Chivalrous Youth

Two more days passed, and the caravan arrived at a small town called Qingshui Market. It was much smaller than Pebble Town, but still quite lively, serving as a trade hub for the surrounding villages.

Chen Qing's original intention was to replenish fresh ingredients and water before continuing their journey. He parked the carriage next to an eatery at the town entrance, instructed A Ning to wait in the carriage, and went inside himself to buy dry goods and cooked food.

Lan Tianye, naturally restless, claimed he wanted to buy some snacks and local specialties not found in the Western Regions. He excitedly dismounted, his eyes darting around curiously.

Just as Chen Qing was selecting food inside the eatery, a sudden cry and commotion erupted from the other end of town, mixed with arrogant shouts.

"Let go of my daughter! Please! We're not refusing to pay the rent, it's just that this year's harvest was poor, please give us a few more days!" a desperate wail from an old woman.

"Get lost! Old hag! Debt must be repaid, it's only natural! No money? It's just right to use your daughter as payment! Our young master fancies her, it's her good fortune!" Several household servants were shoving an old man, while another roughly dragged a young girl in a coarse cloth dress, her features delicate and pretty. The girl's face turned pale with fear, she struggled desperately, tears streaming down her face.

A crowd of townspeople had gathered around, but they dared not speak out, only whispering amongst themselves.

"It's Landlord Liu's wicked servants..."

"Alas, the Zhang family is so pitiful..."

"Keep your voices down, don't get yourself into trouble..."

Lan Tianye, who had just bought a packet of preserved fruits from a nearby shop, happened to witness the entire scene. The smile on his face vanished instantly, his sword-like eyebrows shot up, and the eyes that always held a hint of amusement were suddenly ignited with fury.

"Kidnapping a woman in broad daylight! Is there no law anymore!" he roared, his voice like a clap of thunder from a clear sky. He stuffed the preserved fruits in his hand into the arms of a passing pedestrian, his body moved, and he rushed forward like a gust of blue wind.

"Who is this blind brat trying to meddle in the Liu family's affairs!" The leading wicked servant saw this, let go of the girl, and swung his fist.

"Hmph! I, your young master, have no need for a surname or a given name! I am Lan Tianye of Loulan! I specialize in righting wrongs throughout the land!" Lan Tianye announced loudly, his movements no less swift. He sidestepped the fist with ease, his footwork suddenly shifting, and he cut into the middle of the group.

Although his martial arts were not top-tier, dealing with these household servants who only knew crude boxing was child's play for him.

"Take this move, 'Great Desert Lone Smoke'!" he shouted the name of his self-created, highly visual move. His body was as ethereal as smoke, and he struck one of the servants' wrists with his palm, knocking away their steel knife.

"Next, my 'Loulan Moonlight Kick'!" He spun and delivered a beautiful spinning kick, sending another man flying. His movements were fluid and impressive, drawing quiet gasps from the surrounding crowd.

"And this, 'Ten Thousand Li Yellow Sand Whip'!" He unfastened the gem-encrusted scabbard at his waist, not drawing his sword, but using the scabbard directly as a short whip. He cracked it against the backs of the remaining men's legs and backs, making them cry out in pain and roll on the ground.

The entire process took only a dozen breaths, and the few wicked servants were all knocked to the ground. Lan Tianye stopped, tidied his messy bangs, tilted his chin up, a hint of pride on his face, along with the exhilaration of a young man who had just upheld justice.

His posture was that of a young hero from a play, punishing evil and eliminating wickedness.

"Alright, old man, old woman, young lady, are you alright?" He turned to the family of three, his tone becoming gentle and polite.

"Th-thank you, young hero, for saving our lives!" The elderly couple, holding their daughter who was still shaken, were about to kneel and kowtow.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't do that, don't do that!" Lan Tianye quickly helped them up and took out a few pieces of silver from his money pouch, pressing them into their hands. "Take this and find a place to hide..."

He was fully immersed in his "heroic performance" and didn't notice a servant, who had been knocked down by his scabbard earlier, among the onlookers. A vicious glint flashed in his eyes as he quietly got up, pulled a dagger from his boot, and as Lan Tianye's back was turned while he was helping the old farmer, he suddenly stabbed towards his heart!

"Watch out!" a townsperson cried out.

Lan Tianye heard the wind, but it was too late to turn around!

At this moment, a green shadow appeared silently beside the servant.

There was a dull thud, and the servant's movement instantly froze. His eyes rolled back as he slumped to the ground. Embedded in the back of his head was an ordinary, pale green bamboo flute.

Chen Qing had emerged from the eatery at some point and stood not far away, his hands empty. He walked forward expressionlessly, bent down to pick up his bamboo flute, wiped it on the servant's clothes, as if simply dusting off a bit of dirt.

Lan Tianye finally reacted, breaking out in a cold sweat. He looked at Chen Qing, a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment on his face. "Brother Chen! Thank you! This guy actually dared to try and ambush me!" He was so focused on striking a pose that he almost fell into a ditch.

Chen Qing glanced at him faintly. "Flashy."

Lan Tianye didn't feel awkward. "Wasn't this me acting heroically!"

However, the trouble was not over. Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps approached. More than ten burly men armed with clubs and swords, led by a fat, middle-aged man in silk robes, rushed over, followed by several obsequious bailiffs!

"Who dares to cause trouble in my Qingshui Market! And injure my Liu family's people!" The fat man was Landlord Liu. Seeing his servants groaning on the ground, he became furious.

"Father! It's him!" A foppish young man, one of those Lan Tianye had kicked away earlier, pointed at Lan Tianye and shouted.

Landlord Liu's triangular eyes swept over Lan Tianye and Chen Qing. Seeing that although their clothes were not ordinary, they were outsiders, a hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes, but more so ruthlessness. He gave a signal to the head bailiff behind him.

The head bailiff stepped forward, his face stern. He actually took out iron chains and handcuffs. "Hmph! Assaulting someone in the street and seriously injuring multiple people, the evidence is conclusive! Come with us to the yamen!"

Lan Tianye was stunned. He hadn't expected them to be the ones to accuse first and to have colluded with the authorities. Having just arrived in the Central Plains, he had believed that acting heroically was only natural, and that officials were just and fair. He had never encountered such a situation where right was turned into wrong!

"You... you're spouting nonsense!" Lan Tianye's face turned red with anger, and he argued vehemently, "They were the ones who tried to kidnap a girl first! I merely saw injustice and intervened! The surrounding villagers can all testify!"

The head bailiff sneered. "Testify? Who will testify? Who saw it?" His gaze swept over the townspeople who had gathered. As they met his eyes, they all lowered their heads in fear and shrank back, no one daring to speak.

Landlord Liu's face showed a smug, sinister grin.

Lan Tianye looked at the silent crowd, then at the overbearing bailiffs and the smirking landlord. A great sense of frustration and anger surged in his heart.

He had martial arts skills, but he didn't know how to deal with this situation.

He couldn't use excessive force against ordinary citizens, and he was even more restricted when facing bailiffs who represented the "law." He was frozen on the spot, trembling with anger, feeling that this Central Plains dynasty was not what he had been told.

Chen Qing observed all of this with cold eyes, his gaze finally settling on the bailiffs and Landlord Liu, calm and undisturbed.