Right before their eyes, Ouyang Yuqing managed to stir up public outrage with just a few words, and the situation was getting out of control. Master Xiang quickly whispered instructions to his butler, "Hurry and report this to the authorities. Have the yamen officers come and take these trouble - makers away!"
The butler of the Xiang Mansion immediately sent someone off.
Ouyang Yuqing shouted angrily, "The servants of the Xiang Mansion couldn't bear to watch as my aunt was almost beaten to death by you. They stepped forward to stop you, but you still slandered her! You said she had an affair with a servant and then kicked her out of the mansion! Master Xiang, you knew very well that my aunt was on the verge of death and penniless, with her natal family far away and nowhere to go. Yet you heartlessly cast her out. Aren't you just pushing her to her death? Master Xiang! You were once husband and wife. How could you do such a thing? You're nothing but a brute!"
Ouyang Yuqing's angry outburst inflamed the passions of the crowd, men, women, old and young alike. Everyone had witnessed the character of Mistress Ouyang of the Xiang family over the years. No one had expected that such a gentle and virtuous woman would be treated so cruelly by Master Xiang! Some of the older women in the crowd felt extremely heart - broken and angrily denounced Master Xiang for his inhumanity.
Master Xiang was publicly insulted by Ouyang Yuqing in front of all the villagers. He was already very embarrassed. Seeing that Ouyang Yuqing continued to curse without end, Master Xiang finally lost his temper and roared, "Shut up! In front of all these villagers, you've smashed my mansion's gate to pieces. I thought you were just a junior of the Ouyang family, so I was going to persuade you nicely not to cause trouble. But you've been spouting nonsense, distorting the truth, and making a big fuss in front of my mansion! Do you really think the Xiang Mansion is easy to bully? If you dare to say another word of nonsense, don't blame me for being rude to you!"
Seeing the chubby Master Xiang furious and issuing a stern warning, the servants beside him glared at Ouyang Yuqing menacingly, eager to rush up and beat the young man to a pulp.
Ouyang Yuqing showed no sign of fear on his face. He snorted and said, "If you don't give me an explanation for my aunt's matter today, this is not going to end!"
Hearing this, Master Xiang angrily retorted, "Your aunt ran away with another man long ago! How dare your Ouyang family come to my Xiang family for an explanation? It's simply ridiculous!"
Seeing that the Xiang family was still slandering his aunt, Ouyang Yuqing's expression turned ice - cold. In full view of everyone, he turned around, walked back to the crossbow, grabbed three crossbow arrows, aimed at Master Xiang, and roared, "Heaven is watching everything you do! Try to slander my aunt one more time! Even if I have to pay for it with my life, I'll chop off your head today!"
Seeing Ouyang Yuqing's fierce momentum and his complete lack of fear in the face of the servants of the Xiang Mansion, while Master Xiang looked extremely ugly and took several steps back, the villagers were even more convinced of Mistress Ouyang's innocence.
Facing the arrows pointed at him by Ouyang Yuqing, Master Xiang panicked. He knew very well that the holes in the Xiang Mansion's gate were all made by this young man. If he were hit by an arrow, his flesh and blood body would surely not be able to withstand it. He quickly stepped back and waved his hand, instructing the servants beside him, "This young man has been provoking us repeatedly. Does he really think the Xiang Mansion is so easy to bully? Tie him up and take him to the authorities! Make him pay ten times the cost of my mansion's gate!"
"Yes!"
Seeing Master Xiang panicked and hiding back into the mansion, a group of servants rushed towards them menacingly. Ouyang Yuqing couldn't use the crossbow for fear of hurting innocent people, and he knew he couldn't fight so many people in close combat. He was a bit panicked and helpless, and quickly searched the crowd for the figures of Shangguan Yun and He Xiao.
Shangguan Yun, hiding behind the crowd, gave He Xiao a look. He Xiao immediately turned around and leaped out, standing in front of Ouyang Yuqing. He laughed and said, "Yuqing, watch carefully. I'll teach you some self - defense techniques!" Then he leaped forward and started punching and kicking, astonishing everyone.
Ouyang Yuqing: First of all, it's so dark. I don't know if I can see clearly. Are you sure these moves that make people scream in pain are just self - defense techniques?
He Xiao: Well, it's almost the same!
He Xiao's moves were like lightning. He fought against a dozen or so servants of the Xiang Mansion who only knew a little bit of martial arts with his bare hands. Before long, he had knocked them all to the ground. One by one, they lay there crying and shouting for their parents.
Ouyang Yuqing exclaimed happily, "Hero He is so amazing!" He never thought that a small attendant of his master could be so powerful. It really opened his eyes!
The villagers watched the servants of the Xiang Mansion lying on the ground crying in pain and silently cheered in their hearts.
A servant at the gate of the Xiang Mansion saw this scene and rushed in to inform Master Xiang in a hurry.
Not long after, another thirty or forty servants rushed out of the Xiang Mansion. It seemed that they couldn't hold back any longer and had mobilized all the servants in the mansion. They rushed towards He Xiao with wooden sticks in their hands, scaring the on - looking villagers to step back and make way for them.
Seeing such a large group of servants rushing towards them menacingly, Ouyang Yuqing felt a bit scared. He was worried that He Xiao would be outnumbered and couldn't fight so many people, and he was also worried that He Xiao might accidentally kill someone if he used too much force and would get into trouble.
Shangguan Yun watched from the sidelines with a half - smile. Seeing the servants of the Xiang Mansion with unsteady and weak steps, he knew they were no match for He Xiao.
Sure enough, He Xiao leaped forward and kicked the first few people in the front row. He casually grabbed a wooden stick and started beating them mercilessly. Immediately, some people fell to the ground, crying in pain.
Ouyang Yuqing watched He Xiao bravely charging into the enemy's formation, beating them up with such a graceful posture that his movements were too fast to catch. He was simply in awe. It seemed that this time he had really made a great deal by becoming an apprentice! He got two martial - arts masters to teach him! It was really exciting.
He Xiao fought with great enthusiasm. Before long, he had knocked down a large number of servants.
The servants of the Xiang Mansion lay on the ground in a disorderly manner, crying and begging for mercy. The last few, seeing that they were no match for He Xiao, were so scared that they turned around and ran away, howling all the way, "Master, save ussssss—"
Everyone: …
Master Xiang, supported by a few servants, trembled out of the mansion. Seeing the scene outside, he was so scared that he almost wet his pants. He pretended to be calm and trembled, "What on earth are you doing? Is there any law left in your eyes?"
He Xiao sneered while playing with the wooden stick in his hand. He thought to himself that if Master Xiang still dared to deny the abuse of Aunt Ouyang in front of everyone, he would use this wooden stick to knock out Master Xiang's front teeth!
Ouyang Yuqing walked to He Xiao's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. He shouted, "Master Xiang! I've already said that I'm here to seek justice for my aunt! You not only beat my aunt Ouyang, embezzled her dowry of gold and silver jewelry, but also slandered her and didn't let her see her two children! Tell me, how should I settle this score with you!"