The Tyrant's Beloved Empress

12

Hu Shifei stretched his neck and looked out the carriage window. He saw An Chang Qing getting into another carriage and Xiao Zhige rode his horse beside it. The two were whispering to each other through the window. He couldn't help clicking his tongue and mumbled, "If I weren't a doctor myself, I would've thought that someone had put Wangye under a Gu spell."

(TN: Gu is a mythical parasitic insect capable of manipulating its host's mind.)

Tie Hu, who was acting as a coachman, vaguely heard his words and exclaimed, "Who dares to touch the General? Old Hu will kill that person!"

"..." Hu Shifei sneered, "If it's Wangfei, I'd really like to see you try."

Tie Hu was speechless. He scratched his head and said, "Wangfei doesn't look like someone who practices witchcraft..."

"Looks like you're not that dumb after all," Hu Shifei rolled his eyes then banged on the carriage wall and urged, "Hurry up and move!"

The two carriages headed back to the Wang Manor. When they arrived, Tie Hu placed Hu Shifei's wheelchair on the ground before placing him on it. He then carried them both and walked into the gate.

Hu Shifei flared up and slapped the armrest of his wheelchair in anger, "Put me down! Do you think I can't walk by myself?"

Tie Hu put him down and scratched his head, "Your leg has been broken for so many years, of course you can't walk..."

"Does this wheelchair look like furnishings to you?" Hu Shifei yelled at him in anger.

Tie Hu: "..."

An Chang Qing was laughing at them from behind. He looked at Xiao Zhige and said, "Are all your underlings this... Interesting?"

"Just this one. He'll be following you from now on," Xiao Zhige said stoically, "Although Tie Hu is simpleminded, his martial arts is unrivaled and he's very loyal. Take him with you whenever you go out. I've assigned two others under him. If you need anything done, just tell Tie Hu and he'll handle it."

"Will that hinder your work?" An Chang Qing thought that it was good enough that Xiao Zhige would give him a low-rank bodyguard like Zhao Shi but to think that he would assign Tie Hu under him.

Tie Hu may seem dimwitted but seeing his strength and familiarity with Xiao Zhige, An Chang Qing could tell that Tie Hu was not just a common soldier.

"No. There's nothing to be done in Yejing. Keeping him idle is just a waste," Xiao Zhige replied.

An Chang Qing was relieved after hearing that. They proceeded to the Flower Hall in the front courtyard when Hu Shifei said that he had not bathed for days and instructed Tie Hu to push him to the guest room for him to wash up.

By the time they had reached Wang Manor, it was almost dinner time. Thinking that both Tie Hu and Hu Shifei were Xiao Zhige's close subordinates, An Chang Qing ordered the kitchen to prepare a large dinner for them and the four would dine together in the Flower Hall.

Hu Shifei waited for the maids to finish setting up the table before coming in. While pushing his wheelchair, Tie Hu said, "Doctor Hu, if you could groom yourself this way every day, you wouldn't still be single at this age."

An Chang Qing looked over and found that Hu Shifei was wearing a dark blue outfit and had shaved and bundled up his hair neatly. Only now did Hu Shifei resemble a scholarly middle-aged man.

Hu Shifei let out a pei and shouted at Tie Hu, "What do you know?!"

Tie Hu kept quiet and continued to push Hu Shifei to greet An Chang Qing and Xiao Zhige, "General, Wangfei."