There was no wind tonight, only the incessant chirping of cicadas.
Lu Hu and Fang Qinhu kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, constantly brainwashing themselves.
They absolutely hadn't heard words like "spending a blissful night" just now, nor had they seen the prince pinning the fourth young lady against the tree. As for the scene where the prince was knocked down by his future princess with a punch, that was even more impossible!
Absolutely not!
"Tell me, what are we going to do next?" Suppressing the violent urge in her heart, Lu Yinxi maintained her smile.
"If what she said is true, this matter might not be easy to handle."
Shang Luoshu leaned against the tree, silently rubbing the injury on his waist. Xi'er really showed no mercy when she made a move. "But anyway, now we at least know the situation in Yangxian."
After thinking for a while, he added, "My idea is that Fang Qinhu and I will take ten men and continue on our way to gather information. Xi'er, you take the others and wait here for Lin Zihan's army to arrive."
"So, you're trying to leave me behind again?"
This time, Lu Yinxi couldn't even maintain her smile. "Shang Luoshu, let me tell you, if you think you can get rid of me, you're dreaming!"
Having said that, she angrily tossed her sleeves and walked away.
Ling Yin noticed that her benefactor seemed to be in a bad mood after coming back from the grove. She originally wanted to go and ask out of concern, but then she remembered this person's bold words before and gave up the idea.
However, although she didn't take the initiative, Lu Yinxi did.
"Stay here for the next few days. Don't leave. Wait for someone to come for you. I'll leave enough water and food for you."
"I'll also leave my two servants here to accompany you."
"Okay."
Ling Yin subconsciously replied, but then she felt something was wrong. "Why should I listen to you? You saved my life, and I gave you the information you wanted. We're even."
"Are you sure?"
Lu Yinxi put on her all - purpose smiling face. The little girl immediately remembered the scene where she casually picked a leaf before. As a weak woman, she was obviously no match for her. A good woman doesn't fight with a man!
Giving a look to Hongmei and Hongrui, the young girl got into the depths of the grove again. Ling Yin looked at her back and seemed to be lost in thought.
"I've made arrangements for that little girl. Hongrui and Hongmei will watch over her. Now, tell me your plan!"
When Lu Yinxi returned to Shang Luoshu's side, she had already adjusted her mood, and there was no trace of anger on her face.
The man looked at her and sighed softly, "Xi'er..."
"Shang Luoshu!"
Thinking that he was going to tell her to leave again, the young girl immediately interrupted him. "If you dare to mention making me leave again, do you believe that I'll charge into Yangxian alone right now!"
Her expression was not feigned. Shang Luoshu knew that his Xi'er always kept her words.
He scanned the surroundings warningly. Everyone who met his gaze silently lowered their heads. Then Shang Luoshu pulled Lu Yinxi to his side.
"I was going to say that Xi'er might have to be wronged and act as a refugee couple with me."
"Huh?"
The completely unexpected turn of events left the young girl a bit slow to react. She even stammered, "You... do you mean that you're willing to let me go to Yangxian with you?"
"Otherwise?"
Shang Luoshu replied to her with a smile, and his expression gradually became serious.
"Yangxian and Pingqiang are geographically remote but close to each other. If what that girl said is true, it means that Pingqiang might have also suffered a disaster like Yangxian."
"But the news the court received only mentioned Yangxian. So I think there might have been an uprising in Pingqiang too, but it was forcefully suppressed."
"In that case, the two of us can act as a couple who fled from Pingqiang and see if we can mix in with the refugees."
"Okay."
Lu Yinxi didn't object. Compared to a group of men pretending to be refugees, a couple was less likely to arouse the suspicion of strangers, especially with a weak - looking woman around.
"As for Fang Qinhu, you and the others will guard near Yangxian and see if you can get into the city to gather information."
"Yes."
After all the arrangements were made, the horses trotted forward under the moonlight.
After a night's journey, the group finally arrived outside Yangxian.
Seeing the scene in front of her, Lu Yinxi almost completely believed what the little girl had said last night.
There were starving corpses everywhere, and hardly anyone in sight was clean and tidy.
The sun had just risen, and the sunlight shone on people, but some people would never wake up again. Not far from these people were the closed city gates and the moat that cut off all hope.
Regent King!
In the capital city.
When Shang Mozheng learned that Shang Luoshu had left the main army and headed for Yangxian ahead of everyone else, he wasn't surprised. If he had really followed the army obediently, then he wouldn't be the Shang Luoshu he knew.
Calculating the days, if he took the small path, he should have arrived by now. So the truth about Yangxian should be discovered soon, right?
"Your Highness, are you really going to ignore the fourth young lady of the Lu family?"
Seeing that his master was in a good mood today, Yang Li finally asked the question that had been bothering him.
After learning that the Wolf Guards' mission had failed, Shang Mozheng had been very angry at first. But when he later learned that she had met Shang Luoshu, he stopped paying attention to her. This really puzzled Yang Li.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure neither she nor Shang Luoshu can come back from Yangxian!"
He hoped the wedding gift he had prepared would satisfy those two.
"Your Highness, we've found out."
A soldier rushed to them in a hurry, not even having time to wipe the sweat off his face.
"The group that robbed the granary in Yangxian is now gathered five li outside the north gate of Yangxian. But they're very exclusive and don't take in outsiders casually."
Shang Luoshu nodded but didn't say a word.
The situation was about as he had expected. If that group wasn't exclusive, there wouldn't have been so many people starving to death at the west gate just now.
"In that case, the excuse of being refugees from Pingqiang might not work."
If they wouldn't even help their fellow villagers, let alone outsiders like them.
"Keep watching and see if we can find an opportunity."
For the time being, Shang Luoshu didn't have a good idea. He could only wait for the opportunity. But you know, sometimes, there are really stupid rabbits that like to run into the tree.
After waiting for three days in a row, Shang Luoshu finally got his chance.
Wang Dali, the leader of that group, couldn't find his son!
Coincidentally, Lu Hu found him on the second day after the son went missing.
Pushing aside the lush green grass, Lu Yinxi saw a little boy curled up and sleeping soundly. He was wearing a hemp cloth clothes with layers of patches. His little face was sallow, clearly showing signs of malnutrition.
If she hadn't known that this child was already six years old, from his appearance, one would think he was only four or five.
"Xi'er, it's time for us to act."
Nodding, the young girl steeled herself and woke up the sleeping little boy.
"Who... who are you?"
What's it like to suddenly see two strangers in front of you in the middle of the night?
Wang Xiaobao can give you a definite answer.
Be scared, then faint.
And then?
Just leave it to fate!