79 Chapter 79
◎Lantern Festival Raid◎
Mu Yun sat back, he was almost driven crazy by the torture.
Heishan, who runs a tea shop in Liao, said his father, during a break, told him he was climbing the cliff to look for flowers because his son liked them. He then remembered trying to grow them as a child, but couldn't keep them alive. His mother had teased him, and he'd been so shy that he'd burst into tears. His father, assuming he liked this flower, had actually fallen off the cliff trying to pick it.
His father, who had always been so majestic in his impression, died like this.
He had always thought that his father wanted to transplant the acacia plums to his mother, but he realized that his father wanted to cheer him up as he had just lost his mother.
Mu Yun's eyes were red, and he finally couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into tears.
In the Qingyuan Courtyard, Wu Zhi heard what had happened. With a gloomy face covered with sweat, he instructed his servant.
"Go tell him that Shen Rong knows about that woodcutter. He'll be eager to find him. If he goes—humph! Don't even think about leaving Tianma Town alive!"
The servant was a little panicked, "Will Master Yun listen? Isn't this too obvious?"
"I know him. This is a thorn; it'll hurt for a while after you pull it out." Wu Zhi sneered. "Besides, he's so arrogant right now. Even if I lie to him, he thinks I can't do anything to him."
Wu Zhi said viciously, "If I can't do it, someone else can. I'll make sure he never comes back!"
After the New Year, the weather became warmer, and the government organized labor to clear the official road. The villages also organized people to clear the road. From Yunzhou City to Zhaojia Village, it was possible to ride a horse and arrive on the same day.
"Mrs. Cheng is much better!"
Xu Xiuying laughed heartily and said to Cheng Mu, "Little Six and Little Seven missed their mother terribly. Gui'er even said she would take them to Yunzhou City to look for you and see the lanterns. Luckily we didn't go, or we would have missed it."
Xu Xiuying winked at Cheng Mu while speaking. It turned out that these words were used by adults to coax children. The two children couldn't win the argument, so they comforted each other like this day after day.
With Cheng Mu's safe return, everyone felt relieved and the gloom that had been hanging over them for days was swept away. They began to laugh and chat happily.
Yu prepared a banquet and forced the four escorts who brought Cheng Mu back to take a seat. The four escorts kept declining. Two of them were among the nine beggars who fled from famine. They had been recuperating for three months and were completely unrecognizable. They were the two with the best skills among the nine. They had fought tigers and wolves and hunted rabbits and deer on the way. During the three months of recuperation, they were determined to become escorts of the escort agency and practiced martial arts hard. Mu Yun brought them out after testing them. At present, they were not considered the official escorts of the escort agency. One was called Fan Qingsong and the other was called Huang Chongyang.
The other two escorts were not the same escorts who had escorted Cheng Mu to Yunzhou City during the twelfth lunar month. Since no merit was to be gained, they went to the next room to rest with the four escorts left behind by Mu Yun.
It was a few people from his family who asked Mu Yun to sit in the seat and surrounded him in a circle.
"This is a proper New Year's Eve dinner." Gui'er raised her glass first, "Muyun, we toast you. Thank you for bringing Madam Cheng back safely."
Mu Yun held the wine cup and said bluntly, "A-sister-in-law and I are the closest family, why do I need you to thank me?"
Gui Er was furious. "You are just Madam Cheng's hired brother-in-law, not a real family member..."
Xu Xiuying was quick to pick up a piece of steamed bun and block Guier's mouth.
Yu blamed Gui'er for always provoking quarrels whenever she saw Muyun.
Xu Xiuying coaxed, "You two are still children. When you meet, you either fight or bicker! We are all sincerely for Madam Cheng, and we don't like internal strife."
"It's all my fault," Cheng Mu said, smiling, smoothing things over. "I should be the one to offer you all a toast. I was seriously ill this time, and now spring has finally come, thanks to your care. Please have a drink."
Although there was a minor incident, the meal was still a lively one.
When Gui'er heard that Cheng Mu and his companions encountered a pack of wolves on the road, she was very upset that she didn't encounter them. Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi pestered Cheng Mu and asked her to tell the story over and over again.
The next day, Cheng Xi went to check the grain in all the granaries, quietly replaced it with good seeds from the space, and made a distribution, deciding which ones to give to Mr. Huang and which ones to keep for herself.
The escorts from Wuwei Escort Agency went back after settling their bills, leaving only Fan Qingsong and Huang Chongyang by Mu Yun's side.
The third day was the Lantern Festival, and Mu Yun wanted to go to Tianma Town. Xiao Liu had heard that there were some lantern displays in the town at this time, and she really wanted to go and insisted on going with him.
Mu Yun was going there to do some serious business. He had just spent a lot of money and needed to exchange it for some more. Cheng Mu decided to take Xiao Liu with her.
So four adults and one child went out together.
The most lively time of the Lantern Festival is at night. The first thing to do when arriving in Tianma Town is to go to the inn to book a room. The best inn in the town is Yunlai Inn. Mu Yun used the silver money from selling ginseng to book three rooms in the best place.
After a break, the sky darkened and the bright moon rose from the east. Xiaoliu dragged them impatiently, and they went out to the street to watch the lights.
There were lantern sheds and lanterns hung in front of every house. Xiaoliu walked along and looked at the lanterns. It was the first time for Xiaoliu to see so many different kinds of lanterns. She was dazzled. Some of the lanterns had stories painted on them. She kept asking questions. If Cheng Mu didn't know something, Xiaoliu was not shy and went straight up to ask the owner and then told Cheng Mu when she came back.
There was also the lively and amusing performances going around the streets. Wherever the gong sounded, several circles of people gathered and cheered continuously. Xiaoliu was too short to see, so Mu Yun picked her up and let her sit on his shoulders. Xiaoliu laughed out loud as she watched.
"Little Daddy, let me down quickly and let Mom come up to see."
Xiaoliu saw Cheng Mu standing at the back of the crowd, blocked by everyone, and was very anxious because he wanted her to see the funny performance as well.
When Mu Yun understood her intention, his ears started burning.
"Xiao Liu, let's go a little further. There are hundreds of bowl lanterns in front of the land temple."
Xiaoliu held his father's and mother's hands at the same time, and had never been so happy.
Xiaoqi is not here today, so this is for her alone.
Hey, Xiaoqi has never seen such a lively Lantern Festival. Let Xiaoqi come next year.
After watching all the excitement, Xiaoliu couldn't hold on any longer and dozed off on the way back to the inn. Mu Yun carried her on his back and she fell asleep peacefully.
After sending Cheng Mu and Xiao Liu back to the inn, Mu Yun waited for them to settle down and rest before taking Qingsong and Chongyang out.
Cheng Mu knew who Mu Yun was going to see, but he still wanted to go find the old escort Shen Rong who had left the Wuwei Escort Agency and whom Wu Zhi had mentioned, even though he knew Wu Zhi had no good intentions.
The one who went out with Master Mu at that time was Escort Liang, whom Mu Yun had already visited. No one noticed where Escort Shen was at that time, so why did he say that there was a witness, a woodcutter?
What did he witness? Where is the woodcutter? Why did he say this?
Cheng Mu had reminded Mu Yun, "You broke Wu Zhi's leg again. He should hate you terribly. Why would he suddenly be so kind as to tell you what you were trying to find out? Furthermore, the fact that he knew about your whereabouts is suspicious in itself. He has ulterior motives. Don't let him fool you."
Mu Yun pondered over it, "He must know something. He told me so easily. There might be another truth, and the truth hurts me."
Cheng Mu didn't understand. "Haven't you already verified everything clearly? Are you still hoping for another truth?"
My heart, which had already calmed down, began to stir again.
"Mu Yun, hatred will blind people's eyes." Cheng Mu warned.
"Sister-in-law, this is the last time." Mu Yun's stubbornness came back. "This is the only time. I will never ask for confirmation again. Tianma Town is not far away, it's easy to go there."
Cheng Mu thought about this, wondering what information Mu Yun could get from Shen Rong. She tossed and turned, and didn't hear anyone answering from next door until she fell asleep.
"Mongol sneak attack!"
"The Mongolian soldiers are coming!"
Cheng Mu suddenly woke up. She didn't hear what the shrill shouting was about, but she was inexplicably frightened. She quickly put on her clothes, opened the window and looked at the street.
It was still dark, and the lanterns in front of every house were still lit. On the second floor, through the roofs, one could see fireworks rising in the distance.
Screams and cries came from far away and gradually got closer. The Mongolian soldiers were looting from door to door. There was a lot of noise outside, and there was unrest in the neighborhood and in the inn.
"Xiao Liu, wake up." Cheng Mu's scalp tingled and she quickly dressed Xiao Liu.
"Mom, is it dawn?"
"Not yet, hurry up and get up, let's go find little daddy."
Cheng Mu took Xiaoliu to knock on the two next door rooms, but no one answered. Have they not returned yet?
Cheng Mu was anxious and tried to stay calm, "Xiao Liu, no matter what happens, just stay close to me."
The lights on the first floor of the inn were on, and many overnight guests had gathered downstairs, asking each other what had happened. Cheng Mu leaned over to see what was happening. They were all men, and no one was trying to escape.
Some people tried to escape, but outside the inn, a group of people carrying cold swords gathered. Further away, people with bows and arrows stood guard, ready to shoot anyone who dared to rush out.
Unable to escape, the guests shouted in despair: "The inn is surrounded!"
The Mongolian soldiers had just entered the town when the inn was surrounded. Cheng Mu always felt it was very strange, so she quickly carried Xiaoliu back to the room.
The gongs and drums sounded loudly, the horns blew long and loudly, and the voices of people surged like the tide, one after another.
Listening to the noise outside, it seemed like a long time had passed, yet it also seemed like only a moment had passed, and the day was still not getting light.
"Mother," Xiaoliu was infected by the solemn atmosphere. She stopped crying and asked quietly in Cheng Mu's ear, "What are we waiting for?"
"Wait for the Yanbei Army to come and rescue us." Cheng Mu hugged Xiaoliu tightly. She knew it was too late. The Mongolian soldiers had been able to cross the border to Tianma Town and break through the defenses of the city. This meant that no one would come to stop the burning, killing and looting.
Xiaoliu asked again: "How long do we have to wait?"
"Mother doesn't know."
As soon as she finished speaking, the Mongolian soldiers' horses had arrived downstairs, and the sound of banging on the door was as if right next to her ears. Cheng Mu put Xiaoliu down, quietly went to the window, pushed it open a little and looked out.
The people surrounding the inn showed their letters, and the Mongolian soldiers rushing over avoided the inn like flowing water.
In the backyard of a house separated from the inn, the Mongolian soldiers swung their knives wildly, and two of the fleeing people fell down. One of them dragged the owner's sheep fiercely, and the other turned over the fallen person who was not yet dead, and began to lift his clothes impatiently.
With a whoosh, an arrow hit the window, forcing back the tiny gap that Cheng Mu had pushed open.
Cheng Mu's heart almost jumped out of her throat.
She was at a loss as to what to do. She hurriedly applied the powder she brought with her to her face, neck, and hands, then applied Xiaoliu. The powder only made her skin a little darker, not changing her appearance much, but there was nothing else she could do at that moment.
Oh, and she had a few hundred taels of silver she had just exchanged, and she had also conjured some good seeds from her space and packed them in a cloth bag. These could all save lives in a desperate situation.
The door was suddenly kicked open at this moment, "Whoever's inside, come out!"
The cold knife flashed.
Cheng Mu held Xiaoliu tightly.
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