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墨書 Inktalez
"Damn it!" The leisurely demeanor of those people before him felt like a slap in the face. If everything from the Jade Pavilion was truly taken away, they should be furious, not so calm. But with the items gone and Zhu Qingluan vanished, he had no evidence and could do nothing.
Qing Luan fought beautifully in this battle. Just thinking of Qiu Mingqi's defeated expression brought her satisfaction. She left the capital with everyone, heading toward Jiangnan.
Tide and Plain Grandmother stayed behind in a small courtyard outside the capital, having sent people to protect it. Qing Luan left without a single worry. Fu Tianlin felt that this was the best opportunity to get close to Qing Luan, so he hurriedly briefed Home and then chased after Qing Luan's trail toward Jiangnan.
Although things had just begun, panic was already spreading southward. Many merchants closed their doors, afraid to continue their businesses.
As she observed the indifference of the people around her, Qing Luan's brow furrowed deeper, her expression darkening, causing everyone to remain silent and follow her hastily.
The roads were crowded with those fleeing from disaster, making the already congested pathways even more cramped, with even carriages unable to pass.
"Sister Yun, you take Qin'er and drive the carriage slowly behind us; we'll go ahead and take a look," Qing Luan said. The chaos along the way made her realize that it was all the court's fault for failing to assist these displaced citizens, leaving them with no way to survive in their hometown while stirring up chaos.
"Miss, isn't this a bad idea?" Sister Yun looked at the ragged refugees and worried that something might happen to her mistress if they separated.
"I..." Qing Luan initially wanted to say she would be fine, but before she could finish her sentence, a piercing cry interrupted her.
"Father! Father! What happened to you?" A girl in coarse brown cloth clutched an elderly man who looked pale and weak, already slipping into unconsciousness. Her heart-wrenching pleas were unbearable to hear. "Please, everyone, save my father! Save him!"
Those passing by did not extend a hand of sympathy; they looked on with numb indifference before walking past her—having seen too many dead along the way, they had become desensitized.
"Father! Father! Wake up! Don't leave me!" Faced with all those cold stares, she was terrified and could only cry helplessly.
"Miss," Qin'er said as she saw the girl, her eyes filled with compassion and eager to help, but she was stopped by Qing Luan.
"Qin'er, listen to your mistress," Sister Yun urged as she noticed Qing Luan's cold demeanor and sensed something was amiss.
The miss was leading them to Jiangnan precisely to save people; if this girl truly needed help, Qing Luan would surely assist her. However, from beginning to end, Qing Luan had remained indifferent and did not step forward. Sensing something was wrong, Sister Yun helped restrain the anxious Qin'er.
Sure enough, as soon as Sister Yun finished speaking, the crying girl brightened upon seeing them and directed a pitifully confused gaze at Xuanyuan Rui.
"How shameless!" Qin'er cursed angrily once she understood her intentions.
"We're leaving," she initially thought about getting off the carriage but decided against it for fear of unnecessary trouble. Instead, she turned back into the carriage and spoke to the driver.
"Go," the coachman immediately cracked his whip and moved forward, but there were too many people, and the carriage could only inch its way through. As it approached the girl, a piercing scream rang out, drawing even more attention.
"Miss, your father is dead, and you are all alone. Why not come with me?" A sinister man blocked her path, leering at her mockingly.
"Please, I beg you, let me go," she pleaded sorrowfully, appearing even more pitiful and evoking sympathy.
"I let you go, but who will let me go?" The man teased, reaching out to touch her face. "Ouch!" He suddenly fell to the ground as a figure flashed past.
"Young master, save me! Please help me!" The girl cried out to the man on the horse, desperately clutching the horse's leg to prevent it from moving.
The word "go" was about to escape his lips when Qing Luan pulled aside the curtain.
"If she wants to stay, let her stay. Miss, can you ride a horse?" Qing Luan asked kindly, a stark contrast to his earlier indifference.
"I can ride!" The girl's eyes lit up at his words.
"Rui, you sit in the carriage with me. Find someone familiar to ride your horse; let this girl ride the extra horse," he arranged methodically, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Feeling that Qing Luan's arrangement was somewhat strange, he nodded in agreement.
The girl's previously joyful expression darkened upon hearing this. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, Qing Luan spoke again.
"Miss, it's good that you can ride; otherwise, we wouldn't be able to take you with us," he remarked. It seemed overly optimistic for the men who wanted to ride with her.
Whether she was genuinely pitiful or just pretending didn't matter; at this moment, scheming would only lead to trouble.
"Um, thank you," she said reluctantly as her protests were swallowed back down. She climbed onto a scrawny black horse, completely forgetting how she had clung desperately to her deceased father just moments ago.
" Luan'er," Xuanyuan Rui said after getting into the carriage with dissatisfaction. "This girl has so many schemes in her eyes; why are we still letting her follow us?" He was puzzled since she didn't seem like someone who would seek trouble.
"Xuanyuan Rui, the person she's targeting is you," Qing Luan leaned back against the cushion comfortably and cast him a sidelong glance, revealing the answer with a hint of amusement.
"Targeting me?" Xuanyuan Rui thought she meant that woman had feelings for him and snorted disdainfully. "Something delivered right to my door can't be anything good!"
"Ha ha..." His disdain amused Qing Luan, who sat up, her eyes sparkling with laughter, but her words sent a chill down his spine. "That girl is not simple; perhaps she has been waiting for your appearance all along..."
"What do you mean?" Xuanyuan Rui was somewhat surprised. He was skilled in battle, but matters of the heart were truly beyond him. In front of Qing Luan, he felt like a pure and innocent child, pitifully naive.
"With so many people around, her gaze has been fixed on us. After she entered our line of sight, she cried out in anguish, all to draw our attention... Xuanyuan Rui, someone has their eyes on you. Be careful!" Their journey ahead would likely not be peaceful.
"Hmph, what can a girl who can't even lift a chicken do to me?" His dismissive arrogance only made him seem more domineering.
"The beauty trap is quite terrifying," Qing Luan murmured.
" Luan'er," her words sparked a light in his eyes. He reined in his earlier bravado and blinked cutely, saying, "I'm yours; you must protect me well so that no one else sets their sights on me!"
"Pfft!" Sister Yun was the first to be caught off guard, unable to contain her laughter.
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