The man in black was greatly shocked. He had not expected that after fighting with a little brat for so long without gaining an advantage, he would even be hit by such an insidious and vicious Paralyzing Powder.
"You're ruthless!" They did not dare to delay any longer, jumped to a side path, and somersaulted out of sight.
Xu Mo stood ramrod straight on the horse, holding the long sword, advancing fearlessly and looking heroic and unmatched.
"Third brother, you look just like a returning victorious general!" Jiang Sheng looked at him admiringly.
This time, Zheng Ruqian was not jealous.
He smacked his lips, also feeling that his third younger brother was looking more and more handsome.
However, an abrupt change occurred.
Fang Heng, who had been sitting upright on the horse the whole time, suddenly changed expression, and his body visibly wilted before their eyes.
"Oh no, it's the Ten-Scent Paralyzing Powder!" Jiang Sheng stamped her feet anxiously, "Fourth brother, you must have an antidote since you have poison, right? Quick, give third brother the antidote, he's poisoned!"
She almost shook Wan Zhiyun's small body apart.
After a long while, the frail fourth brother squeezed out a sentence, "There's no such thing as Ten-Scent Paralyzing Powder."
This was not the martial arts world in storybooks, how could there be so many strange poisons? What he said earlier was just to scare away the men in black.
As it turned out, things they hadn't heard much about were useful for scaring people.
"Then, then what is it?" Jiang Sheng was shocked speechless.
At this time, Fang Heng had already been rescued from the horse by Pang Dashan and Zheng Ruqian’s combined efforts of seven hands and eight feet, and was being carried onto the carriage.
If Fang Heng was not poisoned, then what was wrong with him now?
His face was pale, his lips trembling, his waist hunched over.
It really looked like it!
Jiang Sheng really couldn't figure it out, she could only look around blankly, not knowing who to ask for help.
Chang Yan clasped his hands together and quietly asked, "The white powder from earlier was not poison, so what was it?"
Wan Zhiyun scratched the back of his head, "It was broad bean powder ground by Doctor Wu."
Jiang Sheng, Chang Yan: "..."
As if to verify Wan Zhiyun's words, Fang Heng, who had just been laid in the carriage, suddenly shot up and looked around frantically for a while. When he didn't find anything, he rushed with a black face into a nearby reed thicket.
"Huh, what's wrong with third brother?" The confused Zheng Ruqian wanted to chase after him.
Jiang Sheng quickly held him back firmly, "Second brother, please give third brother some privacy."
Who didn't have stomach and intestinal issues?
As for what Fang Heng was looking for, hmm ... it should be toilet paper.
Jiang Sheng stuck out her tongue. In any case, it was good that he wasn't poisoned.
Half an hour later.
The group returned to Xieyang County with the weakened Fang Heng. The gravel on the road had already been completely cleared up by the Pang brothers, and the vegetables from the two carts were safely delivered to You Ran Ju.
Pang Dashan took his brothers back to their new residence they had found on the outskirts of the county—another cave.
Zheng Ruqian returned the carriage and used a donkey cart to bring Headmaster Xu, the eldest brother, back home.
In the small courtyard.
After hearing about the thrills but no real danger today, Xu Mo first breathed a sigh of relief, and then knitted his brows.
"Eldest brother, we all came back safely, why are you still frowning?" Jiang Sheng tiptoed, trying to smooth the wrinkles between Xu Mo's brows.
Xu Mo patted her little head and did not speak.
Chang Yan said softly on the side, "Eldest brother must be worried that something like this will happen again."
Although they narrowly escaped today, the men in black were not dead, and the county magistrate's wife would not give up. Such things would still happen.
They could hide for a while, but not for a lifetime.
Who could guarantee that they would be lucky enough to escape next time?
Xu Mo took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
In his original plan, as long as the Xieyang county magistrate could restrain himself and not kill them, he would settle down and focus on the imperial examinations.
But now, the county magistrate's wife's attempt to hire killers had interrupted all his plans.
No one could hurt his younger siblings right in front of an older brother.
He had originally wanted to deal with these things after he became more powerful.
But now, Xu Mo could not wait any longer.
He took another deep breath and looked at his younger siblings, "I plan to go to Anshui Prefecture early."
Xieyang County was under the jurisdiction of Anshui Prefecture. The superior of the Xieyang county magistrate was the Anshui prefectural governor.
What Xu Mo was doing was reporting to a higher level.
He said early, because his prefectural exam in April would also take place in Anshui Prefecture. Calculating carefully, he was going a full twenty days early.
"Eldest Brother, skipping levels to report a grievance calls for fifty blows of the plank first." Chang Yan gently reminded him.
Xu Mo paused. Of course he knew, but he couldn't stand it anymore. He wanted to expose all of the Xieyang county magistrate's crimes and evil deeds.
Not only the case of the county magistrate's wife hiring killers.
There was also the case of Magistrate Xu's innocent family being harmed.
Over the past six months, he had been secretly investigating, and had initially gotten some clues recently. He not only found evidence, but also found the widow of Magistrate Xu's attendant master back then.
He still remembered that the master's wife was so smart and beautiful that even the county magistrate's wife was exceptionally caring towards her, treating her like a sister. But later, after Magistrate Xu's reputation as an honest official was ruined and his whole family was beheaded, the master took his wife and vanished without a trace.
Xu Mo had thought for a time that they had also been harmed.
It wasn't until a few days ago when some child beggars came to report on the county magistrate's wife's activities that Xu Mo took pity and gave them some food. Among the group of beggars, he discovered the wretched wife.
She had lost her former beauty, her tall figure was hunched over, and she crouched in a corner gnawing on a bun.
When someone passed by, she would even shrink back in fear, protecting her chest, as if dreading something.
Xu Mo couldn't believe it. He rubbed his eyes and approached, asking repeatedly several times, "Auntie, is it you, Auntie?"
Only then did the master's wife raise her head. Seeing Xu Mo's somewhat more mature appearance, she suddenly opened her mouth and cried out, "Wah!"
While crying, she also moaned, "It's my fault, sister-in-law, don't blame me. It was us who harmed you, but we were also punished. Don't come looking for us, don't come looking for us..."
Tears streamed down her face. She truly regretted it.
Unfortunately, time could not be turned back, nor could the dead be brought back to life.
Xu Mo clenched his fists tightly, using great effort to restrain himself. He only asked, "Auntie, are you willing to let the executioner receive due punishment?"
With human testimony, material evidence, and now an indigo sword as ironclad evidence.
Xu Mo was determined. Even if he had to give up the prefectural exam, he would also bring the Xieyang county magistrate down!
In early March, except for Zheng Ruqian who would be delayed for a day or two because of harvesting vegetables, the rest of the siblings packed up and took a rented carriage straight to Anshui Prefecture.
