On a small road in Shu County.
A horse-drawn carriage sped forward, kicking up clouds of dust, followed closely by a group of menacing villagers wielding clubs and pickaxes.
The carriage finally stopped, as if it had exhausted all its strength, after using all its might to successfully leave the horde of ferocious villagers far behind.
The driver was pale, his scholar's long gown covered in mud and sweat, having long lost his composure and neatness, and his fair hands were stained with blood from the reins.
The carriage curtain was lifted.
Luo Feiyan and Yuan Bao'er helped Chen Jin'er stagger out, saying, "You...you came too fast!"
"It's all your fault!"
Yuan Bao'er looked terrified. "I told you not to be kind. If we hadn't run away so fast, you would have stayed in that village and become someone's wife!"
"I was simply helping someone in need, upholding justice..."
Luo Feiyan's loud slogan weakened a bit as she thought of that silly guy with a crooked mouth and a face covered in snot and saliva. It was completely different from the adventures she had heard about in the play scripts.
The orphans, widows, and vulnerable women she rescued not only failed to express their gratitude, but instead joined the bad guys in robbing her clothes and food.
Not only did they rob them of their clothes and food, they also wanted to leave them and their carriage behind!
Chen Jin'er, holding her belly, frowned and said, "Everyone says that Shu County has abundant real estate... how could this be?"
"Yes! Look at those villagers... when they see food, their eyes look like those of wolves!"
Yuan Bao'er looked terrified.
Luo Feiyan felt even more guilty. "I didn't expect that just a few pieces of silver and a few steamed buns... they... couldn't tell right from wrong, and were even willing to risk their lives..."
"You can't act rashly anymore. Something's not right here. Everything has to wait until we get to the prefectural city and find Jiaojiao and the others before we can talk about it."
After giving her instructions, Chen Jin'er looked at Jiang Lingtian and said, "Are you alright? We owe you a lot for being so vigilant this time. According to the map, there should be a post station not far ahead. Hang in there a little longer, and we'll get some rest when we get there."
"I...I'm fine."
Jiang Lingtian's jaw trembled, and as soon as he moved, he found his hands and feet were numb, and he couldn't control himself and fell off the carriage.
Luo Feiyan reacted quickly, lifting him onto the carriage with a gentle motion.
Jiang Lingtian met Luo Feiyan's concerned gaze, his face immediately turning bright red, and he shyly lowered his head.
Luo Feiyan looked at Jiang Lingtian with a timid, submissive demeanor and clicked her tongue in amazement.
He looked at Wenfu, who had been quite tough when he stood in front of her earlier and ran fast. How come... now that he's escaped danger, he's back to being this pretty boy?
Chen Jin'er's eyes darted between the two, and a smile played on her lips. One was quiet and unnoticed, while the other was oblivious. Who knew when they would finally confess their feelings and become a couple?
Yuan Bao'er glanced at the dashing Luo Feiyan, then at the frail scholar Jiang Lingtian... and then at Chen Jin'er's upturned lips, and silently rolled her eyes.
Along the way, Luo Feiyan was so focused on chivalry and righting wrongs that she didn't know anything about romance.
We rested for a moment.
The carriage set off again, and an hour later, they indeed found a post station.
There were several carriages at the post station. When Jiang Lingtian and his group's carriage appeared, no one was alert. A young gatekeeper even came out to greet them with a smile, "You're also going to the prefect's daughter's wedding banquet in three days, right?"
"This is the fifth car today..."
The servant smiled as he led the horse, his gaze sweeping from the sturdy carriage over Jiang Lingtian, who, though travel-worn, was dressed in fine, elegant clothing.
When the carriage curtain was lifted, Luo Feiyan and Yuan Bao'er appeared, supporting Chen Jin'er. The doorman was instantly amazed.
After realizing what was happening, her face immediately broke into a wide smile.
"Oh my, madam, are you perhaps a relative of the prefect? You exude an extraordinary air about you. There are just two superior rooms left upstairs..."
As the doorman spoke, he ushered them into the post station.
Those resting and eating at the inn, upon hearing Xiaomenzi's words, looked at Chen Jin'er and her group with burning eyes and a hint of ingratiating smiles.
Neither the three of them looked like ordinary people, nor did they have the demeanor of ordinary people.
The coachman didn't look like someone doing menial work; he seemed more like a scholar. Not to mention the lady's air of confidence and poise, and the two maids beside her were even more dazzling than the young ladies of wealthy families.
Inside the post station were officials, yamen runners, and a merchant, all eating, drinking, and engaging in lively conversation.
"Did you bring the tax money?"
"Of course, she is the only daughter of the prefect. The higher-ups said that at least 10% of the tax revenue should be paid. We searched through those lowly people day and night to scrape together the money!"
"I heard that even the King of Southern Xinjiang will be participating. My third uncle's cousin's uncle works odd jobs at a restaurant in Southern Xinjiang. It's all over Southern Xinjiang that people are saying... that the son-in-law of the Prefect's mansion is so handsome that even a god descending to earth couldn't compare to him. He's definitely the most handsome young man in Shu County!"
"Really? Is it really that good-looking?"
"It must be true! The governor's daughter dismissed her entire harem for him, showering him with undivided affection!"
"Tsk tsk tsk—why didn't my parents give me a face like that! The only son-in-law of the prefect's daughter, wouldn't the prefect's mansion be his in the future?"
"More than that! Not just the Prefect's Mansion, he can do whatever he wants in the entire Shu Prefecture! Oh no, not just Shu Prefecture, but also the Southern Frontier. The King of the Southern Frontier is the Prefect's wife's own brother, and the Prefect's daughter's maternal uncle!"
"It's true what they say, comparisons are the thief of joy! I also want to visit Southern Xinjiang. I've heard that the beauties there are unparalleled! And they're adorned with nothing but gleaming silver!"
"Hahaha—with a face like yours, you wouldn't even be considered for the governor's daughter to wash her feet. And you call yourself the Southern Frontier? Although you can make money in the Southern Frontier, it's full of Gu worms. You wouldn't even know how you died one day."
"Heh, I was just saying, in the Southern Frontier, you can earn women and money, but you also need to be alive to spend them. This isn't the time when the old King of the Southern Frontier is in charge..."
"Shh—are you out of your mind? How dare you mention that person! Ever since the two princesses of Southern Xinjiang disappeared one after another, that person has gone mad. He passed the throne of the Southern Xinjiang King to a collateral branch and has been searching for them all over the world without warning."
"I...I just said it offhand."
The voice suddenly weakened, carrying a hint of fear and a sigh, "If it were still that leader, everyone... might have another chance to survive."
"What do you mean by 'living a way out'? This rich marquis came along, and I heard he's been distributing porridge, building bridges and repairing roads, and paying wages two or three times higher than other places. I almost got killed."
"It's not just one or two people anymore. Don't we know who owns the Shu Commandery? As long as we do our best to serve our superiors, we'll have food to eat!"
"That's right—so, I not only prepared some loose silver, but also some... small tokens of my appreciation."
"Ah! You're too cunning! No way, I can't let you outdo me. When we get to the next village, I'll dig three feet into the ground and find something good too!"
"..."
As Chen Jin'er and her group listened to the various sounds coming from the post station, their expressions gradually turned cold.
No wonder the people suffered so much along the way; it turns out that... the governor of Shu Commandery was all-powerful.
suddenly--
A dozen burly men dressed in镖局 (security escort agency) uniforms walked in through the gate of the post station, carrying banners that read "万斤镖局" (Wanjin Escort Agency).
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com