Chapter 109: Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong

“You brat, when I was fighting alongside the general on the battlefield, you were still inside your mother’s womb!” The personal guard flared up in anger. If Qin Cheng hadn’t been beside him, he probably would have charged forward by now. For soldiers accustomed to facing death on the edge of a blade, they fear no demise. But when their battlefield achievements are belittled by others, a fierce fire ignites within them. So hearing the taunts from that finely dressed woman, he could not possibly hold back. “Don’t say this brazier isn’t yours— even if it were, what harm is there in me warming my hands by it? Keep shouting, and see if I treat you kindly!”

From the very start of this confrontation, Qin Cheng had remained seated without moving, showing no intention of scolding his men. This unspoken tolerance emboldened his soldiers, their arrogance growing rather than subsiding. After all, if a general couldn’t even protect those closest to him, he would be utterly useless!

“Not kindly? I’d like to see how you’re going to be unkind!” The woman’s tone was harsh from the outset, convinced that Qin Cheng and his men were no good. Seeing the insolence of Qin Cheng’s guards, her anger flared. Without hesitation, she flicked her wrist, and a dark shadow shot toward the brazier!

Bai DabeI wanted to intervene but judging by the escalating tension, neither side was someone he dared to provoke. He shrank behind the counter, watching helplessly, silently hoping that if a fight broke out, fewer tables and chairs would be broken. Such brawls were not uncommon in this small shop, and every time they happened, no one ever compensated him for the damages. Bai DabeI lacked both the courage and the desire to take that risk—after all, his life was more important.

The dark shadow flashed and dove into the brazier. Qin Cheng and his men had not expected the woman to strike so suddenly and were caught off guard. The sparks inside the brazier exploded instantly, sending several glowing white-hot charcoal pieces flying! Qin Cheng, being closest, had those scorching coals shoot right toward him!

It was unclear if the woman had singled out Qin Cheng as the leader to strike or simply targeted the owner of the brazier, but her move clearly endangered him. Yet Qin Cheng remained motionless. Observing closely, Qin Qingzhi and the others saw shimmering lights flicker beside Qin Cheng, and the glowing coals suddenly shifted direction, flying toward the two women!

When Qin Cheng finally moved his hand, they saw he wielded a standard short dagger.

Qin Cheng had no intention of harming innocents; the coals were deflected toward the two women who had just attacked and the one who had remained still. He did not believe that if a fight broke out, the woman who had yet to move would remain a bystander. He wanted to first gauge their skills.

The coals struck with greater speed after being propelled by Qin Cheng, scattering somewhat to increase their impact area. The two women immediately leapt aside, wildly swinging their cloth-wrapped swords and knives to block the coals. Sparks flew everywhere. The scene was chaotic and clumsy.

All this happened in a breath’s time. Once the coals were blocked, Qin Qingzhi and the others jumped up, drawing long swords, ready to teach the women a harsh lesson. Qin Qingzhi roared, “You little thieves! How dare you harm my general! You’re asking for death!” And he charged forward.

“Sit down!” Unexpectedly, Qin Cheng shouted sharply, standing up.

“General,” Qin Qingzhi and the others hesitated, unwilling to back down. But seeing Qin Cheng’s stern expression, they stopped in their tracks.

The two women glared angrily at Qin Cheng. The one who had struck earlier, furious, tried to draw her sword but was held back by the other. Seeing Qin Cheng restrain his men, she cupped her fist toward him and said, “General, we have no quarrel with you. Let’s end this here, shall we? But if you insist on fighting, we won’t fear you. We can settle this outside—no need to ruin the shopkeeper’s stall!”

Qin Cheng had initially wanted to say, “You all sit tight while I teach them a lesson!” He had already sensed from their reactions that these women were skilled fighters. Sending his men to fight would certainly save face, but wounding either of them was not something he wanted. Moreover, only he seemed to have noticed they were women. While Qin Cheng was not one to be overly chivalrous, he knew his rough soldiers might not handle things delicately. He didn’t want a minor dispute to escalate into serious injury. Hearing their plea not to damage the shop, he found himself oddly approving.

The cold and beautiful woman noticed Qin Cheng’s steady gaze. Her feigned indifference gradually gave way to embarrassment, and her cheeks flushed.

To be fair, Qin Cheng was quite handsome, exuding masculine vigor that strongly attracted women of this era. So Guo Dongdong was annoyed and shy from being stared at so intently.

“What are you looking at? If you want to fight, then fight! We’re not afraid of you! Prove your worth with your own hands!” The other woman, cuter in appearance, spoke with a sharp tongue that belied her looks.

“Xixi!” The cold woman hushed her, telling her to calm down.

These two were Guo Feng’s younger sisters, Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong. It was unclear why they weren’t with Guo Feng but had come alone to Qiansang.

“Ladies, I don’t have the habit of hitting women. But if you have a penchant for fighting men, I won’t refuse to oblige.” Qin Cheng smiled lightly, watching Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong with interest.

His words stunned everyone, especially Qin Qingzhi and the others, whose eyes widened as they stared at the two women, as if trying to find a flower blooming on their faces. Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong were surprised that Qin Cheng had so easily discerned their identity and felt somewhat embarrassed.

“Since that’s the case, it’s better to settle grudges than to make enemies. Let’s stop here and be friends, shall we?” Guo Dongdong, the elder sister, appeared more mature in handling the situation.

“Sis, why are you saying that…” Guo Xixi protested, but Guo Dongdong shot her a warning glance. “Did you forget what we said before leaving?”

Guo Dongdong’s words seemed to jog Guo Xixi’s memory. Though still reluctant, she said no more.

Qin Cheng didn’t want to bicker with two young women and said, “As you wish, ladies.”

At that moment, Bai DabeI, now certain no danger lurked, stepped out from behind the counter, beaming a broad smile and chuckling softly. “At home, you rely on your parents; out in the world, you rely on friends. Let’s all be friends today. The meal is on me, no need to be polite.” His slightly plump figure and silly chuckle were genuinely amusing.

Everyone returned to their seats, agreeing to pay their own way.

For some reason, Guo Xixi seemed quite displeased with Qin Cheng and his group, sitting with a scowl. It was probably the usual prejudice against these powerful families treating soldiers poorly.

Soon, the food arrived, and conversation and laughter broke out.

While Qin Cheng and his men ate, Guo Xixi whispered to Guo Dongdong, “These people only know how to show off in front of common folk. The only true heroes are the Flying General Li Guang and our own General Qin Cheng—those who can truly command respect among the Xiongnu. If these people had even a fraction of their skill, they wouldn’t be so arrogant in front of us! Honestly…”

Guo Xixi’s anger at the rudeness of Qin Cheng’s guards still simmered, but Guo Dongdong sternly warned her, “You’re just a little girl. Focus on your meal—you still have a long journey ahead!”

Guo Xixi’s voice was just loud enough for Qin Qingzhi and the others to overhear. They nearly couldn’t hold back their laughter at the first part, but after hearing the warning, they burst out laughing uncontrollably.

Their hearty laughter only infuriated Guo Xixi further.

“Damn it! Don’t you have any shame shouting so loud?” Suddenly, a rough voice came from outside the stall, followed by seven or eight men entering, dressed in various clothes. Their leader wore a fierce-looking sable fur collar and swaggered in. “Shopkeeper! Bring out the good wine and meat. Let us warm ourselves!”

Everyone looked toward the newcomers. The men all carried sheathed swords wrapped in cloth, except the leader’s long sword, which was unsheathed. They plopped down at two tables with careless swagger.

“All right, coming right up!” Bai DabeI, seeing these men looked no good, hurried to comply and ordered his staff to warm some wine.

Qin Qingzhi and his men glanced at the newcomers, who ignored them completely, oblivious to any impropriety in their speech.

No matter how proud Qin Qingzhi and his comrades were, they wouldn’t pick a fight over such nonsense and simply ignored the men.

Shortly after sitting, the man in sable fur was nudged by a lean, monkey-like, lecherous-looking fellow, who winked at Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong. The leader glanced over, eyes lighting up immediately.

Apparently, these men were familiar with such types and quickly recognized Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong as women. The leader and the lecherous man chuckled lasciviously and approached them.

By then, Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong had finished eating and were preparing to leave.

As the leader and his companion sat at their table, they had barely spoken when Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong stood simultaneously, grabbing their wrapped swords and gesturing to Bai DabeI, “Shopkeeper, the bill, please!”

“Right away!” Bai DabeI had intended to waive their fee, but since the others insisted on paying, and seeing that Qin Cheng and Guo Xixi’s group were peaceful, his tension eased. Hearing the call, he hurried over but froze upon seeing the sable-fur leader seated at Guo Xixi’s table.

“Two young brothers, leaving so soon?” The fur-clad man rose and blocked their path, flashing a sinister smile. “Fate brings us together. I can tell you two are kindred spirits. Why not join us for a few drinks? Let’s be friends.”

Guo Dongdong gave the leader a cool glance, about to respond, but Guo Xixi interrupted sharply, “We have no time for your nonsense. Move aside!”

“Oh? Such fiery temper, little brother. Maybe you’ve had too much to drink? We just happen to have the perfect remedy. How about we help cool your temper?” The man’s smile faded into a sneer.

“I said, move aside! We have no time for this!” Guo Xixi’s eyes flashed with undisguised loathing, and her tone was even sharper.

But the leader was determined to block them, not to be deterred by a few words.

“And what if I don’t?” His face twisted fiercely.

“Brother, are you forcing the issue?” Guo Dongdong’s voice grew cold. She subtly shifted her grip on her wrapped sword, ready to react at any moment.

The leader glanced at her weapon and sneered, “Little lady, do you even know how to wield that sword? Don’t hurt those fair, delicate hands of yours—that wouldn’t be good!”

As he spoke, his companions closed ranks around Guo Dongdong and Guo Xixi, trapping them.

Qin Cheng ate calmly, focused and deliberate, neither rushing nor dawdling, displaying the refined demeanor of a well-bred man.

He showed no sign of worry about the unfolding situation behind him. But Qin Qingzhi and the others were not so composed. They all watched the fur-clad man’s group surround Guo Xixi and Guo Dongdong with grave expressions.

Though they had clashed with the two earlier, learning they were women softened their attitudes somewhat. Men often showed magnanimity toward women, whether wise or not, simply because women were seen as vulnerable and men felt obliged to tolerate them. Moreover, their impressions of the fur-clad leader were poor, so psychologically they sided with Guo Dongdong and Guo Xixi.

Another crucial reason was that Qin Qingzhi and his men had not forgotten their official military status. Faced with such bullying and harassment, government troops could not stand aside—they were duty-bound to act.

They looked toward Qin Cheng, but he merely ate with a composed expression, seemingly indifferent to the tension behind him.