Quick Wear: I'm Really Not a Scumbag

"This, this Master Xie is so heartless." Although Wei Siqi found it unbelievable, he didn't think Huang Shangshu was a liar.

Li Wentao felt that this person was completely heartless and ungrateful.

None of the well-educated people have a conscience, without exception. Wasn't that the case with his former master?

Huang Shangshu couldn't fully express the hatred in his heart. "How can a man like him who pursues fame and fortune have any conscience? He is going to seek refuge with the princess this time."

"By the way, is Houyun City safe now? Is General Zheng safe?"

Chen Xuyan fetched a pot of hot water from somewhere and poured him another cup. "Don't worry, everything in Houyun City is the same as before. The refugees have basically left, and General Zheng is safe and sound."

Wei Siqi was a little curious, "Why do you all think something happened to General Zheng? County Magistrate Xu asked me the same question just now."

What could possibly happen in Houyun City? General Zheng had always been safe and sound, so of course there was nothing wrong with them either.

Huang Shangshu smiled helplessly, "It was Xie Chengshan who spread the rumor that General Zheng would soon die, which caused so many wealthy families in Houyun City to flee."

Now that he thought about it, he also felt that Xie Chengshan had been plotted against by General Zheng. A man like him deserved this fate. Even if he went to seek refuge with the Princess, he would surely be looked down upon.

"It seems that our teacher has great ambitions. I wonder if he also wants to choose a wise leader in this chaotic world, so that he can achieve success and fame in the future and be recorded in history." Chen Xuyan commented lightly.

He had probably been in cahoots with the court officials for a long time, and it was unknown what role he played in Zheng Huan being poisoned.

Even though he had already learned that Zheng Huan was fine, he still hurried away.

"Doesn't he claim to be a recluse, a non-competitive person, and a free and easy man?" Wei Siqi felt that his beliefs were about to collapse.

Xie Chengshan, whom he had always admired, turned out to be such a person.

"So he just wants to pick out the useful ones from among us. Then those of us in Class B are probably useless in his eyes."

Chen Xuyan patted his shoulder and said, "It's a good thing I knew this earlier. If your father had run away with the whole family like him, we wouldn't know where they are now."

Those who ran out earlier would probably have suffered a bad outcome, because Zheng Huan ruthlessly led the refugees in that direction.

This was his one act of infidelity, and he will never be used again.

Wei Siqi nodded and said, "You're right. If our family is like the Hu family, it would be hard to say."

"Just before leaving, my father told me that a servant of the Hu family ran back to Houyun City with one eye blinded. My wife and children also heard about it..."

"I don't know what happened to Hu Shizhi. He can't lift anything with his hands or carry anything on his shoulders, just like me." He couldn't bear to think about it any further.

So their family is lucky, thanks to his father's indecision.

"I hope God will help him. We can't do much to help him." When Chen Xuyan recalled the incident related to Hu Shizhi, it was too late. His family had already left at night along with most of the merchants.

Wei Siqi sneered, "Xie Chengshan is truly a heartless and ungrateful person! He had his two beloved disciples leave long before the incident happened. By the time we found out, he was already leaving that day."

"If he hadn't left, there wouldn't be so many people in this city who would have left with him. These people were killed by him!" Even their family was almost killed by him.

The outside world is so chaotic now, even slightly better places like theirs are in chaos, so what future do these people have?

Xie Chengshan's move was simply the last straw that broke the camel's back.

......

——More than sixty miles outside Xianshi County

Wang Shuning closed the curtain again.

"It's all right now. We'll be able to reach Phoenix County in half a month at most." Once they arrive in Phoenix County, their family will be able to settle down.

Now that the head of the Wang family is her biological brother, she is naturally relieved.

Initially, their family came to Houyun City to avoid the chaos in the capital, and after staying there for a few years, she didn't develop any feelings for this place.

In Houyun City, she disdained to associate with the wives of the lowly rich or minor officials. Even the clothes and jewelry in the shops in the city were far behind those in the capital. The clothes they wore had been out of fashion in the capital for many years.

Wang Shuning looked at Xie Lexi again, "What's wrong with you? You seem uneasy since you left the city. Did you lose something in Houyun City?"

Xie Lexi clutched her handkerchief tightly and said, "It's okay. I'm just a little worried that something might happen on the way."

How could she not worry after what happened two days ago?

Wang Shuning held her hand and said, "Don't be afraid. The people we are with are not just show-offs. They are all soldiers who have been to the battlefield and were specially selected by Xu Lei. Even if we encounter refugees, they won't be able to do anything."

"Don't worry about your clothes and jewelry. We'll buy them again when we get to Phoenix County. You were still young when you left the capital, so you won't remember anything like your brother. Once you see the prosperity of the capital and Phoenix County, you'll naturally be more open-minded."

She had originally regretted not bringing her hundreds of dowries with her when she came to Houyun City, following her husband's advice. Now it seemed like a wise move. If she had brought them all, they would have either fallen into the hands of refugees or been robbed by small families, like Xu Lei.

It’s a pity for my daughter. She followed them here when she was six or seven years old. Now she is twelve years old and has never seen anything good.

As for the upbringing that aristocratic family should have, let alone her, she knew nothing about the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, tea tasting, and flower arranging. All she did all day was play around with the children of the rich families in the city, or with those in the academy.

She had thought about teaching him properly, but after being annoyed a few times, she gave up, thinking that she would go back one day, and it would still be in time to learn after that.

There are still a few years before she reaches the age of marriage. While she can be taught by the maids in the palace, they can also look for a suitable family for her.

"I understand, mother." Xie Lexi hugged her arm sickly.

She did something bad, and although she managed not to speak about it, she couldn't completely ignore the guilt.

Wang Shuning didn't say anything else, just thinking that she was having trouble adapting to the local climate.

Just now when they left Houyun City, Xie Lexi lifted the curtain on the carriage and saw Huang Shangshu. She was scared to death at that time, fearing that Huang Shangshu would discover their family.

She had received two messages from passersby early in the morning. They were looking for her father and said that a guard in the family was seriously injured outside the city and had come to ask for help, but she had sent them away.

Xie Lexi had been praying in her heart that Huang Shangshu would die outside the city so that one less person would know about her experience.

The two little maids who survived with their family were also secretly sold by her without their mother's knowledge. She specifically instructed the human traffickers to sell them far away.

Her family would definitely not harm her, but that was not necessarily the case for outsiders, especially since Huang Shangshu was the only one who knew about it. In this situation, he could not be allowed to continue living, regardless of whether Huang Shangshu was a reliable person or not.

When she arrives in Xianshi County, she will definitely burn paper for them, as a token of their proof of her innocence.

——Three days later, Houyun City

"I'm glad you're safe and sound. Why don't you stay at my house and have dinner with me later, nephew? I'll consider it as a welcome dinner for you." Wei Liangfei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He hadn't been able to rest well these past few days, so he simply lived in the shop, thinking that it was close to the north gate and he would be able to see Wei Siqi coming back early.

He began to regret it the night he sent Wei Siqi away, and wished he could sacrifice himself in his place.

Fortunately, he came back safely, otherwise he would not be able to face his biological father in the underworld after his death. His family has been a single-line family for three generations, and he is the only son!

Chen Xuyan shook his head. "My mother must have had trouble eating or sleeping these past few days after receiving the letter you sent for me. I have to go back quickly."

What's more, Chen Zhao didn't want to drink in such an occasion at all.

Wei Siqi also felt that this was the right thing to do. "Dad, don't make it difficult for him. Let him return home as soon as possible. If you are really sincere, this isn't the only day we can get together."

Wei Liangfei nodded and said, "You are right, but you still have to take these pieces of cloth and snacks back with you. Consider them as gifts from me to your parents."

"This." Chen Xuyan really didn't expect that he would be so well prepared.

"Just take it. It's not something valuable." Wei Siqi said this after picking and choosing.

Wei Liangfei felt that he was about to be angered by him again, but he still suppressed his inner anger and forced a smile towards Chen Xuyan.

—Outside the shop

"Aren't you going back to Qingshan Academy?" Chen Xuyan looked at Huang Shangshu.

Huang Shangshu said firmly, "You saved my life. From now on, I will follow you. Wherever you go, I will go."

Chen Xuyan handed the item in his hand to Chen Zhao, "Have you really thought it through? I'm just a small scholar now, without a good family background. I can't even afford to pay you a salary."

Huang Shangshu smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. I just believe that you will achieve great things in the future. I will definitely not make a mistake if I follow you."

"I believe in my own judgment." Unfortunately, he misjudged Xie Chengshan.

He saw clearly these days that Chen Xuyan was not simple. His thoughts were not what a man of his age should have. He was even better than Xie Chengshan's two favorite disciples.

I have to say that Xie Chengshan really made a mistake.

"I'm sorry to trouble you." Chen Xuyan patted his shoulder.

Chen Zhao was also confused. Did this person mean that he would be his younger brother from now on?

Although he didn't understand, he didn't ask too much. In his eyes, his younger brother did things for a reason and would not recruit such a person for no reason.

Chen Xuyan specially asked Wei Liangfei to borrow a carriage because his aunt was pregnant and it was inconvenient for her to walk.

——Chenjia Village

Wu Yueying has been worried these past few days. Her two sons and sister are all in Xianshi County. How can she not worry? If something really happens, all her hopes in life will be gone.

How could both of them go?! Logically, Chen Zhao alone should have gone, but Chen Xuyan also joined in the fun. How could his small body withstand a few beatings from the refugees?

Really confused?!

"Why don't you hurry up and guard the village entrance for me? Don't think you're comfortable just because you're busy these days. Be careful or I'll beat you up!" Wu Yueying roared angrily.

Chen Quyue pulled Chen Qufei and ran out, "How dare we, grandma? We'll go right away, right away."

Wu Yueying couldn't stand seeing anyone idle, and she had been in a bad mood these days, so Huang Yiyi and her eldest daughter got up early in the morning and started working. They were spinning cloth.

Now the only idle person in the house is Chen Shun, who is lying under a tree and smoking opium.

"Old thing! Why don't you get over here?! Do you have any life in your eyes? It's bad enough that you don't have the ability, but now you are just thinking about living off the family fortune?" Wu Yueying's roar pierced the entire Chen family.

"This Chen Shun family has started again."

"Who said it wasn't? Who offended her?" Fortunately, her son did not marry Wu Yueying, otherwise their family would have no chance of survival.

"You'd better avoid bad luck, or she might come out and tear you apart!" The old woman who spoke quickened her pace and hurried home.

......

-Village entrance

The two brothers quickly climbed up the tree and lay down at the two largest forks.

"We can hear the sound of milk at the entrance of the village. It's really scary." Chen Qufei sighed helplessly.

"Fortunately, we ran fast. If dad and uncle hadn't come back, we wouldn't have been able to escape, and our home would have been turned upside down." Chen Quyue's expression seemed as if he had seen through life.

Don’t even think about what they can bring back. Even if they can come back, the family will have some peace and quiet.

They couldn't spin cloth and sell it for money like their mother and elder sister, so naturally they got scolded just like Grandpa. Grandpa had a hard time these days.

Chen Quyue's attention was quickly drawn to the carriage not far away. "Hey, do you think that's our father and uncle?"

Chen Qufei leaned against the tree and watched for a while. "The man driving the car is so big and strong, and most importantly, he's dark-skinned. He definitely can't be my father or my uncle. But the other one does look a bit like him, but where can we get a carriage?"

He lay back in his original position without caring and began to imagine the taste of meat buns in his mind.

"You're wrong! It's really our dad!" Chen Quyue jumped off the tree excitedly and ran forward.

Although Chen Qufei didn't see clearly, he heard his words clearly, jumped down from the tree and ran after him, "Brother! Wait for me!"

Chen Zhao, who was in the carriage, naturally saw his two boys from a distance, and he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

But the smile quickly disappeared, which made Huang Shangshu feel a little strange. This guy was really shy.

"Dad! Dad! Uncle!"

"Dad! There's me too!" Chen Qufei couldn't outrun Chen Quyue in front of him no matter what he did, and he was almost crying.

......