"A scholar can be executed, but not humiliated!"
Indeed, Xin Xingzong's eyes instantly turned red. This was a direct slap in the face, a naked humiliation.
If he could endure this slight, would he still be considered a military general?
"General Xin, I advise you to leave now if you have taken the money. I will pretend this incident never happened. If you continue to cause trouble here, you must clearly understand the consequences. Even if you are Marshal Tong's beloved general, do not forget where you are right now."
Han Mo's words had already been as insulting as possible. Coupled with this latest remark, Xin Xingzong felt an overwhelming urge to kill him.
"You scoundrel, how dare you insult me so!"
As he spoke, Xin Xingzong brandished his sword and charged at Han Mo without hesitation.
"General Xin, absolutely not!"
Fang Jing was completely stunned. What a joke! A commanding general of the imperial army was attempting to kill another imperial official in court!
No matter who died here, he, the county magistrate, would be in deep trouble.
"General Xin, I shall give you one last piece of advice. If you stop now, I will consider today's events as if they never happened. Otherwise, I will be forced to retaliate!"
Xin Xingzong was already injured and had consumed a considerable amount of wine that evening. Now, fueled by intense anger, his fighting style had become erratic.
In contrast, Han Mo had been trained by a renowned master and possessed considerable martial prowess. Combined with his almost unnervingly calm mind brought from his past life, it was impossible for Xin Xingzong to harm him at this moment.
Not only could he evade Xin Xingzong's tempestuous attacks, but he also found the time to push Liang Hongyu far away.
However, Xin Xingzong was utterly consumed by fury and could no longer heed any counsel.
"Magistrate Fang, please observe clearly. I have shown restraint at every turn, yet this fellow resorts to lethal moves. If I don't fight back, I will be the one to die today!"
After evading more than ten attacks, deflecting his opponent's sharp edge, Han Mo suddenly reached out and caught one of Xin Xingzong's sword strikes with his sleeve.
While Xin Xingzong's sword was not a renowned blade, it was certainly capable of cutting through a sleeve.
However, this action played right into Han Mo's hands.
After a piece of his sleeve was sliced off, Han Mo immediately retreated several steps and snatched a cudgel from a nearby constable.
He was naturally endowed with immense strength, and with such a weapon, he became even more formidable. Xin Xingzong, seeing his refined appearance, had never taken him seriously.
Furthermore, at this moment, completely losing his senses, with eyes blazing red, he prepared to continue his desperate assault on Han Mo.
Unexpectedly, after retreating a few steps, Han Mo swung his cudgel, striking directly at Xin Xingzong's left arm.
Although Xin Xingzong saw Han Mo's move, he did not take Han Mo seriously. Instead, he raised his sword and lunged towards Han Mo's chest.
This was clearly an attempt to trade injuries for a life. However, when Han Mo's cudgel landed on his arm, Xin Xingzong realized how terribly wrong he had been.
Before he could even comprehend what was happening, he was sent flying by Han Mo's blow.
He flew more than ten feet before crashing heavily against a nearby pillar.
His entire left arm had lost all sensation.
"You ungrateful wretch! With your pathetic skills, I don't know where you get the nerve to be so arrogant! If the nation relies on people like you to defend its borders, the empire left by our ancestors would have been lost long ago!"
Seeing Xin Xingzong struggling to rise after a prolonged effort, Han Mo sneered and casually dropped his cudgel.
At this moment, the entire county office fell into utter silence. No one had expected a commanding general to be defeated by Han Mo, a man who had come from a scholarly background.
At this point, Fang Jing didn't know what to say. This was utterly absurd.
Was this fellow even human?
A civilian official had beaten a leading general!
Was he not showing off enough?
He even felt a little sorry for Xin Xingzong now. Who else could he have provoked but this monster...
"Magistrate Fang, where is her deed of sale?"
After dealing with Xin Xingzong, Han Mo turned back to Fang Jing.
Fang Jing initially intended to say something, but after opening and closing his lips several times, he dared not utter a word.
"Please wait a moment, sir!"
Taking several deep breaths, Fang Jing directly gave some instructions to a nearby constable.
Soon, someone brought a document to Fang Jing. After verifying its authenticity, Fang Jing handed it to Han Mo.
"It was my fault today. If anyone causes trouble for you because of this matter, tell them to come directly to the Pacification Commissioner's office to find me. As for the money to redeem her, I will have someone send it to you immediately after I return!"
After receiving the document, Han Mo nodded with satisfaction and then, taking Liang Hongyu with him, strode out.
After exiting the county office and getting into Han Mo's carriage, Liang Hongyu was still in a daze.
She had thought for sure she was doomed that night, but she never expected Han Mo to not only confront a commanding general of the imperial army on her behalf but also to utterly defeat him.
As the carriage moved forward, Liang Hongyu's eyes never left Han Mo.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Sir, I am but a woman of humble origins. Why do you treat me so?"
After a moment of silence, Liang Hongyu suddenly asked, her face blushing.
Seeing her shy demeanor, Han Mo let out a bitter laugh.
Damn it, he might have overdone it...
This was the wife of Han Shizhong, a renowned hero of integrity. If he were to pursue her now, it would be quite difficult to justify.
Moreover, given his current status, if he desired a woman, how could he not find one?
"Please do not misunderstand. As I said earlier, since I acted as your guarantor, I naturally must ensure your safety. Do you have any relatives you can turn to?"
After a dry cough, Han Mo quickly began to explain.
"If my father were still alive, perhaps there would be some relatives. But now, with the Liang family having suffered such a disaster, there are no longer any kin..."
Hearing Han Mo's words, Liang Hongyu's heart sank. With a tragic smile, she spoke again.
"If you have nowhere to go, perhaps you could stay by my side as a maid for now. If you have other thoughts later, or find a suitable husband, you are free to leave at any time!"