At this critical moment, there was a "clang" sound, and the dagger in the man's hand flew far away - it was Yuchi Jiming who heard Qiu Yizi's cry for help and rushed over. He used the same move that he used to knock down the sharp blade in Miao Zhen's hand to knock the dagger in the man's hand down.
However, Miao Zhen's martial arts skills were much stronger than this scoundrel. After being hit by the same move by Yuchi Jiming, Miao Zhen was still able to continue fighting. However, the man's wrist bone was broken, and one of his hands swung down like a willow in the wind. He completely lost his fighting ability and screamed in pain.
Yuchi Jiming hit the target with one strike, and then with extremely swift movements, he beat up the ruffians who were pressing on Qiu Yizi, breaking their bones and tendons - for a moment, there was wailing in front of the Confucius Temple.
Qiu Yizi stood up and brushed off the dust and dirt on his body, complaining to Yuchi Jiming: "I called you for a long time, why did you come just now? If you had come a step later, your uncle would have passed away. How would you explain to your father when you go back?"
Yuchi Jiming stuck out his tongue and said, "I heard my uncle calling me a long time ago, but there are too many people here and the roads are rough. I can't climb walls and climb roofs in broad daylight, so I finally found my uncle. Look, it's not too late for me to take action. Didn't my uncle lose a single hair?"
"Not less? Look at how I rubbed it here." As he spoke, Qiu Yizi lifted up his sleeves, revealing a palm-sized patch of skin on his left forearm. "Look how painful it is!"
Yuchi Jiming laughed and said, "Is this also called an injury? For martial artists, every day there will be little scrapes and bumps like this."
While the two were talking, they suddenly heard the sound of a horn from outside the crowd. A group of patrolling officers and soldiers rushed in. The leader was wearing a captain's uniform, with a big belly and a full beard. He shouted, "Who? I'm on duty today. Who dares to gather here to fight? Don't you want to live? All the bystanders, get back here. Otherwise, if you are caught, I will beat you with fifty sticks first!"
When the onlookers heard what he said, they immediately dispersed.
Qiu Yizhi was in the right, so of course he would not leave, and he said to the captain, "What is the name of this military officer? I am the new magistrate of Shanyin County, Qiu Yizhi. I saw these ruffians committing crimes in the street, so I had to teach them a lesson." He handed his name card to the captain, and then said, "Since the captain is here, I have nothing to do here. I will leave now and will not hinder the captain from enforcing the law."
The bearded captain knew a few words. Seeing the clear words on the name card, he knew that the young man in front of him was telling the truth. He returned the name card to Qiu Yizi, saluted and said, "Since you are a county magistrate, you must be right. My surname is Zhang, but I am just a small city patrol captain. Please do as you please."
After saying this, Captain Zhang turned around and walked towards the group of wounded scoundrels.
The leading man was not afraid at all when he saw the soldiers coming. He shouted loudly: "Zhang, look who I am!"
Zhang Qianzong took a closer look and was so frightened that he knelt down, kowtowed and said, "So it's the young master who is here. I'm sorry that I didn't recognize him..."
"Stop talking nonsense. This is the man you just talked to. He beat me up like this. Why don't you arrest him for me? I want to interrogate him myself." The man said viciously.
Captain Zhang said with an embarrassed look on his face: "Master, this is not appropriate, is it? That man is a county magistrate! Please don't make it difficult for me!"
"What a difficult job!" the man cursed, "He's just a small county magistrate, what's so great about him? Just arrest him for me, and you have no right to take care of other things!"
Hearing this, Captain Zhang sighed softly, nodded, and turned around and walked to Qiu Yizi again, saying, "Master Qiu, I have no choice. Please go with the young master and don't resist in vain, so as not to hurt your dignity."
Qiu Yizi had never expected that a sixth-rank military commander would listen to the orders of such a scoundrel in such a prosperous place as Confucius Temple. He guessed that the scoundrel's identity was extraordinary, so he deliberately asked, "General, I wonder who that gentleman was just now. He was so majestic that a man of blood like you had to obey his orders?"
Captain Zhang blushed at what Qiu Yizhi said, but he could do nothing about it. He just said, "Don't ask any more questions, sir. I can't afford to offend this man, and neither can you. If you listen to me, apologize to him, and take a few beatings, it will be fine when he calms down."
Qiu Yizi asked back: "What if I don't listen to the general?"
Captain Zhang sighed again and said, "I, too, have elderly parents and young children to support, and I rely on this official uniform to support my family! Oh, I am sorry for the offense!" After saying that, he was about to call on his soldiers to capture Qiu Yizi.
If Qiu Yizi was only slightly panicked when facing that group of scoundrels just now, he is now terrified and chilled to the extreme - you have to know that this is not the wilderness, nor a den of thieves in a mountain village, but under broad daylight and in a busy city, a team of soldiers who are supposed to maintain order dare to act in a way that breaks the law - it's really hard to tell to what extent the Han Dynasty has become rotten!
Yuchi Jiming on the side didn't think as much or as deeply as Qiu Yizi. As a little girl, she only knew that the person opposite was an enemy, not a friend. She twisted her waist, moved forward, and in the blink of an eye, she had knocked down five or six officers including Captain Zhang to the ground.
Seeing this, Qiu Yizhi thought to himself, "Not good. Beating a police officer is a serious crime. With my true identity, it will be no problem for me to escape unscathed, but my career as an official in Jiangnan Province has come to an end."
Just as Qiu Yizhi was racking his brains to figure out how to get out of this situation, he heard a woman's voice shouting, "Sir! You've gotten into big trouble! Come with me, maybe you can save your life!"
Qiu Yizi looked in the direction of the voice and saw Wu Ruofei hiding in the sedan chair - she was sticking her head out and shouting at him.
Qiu Yizi hurriedly caught up with him and asked, "I wonder if you have any good ideas to save me?"
Wu Ruofei said: "I don't have any other solution, but this place is really not a place to stay for long. If you trust me, please take shelter with me first, and then we can think of a solution later!"
Qiu Yizi looked at her incredibly beautiful face, which was full of worry, anxiety and sincerity. He had unconsciously given her all his trust and said, "Okay, but I don't know where the girl wants to go?"
Wu Ruofei blushed and said, "It's not a good place to go. Sir, there's no need to ask more questions. Just let me lead the way."
As they were talking, Wang Laowu had also heard the news and rushed over. Qiu Yizi then let Wu Ruofei lie on Wang Laowu's back and lead the way.
Seeing Wu Ruofei, Qiu Yizi and others' request, the man was also anxious, and hurriedly ordered a few ruffians under his command to stop them. Those people had already been scared by Yuchi Jiming, and they just stayed there stupidly and dared not move forward.
So Wang Laowu carried Wu Ruofei and walked in front, Qiu Yizi followed closely behind, and Yuchi Jiming deliberately slowed down and stayed at the back. The group turned to the crowded place on the main road, and soon they arrived at a brothel.
Qiu Yizi looked up at the plaque, on which were written the three words "Jiangyun Tower" - indeed, this was the brothel where Wu Ruofei lived.
Seeing this, Qiu Yizi was a little hesitant for a moment because of her status.
Wu Ruofei was very considerate. She saw what Qiu Yizhi was thinking and said, "Sir, don't think this place is lowly. There are many dignitaries here. Even those arrogant people like those just now would not dare to come here to cause trouble easily."
Qiu Yizi nodded and stepped into the "Jiangyun Tower".
Before the sun sets, the Jiangyun Tower is already packed with guests and friends. The sounds of clinking glasses, talking and laughing are endless. It is truly a prosperous scene with flowers in full bloom and oil boiling in the fire.
However, as soon as Wu Ruofei stepped into the gate of "Jiangyun Tower", everyone's attention was attracted to himself, and the whole lively scene suddenly became quiet.
The madam came up to Wu Ruofei from nowhere and said with a smile, "Miss, you said you were going to Confucius Temple to burn incense and fulfill your vows, why did it take you so long to come back? Were you pestered by some scholar to write poems again?"
Wu Ruofei was a woman after all. After hearing what the madam said, she could no longer control her emotions and sobbed, "Mom! I was bullied today and I almost couldn't see you!" As she spoke, tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, so pitiful that she couldn't count them.
When the madam heard this, she flew into a rage and yelled, "Who is this blind little beast? How dare you embarrass Miss Wu from our Jiangyun Tower? Do you think your life is too long? Miss, tell me his name and where he lives, and I will find someone to cut off one of his arms to vent your anger!"
Wu Ruofei calmed down a little, took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, wiped her tears, and gently squeezed out three words from between her teeth: "It's Yin Tai."
The madam, who was just filled with righteous indignation, lost her temper immediately upon hearing this name. She was silent for a moment before she said, "That's not surprising. I just wonder if the girl has been bullied by him?"
Wu Ruofei shook her head, looking unhappy, then turned around and pointed at Qiu Yizhi and the other three and said, "Fortunately, we have this young master and his two friends to help..."
Upon hearing this, the madam immediately interrupted and said to Qiu Yizi, "Oh, I really have to thank this young master. Miss Wu is the signature of our Jiangyun Tower. If someone treats her badly, we will not be able to open Jiangyun Tower. I have to thank you very much! Alas, what can I say to thank you? Money is the most practical. Young master, name a price, and I, the madam, will never say anything back!"
Qiu Yizi smiled and shook his head, saying: "I am just indignant for a moment. Besides, this matter was caused by me, so I have to take action! Since the girl has been sent here, I will take my leave now!" After saying that, Qiu Yizi turned around and was about to leave.
Unexpectedly, Wu Ruofei reached out and grabbed Qiu Yizi's wrist, saying, "Sir, please go slowly. I have a few words to say to you." After that, his hand loosened again.
When Qiu Yizi was held like this by her, half of her body suddenly went limp. She naturally couldn't walk anymore. She could only stand there, quietly looking at Wu Ruofei, waiting for her to speak.
But Wu Ruofei said to the madam again: "Mom, these people saved my life. I want to play a song for them. Is that okay?"
The madam smiled and said, "The young lady is loyal and righteous, no wonder so many customers like her. Since the young lady is in such a good mood, how dare I say anything more?" After saying that, her face suddenly turned fierce and she glared at Qiu Yizi, thinking: I'm letting you get away with it today. This song by Miss Wu is worth three thousand taels of silver!
So Wu Ruofei personally led Qiu Yizi, Yuchi Jiming and Wang Laowu upstairs, which attracted the admiration of the people downstairs.
But someone downstairs summoned up the courage to shout, "Miss Wu, who bullied you? Tell me his name and I'll kill him. I don't want you to eat, drink and sing with me, just give me the handkerchief you used to wipe your tears!"
Before he finished speaking, someone mocked him, "Why don't you look in the mirror? You look like a toad. Do you still want to stand up for Wu Ruofei? Maybe in your next life!"
Then there was a burst of laughter, and the noise in Jiangyun Tower returned to normal. (To be continued)