032
Jinyun had gone out to scout the terrain and hadn't returned yet, but news had been received that the number of civilians going up the mountain was constantly increasing. The place they were in was a rocky hillside, facing the wind and away from the sun, on the back side of the road leading up the mountain.
If someone comes up from the foot of the mountain, they probably won't notice them for a while.
Xie Suian looked around, then went around to one side, where there stood a century-old pine tree with branches that spread out like an umbrella. He glanced at it briefly, then leaped up the tree with a few quick movements, and leaned against a thick branch.
"Go ahead and dig. Any gold you find is yours to keep. I'll keep watch for you here." Xie Sui'an dangled one leg, his eyes radiating an air of unbridled arrogance.
Qin Sang looked up for a while before finally spotting the graceful figure in white amidst the green leaves, and smiled helplessly. Just then, someone exclaimed, "We found it! There really is gold! There really is!!"
Under the clear blue sky, this sound stirred up a thousand waves, and the sparse crowd scrambled to gather in that direction. Qin Sang also ran quickly to see what was so strange.
Sure enough, a faint light flashed deep within the excavated broken wall, but the light was very inconspicuous. Qin Sang was truly impressed by the eyesight of the person who discovered the light.
But this did not dampen everyone's enthusiasm. As soon as a small gap appeared, a muscular man spat in his palm and said, "Get out of the way, I'll do it!"
To expose more gold deposits as quickly as possible, the crowd obediently stepped back. The man hoeed away at the ground, clearing away large chunks of soil and revealing a layer of pale yellow rock.
This is a soil fault zone that has long been a wasteland due to its hard soil and rocks. Who would have thought that these hard rocks would actually be ore inlaid with gold!
Honestly, if someone were to see these stones without thinking, they might not think of gold. But now, because of this precedent, everyone is bound to believe that gold is hidden inside these stones that gleam with a yellowish light!
Everyone's eyes lit up, like wolves eyeing a large piece of meat, and they all rubbed their hands together, eager to dig.
Liu Sanchuan, his face bruised, stood there staring at the objects for a long time. He never imagined that the stone he had dug out to hunt birds would actually contain gold.
However, it was these very things that killed his parents, brothers, and all the innocent people in the village.
A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.
The boy suddenly shouted, his emotions collapsing, and he ran crying in the opposite direction. Qin Sang did not stop him. Perhaps he wanted to return to the village, or perhaps he wanted to go to the burial ground of the villagers to tell them that there was actually gold buried beneath the fields that their ancestors had guarded for generations... Unfortunately, they would never have the chance to see it again.
Qin Sang stepped back a few paces to clear the crowd. The people, who were dreaming of getting rich, had no idea what risks they were about to face. Qin Sang had used them as bait.
Qin Sang sighed inwardly, threw down her hoe and walked towards Xie Sui'an. She saw Xie Sui'an dozing off against a tree branch with her eyes half-closed. She lifted her skirt, looked around, and climbed up the branch.
Xie Sui'an opened her eyes: "Hey, hey, hey... You're a pretty girl, isn't it a bit indecent for you to climb a tree like that?"
Qin Sang climbed onto another branch near Xie Suian, hugged the thick trunk with one hand, sat down, and looked into the distance.
Looking down from here, you can see tea fields that haven't been cleared yet, stretching down layer upon layer, their verdant slopes undulating, full of life, just like her own tea fields.
Although this idyllic life lasted only a few years, compared to the pristine world in the heavens, the Fairy of Southern Music clearly felt a certain longing for this simple, earthly life.
A bittersweet feeling, like countless tiny ants crawling all over my body, made me feel itchy yet helpless.
If she had more time, she would love to stay in that small county town of Lixian for another two years, picking tea, brewing wine, catching fish... away from the stench of money.
At this moment, Xie Sui'an touched the hairpin in her hair and said, "What are you thinking about? Are you scared?"
"What are you afraid of?"
"I'm afraid that if a large number of people rush up later, we won't be able to fight them, and it will endanger those innocent civilians." Xie Sui'an changed his posture and faced Qin Sang diagonally below.
Qin Sang laughed and said, "Didn't I say that with you, Young Master Lu, here, everything will be fine? Since you said so, what am I afraid of? I'm not afraid."
Xie Sui'an paused for a moment, then suddenly clicked his tongue: "Still scared. Never mind."
After saying that, he raised his right hand in a circle and let out a sharp, long howl towards the sky.
This sound was like a fierce eagle piercing the sky and breaking through the clouds, long and distant.
Qin Sang stared at him.
A moment later, an echoing response came from the sky, followed by a long howl that pierced the heavens. Qin Sang shaded her eyes with her hand, watching a small black dot get closer and closer in the clear blue sky, until its wings grew larger and larger, bringing with them a strong wind that swept across her face.
Qin Sang gripped the tree trunk tightly. When the dust settled, she saw a huge eagle land on the tree trunk next to Xie Suian, its fierce eyes fixed on Qin Sang, as if it would pounce and tear her apart at any moment.
Qin Sang was stunned.
Xie Sui'an coughed lightly: "Turn around!"
The beast obediently abandoned Qin Sang and looked obediently at Xie Suian.
Xie Sui'an, unaware of when he had prepared the dried meat in his bosom, took it out and fed it to Qin Sang while muttering in bird language that Qin Sang couldn't understand.
She couldn't help but feel pleasantly surprised: "Where did this big beast come from? It's quite intelligent, is it someone you've been keeping around?"
"What beast? Its name is Canglang." Xie Suian gently stroked the top of the eagle's head and mumbled something. The eagle then carefully spread its wings and flew away from the tree.
Just as it was about to leave, it let out a fierce crow in Qin Sang's direction, like a rooster with its feathers standing on end and arguing.
Qin Sang narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling that the eagle's eyes seemed familiar. Could it be that the divine bird that descended to earth to undergo tribulation had recognized her?
Xie Sui'an shouted angrily, "You beast, what's the point of having a brain? She's not a bad person, get out of here!"
The eagle gently flapped its wings, let out a long cry, and reluctantly took flight again.
Qin Sang stared at the large bird as it flew further and further away, feeling inexplicably happy. This divine bird was quite fierce, and it even dared to look down on her when she had transformed into a human.
Xie Sui'an found it strange: "What are you laughing at?"
Qin Sang: "?"
"Any ordinary little girl would scream in fright at the sight of such a large beast, so why are you acting like you're seeing an old friend? What, you've met my Canglang before?"
Xie Sui'an asked this question because Su Yun'er had also met Canglang.
They used to ride horses and chase eagles together, back when Canglang was just a fledgling. At this moment, he was almost certain that she was Su Yun'er; she was Su Yun'er, and she still remembered those past events.
Qin Sang honestly replied, "Oh, I don't know him. He just looks familiar."
"..." Xie Sui'an: "Where does it look familiar?"
"It's just an eagle," Qin Sang laughed. "If you've seen them before, you'll naturally find every eagle familiar. What's so strange about that?"
Xie Sui'an pressed on: "Where have you seen this before?"
Qin Sang glanced at him calmly and pointed to the sky: "The sky."
Xie Sui'an: "..."
The young master felt he had been tricked, and leaned against the tree trunk again to enjoy the shade, his heart filled with bitter and complicated feelings.
At this moment, he didn't really hope she was Su Yun'er. If she truly was the person his grandfather wanted to take back, then her identity would be clandestine, and a clandestine identity wouldn't allow her to become a daughter-in-law of the Prime Minister's household…
The thought of the word "wife" made Xie Gongzi's anger rise from his earlobes to his cheeks, and he couldn't calm down even by fanning himself.
"That's fine, it's best if you don't recognize me," he said inexplicably.
Qin Sang was completely unaware of the complex and convoluted thought process he had been going through in that short time. She was only interested in the departing eagle and asked, "That was such a powerful eagle, did you tame it? What did you say to it just now? Did you tell it to go get reinforcements?" She then proceeded to analyze the situation, "As far as I know, the nearest garrison in Quzhou Prefecture is stationed in the northeast, only two hours away from here. If the two sides really start fighting, they should be able to get here in time..."
Xie Sui'an propped his head up: "So this is your real plan? If Qiao Zhiyong brings his troops to besiege us, you're going to send me to bring in the garrison troops from Quzhou Prefecture?"
Qin Sang: "You...so you can move it?"
Xie Sui'an got angry: "So you came up with this ridiculous plan based on your own wild guesses? You guessed I could mobilize the garrison troops and cover for you?" He laughed, "Who do you take me for? What kind of status do you think I have? Am I the emperor's son, someone who can mobilize the garrison troops?!"
"Are you angry?" Qin Sang stared at Xie Sui'an's still flushed face, feeling as if the other party was extremely angry... She couldn't help but feel a little guilty. So, this young master finally realized that she had been used too much and was about to throw a tantrum and quit?
She felt obligated to comfort her, so she leaned on the tree trunk to stand up.
Xie Sui'an looked up: "What are you doing? Sit down!"
Qin Sang clung to the branch and jumped up to him, then used her legs to push him away while she occupied the safest branch and sat down against the trunk.
"Don't be angry," Qin Sang straightened her clothes and began to soothe him. "Although we haven't known each other for long, I could tell from your face that no matter your status, you are a chivalrous person who seeks justice for the people. That's why I boldly dragged you into this mess. I did have my own selfish motives, but they weren't for money or murder. I just wanted to protect my family. However, after arriving in Quzhou Prefecture, I learned that there was a bigger secret and a more shocking injustice behind this matter."
She sighed deeply, "This plan is indeed risky, but it's the only way I can think of. If we don't act decisively, we might become fish on someone else's chopping board and lose our advantage. It was my fault for not informing you beforehand. After this is all settled and we return to Li County, I'll invite you for tea and cakes, and I'll personally make you roasted chicken. What do you think...?"
"...Just one roasted chicken and you think...wait a minute..." Although Xie Sui'an was flattered by Qin Sang's sweet talk, he still keenly sensed something amiss. That somethingmiss was...
Just then, their gazes suddenly froze as they saw a large group of people marching up the distant hillside with great momentum.
Before the two could speak, screams of agony came from behind them. They quickly exchanged a glance, jumped down from the tree, and ran towards the back of the hillside.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
