CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 106: MENG YAO DRAGS ZHAO TING TO THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE

To Ren Zi’an, the excitement outside was quite novel.

There were sugar painting vendors, and people weaving bamboo.

Even Meng Yao saw a ring toss game.

Unexpectedly, such entertainment already existed in ancient times.

Naturally, it attracted some young children.

For ten wen, you could get thirty rings, with an array of items that kids liked.

Most were ordinary, but a few looked quite exquisite, displayed at the farthest end, of course.

Ren Zi’an’s eyes were filled with eager anticipation, and Meng Yao, noticing this, bought some rings worth twenty wen. Perhaps because of her generosity, the vendor gave her seventy bamboo rings.

The bamboo rings were light and seemed easy to toss, but getting them to land around something was not so simple.

One by one, the rings were thrown, but none landed on any items.

Seventy rings and nothing was hit, the vendor’s smile was almost out of place.

Ren Zi’an’s small face fell.

Meng Yao bought ten more wen of bamboo rings, "Do you want me to try for you?"

"I want that little monkey," Ren Zi’an pointed to the far row.

A wooden carved little monkey, vividly lifelike.

"It’s okay if you can’t get it," Ren Zi’an added, having already thrown seventy rings and missed.

When Meng Yao tossed a ring, it didn’t land on anything.

Previously, when Meng Yao had some time off, she liked going to parks for entertainment, and ring toss was its own kind of fun. With long persistence, she went from being laughed at by the vendors to making them frown when they saw her, all in a month’s time.

The one she threw just now was just to get a feel for it.

The second ring accurately hit the little monkey Ren Zi’an wanted.

Afterward, she hit a target almost every two rings.

The smile on the vendor’s face gradually became stiff.

He thought she was there to spend money, but it turned out she was unexpectedly skilled.

Under Ren Zi’an’s feet was a pile of things, and the little guy was so happy his eyes narrowed into slits.

The vendor, with a sorrowful face, tied Ren Zi’an’s things together with straw rope.

"An Ge’er, there are too many things. How about we pick a few favorites to take with us?" Meng Yao suggested to Ren Zi’an.

This was based on experience; the things won in ring toss are basically momentary favorites.

Ren Zi’an nodded obediently, choosing the little monkey and a small rabbit.

The vendor hung a smile again on his face, giving Ren Zi’an a nine-link ring as a gift.

When Meng Yao was about to leave holding Ren Zi’an, a fierce-looking man shouted "Make way, make way" and rushed over.

Many pedestrians couldn’t dodge in time and were knocked down by him.

Seeing as he was about to crash into Meng Yao and Ren Zi’an,

Meng Yao hugged Ren Zi’an to her chest and rolled to the ground, narrowly avoiding the man’s robust body.

Meng Yao did not anticipate that it would be more dangerous ahead.

Her roll landed her directly under a horse’s hooves.

There was no time to dodge; Meng Yao could only turn her back, shielding Ren Zi’an beneath her, using her body as a wall of protection.

Zhao Ting was in pursuit of someone and did not expect anyone to roll under his horse’s hooves.

In a moment of urgency, he pulled the reins hard, and when the horse’s front hooves were in the air, he quickly dismounted, like carrying a burden, and snatched the person beneath the hooves out of harm’s way.

Once safe, he turned back to calm the horse.

All of this happened in almost an instant.

Many people covered their eyes, unable to bear watching Meng Yao and Ren Zi’an’s tragic fate.

"You woman, why would you rush under someone’s horse for no reason? If you wanted to extort, you didn’t have to risk your life like this. If I hadn’t reacted quickly, you and your son would either be dead or severely injured by now." Zhao Ting said, frowning.

Meng Yao was checking on Ren Zi’an when she heard this, and anger rose in her heart. She looked up and glared at Zhao Ting, "Riding horses in the city is prohibited, and yet you almost hurt us by doing so. How can you have any reason to say anything? Let’s go, come see the official with me."

This young woman looked familiar, somehow.

If Zhao Ting had shown his true face, Meng Yao would have certainly recognized him.

Unfortunately, Zhao Ting was in disguise at this moment.

Meng Yao, holding Ren Zi’an, grabbed Zhao Ting’s arm, and without further ado, dragged him toward the Government Office.

Zhao Ting was trying hard to match the face in front of him with the image in his memory, and unthinkingly, was dragged a few steps by Meng Yao.

"An Ge’er, your father has been busy with county affairs these days. This man committed a crime boldly and must be taught a lesson by your father." Meng Yao felt aftershocks; though this man saved her and An Ge’er at the critical moment, what if he had been a second too late?

She had finally come to terms with the fact of her time travel, and was living a flourishing life, hoping to live a long life.

Zhao Ting squinted his eyes; had this woman remarried?

If that was the case, it did make things a bit complicated.

Meng Yao quickly dragged the man to the County Government gate, where the Government Officials didn’t recognize Meng Yao but they knew Ren Zi’an.

"Little master, what’s going on..."

"This person is a bad guy, riding a horse and almost hurting people." Ren Zi’an reported crisply.

Aunt was so angry, surely his father would severely punish this man.

The Government Officials, upon hearing this, knew better. No one dared bully the local master’s young son, as the County Magistrate cherished the little master dearly.

Immediately, someone stepped forward, took Zhao Ting’s horse by force, grabbed Zhao Ting’s arm, and started escorting him into the Government Office.

Meng Yao, holding Ren Zi’an, followed them in.

Zhao Ting was directly brought before Ren Zhong.

Ren Zhong did not recognize Zhao Ting, but Zhao Ting did recognize Ren Zhong.

He looked a bit more weathered than he remembered, but the appearance hadn’t changed much.

So, Zhao Ting’s previous wife was now Ren Zhong’s wife?

"What business?"

Even though he saw Meng Yao and his son, Ren Zhong did not directly acknowledge them but instead asked the Government Official.

The Government Officials repeated what Ren Zi’an had said.

Ren Zhong turned his gaze to Meng Yao, "Are you hurt?"

"I’m fine, but An Ge’er was frightened and might get a fever tonight," Meng Yao said.

Young children often get fevers at night when startled.

"Do you know you’re not allowed to ride horses in the city?" Ren Zhong asked sternly.

"I know, but there is a reason, and I am confident in my riding skills," Zhao Ting replied with dignity, "Besides, it was this woman who suddenly rolled under my horse hooves with her child. If it weren’t for them, I would have caught the man by now."

He finished, pulling a wanted poster from his pocket, featuring a vicious-looking man.

Meng Yao glanced and immediately recognized the man who had just run past them.

Ren Zhong’s expression grew heavy; this fugitive, known for his savagery, had murdered seven members of his wife’s family and had been on the run. This wanted criminal notice was also in his possession.

"He’s come to Huaiyuan County?"

"Yes, I chased him through two counties," Zhao Ting stated.

"You should take An Ge’er to the back courtyard and have Doctor Ap check him well, and you too," Ren Zhong advised. "The person on the wanted list is extremely ruthless, and with the exams approaching, he must be caught as soon as possible."

Meng Yao, knowing the gravity of the matter, didn’t insist further and left with An Ge’er.

Zhao Ting’s eyes almost stuck to Meng Yao as she left, while Ren Zhong frowned, coughing heavily, "Are you willing to assist us in capturing the wanted criminal?"