"You filthy beggar, didn't your father teach you not to steal?"
"Hey! You still dare to put it in your mouth? Kick him in the stomach until he throws it up!"
Within the Miao territory, on Horse Street leading directly to the royal palace, a group of burly men were surrounding a thin young boy, relentlessly punching and kicking him.
The boy's attire was clearly out of place here; he was dressed in coarse linen clothes without any adornment, and although blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth from the beating, he continued to swallow the steamed buns.
To survive, my father was killed, the grasslands were burned, blood flowed everywhere, and fires raged all around.
He had barely escaped and was determined to deliver the secret letter to the Miao king himself; he absolutely could not die here!
"Young Master is returning to the city. All bystanders, please make way."
Suddenly, a loud shout stopped everyone in their tracks, and the street fell silent.
The steamed bun shop owner, who had just been fierce and menacing, immediately lowered his head, knelt down, and bowed obediently, as if he had become a completely different person.
This made Ji Linyuan, who had been being beaten, unable to help but raise his eyes to look at the black carriage passing by.
The carriage was made of the finest materials, and four silver bells hung from the four corners of the roof, swaying slightly in the wind and making a clear, ringing sound, adding a touch of sacredness to the scene.
He had heard before that You Sijin, the young master of Miao territory, was a legendary figure—
He grew up surrounded by venomous snakes, and his Gu and poison skills are unparalleled. He is also an expert in controlling corpses and people, and he can command all the Gu insects and venomous snakes he can see.
It's even said that it can control worms to connect to the hearts of the dead, making them serve its purposes. While these legends may not be true, it seems that...
The pressure this young master exerts on the Miao people should not be underestimated.
As the carriage passed by, a gentle breeze lifted the curtain, and Ji Linyuan finally saw the man inside, who was resting with his eyes closed.
He had a pair of captivating eyes that seemed both drunk and dreamy, and everything he looked at was filled with deep affection.
She wore a black brocade robe with red patterns, and the collar was also dark red. Upon closer inspection, it seemed that a vermilion spider lily was tattooed on her slender swan neck.
But coincidentally, she wore silver wristbands and a palm-sized, sun-shaped silver forehead ornament that hung perfectly between her eyebrows, complementing her teardrop-shaped white jade earrings.
Her whole being was strangely holy, yet eerily alluring, as if one glance could draw you in.
But only for a moment. After the wind passed, the carriage curtain naturally fell down, inhumanely obscuring the spring scenery.
Unable to see the beauty, Ji Linyuan felt an unprecedented sense of loss.
Despite the disappointment, the priority now is to enter the Miao Kingdom's palace.
Ji Linyuan was distracted, thinking about how to get away, when the carriage stopped in front of him.
A moment later, a hand with a silver ring and distinct knuckles quietly lifted the carriage curtain, and the person inside turned around.
She lowered her eyes, and her hook-like peach blossom eyes met his direct gaze.
Ji Linyuan was stunned and subconsciously held his breath—he was so beautiful. If he wanted to bewitch someone, he wouldn't need any means; he himself was the bewitching force.
After a short while, Si Jin shifted her gaze from Ji Linyuan to the burly men who had been beating him: "What happened?"
Her voice was soft and gentle, yet authoritative without being angry. Just four simple words were enough to make the men who had been so fierce just moments before break out in a cold sweat.
"Young Master," the steamed bun shop owner said, his eyes darting around as if deliberately trying to cover up a lie, "this kid stole my steamed buns, and I'm teaching him a lesson."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"No!" Ji Linyuan took two steps forward and stood up despite his injuries with sheer grit. "Young Master, those buns were sold on the street. The heartless owner not only took all my copper coins, but also tried to steal my jade thumb ring. When I refused to give it to him, he started hitting me and even accused me of stealing buns."
"But a steamed bun usually costs three copper coins. How could he take twenty copper coins from me and then chase after me demanding the thumb ring? This is clearly extortion, please, young master..."
"You brat!" Not wanting to be exposed, the shopkeeper quickly grabbed a fire poker from the steamed bun stall and was about to hit Ji Linyuan with it: "Why are you so talkative? Why don't you kneel down before the young master? I would be justified in beating you to death!"
Before the stick even fell, Si Jin's eyes narrowed dangerously...
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