Xiaohua pointed at the man and said angrily, "He's the one who beat her, and it's not the first time! I live right next door and I hear him beating his wife every other day."
The old woman sneered coldly, "What wife doesn't get beaten by her own man? With your ugly face, you'll definitely get beaten every day in the future."
"No, wait, you're so ugly that no one would want you even if you were given away for free," she added, full of malice.
Wu Qing spat at her. "Bah! My Ah Hua is so beautiful, and I cherish her dearly. As long as she is willing to marry me, I would marry her right this instant."
"When I marry Xiaohua, I will definitely dote on her. I won't be like some people who only know how to throw their weight around at home but are absolutely nothing out in the real world."
The old woman wiped away the spit, thoroughly disgusted.
"You godforsaken ugly freak! Once you marry this ugly monster, let's see what kind of thing you two will give birth to. It will definitely be a huge ugly monster without nostrils."
The crowd was speechless. What vicious words.
Only, they didn't understand why it would be without nostrils? Shouldn't it be born without an asshole?
Amidst the noise, Liu Mi hurried over with two apothecary boys. Seeing the woman's injuries, she quickly squatted down to examine her.
A moment later, her expression turned cold, and she immediately directed the boys to carefully lift the injured woman onto a stretcher.
"This woman's injuries are very severe. Her right hand is fractured, and she likely has a broken rib. She also has trauma to her forehead and body. We must return to the clinic for treatment as soon as possible, otherwise..."
Guan Jiang nodded. "Alright, Lady Liu, please take her back to the clinic for treatment first."
Not long after Liu Mi left, Luo Qingci arrived with a few bailiffs. She had already heard the whole story on her way here.
She glanced at the man. "Take him back to the county office first. I hope you onlookers can cooperate and give a statement about what happened."
The man was somewhat frightened now, but he still retorted, "On what grounds are you taking me to the county office? That's my wife. Even if I beat her to death, it's my own business."
The old woman, sporting a messy head of hair, cried out about being wronged. "We are innocent! They were the ones who hit us first. You can't arrest us. If you want to arrest anyone, arrest them."
Luo Qingci wasn't going to indulge her. "Obstructing official business. Take them both away."
The old woman panicked. "No, you can't arrest me! We... we were the ones who got beaten! Is there no justice left? Everyone, come judge for yourselves! Why should we be arrested?"
However, the onlookers merely watched her wailing and screaming with cold indifference.
Most of the people gathered here were neighbors, and everyone knew a little about her family affairs. They all saw how she normally either beat or scolded her daughter-in-law.
The bailiffs quickly stepped forward and restrained the man and the old woman.
Luo Qingci then looked at Xiaohua, Li Changming, and the others. "Cooperate with the bailiffs to take your statements. You will definitely be summoned when the time comes, and I hope you will cooperate."
Li Changming replied sheepishly, "Cooperate, I will definitely cooperate."
Xiaohua only now felt afraid. She was terrified of being kicked out of Gefeng. Her family had finally managed to secure a good life for themselves. "I will cooperate too. If... if I am required to pay for the medical expenses, I... I am willing to pay."
Her heart bled as she said this. Three people in her family were working, and their combined wages were quite a bit.
But this money was needed to cover the family's food and living expenses, especially since winter would arrive in two months, and they needed to prepare thick clothes and heavy quilts.
She had also wanted to rent a courtyard house. Because of her impulsiveness, the last two months of work might have all been in vain.
But thinking of Sister Mu's miserable state, she felt she had done nothing wrong.
Luo Qingci nodded, unable to help but give her an extra glance; she was a responsible woman.
Before long, the bailiffs finished taking the statements.
Luo Qingci shouted to the crowd, "Nothing more to see, everyone disperse."
After saying that, she left with the bailiffs escorting the prisoners.
Guan Jiang was about to follow, but after taking two steps, he remembered his task for the day.
He turned back somewhat awkwardly to look at Qiu Liao and his companion. "Let's go, I'll take you to the Gefeng Inn. You'll be staying there today."
Jiang Jin had instructed earlier that if it was too late, they should be arranged to stay at the inn directly, and any business could wait until tomorrow.
By now, the sky had already darkened, so he wouldn't take them to disturb the Lord.
Qiu Liao stroked his beard. "The women of your Gefeng are all very impressive."
The City Lord was a woman, the county magistrate was a woman, the doctor was a woman, and it was said that the head of the academy was also a woman.
Most of the commoners in the city who stepped up bravely for a just cause were also women, and they were all so fierce.
Guan Jiang chuckled twice. "Of course, our female soldiers are also very formidable. Anyway, you'll find out in the future."
Qiu Liao thought to himself, no need for the future, I already know now.
The three of them quickly arrived at the Gefeng Inn. By this time, the sky was completely dark.
Two servants had been arranged at the inn. They had already lit the oil lamps. The light flickered, casting a warm yellow glow.
Qiu Liao and his companion were arranged to stay in the Bamboo Courtyard, which was considered a very high standard, especially since Jiang Jin was letting them stay for free.
Guan Jiang smiled and said, "Dinner will be brought over shortly. Take a rest first."
Qiu Liao replied politely, "Sorry for the intrusion."
Guan Jiang waved his hand. "It's my duty, it's nothing."
Nan Wen, just like Sheng Shang and the others before him, was greatly shocked by the glass windows. "What... what is this?"
Guan Jiang immediately introduced it to them. "This is glass, unique to our Gefeng. It's completely transparent. You'll be able to see it more clearly when it's light out tomorrow."
He then highlighted the heated brick bed, the kang. "Last year, thanks to this kang, not a single person in Gefeng froze to death. These were all brought by our Lord."
Listening to this, Nan Wen felt as if he were hearing a fantastical tale. "You're saying that this kang will become warm once a fire is lit?"
Guan Jiang nodded. "That's right. You can try it out when winter comes."
Nan Wen was greatly astonished, knocking here and there on the kang.
Qiu Liao's expression didn't change much as he listened to Guan Jiang continue to introduce the tables, chairs, and so on.
As the three conversed, the servants came in carrying the food.
Guan Jiang hurriedly beckoned, "Come, come, try our white radish, and the potatoes, the crops we saw today. Ah, there's even mutton! I'm benefiting from your good fortune."
Even after finishing dinner and Guan Jiang had left, Qiu Liao and Nan Wen were still reminiscing about the meal they had just eaten.
The potatoes were soft and starchy, the radishes were sweet and crisp, and there was a fiery, warming sensation, supposedly from something called chili peppers.
The key point was that these crops were highly productive and delicious!
The mutton was cooked to be tender and juicy, with a rich and mellow flavor.
Nan Wen slumped comfortably in his chair. He hadn't eaten such a full meal in a very, very long time. "Strategist, it's not that I'm just greedy for food, but I think we should come down from the mountain. Gefeng is good."
Qiu Liao remained silent. Gefeng was indeed good!
"Once we come down from the mountain, you will be part of the Jinyang Army from now on," he sighed and said.
This time Nan Wen fell silent. After a long while, he said quietly, "Then the Jinyang Army it is. A real man born between heaven and earth should live with magnanimity and fearlessness."
"I know I'm not smart, but I have a feeling that if we follow her, maybe one day we can fight our way back."
Qiu Liao sighed. He agreed with Nan Wen's words, but he still asked, "Do you know she might be a member of the royal family?"
Nan Wen was stunned, only then remembering Jiang Jin's surname. He frowned slightly. "Isn't that even better? Is it just because she's a woman?"
Qiu Liao shook his head. "Yes and no. While there is no precedent in this world for a woman to rule as emperor, everything I have seen and heard today makes me realize that whether she is a man or a woman does not matter in the slightest."
"As for whether she is of royal blood, that matters even less. She already possesses the power to conquer the world on her own; she has no need to rely on any other faction!"
