A Foodie Transmigrat Chapter 478

Chapter 478: Chapter 478

By June, after a few more days of rest, Xia Tingfeng could finally get out of bed. After all, he was a man; once the wounds scabbed over, his life was out of danger. The Imperial Physician had prepared all sorts of tonics—Ginseng, Lingzhi, bird’s nests, red dates, and whatnot—pampering him with a variety of supplents. In just over ten days, his complexion had improved significantly. He could walk, talk, and laugh, just like before. However, the Imperial Physician issued a strict order: no horseback riding and no martial arts. The wounds were too deep and would tear and bleed with any strain. Xia Tingfeng felt sowhat helpless but complied nonetheless.

「...」

Upon hearing that he could walk, Zhao Junyao summoned him to the palace without delay.

In the Imperial Study Room, seeing the very much alive Xia Tingfeng appear before him, Zhao Junyao’s heart was flooded with mixed emotions. It took him a while before he managed to force out a light-hearted comnt.

"You’re a tough one, kid!"

Xia Tingfeng bowed.

"This subordinate thanks the Emperor for saving my life!"

Zhao Junyao glared at him and waved his hand. "Rise. You’re too weak to be bowing!"

Xia Tingfeng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Your Majesty, I am much recovered!"

After so many days of rest, why did everyone still treat him as if he were made of paper?

Zhao Junyao continued, "The one who found you was not soone I sent, but Miss Ni of the Ni Family!"

Xia Tingfeng bowed again. "Yes, I have been inford!"

His tone was calm, but his eyes revealed deep emotion. What kind of courage must a young lady possess to face societal pressures and seek him out? That forest was dense and often frequented by wild animals. How on earth did she make it there?

Zhao Junyao then teased him, "Good that you know. You’d better pick an auspicious day to marry her and bring her into your family! That would duly honor the young lady’s devotion!"

Xia Tingfeng looked a little uncomfortable, his pale cheeks flushing slightly. "Yes!"

In truth, even if the Emperor hadn’t said anything, he wouldn’t let her down. After all, they were supposed to get engaged; there was no question about it. With their mutual affection, they were bound to beco a couple.

Seeing Xia Tingfeng blushing, Zhao Junyao didn’t press the matter.

Returning to the main subject, they discussed the details of the recent bandit suppression.

"What exactly happened that day?" Zhao Junyao asked. "You went under to plug the hole in the boat. Did you ever co back up?"

Xia Tingfeng thought for a mont before recounting everything that happened after he went under the boat.

It turned out their boat had been sabotaged from below. The Southern Barbarians were like eels, slipping through the river water. He had spotted several figures darting below as soon as he went under. Without a second thought, he gave chase! The enemies were excellent swimrs, capable of holding their breath underwater for a long ti without needing to surface. Unlike him, who needed to co up for air after swimming only a short distance, he couldn’t catch up.

But Xia Tingfeng didn’t want to let them escape, so he used himself as bait, deliberately revealing that he was alone. They took the bait, just as he expected. Xia Tingfeng lured them to the woods on the riverbank. Once ashore, a fierce battle ensued. Fortunately, he won in the end, though he sustained serious injuries.

Zhao Junyao was shocked. "You killed them all by yourself?"

Xia Tingfeng noticed the Emperor’s raised tone and began to wonder. Is the Emperor upset? We had agreed to capture them alive. Yes, that must be it.

With that thought, he knelt on one knee, clasping his fists. "I deserve death. The situation was urgent, and I might have been a bit too heavy-handed... I killed them all."

Zhao Junyao was completely stunned. This guy killed several bandit experts by himself, and I’m shocked. But why... why did he kneel?! Looking at Xia Tingfeng’s face, full of remorse and seeming innocence, Zhao Junyao thought, What does this an? Could he be regretting not taking any prisoners alive? Xia Tingfeng, is he out of his mind?! Would I really care about prisoners at a ti like this?

Zhao Junyao’s mouth twitched. He took several deep breaths to calm himself before finally speaking. "No harm done. We captured about a dozen alive, and they’ve been handed over to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation!"

Xia Tingfeng let out a sigh of relief. "That’s good..."

Zhao Junyao was speechless. Truly cut from the sa cloth as his sister. When they act ’stupid,’ there’s simply nothing one can do!

「...」

Zhao Junyao did not invite him to stay for a al and had soone send him back to rest before the midday sun beca too harsh. Accompanying him were rewards and an imperial edict.

The rewards included gold, silver, pearls, gemstones, and other valuables, all from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, so even being imperial tributes. Additionally, a residence was bestowed; the Emperor’s intentions were clear.

As for the imperial edict, it proclaid to the world that Xia Tingfeng, Deputy Commander of the Imperial Forest Army, having led five hundred soldiers to eliminate bandits and achieved great rit, was specially granted the title of Third-rank Marquis Zhongyong.

With the rewards delivered and the imperial edict issued, the Capital City was in an uproar. Once the people learned the truth, public opinion overwhelmingly supported Xia Tingfeng. In reality, most people harbored no ill will; it was just that, all too often, they couldn’t see the truth and thus inadvertently caused harm.

Old Master Xia and Lady Yao hid in their residence for several days, not daring to go out. Venturing outside ant being cursed at, and their doorstep was often littered with rotten vegetables and stinking eggs. Old Master Xia felt he was losing all face. Furthermore, his son had achieved such great things, now a Third-rank Marquis, yet he couldn’t bask in any of the reflected glory. This made him even more miserable.

Consequently, he blad Lady Yao for everything. Lady Yao felt deeply wronged. After her crying and tantrums proved ineffective, she resorted to daily threats of hanging herself, banging her head against a wall, or drowning herself in the river.

Old Master Xia was so furious he nearly vomited blood. He pointed at her nose and cursed, "If you want to die, then hurry up and do it! It’ll save

the trouble of writing a divorce decree!"

Lady Yao did indeed make a show of ending her life, but then her son and daughter started crying and wailing for their mother. Old Master Xia could neither hit nor scold them and was so enraged he almost fainted. The residence was in utter chaos day after day, filled with a suffocating and tense atmosphere.

「...」

However, sothing no one expected happened: Xia Tingfeng actually took the initiative to visit.

This greatly surprised Old Master Xia. He imdiately ordered people to clean the courtyard and prepare tea. With a fawning smile plastered on his face, he was extrely attentive.

But Xia Tingfeng wasn’t buying it. He looked at his so-called parents with a cold sneer. He felt nothing but disgust. So, he didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

"I heard... when everyone thought I was dead, the Emperor gave you a sum of gold and silver?"

Old Master Xia and Lady Yao exchanged glances, and Old Master Xia nodded. "Yes!"

Lady Yao imdiately sprang up. "That money has all been spent! Don’t even think about it!"

Xia Tingfeng’s gaze sharpened. "Spent it all?"

He slowly stood up, gradually approaching Lady Yao, his stare becoming more and more intimidating. "What did you spend it on? Did you hire people to search for ? Or perhaps... you used it when you forced the Ni Family to cancel the marriage, and they demanded it as compensation?!"

His questions, like two sharp swords, stabbed into Lady Yao’s heart. Lady Yao was terrified, her body involuntarily shrinking back.

She instinctively wanted to confess. But as soon as she thought of those two boxes of gleaming gold ingots and dazzling silver, her heart felt as if it were being clawed. Give it up? That would be more painful than death itself!