Chapter 215 -207: The Mess at Home

He examined the handkerchief, a plain cloth faded to a pale yellow from countless washings. Apart from the character “Zhi” embroidered on one corner, it had no other pattern.

Seeing that Bai Zhi was engrossed in her meal, he simply tucked the handkerchief inside his robe.

He thought his movement was natural, even flawless, but failed to notice a pair of eyes fixed on him the entire time.

After the meal, Bai Zhi stood to take her leave. She reminded him to continue taking his oral medicine and applying the topical poultice without interruption. She would return in five days for a follow-up examination and to remove his stitches.

Meng Nan personally saw them out. He watched until the horse-drawn carriage vanished completely from sight before turning to head back inside with Jin Xiao’an.

He reached into his robe for the handkerchief, but his hand came up empty. He stopped in his tracks and frantically patted his chest again, searching from side to side, up and down.

“Sir, what’s the matter? Are you itchy? Do you need me to help?” Jin Xiao’an hurried over when he saw his master frowning and digging frantically inside his robe, his brow furrowing deeper with each movement.

‘How could it be gone? I’m sure I put it right here.’ He suddenly froze. When they were leaving just now, Hu Feng had bumped into him. His hand seemed to brush against his chest… ‘Could it have been him?’

“What’s missing?” Jin Xiao’an asked.

Meng Nan looked vexed. “It’s nothing.”

The carriage returned to the village. Just as they reached the entrance, they came across Old Li heading out with his ox-cart. Old Li shouted to Hu Feng, “Hu Feng, you’d better hurry home! There’s a crowd gathered at your house causing trouble!”

Hu Feng’s brow furrowed and his expression darkened instantly. Without a word, he cracked the whip over the horse’s flank. The animal broke into a frantic gallop, and they quickly arrived outside the Hu Family’s home.

A large crowd had indeed gathered in the courtyard. Hu Changlin and Zhao Lan were encircled, and though it was hard to make out individual words over the cacophony, the accusations were flying. Hu Changlin and Zhao Lan stood stone-faced and silent, which only seemed to agitate the crowd further. They began pointing, their voices growing louder.

“I never thought Hu Changlin, who’s always been so honest and upright, would stoop to profiting from a disaster! Have you no conscience?”

“Exactly! How could you hoard grain bought on the cheap only to sell it at exorbitant prices at a time like this? You’re just ripping us off!”

“We’re all just poor souls trying to survive. Why would you do something so wicked? We’re not even asking you to give us the grain for free. Just sell it to us at the old market price! You won’t even do that? Your hearts are black as coal! Are you really going to stand by and watch us starve to death because we can’t afford your rice?”

“We’re all from the same village; why be so cruel? We see each other every day. You shouldn’t burn your bridges like this!”

Hu Changlin roared, “Xu Laosan, what’s that supposed to mean? Is that a threat? I, Hu Changlin, have always acted with a clear conscience. You think I’m afraid of you?”

Xu Laosan sneered. “Everyone knows your Hu Family is shacked up with Zhao Lan and her daughter. And now you’ve even latched onto the county’s Lord Tongpan. Feeling bold, are we? Getting arrogant? With a powerful backer, of course you don’t have to fear us commoners.”

Zhao Lan trembled with rage. “What filth are you spouting? Nothing good ever comes from a filthy mouth like yours!”

Xu Laosi chimed in from behind his older brother, “Nonsense? Is there anyone in this village who doesn’t know about your sordid little affair? You all eat and live together—an old widow, an old widower, a young bachelor, and a young maiden. It wouldn’t be surprising if you’re all mixed up together. Why be so secretive about it? You’re just making yourselves a laughingstock.”

“If you want to talk about sordid affairs, no one’s are more sordid than your family’s!” Bai Zhi’s clear voice suddenly rang out from behind Xu Laosan and Xu Laosi.

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