Chapter 103 Injury

Chapter 103: Injury

"It's too much trouble to go back and forth. I think we two should make the trip, and Mother doesn't need to bother herself with it." As soon as Song Tingzhou returned home, Meng Wan told him about the flooding in various places.

Having just finished his archery and riding lessons that afternoon, Song Tingzhou was drenched in sweat. He bathed and changed into clean clothes at home, replying to his husband while dressing, "Alright, I'll ask the tutor for leave tomorrow."

Meng Wan's thoughts were serious at first, but his hand seemed to have a mind of its own, slipping onto Song Tingzhou's waist and stomach, squeezing his firm abs.

Song Tingzhou pressed his slender fingers against his own body, "Hmm?"

"Ah." Meng Wan pulled his other hand back to cover his eyes in mock shyness.

Song Tingzhou found it amusing. He bent down and gave him a quick peck on the forehead. "Alright, it's time to eat. I'll go tell Mom."

"Just the two of you going back?" Chang Jinhua asked, a little uneasy.

Meng Wan picked a piece of tender fish belly for her. "Mom, we're adults now. Can't we handle something like this?"

"That's not it. You two are a hundred times better than your father and I were at your age." But as a mother, she couldn't help worrying about her children traveling far from home. Chang Jinhua ate the fish without much enthusiasm.

Song Tingzhou's voice was steady and reliable. "I'll take good care of Wan'er and come back as soon as we've handled the family matters."

At twenty-three, his face and physique exuded the maturity and reliability of an adult male, making his words very convincing.

Once he spoke, Chang Jinhua stopped arguing. After the meal, the family busied themselves preparing supplies for the journey. Now with Bi Yun's help in organizing things, it saved Meng Wan a lot of trouble.

This trip was for serious business, so they wouldn't stay long. Besides, after autumn, Song Tingzhou would need to go to Shengjing for his imperial examinations, which made the schedule tight.

The next morning, Song Tingzhou first went to the prefectural school to request leave. When he returned, Zhu Zening accompanied him to Fourth Uncle's place to hire escort bodyguards.

This expense couldn't be spared. They had also hired escorts when they returned home for the New Year last time. With Zhu Zening's connection, it would be more convenient; otherwise, the quality of escorts varied greatly, and it would be a gamble. With his help, they hired only skilled and sensible ones.

Without any delay, Huang Zheng settled matters at Qingxiao Pavilion and came to the Song household to meet up. Meng Wan also asked Nie's husband to look after Chang Jinhua and Qingxiao Pavilion.

Bi Yun stayed home to keep Chang Jinhua company. Xue Sheng accompanied Song Tingzhou and Meng Wan on their return trip. He first drove the carriage into the alley to wait, while Meng Wan gave detailed instructions to Chang Jinhua in the backyard.

"While we're away, don't go out unless it's to buy groceries. If you must go out, go with Bi Yun."

"We have enough rice, flour, oil, and salt at home. If anything major happens, just lock the doors and stay home."

"Don't meddle in the Jiang family's affairs next door. They have their matriarch and plenty of servants, so it's not our concern."

"If you do go out, don't accept food from strangers. Bi Yun, you especially need to stay alert at all times."

Even though Meng Wan was like a son to her, Chang Jinhua couldn't resist teasing him, "Do you think everyone has as many tricks up their sleeve as you do?"

It was only later that she realized how cautious Meng Wan was when going out. No matter how close and friendly he seemed with someone, he was instinctively wary of them, refusing to use food or drink prepared by others unless it was a meal shared by everyone at a banquet.

"Oh, come on. You shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you must guard against them. Better safe than sorry."

Meng Wan climbed into the carriage and gently waved to Chang Jinhua. "Mom, we're off now."

Song Tingzhou and the hired escorts waited for them at the alley entrance.

Chang Jinhua's mind was racing, wondering if she had packed everything they needed and if anything was missing, while her casual words held a hint of reluctance. "Go on. I packed thousand-layer cake and steamed rice cake in the carriage, and the scallion pancakes that Da Lang likes. The water flasks are all full. Use it sparingly on the road; don't drink ditch water."

Meng Wan responded and ducked into the carriage. Song Tingzhou, at the alley entrance, glanced back at his mother before climbing in.

Huang Zheng drove one cart, and Meng Wan had hired another, both loaded with grain, medicinal herbs, and luggage.

A dozen escort riders rode ahead on horseback, leading the procession.

Chang Jinhua watched until they disappeared onto the main street, the carriage no longer visible, before turning back with Bi Yun.

As they reached their doorstep, a servant from the Jiang family hurriedly fetched a doctor into the Jiang residence, nearly colliding with Chang Jinhua.

Bi Yun bit her lower lip, furious. "What are they doing? Can't they see two grown people standing here?"

Her husband had just entrusted the old lady to her care, and she was almost knocked over in an instant!

Chang Jinhua wasn't very upset, but she was curious. "Could Old Lady Jiang be ill? Why the hurry?"

---

Meng Wan and their party exited the city smoothly. But within a quarter of an hour of their departure, all four gates of Changping were sealed. Garrison soldiers swiftly took over from the city guards and began checking everyone leaving the city one by one.

Troops were chasing someone from all sides. Meng Wan's carriage was also stopped. Seeing the hostile intent, one of the escorts recognized the leading soldier and hurriedly tried to ingratiate himself, respectfully offering a small pouch of silver—at least six or seven taels.

"Brother Zheng, where have you come from? In such a hurry?"

The leading soldier took the pouch, weighed it in his hand, and tucked it away with satisfaction. But his tone remained haughty and aloof.

"The prefect says someone is pretending to be a fox spirit to cause trouble. To protect the people, we have orders to check for suspicious persons. Everyone in the carriages, get out!" He barked at the end.

Even after taking the money, he didn't show any favor. The escort grimaced and called toward the carriage, "Juren Song, please and your husband, step down."

Hearing that the occupant was Master Song, the Juren, the soldier's expression softened a little.

"Routine check. Please cooperate, Master and Sir."

Song Tingzhou lifted the carriage curtain and got down first, then helped Meng Wan out. After stepping down, Meng Wan said nothing, his eyes downcast as he stood behind Song Tingzhou.

The soldier studied them for a moment, then shook his head at his companions, indicating they weren't the ones they were looking for.

Nevertheless, they still inspected the carriage and the luggage inside. Perhaps it was the escort's silver that helped, or maybe Song Tingzhou's status as a juren made the soldiers think twice. At least they only pressed down on the grain sacks with their hands rather than stabbing them with knives.

After the inspection yielded nothing, the soldiers courteously apologized to Song Tingzhou before quickly remounting and heading off to check other groups of people.

Meng Wan handed a ten-tael silver ingot to the escort who had spoken up earlier, not wanting him to lose out on his own dime.

He and Song Tingzhou got back on the carriage, and the procession began moving again toward Guyang County.

"They're gone. Aren't you coming out?" Song Tingzhou's tone was slightly cold, his demeanor restless. He rarely showed such impatience—not directed at Meng Wan, of course.

Meng Wan sat beside him, holding his arm, and whispered, "Don't tell me he's dead?"

"I'll outlive you, you know... cough... cough-cough."

The coppery smell of blood grew stronger. The floorboard under Meng Wan's feet shifted slightly, and an irritated mutter came from below.

"Hey, move your pig hoof. Your daddy wants to come up."

Meng Wan stepped firmly on the board. His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Both my dads are six feet under. Shouldn't you be joining them?"

The coppery smell of blood grew stronger. The voice began to plead, "Good brother, I spoke too harshly. Let me up already."

Meng Wan's foot shifted slightly, but Song Tingzhou seemed hesitant. He pressed his foot against Meng Wan's foot, his gaze fixed on the faint red blood line around Meng Wan's neck, full of tenderness and concern. "Get down first. I'll stay in the carriage alone."

Meng Wan leaned his head on Song Tingzhou's shoulder and said in a calm voice loud enough for the person under the carriage to hear: "It's fine. At worst, we all die together. After all, there are our people outside."

Xiao Liu pushed aside Song Tingzhou's foot from under the carriage, and a piece of the wooden board was lifted up, revealing a hole as wide as an adult man's two feet. Xiao Liu, dressed in black, nimbly climbed up like a cat.

Song Tingzhou's eyes had been wary since Xiao Liu appeared. Xiao Liu had a mouthful of curses ready, but when he opened his mouth, he spat out a large mouthful of blood mixed with some unidentifiable fragments.

Xue Sheng called softly from outside, "Master?"

Song Tingzhou's tone was cold and deep. "Nothing. Just picked up a thing."

Xue Sheng must have noticed long ago, but since his master hadn't said anything, he remained alert silently.

Xiao Liu, while clumsily wiping the blood from his lips with his sleeve, retorted weakly, "You're the damn thing, you bastard."

The coldness in Meng Wan's eyes deepened. "If you don't want to travel with us, get the hell off the carriage now."

He also pointed to the sticky, bloodstained floor of the carriage and said with disgust, "Clean up your own vomit. If it attracts the soldiers, don't blame us."

Xiao Liu, severely injured and half dead, was still ordered to work by the couple. Panting, he tore off the leg of his trousers to wipe the carriage. Luckily, most of the vomit had gone into the hole. He wiped the surrounding blood stains clean, threw the cloth down through the hole, put the wooden board back in place, and sat in the carriage gasping for breath.

Looking across, Song Tingzhou fished out the medicine that Meng Wan had prepared earlier from under the seat and carefully applied it to Meng Wan's neck.

"Tsk, such a small wound. It'll scab over soon. And you still bother to apply medicine? What a waste," Xiao Liu said disdainfully, but his eyes unconsciously drifted to the two of them, as if learning how they interacted.

Meng Wan's collar was pulled open a little, revealing his slender, snow-white neck. The bright red scar on his fair skin was even more conspicuous. The carriage was muggy, and his neck was covered with fine beads of sweat. Touching the wound sent a shiver of pain through him.

But Meng Wan dared not show it; he was afraid that Song Tingzhou would worry about him.

Song Tingzhou carefully took some medicinal powder and dabbed it onto Meng Wan's wound with a clean handkerchief, afraid of hurting him, moving slowly and cautiously.

"It's hot, so don't wrap it with gauze. We'll apply medicine often."

"Mhm."

Meng Wan's eyes were full of tired affection toward Song Tingzhou. His neck was tired from holding it up, so he slowly leaned on Song Tingzhou's shoulder. "Thirsty."

Song Tingzhou picked up the canteen beside him and was about to feed him water.

Xiao Liu, being treated like he was invisible, finally couldn't help saying in a strange voice, "Hey, I want water too."

Meng Wan, half-leaning in Song Tingzhou's arms, was fed two sips of water. His dark eyes stared unblinkingly at Xiao Liu and said, "You hurt me, and we're taking you in despite that, and you still ask for water?"

Xiao Liu sniffled awkwardly. "I did it unintentionally."

As someone who had been strangled as soon as he got on the carriage, Meng Wan didn't want to hear his nonsense. "Speak. Who are you? Those soldiers earlier were looking for you, weren't they? We didn't hand you over, so you should show us some sincerity."

Xiao Liu looked impatient. "What sincerity? Knowing too much is not good for you. Just safely deliver me to Guqing County, and I will repay you."

Meng Wan narrowed his eyes slightly and murmured, "Guqing County... Yan Changsheng?"

Xiao Liu looked at him as if seeing a ghost. "You're the monster. What Yan Changsheng? I don't know what you're talking about."

Meng Wan chuckled. "It's fine if you don't know. I once taught Magistrate Yan how to grow potatoes. When we pass through Guqing County, I'll go ask him then."

Yan Changsheng was a man who loved his country and his people. Even in the complex environment of Changping Prefecture, where officials at all levels colluded to embezzle and levy arbitrary taxes, he was caught in the middle yet remained single-mindedly devoted to the people.

In the second year after potatoes were discovered, Yan Changsheng identified himself and came to ask Meng Wan about the method of cultivating potatoes.

He learned from an old farmer that Meng Wan had once instructed him, and to avoid any errors, he was willing to humbly ask for advice from Meng Wan, a mere young man.

Meng Wan didn't know too much himself, but thinking about Song Tingzhou's future official career, he couldn't help but get interested. After some research and consulting farmers in the fields, he managed to come up with a rough cultivation method.

Seeing that he spoke so convincingly, Xiao Liu became much more honest and for once told the truth, "I was delivering something to him. Something went wrong on the road, that's how I ran into you."

Meng Wan's gaze was sharp. "Did you take something remarkable from Prefect Wu?" Something worth Prefect Wu making a big fuss and dispatching soldiers to search for couldn't be simple. The recent floods, plus the good county magistrate caught in the middle, made it both chaotic and easy to guess.

Xiao Liu pressed his lips tight and looked at him incredulously.

"Fuck! Damn it, what did I say?"

Without needing to confirm from his mouth, Meng Wan could already get the general information just from his eyes.

He exchanged a glance with Song Tingzhou, their expressions shocked and uncertain. "Not easy to handle."

If the thing wasn't important, they couldn't topple Prefect Wu in one go, and Yan Changsheng obtaining it would only bring disaster upon himself.

But if the thing was extremely critical, that would be even more fatal. For Yan Changsheng, a mere county magistrate, to bypass his superior and bring charges against his superior would be incredibly difficult.

How could he know how many officials in this vast northern land were colluding with each other?

This Xiao Liu was really a trouble-maker, and moreover...

Meng Wan asked suspiciously, "Is your name really Xiao Liu?"

Xiao Liu looked up at the sky and down at the ground, his eyes darting around, and answered in a barely audible voice, "Uh-huh."

Meng Wan almost laughed in frustration. This Xiao Liu had many secrets, neither wholly good nor evil, and definitely had blood on his hands.

"A concubine's son of the Zhu family died three years ago. Was that your doing?"

Mentioning Zhu Zeyu, a flicker of disgust crossed Xiao Liu's face. He didn't deny it at all. "That kind of scumbag deserves to die."

Xiao Liu's malice was too heavy; every other word out of his mouth was "scumbag" or "deserves to die."

"Then why did you appear in the Jiang family?" This was what puzzled Meng Wan most. Was the Jiang family also connected to Prefect Wu?

Xiao Liu seemed a bit uncomfortable; a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, which he roughly wiped away. "I was doing fine in the Wu family, but then a whole bunch of troubles came up."

He pointed his finger at Song Tingzhou. "Your husband's good classmate, as if heartless and brainless, went against his own father. Stubbornly said that since he was a free man in the first half of his life, he would never be entered into the Wu family genealogy in the second half. That old bastard got angry and let the main wife poison him. That woman is black-hearted and ruthless, and she conveniently got rid of all the people in the way. She covered up the traces and made me the scapegoat."

Meng Wan was startled. "So you were the young man in red on the sunken boat back then."

"You saw that too?"

Xiao Liu raised an eyebrow. "Seems like you know quite a few things too."

As he spoke, another trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. Seeing this, Meng Wan, despite his stiff neck, rummaged around in the carriage and handed him a medicine bottle. "This is a pill to suppress internal bleeding. You have external injuries too, right? I have medicinal powder here."