Chapter 10: No Delay

Chapter 10: No Delay

Changji felt wronged: "Didn't you always find it troublesome when ladies pester you?"

Wei Shuyi countered, "Do you know that this Lady Chang is the most beautiful woman in the Capital City?"

Changji retorted, "But isn’t the most beautiful woman in the Capital City Madam?"

Wei Shuyi smiled: "Do you really believe that?"

Changji: "..."

Indeed, whenever Guogong spoke of it, his expression was as firm as a rock, leaving no room for doubt.

So—

Is Master Wei also someone who judges by appearance?

If other ladies pester him, he can't tolerate it, but if it's the most beautiful woman in the Capital City, then it’s a different matter?

"Considering your master here is getting older and not as young as before, how could I possibly catch the eye of those young ladies?" Wei Shuyi rose from behind his desk, speaking earnestly: "Therefore, don't put too much praise on your master. It only invites ridicule. Self-deception is not good; in the future, act normally and save me some face."

Looking at his master's flawless face, Changji briefly doubted life.

Old and faded Wei Shuyi?

Then wouldn't he be... bloodied and bruised Wei Changji!

"Since Lady Chang doesn't come to see me, it's only right that I should go to see her."

Changji couldn't help asking: "Master, are you going to see her now?"

Wei Shuyi looked at the already dark sky outside: "Then let's go early tomorrow morning."

The next morning, Wei Shuyi went to the courtyard where Chang Suining was staying.

"Out again?" Changji widened his eyes.

"Yes, Lady Chang went to bed early last night and got up before dawn today. She had her breakfast early too," the servant replied: "That's why she left so early."

Wei Shuyi found it amusing and nodded: "Eating well, sleeping well, and enjoying outings—very good."

Saying this, he turned around with his hands behind his back: "Let's go to the government office."

Changji responded with "Yes" and followed his master, muttering: "If any other lady encountered such a disaster, they would surely cry and be terrified, probably not even daring to leave their rooms... But this Lady Chang, besides eating and sleeping, seems to have no qualms about going out."

"Indeed, she's worry-free." Wei Shuyi sighed: "Yu Gong's favor, though I know it's a freebie, is so effortless that I didn't expect it to be this easy."

As he walked, he squinted his clear, bright eyes towards the rising sun.

The early chill was dispelled, and new buds sprouted on the plants.

In a teahouse near the Hezhou government office, it was bustling even in the early morning.

Tea guests sat in groups of two or three, mostly discussing matters related to the Prefectural Governor's residence and Zhou Village.

Chang Suining sat by the window on the second floor, seemingly oblivious to the voices. With one hand supporting her cheek and the other playing with her teacup, she looked down at the long street below, bored.

Across the street, not far away, was the Hezhou government office. That morning, she had seen many people coming out of the office, mostly women or those with disabilities—

Wei Shuyi's envoy had temporarily taken over the Hezhou government office and was working with local officials to handle the case. The people from Zhou Village were all brought here the previous night. After a day and night of interrogation, it was determined who were the victims. Some were sent back to their original homes, while others were resettled in Hezhou.

"Master, look, that's the Village Headman's family..." Aché whispered.

A limping woman, just coming out of the government office, held a little girl's hand.

A teenager, around thirteen or fourteen years old, rushed up without a word and tried to grab the woman's bag: "Give it to me!"

"What are you doing!" The woman dodged the teenager's hand and stepped back with her daughter.

"Since the government allocated resettlement money, it should be mine!" the teenager shouted angrily: "Father is being killed because of you! How dare you live after what you've done!"

His own mother had testified against his father in the government office. She answered questions the officials asked and even volunteered information they didn't ask for!

The teenager reached out to grab again, but something small hit the back of his head.

"Who did that!"

He turned around angrily, only to get hit in the eye.

The teenager cried out in pain, covering his eye with one hand. Looking with the other, he saw a peanut on the ground: "Which coward threw this at me!"

On the second floor, Chang Suining, leaning casually against the windowsill, put the dried jujube flesh into her mouth.

"Ouch!"

The sharp pit hit the teenager's forehead, breaking the skin and drawing blood.

Fortunately, the person throwing it had only accuracy, not strength; otherwise, it would have been more than just a scratch.

"...The Village Headman's son was also released. He caught and beat people. I saw it with my own eyes!" Aché said.

Chang Suining lightly brushed off the crumbs on her hand and looked at the limping woman.

What else could it be? The mother, being soft-hearted, covered for her son, helping to obscure the truth—

But growing up in such an environment, learning by example, what kind of person could he be?

Still, the path is ultimately chosen by oneself.

The young man took several hits in succession and couldn't figure out who was hitting him. For a moment, he didn't dare to shout into the air anymore and instead grabbed the woman with a grim face. "Let's go!"

"Let go of Mother!"

The little girl cried as she chased after them and was kicked hard to the ground by the young man.

The woman's face turned completely pale, her eyes red as she forcefully pushed the young man away. "Have you gone mad? Niu Niu is your own sister!"

Voices of discussion and criticism rose around them. The young man, whose life had suddenly changed dramatically, gritted his teeth and raised his fist toward the woman.

"Stop it!"

A group of guards with swords approached quickly. The young man's expression changed, and he nervously withdrew his fist.

Changji led the way over, frowning and asked, "What's the commotion here?"

The master had instructed that while carrying out their duties, maintaining order among the townspeople was equally important.

"Sir, sir...!" The limping woman recognized him as the one who had surrounded Zhou Village the other night. She pointed at the young man through tears. "I can testify that in the case of Zhou Village kidnapping and harming innocent civilians, he was also an accomplice!"

After all, he was her own flesh and blood. She had thought that leaving Zhou Village and escaping from that den of devils would make everything better—but now it seemed he was no different from his devilish father!

Even for Niu Niu's sake, she could no longer be soft-hearted!

Hearing this, Changji ordered his men to restrain the young man.

"How... How could you be so cruel and heartless!" The young man looked at the woman in disbelief and struggled. "Let me go!"

"Take him away."

"No, I didn't do it, she's framing me..." The young man's tone gradually turned panicked, eventually becoming a plea for mercy: "Mother, I was wrong, I know I was wrong! Please explain to them!"

The woman closed her tearful eyes and refused to look at him any longer.

Watching the young man being dragged away, Chang Suining breathed a sigh of relief—things weren't too bad yet.

At this moment, inside the carriage not far behind Changji, a curtain was lifted by a large, fair, and slender hand.

Behind the curtain, the young master's face resembled the serene beauty of spring mountains, with clear and distinct features.

The young master raised his gaze and met hers.

Chang Suining, leaning on the windowsill with her cheek resting on her hand, slightly raised her eyebrows, remaining calm and composed.

Wei Shuyi's brow twitched slightly, and he smiled gently, nodding at her.

Chang Suining responded with a slight nod of her head.

Dressed as a young master, her composed demeanor made it seem as if nothing could ruffle her. This made Wei Shuyi silently chuckle and lower the curtain.

The carriage soon left, heading towards the government office.

Not long after, Changji hurried upstairs and delivered a message: "My master wishes to invite Lady Chang to wait here until he finishes his official duties, then he will come to see Lady Chang."

Chang Suining remained noncommittal. "I'll stay until noon."

After all, she needed to return to the residence for lunch at noon.

"... " Changji somehow understood the implication behind her "no waiting past noon" and silently bowed before leaving.

Just before noon, Wei Shuyi arrived.