The peach tree's words from earlier were still swirling in Jiang Lu's mind. With a thought, she probed deep into her space to investigate.
With a flash of faint light, the Tiger Tally settled quietly in her palm.
The tally was cast with a lifelike tiger pattern, the lines ancient and heavy, carrying a trace of biting cold.
A hint of surprise flashed across Jiang Lu's eyes. The bandits of the Black Wind Stronghold were actually bold enough to plunder and hoard such an item. This was a Tiger Tally from the borderlands, completely different from other tiger tallies.
Her fingertips gently stroked the cool surface of the tally. After turning it idly in her palm, she stored it back into her space.
She had seen this Tiger Tally with her own eyes in the Grand Princess's Manor; it was the token used to mobilize the army guarding the border.
This force must never be lightly disturbed. If the border defense army were dragged into the internal strife of the imperial court, foreign tribes beyond the borders would surely seize the opportunity to invade.
When the iron cavalry breached the mountain passes, it would ultimately be the innocent commoners of the realm who suffered.
As she was lost in thought, a sudden burst of clamor and noise echoed from up ahead.
The commoners on both sides of the street quickly moved aside, shrinking behind eaves and alleyway entrances. They timidly poked out half their faces, whispering to one another with looks of sheer curiosity.
Reining in her thoughts, Jiang Lu quietly spread her divine sense, and her invisible perception instantly enveloped the street ahead.
Sure enough, the group of people they had met on the road earlier that day had returned here, perhaps looking for the military tally.
Previously, she had thought it was because of Gu poison, but now there was a second possibility.
Just as she was about to step out of the crowd, a soft, delicate voice rang out first, causing her to pull her foot back.
Liu Qingqing's brows were slightly furrowed, her face perfectly displaying a look of panic and helplessness, as if she were utterly frightened:
“Excuse me, young master, but what is the meaning of bringing your men to surround my siblings and me? We have no past grudges, nor have we offended you recently. We are complete strangers.”
Hidden in the shadows, Jiang Lu sighed to herself. Liu Qingqing's act as a delicate white lotus was so convincing that she could easily win an Oscar.
Hearing this, Xi Siyu curled his lips slightly and took half a step forward. With feigned confusion in his eyes, he chimed in softly with a bewildered tone:
“Indeed, young master. We truly do not know how we have offended you.”
Mu Qiu stared at the three before him. Seeing their innocent and submissive demeanor, which was completely devoid of the sharp, imposing aura they had displayed earlier that day, he felt both angry and wary.
Good, very good!
He clenched his teeth in secret, his heart filled with frustration.
Yet he did not dare to lightly make a move to test their true strength, nor did he dare to gamble on whatever hidden trump cards they might possess.
On the surface, he could only suppress his hidden hostility and put on a polite smile:
“Please do not misunderstand, young masters and lady. It is just that I feel a certain affinity with you all, and wished to invite you to my humble abode for a brief chat.”
The surrounding onlookers shrank back to the sides of the street, whispering and nodding in agreement.
The individuals before them possessed ethereal looks, resembling exiled immortals.
Rumors of a Goddess descending to the mortal world had been circulating lately. Although the crowd had never seen her with their own eyes, if a Goddess truly did descend from the heavens, she would likely possess such peerless elegance.
It was only natural for him to have such thoughts.
Standing with his hands behind his back, Lu Lingfeng's brow furrowed slightly with displeasure. His tone was light and carried a hint of aloofness:
“Young master, this aggressive display of weapons does not look like an invitation for guests.”
Their good mood for going out shopping had been completely ruined. If they provoked their Little Junior Sister and she did something foolish again, what then?
He narrowed his eyes slightly, and as his gaze casually swept over the crowd by the street, he instantly spotted Jiang Lu's figure hidden in the shadows.
Junior Sister Jiang was back.
She had likely gathered quite a bit of inside information during her solo outing; she never wandered around aimlessly.
Mu Qiu stood in a stalemate for a moment. Knowing it was not wise to force the issue right now, he had no choice but to back down for the time being.
“Since you are not interested, then I shall not disturb you further. I will come to visit you tomorrow.”
With that, he waved his hand and led his men away.
Once the group had completely vanished from sight, the onlookers gradually dispersed. Only then did Jiang Lu slowly step out from the crowd.
“Senior Sister Liu, Senior Brothers, I am afraid we will have to stay here for a few days.”
Looking at her with confusion, Liu Qingqing asked, “Why do we need to stay?”
A faint, meaningful smile curved Jiang Lu's lips as she gazed at the bustling town before them.
“You will soon find out why.”
Undercurrents surged in this place, making it an excellent spot for them to temper their minds.
They couldn't say she hadn't given them a chance. Out of all the places they had passed along the way, this was the only one where spiritual creatures were most abundant and the commoners were the most simple and honest.
Early the next morning.
Jiang Lu returned from practicing her swordplay outside the city. When she looked up, she couldn't help but freeze in surprise.
She saw Liu Qingqing dressed in plain, coarse clothes with her sleeves rolled up, her long hair simply tied into a humble bun—the complete look of a rural farm girl.
Standing in the courtyard, she had completely shed her usual ethereal aura as a sect disciple.
Bewildered, Jiang Lu asked hesitantly, “Senior Sister Liu, what are you doing...”
Hearing her voice, Liu Qingqing's eyes lit up, and a bright smile instantly spread across her face. Stepping forward quickly, she shoved a wooden basin filled with laundry into Jiang Lu's arms without a second thought.
“Junior Sister Jiang, you're awake! I got up early and saw the elderly lady next door heading to the river to wash clothes. She is getting on in years and has trouble moving around. Since we are staying here temporarily, we should lend a hand if we can.”
Hearing this, Jiang Lu stared at the wooden basin in her hands and then looked up at her, freezing on the spot with absolute disbelief written all over her face.
Just then, the doors on both sides creaked open as Lu Lingfeng and Xi Siyu walked out, catching the tail end of her words.
When the two saw Liu Qingqing's outfit clearly, their expressions twisted into utter shock.
The two exchanged a glance, the same thought popping into their minds simultaneously: Could the events that happened yesterday have traumatized our Little Junior Sister? She is usually the one who cares most about her image.
We're doomed! We're doomed!
“Little Junior Sister...”
The moment the words left their mouths, Liu Qingqing shoved a laundry club into each of their arms.
“Senior Brothers, you two should come along too.”
Ignoring them after she spoke, she took the lead and pulled Jiang Lu toward the door.
As she turned, she kept her head lowered so no one could see her expression, but beneath her lowered eyelids, a strange light flickered.
Last night, she had dreamed again...
A voice had told her that she needed to do something. Hearing the noise from next door this morning, she had simply followed her heart and acted accordingly.
If Jiang Lu knew, she would have had to marvel at the sheer power of being a child of fortune!
Jiang Lu had only dropped a subtle hint last night, yet Liu Qingqing was already acting on her sixth sense today.
“Elderly lady, how long have you lived here?”
Having changed her clothes, Jiang Lu squatted by the riverbank next to Liu Qingqing. Quite a few people were already washing clothes along the shore.
Seeing the two, the locals blushed, thinking how exceptionally beautiful they were, but none of them dared to approach and strike up a conversation.
Rate on N.U.
