My wife has a secret

Chapter 192 Bathing
By then, Shen Shuangxu would not be able to go to Liao to pick up people, and his own situation would be precarious.

Princess Danyang said, "Sister, sister, please don't blame me for being cruel... The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. The principle I, Li Jin'er, believe in is that the strong prey on the weak and the fittest survive."

Princess Danyang's fingers gently stroked Shen Shuangxu's smooth, cool and warm body, and she smiled and said, "You are truly a beauty, but compared to Jin'er, you are still a little behind... In the future, I can spare your life, so that you can watch Jin'er and your husband loving each other and sit on the supreme throne."

……

Only one night after leaving that unwelcome village, Xu Qing and others found a new place to rest.

Sure enough, after leaving the deserted mountains and wilderness where few people have been, there were more populated places.

This town that accepts everyone is called Liangjiaqu. As the name suggests, most of the people in the town are surnamed Liang. It is said that they are descendants of the Han people left behind by Dayu who controlled floods in ancient times, and they have lived here for generations.

At this point, Xu Qing thought of an interesting thing. Apart from the Mongols on the grasslands, the Jin and Liao countries, which had already established their own national names and developed into countries, the main people on the land were still Han people.

Basically, only the military and royal relatives are from this ethnic group.

There was an inn in Liangjiaqu that was built specifically for outsiders. After asking around, Xu Qing and his companions found the location.

The decoration of this inn is very simple. Apart from some square tables, wooden benches and counters, there are basically no unnecessary decorations.

It seemed that there was only the boss in the store. When the other party first saw them, he was attracted by Yang Xianning, who was dressed coolly and had a pair of long beautiful legs.

Whether in Jin, Liao or Qi, it is generally emphasized that girls should be elegant and quiet, as tranquil as an orchid.

But Yang Xianning is obviously not the kind of woman described in the books. Just from her brows and stern expression, one can glimpse a different kind of confidence and heroism that is no less than that of men.

"Tsk tsk, the girl is so beautiful..."

The shop owner noticed the dagger on the waist of the beautiful woman and then he looked away reluctantly.

Although the Liao Kingdom was different from the Qi Kingdom in that it had relaxed the laws governing weapons, owning a sword was different from owning a kitchen knife or farm tool. If you spent a lot of money to make one and carry it with you, it must have a place where it would be useful.

Self-defense, robbery, revenge... In troubled times, people like this are not easy to deal with.

"Are there any rooms available?"

"There are no other guests coming today."

The shop owner's eyes passed over Xu Qing's face, and stopped at Liangzi and Jingjing. He paused and then asked, "Where are you two friends from? Why are you only leading two lambs?"

Seeing the surprise in Xu Qing's eyes, he immediately realized something and quickly corrected her with a smile, "Look, my memory is not clear. I mistook the two distinguished guests for acquaintances. I wonder what room you would like?"

Such a simple inn naturally did not distinguish between high-end and low-end hotels. After Xu Qing gave the answer that there were three guest rooms, the inn owner hurriedly presented the room number.

"Master, there is a bathhouse in the backyard. There are no other guests staying here today. Please feel free to use it."

Xu Qing nodded, and went up the stairs with the three of them to the second floor.

At the same time, the shop owner seemed to have thought of something and wrote the word "Closed" on the wooden sign on the other side with a bookkeeping brush.

……

After settling the two little girls, Xu Qing and Yang Xianning went to the corner of another room.

The other party made sure that the surrounding environment was quiet and no one was eavesdropping, so he went straight to the point and said, "There is something wrong with this inn. Not only did it not register according to the rules of the state government, but it also used the name of the underworld."

Xu Qing also felt something was wrong. The term "sheep kidnapping" was obviously the name used by human traffickers and matchmakers to refer to the trafficking of children.

From this point of view, this shop is not clean either, and it must often receive people like this.

Yang Xianning said calmly, "I heard that powerful people brokers and matchmakers usually open a few inns to facilitate their transit and supply. If you look at the map, Liangjiaqu is not far from Shangjing City and Tianshui City, so it is a convenient place to rest."

"Well, I will be careful everywhere."

As soon as Xu Qing finished answering, he remembered something strange.

No one knows where this female hero came from. Apart from her superb martial arts and chivalrous spirit, she also knows so many survival skills in the wild.

If that were all, it would be understandable.

But it is somewhat horrifying that the other party even knows the jargon of the human trafficking world and is fully aware of the situation of these people.

Which good family would understand the style and trends of human traffickers?
Moreover, there was a most bizarre suspicion just now.

Qi and Liao had been hostile to each other for many years. How could a knight know the enemy's topography so well that he could calculate the distance between Liangjiaqu and other places based only on his impression without using any tools or maps?

Who is she?

"...Did you hear what I just said?"

"Yeah, yeah...I remember it clearly."

After Yang Xianning finished giving the key points and was about to get up and leave, she was met with Xu Qing's absent-minded look.

She raised her bright and beautiful eyes, raised her long eyelashes and asked, "Then repeat it again."

Xu Qing opened his mouth, speechless.

How could he remember what the other person said when he was distracted?

If the adjutants of the Yang family army were here, they would definitely be terrified by Xu Qing's actions and would not dare to speak.

Because everyone knows that although General Yang has a gentle temperament and his private behavior is impeccable, he has strict discipline in the army and hates others not following his orders.

What Xu Qing committed was a big taboo.

"you……"

Yang Xianning was about to scold the other party when she suddenly remembered that this was not a military camp or the Yang family, but a black shop inn in the Liao Kingdom. She sighed and recounted what had just happened.

"I'll go to town to buy some food and clothes. Keep an eye on the children and don't let them go outside the room. If the shop owner does anything suspicious, wait until I come back to deal with it."

Xu Qing responded with a "OK".

After explaining the situation, Yang Xianning rushed out without stopping to purchase food and clothing.

Because human traffickers do head-breaking work, the man who previously held Liangzi and Jingjing hostage took all his gold, silver, and other valuables with him.

These people's way of making money is unethical, and it is only natural and legitimate for Xu Qing to spend their money.

When Xu Qing returned to the guest room where the two children were staying, the two little girls were huddled in the corner, looking pitiful and staring at him eagerly.

"Why are you looking at me?"

After spending a few days together, everyone became much more familiar with each other.

But they obviously couldn't let go of their worries and concerns, and still remained in awe of Xu Qing and Yang Xianning.

"Master, are you here to rest and let us massage your legs and shoulders?"

"what?"

Xu Qing glanced at the skinny girl and waved his hand helplessly, indicating that he was not interested in these time-killing activities.

It's not that he really has no interest, but these children are too young, and they are all from farming families. They have not eaten many full meals, so how can they do the work of massaging shoulders and legs? Only maids like Xiaohuan who were raised by the Xu family since childhood have the time and energy to work hard on such things.

Speaking of this, he thought of his personal maid Xiaohuan.

I don’t know how she is doing in Xu’s house after going through so much.

The mansion is currently being managed by the fourth house Qin, so Qin Shuying shouldn't treat her badly, right? After all, that woman knows that she loves Xiaohuan the most among all the maids, and if Xiaohuan is wronged, the fourth house won't have an easy time.

"Master..."

Xu Qing thought for a moment, and then he saw Liangzi timidly raise his hand and said in a weak voice: "In front, Jingjing and I heard a bathhouse in the backyard... Can you take us to take a bath?"

"What? Me?"

Xu Qing was about to refuse, but then he remembered that this was something the two children had been holding back all the way and they had finally mustered up the courage to bring up.

If I show resistance, they might be afraid of me and the female warrior.

After Xu Qing pondered for a moment, he replied, "Okay, but my companion is out shopping. I'll tell her about this when she comes back."

"Master... Liangzi and Jingjing don't want that pretty sister to wash them, they just want Master to accompany them to wash them."

"Ok?"

Xu Qing coughed twice and almost spit out the tea he had just taken a sip of.

He asked in confusion: "I am a man, haven't you heard that men and women should not touch each other?"

Unexpectedly, as soon as he said this, the two girls kept blinking their eyes. Ryoko even asked in confusion, "Uncle, you are so old, will you like Ryoko and Jingjing?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Although Xu Qing was unhappy that Liangzi called him uncle, what she said was right. It was impossible for him to do anything to a seven or eight-year-old girl.

But since he didn't have any children, it still felt a little strange for him to bathe these two girls directly.

"Why don't you ask that beautiful sister for help, but have to ask me for help?"

"Because... Liangzi and Jingjing are a little afraid of her. She has a knife on her and has killed someone..."

Only then did Xu Qing realize that although the heroine's beauty was obvious to all, she presented a completely different image in his eyes and in the eyes of his children.

The children saw with their own eyes that his throat was cut and blood splattered all over the ground, so they naturally thought that this man was scary.

Moreover, the other party didn't say much along the way. I know that she was circulating her internal energy to repair her body's meridians and condition, but the two children didn't know that.

They may think that the heroine doesn't like them, so they dare not say much in front of her.

"It turns out that you are not afraid of me, but her."

"Yes! Compared to that sister... Uncle is not very skilled, and he is a bit stupid and stubborn. Both Ryoko and Jingjing like you."

"Shut up now. No one will think you are dumb if you don't speak."

Xu Qing was originally somewhat happy, but these reasons dampened the enthusiasm in his heart.

In the end, Xu Qing was no match for the sharp-tongued Ryoko, so he left a note on the table in the guest room and took them to the bathhouse in the backyard.

The bathhouse of the small inn is a typical mixed bathing room, with a large pool in the middle that can accommodate many people bathing at the same time.

However, the inn's business was obviously not good today. Apart from them, there was no one else there, so Xu Qing directed the two girls to take off their clothes and take a bath.

"Master, the water in the pool is so hot..."

Xu Qing stretched out his hand and scratched it, then replied with a frown, "Where is it hot? You'll get used to it after soaking in it for a while."

“It’s really hot.”

Ryoko seemed to have grasped Xu Qing's weakness. Whenever Xu Qing rejected her proposal, she would look helpless and pitiful, and stare at him with her innocent and moving eyes.

Xu Qing couldn't resist, so he pulled two wooden barrels next to the bathhouse, rinsed himself clean, and poured hot and cold water into them.

I usually don't have any work to do in the Xu Mansion, but now, for the sake of two little kids I met by chance, I have to go through the hardships of traveling through time again.

"Fun!"

After Ryoko and Jingjing entered the water bucket, they became much more cheerful, as if they had let go of all the gloom along the way.

They happily splashed water on each other, and even aimed at Xu Qing and splashed water twice.

Fortunately, Xu Qing's resting place was far away from the wooden barrel. Seeing that he was only splashed with some water, he was too lazy to bother with the two little brats.

When the girls' enthusiasm was almost exhausted, Jingjing poked her head out and asked in a low voice: "Master, don't you want to take a shower?"

"I still have things to do. When you're done soaking, come over here and let me rub your backs."

Xu Qing made up an excuse to fool them.

Just now he had been observing the situation at the bathhouse door, thinking about how to wait for the heroine to come back if something happened.

But this black shop didn't seem to have any intention of attacking them, and no unusual sounds were heard from outside from beginning to end.

Could it be that the two of us were worrying too much?

"Ryoko doesn't want a back rub!"

After saying this, Ryoko spit bubbles and dived into the water again.

It just so happened that Xu Qing liked this kind of unruly character, so he stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and gave her a bath scrubbing package that was exclusive to northerners.

Although he was reborn in a water town in the south of the Yangtze River in this life, he was also a genuine northerner in his previous life.

After rubbing them both, Xu Qing told them that they could play by the pool for a while.

I pushed open the door and lifted the curtain, and saw the female warrior coming over with a stack of clothes, already dressed in tight clothes.

She had long black hair that was tied into a high ponytail, her features were picturesque, and she looked very heroic. She looked like someone who had walked out of a painting, and was intimidating.

Xu Qing originally thought that she would say that he did not keep his promise and wait for her in the room, but the other party did not mention this. Instead, she came to the door with the girls' spare clothes and heard the laughter coming from inside.

"You...are pretty amazing."

Yang Xianning was busy with other things along the way, but she still had a natural affinity for children.

She tried to comfort the two abducted children, but it was obvious that they were just afraid and did not appreciate it.

Now seeing Xu Qing bringing the two children to the bathhouse to take a bath, and making it a happy scene, I felt a sincere admiration in my heart.

Xu Qing scratched his head in confusion, "What's so great about it?"

Yang Xianning handed over the new clothes purchased in town and said, "They like you so much, you can help them change their clothes. After these children are done washing, you can also take a bath and relax."

(End of this chapter)