Song Dynasty Dreams: Marrying Zhao Pan'er at the beginning

Chapter 17 The Scapegoat, Ouyang Xu

Ouyang Xu put down his chopsticks and looked at the scene before him in surprise. Though he didn’t know exactly what had happened, seeing that fool Gao You getting into trouble filled him with an indescribable joy.

“Deny it quickly!”

Xiao Lingdang whispered urgently beside Gao You. As long as Gao You refused to admit it, even if he really had killed Wang Dashan’s big black dog, Wang Dashan wouldn’t be able to do anything.

That dog was often tied up at the back entrance, and whenever passersby walked past, it would lunge out aggressively. It had bitten several people before, but due to Wang Dashan’s influence, they had all chosen to stay silent.

There was even one incident where the dog broke free and bit an elderly man’s leg so badly that it was nearly severed. Yet, the county magistrate covered it up, and in the end, all Wang Dashan had to do was pay a measly few hundred copper coins as compensation.

Now, the rabid dog had been put down by a fool—who could blame him? Besides, Gao You wasn’t just any fool. Behind him stood the powerful and noble Gao family.

“It was me.”

Gao You admitted without hesitation.

Everyone at the scene was stunned.

“Brother-in-law!”

Xiao Lingdang gawked at him in shock.

“Why did you admit it?”

“Gao You killed Wang Dashan’s vicious dog?”

“He’s a hero!”

“That beast bit so many people. If not for the county magistrate’s protection, it would’ve been killed and eaten long ago!”

“But this is trouble. He’s offended Wang Dashan!”

The onlookers whispered among themselves. The one thing that delighted them most was that Wang Dashan’s black dog was finally dead.

“Gao You!”

Wang Dashan roared, his eyes fierce.

“Why did you kill my Blackie?”

“Master Wang!”

Zhao Pan’er stood up, apologizing sincerely.

“About this matter—”

“Wife.”

Gao You glanced at Zhao Pan’er and shook his head slightly. Zhao Pan’er, who had been about to apologize, hesitated and lowered her voice.

“Gao Lang, if this escalates, it’ll go to court!”

Gao You remained unfazed, smiling at her. “Trust me.”

Though Zhao Pan’er had no idea what he was planning, she obediently sat back down. Wang Dashan had been considering letting the matter drop when he saw Zhao Pan’er about to apologize. After all, despite his arrogance, he was still wary of the powerful Gao family.

But now, she had suddenly sat down without apologizing—was she mocking him?

Did they think he, Wang Dashan, was easy to push around?

“Seize him! Take him to the magistrate!”

“Yes!”

The lackeys behind Wang Dashan rolled up their sleeves, ready to storm into the teahouse. Xiao Lingdang swallowed nervously and gripped her wooden club, standing defensively in front of the group. Sun Sanniang, meanwhile, silently slipped into the kitchen to grab a cleaver.

“Let’s see who dares!”

Sun Sanniang brandished the cleaver at the door. The lackeys hesitated. They knew Sun Sanniang’s reputation—after all, she had once been a butcher.

“Do you have any proof?”

“On what grounds are you arresting someone?”

Seeing her boldness, Wang Dashan sneered. “That fool already admitted it himself. Everyone here heard him—they can testify!”

He confessed!

Sun Sanniang sighed in frustration.

Gao You calmly finished his last piece of meat, then stood up.

“Everyone, stop.”

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to him. At first, Gao You had planned to let himself be taken to the magistrate’s office. He had already drawn a detailed illustration of the vicious dog attacking people and discreetly placed it in a corner of the teahouse.

It was his second masterpiece, created after his painting skills had reached their peak. His plan was for Zhao Pan’er to hold an auction for the artwork—an event sure to attract countless elite guests from Jiangnan.

If word spread that the magistrate of Liuzhou had been covering up crimes committed by his concubine’s family and their vicious dog, his reputation would be utterly destroyed.

There was no way the so-called honorable magistrate would escape the fallout. But now, Gao You had changed his mind. Under everyone’s watchful gaze, he casually pointed at Ouyang Xu, who was sitting back and enjoying the spectacle.

“He told me to do it.”

“What?”

Ouyang Xu’s eyes widened in disbelief. This had absolutely nothing to do with him!

Wang Dashan, who had been furious just moments ago, suddenly hesitated. If it had been the disgraced son of the Gao family, he wouldn’t have minded stepping on him.

But Ouyang Xu—he was a newly appointed top scholar, the tanhua! That was someone he absolutely couldn’t afford to offend.

“Why isn’t Wang Dashan saying anything now?”

“He’s scared. Typical bully—only picks on the weak.”

“So it was actually the tanhua who ordered the dog killed!”

“But why would he do that?”

“You don’t know? He used to live around here. Every time he passed by Wang Dashan’s back entrance, that dog would bark at him like crazy!”

“I’ve seen his old servant argue with Wang Dashan’s lackeys about that dog more than once.”

“I bet he had had enough of it and decided to get rid of it!”

The crowd murmured in excitement.

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Ouyang Xu felt as if he had just stepped into a pile of filth—regardless of the truth, it was already sticking to him.

He had been barked at by that dog numerous times in the past. But now that he was a scholar-official, an esteemed shi dafu, why would he hold a grudge against a mere dog?

“Holding a grudge against a dog for so long?”

“Seems like the tanhua is a petty man with a narrow heart!”

“Be careful what you say! If someone like him hears you gossiping, he might throw you in jail!”

Ouyang Xu couldn’t let this conversation continue any longer.

Who knew how the rumors would evolve if he didn’t put a stop to them now?