Chapter 24

Xu Zhengying laughed from the side and said, "I told you, everyone is reciting poetry and engaging in refined exchanges. How could they turn against each other? It must have been a misunderstanding." He secretly praised the two Qiu brothers for being sensible.

With the situation as it was, Murong Feiyang had become the one causing trouble. She could clearly see what was happening, but the situation on the scene was one party willing to fight and the other willing to endure. Even if she took them all back to the Jingzhao Prefecture Office, her superiors would only blame her for causing trouble.

Murong Feiyang came behind Hu Xiaotian, untied the ropes, and whispered in a voice only they could hear, "You're lucky today!"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Why is Inspector Murong targeting me? Could it be that you have special feelings for me?"

Murong Feiyang said, "You'd better mend your ways and turn over a new leaf. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

"Otherwise, one day I will send you to prison!"

Hu Xiaotian sighed, "Inspector Murong, your prejudice against me is too deep. As an enforcer of the law, you should always maintain a fair and impartial heart and avoid looking at people through colored glasses."

Murong Feiyang could only half-understand his words and coldly snorted, "Nonsense, I don't know what you're talking about!" She waved her hand and led the four constables away.

The two Qiu brothers had been beaten for nothing and ended up pleading for Hu Xiaotian. In front of so many people, they had lost all face. They didn't dare stay at the scene, not knowing how to face the situation that followed. They squeezed out of the crowd and fled. The other scholars who had been beaten, seeing the Qiu brothers' fate, dared not come forward to accuse Hu Xiaotian, each one fleeing faster than the last.

The six servants of the Hu family, seeing the situation turn around so easily, with the beaten ones not daring to file complaints and the constables unable to do anything, became even more arrogant and domineering. They glared at the onlookers, threatening them, "What are you looking at? Do you want me to beat you up?"

The common people, seeing the servants' arrogance, were frightened and hurriedly dispersed. However, after this incident, Hu Xiaotian's bad reputation would surely spread even further.

Xu Zhengying invited Hu Xiaotian into his carriage. He was afraid of this young master. Since he had brought him out, he had to take him back. If he let him wander around, who knew what trouble he would cause. At this moment, Xu Zhengying regretted it so much that he wanted to slap himself. "I really am a fool. This kid is a real troublemaker, causing chaos wherever he goes! Why did I bring him out?"

Hu Xiaotian, once in the carriage, became much more subdued, closing his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking.

Xu Zhengying coughed to break the silence and said, "Nephew, why did you have a conflict with the Qiu brothers?" Xu Zhengying was really puzzled and couldn't understand why Hu Xiaotian had fought with the two brothers.

Hu Xiaotian didn't open his eyes. "I just didn't like the look of them, okay?"

Xu Zhengying was speechless. Disliking someone's appearance and starting a fight over it—truly a typical troublemaker!

Hu Xiaotian, however, thought of Huo Xiaoru. Today, he had stood up for her, and the situation had escalated, but Huo Xiaoru had left without a word. This woman was too cold-hearted. "Brother has done so much for you, don't you have a bit of gratitude in your heart?"

The spring breeze lifted the window curtain, and a fine rain began to fall silently, seeping into the carriage with the breeze. The coolness woke Huo Xiaoru from her thoughts. Her eyes, like clear water, gazed sadly out the window. It had started raining, and the misty rain enveloped the outside world in a hazy mist.

Wan'er, holding a puppy, sat beside her, her large, lively eyes blinking. She bit her lip and finally couldn't help but ask, "Miss, why are we leaving?"

Huo Xiaoru didn't speak, still gazing quietly out the window.

Wan'er said, "Miss, Mr. Hu was standing up for you. When the officials came, shouldn't we have helped testify? We can't just stand by, can we?" The little girl was puzzled by her mistress's actions.

Huo Xiaoru said, "If I stayed, people would say he acted out of anger for a beauty, fighting over a dancer. Do you think that would look good?"

Wan'er was speechless.

Huo Xiaoru was thoughtful and considered things much more thoroughly than the little girl. Seeing the officials from the Jingzhao Prefecture Office, she chose to leave immediately. It wasn't because she was afraid of getting involved in the conflict, but because she was worried that her presence would cause more trouble for Hu Xiaotian. Today's conflict was all because of her, but it wouldn't look good if it were known. Her identity was just a singer, while Hu Xiaotian was the son of the Minister of Revenue. Out of gratitude for Hu Xiaotian's righteous act, Huo Xiaoru chose to leave rationally. She believed that with Hu Xiaotian's intelligence and background, he could handle the trouble. If she stayed, it would only complicate the situation.

Wan'er pouted and said, "Miss, I think Mr. Hu is not only interesting but also a good person."

Huo Xiaoru smiled faintly. "Whether he is good or bad has nothing to do with us."

Suddenly, the carriage came to an abrupt stop, catching Hu Xiaotian and Xu Zhengying off guard. Their bodies were thrown forward by inertia. Hu Xiaotian managed to stop himself by grabbing the railing, but Xu Zhengying wasn't so lucky and hit his head on the front wall, feeling dizzy. Xu Zhengying steadied himself, pulled back the curtain, and angrily shouted, "What the hell, how are you driving?"

The reason the driver had suddenly pulled the reins was that there was a problem ahead. They had been following a cargo-laden cart, but the road ahead had a damaged pothole. Due to the rain, the driver of the cargo cart didn't notice and drove over the pothole, causing the wheels to get stuck. The cart, loaded with goods, lost balance and tipped to the right, spilling its contents and pinning the driver underneath.

After understanding the situation, Xu Zhengying waved his hand and said, "Ignore it, let's go around!"

The driver nodded and raised his whip to move on, but Hu Xiaotian heard a desperate cry for help in the wind and rain. He hurriedly said, "Wait!" He pushed open the door and got out of the carriage, seeing a cargo-laden cart lying on its side on the road, an elderly man with white hair lying on the ground, his left leg trapped under the wheel. There were scattered grains around him, and the old man was clearly injured, crying out in pain.

But in the capital, people were indifferent, and no one came forward to help. Xu Zhengying, seeing Hu Xiaotian get out of the carriage, found an oiled paper umbrella and held it up to shield Hu Xiaotian from the rain. Unexpectedly, Hu Xiaotian took off his outer robe, rolled up his sleeves, and waved to the servants who had caught up, "Come, help push the cart and save the man!"

Xu Zhengying said, "It's better to avoid trouble. This..."

Hu Xiaotian ignored him and led the six servants to the cargo cart.

Xu Zhengying, holding the oiled paper umbrella, followed, "Nephew! Nephew! What kind of person are you to risk the rain for a commoner?" In a society with strict class distinctions, it was not surprising for Xu Zhengying to say this. His thinking was fixed, believing that it was only right for people of their status to act this way. How could they care about the life and death of a commoner? Seeing that he couldn't stop Hu Xiaotian from helping, he tried to persuade him not to do it personally.

Hu Xiaotian said, "You are wrong. All people are born equal, there is no difference in status or class!" Despite his usual domineering and arrogant behavior, Hu Xiaotian had a deep belief in equality. This statement, which he blurted out, was ordinary and normal to him, but it deeply shocked everyone around him.

Xu Zhengying was stunned by his words. By the time he reacted, he saw Hu Xiaotian already helping at the back of the cart.

Liang Dazhuang and the other servants were also shocked by Hu Xiaotian's words about equality, but they quickly thought it was absurd. "You were born into a wealthy and powerful family, destined to be a young master. We were born into ordinary families, destined to be slaves and laborers. Fate is predetermined, what equality? Equality, why don't we switch places?"

Liang Dazhuang shouted loudly, "Let's all push the cart together!" He tried to get everyone to push the cart forward to save the old man.

Hu Xiaotian, however, said, "Absolutely not!" He first observed the old man's condition. Although the old man's left leg was trapped under the wheel, he seemed to be conscious, and his lower limbs felt normal, indicating no spinal injury. Hu Xiaotian had the servants first unload the cargo from the cart to reduce its weight, being careful not to move the cart and worsen the old man's injuries.

Hu Xiaotian performed a preliminary examination of the old man, confirming that he had no external injuries to his head or upper body. He smiled and comforted the old man, "Sir, don't be afraid, we will get you out soon!"

The old man nodded, enduring the pain.

After the cargo was unloaded, Hu Xiaotian had everyone lift one side of the cart, and he went to the old man's side, hugging him from behind. When the wheel was pushed away from the old man's lower body, he carefully dragged the old man out from under the cart.

During the process of moving the old man, he inevitably touched his injured area, causing him to cry out in pain.

Hu Xiaotian examined the old man's lower limbs and found that his right leg was uninjured, and everything was normal. However, his left thigh had a fracture due to being crushed by the wheel. Fortunately, the fracture was not completely broken and had not shifted, which is known in medicine as a greenstick fracture, typically not requiring surgical treatment. Hu Xiaotian found a short knife, cut open the old man's trouser leg, and quickly made a diagnosis. The old man's thigh had no open wounds, just a simple greenstick fracture. Hu Xiaotian used available materials, asking Liang Dazhuang to find two wooden boards. One board was placed inside the old man's thigh as a splint, and a longer board was placed on the outside of his left leg. He then used cloth strips to bind and secure the boards from the hip to the ankle.