As soon as Mrs. Wen appeared, Su Yaoguang’s gaze turned colder.
She looked coldly at Xiao Yanci: "Student Xiao, what do you say?"
Xiao Yanci looked at Mrs. Wen with disappointment: "Sister-in-law Wen, why did you do this?"
Mrs. Wen looked at him tearfully, her eyes full of deep emotion: "I just couldn’t bear to see him steal your spotlight."
"When did you tamper with it?" Su Yaoguang asked.
"Of course before I took the stage."
"You managed to know beforehand which kind of horse our Wang Shu would pick, and tampered with this horse. Are you a worm inside his stomach, understanding his thoughts this well?" Su Yaoguang questioned.
Zhou Wangshu frowned: "Such an ugly worm, never mind, it disgusts me."
"I..." Mrs. Wen sought help from Xiao Yanci with her eyes.
"Mountain Master, teacher, Sister-in-law Wen is just a rural woman, illiterate, unaware of the gravity of the matter. I will teach her well to recognize her mistake. Please be lenient with her." Xiao Yanci pleaded.
The Mountain Master and the teacher looked troubled.
Su Yaoguang is a key figure of interest to the government. If she takes the matter to them, it won’t be easy to dismiss it lightly.
The Mountain Master asked Su Yaoguang, "Miss Su, what do you think?"
"My idea is to hand the matter over for official investigation. Mountain Master, gentlemen teachers, you saw the situation just now too. If it weren’t for Wang Shu’s excellent riding skills, he might have ended up dead or disabled. This is no small conflict; it’s an attempt to cause harm. Furthermore, Mrs. Wen’s statements are full of loopholes, and I suspect she is shielding the real culprit. It’s best to leave it to the government."
"I know I’m wrong, please don’t send me to the government." Mrs. Wen kneeled, banging her head for forgiveness towards Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu.
Each bang was hard, her forehead quickly breaking the skin and bleeding.
The commotion attracted the attention of many, all asking what had happened.
Zhong Chushan didn’t keep it a secret, loudly explaining the inside story of Zhou Wangshu’s startled horse.
"Shameless. Boss Su is right; she should be handed over to the government."
"Losing in skill, using such means to win? This was meant to cause death! Boss Su, send her to the government."
More and more people supported Su Yaoguang’s decision, and the whole scene became very chaotic.
Xiao Yanci bowed to everyone, then to Su Yaoguang: "Sister-in-law Wen acted foolishly because of me. I’m willing to take responsibility. Though the horse was injured, it’s not life-threatening, and I’m willing to pay for its treatment. Zhou Xueshi was scared just now; I’m willing to offer ten taels of silver to Zhou Xueshi. Please calm down and forgive this ignorant woman."
Jiang Yihuan approached, holding Xiao Yanci’s arm discontentedly: "Brother Xiao, why should you bear the consequences for her mistake? Can’t we just ignore her? Someone like her shouldn’t remain in the academy; she should be kicked out."
Su Yaoguang pulled Zhou Wangshu into a corner, where they whispered to each other.
Surely, this shameless act was done by Xiao Yanci. Even sending them to the government, Mrs. Wen would take the blame, resulting in at most twenty lashes and a few days of imprisonment, paying some ransom to be released.
But then, Jiang Yihuan would be smug. With Mrs. Wen gone from the academy, there’d be no one to annoy Jiang Yihuan, and no good show to watch!
In that case, it would be better to accept Xiao Yanci’s silver, and push Xiao Yanci and Mrs. Wen closer together.
"Mountain Master, we can’t really argue with an ignorant woman; it would make us appear petty. Let’s do this: it’s true that this woman has caused harm, and she’d get lashes if taken to the government. As long as Student Xiao personally gives Mrs. Wen twenty lashes and compensates us twenty taels of silver for the fright, this matter can be considered settled."
"Twenty taels?" Jiang Yihuan’s eyes widened, "Why don’t you just rob us?"
"Student Xiao, do you think twenty taels is too much?" Su Yaoguang didn’t bother to engage with Jiang Yihuan.
Jiang Yihuan wanted to say more, but upon seeing Zhou Wangshu’s gaze, she instinctively shivered.
How could she forget this madman?
Jiang Yihuan recalled those dark days, being trapped in a broken house, feeling hopeless and unheard.
She never wanted to see this man again.
Mrs. Wen cried desperately, "Then just send me to the government! Student Xiao is a gentleman; how can you force him to hit me?"
Xiao Yanci gritted his teeth and said: "Fine, I agree."
He cannot send her to the government. If he does, she might be intimidated into revealing the truth, embarrassing him.
Since she’s going to be hit either way, he might as well be the one to do it. After the matter’s settled, he could make it up to her.
Xiao Yanci’s gaze towards Mrs. Wen softened considerably.
This woman indeed loves him.
At least for now, her love seems more genuine and profound than Jiang Yihuan’s.
With agreement reached here, the Mountain Master and teachers felt relieved not to involve the government.
In the sight of all, Xiao Yanci took a sturdy stick and struck Mrs. Wen lying there.
Jiang Yihuan watched Mrs. Wen smugly, thinking: Opposing me, before I act, someone will handle you.
Xiao Yanci watched Mrs. Wen as she bit her lip enduring it, but after not many strikes, she still screamed out in pain.
"I remember your affection, thank you."
"I am willing to do anything for you." Before fainting, Mrs. Wen’s eyes were full of longing and infatuation.
Su Yaoguang pinched Zhou Wangshu’s arm.
"Why are you pinching me?"
"Feeling nauseated, easing the disgust."
"Do you ease your disgust by pinching me?" Zhou Wangshu, displeased, reached to pinch Su Yaoguang.
Su Yaoguang didn’t dodge, and extended her arm: "Go ahead, pinch me."
Zhou Wangshu couldn’t possibly actually pinch her.
He put his hand down obediently and, looking at the scene before him, said: "Nothing worth seeing, let’s go."
The polo match ended, the academy granted a half-day off, allowing students and their families to gather properly.
Zhou Wangshu won the match, Zhang Zhaodi was delighted and invited his teammates for a feast at Jiang’s Restaurant today.
Xiao Yanci picked up the battered Mrs. Wen, looking up at the departing figures of Su Yaoguang and Zhou Wangshu, his gaze fierce.
Let them be pleased for another month. In a month, Zhou Wangshu, that fool, definitely won’t pass the scholar exam, while he will surely succeed.
"Brother Xiao, why are you carrying her? She caused such disgrace, ill-intentioned, can we not care about her anymore?"
Xiao Yanci looked down and said: "Huan’er, aren’t you very kind? If no one tends to her in this state, her injuries might lead to her death."
"She competes with me for Brother Xiao, she’s not a good person." Jiang Yihuan clung to Xiao Yanci’s arm, acting coy.
Xiao Yanci remarked flatly: "Sorry, Huan’er, it’s because of me she ended up like this, I must help her. You go on home first!"
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