Chapter 132: Old Habits Die Hard

Li Daocheng stated in his letter that the exchange of prisoners, including Kang Le-guo and Bian Hongtai, would take place outside the walls of Dingbian City the following morning.

When the next morning arrived, both sides lined up their forces outside the city. As prisoners were brought to the front and both sides were prepared, a simultaneous command of "Release!" rang out. The soldiers guarding the captives cut the ropes that bound them, allowing the prisoners to run back to their respective camps.

Kang Le-guo ran back along with the other captives, but Bian Hongtai was carried back on horseback by the Hu soldiers. When Fei Wen saw him, he noticed that Bian’s naturally pale face was now ghastly and bloodless. During his previous skirmish with Ba Latian, Bian had been struck in the back by a mace, suffering severe internal injuries, and the Hu had provided him with no medical treatment since his capture.

Once the exchange was complete, both sides withdrew their forces without further incident. Fei Wen had been shaken by the previous day's battle and dared not resume hostilities, while Li Daocheng was patiently awaiting reinforcements to avoid the unnecessary casualties of an immediate siege. With neither side willing to attack, the armies remained in a stalemate at Dingbian.

After spending three to five days recovering from his internal injuries, Bian Hongtai felt well enough to stroll through the streets of Dingbian. Despite the recent warfare, the city remained bustling and prosperous, with its workshops and storefronts doing a lively trade.

As Bian wandered aimlessly, his gaze was caught by a young, pretty woman in a small shop. Her graceful figure immediately captivated him. He focused his eyes and saw a sign hanging beside the doorway: "Widow Wang’s Tofu Shop."

It was a small workshop selling tofu. Bian stepped up to the entrance and peered inside.

On the counter sat freshly made, tender white tofu, still steaming. The woman he had spotted was busy behind the counter. She appeared to be in her twenties, with a shapely figure accentuated by her simple, coarse-woven dress. Her skin was so fair, supple, and delicate that it seemed even whiter than the tofu before her. With a face like a blooming flower and a smile like spring, every gesture she made was full of charm. When she spoke to customers, her voice was soft and enchanting.

Bian, a known rake back in Yongzhou City, had been with many women, yet none could compare to the beauty before him. As if possessed, he walked forward just as she finished serving a customer.

"Landlady, your tofu is truly white!" Bian said, leering at her.

"Oh, sir, you certainly have an eye for quality," Widow Wang replied with a forced smile. She knew well that an official in such robes was someone she could not afford to offend.

"Landlady, I think the 'tofu' on your own person is even whiter than the tofu on your counter!" Bian’s remark was a blatant insult.

Startled by the vulgarity coming from a man who appeared to be a gentleman, Widow Wang’s expression hardened. "Please show some respect, sir! If you wish to buy tofu, I can weigh some out for you."

"I do wish to buy tofu, but I only want the tofu on your person. What do you say?" Bian pressed on, more shamelessly than before.

Widow Wang dropped the knife she was using to cut the tofu and said angrily, "How can you be so unreasonable? If you don’t want to buy any, please leave!"

"Even if I leave, I’m taking you with me! Come with me, and you’ll live in luxury; no need to slave away making tofu every day." As he spoke, he reached out to grab her hand.

Widow Wang swatted his hand away and snapped, "Have some self-respect! Do you not fear the laws of the Great Song by bullying a defenseless woman?"

"Laws? I am the law! Without us shedding blood on the battlefield, you commoners would have been dragged off as slaves by the Hu long ago. I’ve taken a fancy to you, so be sensible and come with me." With that, he grabbed her delicate hand. The touch sent a thrill through him.

He began to drag her out of the shop. Widow Wang struggled, but she was no match for his strength. As she was about to be pulled into the street, she shrieked, "Help! Help! Someone is abducting me!"

Passersby looked on, but seeing that the perpetrator was an official, no one dared to intervene.

Just then, a man rode up from the end of the street. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and sturdy, with a dagger at his waist and a long spear hanging from his saddle—evidently a garrison soldier. It was Tian Xiaoding, who had just arrived from Xinquan City.

Having heard reports that Fei Wen had squandered half his forces upon arrival, Xiaoding had been furious. He was puzzled by the current ceasefire and had come to Dingbian to gauge the commanders' intentions and check on his comrades, Zhao Laixi and Zhao Hu. Hearing the cry for help, he rode over immediately.

Seeing an officer dragging a woman, he quickly grasped the situation.

"What is going on here?" Xiaoding jumped off his horse and asked, frowning.

"This official is trying to abduct me for no reason!" Widow Wang sobbed.

"Where did you come from, kid? Stop meddling in my business, or I’ll have you thrown in the dungeon!" Bian threatened.

"You hold a position of rank, yet you abduct a woman in broad daylight. It seems you don't care much for your uniform," Xiaoding retorted.

"Who are you? Just a small soldier in this city? Do you know who I am? I am the one in charge of soldiers like you!" Bian continued to bluster.

"I don't know who you are, but I know that the soldiers of Dingbian exist to protect the people, not to bully them while avoiding the battlefield," Xiaoding said, unfazed, drawing cheers from the surrounding crowd.

"You’re tired of living! Do you know the consequences of offending a military inspector?" Bian barked.

*So, he's a military inspector,* Xiaoding thought. *I've never seen him before; he must have come with that incompetent Fei Wen. Since he's capable of such depravity, he's clearly trash.* He fixed a cold gaze on Bian. "I don't care if you're an inspector or a toad. Let this woman go immediately, or don't blame me for being rough!"

Accustomed to getting his way, Bian was enraged. "Fine, you’ve got guts! Let’s see how you like my blade!" He drew his sword and slashed at Xiaoding.

Recognizing the reckless style of a spoiled rake, Xiaoding easily sidestepped the blow and delivered a swift kick squarely into Bian’s groin.