Chapter 44 – A Trip to the Marketplace

Chapter 44 - A Trip to the Marketplace

Peng Wang pointed at the crowd and asked, "Who here believes that these two were injured by the Hes?"

At that moment, several families staying at the inn hurried over, drawn by the commotion.

Upon hearing Peng Wang's question, everyone shook their heads, expressing their disbelief.

Not only did they not believe it, but He Zhiyuan himself was also skeptical.

On one hand, he had failed to find the real culprit; on the other, he wanted to take this opportunity to make life difficult for the Mos.

Little did he know that Peng Wang was not swayed by his tactics.

There was no turning back once an arrow was loosed, and since He Zhiyuan had already spoken, he had to see it through.

"Sir, you say she's incapable, but look around you—only the Mos hate us the most. Who else could it be if not them?"

"Shut up!" Peng Wang's patience had been entirely drained by He Zhiyuan's antics. With a loud roar, He Zhiyuan fell silent.

Zhou Laoba stepped forward.

"Boss, I'll check if they're still alive."

"Precisely." Peng Wang shared the same sentiment – it was crucial to determine whether the two were still breathing or not.

Zhou Laoba examined their nostrils and turned back.

"Boss, they're not dead."

Indeed, Mo Jiuye hadn't killed them; he felt that letting them die so easily would be too lenient. Thus, he had been meticulous when dealing with them.

The previous night, he had sneaked out and gone straight to the shed. After locating the He brothers, he had incapacitated them with pressure point strikes, then dragged them to a corner to sever their tendons in both hands and feet.

As for the blood on their faces, Mo Jiuye had deliberately smeared it there after pricking their wrists to draw blood. The intention was to make them appear more terrifying, to intimidate the Li and He families.

Since the men were still alive, Peng Wang, as part of his duty, had to at least make a symbolic effort to save them.

The first person that came to Peng Wang's mind was He Zhiran.

"He Zhiran, you're the only one here with medical knowledge. Why don't you take a look at them?"

After interacting with her for these two days, Peng Wang knew that He Zhiran had her own opinions and wouldn't easily follow his instructions.

Nonetheless, he still had to ask her to treat the injured men.

The Ho family didn't have the money to hire a doctor, and Peng Wang wasn't willing to pay for it out of his own pocket.

Even if He Zhiran were to accidentally kill them during treatment, it would be fine.

He Zhiran had already carefully examined the wounds on both men. She had to admit that Mo Jiuye's method of severing tendons in their limbs was remarkable.

The wounds were as small as those from minimally invasive surgeries in her previous life, and there was no need for stitches.

Moreover, the fact that the two men were still alive indicated that Mo Jiuye had avoided their major arteries.

Treating these two men wouldn't be difficult. All she needed to do was stop the bleeding and nurse them back to health gradually. She might even be able to reconnect their severed tendons.

However, she felt no obligation to heal her enemy.

"Sir Peng, I'm not skilled in treating external injuries. You should seek other means!"

After all, the two men wouldn't die. Their limbs were merely crippled, rendering them invalids for life even if they survived.

Seeing Peng Wang's impending fury, He Zhiran hastily added, "Sir Peng, surely you won't force someone to do the impossible?"

Peng Wang...

Given her clear refusal, it would indeed be pushing too far if he insisted.

With no choice, Peng Wang waved his hand, dismissing He Zhiran.

Having had her fill of the spectacle, He Zhiran seized the opportunity to return to the inn's main courtyard.

Her two sisters-in-law had prepared breakfast – a large cast-iron pot filled with white porridge and a side dish.

He Zhiran took the initiative to invite the Fang and Xie families to share a meal, receiving their heartfelt gratitude once more.

Regardless of how Peng Wang had dealt with the incident involving the injured He brothers, by the time the officials returned, the chaos at the shed had subsided.

Upon seeing the Mo family, along with the Fangs and Xies, enjoying their rice porridge, the officials felt that their steamed buns suddenly lost their appeal.

However, noticing that the large iron pot was nearly empty, they reluctantly moved away.

After breakfast, Zhou Laoba came to fetch He Zhiran to go to the market together.

With a long list of items to purchase, she pushed a wooden cart.

As they approached the inn's entrance, she noticed Li Hu waiting there, his gaze on her carrying an eerie undertone.

He Zhiran pretended not to see him.

"Lord Zhou, let's go!" Zhou Laoba didn't say anything further and walked alongside Li Hu in front of them.

Turning a corner, the crowd thickened, and He Zhiran knew they were nearing the market.

Zhou Laoba halted and pointed ahead, saying, "This is the marketplace. We need to buy some dried food. You follow behind and purchase anything you require."

He Zhiran had no intention of shopping alongside two law enforcers.

Her space still held plenty of food that she'd moved from the Mo family's residence before their downfall. If she accompanied them, she would lose her chance to retrieve it.

So, He Zhiran's eyes rolled with an idea.

"Officer Zhou, you see, I have quite a list of items to buy. It might delay your time significantly if I'm with you. How about I go alone and we agree on a specific meeting time and place?"

Zhou Laoba hesitated.

He Zhiran was a convict, and if she stepped out of his sight, she could potentially escape. A prisoner's escape was no trifling matter for an officer; returning to the capital would mean punishment.

Seeing Zhou Laoba's hesitation, He Zhiran decided to explain her reasoning more thoroughly.

"Sir Zhou, if I had no intention of accompanying my husband into exile, with my father's capabilities, he would surely find a way to keep me in the capital. It wouldn't be foolish of me to attempt an escape during our exile," He Zhiran argued logically. "Moreover, the Mo family is still at the inn. I couldn't possibly abandon them and flee alone."

Zhou Laoba agreed with He Zhiran's reasoning, though his innate timidity still fueled his concerns. At that moment, Li Hu interjected.

"Brother Eight, I believe Miss He has a valid point. If she were to attempt an escape, I'll personally break Mo Jiuye's legs upon our return."

On the surface, Li Hu seemed to be defending He Zhiran, but she sensed an ulterior motive behind his words. Perhaps he intended for her not to return, thus helping Li Rouer get rid of a thorn in her side while also providing an opportunity to torment Mo Jiuye.

This made He Zhiran suspicious of Li Hu's true identity. He might have been instructed by someone to appear as an official on duty but was, in reality, a spy keeping watch over Mo Jiuye.

If this was the case, Li Hu could not be allowed to remain.

Despite these thoughts swirling in her mind, He Zhiran's expression remained composed and unruffled.

"Magistrate Zhou, I assure you, I won't run away," she said earnestly.

"Brother Eight, stop hesitating. Our mission takes precedence," Li Hu urged again.

With great reluctance, Zhou Laoba nodded. "Very well, I'll trust you this once. Meet us back here before noon."

Relieved that her plan had succeeded, He Zhiran let out a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, I promise I won't be late."

Parting ways with the two officers, Zhiran steered her wooden cart straight for the bustling marketplace.

The market was abuzz with activity, filled with vendors calling out their wares and a constant flow of people. With limited time, Zhiran merely glanced around at the lively scene casually.

Along the street, various shops were open for business, their doors ajar, inviting customers inside.