"Just as long as I don't die," Liang Jian breathed a sigh of relief. "If you had been run over and killed, Miss Leng would have been left a widow. I honestly wouldn't know how to explain it to her."
Chen Nan weakly stood up. "Young Master Liang, allow me to offer you a piece of advice. Please control your speed when you ride your horse in the future."
"Galloping through the streets on horseback, if someone were to be killed, it would surely attract the attention of the authorities."
A surge of anger rose within Liang Jian. "You ungrateful wretch! I address you as Young Master Chen, and you truly think you've become a young master of the Chen family?"
"Not to mention that I didn't kill you today, what if I had?"
"What if it attracted the attention of the authorities?"
"At most, I would have to pay some silver!"
Chen Nan's lips curled upwards. "Heaven watches over all deeds. Beware of retribution!" With that, he staggered away, clutching his chest, and disappeared from the street in a sorry state.
"Pah!"
Liang Jian spat fiercely, his gaze gradually turning ferocious. "I never expected this good-for-nothing to be so tough; he actually survived being hit!"
"However, I will kill him one day."
---
"Young Master, what's wrong?"
Seeing Chen Nan return home with a pale face, clutching his chest, Song Ziwei panicked, her eyes filled with worry.
"Cough!"
Chen Nan bent over and spat out a mouthful of dark blood, saying weakly, "I was hit by Liang Jian's horse on the way back. It's nothing serious, I won't die." He then collapsed onto the ground like a starfish, gasping for breath.
A ferocious smile gradually appeared on his face.
Too weak!
This body is too weak!
It doesn't even possess a ten-thousandth of the strength of the mortal realm!
He had never imagined.
Someone as formidable as himself, the ruler of the Immortal Realm, would be sent spitting blood by a mere horse.
If this body possessed even a ten-thousandth of his former strength, who would be injured today?
Liang Jian and his mount would have been reduced to dust the moment they collided with him.
Similarly.
This reinforced his resolve to earn money to buy medicinal herbs for a medicinal bath.
The host's body is too weak, offering no sense of security.
Only immense strength will allow him to stand firm in this world.
---
"Miss, I just saw the son-in-law return. He's been seriously injured." Xia Lan entered Leng Qingmei's room and reported Chen Nan's condition.
Leng Qingmei, who was cultivating, slowly opened her eyes. "Why was the son-in-law injured?"
Xia Lan truthfully replied, "I heard he was knocked down by Young Master Liang while riding his horse in the street."
A cold glint flashed in Leng Qingmei's eyes. "This Liang Jian is going too far, repeatedly attempting to harm my Leng family's son-in-law."
She knew that Chen Nan had encountered an accident while seeking red plums outside the city, nearly losing his life.
She also knew that it was Liang Jian who had lured Chen Nan out of the city.
Xia Lan couldn't help but ask, "Miss, should we teach the Liang family a lesson?"
"No need!" Leng Qingmei snorted. "The reason our Leng family took Chen Nan as a son-in-law was so that he could, like a man, defend our Leng family's honor when necessary. If he is injured now, and we step forward to admonish the Liang family, wouldn't that be admitting that our Leng family has taken a useless son-in-law?"
Xia Lan remained silent. She simply didn't know what to say. After all, everyone knew the Leng family had taken a useless son-in-law. Of course, she also understood Leng Qingmei's reasoning. As long as the Leng family didn't admit to having a useless son-in-law, what could those who spoke ill of them do? It was like saying, as long as I don't feel awkward, the awkwardness lies with you.
"Send some medicinal herbs for healing. Also, keep a close watch on the son-in-law's movements," Leng Qingmei said indifferently. In the past, she would have certainly believed Chen Nan would swallow this humiliation. But now, she had a premonition. This time, the Liang family was bound to face dire consequences. Given Chen Nan's intelligence and strategy displayed before, he would absolutely not let these two affronts slide.
---
After taking the medicinal herbs sent by Leng Qingmei, Chen Nan felt his dizziness greatly diminish. However, to fully recover from the collision, it would take at least half a month, or even longer.
In the evening, as Chen Nan was resting on a lounge chair in the courtyard, a servant from the Leng family arrived in the backyard, saying with a hint of impatience, "Son-in-law, a clerk from the county yamen is here to see you."
Chen Nan was playing with walnuts, watching the sunset, appearing utterly listless. "Bring him here!"
A moment later, Zhao Wu arrived in the backyard. Upon seeing Chen Nan, he quickly bowed. "This humble servant, Zhao Wu, previously had no eyes and offended Young Master Chen. I implore Young Master Chen to forgive me."
"Uh, I have specially applied for ten publication numbers at my own expense for you. I hope you will accept them!" Zhao Wu felt a pang in his heart. But he dared not disobey Tian Bo's orders. He had applied for ten publication numbers at his own expense for Chen Nan, considering it a way to avert disaster.
"Leave the items here, and you may go," Chen Nan said weakly, though his mood was still quite good. Ten publication numbers meant he could publish ten books. The royalties from these ten books would be enough for him to grow stronger.
"Yes, this humble servant will take my leave now." Zhao Wu turned and left, not daring to linger for a moment.
As soon as Zhao Wu left, Song Ziwei came out with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. She asked with concern, "Young Master, how are you feeling now? Can you continue writing?"
"Pfft!" Chen Nan nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. He looked at Song Ziwei with tearful eyes. "Young Master is already injured. Can you please let me rest for a while?" In reality, this injury wasn't entirely a bad thing for him. He could use this opportunity to get a good rest. After all, he couldn't remember how long it had been since he had been able to truly relax like this.
Song Ziwei said, "You've misunderstood me. I didn't intend to force you to rush your writing. What I meant was... if you're not feeling well, you can dictate the story, and I'll write it for you. That way, you don't have to exert yourself, and the story won't be delayed. It's a win-win, isn't it?"
Chen Nan subconsciously swallowed and stared at her blankly. "Can you ghostwrite a story like that? Aren't you just causing trouble?" The later parts of the story were quite stimulating. He was afraid Song Ziwei wouldn't be able to handle it and would simply... well, do him in. After all, he was currently as weak as a chick. No! More accurately, he couldn't even lift a feather!
---
At the same time, the county yamen posted a notice. Seeing the content of the notice, the people of Tongcheng were in an uproar, cheering loudly. The notice simply stated that the city lord killed yesterday was a double for Yuan Zun, and the real Yuan Zun was still alive. This was done to lure out the remnants of the Anti-Heaven Sect. Of course, the exemption of taxes and land deeds remained valid.
The members of the five great families were stunned upon hearing this. They suddenly realized they had missed a golden opportunity, a chance to get closer to the new city lord! They were even a little envious of the Leng family. At that critical moment, they had stood up to defend the city lord, vowing revenge. It was easy to imagine that they would receive the new city lord's favor.
"So, that good-for-nothing Chen Nan is destined to gain the new city lord's favor?" Liang Jian's scalp tingled upon hearing this. He collapsed onto the ground. "If he tells the city lord about today's events, won't my Liang family be finished?"