Cake Fragrance (IV)
The flash of white light before her eyes did not make Xiao Lin close her eyes. She only felt a strange touch on her waist and abdomen, and a sense of foreboding suddenly arose.
Mu You, who was feeding the horses in the distance, also noticed the quarrel between the two of them. Even from a distance, the cold light was still dazzling.
"Stop!" Mu You panicked for a moment, threw all the fodder in his arms to the ground, and ran towards Xiao Lin without stopping.
At this time, Xiao Lin was also standing there, his body stiff and motionless.
As her gaze moved downward, the truth of the farce was revealed in real time - the handle of the knife, which was wrapped with rags several times, was against Xiao Lin's waist, and the blade with a cold glow was pointing towards Gao Qing's arm.
"I advise you not to meddle in other people's business." Gao Qing said with a sharp look in his eyes.
Mu You immediately ran to Xiao Lin's side, holding him behind his back to protect him, and said righteously, "You think you're right to steal someone else's buns?"
"He deserves it!" Gao Qing spitted out a mouthful of saliva and sheathed the dagger. "He watched someone die without helping, and all he did was make money with dishonest means!"
Mu You pressed on, "What...what dishonest money..."
"Just now, I saw an old man, starving to the point of being skin and bones, asking him for a bowl of hot soup. Not only did he not give it to him, he even punched and kicked him, muttering something. Did that old man ruin his business?"
"Because you opened your business in this desolate wilderness, you set your own price, begging candles and flames from the people, and now you want to burn down the poor people's nest?"
It is true that Gao Qing still has her lofty and ambitious spirit, but this spirit can easily become her deadly poison.
Just imagine, what would she do if the shopkeeper got angry and took out a knife and swung it at her?
Acting rashly will ultimately lead to disastrous failure.
Mu You said, "Even if the shop owner did something unjust, you shouldn't fight violence with violence. His mistakes will be dealt with by justice."
Gao Qing retorted: "I am the natural law."
Mu You was speechless, not knowing how to answer. He stuffed a bun he had just picked up into Gao Qing's hand with a sullen look.
Only Xiao Lin regained consciousness at this moment, trying his best to calm the uneasiness in his heart. He took a step forward and kindly advised: "My name is Xiao Lin, his name is Mu You, Gao Qing. Let's not talk about the gains and losses today for now. I just hope you can understand that in the future, don't act on impulse. You will only hurt yourself and others."
"Do you think I believe you?"
"I don't care whether you believe me or not, but you must remember that if you encounter any difficulties, you must come to us. We are also in Yunchong, right here..."
Before Xiao Lin finished speaking, Gao Qing obviously did not take her words seriously. After throwing a cold word of disdain, he turned around and took another bag of buns, then disappeared into the bushes like a weasel.
Now, not only did he fail to establish a relationship with her, but he also got a bad impression of being "nosy", not to mention giving Gao Qing a bowl of tea. This mission was a mess from the beginning.
Xiao Lin and Mu You both realized that things were developing in an extremely unfavorable direction, and their brows furrowed at the same time.
At this moment, Chu Mo's cold voice came from behind: "Oh, it's not a good start. Don't forget, you two still owe me 500 coins. Add to that the kindness you showed me today by paying for someone else's bill, and you now owe me 510 coins."
Creditor, oh creditor, this evil man is such a black-hearted person. Even in such a situation, he still adds insult to injury.
Seeing that the debt was getting bigger and bigger, Mu You temporarily put away his previous sharp edge and nodded and bowed in a fawning manner: "Boss Chu, please be magnanimous and give us a small amount. Consider it a good deed for us."
"no."
"I beg you!"
"No way."
"Well... now that you've closed the store, how are we supposed to work for you?"
Mu You's words seemed to have touched Chu Mo's heart. A smile suddenly appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he uttered a few words with a joking tone: "Who said that I don't have a shop in Yunchong?"
Wow, Liuxiangju is actually a chain store?
If this goes on, even if they leave Tianling, they will not be able to escape the fate of serving tea and water to others to pay off their debts!
How can a writer who works hard to make a living write good articles?
While Xiao Lin and Mu You were still trying their best to bargain with Chu Mo, Gao Qing hid in the bushes, and through the gaps between the branches, he could see every move of the three people.
Behind her was a group of younger brothers who were fighting over the buns.
Gao Qing stared straight at Xiao Lin and the other two without looking away.
She wondered, "Who are they? Are they hiding something from me?" Why did they suddenly appear to help her out, and even have the nerve to lecture her?
There must be something hidden behind this.
Gao Qing's eyebrows curved unconsciously.
Gao Hui was also hiding in the dark. Seeing her like this, she mustered up the courage to take a bun from the "hungry ghosts" and handed it to Gao Qing. She held a mouthful of buns, and the aroma of meat filled the air: "Sister Qing, you should have some too."
"Oh, I've eaten. Okay, everyone, it's time to set off. No time to waste." Gao Qing clapped his hands lightly.
After all, the most urgent task is to take this large group of people to Yunchong. The longer they stay on the road, the greater the probability that these little brothers will starve to death.
Afterwards, in the rustling bushes, the beggars led by Gao Qing were moving on tiptoe, like ants marching towards the large area of rain ahead.
---
After three days of traveling, people were extremely tired. At most, they would stop by the roadside to rest and then continue on their journey.
Although Mu You was an excellent rider, he had never ridden for such a long time and eventually he couldn't stand the hardship.
Needless to say, Xiao Lin, the "athletic idiot", had a sore waist as if his spine had been broken by a hammer, his scalp was numb from being exposed to the wind as if it had been electrocuted, and his bangs on his forehead were as disheveled as tree roots.
Fortunately, after a few days of running around, the plaque of Yunchong City was finally getting closer.
As we walked towards our destination, we saw two stone lions standing in front of the towering city gate, their bloody mouths wide open, looking extremely terrifying.
Yunchong City is mostly populated by ordinary people. Looking around, you can see people wearing silk and satin, while everywhere you look, you can see people in plain clothes. Some are carrying iron hoes to work in the fields, while others are pushing carts to sell small daily necessities.
But according to common sense, this city is not far from Tianling City and should have enjoyed a lot of radiation effects. Why is it still living in such poverty?
Is there something fishy going on?
They all looked at Chu Mo at the same time, but Chu Mo didn't show any surprise.
But come to think of it, during the few short days I spent with him, he always acted so condescending, and I don't know where he got the confidence to be so arrogant.
Xiao Lin and Mu You didn't hold out any hope for his reply, but continued to ride side by side with him towards the city gate without saying a word.
Coincidentally, Yunchong City was celebrating some festival, so the guards entering the city were much looser.
It's like in a theatre troupe, only the leader's diploma is checked, and the rest of the entourage can enter the city freely. This undoubtedly provides a lot of convenience for Gao Qing and his group in secret.
In order to avoid attracting attention, Gao Qing and his group decided to split into two teams and enter one after another.
However, the few outsiders, firstly, did not have diplomas issued by the government, and secondly, they could not blend into the crowd, so it was unlikely that they would be able to enter the city openly.
Since human access is blocked, there are always dog holes in the dark.
Afterwards, Gao Qing turned around and made arrangements for the many younger brothers behind him. With a command, the group of people instantly scattered like a herd of running beasts.
"What are they doing?" Mu You, who was walking on the main road, caught a glimpse of the group of beggars out of the corner of his eye. Confused, he asked immediately.
Chu Mo replied, "They are not a respectable family, so if they want to enter the city, they have to find another way."
"Other ways?" Mu You raised his voice and blinked, "Then what other ways are there to get into the city?"
"It's a dog hole!"
Well, that’s indeed the best strategy.
Mu You held the reins with both hands, but turned his head towards Gao Qing and the others.
He didn't rejoin them until they disappeared around the corner of the city wall.
The city is very lively, but it is still very different from Tianling City.
The houses here are very exquisite, and the street vendors greet everyone they see. Once you are entangled by them, you will stick to them like malt sugar and won't leave. Mu You knows this feeling best -
After all, under the continuous pressure of this move, he was forced to turn out the inner lining of the purse at his waist and hang it around his waist, obviously warning the vendors - it's empty, if you want to talk to me again, you can only take in and not take out.
However, what is puzzling is why the houses are so gorgeous while people's clothes are so ordinary?
Even if one advocates frugality, why would one spend money on this house? Moreover, the exquisiteness of this house goes against the "thrifty style" advocated by the current court!
The more Xiao Lin thought about it, the more confused his mind became.
What a "weird city"! With all the talk of frugality these days, why hasn't anyone come forward to take part in this scene?
Xiao Lin didn't want to think about it anymore, he just felt that there must be something strange in this city.
She had just come to her senses and when she looked up she suddenly found that Chu Mo, who was walking in front of her, was looking to the side with a dull look in his eyes.
Xiao Lin was naturally curious, so he followed Chu Mo's gaze.
She tried her best to glance around, but only saw some ordinary stalls on the street, and the shop owners were busy greeting their customers. She didn't see anything strange, and had no idea where his eyes were fixed.
When she was about to look back, Chu Mo had already raised the reins again and rode forward.
Unable to let go of his curiosity, Xiao Lin turned around and glanced around, but still didn't see anything unusual.
Behind Xiao Lin and his group, Gao Qing and others were meeting in a small woods near the city gate.
"Who is in your family? Do you remember where your home is?" Gao Qing asked in a low voice, fearing that passers-by would discover their group of little beggars who looked like rats and ants.
"I'm Miss Gao. I should remember where my home is."
In fact, if Gao Hui had not visited Tianling with her parents that day, she would not have known where her home was.
"Okay then." Gao Qing half-knelt, placed her right hand on her thigh, and winked at the other beggar leader. As if they were in sync, the beggar nodded at her, turned around and waved, and the others followed him away. "Come with me to find your family!"
Gao Qing wrapped Gao Hui's cold little hand with his palm and led her out of the forest slowly.
They kept their heads down along the way, not daring to look at passers-by, and just kept trying to find their way back.
My steps became more and more hurried for some reason, and I didn't know when I started running unconsciously, accidentally bumping into a few passers-by.
"It's here." Gradually, Gao Hui pulled Gao Qing, who was walking with big strides, and stood in front of the gate of a luxurious courtyard.
The huge plaque hanging on the beam was inlaid with golden and magnificent characters - Gao Mansion.
"Gao Mansion?" Gao Qing frowned, a puzzled look on his face. "Is your family a high-ranking official?"
"How do you know?" Gao Hui was puzzled.
"Haven't you seen your parents for a few days and your mind is going crazy?" Gao Qing nudged Gao Hui's forehead with his fingertips. "Doesn't the plaque clearly say 'Gao Mansion'? Generally, only families of officials in the imperial court can be called 'mansions,' while families wealthy through business can only be called 'houses.' How come you, a young lady, don't even know this?"
Gao Qing rubbed her forehead, and her little mouth was pouting so much that an oil bottle could be hung on it.
How could she know all this? Isn't it common knowledge that girls can't study?
But then he thought, why would Gao Qing, a homeless beggar, know all this? She came from a poor family and had no money to go to school, so how could she know this?
Gao Hui couldn't help but ask, "How do you know all this?"
But when Gao Hui asked, Gao Qing's eyes lost their confidence and turned into a helpless look: "I... when I was a kid, I often sneaked into the school to eavesdrop. The people who came in and out of the school were all high-ranking officials. I would always overhear their conversations and gradually figured out this rule."
Gao Hui couldn't help but stare at Gao Qing's watery eyes, but she could also see that she was still a little resistant to things that happened in her childhood.
After saying that, Gao Qing took the lead and walked forward, knocking on the pair of bronze lion door knockers. After the sound, a servant opened the red-painted door.
His attire was very different from that of the passers-by outside - the linen worn by a servant was shimmering with golden light. Although no difference could be seen from a distance, once you got closer, this eye-catching feature would be clearly visible.
But how could ordinary families use such expensive fabrics to make clothes for their servants?
It seems that it’s not just the city’s customs that are weird, but also the Gao Mansion.
Gao Qing clenched Gao Hui's hand, and the vigilance in his eyes gradually intensified.
The servant who opened the door was overjoyed when he saw them. He immediately shouted inside, "Master! Madam! The young lady is back! The young lady is back!"
When Mr. Gao, who was sitting in the inner hall, heard the call, the porcelain cup in his hand suddenly fell to the ground with a clang, and the fragments flew everywhere. The water droplets that bounced to the ground floated in the air like transparent powder, soaking the hem of his clothes.
Coincidentally, Mrs. Gao, who was standing by, burst into tears. The tears blocked her throat and she became hoarse.
"Bring her in." Mr. Gao did not seem happy. He just spoke lightly and asked the servant to lead Gao Hui into the house.
"Dad! Mom!" Gao Hui felt relieved when she saw her relatives.
Stepping into the hall, she first met Mr. Gao's stern gaze, saluted stiffly, and then threw herself into Mrs. Gao's arms, unwilling to get up for a long time.
While Mr. Gao was looking at the reunited mother and daughter, he also caught a glimpse of Gao Qing who was still standing in front of him. The first time he saw her face, he was stunned.
When he reacted, he saw that she was staring at him with an extremely wary look. He pretended to be calm and asked, "Who is this little girl..."
"Ah...her name is..." Gao Hui was about to respond, but was stopped by Gao Qing's words.
"My name is Gao Qing." She answered coldly, her eyes fixed on Master Gao.
Being stared at by her, Mr. Gao felt a little at a loss. He frowned at Manager Liu who was standing beside him and gave a fake smile.
Steward Liu came forward and said to Gao Qing, "I'm the steward here, Liu Tao, and this is Master Gao Chang. You saved our young lady. Would you be willing to stay for a drink before you leave? To repay her for saving your life?"
Gao Qing finally relaxed his gaze, and instead pierced Liu Tao's heart with his cold, sword-like eyes. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, "Since it's a life-saving favor, how can it be dismissed with just a cup of tea?"
Liu Tao was shocked by these words and his face turned pale immediately, as if he had fallen into an icy cave.
He slowly raised his head and met Gao Chang's eyes.
Gao Chang frowned slightly, with a hint of caution in his eyes.
Liu Tao's lips trembled slightly at this, and he hesitated to speak: "Then...what does the girl want?"
His face was filled with worry. He wiped his hands on the hem of his clothes and swallowed, fearing that she would tell lies again.
Gao Qing's smile became even more unpredictable and chilling.
The coldness came from his heart and spread to Liu Tao's whole body. His heartbeat became more and more rapid, and his eardrums were pulled to beat together.
"I don't ask for too much, I just want to stay here for a few days, how about that?" After looking at each other for a long time, Gao Qing spoke again.
However, these words made Liu Tao feel relieved. His stiff expression instantly melted away and his face was full of light.
"Okay, okay, come here!"
He immediately waved his hand and ordered the servants to prepare the rooms, ostensibly to ensure that she would be given the most comfortable house.
Gao Qing just smiled.
She wasn't someone who liked to take advantage, but this city was filled with a thick ominous atmosphere.
Firstly, the clothing of the common people was extremely simple, but the clothing of the Gao family was breathtakingly stunning. The servants' clothing was made of specially made linen, and the masters' clothing was even more so, with silk of the highest quality, scarce even in Tianling City. Except for the royal family, it was difficult to buy such fabric on the market, and even if it was available, it would cost a fortune.
But nowadays, frugality is prevalent, and even the royal family has politely declined this kind of fabric. How could they allow a young man like him to wear something so contrary to the national custom?
If Gao Chang was truly a high-ranking official second only to the emperor, he shouldn't have lived in such a small town.
It’s not far from Tianling, why did you choose to settle here?
Secondly, Gao Hui was missing. The Gao family was so wealthy, but they didn't see any missing notice on the way here, nor did they send anyone to Tianling to look for their son.
I dare to ask, what parents in this world would not be anxious and impatient after their own child is lost? Do they really expect their children to find their way back on their own?
She couldn't figure out everything, but she felt that this place was too dangerous and she couldn't stay there.
But when she glanced into Gao Hui's clear eyes, a trace of pity arose in her heart.
Perhaps it was because they looked so much alike, her feelings for her had unknowingly gone beyond that of a playmate.
She thought that even if she had to escape, she must not let Gao Hui be trapped alone.
Gao Qing said nothing, turned around and followed the servant who came to lead the way, hiding in the corridor.
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