"Lin'er, stop!" The furious girl was suddenly pulled back.
Feng Lin stomped her foot angrily: "Brother Yi, this bitch dared to hit me!"
An Xin was not in good condition. The kick to her waist was not light, and it hurt so much that she broke out in a cold sweat. She had been practicing karate and had never suffered such a loss before.
Ancient martial arts were far more advanced than modern ones. Even if she practiced karate, she would probably be no match for those martial arts masters.
Yang Hu's expression changed, and he hurriedly rushed forward, asking, "Miss An, are you alright?!"
An Xin forced herself to stand up and said, "It's nothing." She wasn't good at showing her weakness to others, nor did she want to. It wasn't that she was being stubborn; she simply felt that whether she was weak or strong, it was her own choice. When you're weak, there's no such thing as lasting sympathy; you can only rely on being strong enough!
"Don't cause trouble!" Feng Yi frowned slightly, then his gaze fell on An Xin. In fact, he was really surprised. The girl in front of him had acted decisively and swiftly, each move was about to be effective. How could someone who could compose such romantic and poetic verses and also wield such swift and skillful punches be the same person...?
"You wretch! Today, with Brother Yi protecting you, I'll spare you this time. Tomorrow at Shuiyue Pavilion, I'll fight you to the death. Do you dare?!" Feng Lin shouted fiercely.
Yang Hu's expression suddenly changed: "Water Moon Pavilion!? You are..."
Knowing that his identity could not be concealed, Feng Yi could only say, "We are the Feng family members who have come to investigate Shui Yue Rou's case... Miss, Lin'er is ignorant, please forgive her."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone was shocked.
Good heavens, the Feng family!?
That's the Feng family, the ones who solved countless bizarre cases and were known as the upright officials of the world!?
So this young master must be Feng Yi, the genius of the Feng family?
Feng Lin said angrily, "Brother Yi, she's the one who offended me! Why should I apologize to her?!"
An Xin narrowed her eyes slightly. They were the ones who found the murderer! The Feng family…
"No need for leniency. I will definitely go to Shuiyue Pavilion tomorrow!" An Xin's gaze was indifferent as she slowly glanced at Feng Lin. How could she not retaliate for that kick?
Chapter Fifteen: The Beggar
When An Xin returned, dusk was approaching, and Huanan Village was shrouded in colorful light and shadow, like a painting unfolding before her.
She put her hands behind her head, staring blankly at the twilight. Whether in ancient or modern times, if you want to be free from bullying, if you want to be carefree and relaxed, if you want to do whatever you want, strength, wealth, and power are all indispensable.
But now, her skills are absolutely terrible.
Financial resources are almost nonexistent.
Rights? Bullshit!
If things continue like this, she will only be ravaged by life. How can she possibly ravage life?
In her previous life, she had no worries. Her parents were famous throughout the world, and she never experienced a life of having nothing.
In this life, everything must start from scratch.
To be indifferent to worldly affairs? That's something only the powerful and wealthy should have. How can someone who can't even afford basic necessities not fight for anything?
To regard fame, fortune, and money as dirt? That's just sour grapes. This society will inevitably turn you into someone who regards money as your parents!
An Xin kicked away a pebble. In ancient times, how could she defeat the profound Chinese martial arts with only karate?
"Ah!" A pitiful scream suddenly brought An Xin back to her senses. She was stunned, and when she looked up, she saw a ragged beggar not far away covering his forehead and screaming.
An Xin blinked, looking at the way he was staring at her, as if he were looking at the culprit.
An Xin hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Uh, are you alright?"
The beggar, exasperated, said, "Do I look like I'm alright?" He then stretched out his dirty head to show her the injury on his forehead. An Xin's lips twitched; indeed, he didn't look alright...
An Xin took out a silver ingot and said apologetically, "There is a doctor in the village, please go and take a look quickly."
The beggar had great integrity, grumbling, "I won't accept a reward without merit, and this old man won't accept charity!"
An Xin was, after all, the murderer, and it was impossible to ignore her. So he could only say, "Then, what do you want?"
The beggar covered his forehead and asked, "Do you have any food or drink?"
An Xin said, "I'll go get it!"
The beggar said, "Wait a minute, this old man hasn't taken a bath in a year. I want to have a nice, hot bath. Also, you need to wash and mend these beggar clothes. And there must be meat to eat and wine to drink..."
An Xin twitched her lips. She began to wonder if she had damaged the old man's brain by kicking him!
"Since the clothes are so torn, just get new ones," An Xin said with a blank face.
"This is a gold mine, it's priceless, absolutely unacceptable!"
"..." A tattered piece of clothing, what gold and silver mountains are you talking about!
"Little girl, that kick you just gave me was quite powerful! This old man is really worried..."
An Xin lazily replied, "You have extraordinary talent, both innate and outwardly intelligent, and a powerful soul. Why not take me as your disciple?" It is impossible to know who first started this kind of talk, but it became increasingly popular. It seems that everyone who wants to become a disciple follows this routine, which is extremely annoying.
The old man glared and shouted angrily, "How dare you interrupt an old man!"
An Xin twitched her lips, thinking to herself that this saying had been widely circulated and everyone knew it!
"But what exactly is a powerful soul?"
An Xin twitched the corners of her mouth and gave a stiff laugh. Don't the male and female protagonists in fantasy novels all have a powerful soul?
"It's not easy to become the old man's apprentice. So many people have come one after another, but the old man won't accept any." The beggar's white beard twitched proudly.
An Xin said, "I'm not interested."
The beggar retorted angrily, "How can you not be interested?! Don't you want to learn the old man's kung fu? You should know that there are only a handful of people in the world who can stand on equal footing with the old man!"
An Xin raised an eyebrow and said, "I must have been one of those people, otherwise, with your incredible skills, how could I have kicked you in the forehead!"
The beggar's beard twitched: "If the old man weren't asleep, you wouldn't be able to kick him even after ten years!"
An Xin smiled casually, "Even when they're asleep, aren't experts more astute than ordinary people when they're awake? Are you confused from sleeping?"
The beggar said angrily, "Fine, fine, I deliberately let you kick me. I'm tired and too lazy to find wine and meat myself, so I'll have to trouble you, little girl." He then grinned.
An Xin stopped in her tracks and said, "Since it was intentional on your part, I have no obligation to take care of you anymore." With that, she turned and walked away without looking back.
The old man followed in a flash, no longer showing any sign of weakness. He grumbled, "When people get old, they're no longer treated like human beings. You hurt an old man and then acted heartlessly and ruthlessly, how cruel!"
An Xin's lazy voice drifted over: "Ah, you're getting old, and coincidentally, I'm still a bit ruthless..."
****
A night passed in the blink of an eye.
Shuiyue Pavilion was packed with people. The truth about Shuiyue Rou's suicide, which had shocked the entire county, was finally revealed today. And the one who solved this case was naturally the Feng family, who were known as the "Upright Justices of the People".
People crowded together, all eager to witness the Feng family's prowess in solving cases.
"Have you heard? The Feng family solved Shui Yue Rou's case in just one day. They truly are the upright and just authorities!"
"Yes, the Feng family has produced many talented people over the past century, all of whom are excellent at solving cases. I've heard that among the younger generation, there is one named Feng Yi, who is a genius at solving cases. It is said that when he was ten years old, he solved a ten-year-old headless case. Tsk tsk, truly a hero emerges from among the young!"
"Didn't Shui Yue Rou commit suicide? Could it really be a murder case?"
The moment those words were spoken, an even more chaotic discussion ensued.
An Xin leaned against a willow tree, the swaying willow concealing her figure. She held a willow leaf in her mouth, her eyes sparkling like clear stream water as she gazed at the crowd in front of Shuiyue Pavilion.
The Feng family and the county magistrate had not yet arrived, but the place was already packed with onlookers.
An Xin raised her hand and rubbed her side. She had been in pain all night. If she hadn't been injured frequently in the past and was already familiar with how to treat her injuries, it would definitely have affected her mobility today.
However, before meeting Feng Lin, she was more interested in this case. Was Feng Yi from the Feng family really such a genius that he found the murderer? Recalling her own lifelong love of deduction and the rarity of encountering a worthy opponent, could this Feng Yi become her rival?
An Xin blew on the willow leaves, and the thin leaves produced a delicate, smooth melody—having an opponent is not bad!
"Let me go! Help! I wasn't the one who posted the notice!" A scream suddenly rang out. An Xin frowned slightly and looked up. She saw An Daming being roughly pushed over by the yamen runners.
"Save your energy, you'll be the one yelling later!" one of the constables said, thoroughly annoyed.
An Xin flicked her finger, and the willow leaf flew out, landed on the lake, and then drifted away.
An Xin sighed. If the Feng family were allowed to find the murderer, An Daming might really be punished...
Chapter Sixteen: Flowers Along the Road
"Is this the good-for-nothing who took down the official notice? He took down the notice but couldn't solve the case. According to the laws of Dayi, he should be whipped, right?" A group of people walked over. The girl's voice was still clear and crisp, but it was filled with arrogant arrogance, which attracted everyone's attention. Immediately, the crowd burst into a gasp.
Being able to uncover the truth of a case and clear the name of the innocent is undoubtedly very popular. It is usually ordinary people who suffer from wrongful convictions. The Feng family solves one strange case after another, which is to say that they have done justice for the people and are naturally very popular.
Wang Baishi had a dignified and confident demeanor. In front of ordinary people, this local official exuded official authority. In fact, it was only in front of the people that he could still put on airs.
The young man beside him was Feng Yi, whose expression was amiable, showing none of the arrogance one would expect from a chosen one. He would occasionally stop to chat with the people, making them feel quite flattered.
The one who spoke was naturally Feng Lin. Her inherent arrogance was probably something she was born into a large family, and as a young girl, she was naturally intelligent and beautiful, so she felt superior to others.
As soon as she finished speaking, Wang Baishi naturally turned his gaze to An Daming. To be honest, An Daming almost ruined his big plan. If he hadn't been quick-witted enough to invite the Feng family, the case would not have been solved. If the case wasn't solved, the magistrate would definitely be angered, and he would not even be able to save his head. Naturally, Wang Baishi would not give An Daming a good look. Besides, he had to give the Feng family face no matter what, even if she was just a young girl.
"Guards, give him twenty lashes!"
Ancient whipping was extremely harsh. This whip was not an ordinary whip, but one with nails or hooks stuck in it. When whipping a person, it could hook or tear the flesh, causing the victim to suffer greatly.
Twenty lashes are already considered an extremely severe punishment.
An Daming was naturally terrified. He knelt down in a sorry state and begged for mercy, "My lord, it was An Xin who took down the official notice! I was forced! My lord, please investigate! My lord, spare my life!"
Yang Hu's expression changed slightly. He was naturally on An Xin's side and wouldn't let An Daming really implicate An Xin. He hurriedly said, "Guards, take action now!"
Feng Lin, who had a very bad impression of Yang Hu from the last flower viewing party, sneered, "Sir, Constable Yang left his post to go to the flower viewing party last time and made quite a bit of money. Don't you know about this?"
Wang Baishi was taken aback. He had always trusted Yang Hu to do things, but he hadn't expected Feng Lin to drag him into this. Moreover, Yang Hu hadn't even used the money to give him any, so he was naturally displeased.
Yang Hu's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly knelt on one knee, saying, "Sir, that silver was a gift from someone else, and besides, I wasn't on duty that day!"
Feng Lin sneered, "Does Officer Yang mean that when you're not on duty, the affairs of the county government are none of your business?"
Wang Baishi's face darkened, and he said in a deep voice, "You have greatly disappointed me by abandoning your post. You shall be punished along with An Daming!"