A life of two souls traveling through time

Chapter 313: The government arrests the bandits, Si Yao helps with bows and arrows

Fu Qingli sat with Si Yao in the teahouse for a while before heading to the market to buy the New Year goods that Aunt Liang had asked them to buy.

Fu Qingli has never left Taozhu Village since he became blind. At this moment, Si Yao and A Wei were not around. He was alone in the crowd, looking at everyone's eyes. Although he appeared to be gentle and calm on the surface, he could not help feeling nervous inside.

"Qingli?" Just as Fu Qingli stopped in front of a stall selling paper paintings, he was suddenly stopped by an old man beside him. After seeing his face clearly, he continued to smile happily, "It's really you. I haven't seen you for a few years. Your eyes are better? I met Awei in the city before and learned that you have an eye disease and can't go out."

"Uncle Liu, long time no see. Yes, but Qingli was fortunate to meet a good doctor three months ago. She cured my eye disease. How have you been in good health? Are you still selling oil cakes in the East Market?" Fu Qingli was stunned for a moment and then recognized that he was the stall owner selling oil cakes opposite him when he was selling calligraphy and paintings in the city. He immediately saluted and smiled at the old man.

When Fu Qingli first came to the city to set up a stall to sell calligraphy and paintings, he was bullied by two thugs. It was Old Man Liu who was selling oil cakes across the street who helped him drive the two thugs away. He also warned him not to be too honest when doing business in this city. As the saying goes, good people are often bullied, and honest people will suffer losses.

Having said that, Fu Qingli is kindhearted by nature. Even though he was bullied, ridiculed and looked down upon since childhood, he did not like to make enemies with others, and would not take these insignificant people to heart. Fu Qingli was very grateful for Liu Laohan's help, and immediately gave him two paintings as a thank you gift. From then on, if the paintings and calligraphy sold well, he would buy some pancakes from Liu Laohan's stall and take them home when closing the stall. Liu Laohan respected these educated and handsome scholars, and seeing Fu Qingli's gratitude, he liked him even more, and the two gradually became familiar with each other.

"I'm still selling oil cakes, but not at a stall anymore. I've saved some money from doing that for decades. After my son got married, I used the remaining money to rent a shop in the East Market." Old Man Liu replied with a naive smile.

"It's good to have a shop. We don't have to be exposed to the wind and rain outside." Fu Qingli continued chatting with Old Man Liu with a smile.

"Yes, I am old, and I really can't stand the cold weather..." Old Man Liu laughed even more cheerfully, but before he finished speaking, there was a sudden panic at the other end of the street, and then a serious voice resounded throughout the street: "The government is arresting the bandits who entered the city, and all outsiders should retreat immediately!"

As soon as they heard that bandits had entered the city, the streets immediately became chaotic. People rushed in all directions, and the vendors on both sides of the street did not care about their stalls and fled to a corner not far away.

"Si Yao." Fu Qingli squeezed in the crowd and immediately thought of Si Yao who was still waiting for him in the teahouse. The bandits had entered the city and no one knew where they were hiding. Wouldn't it be dangerous for her to be alone in the teahouse? Thinking of this, Fu Qingli's heart tightened. He struggled to break free from the crowd and hurried to the teahouse.

An County was not a big city, so people were in a panic when bandits broke into the city, and the officers and soldiers in the city were constantly searching the streets and alleys.

"Brother Qingli!" Just as Fu Qingli was about to reach the teahouse, he was stopped by Awei who suddenly appeared.

"Awei, you wait outside the city first. I'll go to the teahouse to bring Si Yao out." Fu Qingli breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Awei was fine. He then hurriedly gave him instructions and continued to move forward, but Awei still held his hand tightly.

"Brother Qingli, the bandits are hiding in the teahouse, and the soldiers have surrounded the place. You said Doctor Si Yao is in the teahouse?"

Fu Qingli was shocked when he heard this. Without saying anything, he shook off Awei's hand and continued to run towards the teahouse.

"Brother Qingli, wait for me!" Awei was so frightened that he didn't know what to do. It was not until Fu Qingli ran far away that he reacted and hurriedly chased after him.

Fu Qingli was extremely anxious. He was shaking with fear. If Si Yao fell into the hands of bandits, the consequences would be disastrous. Even though he staggered in the snow and almost fell, he did not slow down.

At this time, the teahouse was surrounded by soldiers and officers, and the people in the city were looking at the teahouse from afar and talking about it.

"If you dare to break in, they will die!" Just as the soldiers were about to break into the teahouse, two sturdy men with knives at their fingertips suddenly pushed the mother and son to the second-floor window and threatened them.

"No!" Fu Qingli rushed into the crowd breathlessly and shouted, but when he looked up and saw that the person kidnapped by the bandits was not Si Yao but his aunt and cousin Ming Cheng. He was secretly happy but couldn't help but worry.

"Cousin Qingli, hurry... hurry and save us..." Xi Mingcheng immediately started crying when he saw Fu Qingli downstairs, but was quickly stopped by a slap from the burly man next to him.

Mrs. Xi, who was already frightened to death, said nothing. She just looked at Fu Qingli and cried silently. It was unclear whether it was out of fear or mixed with some guilt towards her nephew.

"You can't escape today. Quickly release the innocent people, and maybe you can spare your lives!" At the critical moment, the county lieutenant of An County also arrived in time. He pointed at the two bandits who were threatening in the teahouse and warned them.

"Humph, you want to spare our lives? Who would believe the lies of you dog officials?" However, the An County lieutenant's attempt to persuade them to surrender was met with sneers from the bandits.

"Don't worry, I have a way to save them." Just when everyone's attention was focused on the conversation between the county lieutenant and the bandits, Si Yao's voice suddenly rang in Fu Qingli's ears.

"Si Yao, are you okay?" Si Yao appeared in front of him safe and sound. Fu Qingli was surprised and happy. Seeing her holding a bow and arrow, shaking her head and hurried away, he was confused but still followed her.

It turned out that not long after Fu Qingli left the teahouse, Si Yao saw a white-haired old doctor treating a patient in a pharmacy not far away. Curious, she left the teahouse and went to the pharmacy to observe the old doctor's treatment process.

But not long after, a panicked sound was heard in the teahouse, and soon soldiers were seen surrounding the teahouse. Si Yao learned from the conversation of passers-by that several bandits had been discovered stealing in the city, and the soldiers were searching the city for them, so they took the people hostage and hid in the teahouse.

"Si Yao, what are you going to do?" Fu Qingli followed behind Si Yao and asked curiously.

"Save your aunt and cousin." Si Yao said lightly as she quietly entered an inn diagonally opposite the teahouse.

At this time, the waiter of the inn was watching the confrontation between the county lieutenant and the bandits. Suddenly, he saw a beautiful and cool girl holding a bow and arrow, followed by the fair-skinned scholar who had just shouted at the teahouse, entering the inn. He hurriedly greeted them with a smile.

"Waiter, can you please borrow the room in the southeast corner of the second floor for half an incense stick of time?" Without waiting for the waiter to ask, Si Yao put one or two taels of silver on the counter.

Half an incense stick? The innkeeper looked at the two people in front of him with a smile on his face, took the money and led them upstairs without saying much.

Fu Qingli was thinking about how Si Yao was going to save his cousin Ming Cheng and his aunt, and Si Yao was also thinking about saving people. Naturally, neither of them cared about the strange look the inn waiter gave them.

"So you don't intend to release them?" After a confrontation, the county lieutenant seemed to be getting impatient. A few bandits dared to challenge the government in public. Where was the dignity of the government?

"Sir, they are holding Mr. Xi's wife and son hostage." Just as the county lieutenant was giving orders to break into the teahouse, the captain of the police whispered in his ear.

The county lieutenant, who had planned to abandon the hostage, was in a dilemma. The Xi family was a scholarly family in An County. Although Mr. Xi was only a teacher in the academy, he was also a juren.

Whoosh..whoosh…

While the county lieutenant was struggling, two arrows flew over his head one after another. Before anyone could react, they heard two screams coming from the teahouse.

"Aunt, cousin Mingcheng, please stand in front of the window and don't move." Seeing the two strong men beside them falling to the ground after being shot by arrows, the mother and son of the Xi family were also terrified. Fu Qingli stuck his head out from the room diagonally opposite the teahouse and shouted to the mother and son of the Xi family.

Beside him, Si Yao was drawing her bow and arrow, ready to shoot if any other bandits approached the Xi mother and son.

Seeing that someone was helping with bows and arrows, the county lieutenant felt at ease and let his soldiers attack the teahouse and arrest the bandits.