Chapter 20: Pretty Unique Nickname
“Clop clop clop…”
Five horses galloped along the official road, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust.
Shang Wan stood up and waved, “Lord An, here, here!”
“Whoa!” The leading man in ochre clothes reined in his horse, raised his hand to wipe the dirt from his face, “Lady Shang, why did you suddenly run off just now?”
“I came to save my family’s flower… husband.” Shang Wan corrected herself in time.
Only then did Lord An notice the person wrapped in a blanket lying at Shang Wan’s feet, with messy hair completely covering the face, making it impossible to see the features.
“Is this person?”
“My husband, Lu Chengjing.” Shang Wan pulled aside the hair, revealing Lu Chengjing’s ghastly face.
Lord An had always disliked torturing prisoners, and seeing Lu Chengjing’s miserable state at this moment, he felt displeased.
He frowned and dismounted along with the three guards.
Shang Wan said, “There are three constables in the woods, one dead, two still breathing.”
Lord An gave a look to the guards, and immediately two guards ran into the woods to check. Moments later, one ran back, bowed and reported, “Lord, there are indeed three people in the woods, the situation is a bit complicated, you should go see for yourself.”
Lord An glanced at Shang Wan, then said gravely to the guards, “Lead the way.”
Shang Wan thought for a moment, picked up Lu Chengjing, and followed.
The guard wanted to help, but Shang Wan waved him off, “Thanks, not heavy, I can manage.”
In the woods, beside the empty prison cart lay three men in official uniforms, with bloodstains in multiple places on their bodies.
Lord An squatted down to check each one.
Last month during the county patrol, he had seen Liu Tong by Li Wen Hua’s side and still had some impression of Liu Tong’s face, so these three were undoubtedly working at the county yamen.
He turned to Shang Wan, “Lady Shang, can you tell me what the situation was like in the woods when you arrived?”
Shang Wan gave a simple account, causing Lord An’s brows to furrow deeply into a “river” pattern.
“You can ask the person involved for the specifics.” Shang Wan felt movement from the person in her arms, she looked down and saw the long lashes trembling lightly, slowly opening his eyes.
Their eyes met, Shang Wan’s eyes curved, “Awake?”
“Mm.” Lu Chengjing responded softly, looking at the woods above, “Are we still in the woods?”
“Yes.” Shang Wan said, “Lord An is here, tell him the details.”
Only then did Lu Chengjing realize he was being held by Shang Wan, and there were quite a few people around.
A blush instantly spread from his cheeks to his ear root, Lu Chengjing struggled to get down, Shang Wan glared at him, “Has the injury on your leg healed that you’re showing off?”
Lu Chengjing settled for the next best thing, “Put me on the ground.”
Shang Wan really didn’t see much difference between the two, but who could resist her pretty vase? Spoil him it was.
In this public place under broad daylight, Lord An and the three guards averted their eyes.
“Ahem,” Lord An cleared his throat, looking at Lu Chengjing, “Lu Xiucai Scholar, what exactly happened here? Tell this official in detail.”
Lu Chengjing nodded and began recounting from when he was taken out of the prison cell, including the excessively heavy shackles against the rules, the prison cart suddenly veering off course, the bailiff striking Liu Tong first, the fight between Xie Zhiqiang and Liu Tong, the bailiff’s torment of him, and him accidentally killing the man in self-defense.
Shang Wan listened with silent tsks, accidental was impossible, she had checked, the strike was quite clean and decisive.
Lord An listened while sizing up Lu Chengjing, he had met Lu Chengjing once before and had a deep impression of him.
Lu Chengjing had taken first place in the county exam at just thirteen, obtaining the xiucai scholar official rank without needing the subsequent prefectural and institute exams, who didn’t praise him as a genius, all waiting for him to succeed in next year’s provincial examination.
Unexpectedly, on the eve of the exam, Lu Chengjing fell seriously ill and couldn’t attend.
After two years of recuperation, Lu Chengjing took the exam again, this time he entered the exam hall, but fainted before even finishing the first session and was carried out, bedridden for two months.
After that, it was heard that the Lu Family worried he would have no heir and arranged a wife for him to bear children.
County Magistrate Li had always admired Lu Chengjing’s talent and wanted him to be a secretary, but Lu Chengjing had never agreed.
Lord An sighed inwardly at the tricks of fate, this young man had extraordinary talent but no healthy body, if it were him, he would also feel unwilling.
However, he glanced at Shang Wan, this young man had married a formidable wife.
Why couldn’t his own rascal son encounter such a young lady?
Lord An gathered his thoughts and said gravely, “If it is truly as you say, that this matter was single-handedly plotted by Tian Sheng, this official will surely give you justice.”
Lu Chengjing bowed with clasped hands, “Thank you, Lord.”
Lord An instructed two guards to load Liu Tong and the other two into the prison cart and transport them back to the county town.
Shang Wan picked up Lu Chengjing and leaped onto a horse, reaching out to pat the horse’s head.
Lu Chengjing said wistfully, “You didn’t know how to ride horses before.”
“Learned just now.” Shang Wan grinned, “When you’re better, I’ll teach you to ride.”
Lu Chengjing looked at the smiling face before him, quietly reaching into his bosom for the small porcelain bottle, but unexpectedly it was gone.
His hand stiffened, his pale lips pressed together, and he asked softly, “Where’s the thing in my bosom?”
“What thing?” Shang Wan blinked, “I didn’t see any other things when I checked your injuries.”
Lu Chengjing pressed his lips tighter, his brows and eyes drooping, looking somewhat childishly upset.
Shang Wan poked his uninjured cheek curiously, twisted her wrist, and asked with a smile, “Is this it?”
A white small porcelain bottle lay quietly in her palm.
Lu Chengjing looked at the small porcelain bottle before him, then raised his eyes to Shang Wan, indeed seeing her eyes full of teasing amusement.
“Just teasing you.” Shang Wan pulled open the blanket and put the small porcelain bottle back into his bosom.
Lu Chengjing: “…”
Shang Wan poked him again, “Are you angry?”
Lu Chengjing pressed his lips and said nothing.
Shang Wan kept poking, “If you’re angry, say it out, bottling it up is no good.”
Lu Chengjing raised his eyes to glare at her, this woman was doing it on purpose!
“You…” Shang Wan wanted to tease her vase some more, but suddenly her expression sharpened, looking toward the distant faintly visible city gate.
Lu Chengjing saw her face change suddenly and was about to ask what was wrong when his body suddenly lifted into the air, landing on Lord An’s horse.
Lu Chengjing, tossed like a sack: “…”
Lord An, forced to catch him: “…”
“Lord An, trouble at Tian Mansion, I’m going ahead.” Shang Wan spurred her horse toward the city, her voice carrying from afar, “Trouble you to take care of my family’s vase!”
“Vase?” Lord An reflexively looked down at Lu Chengjing in the blanket.
Lu Chengjing’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot, his teeth grinding.
Shang! Wan!
Lord An awkwardly looked away, thinking that this young couple’s pet name was quite unique.
He instructed the guards, “Enter the city, to Tian Mansion.”
At this time, in the Tian Mansion study room.
Geng Hao was tied up like a dumpling and thrown on the ground, Yang Rang bowed with clasped hands to the person seated behind the desk, “Reporting to the Lord, Niu Baoqing was not found.”
Tian Sheng’s gaze was cold and fierce, “Searched everywhere inside and out?”
“Yes.”
“Useless!” Tian Sheng slammed his palm on the desk.
Yang Rang dropped to his knees with a thud, prostrating on the ground.
Tian Sheng came around from behind the desk, pinched Geng Hao’s chin, his voice cold as ice, “Tell me Niu Baoqing’s whereabouts, and this official will spare your dog’s life.”
