Abandoning Wife and Selling Daughter? Turning Around to Marry a Powerful Minister and Wiping Out Your Entire Clan! - Chapter 17

Zhang Xiaolan did not look up. Tao Shi heard the commotion, lifted the curtain beside her, and looked towards the city gate.

Zhou Quan stood next to the city gate commander with his men. He said something, and the commander nodded. Zhou Quan seemed eager and asked another question, but the commander looked impatient. When Zhou Quan pressed further, the commander became annoyed.

“What about the Censorate? What about the Censor?” The commander raised his voice. “We are just doing our duty here. Do you think you can report us to the court?”

His loud voice attracted laughter from the other guards, and even the commoners waiting to enter and exit the city began whispering among themselves.

Zhou Quan’s face turned stiff. Looking around, he saw people murmuring, some pointing fingers at him, while others covered their mouths and chuckled.

Even though he was furious, could he really report them to the court? These were either rough men or ignorant commoners. Reporting them would only make him a laughingstock.

But how could he accept this?

The day he drove Xiaolan out of the house, it was to humble her spirit. Once she suffered enough, he would step in as her savior. Then, she would naturally submit to him.

She had such a gentle nature and a graceful figure. Thinking about her now, Zhou Quan still found himself longing for her.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed Shen Ting to act against her. Without hardship, how could he play the hero?

Unfortunately, the Tao family fire happened, and Tao Yi Ming stepped in before he could. Getting an imperial physician for Zhang Xiaolan’s legs was too troublesome and hard to explain.

As for rescuing his daughter, he didn’t have enough silver on hand. Shen Ting had only helped him kick Zhang Xiaolan out because she was infatuated with him. But now, she kept a close watch on him. Thinking about the trouble of raising a little girl, he simply gave up.

If Zhang Xiaolan knew all this, she would probably question why he never truly cared about their daughter.

Hmph, just a girl. Sooner or later, she would be married off with a dowry. Why bother?

He had received word that the city gate commander had stopped Zhang Xiaolan’s travel permit, so he rushed over with his men. But she was already gone. Zhou Quan felt a surge of anger.

Who was interfering with his plans?

He ignored Tao Shi and Tao Yi Ming. That nanny’s family was never part of his concerns.

A household of widows and orphans, and mere servants at that—what could they possibly do?

But now, he had to face reality. Once again, he had missed her.

Knowing Zhang Xiaolan was still in the city, Zhou Quan flicked his sleeve at the commander. “Hmph, ridiculous!” He turned and left with his men, frustrated and humiliated.

The city gate commander sneered.

“So, what if he’s a Censor?” he muttered. “Civil officials and military officers never get along. Taking some silver to block someone’s way is one thing, but actually detaining them? That’s another matter.”

He returned to his post and continued checking the travel permits of those leaving the city.

Inside a carriage parked in an alley near the city gate, Zhang Xiaolan and the others sat quietly.

Tao Shi had forcefully made Zhang Xiaolan watch the entire event unfold. Now, Zhang Xiaolan felt nothing but rage.

Zhou Quan had already thrown her out of the house, but now he even wanted to stop her from leaving the city? Was he deliberately keeping her from reuniting with her daughter?

“Xiaolan, don’t make any rash decisions yet,” Tao Yi Ming advised. He understood her feelings, but he needed to calm her down. “We only saw Zhou Quan at the gate arguing with the commander. We can’t be certain he was trying to stop you.”

“So, we just let others do whatever they want? Leave Xiang Ning alone in the north, not knowing if she’s alive or dead?” Zhang Xiaolan’s eyes turned red with fury, like a beast ready to strike.

“No. You and Auntie wait here. I’ll find someone to ask around,” Tao Yi Ming said with a frown. “If possible, I’ll try to get information from the commander himself. Though civil and military officials rarely see eye to eye, given the argument between Zhou Quan and the commander, we might be able to uncover the truth.”

Zhang Xiaolan’s eyes lost some of their red fury, but she still glared at the city gate. “Yi Ming, go ahead.”

Tao Yi Ming exchanged a glance with Tao Shi before stepping out of the carriage.

Near noon, the autumn sun was at its peak.

The commander, wearing his armor, felt stifled by the heat. Fortunately, the court allowed the guards a half-hour rest at midday. This break wasn’t just for the guards to switch shifts and eat, but also to prevent commoners from getting heatstroke while entering or exiting the city.

Unless an emergency arose, they could relax during this time.

Just as the commander switched shifts and entered the barracks, he saw one of his fellow guards eating watermelon. Such a fruit was rare—at this time of year, even the palace might not have any.

He devoured a slice hungrily, feeling the coolness ease his frustration. Looking at the little boy running around serving the guards, he chuckled.
“Who brought their brat here?”

The room erupted in laughter. The boy’s cheeks turned redder than the watermelon.

The commander knew full well that this was the deputy’s brother-in-law. But every time the boy visited, he couldn’t resist teasing him, as he reminded him of his own shy son.

A soldier laughed, “General, it’s Huzi! Why do you always tease him?”

Though he was complaining, the entire room burst into even louder laughter.

Even the commander’s beard twitched with amusement.

Perhaps getting used to the teasing, Huzi’s blush gradually faded.

When the laughter died down, Huzi finally gathered his courage and ran to the commander.

“General, my sister said someone was stopped at the gate today. Was she a bandit? If so, why wasn’t she arrested?”

His young voice was clear and innocent, his eyes full of curiosity.

The commander had never thought of his work as something secret. This was just how gatekeepers made extra money.

“She wasn’t a bandit, just someone with an issue in her travel permit.” He kept his words simple for the child.

“A problem with her permit?” Huzi seemed puzzled. He stood on tiptoe, trying to whisper in the commander’s ear.

But he was too short. The commander was broad and muscular, like a massive black tower, even while seated.

Chuckling, the commander picked Huzi up and placed him on his lap. Huzi grinned.

He glanced at the others in the room, then hesitated and kept silent.

Noticing his hesitation, the commander smiled and shooed the other soldiers outside.

When they were gone, Huzi finally whispered, “But the two people with her weren’t stopped, General.”

Clever boy, waiting for the right moment!

The commander found him amusing and ruffled his hair playfully.

“Someone paid us to stop her, that’s all.”

After all, if someone was desperate to leave, they would eventually find a way.

Huzi nodded as if he suddenly understood, which pleased the commander.

Then Huzi took out a bowl from his basket.

Inside were a few pieces of braised pork.

“My sister said, ‘A gift for a gift.’ You taught me something today, so this is for you, General.”

The commander laughed and ate the meat happily.

Back in the carriage, Tao Yi Ming returned.

“Xiaolan, it was indeed Zhou Quan who bribed the commander to stop you from leaving the city.”

“But how did he know it was me? There must be others with the same name in the capital,” Zhang Xiaolan clenched her teeth in frustration.