Confirming I was still alive, I immediately started shouting, “Hey, how are you driving? Are you trying to kill me?”
After my long tirade, I realized his gaze was frighteningly cold. I swallowed hard and tried to sound calm, “You… what do you want?”
He suddenly reached out his right hand and grabbed my neck, “Who are you? Why are you disguised and deliberately approaching me?”
“Miss?” Yuluo, seeing me suddenly seized, cried out and wanted to rush to help me.
Meiying swept her with a cold glance, quickly raising his sword to point at her. Her pupils suddenly dilated, and then she fainted without any courage!
Yuluo’s fainting made me more clear-headed. I understood the situation and tugged at my lips, “If you’re asking how I know your name, if I’m not mistaken, those black-clothed men called you that. I just happened to have good hearing and memory.”
“As for your accusation of disguising myself to approach you, that’s a baseless charge.”
I admit I’m a woman, but I’m not intentionally deceiving you. I’m just making it convenient to travel in the jianghu.” I looked at him frankly. He frowned slightly but ultimately released me, nimbly jumping down from the carriage.
“Hey, where are you going?” Seeing him about to leave, I called out.
Without turning back, he said, “Just a few more miles ahead is Mochi City. Take care of yourselves!”
“Hey, my name is Fei Xinran. If you change your mind, remember to come back and find us!” I shouted at his back. His figure paused momentarily but quickly returned to normal, continuing his pace and soon disappearing on the other side of the road.
……
“Hey, wake up, wake up!” I returned to the carriage and shook Yuluo awake. After a long time, she finally responded, rubbing her hazy big eyes and hugging me, “Miss, you’re okay, that’s great!”
Then she looked out of the carriage and turned to ask, “Huh? Where’s that ice cube?”
Pursing my lips, I said, “Left!”
“Left?” Yuluo immediately clapped and laughed, “That’s great!”
I glared at her, “What’s so great? Can you drive?”
Yuluo shrank back and shook her head, looking innocent.
Knowing glaring wouldn’t help, I sat down dejectedly in a corner of the carriage. Suddenly, I heard a jingling sound from afar.
Looking out, I saw someone leading two donkeys towards this direction, the bells on their necks sparkling in the sunlight. I suddenly had an idea and quickly rushed out of the carriage.
A quarter of an hour later, Yuluo and I each led a donkey in the middle of the road.
“Miss, are we really going to ride?” Yuluo looked conflicted and uncertain.
I nodded firmly.
“But she looks so small!” Yuluo furrowed her delicate eyebrows.
I looked and, well, they did seem quite small. These donkeys clearly had a mother-child relationship, and the baby donkey looked very young…
But now wasn’t the time to be soft-hearted. If you want to walk to the city, I have no objections! Surprisingly, she actually led the donkey and walked, even going ahead of me!
Ugh, no one told me donkeys don’t run. How long will it take to sway into the city like this!!!
Despite the journey being merely a few li long, I dragged on for most of the afternoon, and by the time I entered the city, night had already fallen. At this moment, all I wanted was to find a spacious inn and take a fragrant hot bath. However, after checking several inns, they all claimed to be fully booked.
Upon careful inquiry, I learned that Mochi City would be hosting an unprecedented flower viewing festival in a few days, and many flower enthusiasts had come from far and wide!
Yu Rao immediately laughed more brilliantly than flowers, exclaiming, “How wonderful, how wonderful…” But I had no interest at all! My mind was solely focused on my hot bath, and finding a place to stay was the most critical thing right now!
“Young master, if you don’t mind, our shop still has an attic that hasn’t been occupied. It’s been cleaned and tidied, though it’s simple and a bit small…” The innkeeper, being quite kind-hearted, knew I had been unable to find lodging and offered helpfully.
I was delighted, “In that case, please trouble the innkeeper to arrange it!”
“Young master doesn’t mind?” The innkeeper was somewhat surprised, seemingly unused to such an accommodating guest.
I quickly waved my hand and laughed, “Not at all, not at all… A wanderer like myself can’t be too picky. Innkeeper, please arrange it!” Alas! At this point, I couldn’t be choosy – any later and I might not even get the attic!
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He might have been a bit embarrassed, but more apologetic and worried, “This house is so dilapidated that it can no longer be inhabited. Miss, why don’t you stay at my humble residence for a few days!”
I glanced at the large hole in the roof, and my mood became even gloomier, staring at the starry sky in a dilemma. Was I really going to use the sky as a blanket tonight? After thinking it over, I finally said with a dark face, “Don’t forget to help repair the roof!”
He knew I had agreed to his suggestion and immediately smiled brightly, “Miss, please be at ease. I will send someone to repair it tomorrow!”
The Bathing Tub Man’s house was very large, comparable to a villa in Bidi Mountain Manor. After enjoying good food, drink, and sleep at his home, I pulled him into being my guide.
The Bathing Tub Man changed into a clean robe and now looked handsome and elegant. However, after seeing top-tier beauties like Xi Lin Ya and Bei Ting Zi Han, he didn’t seem as impressive.
The Bathing Tub Man gently waved his feather fan and asked me softly, “Where does the miss plan to walk today?”
I curled my lips and said casually, “This is my first time in Mochi City. I don’t know what interesting places there are, so you just lead the way!”
“Our Mochi City is known as the Huanye Flower Capital. The greatest scenery is nothing more than flowers. Would you like me to take you to my Lin family’s flower garden today?”
A series of performances passed, and soon only three beauties remained on the stage. The first wore a long dress with water sleeves, holding a wood hibiscus, with delicate eyebrows and makeup, charming and shy; the second wore white, smiling softly, cradling a pot of white peony, with a dignified appearance; the third wore bright red, with translucent shoulders, gently holding a vibrant red rose between her teeth, exuding an enchanting charm.
I noticed that the bath tub man’s gaze at the woman in red was different, with a hint of fire dancing in his black pupils, his handsome face stern, gripping his cup with hidden force. I understood that this guy must like this beautiful woman!
I gently patted his shoulder, leaning close to his ear and said: “Fool, if you like her, why didn’t you make a move earlier? Chasing a woman shouldn’t be that difficult, right?”
He immediately turned to look at me, his thin lips slightly parted, his eyes full of surprise!
I waved my five fingers in front of his eyes, not understanding his expression, pursed my lips and gave him a sidelong glance: “Why are you looking at me like that? What, do you think I’m wrong?”
He turned away, picked up his cup and drank it all in one gulp.
I broke out in a cold sweat…
His expression was bleak, a hint of bitterness at the corner of his mouth: “Luo Yan only wants to enter the palace. How could she possibly see anyone else!”
So the woman in red was called Luo Yan. What a nice name. I slowly picked up my tea cup and took a sip, my eyes filled with a calm smile, speaking nonchalantly: “It’s simple. Just find a way to prevent her from entering the palace!”
He didn’t even glance at me, seemingly very confident about that woman.
But I felt that while she was beautiful, she wasn’t necessarily the most likely to succeed. So I said: “If I can make her fail, how will you thank me?”
