Chapter 166: Fulfilling
As soon as Wen Shi appeared, Su Yaoguang’s gaze grew even colder.
She looked coldly at Xiao Yanci: “Xiao Scholar, what do you say?”
Xiao Yanci looked at Wen Dasao with a disappointed gaze: “Eldest Sister-in-law Wen, why did you do this?”
Wen Shi looked at him with tears in her eyes, full of deep affection: “I just couldn’t stand him stealing your spotlight.”
“When did you tamper with it?” Su Yaoguang asked.
“Of course, before the match started.”
“Before the match, you could be sure what kind of horse our Wangshu would pick and tampered with this horse in advance. Are you a worm in his belly, knowing his thoughts so well?” Su Yaoguang questioned.
Zhou Wangshu frowned: “Such an ugly worm? No thanks, it disgusts me.”
“I…” Wen Shi looked to Xiao Yanci for help with her eyes.
“Headmaster, Teacher, Eldest Sister-in-law Wen is just a countryside woman who doesn’t know a single character and doesn’t understand the seriousness of this matter. I will discipline her well and make her recognize her mistake. Please show her mercy.” Xiao Yanci pleaded.
The headmaster and teacher looked troubled.
Su Yaoguang was a key target of attention from the government office. If she took it to the government office, this matter wouldn’t be so easily smoothed over.
The headmaster asked Su Yaoguang: “Young lady Su, what do you think?”
“My thought is to send her to the government office for investigation. Headmaster, teachers, you all saw the situation just now. If not for our Wangshu’s excellent riding skills, he would have been at least crippled if not dead. This is no small conflict; it’s attempted murder. Moreover, this Wen Shi’s words are full of holes. I suspect she’s covering for the real villain. Handing it over to the government office is the best.”
“I know I was wrong. Please don’t send me to the government office.” Wen Shi knelt down with a thud and kowtowed to Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu in apology.
She kowtowed with great force each time, and her forehead soon broke skin and bled.
The commotion here drew the attention of many people, and everyone asked what had happened.
Zhong Chushan didn’t hide it and loudly explained the inside story of Zhou Wangshu’s horse startling earlier.
“Too shameless. Boss Su is right; she should be sent to the government office.”
“Resort to such means to win when your skills are inferior? This is trying to kill someone! Boss Su, send her to the government office.”
More and more people supported Su Yaoguang’s decision, and the whole scene became extremely chaotic.
Xiao Yanci bowed to the crowd, then to Su Yaoguang: “Eldest Sister-in-law Wen did this foolish thing because of me, and I’m willing to take responsibility. This horse is injured but not in life-threatening danger. I’m willing to pay for its treatment. Scholar Zhou was frightened earlier, so I’m willing to give ten taels of silver to Scholar Zhou. Please calm down and forgive this ignorant woman.”
Jiang Yihuan walked over, pulled Xiao Yanci’s arm, and said discontentedly: “Xiao Gege, she committed the wrong; why should you bear the consequences? Let’s ignore her, okay? Someone like this shouldn’t stay at the academy; she should be driven out.”
Su Yaoguang pulled Zhou Wangshu to a corner, and the two muttered a few words.
This matter was definitely done by that shameless villain Xiao Yanci. Even if sent to the government office, if Wen Shi took the charge, given the severity, she’d get at most twenty board strokes, a few days in custody, and be released after paying some redemption silver.
But in that case, Jiang Yihuan would have the last laugh. If Wen Shi left the academy, who would cause trouble for Jiang Yihuan? No more good show to watch.
Since that’s the case, better to take Xiao Yanci’s silver and give Xiao Yanci and Wen Shi a push to make them even more inseparable.
“Headmaster, we can’t stoop to bickering with an ignorant woman; that would make us seem petty. Here’s the deal: it’s a fact that this woman attempted harm, and she’d get board strokes at the government office anyway. As long as Xiao Scholar personally gives Wen Shi twenty board strokes and compensates us twenty taels of silver for emotional distress, we’ll call it even.”
“Twenty taels?” Jiang Yihuan widened her eyes. “Why not just go rob someone?”
“Xiao Scholar, do you think twenty taels is too much?” Su Yaoguang ignored Jiang Yihuan completely.
Jiang Yihuan wanted to say more but shivered instinctively upon seeing Zhou Wangshu’s gaze.
How had she forgotten about this madman?
Jiang Yihuan recalled those dark days of despair, locked in a broken room where no heaven or earth answered her cries.
She didn’t want to see this man again.
Wen Shi sobbed: “Just send me to the government office! Xiao Scholar is a gentleman; how can you force him to hit me?”
Xiao Yanci gritted his teeth and said: “Fine, I agree.”
He couldn’t send her to the government office; if he did, she might crack under intimidation and reveal the truth, and he’d be the one disgraced.
Since she’d be beaten either way, better he do it. After this, he’d compensate her well.
Xiao Yanci’s gaze toward Wen Shi softened considerably.
This woman truly loved him.
At least for now, her love was more sincere and profound than Jiang Yihuan’s.
With consensus reached here, the headmaster and teachers sighed in relief, seeing it wouldn’t escalate to the government office.
Under everyone’s witness, Xiao Yanci took a thick sturdy stick and caned Wen Shi, who was bent over there.
Jiang Yihuan watched Wen Shi smugly, thinking to herself: Oppose this young lady, and before I even act, someone will deal with you.
Xiao Yanci saw Wen Shi biting her lip to endure, but after a few strokes, she still cried out in pain.
“I’ve noted your affection. Thank you.”
“This servant is willing to do anything for Young Master.” Before falling into a coma, Wen Shi’s eyes were full of reluctance and infatuation.
Su Yaoguang pinched Zhou Wangshu’s arm.
“Why are you pinching me?”
“Feeling disgusted; need to dispel the greasiness.”
“You dispel greasiness by pinching me?” Zhou Wangshu was displeased and reached out as if to pinch Su Yaoguang.
Su Yaoguang didn’t dodge and proactively extended her arm: “Pinch away; it’s yours.”
How could Zhou Wangshu really pinch her?
He obediently put down his hand, looked at the scene before them, and said: “Nothing worth watching. Let’s go.”
The polo match ended, and the academy gave half a day off for scholars and families to gather.
Zhou Wangshu won the match; Zhang Zhaodi was thrilled and called his teammates to have a big feast at the Jiang Family Restaurant today.
Xiao Yanci picked up the badly injured Wen Shi, looked up at the departing figures of Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu, his gaze fierce.
Let them gloat for another month. After a month, that incompetent Zhou Wangshu definitely wouldn’t pass for xiucai scholar, while he certainly would.
“Xiao Gege, why are you carrying her? She’s made such a fool of herself and has a wicked heart; let’s not care about her, okay?”
Xiao Yanci lowered his gaze and said: “Huan’er, aren’t you very kind? She’s like this now; if no one cares for her, her injuries won’t get treated, and she might die without medicine.”
“She’s competing with me for Xiao Gege; she’s not a good person.” Jiang Yihuan pulled Xiao Yanci’s arm coquettishly.
Xiao Yanci said indifferently: “Sorry, Huan’er, she became like this because of me; I must save her. You go back first!”
