, hurting him so much that he grimaced, but dared not shout in pain.

"Hmph!" Yu Wen Zan flicked his sleeve coldly, but when he looked at Xue Family again, he was all gentle, "Wenzhen, why are you here? How... how do you look like this?"

He examined Xue Family.

Xue Family was so embarrassed she wanted to dig a hole, lowered her head, and said nothing.

She didn’t know where to start.

"Let’s go, let’s talk somewhere else." Yu Wen Zan nodded slightly to her.

Xue Family breathed out, "Alright."

After Yu Wen Zan left with Xue Family and his guard, the thug dared to get up from the ground.

He looked once in the direction Yu Wen Zan left, then ran in the opposite direction.

This farce ended, but people were still discussing it.

"Ah, was that person really a court official? Couldn’t tell, so young, only looks about twenty." An old man praised.

"You can tell by his clothes, from head to toe all silk, even the boots had a pearl, obviously not a common person."

"That thug truly had no discernment, daring to provoke such a person, he was lucky not to be beaten to death."

"Eh, it’s really strange, that person is a high official, yet he was so courteous to a poor woman, what is her status?"

Everyone discussed and speculated but couldn’t figure it out.

Li Yuzhu came looking for Xue Family here.

Hearing the voices of people discussing on the street, her eyes twinkled, thinking to herself, Xue Family left with a high official on a private visit?

And that official is a young man?

Who could it be?

Li Yuzhu pulled on an aunt and asked, "Auntie, what were you talking about? What court official from the Capital? What poor woman?"

"Hey, little girl, you came late and missed quite a show." The woman said with a gossiping look.

"Oh, what show?" Li Yuzhu listened intently.

"I’ll tell you..." The woman elaborated and exaggerated the events, "That young lord seemed to recognize that young lady, calling her Wenzhen, oh my, they looked at each other with such deep affection."

"That poor lady meeting that lord, might very well climb up to a high branch, her life is really fortunate."

Wenzhen? Xue Wenzhen?

That must be Xue Family.

Li Yuzhu’s eyes shifted, said, "Ah, I’ve grown up never seeing a lord, want to see what a lord looks like, where did he go?"

The first to speak was a middle-aged woman who looked Li Yuzhu up and down and joked, "Little girl, you’re too young; he wouldn’t fancy you."

Li Yuzhu sneered inwardly, I don’t fancy that guy either!

She asked others where the person went.

No one could say for sure.

Just as Li Yuzhu was thinking about where to look, someone said, "I know where they went. Follow me."

Li Yuzhu turned around to find it was Mu Yuanxiu.

Mu Yuanxiu wore a conical hat and carried a bamboo basket on his shoulder, which contained a bow and arrow, seemingly new and freshly purchased.

"You know?" She was very surprised.

"Follow me." Mu Yuanxiu grabbed her arm and led her forward.

After a while, Li Yuzhu asked him, "Did you see everything just now?"

"Yes." Mu Yuanxiu nodded, "I happened to be repairing my bow and arrow at a nearby shop."

Great, now the family scandal is out!

Li Yuzhu followed Mu Yuanxiu through the market street, and eventually, they stopped near a peasant’s house.

The house stood isolated in front of an earthen hill, made of blue bricks and red tiles, indicative of a comfortable lifestyle.

Outside that house, a carriage was parked.

There weren’t rich families in the countryside. Families with livestock mostly had cows, with a few owning mules and donkeys.

And even these livestock weren’t many.

Horses, being such high-class livestock, were rare here.

Only a few wealthy families owned them.

A large man sat in the coachman’s seat of the carriage.

The man was strong and burly, seemingly a guard.

"I saw your sister-in-law enter that house with a young man in his twenties." Mu Yuanxiu pointed to a distant house in front and told Li Yuzhu.

Li Yuzhu glanced around, dusted her sleeves, and sat down on a tree stump, "I’ll sit here and wait, I must see who that man is."

Mu Yuanxiu looked at her, "You’re that curious?"

Li Yuzhu nodded, "Of course, I need to know if my brother’s being cuckolded."

Mu Yuanxiu took off the basket and placed it on the ground, then the hat, putting them both in front of Li Yuzhu.

He then took out the bow and arrow, "You wait here; I’ll bring them out right away."

Li Yuzhu stopped him, "What are you going to do? That guard looks tough; you won’t catch anyone."

Mu Yuanxiu, seeing her tense expression, couldn’t help but smile, "Why would I catch anyone? I’m not the government, just going to scare them out."

Li Yuzhu let go of his arm, chuckling lightly, "Who’s worried about you?"

Really knows how to boast.

"Wait for me, I’ll be right back." Mu Yuanxiu threw her a deep glance, shouldered the bow, and strode towards the house.

He didn’t head for the front door but went around to the back slope of the house.

On the slope grew several tall trees, with lush branches and leaves, and birds chirping noisily, the commotion audible from afar.

Suddenly, Mu Yuanxiu drew the bow and shot an arrow into the trees.

A flock of birds flew off in fright.

One bird got hit and fell into the courtyard of the house.

Mu Yuanxiu descended the slope and came to the house’s entrance.

The man on the carriage immediately blocked his way, "What do you want?"

Mu Yuanxiu raised the bow and arrow in his hand, "Hunting. I just shot a bird that fell into your courtyard. Please, brother, let me go in and retrieve it."

The guard sneered, "What bird? Didn’t see it, scram, scram! This is a private house; you think you can just come and go as you please?"

Mu Yuanxiu looked at him, his voice cold, "Are you from out of town? Seems you’re not familiar with our local rules. If something from another household falls into one’s yard, it must be returned, or it’s considered theft. Brother, if you don’t let me in to get it, I’ll have to ask the village chief to come."

After speaking, he turned to leave.

Get the village chief involved? Wouldn’t that blow things up?

The guard couldn’t take responsibility and called after Mu Yuanxiu, "Wait! What bird did you say it was?"

"A dove."

"Wait!" The guard went forward to knock on the door, "Second Young Master? Second Young Master?"

The guard only knocked twice before the door opened.

A well-dressed young man stood at the entrance of the house, his face showing displeasure, and asked in a deep voice, "What’s the matter?"