Chapter 26

Luoshixin watched as the figure of the woman in green disappeared beyond the courtyard wall. He scratched his head and finally gave up on chasing her.

This person had her own expertise. Luoshixin believed his martial arts were superior to the woman in green, but he could not match her agility. To jump over walls and flee like her, maintaining a normal speed was already quite impressive, let alone being as swift as a monkey and as light as a bird.

To avoid wasting his efforts, Luoshixin sensibly rode his horse to Cheng Yaojin's residence.

When Cheng Yaojin heard that Luoshixin was seeking an audience, he laughed and welcomed him, "Little brother, do you miss your big brother so much? Or is the house the Prince gave you not to your liking, so you come to stay with your big brother?"

Luoshixin, recalling his journey, couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental, "To be honest, big brother, to come see you, I had to fight two meaningless battles. It wasn't easy at all."

Cheng Yaojin, pulling Luoshixin into the courtyard, stopped in his tracks upon hearing this, surprised, "Impossible! Who would be so foolish as to seek trouble for themselves?" The two often sparred, and no one understood Luoshixin's skills better than he did.

"I was just as confused!" Luoshixin casually recounted the incident outside the Yin residence.

Cheng Yaojin's expression gradually turned serious.

"Little brother, this is a bit of a problem," a concerned voice came from the front hall, and a woman dressed in luxurious attire, Cheng Yaojin's wife Cui Shi, quickly stepped out.

Behind Cui Shi was a young girl.

Luoshixin's gaze fell on the young girl, and his pupils couldn't help but constrict. His mind was filled with one thought: "A lotus that rises from clear water, naturally beautiful without any adornment."

She was young, but her skin was as smooth as congealed fat, her face radiant and charming. When she smiled, two dimples appeared, making her even more captivating. The most attractive feature was her deep, dark eyes, which sparkled with a lively light, drawing people in unconsciously. Her beauty, paired with her cloud-like hair, emerald hairpins, a pearl-embellished robe, and small boots, made her seem like a celestial being descended from heaven.

Could the beauty of ancient women be so astonishing, or was it just his good fortune to encounter such beautiful women who made one's heart race and couldn't help but look again in just a few days?

Pingyang was one such beauty, and this young girl was another.

Pingyang's beauty was regal and spirited, while this young girl's beauty was pure and charming. They were like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each excelling in their own way. Compared to them, the woman in green, though rare and lovely, was slightly inferior.

Luoshixin, however, was not a naive fool like Duan Yu. His heart's flutter was just a natural reaction to beauty, and he quickly averted his gaze after a few glances.

Cui Shi, from the prestigious Qinghe Cui family, was always graceful and proper. She introduced the young girl, "This is my cousin, the daughter of Zheng Renji, Zheng Liwan..."

Zheng Liwan stepped forward and bowed gracefully, speaking softly, "Greetings, General Luo."

Luoshixin nodded in acknowledgment, understanding in his heart: "So she is Zheng Liwan. No wonder she is so beautiful."

Luoshixin had a vague memory of Zheng Liwan. He remembered that shortly after Li Shimin ascended the throne, the virtuous Empress Zhangsun, who was in the palace, heard that Zheng Liwan was "unmatched in beauty and charm" and wanted to make her one of Li Shimin's concubines. However, since Zheng Liwan was already betrothed, Wei Zheng reported this to Li Shimin, and the marriage was called off.

Luoshixin, regaining his composure, asked in confusion, "Sister-in-law, what trouble are you talking about? Is that guy someone important?"

"Not just important, even His Highness Prince Qin has been humiliated by him," Cheng Yaojin replied, his face filled with anger as he recounted the identity of Yin Ashu, his beating of Du Ruhui, and the false accusations against Du Ruhui.

Luoshixin, who had been slow to realize, now understood that everything was due to his horse riding past Yin Ashu's door, breaking his rules.

"Ah!" Luoshixin regretfully stomped his foot, complaining, "Why didn't I know this earlier?"

Cui Shi nodded, "Yes, there's no medicine for regret. Little brother, you should think of a solution!"

Luoshixin said casually, "What solution? Should I go back and beat him up now? If I had known the reason, I would have kicked him a few times back then."

"..." Cui Shi felt a bit confused, hesitating, "Little brother, are you regretting not beating up Yin Ashu?"

Luoshixin nodded, "What do you think? Should I have regretted taking a detour?" He looked a bit strange.

Zheng Liwan giggled, her large eyes curiously scanning Luoshixin.

Cui Shi felt a bit dizzy, thinking, "This is a normal reaction, right?"

Cheng Yaojin, however, laughed heartily, "That's my little brother. If Yin Ashu dares to cause trouble again, I won't let him off. When he attacked Mr. Du, I wanted to beat him up then."

"Shut up!" Cui Shi glared at him, a hint of authority in her eyes.

"I..." Cheng Yaojin opened his mouth but dared not say more.

Luoshixin couldn't help but marvel at his sister-in-law's skill in taming her husband.

Cui Shi, calming down, said, "Little brother, listen to your sister-in-law. Don't act rashly. Why bother with a petty person? I'll prepare some gifts and have my cousin accompany you to apologize at the Yin residence. My cousin is one of the managers of the Cui family. I believe even if Yin Ashu is arrogant, he won't refuse the Cui family's face."

Luoshixin was deeply moved. Cui Shi was truly thinking of him. The aristocratic families valued their reputation, and for the Cui family to bow to Yin Ashu would be a shameful act. Cui Shi was willing to put the Cui family's reputation on the line to help him.

Luoshixin said solemnly, "I appreciate your kindness, Sister-in-law. But a man must know when to act and when not to. I have no regrets about what I did today. To ask me to apologize to that petty person is like asking me to die. Besides, one should never compromise with someone like Yin Ashu; it will only make him more arrogant. Since I know what kind of person he is, I have my own plans."

The only way to deal with such a person is to crush him completely, to make him fear you.

Zheng Liwan looked at Luoshixin with surprise, a hint of cunning in her eyes, as if she had made a decision, and nodded involuntarily.

"It's getting late, I'll take my leave first," Zheng Liwan bowed gracefully and left first.

Luoshixin asked Cheng Yaojin about everything concerning the Right General of the Cavalry and then bid farewell to Cheng Yaojin and Cui Shi.

Before leaving, Cui Shi repeatedly urged him to speak up if he encountered any difficulties.

"General Luo!"

Not long after leaving Cheng's residence, Luoshixin unexpectedly heard someone calling him.

Turning around, he saw Zheng Liwan lifting the carriage curtain and waving to him.