The surrounding neighbors seemed long accustomed to this scene.
They just exchanged a few words among themselves, watching the commotion.
The man was beating too viciously, and his wife didn't stop him, occasionally joining in with a few curses.
"A pair of little bastards, I feed you, and you still cause trouble for me. None of you will eat today! Starve you for a few days, and you'll behave!" The woman shouted with hands on her hips.
"Try running again!"
Old Xu cursed under his breath, while the whip in his hand continued to lash.
"Stop it!"
Mei Yingxue couldn't stand it any longer and, unable to suppress herself, softly shouted.
"Whose house are you from?"
Old Xu glanced sideways, not recognizing Mei Yingxue, just feeling that this young girl's fine attire and demeanor suggested she was from a wealthy family.
"That's the daughter from Plum Blossom Martial Arts Hall," a neighbor recognized her and whispered to remind him.
Old Xu didn't take it seriously when he heard this, curling his lips and said, "I'm beating my maid at home, what's it to you? So what if you're the daughter of the Mei Family, even the government doesn't meddle with me."
"Even if she's your maid, you're being too harsh!"
Mei Yingxue frowned as she looked at the bruised little girl, her face showing unbearable distress.
Old Xu's wife had a fierce expression and screamed, "This is our family affair, little girl, mind your own business!"
"What if I do meddle!"
Mei Yingxue was angered and retorted.
"Oh, everybody, come and see, the daughter of the Plum Blossom Martial Arts Hall is bullying us with her power!"
Xu's wife started to wail as if she had suffered a grave injustice, crying out with not a tear on her face.
Mei Yingxue, being a girl in her teens, had never encountered such a scene and immediately felt her face flush, her momentum weakening, saying, "You, don't talk nonsense, I'm not bullying you."
Old Xu flicked the whip, sneering, "Little girl, let me tell you, my son works in Wu'an County, and our Xu Family is not to be trifled with!"
Mei Yingxue took a deep breath and said, "This little girl was bought by you, how much was she? I'll buy her from you."
"Hehe."
Old Xu let out a cold laugh, "You want to buy her? I'm not selling. This cheap girl was bought to marry my son. If you take her away, who will carry on the Xu family lineage?"
Having said that, Old Xu's gaze scanned up and down Mei Yingxue, unrestrained, with a lewd expression.
"You can just buy another one,"
This was about to slip out, but Mei Yingxue immediately realized that if she bought another maid, wouldn't she suffer here as well?
These words stuck in her throat, unable to be spoken.
A neighbor asked, "Old Xu, you always say your son is doing well in Wu'an County, would they fancy your maid?"
Old Xu chuckled, "Even if not, when this girl grows up a bit more, she can become a concubine in my Xu family, bearing offspring to carry on our lineage."
"You old lecher, so that's your plan!"
Xu's wife glared at Old Xu upon hearing this but didn't say anything more.
"Haha!"
The neighbors, seeing this, all laughed, displaying understanding expressions.
No one cared about the trembling little girl kneeling on the ground, the laughter around her sounding extraordinarily piercing to Mei Yingxue.
The little girl held the yellow dog in her arms tightly.
A person and a dog, both so small and helpless, relying on each other, dependent on one another for survival.
"Let's go."
Chen Tang's voice came from behind.
Mei Yingxue sighed, a sense of powerlessness rising in her heart as she turned to leave.
From start to end, Chen Tang did not step into the alley, merely watching coldly from afar.
Unlike his former self, the deeper Chen Tang's murderous intent grew, the calmer he appeared.
Moreover, he knew that killing was troublesome.
To have less trouble, one must do it cleanly.
Upon hearing the words "let's go," the little girl kneeling there suddenly trembled all over, as if sensing something, looking up in disbelief.
However, neighbors were blocking her view, and her eyes, swollen and filled with blood and tears, blurred her vision, only faintly seeing two silhouettes leaving, disappearing at the alley's entrance.
"Was it a hallucination?"
"Is Brother Atang still alive?"
"It can't be. If it were Brother Atang, he would have come to save me. Brother Atang is long gone, and I only have Xiao Huang by my side."
The little girl, disappointed, lowered her head, hugging the yellow dog in her arms, gently soothing it.
...
Walking out of the alley, Chen Tang and Mei Yingxue remained silent along the way.
After a while, Mei Yingxue suddenly stopped without any warning and said, "Sometimes, I just want to cut them down with a sword!"
Chen Tang was slightly surprised and glanced at her.
Mei Yingxue quickly came back to her senses, looked at Chen Tang, and said somewhat awkwardly, "Sorry, maybe I startled you? I was just venting a bit."
"Mm."
Chen Tang nodded and said, "Everyone has their own destiny, just let it be."
Mei Yingxue frowned.
Such indifferent words didn't seem like something Chen Tang would say.
But soon, she thought it through and was relieved.
Because of saving that little girl, Chen Tang narrowly escaped death, his family was shattered, everything changed; even if he had ardent passion, it must have cooled by now.
"Oh."
Thinking of this, Mei Yingxue felt somewhat troubled and said, "I'll see you here, going back first."
"Thank you."
Chen Tang nodded and walked towards his home.
A chubby old man and Qingmu were standing at a distance, slightly frowning.
They had originally intended to follow Chen Tang and observe for a while, unexpectedly witnessing the scene just now.
Neither had expected Chen Tang to say those words.
It seemed much different from the young man of more than two months ago, who stood up against injustice.
Qingmu said, "Master, let's save that little girl."
"Mm."
The chubby old man said, "That little girl is someone who remembers kindness. She thinks Chen Tang is dead, but even after more than two months, she still remembers it, wanting justice for the deceased. That yellow dog protected its master, and the girl is kind-hearted too, unwilling to let the dog be beaten, preferring to take the lashes herself."
"If you save her, she will risk her life to protect you in the future. Such a person deserves a life of wealth and won't suffer grievances by your side."
Qingmu nodded and said, "After saving her, I'll leave here immediately with her."
"I'll go with you."
The chubby old man said.
Qingmu was surprised, asking, "Master, you won't stay to observe him further, the Entering the Divine State, the one and only in the world."
The chubby old man, somewhat disheartened, chuckled mockingly and said, "Everyone has their own destiny, let it be."
This was precisely what Chen Tang had said earlier.
Qingmu saw what was on the old man's mind and said, "It must be because of the change he underwent more than two months ago that altered his character, which is understandable."
The chubby old man looked regretful and said, "Perhaps. If he were an ordinary person, it would be fine, as many things are beyond one's control. But now having mastered such skills, yet his passion has cooled, it's somewhat of a pity."
"Even if he reached the Entering the Divine State, it's nothing special. The world just has one more cold-hearted Jianghu individual, quite commonplace and very dull."
"Qingmu."
After a brief pause, the chubby old man asked, "Do you know why I've been taking you around to travel all these years?"
"I don't know." Qingmu shook her head, showing a hint of curiosity.
The chubby old man said, "In the future, when you enter the capital and become distinguished, you'll have a hard time seeing the hardship of the people and hearing their sufferings."
"I take you around the land so that you may see firsthand how the people of Qian Country live."
"With your relationship, if you can speak a few words in the future to lessen taxes, reduce labor levies, and punish corrupt officials, it would be an immense blessing for the world."
Qingmu nodded solemnly, earnestly saying, "I will remember this, Master."
The chubby old man asked again, "Do you know the significance of Jianghu's existence?"
"Jianghu?"
Qingmu shook her head.
Throughout these years, even as she traveled with her master, she never pondered the significance of Jianghu's existence.
The chubby old man said, "The common people are powerless, often unable to seek justice from the authorities. Sometimes, Jianghu provides them an answer, and that is the significance of Jianghu's existence."
Qingmu pondered, saying, "Therefore, Jianghu often opposes the court, and the court perceives Jianghu people as outcasts."
"Exactly."
The chubby old man said, "If one day, the land is stable, politics smooth and harmonious, the country prosperous, and the people at peace, perhaps Jianghu would fade away."