271: The Majesty of the Ninth Mountain (asking for monthly tickets)

"Catch!"

"Okay," the Young Miss said, taking the meat with a shy expression. "Thank you, Uncle Sangan."

"Hey, what are you thanking me for? When you two get married, call your uncle over for the wedding feast, and I'll be happy," the rough man from the butcher shop chuckled.

The Young Miss, named Xiu'er, instantly blushed, but her eyes were clear and bright, and she nodded seriously, "I definitely will, Uncle. I'm leaving now."

With that, the Young Miss Xiu'er, carrying her basket, hurried towards Ping Kou Alley.

Uncle Sangan from the butcher shop, seeing the Young Miss's hurried figure, showed a grandmotherly smile on his fierce face, which was full of fat and grease.

How wonderful!

This infatuated girl, who had almost died for love a few days ago, finally waited for her older brother to return from the battlefield!

As neighbors in Ping Kou Alley, everyone was genuinely happy for this unfortunate couple.

Meanwhile, Young Miss Xiu'er walked quickly, a sense of urgency in her heart, wanting to see her older brother soon and cook for him so he could recover.

Along the way, neighbors would occasionally see her and call out happily, some familiar, many others not.

"Xiu'er."

"Going to see your Zuozhi, are you?"

"I heard he was injured coming back from the battlefield. Sigh, take this and make him some soup."

"Uncle Ya, you're so old and rely on this to earn money. You should save it to sell."

"I told you to take it, so take it. I'm happy, go on."

"Okay."

"..."

And the vendors in the market, seeing her, shoved things into the Young Miss's basket without a word.

Soon, as she walked along, the Young Miss's basket was full to the brim.

The Young Miss knew this was the neighbors' kindness towards her older brother; there was so much that her heart felt warm, but she wanted to refuse, not wanting to deplete her older brother's favor, yet these neighbors were too enthusiastic, and she couldn't argue with them.

She silently kept it in mind. As she walked, she was almost at the entrance of Ping Kou Alley when she saw an old woman walking towards her, also carrying a basket, having just come from buying vegetables. This old woman had triangular eyes, giving people an impression of being sharp and mean, and her almost white eyes made her seem even more malicious.

Young Miss Xiu'er saw this old woman and actively avoided her, walking around her.

Because this old woman was not a good person. She was a gossiping, quarrelsome, and opportunistic person. Many neighbors had bad relationships with her family. She had a son who was idle and irresponsible, in his late twenties, and still hadn't found a wife. Yet, this old woman thought her son was very capable, and whoever married into their family would be lucky. When she went to other people's houses to arrange marriages and was rejected, she would stand at their door, stomping her feet and cursing. It was only rumored that this old woman had a cousin who was a minor official in the yamen, otherwise she would have been beaten to death long ago.

Her family had been harassed before.

However, when this old woman saw the Young Miss, her pale eyes looked over, and on her face, like old tree bark, she smiled without smiling, and eagerly walked forward to speak.

"Isn't this Xiu'er? Oh, buying so many things."

"Going to see Zuozhi from the Zuo Family, are you?"

"You, girl, your face isn't bad. Why are you so eager to offer yourself up?"

Saying that, the old woman moved closer, her triangular eyes gleaming, and she whispered:

"A woman should value herself more. That Zuo Family boy, coming back from being a soldier, I heard he didn't get anything, and even lost an arm."

"To put it bluntly, this person is crippled. Maybe he can't even be a soldier anymore. Besides, fighting demons as a soldier is so dangerous, he might just die. Then how will you live later? Oh, girl, it's not that I'm talkative, but you need to think clearly. You say your family is also confused, like my son, now..."

The old woman hadn't finished speaking when a "smack" was heard.

The Young Miss, who had always been gentle and virtuous, now had red eyes and slapped the old woman directly across the face.

"How can you talk about Zuozhi like that?"

The other party was stunned, then her pale triangular pupils glowed with malice. She started a scene in the street, cursing, "You ill-bred girl, how dare you hit me? Why didn't your man die on the battlefield, you cursed..."

While cursing, her two hands, like ghostly claws, clawed at the Young Miss's face.

How could the Young Miss named Xiu'er contend with such a barbaric old woman? She dodged, but was directly pushed to the ground.

The fruits and vegetables in her basket also scattered all over the ground.

And the old woman's malice did not diminish; she still tried to get close and grab her. When some neighbors saw this, they immediately swarmed forward, pulling the old woman away and helping the Young Miss up, protecting her in front of them, arguing with the old woman, their eyes full of anger.

"Old hag, what are you trying to do?"

"You old thing, you have nothing better to do than bully her?"

The old woman was still vicious, "This ill-bred girl dared to hit me! There's no justice! You cursed people, why don't you die? You only know how to bully an old woman like me!"

Saying that, she cried and shouted, throwing a tantrum and sitting down in the street.

The neighbors were about to argue forcefully,

But then, a shout came.

"Get out of the way!"

Soon, hoofbeats clattered, passing through the streets. Martial Artists in black tight-fitting clothes led the way, shouting loudly. The common people on the street, seeing these people, exclaimed and quickly scattered, afraid of blocking their way.

"It's people from the Xia Family."

The Xia Family of the East City, in the eyes of these common people in the East City, was high and mighty, a colossal power, even more daunting than the yamen, not to be provoked.

The neighbors of Ping Kou Alley were startled and quickly pulled the Young Miss to the side of the road. The old hag, who had just been throwing a tantrum, was startled by the commotion and quickly rolled to the side of the road, scrambling to her feet.

Only to see Martial Artists riding horses leading the way, quickly passing through. The scattered fruits and vegetables on the road were crushed by the horses' hooves.

The Young Miss saw the neighbors' kindness being crushed like this, and tears welled up in her eyes out of distress. She made a move to pick up the items that had rolled close to her.

At this moment, a Xia Family Martial Artist on a passing horse, seeing the situation, raised his horsewhip with a stern expression,

"Get out of the way!"

The Young Miss looked up in alarm.

Just as the whip was about to fall, a figure leaped from the entrance of Ping Kou Alley, landing with a "thud" in front of the Young Miss.

One hand grabbed the descending horsewhip.

Then, with a fierce pull, the Xia Family Martial Artist immediately cried out and was directly thrown from his horse. The horse beneath him also seemed to be startled, its legs gave way, and with a neigh, it fell to the ground.

This commotion startled the horses behind, causing a long neigh and high-raised hooves, bringing them to a halt.

Subsequently, shouts erupted,

"How dare you! You dare to block my Xia Family's carriage!"

"Are you looking for death?"

The faces of the Xia Family Martial Artists turned grim, their gazes fixed on the figure that had suddenly rushed out, their expressions unfriendly.

The figure, standing in front of the Young Miss, was tall, with only one arm, dressed in ordinary clothes, his other sleeve empty.

"Zuozhi."

The Young Miss saw this tall figure, her clear eyes filled with worry, and she called out anxiously.

The one-armed man threw the horsewhip aside, turned his head, gave the Young Miss a reassuring look, then said coldly:

"You are riding horses recklessly in the street, and when you are stopped, you say people like me are looking for death. Is this road yours, the Xia Family's?"

From among the Xia Family Martial Artists, an eagle-browed man in a brocade robe stepped out. His aura was extraordinary, and he rode a tall horse, looking down from above with sharp eyes. If it weren't for the Second Master's order yesterday that the Xia Family should act more discreetly recently, anyone who dared to speak like that would already be dead.

He frowned darkly.

"Only at the Second Qi Refining stage, yet such courage. Who are you? You'd better explain yourself, otherwise..."

"He's just a soldier!" A sharp voice, tinged with schadenfreude, rang out from the crowd of onlookers.

It was hard to find the person in the large crowd, but the neighbors of Ping Kou Alley recognized that it was the old hag, and they were all furious.

"Zuozhi, Right Route Weiwu Army of the Ninth Mountain!" The one-armed man slowly spoke.

This person was the same Junior Officer Chen Yuan had seen in Guang'an City, carrying the Young Miss's portrait.

And when Zuozhi announced his identity, the leading man's expression immediately changed, as if he had a bone stuck in his throat, becoming awkward. Damn it, it's the Ninth Mountain again.

This was an object that the Second Master had strictly forbidden his subordinates from provoking.

It wasn't that they were afraid of the Ninth Mountain's soldiers, but rather afraid of provoking the one above them.

At this moment, a clear female voice appropriately rang out.

"What's going on?"

The leading Xia Family Martial Artist immediately rode his horse to the back, where there were several luxuriously decorated carriages with many attendants.

He arrived at the last carriage, leaning against one of its windows.

"Second Young Miss!"

Soon, a female voice came from inside, "Give this to that girl, it should be enough."

As she spoke, something flew out; it was an exquisitely crafted jade hairpin.

The brocade-robed Martial Artist took it, his face indignant, "Second Young Miss, with your noble status, there's no need for this."

However, the voice from within was calm and carried a hint of arrogance, "It's easier to deal with the King of Hell than with little devils. Don't cause extra trouble. Go to the Yun Family; don't delay the important business."

"Yes!"

Soon, the leading Martial Artist spurred his horse forward, stopping in front of Zuozhi. He did not dismount, but spoke directly, his expression cold: "My Second Young Miss is benevolent. This is the green jade hairpin she bestowed. This item is worth a thousand gold, given to this girl as compensation for the fright she received."

Saying that, he flicked his hand, as if giving alms.

Then, he paid no more attention, and shouted to his subordinates,

"Continue clearing the way!"

Then, this person coldly glanced at Zuozhi, his gaze filled with disdain, then suddenly raised his hand and lashed his horsewhip into the crowd.

Only a scream was heard, as an old woman was whipped to the ground, a bloody, mangled gash on her back, her clothes torn, deep enough to expose bone. The old woman screamed and cried out in pain, calling for her parents.

"This old thing seems to have a bad relationship with you all, instigating in the crowd. I'll help you teach her a lesson, no need to thank me."

Saying that, this Xia Family Martial Artist sneered, rode his horse away, and continued to clear the way.

Zuozhi took the green jade hairpin and watched all of this indifferently. As the Xia Family's procession moved on, he flicked his hand, sending it flying into the carriage behind.

"I appreciate the Xia Family Young Miss's kind intentions, but I won't accept the item. I, Zuo, cannot bear such a gift."

He finished all of this.

This Junior Officer took the Young Miss's hand and turned, walking into Ping Kou Alley.

Soon, the excitement dispersed.

The neighbors of Ping Kou Alley watched the departing figure of the Zuo Family boy, and then the majestic procession of the Xia Family receding into the distance, their eyes wide.

They hadn't seen wrong, had they? The Xia Family, this local tyrant, actually apologized to the Zuo Family boy?

"That old hag seems to be in terrible pain!"

Someone in the crowd exclaimed.

Others, hearing this, spat, "Good riddance! She really doesn't know her place. How dare she speak nonsense in such a situation? I said such a person would eventually be beaten to death, so mouthy."

Some sighed, "Say less. After all, the dead are to be respected. Let's help clean up."

While these people were busy, at the entrance of the alley,

Hoofbeats sounded again.

Only to see several Black Armored Soldiers riding horses.

Leading them was an official in a feathered civil official's robe, who politely asked,

"Excuse me, where is Zuozhi's home?"

Soon after, a loud clamor came from inside the alley.

"Zuozhi, Right Route Weiwu Army of the Ninth Mountain, hear this decree!"

"By order of the Ninth Mountain Zhonglang General, from today onwards..."

Many people said that yesterday's chapter was incomprehensible, how he got involved with that Western Regions princess and even had a child. It was written in the chapter about the last night at Tianxiong Pass, but it was automatically modified and deleted by the review. In yesterday's chapter, I didn't write anything, and it was still changed, even the chapter title.