Gao Deng grabbed Da Huzi’s fist tightly, angrily saying, "He’s just a child, what kind of grudge do you have to beat soone to death?"
Da Huzi tried hard to pull his hand back, but found he couldn’t at all; this person had a great grip, making his wrist hurt terribly.
"His father was a dead gambling ghost who owed us money. His father’s dead, so he should pay us back. He has no money, so even if I beat him to death, he deserves it!" Da Huzi said confidently.
The boy sobbed, "I already persuaded my father not to gamble. My mother was angered to death by him, and now he’s already been beaten to death by you. Can’t you let go?"
"Debt repaynt is a matter of course. If we let you go, who will pay us back?" Da Huzi shouted.
Gao Deng felt a bit annoyed, frowned, and said, "Beating him to death won’t get your money either. Just tell how much his father owed you?"
"A hundred taels of silver." Da Huzi said.
The boy glared, "How can it be that much? Didn’t you say it was only fifty taels a few days ago?"
Da Huzi snorted, "Interest upon interest, it’s long been a hundred taels. If you don’t pay today, it’ll be more tomorrow."
Gao Deng took out a hundred taels silver banknote and threw it at Da Huzi, saying, "Take the money and get lost imdiately. Don’t bother him again, or I’ll break your leg!"
After saying that, he released Da Huzi’s hand. Da Huzi rubbed his already bruised wrist, feeling quite unhappy, but not daring to provoke Gao Deng, he picked up the silver banknote and left.
The boy again knelt in front of Gao Deng, kowtowing several tis to him.
Gao Deng helplessly pulled him up, saying, "A man’s knees hold gold, don’t kneel so easily. I didn’t help you so you’d kowtow to . From now on, live your life without worry as you should!"
The boy grew troubled, "How can I live my life? There’s no one left in my family."
Jiang Yichun coldly said at this ti, "We have a journey to make, it’s inconvenient to take along another person."
The boy hurriedly said, "Do you need an attendant? I can do many things. I can start a fire, cook, and even run errands, please take with you! I don’t need a monthly wage, just food will do."
"It’s inconvenient," Jiang Yichun said without any softness.
But Gao Deng gave Jiang Yichun a look, "Forget it, where can a child like this go? Let’s take him along. We need soone to look after Muyu’s mother anyway, with soone helping, Muyu can be more at ease."
Jiang Yichun, already unhappy with his father’s ddling earlier, received such a look, felt a bit puzzled, and then reluctantly nodded, saying, "Alright, but tell him not to cause trouble, or he’ll be kicked out imdiately."
Hearing this, the boy was delighted, kneeling again and kowtowing to Jiang Yichun and Gao Deng, "Thank you, masters, thank you for taking in!"
Outside the city gate, everyone mounted horses, Muyu accompanied Du Fei onto the horse carriage. To outsiders, it just looked like a son accompanying his sick mother, but Muyu was extrely displeased, having to accompany this malicious old woman. When the princess finds out later, who knows how she’ll ridicule him!
The boy said his na was Xue Liang and that he couldn’t ride a horse. Gao Deng let him get on the horse carriage as well.
Gao Deng rode at the front, Jiang Yichun quietly asked him, "Do you think that boy has a problem?"
Gao Deng nodded, "If he’s not here for us, then he’s here for Du Fei. Instead of driving him away and having him plot against us in another way, it’s better to keep him close and pretend nothing is amiss, to see what he actually plans to do!"
Jiang Yichun nodded, "Alright, remind Muyu to be cautious later."
"That boy doesn’t seem to have much inner strength and is quite frail. Coming alone to harm us isn’t realistic, it’s rather strange," Gao Deng muttered softly.
Let’s wait and see, Jiang Yichun said.
In the carriage, the boy secretly glanced at Du Fei, then lowered his gaze, looking very obedient.
Don’t be fooled by Muyu’s usual carefree deanor; after all, he’s a person from the Ministry of Public Works. When caution is needed, he’s certainly very careful. Unlike before, when he only watched Du Fei, now he watched both Du Fei and secretly monitored the boy Xue Liang’s reactions, but the boy was very cautious, and Muyu didn’t notice that single glance.
After a while, the boy seed a bit tired, his head nodding and sotis tilting sideways, looking like he was about to fall asleep with the carriage’s rocking.
But he quickly jerked awake, sitting up straight with a very nervous expression, fearing that falling asleep would displease his masters.
After all, he was a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old child, so thin and small, Muyu couldn’t bear it and softly said to him, "If you’re tired, just sleep a little; there’s still a long way to go, and nothing needs to be done right now."
"No, no, Master hasn’t slept, how can I be lazy and sleep?" the boy stubbornly said.
Seeing him like this, Muyu said nothing more and continued to keep a careful eye on Du Fei.
As the night fell, they stopped at the next village, and Muyu didn’t notice anything suspicious about the boy. When Jiang Yichun reminded him, he puzzledly said, "He seems like an ordinary boy, right? Could it be that the holy physician is mistaken?"
Jiang Yichun glared at him harshly, "Keep a close eye on him. If sothing goes wrong here, I’ll make sure you pay for it."
Muyu shivered with fright, imdiately straightening up and saying, "Master, don’t worry, I’ll definitely keep a close watch."
That night, they stayed at an agricultural family’s house, gave the owner so grain and silver, and borrowed two rooms to rest for the night.
The boy remained diligent, voluntarily helping the farr’s wife serve als and water to Jiang Yichun and the others, looking every bit the diligent servant, very obedient.
It was Jing Lei’s turn to keep watch at night, and nothing was discovered. The next day, they set off early again, and for the next two or three days, everything went very smoothly, but that didn’t an Jiang Yichun and the others would let their guard down; how could people from the Ministry of Public Works be so careless?
Finally, on the fourth day, after finishing dinner, the boy’s eyes began to grow more lively. He watched this person and that one, even boldly glancing at Du Fei.
Jiang Yichun’s mouth curled slightly, showing a sarcastic smile. The boy finally couldn’t resist taking action. All his previous forbearance and diligence were to make them trust him more and lower their guard. He sure was patient.
Jiang Yichun gave a look to the others, and they each pretended to faint, slumping on the table.
Soon, the inn shopkeeper ca over and said to the boy, "Master, you’ve endured enough, should we send them to the Western Heaven now?"
The boy snorted coldly, "What’s the rush? Capture them first; there are still uses for them."
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