Chapter 18 018 He's going to personally bring her back.
After applying the medicine to Yun Li, Yun Xiu sat on the edge of the bed, still unwilling to give up, and asked, "Was it really her who poisoned you?"
"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
"She's just a delicate, pampered housewife who has to be mindful of others' opinions all day long."
Yun Li felt increasingly pained as he listened. Although the fifty strokes of the cane did not damage his bones, they were still a great pain. The remaining four brothers were also ashen-faced and lay on the bed questioning their existence.
Yun Chen, who was working on documents at his desk, scoffed upon hearing this, "Serves him right. All those years of honing his skills have been for nothing; he can't even keep a woman in check."
Hearing even her elder brother say this, Yun Li slammed her hand on the bed board in anger, then winced in pain, and said through gritted teeth, "Who knew she was so cunning? And her maids and guards, they're all cowardly and cautious, yet they dared to drug us with sleeping pills in the water."
At this moment, accompanied by steady footsteps, the tent flap was lifted by a large hand, and the tent fell silent. Yun Chen and Yun Xiu immediately stood up, while Yun Li struggled to his feet but was pressed down by Meng Qingshan. His bronze skin revealed a free and unrestrained spirit, and his eyes revealed a wildness and domineering nature. He said succinctly, "You few rest here first and then follow the army back to the capital. I will take some men and go ahead."
Yun Xiu exclaimed excitedly, "Master, I'll go with you!"
Meng Qingshan nodded almost imperceptibly; this time, he was going to personally bring her back.
Qingli found the Changting Inn that Song Zhang had mentioned. In the afternoon, there were a few scattered guests sitting in the hall. She was wearing a veiled hat, and the white veil hanging down covered half of her body. Wang Da was booking a room with the waiter, and Wang Er stood beside her. His strong and broad arms deterred many probing eyes.
After agreeing on the price, the waiter led the way, exchanging pleasantries, "Miss, where are you from and where are you going?"
Unlike her timid self at the Prince's mansion, Granny Cheng squeezed in with her broad body, almost causing the waiter to stumble. He was pulled back by a large hand, and Jiang Yue hurriedly asked with concern, "Young man, did you fall down somewhere?"
Jiang Yue was beautiful and had a soft voice. The waiter's heart pounded at her call, and he forgot to ask her any questions. He was being ushered forward by her. When he came to his senses, the door to the guest room was already closed. He patted the loose silver in his hand and asked for five catties of beef, two or three kinds of vegetables, and more than enough dry food. He was delighted by her generosity and his slight dissatisfaction disappeared.
The five of them washed off the dust and ate a hearty meal. Since following the young lady, Wang Da had been eating meat every meal and his money was settled on time. He was living much better than before. The brothers had no home or property and had sold their belongings to try their luck outside. Along the way, their thoughts had changed.
It's good that they're following the young lady!
The two brothers hit it off immediately. After the meal, Wang Er went to feed the horses, while Wang Da asked, "Miss, how many days shall we stay here?"
Qingli thought that if she couldn't find any clues, she would immediately return to the capital to see her grandfather. After a moment's thought, she said, "Two days."
No one disappears without a reason. Song Zhang was like a divine guide to her, giving hope to her confused and uneasy heart. She hoped to find clues about him.
The next day, the sky was overcast, and the air was so thick it seemed almost still. Qingli felt as if it were already the end of May. The days at the Prince of Dingxi's mansion seemed like something from the previous generation, gradually fading from her memory.
Wearing a veil, she arrived at the Ink Fragrance Bookstore as Song Zhang had instructed. As soon as she stepped inside, her vision darkened, and the musty smell of old books filled the air. The rows of cabinets almost reached the ceiling, with only enough space for one person to pass between them, and many people were standing there.
It was stuffy outside and cramped inside. She even held her breath for a couple of seconds, then lifted the white veil and wiped the sweat with a handkerchief.
The shopkeeper looked up from behind the pile of books, his usually casual eyes narrowing slightly. After a brief pause, he spoke with disdain, "What are you reading, lady? I don't have any embroidery patterns here."
Jiang Zhao retorted, "How can you talk like that!"
The shopkeeper glared angrily and waved his hand, saying, "Get out of here, I don't have time to argue with you."
This was the first time Jiang Zhao had encountered such a blunt approach. His face flushed red with embarrassment. Qing Li, remembering Song Zhang's instructions, slowly asked, "Shopkeeper, we don't want to buy embroidery patterns, we want to buy the 'Classic of Filial Piety.' Is it on the second shelf of the third cabinet inside?"
The shopkeeper suddenly trembled, followed by undisguised contempt, his voice almost drowning out hers, "No, even if I had, I wouldn't sell it to you. What's a woman doing reading the Four Books and Five Classics? Does she think she can become the top scholar in the imperial examinations?"
Such sharp words stunned Qingli for a moment. She watched as the shopkeeper got up, grabbed an umbrella from the table, and pushed and shoved the three of them out of the study. Granny Cheng grabbed the umbrella, intending to argue with him, but the shopkeeper let go and the door slammed shut.
Suddenly, a clap of thunder struck the sky, startling Qingli back to her senses.
Granny Cheng grumbled as she opened her umbrella, making a veiled insult, "That old hag who can't read the room, she doesn't even know when it's raining."
The strange feeling was still lingering in his mind. Song Zhang had said that the shopkeeper here was a friend of his for many years and had received favors from his grandfather. If he saw her, he would know at first glance that she was his grandfather's granddaughter.
Could it be that she hadn't shown her true face yet? She was about to turn around and try again when the wind and rain lashed against the umbrella so hard that it could barely stand. She grabbed it immediately, and just as she was about to look up, she saw something on the top of the umbrella.
"Run!"
Seeing the young lady's sudden change in expression, Granny Cheng and Jiang Zhao assumed she was frightened, spat, and quickly got into the carriage.
As Granny Cheng closed the umbrella, Qingli swiftly tore off the letter, took the umbrella, and threw it on the ground. Her angry expression was immediately apparent. If there was a need to draw a line in the story, then she should have understood.
The carriage rattled along amidst the heavy rain, and Qingli's heart grew uneasy. Before she could reach the inn, she hurriedly opened her grandfather's handwritten letter. She read the few words at a glance: someone had noticed her presence, Song Zhang was likely captured, and she was advised to protect herself and absolutely not to go to the capital. The danger of the situation was self-evident.
The handwriting is weak and the ink is uneven, indicating that it was written twice, which shows that the grandfather's body had reached its limit.
The letter was written more than a month ago and has been left here, so the study must have been targeted by someone.
She had to return to Kyoto.
For a moment, all that could be heard was the sound of rain pattering down. The damp moisture rolled up the carriage curtains and rushed into the carriage. The dry feeling did not subside; instead, it clung to the body and was extremely uncomfortable.
Her face was so pale that Jiang Zhao and Granny Cheng exchanged a glance and also composed themselves, afraid of disturbing their young lady's deep thoughts.
It was bright daylight, but the sky was dark and gloomy, without a trace of light. Thunder rumbled overhead from time to time, shaking one's very soul.
Qingli realized she could no longer stay in Hezhong Prefecture.
But the heavy rain fell like a curtain, making the road muddy and difficult to navigate, so the carriage could not move and could only wait for the rain to stop.
The torrential rain continued until midnight, and the crescent moon shone brightly, illuminating the house. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth, suggesting that tomorrow would be a sunny day.
The sky was turning white, and a sliver of light appeared in the clouds to the east. Qingli was already sitting in the house, her face solemn.
Wang Da returned from scouting the way, his legs covered in mud. He bent down, panting, and reported, "Miss, we can't go outside the city. The roads are all muddy and watery. In the muddy places, a horse can almost sink half its leg into the mud."
Qingli had thought of it, but she was still anxious, and her tone became dejected, "Let's go and rest first."
"Miss, good people are always blessed, please don't worry." Wang Da said a few words in a rash manner. When he went out, he almost ran into Jiang Yue. His dark face turned red, and he lowered his head, intending to walk around her.
Jiang Yue raised a finger and said, "You gave your food to Wang Er. Go and eat it quickly."
Wang Da responded softly, but saw that she didn't even look at him. She turned and went into the house, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Like master, like maid. Miss can't be scolded. Jiang Yue is quiet but considerate in everything she does and is good at manipulating people. Jiang Zhao is straightforward and quick-witted. When she goes out to buy things, no one can be deceived. And that fat old woman, she can cry and curse. She's just a rough old woman."
None of them are easy to mess with!
Wang Da forgot that he was cunning and ruthless, while Wang Er was a smiling tiger to everyone, seemingly kind and easy to bully on the surface, but full of dirty tricks behind the scenes.
It really proves the saying, "Birds of a feather flock together."
As Jiang Yue entered the room with her head down, Jiang Zhao rushed forward and asked anxiously, "Miss, haven't you eaten yet?"
Jiang Yue shook her head, and Jiang Zhao was also at a loss. He slumped back onto the stool, and in a fit of anger, slammed his hand on the table.
Granny Cheng was sealing the cloth bag containing the dry rations when she advised, "Miss is most troubled right now. We should get the things ready as soon as possible so that we can travel without stopping once we can walk."
Jiang Zhao thought so too, and with a burst of energy, he began to pack up, thinking, "I reckon it should be fine by tomorrow."
Qingli estimated that she could set off tomorrow and advised herself to conserve her energy and rest as soon as possible, but her heart felt blocked. When she closed her eyes, all she could see was her grandfather's old and frail appearance, and she felt a sense of fear and unease in her heart.
Her grandfather was her only relative, and she felt a natural closeness to him. She thought that after returning to the capital, she would spend time with him and find out why she had disappeared all those years ago. Song Zhang had said that her grandfather had been searching for her for more than fifteen years and had always been safe and sound. But as soon as she was found, Song Zhang disappeared. She couldn't help but think that there was something hidden about it.
The past two days have been unbearably hot, with signs of an impending sweltering summer. Only at night does a slight breeze bring coolness. Qingli leans against the inner side of the bed, hidden in the darkness, peering out through the crack in the window.
Her house faced the backyard, and her carriage was of a unique length and width, which she could see at a glance, especially now that two people had entered the carriage to search it.
The fact that they were searching her carriage alone clearly indicates that they were after her.
She immediately changed into dark riding attire and climbed out of the window.
The two men got off the carriage, walked to the back door, and whispered, "Sir, the carriage is empty."
The leader of the men in black paused, turned his head, and asked in a deep voice, "Have you found out anything?"
The person beside him answered decisively, "I've been hiding across from the bookstore for days. That old fox is usually kind to everyone, except for this person, whom he glares at coldly. He's clearly suspicious. Besides, our master ordered us to rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free..."
The leader narrowed his eyes and snorted disdainfully. The people beside him, who had long been at odds with him, immediately fell silent, no matter how indignant they were.
The leader waved his hand, and the four quickly gathered together and rushed upstairs. They quietly opened the door latch, but the next moment, they were met with the sound of porcelain falling to the ground.
One after another, short arrows hurtled towards the faces of the group. One of them, unable to dodge in time, let out a muffled groan.
In the quiet night, lights came on one after another, and someone shouted from a corner, "Fire! Fire!"
Before the five men could react to the barrage of blows, they were stunned for a moment upon hearing the shout. They looked around, wishing they could immediately cover the man's mouth.
Like a pebble thrown into a calm river, creating ripples that spread outwards, panic and cries for help erupted in the inn. Many people rushed out without even putting on their clothes, only to find themselves face to face with the five people.
The screams of pain rose and fell as everyone scurried about like headless flies. The five people were caught in the middle and couldn't move at all. At this moment, a horse neighed from the backyard, and they realized that they had fallen into the trap.
Wang Da and Wang Er dared not take the side roads, so they galloped along the main road. Although the road was still muddy, Wang Er cracked his whip loudly, causing the horse to ache. With Wang Da leading the way, they made it a safe journey.
When it was fully light, Qingli and her group arrived at the next town, changed to two fine horses, and continued their journey.
After turning one bend after another, Qingli's face tightened when she heard the sound of horses chasing closely behind her. She knew something was wrong; they had caught up!
Wang Da Dao had already drawn his sword, and the sounds of fierce clashes and battle cries rang out not far away. Granny Cheng lifted the carriage curtain, leaned out from inside the carriage, and took the reins. Wang Er looked back and saw that the young lady's face was stern, her eyes calmly sweeping over him with a resolute air. She ordered, "Go help Wang Da."
Wang Er leaped onto his horse, turned around, and charged into the group of people.
Qingli lifted the carriage curtain and aimed her crossbow at the group of people. They were wearing black masks covering their faces, just like in the inn, and black arm guards on their wrists. Bandits who robbed and plundered in the martial world would never wear such things. Her eyebrows were lowered, her eyes filled with coldness, and she fired the crossbow in succession.
Only one out of three shots hits; the hit rate is still too low.
Wang Da and Wang Er were already entangled there and couldn't get away. The people chasing after them on horseback followed closely behind. Granny Cheng cracked her whip hard. Jiang Yue and Jiang Zhao behind her were already unable to get up from the jolting inside the carriage. Qing Li clung tightly to the carriage window, staring at the ever-shorter distance.
Twenty zhang, ten zhang, three zhang...
The man on horseback had his bow fully drawn, his eyes filled with murderous intent. He loosened his grip slightly, and the bowstring whistled loudly and piercingly through the desolate wilderness.
The arrow shaft was completely embedded in the vehicle body, with only the fletching behind it whistling in the wind, demonstrating its immense force.
Qingli glanced into the carriage out of the corner of her eye. The arrowhead was black, shiny, and sharp. The carriage was immediately filled with the smell of hard black iron and wood chips, and a deep humming sound could be heard incessantly.
Jiang Yue and Jiang Zhao were stunned into silence.
But the people behind them were clearly not going to let them go. The whooshing sound of arrows leaving the bowstring was amplified infinitely in the dense forest. Qing Lixin almost jumped into her throat, her ten fingers turned pale, and a bone-chilling cold surged through her limbs.
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