Chapter 44: Finding Fault, Apologizing, and Compensation

However, just as the martial arts school disciple was halfway through his sentence, he looked closely at Xia He and his pupils suddenly contracted, as if he had recognized him.

Immediately, the arrogant and overbearing expression that had previously dominated his face vanished without a trace, replaced entirely by utter shock and panic.

Yet his nephew, emboldened by authority and entirely oblivious to the shifting atmosphere, continued to spew various unspeakable profanities without restraint, loudly shouting and provoking Xiao Wen.

Before the child could even finish half of his insults, they were cut short by a dull thud. Without a moment's hesitation, the martial arts disciple lashed out with a fierce kick, sending the clueless brat sprawling to the ground.

Not content with just that, as if it were not enough to vent his frustration, he quickly followed up with a vicious slap across the face, leaving the child seeing stars and bursting into loud, wailing tears.

"You blind, death-seeking little bastard!" he roared furiously, "Why don't you hurry up and apologize to Brother Xia!"

At the same time, he hurried towards Xia He with the speed of flying, his face plastered with a flattering, ingratiating smile. Cupping his fists in a formal bow, he introduced himself, "I am a disciple of the Spirit Snake Martial Arts School. The steward and patron who previously came to pay a respects is none other than my master. Recently, both his esteemed self and our young master have frequently spoken of you."

Hearing these words, Xia He furrowed his brows slightly. After casting an assessing glance up and down at the man before him, he asked in a flat tone, "Oh? So you are from the Spirit Snake Martial Arts School."

Seeing Xia He inquire, the man nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick, then explained with trembling fear that it was all due to his uncultured and ignorant nephew lacking manners and offending Xia He, hoping for forgiveness.

With that, he reached out without mercy, grabbed the child by his rear, and subjected him to another fierce, crackling beating, until the boy was crying so bitterly and heart-rendingly that it seemed as though he were dying.

Watching the farce play out before him, Xia He nodded expressionlessly.

"Hehe, we are all our own people. Since it's just children playing around, let's leave it at that."

"However, my nephew has been orphaned and bitter since youth, with a fragile mind; I'm afraid he can't endure being bullied by others."

Seeing Xia He relent, the martial arts disciple felt as though he had received a grand pardon. Smiling ingratiatingly, he hurriedly drew five taels of silver from his robe and offered them up.

"Brother Xia, if you don't disdain it, take this money to buy some meat for our nephew to nourish himself."

"Oh."

Xia He accepted the money, a smile finally touching his lips.

"Then many thanks. Xiao Wen, why aren't you thanking this uncle?"

"Good, good, good. What a good boy."

The man looked at Xiao Wen with boundless affection, wearing a thoroughly benign smile.

He had struggled with great difficulty to finally make a name for himself within the martial arts school; naturally, he knew what kind of fate awaited those who offended someone they shouldn't!

How could he possibly afford to offend someone valued by both the young master and his own master?

It wasn't until he had sneaked away in defeat, dragging his nearly unconscious nephew with him, that the family finally recovered from their shock.

Li Huiying rushed forward to embrace Xiao Wen, her expression distinctly tense.

"Sister, don't worry. It's all right now."

Xia He offered a few words of comfort.

Only then did his elder sister, Li Huiying, raise her head, her face a mask of astonishment.

"You... you actually know people from the martial arts school?"

Li Huiying asked in sheer disbelief.

Who among the town's common folk hadn't heard recently that the absolute last people one should provoke in the city were the disciples of the martial arts school?

They were even more formidable than the officials of the yamen, and no one who crossed them ever met a good end.

Recalling the scene that had just transpired, the more she thought about it, the more surreal it felt.

When the martial arts school member had faced Xia He just now, not only was his attitude exceptionally friendly, but he had also faintly revealed a trace of awe, as if terrified of inadvertently arousing his wrath. If such a scenario had been presented to her even a month ago, she would never have believed it, even if beaten to death.

Yet at this moment, the truth lay right before her eyes, undeniable. This dramatic reversal was simply jaw-dropping.

At that moment, his wife, Li Huilan, who had been standing quietly to the side, appeared far more composed by comparison than her elder sister’s shock.

Because earlier on, people from the martial arts school had already paid a visit once before, she was somewhat mentally prepared for today's situation.

However, she understood very well that such a situation had only come to pass entirely because Brother He possessed genuine abilities. Otherwise, given the temperaments and dispositions of those martial arts folks, how could they possibly have been so respectful toward him?

The status and standing of military households in the Great Qin were exceptionally high.

In merely a single month's time, their entire family had been elevated from lowly status to a military household! This was something she wouldn't even have dared to imagine in the past.

"Let's go inside and eat first. Eating is what matters most."

Once inside the house, Li Huilan and Li Huiying hurriedly bustled about in the kitchen, processing the meat, rice, and flour Xia He had brought back one by one.

Before long, a table full of dishes with alluring colors, aromas, and flavors was laid out, enough to make anyone's mouth water.

While busy, Li Huiying did not forget to scold Xiao Wen, who remained glued to Xia He, "Xiao Wen, you are not allowed to eat any more sugar cakes! Otherwise, you won't have any room for dinner later!"

"Xiaoha, time to eat."

Since they were all family, Xia He naturally stood on no ceremony. He strode over to the table, sat down, and began to devour his meal unconstrained.

"Delicious, truly delicious."

"Wife, your cooking skills and Sister's are truly wonderful."

"I wonder who will have the good fortune to enjoy this in the future?"

Li Huilan chimed in as well,

"That's right, Sister. Xiao Wen has grown a bit now too; have you ever thought about finding someone else?"

"I have no such thoughts; my only desire is to raise Xiao Wen."

Xiao Wen, sitting nearby with a mouth full of grease from gnawing on a pig's trotters, shouted out,

"I want my uncle-in-law to be my father!"

Li Huiying's face flushed red as she shot him a reproachful, scolding look.

"You child, what nonsense are you spouting?"

However, just as they were eating with relish, a hurried knock on the door suddenly sounded.

Puzzled, Xia He put down his bowl and chopsticks and stood up to walk toward the door.

When he opened it and looked out, he couldn't help but freeze—standing outside was none other than Chai He.

Chai He was trembling uncontrollably from head to toe, clearly frozen through by the bitter cold weather.

This dignified magistrate of the town was wearing nothing more than a pitifully thin garment in the freezing depths of winter, unable to even afford a thicker padded cotton coat.

Remembering how he had looked when he first arrived in town, dressed in respectable attire.

Now, however, he had become unkempt and covered in dust, his once-fair skin darkened and roughened by wind and exposure to the sun.

In order to save the impoverished common folk of the town, he had practically exhausted all the money he had brought from home.

Not only that, but what gave him the greatest headache was that he still had not managed to formulate the medicine for treating the blood affliction. He always felt as though something crucial was missing, though he could not quite pinpoint what it was.

With winter having arrived, the lives of the town's common folk would only become increasingly difficult; if they were to contract the blood affliction now, they probably wouldn't even last seven days.

"Ahem... Brother Xia, I've come specifically to find you."

"The medicinal ingredients you gave me previously have all been used up, yet there is still no result. Could you possibly help me find some others?"

Xia He looked at him.

How could the antidote to this blood affliction be so easily discovered?

Had he not relied on the assistance of his craft back then, he probably wouldn't even have known that the antidote itself contained poison.