For the rest of the journey, Su Yi shamelessly stayed in the carriage using all sorts of excuses, refusing to go outside and sit with Ling Feng and Ling Yu in the carriage outside.
Mu Jin gradually got used to Su Yi's shamelessness. Apart from being a bit sarcastic, Su Yi had been very caring towards Mu Jin throughout the journey and had not shown any disrespect whatsoever.
On the third day of the fifth lunar month, they entered the territory of Thailand and Singapore.
After discussing it with Mu Jin, Su Yi decided to enter the city and settle down for a short rest.
When a carriage passes through a city gate, it must stop for inspection, so there is a long line of people waiting to enter the city.
Mu Jin and Su Yi heard what sounded like pleading noises outside the carriage. They exchanged a glance, and Su Yi lifted the curtain to look.
A group of refugees, both men and women, who appeared to have come to Taixin City from other places, were gathered at the foot of the city wall. Their clothes were somewhat tattered, and they were being pushed and shoved by the guards stationed at the city.
The group of refugees knelt and bowed, explaining and pleading with the guards protecting the city.
However, the city guards had no patience and used their spears to stab several of the leaders. The situation quickly spiraled out of control.
The refugees gathered outside the city walls seemed to have both fear and anger on their faces. After one person made a move, they immediately followed suit and started fighting with the guards defending the city.
Su Yi whispered a few words to Ling Yu as they went in and out. Mu Jin then saw Ling Yu walk into the crowd causing trouble ahead, and soon after, she saw Ling Yu run back.
"Reporting to Master, I heard that these people migrated from Wulan City. Because of their large numbers, the city guards require each of them to pay half a tael of silver to enter the city."
"Why are so many people from Wulan City suddenly here?" Su Yi asked.
Ling Yu said, "This Wulan City was only acquired from the Beiqi people last year, I heard..."
Ling Yu glanced at Mu Jin and said, "I heard that the Beiqi Kingdom is demanding that the Dongyue Kingdom cede five cities in order to stop the war, and Wulan City is one of those five cities."
"Because Wulan City is closest to Taixin City, some local people think that the Beiqi people are fierce and barbaric. They are afraid that Dongyue will really return Wulan City to Beiqi, so they moved to Taixin City. Now these guards in Taixin City are just taking the opportunity to make money."
At that moment, a woman in the distance, holding a child, cried out loudly.
"Please, Your Honor, have mercy! We don't have a single tael of silver in all our savings. Our child has a high fever, so please let us go into the city to get him medical treatment."
The guard at the gate seemed used to this kind of thing, and with a completely unsympathetic expression, he pushed the woman holding the child away.
"Get out of here, get out of here. Didn't you say you had no money? If you have no money, you can't get medical treatment even if you come to the city. Stop causing trouble in our Taixin City."
The woman who had been pushed to the ground held her child and began to sob.
Su Yi stared at him for a moment. Ling Feng and Ling Yu couldn't help but turn around and look at him.
He turned his eyes away expressionlessly, showing no intention of paying any attention, gently lowered the carriage curtain, and said, "Let's go."
At that moment, Mu Jin happened to witness this scene. She suddenly felt a strange mix of emotions.
Su Yi stared at the group of people, his eyes shrouded in icy light, making it difficult to discern whether it was pity or mockery. However, Su Yi lowered his gaze and looked away only for a moment.
But that was an expression Mu Jin had never seen on Su Yi before, like the cold snow of winter, icy and biting.
After the guards took the two taels of silver from Ling Yu, they let them into the city. Just as the carriage was about to start moving, Mu Jin called out, "Wait!"
Su Yi glanced at Mu Jin and saw Mu Jin take out a few pills from her bosom and call Ling Feng over.
"Give these pills to the mother and child, and tell them to dissolve them in water and feed them to the child to reduce the fever."
Ling Yu glanced at Su Yi, who nodded. Ling Yu then took the medicine and walked towards the mother and child.
From afar, Mu Jin saw that the woman had taken the medicine and seemed to beg Ling Yu to take her into the city. After Ling Yu refused, she stopped pleading and continued to look around at the crowd with a blank expression.
Su Yi scoffed, "Ah Jin's behavior makes me seem cold and heartless."
Mu Jin countered, "Then who are you?"
Su Yi raised an eyebrow, unsure if it was alright.
They entered the city, and while they were having a meal, Ling Feng went out for a while and came back to talk to Su Yi for a while.
Mu Jin couldn't hear very clearly from a distance, and she didn't bother to listen, because during this journey with Su Yi, either Ling Feng or Ling Yu would disappear from time to time and then return to report to Su Yi in private.
The group bathed and rested for half a day at an inn in the city. After eating and feeding the horses, they took some dry food and water and then left the city when the city gates closed. They then took the official road heading north.
On the way, Mu Jin asked Su Yi, "How many more days until we reach Yanmen Pass?"
Su Yi replied, "At the fastest, three days."
Mu Jin nodded.
Su Yi glanced at Mu Jin and said, "I heard that Su Yuntian went to the Beiqi camp yesterday, but we don't know how the talks will go."
Hearing Su Yi say this, Mu Jin frowned. At this moment, she wished she could get to Yanmen Pass immediately because she did not trust the Eastern Yue court, and she did not believe that Su Yuntian would save Mu Yan.
As darkness fell, Su Yi was unusually quiet tonight, unlike his usual noisy self, which made Mu Jin feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Mu Jin didn't think much of it. She yawned, feeling sleepy, and prepared to lie down.
Just then, a flock of crows took flight from the woods, and faintly, the sound of approaching hooves could be heard!
Before Mu Jin could react, she suddenly heard Ling Yu mutter something under her breath outside, then say to Ling Feng, "They're catching up, hurry up!"
With a sharp crack, the whip struck the horse. Startled, the horse immediately bolted forward, galloping wildly.
The carriage, traveling through the mountains and fields, suddenly began to jolt violently.
Mu Jin was caught off guard and fell forward. Fortunately, Su Yi was quick-witted and prepared, and rushed forward in time to grab Mu Jin's arm and pull her into his arms.
Mu Jin tensed up and looked up at Su Yi. Su Yi gently patted her back and whispered, "Don't be afraid."
Because their faces were so close, their breaths mingled, giving Mu Jin goosebumps all over.
Mu Jin frowned and looked at Su Yi by the moonlight. Because of the hand he was holding tightly, she suddenly felt much more at ease.
Given the current situation, everyone knows that things are not peaceful outside.
Su Yi, pressed against the car window, pursed his thin lips. His usually beautiful peach blossom eyes suddenly turned sharp. He gently lifted a corner of the car curtain and silently looked out through the narrow gap.
Mu Jin also looked out in the direction Su Yi was looking.
He could only see overlapping shadows of trees outside; he couldn't make out anything else.
Although she couldn't see anything, judging from Su Yi's posture, she knew that the unrest outside was probably aimed at Su Yi.
She had a vague feeling that this matter might not be so simple.
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