The carriage traveled smoothly all the way, but when it reached the city gate, it was stopped by Li Jianghai and his men.
Tao Wanniang wasn't in a hurry at all, and just watched Liang Laifu and Li Jianghai confront each other.
"Lord Li, don't go too far! This carriage is full of women and children. You've searched his house before!" Liang Laifu said angrily.
His daughter had been frightened several times. He wasn't there the first few times, but now, he absolutely wouldn't allow himself to be overshadowed by Li Jianghai in front of his daughter!
“Liang Laifu, I’m searching my assassins, why are you stopping me? What does this family have to do with you?” Li Jianghai said nonchalantly.
If the imperial inspector really had a connection with this family, he would definitely take this opportunity to escape. He was waiting for this moment at the city gate!
"My lords, please stop arguing. Why don't you just let us see it?" Tao Wanniang said with a deliberately worried expression. "In our countryside, people's lives are cheap, and we don't have so many restrictions between men and women."
"Shut up!" Liang Laifu shouted at Tao Wanniang. "Lord Li, this isn't the first or second time you've harassed this family. They're refugees who came to Shanhai Prefecture to settle down, but you've falsely accused them of harboring assassins. I don't know whether to say this family is unlucky or overly flattered!"
“Liang Laifu, I never asked them to leave Shanhai Prefecture. Who smashed their wonton stall and kicked them out of Shanhai Prefecture?” Li Jianghai clearly had a strong prejudice against Liang Laifu, and his words were full of sarcasm and barbs.
“Lord Li, I was the one who wanted to get rid of him. You don’t need to make sarcastic remarks about my husband.” Zhang Xinlan, heavily pregnant, slowly approached.
That young girl must leave; her husband can only have the children she bears!
"I'm not afraid of being laughed at by the people of Shanhai Prefecture. That little girl in here is incompatible with the child in my womb. I must make sure she gets out of Shanhai Prefecture!" Zhang Xinlan said arrogantly, her face full of domineering aura.
The prefect's daughter was known for her domineering and willful nature, a fact that was common knowledge among the city's soldiers.
“Miss, I’m not saying we can’t let people leave, but to prevent assassins from using them to leave the city, searching them is for the sake of the adults!” Li Jianghai said calmly, but he was clearly determined to stick to his guns.
“She’s just a child!” Liang Laifu said to Zhang Xinlan, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion.
Zhang Xinlan raised an eyebrow, her eyes showing displeasure, and snapped at Liang Laifu, "What's wrong? I've already been magnanimous enough by letting her live!"
"You've already forced her to leave Shanhai Prefecture, can't you be a little more patient with her?" Liang Laifu whispered to Zhang Xinlan, "In front of so many people, are you going to help Li Jianghai?"
Zhang Xinlan glanced at Li Jianghai, who was blocking the carriage with his men, then at Liang Laifu, and finally shouted at Tao Wanniang, "You woman, you really have no sense at all! At a time like this, can't you say a word?"
"But... Lord Liang told me to shut up!" Tao Wanniang said innocently. "I already said that our lives are cheap in the countryside, and we have to do whatever you officials tell us to do..."
Zhang Xinlan felt uncomfortable listening to this. She looked at Liang Laifu, then at Li Jianghai, and finally said, "We still have to search, but you're a roughneck like you, you'll scare the child."
"Go and see if there are any men inside!" Zhang Xinlan said to her maid.
Liang Laifu had nothing to say then, and Li Jianghai agreed with him.
“However, there’s someone inside wearing a veil; we need to see their face under the veil!” Li Jianghai’s calm voice rang out.
"Uncle Li, that's really not very kind of you. How about this, I can walk out by myself!"
Bai Yumei's voice rang out, and then she came out herself.
"What, you can't expect me to see my scary face again after you've already seen it yesterday, can you?"
"No need for that!" Li Jianghai wasn't so confused as to not be able to tell whether Bai Yumei was the real person or not.
Zhang Xinlan's maid went in to count the number of people and quickly came out to report: "Miss, there are two women, one baby girl, and three infants inside."
"Lord Li, are you relieved now?" Zhang Xinlan said, then softened her tone and asked Liang Laifu, "How about it, are you satisfied now?"
Liang Laifu nodded, which could be considered a compromise between the two sides.
"Um...can we go now?" Tao Wanniang asked timidly.
"Wait a minute, open these two boxes and take a look!" Li Jianghai said to the two boxes on the carriage behind.
"Open it, open it, let the official see clearly!" Tao Wan's mother shouted to her two sons.
One box contained all the bedding, while the other box contained flour, rice, and some small pots, basins, and bowls.
"Lord Li, these are just everyday necessities, please excuse the poor quality!" Tao Wanniang said with a smile.
Could it be that he was overthinking things? Li Jianghai was very doubtful of himself, but he also felt that letting Tao Wanniang and her group go might cause them to miss some clues.
"Lord Li, you can finally let them pass!" Liang Laifu urged impatiently when he saw that Li Jianghai remained silent.
"Lord Li, what's wrong? I want a few people to leave Shanhai Prefecture, and you won't even agree?" Zhang Xinlan also spoke up sarcastically.
Under pressure from Liang Laifu and Zhang Xinlan, Li Jianghai finally allowed them to leave.
Tao Wanniang expressed her gratitude verbally, and without hesitation, drove away.
The Ling brothers followed at a leisurely pace. Knowing that driving a horse-drawn carriage was similar to driving an oxcart gave them confidence to proceed.
"Hey, brother, need a ride?" After the carriage left the city, Tao Wanniang drove for a while and got away from the city gate. When she saw someone waiting ahead, she stopped the carriage and asked.
The man, dressed in coarse linen and with white hair, casually removed his hair and beard, smiled at Tao Wanniang, and it was none other than Xiao Yi.
"There are only women inside. If you don't mind, Sister Tao, I'll sit with you outside!"
Tao Wanniang didn't pay too much attention, reached out and pulled Xiao Yi up, and continued on their way.
"Young Master, how will Lord Cheng and the others meet up with you?" Tao Wanniang asked on the way.
“I’ve already fired the signal arrow. Once we’ve reached our landing point, I’ll fire another one and leave a trail along the way,” Xiao Yi explained. “Sister Tao, your plan was a great success!”
Tao Wanniang smiled and shouted spiritedly, "Giddy up!"
At first, Xiao Yi did get into the carriage, but he got off once they reached the street. She knew there would be people checking carriages at the city gate, and by deliberately watching Liang Laifu and Li Jianghai argue, she gave Xiao Yi the opportunity to leave the city.
If Xiao Yi leaves the city dressed as he did just now, who would search for him unless someone pays special attention?
As Xiao Yi watched the woman beside him drive the carriage, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up. He really didn't expect a village woman to have such courage!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com