Chapter 27

Liang Xiao didn't understand why Hu Lai was so intent on killing, repeatedly trying to finish him off. He couldn't rest easy until he figured this out.

For Liang Xiao, killing was a serious matter, whether it was killing or being killed. He wasn't as calm as Tu Niu'er, who could talk about killing so casually.

Tu Niu'er was sleeping soundly, and Liang Xiao had to put in a lot of effort, finally poking him twice on his chubby face before he woke up with a start. "That hurts. Xiao, if you touch my face again, I'll break up with you," Tu Niu'er complained as Liang Xiao dragged him out of the Wu King Temple.

They washed their faces with cold water and calmed down, then set off for Guangling City in the dark. Guangling City was divided into two parts: the royal city, which was heavily guarded, and the civilian city. Climbing the walls of the royal city at night was extremely dangerous; if discovered by the guards, they would be killed on the spot. Even with two heads, Liang Xiao wouldn't dare to climb the walls of the royal city.

Liang Xiao planned to climb the walls of the civilian city, where ordinary people lived. The Hu family lived in the northwest, but Liang Xiao couldn't enter from there. The northwest was a wealthy area with stricter security, while the south was a poor area, making it easier to climb.

Liang Xiao and Tu Niu'er climbed over the wall and made their way through the streets, first returning to Qingyun Li. The curfew had already started, and there was not a single pedestrian on the road. Patrol soldiers occasionally passed by, but Liang Xiao and Tu Niu'er were well-versed in dealing with such situations.

When they reached the outer wall of Qingyun Li, Tu Niu'er kept watch outside while Liang Xiao climbed over the wall. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Liang Xiao held his breath.

Wang Fengshi, the head of the neighborhood, was holding a crossbow, the arrow gleaming coldly in the moonlight, pointing directly at Liang Xiao's chest.

Liang Xiao quickly whispered, "Uncle Wang, it's me, Xiao."

"It's you," Wang Fengshi sighed in relief, lowering the crossbow. "Where's Niu'er?"

"Uncle Wang, I'm here," Tu Niu'er called out from outside the wall, his voice muffled.

"You two little rascals, you caused trouble and still dare to come back?" Wang Fengshi said through gritted teeth. "What were you thinking? The Hu family came looking for you. If I hadn't stopped them, both your families would have been destroyed. Now I can't even get a good night's sleep."

"Thank you, Uncle Wang, thank you, Uncle Wang," Liang Xiao said gratefully. "I'll go home to see my mother."

Wang Fengshi grunted and opened the gate, letting Tu Niu'er in. Tu Niu'er entered but refused to go home, hiding in a corner and bowing to Wang Fengshi. Wang Fengshi was puzzled and pulled him into the light. Under the moonlight, he was shocked. "You little rascal, how did you get hurt like this?"

"It's nothing, nothing," Tu Niu'er said, covering his face. "The Hu family ganged up on me. I don't want to go home; if my parents see me, they'll be heartbroken."

"Hmm, I heard about it," Wang Fengshi said, pulling Tu Niu'er into the house and sitting him down. He took out a coarse earthenware jar. As soon as he opened it, a strong smell wafted out. Tu Niu'er's eyes lit up. "Badger oil?"

"You have good taste. This is top-quality stuff made by me," Wang Fengshi said, using his finger to scoop out some oil and apply it to Tu Niu'er's face. Tu Niu'er winced in pain but smiled. "Uncle Wang, you really know your stuff. This badger oil is cool and refreshing, it's top-quality."

"Of course, it's for my own use. If you two hadn't beaten the Hu family and brought honor to Qingyun Li, I wouldn't have given it to you," Wang Fengshi said, his words filled with childlike pride, as if he had participated in the fight himself.

"Qingyun Li may be poor, but we have our pride. The Hu family can't just walk in as they please. Don't worry about your families; with me, Wang Fengshi, around, your families will be safe. You can do as you please."

Liang Xiao was speechless. It seemed that the combative spirit of Han dynasty youths had a long history. Despite his age and position as the head of the neighborhood, Wang Fengshi was still so passionate. In his youth, he probably wasn't a good citizen either, and might have been similar to them.

Seeing that Tu Niu'er was in good hands with Wang Fengshi, Liang Xiao went home first. The western room was still lit, and the sound of the loom could be heard. Liang Xiao walked to the door, and before he could speak, the loom stopped, and his mother, Liang Miao, called out.

"Is that Xiao?"

"Mother, it's me," Liang Xiao said softly, pushing the door open with a guilty expression.

Liang Miao looked at Liang Xiao calmly. "Are you hurt?"

Liang Xiao quickly walked over so his mother could see him clearly. No matter how independent she was, she was still his mother and must have been very worried after hearing the news. Liang Miao examined him carefully, lifting the hem of his clothes to check. Seeing that Liang Xiao was indeed unharmed, she sighed in relief.

"The food is on the stove. Go eat quickly."

"Mother, I've already eaten. I want to go to the Hu family to find out what kind of grudge we have."

"Good idea," Liang Miao said, pushing the loom to start weaving again. "If it's a misunderstanding, clear it up to avoid trouble. If it's not a misunderstanding, settle it once and for all to avoid further complications. The Hu family is powerful, so we need to act first."

Liang Xiao was stunned. "Mother, what do you mean?"

"I mean, if it comes to a fight to the death, don't hesitate. Kill Hu Lai and cut off the root of the problem."

"This..." Liang Xiao was speechless.

"Are you afraid?" Liang Miao glanced at Liang Xiao and smiled. "It's okay. In the worst case, we can escape from Jiangdu, change our names, and wait for a pardon. We have no land or house, so we can leave at any time. Can the Hu family do that?"

Liang Xiao nodded helplessly. He was once again defeated by the strong local customs. From his mother's tone, it seemed she was always prepared to flee.

Liang Xiao went to the kitchen, took out the warm food from the stove, but didn't eat it. He went straight to the neighborhood gate. Tu Niu'er had already applied the medicine, his face shiny and his spirits better, though the smell was quite strong. The aroma of the food made him drool and his appetite grow.

"Xiao, your mother left you some food? That's great."

"Go ahead, I know you didn't eat enough."

"Hehe, one sheep's head, two people sharing, of course it's not enough."

Tu Niu'er didn't bother with manners, grabbing a handful of rice and stuffing it into his mouth. He was strong and had a big appetite, able to eat as much as two Liang Xiaos. After they were full, Liang Xiao returned the bowl home and said goodbye to Wang Fengshi, quietly leaving Qingyun Li. He made his way through the streets to Gao Yang Li, where the Hu family lived.

The Hu family was not an ordinary family; their estate was vast, almost taking up half of the neighborhood. Even though it was midnight, the Hu family's house was brightly lit, with people moving about. The eastern courtyard, where the kitchen was located, was especially busy, with servants carrying various dishes to the central courtyard in a steady stream.

The central courtyard was crowded with guests, and even the courtyard was filled with people, many of them drunk and leaning against each other. People frequently stood up to toast, creating a lively atmosphere.

Liang Xiao and Tu Niu'er crouched on the wall, looking at each other and involuntarily swallowing.

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