dognovel Chapter 351 Leaving the Night Market
Chapter 351 Leaving the Night Market
Prince Qi and Ruoyang had just returned to the shop when they saw them coming out.
They were planning to go inside and take a look! Why did they come out so quickly?
Ruoyang glanced into the shop; it was dimly lit, but she didn't pay much attention, thinking the shopkeeper was probably preparing to close.
"Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother, Sister Long," Ruoyang asked, "Did you buy what you wanted?"
"I didn't buy anything." Long Chuqing shook her head, glancing at the dark end of the road. "It's getting late, and we've reached the end of the road. Why don't we go back?"
“It is indeed getting late. We just heard the night watchman’s gong in the alley. It’s past 9 PM,” said Prince Qi. “Look, the crowds in the bustling market are thinning out, and the noise is much quieter.”
“That’s right.” King Xuan turned his gaze away from the bustling city center. “Even if the night market is lively, it can’t keep up with the cold weather. Most people are thinking about going home to rest as soon as possible.”
Suddenly remembering something, Prince Qi looked at Ruoyang and asked, "By the way... Zhi'er, are you cold?"
I was walking through the bustling city center, where there were many people and stalls, so I didn't feel cold. But now that I'm standing in an open space, I feel a bit chilly.
This girl has never suffered hardship. Now that the palace servants and maids who serve her are not around, her three brothers are bound to be negligent in taking care of her.
Ruoyang tightened her white fox fur coat. "It's getting a bit cold, but it's alright, let's go back!"
"Hmm, I usually go to bed at this time, but I'm actually feeling a bit sleepy right now!" King Xuan remarked.
The carriage was already waiting in the alleyway beside the road, so there was no need to return to the bustling city center.
The jade shop closed after they left.
"Chu Qing, are you cold?" Xiao Han, who was walking behind, leaned close to Long Chu Qing and asked in a low voice.
He looked like he had done something wrong, but what could he do? He hadn't checked if his sister was cold earlier! So now he had to speak softly when asking Long Chuqing.
Long Chuqing found it amusing: "It's alright, I'm dressed warmly enough, so I don't feel too cold. But... the night wind is much stronger than before."
Xiao Han: "Indeed, the wind picks up at night, and it gets colder as the night goes on. Let's go."
Long Chuqing: "Mm."
"Kaka——"
Several barely perceptible friction sounds came from behind them.
Long Chuqing paused as she lifted the carriage curtain. Her gaze turned in a certain direction, and after a brief three seconds, she stepped into the carriage.
"Go, follow."
Just after the carriage drove away from the alley, two furtive figures also left.
-
More than half an hour ago, at the county magistrate's residence.
It was cold, so Magistrate Hu washed up and went to his room to rest early. Just as he was holding his delicate fourth concubine and preparing to go to bed, the steward knocked on the door.
The butler lowered his voice, "Master, something has happened, please come out for a moment."
Magistrate Hu was naturally displeased that his good deed had been interrupted. He said irritably, "What matter has to come at this time? If it's not important, we can deal with it tomorrow."
The butler stammered, "It's the eldest young master. He... he was beaten, and his injuries look quite serious! Master, you should go and see him!"
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Hu's eyes narrowed and his face darkened.
His son was beaten up?
Who's so bold as to bully his son on his own turf? Are they tired of living?
After hesitating for a few seconds, Magistrate Hu pushed away the concubine in his arms and said, "I'll go out and take a look."
Fourth Concubine got up to help Magistrate Hu change his clothes, her voice soft and sweet: "Master...please come back soon, I'm waiting for you."
Magistrate Hu straightened his clothes: "It's cold, you should go to sleep first!"
"Father...your son has been beaten up, you have to avenge him!"
Upon seeing his own father, Hu Guangyan immediately broke free from the doctor who was treating his injuries and rushed to Magistrate Hu's side, covering his swollen face and crying in front of him.
When Magistrate Hu saw his son beaten black and blue, his brows furrowed and a surge of anger rose within him.
It wasn't that he doted on this son, after all, he had more than one son; the main thing was that he felt someone was challenging his authority on his own turf.
"Get up first." Magistrate Hu walked around Hu Guangyan and sat down in the main seat: "Tell me the whole story in detail."
Although Magistrate Hu was furious that someone had hit his son, he remained calm and decided to at least find out the truth before making a decision.
Hu Guangyan staggered back to his original seat and then rattled off a brief account of what had happened to Magistrate Hu, while the doctor continued to apply medicine to his wounds to remove bruises.
Of course, he certainly wouldn't tell you the whole story.
After all, he was the one who got beaten and hurt, and he was the one who felt wronged. As for the blame... he had to push it all onto the other party.
Try to distance yourself from the wrongdoing; after all, his father is the highest-ranking official in the government, so it shouldn't be too difficult to do so.
He's an expert at distorting facts and turning black into white.
Hu Guangyan said with a wronged expression, "Dad, those people were really ruthless. Now my whole body aches. You must teach them a lesson and help your son vent his anger."
Magistrate Hu looked at his swollen face and asked, "Then do you know who the other party is?"
"I don't know." Hu Guangyan shook his head: "But I've already had people keeping an eye on them and found out where they're staying. If they're staying at an inn, they must be from another county. We don't need to be afraid of people from other counties, Father. Now all you need to do is send someone to arrest them."
Hu Guangyan was furious: as long as they were all put in jail, the initiative would be in their hands, and they would definitely make them pay back double for the beatings they had suffered before.
Magistrate Hu picked up his teacup, flicked the lid, skimmed off the foam on top, and fell into deep thought.
He didn't entirely believe Hu Guangyan's story. He could smell the alcohol on him and, considering his usual behavior, he figured it must have been his son who started the trouble first.
If they were just ordinary people with no power or influence, they would be easy to deal with, since they were just worthless lives anyway.
Hearing his son's description of those people, he learned that they were dressed in fine clothes and had guards with them. People who could afford to hire guards were either powerful or rich, so he couldn't act rashly.
But... no matter who started it, the person who got beaten up tonight was his son, that's for sure.
In truth, the whole thing started with a verbal argument. Regardless of who they were, the other side resorted to violence, causing serious injury to his son, so they were in the right from the start.
The guests who dined at Junyue Restaurant tonight can all testify to the assault; they can't deny it.
The grounds of causing serious injury through unprovoked assault are sufficient to justifiably arrest them and bring them back to the yamen.
Before long, Hu Guangyan's mother and wives came running over after learning that he had been beaten.
When they saw that he had been beaten black and blue, the men all demanded that Magistrate Hu arrest the assailant.