County Magistrate He was not going to give up. He sneered, folded his arms and leaned aside, saying cunningly: "Sir, this girl is not an ordinary person. If she were placed somewhere else, she would be worth a thousand taels."

"Fifty taels... that's a bit too shabby. I need at least one thousand taels! I don't want you to take him away so easily."

Duan Cheng was filled with rage, but he knew very well that he could not fall out with County Magistrate He at this moment.

He could only suppress his dissatisfaction and said through gritted teeth, "Okay, one thousand taels of silver! But I warn you, if this gets to the general's ears, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Seeing Duan Cheng yield, Magistrate He was pleased and nodded in agreement. He then said with a smile, "Your Excellency is too polite. If you can afford the price, we'll settle."

Duan Cheng glanced at him coldly and made up his mind.

County Magistrate He is relying on his merit this time and dares to ask for such a high price. I will make him pay the price for his greed later.

He waved his hand to signal his men to take the silver, while County Magistrate He had a greedy look on his face, his eyes fixed on the shining silver.

After a moment, County Magistrate He put the purse into his arms, his face full of pride.

Just as he was about to leave, Duan Cheng suddenly turned around, a gloomy look flashed in his eyes, and he whispered a few words to his confidant beside him.

County Magistrate He did not notice and still walked out of the door with a smile on his face, his heart full of smug thoughts.

Fang Qingyue sat quietly by the side, catching sight of Duan Cheng's actions out of the corner of her eye.

Her heart suddenly tightened. Duan Cheng was much more gloomy and cunning than he appeared. Since he was willing to give out one thousand taels, he would never let County Magistrate He get away with the money so easily.

City Lord Duan Cheng walked up to Fang Qingyue, his smile still warm, but his deep eyes were filled with inquiry.

He bowed slightly and said politely, "The girl is exactly like the portrait. The general will be very happy to hear this news."

Fang Qingyue was alert. She felt that although Duan Cheng appeared gentle, he harbored murderous intent, and her heart was filled with alarm.

Although this man has a fierce smile, he is definitely not a good person.

The general he mentioned was undoubtedly Shen Yuhan, the person she least wanted to see.

She suppressed the shock in her heart, remained calm, smiled slightly, and nodded: "Thank you, Lord City Lord, for your kindness."

When Duan Cheng heard her words, a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes, but Fang Qingyue did not give him much chance to look at her.

She lowered her eyelids, as if to hide her physical discomfort, but in fact she was thinking rapidly.

Now that she has entered the city, the biggest problem facing her is how to escape without being noticed by Duan Cheng and Shen Yuhan.

While she was thinking, Duan Cheng continued, "Young lady, you must be exhausted after a long journey. Why don't you go to the back house to rest and make plans after the general arrives?"

Fang Qingyue still had a faint smile on her face, but a hint of coldness flashed across her eyes.

She nodded slightly and agreed calmly: "Thank you very much, sir."

As Duan Cheng's order was given, several maids came forward to lead Fang Qingyue. The city lord's mansion was heavily guarded.

She slowly stepped down from the carriage, followed by several servants. Cheng Qingyuan and Chi Yue had already been arranged to go to another place to rest alone.

This made her feel uneasy and she needed to find a way to escape even more urgently.

Fang Qingyue calmly scanned the surrounding environment, quickly analyzing every possible escape route in her mind.

If she wanted to escape from this heavily guarded City Lord's Mansion, she had to act now while Duan Cheng was not yet completely wary of her.

She vaguely remembered that the alley on the west side of the mansion was relatively remote and there were fewer guards there. If she could successfully blend into the night, she might be able to escape.

However, Fang Qingyue remained calm on the surface, with a weak smile on her face, as she walked slowly with the maids.

At the same time, in the backyard of the City Lord's Mansion, Shen Yuhan was sitting alone in the pavilion.

The night was quiet and the breeze was gentle, but his heart seemed to be drifting in the storm.

For several months, there has been no news about Fang Qingyue. His hopes have been dashed time and time again, and new expectations have been rekindled time and time again.

Every stroke of the portrait, every line, carries the obsession in his heart.

In front of Shen Yuhan was a half-finished scroll. The woman on the paper had picturesque features, cold yet gentle. It was Fang Qingyue's face.

At this moment, his hand remained in the air for a long time.

The dull pain in his heart made him feel powerless.

Just as he was lost in thought, a trusted aide came hurriedly and whispered, "General, the city lord Duan Cheng has arrived with his men."

When Shen Yuhan heard this, his brows moved slightly, and a complicated feeling suddenly surged in his heart.

He had heard similar news several times, and each time he came with hope, but without exception he returned disappointed.

But this time, Duan Cheng came to report in person. Could there really be news about her?

His heart couldn't help but beat faster.

He stood up quickly, his eyes narrowed slightly: "Where is the person?"

The confidant whispered, "He is already in the front hall, being received by the city lord."

Shen Yuhan nodded, then walked quickly towards the front hall.

With every step, his heartbeat seemed to get heavier, as if the long-awaited answer was right before his eyes.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down, but he couldn't suppress the anxiety deep in his heart.

At the same time, Fang Qingyue had been led to a remote courtyard in the mansion.

She looked at the surroundings carefully and found that there was a relatively sparsely guarded path ahead, leading to a remote alley outside the mansion.

She knew this might be her only chance of escape.

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!