Fu Xin Ci smiled faintly and stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Fu Xin Ci, greetings to Uncle Qi."
Yu Er, seeing his sister paying respects to Brother Qi's father, also wriggled his short legs and scampered over, standing by his sister's side and cupping his fists respectfully. "Yu Er greets Uncle Qi."
Yu Er's childish voice was warm and comforting.
"Good, very good," Qi Yuan Shan nodded in satisfaction, gesturing for his son to help the two children up.
Being able to raise such polite children meant their elders were certainly capable. He would be at ease when on duty, knowing his son was at the Meng family's. As for that other family, it was best not to mention them; it gave him a headache.
Qi Yuan Shan, true to his martial background, was efficient. Seeing that the two children had paid their respects, he said kindly, "When we return, Uncle Qi will give you welcome gifts."
He then turned to Meng Qing Ping and formally greeted him, offering the courtesy of a junior, which was a great honor to Meng Qing Ping.
The other Meng clan members watched furtively, their hearts filled with envy and a touch of jealousy. They were all surnamed Meng, so why was the difference so vast?
Jiang Tou Er, familiar with these people, shot them a glance, a silent warning not to stir up trouble.
Qi Yuan Shan, however, paid no mind to their gazes and called out to Jiang Tou Er, "Let's go into the city together. You also need to report to the yamen."
"Yes, Captain Qi, let's go together." Jiang Tou Er realized they had already handed the people over to Captain Qi before officially checking in at the yamen, an act of fait accompli.
Both men were decisive and wasted no time.
Qi Yuan Shan dismounted. He placed Qi He and Yu Er on his horse and led the animal himself.
Looking at his father's tall, sturdy back, Qi He's slight resentment vanished instantly.
Yu Er was the happiest, his mouth split into a wide grin.
Fu Xin Ci wished she could ride a horse too, but her status as a young lady restricted her movements. Alas, if only she were born a boy... but no, she couldn't accept that.
The Ning Yuan City was not far, so she didn't dwell on her thoughts for long before they reached the city gate.
But who were these people standing at the city gate? She glanced at the women in their middle years, all dressed in gaudy attire, which pained the eyes. Fu Xin Ci particularly disliked the way they looked at her and her mother, as if they could see through them.
Before the donkey cart even stopped at the city gate, the most garishly dressed woman waved her handkerchief, her serpentine waist swaying, and a cloying scent preceded her as she glided towards Fang Shi and Fu Xin Ci. She had a good eye and recognized them as mother and daughter. Although this young woman had traveled dusty and tanned, if she were cleaned up, rested, and well-dressed, she would undoubtedly be stunning. And this little girl, though young, would surely grow into a radiant beauty if well-fed and cared for over the years.
As the woman was lost in her pleasant thoughts, her fingers were about to pinch Fang Shi's face. Fang Shi, having lived for over twenty years, was stunned by this unprecedented display.
Fu Xin Ci had never witnessed such a scene either, but she had seen similar plots in movies and romance novels. Seeing this old hag reach for her mother, coupled with her unflattering attire, Fu Xin Ci guessed her profession. Damn it, she wouldn't tolerate such brazen behavior here.
The young girl's temper flared like a firecracker. Grabbing Fang Shi's arm for leverage, she lunged forward, delivering a solid punch to the hag's nose.
"Ouch, my heavens, you little shrew, why are you hitting me?"
"You're cursing, I'll beat you too." Fu Xin Ci spat harsh words, but her legs moved faster than her mouth, kicking the woman at the back of her knee. With a thud, the troublesome, foul-mouthed woman was sent sprawling to the ground.
Seeing their accomplice beaten and bleeding from the nose, the other women were terrified and dared not approach. The woman on the ground, covered in dirt and nursing her aching nose, had never suffered such humiliation. She immediately shouted, "Are you all dead? Help me beat this little shrew to death."
Meng Yu Tang, seeing several burly men lunging towards his younger sister, immediately shouted, "Grab your weapons, go!" He then charged forward, brandishing his own stick. Meng Qi Shan, Meng Qi Tian, and Meng Yu Luo followed closely, also armed with sticks.
Qi He exclaimed, "Where's my stick?" Without a second thought, he jumped off his horse and rushed to the donkey cart to find his weapon.
"Captain?" The two subordinates following Qi Yuan Shan were about to intervene but were stopped by Qi Yuan Shan. "Wait, let's watch for now." Qi Yuan Shan's interest was piqued by the actions of these youngsters. He chuckled even more when his son, armed with a stick, furiously joined the fray. "Hahaha, well done, son, beat him!"
The ensuing fight created quite a commotion, audible even within the city. Hearing that a fight had broken out at the city gate, the idle laborers and ruffians from the city rushed towards the scene, fearing they would miss the excitement. However, whether they arrived early or late, once at the city gate, no one dared to make a sound or cheer. The few who were shouting the loudest were dressed in intimidating armor. The one in armor shouted the most vigorously, "Son, hit him, hit him hard!"
My heavens, who would dare to stir up trouble in such a situation? It was best to shut up and stay out of it. Looking further, the dark-faced man in the dark clothing was no less vocal. Listening closely, some people could discern a hint of strategy as he directed the fight. "Meng Yu Luo, sweep that brat's legs; Meng Qi Shan, aim for that little punk's lower back; Meng Yu Tang, yes, yes, beat that old bastard's buttocks hard; Meng Qi Tian, move back a bit, good, stand there and stab him with all your might, stab him with all your might! I refuse to believe I can't cripple him..." My goodness, what brutal words! But they still dared not speak.
In fact, watching the usually arrogant tough guys being beaten by a group of youngsters was quite satisfying. Even more admirable was the boys' loyalty; they surrounded a little girl, shielding her from the larger men. As the spectacle continued, the onlookers realized that the little girl in the center was no pushover. They watched her dart around, cooperating with the boys, constantly launching surprise attacks on the big men.