The Inn.
Li Fu wiped down the tables with the grim determination of a man born under an unlucky star. He felt he was no different from an old yellow ox—except that even the ox got to rest sometimes, while he never had a moment to himself.
Whenever he thought of the reward money Miss Ji had given him, his eyes grew damp.
“Miss Ji…”
When was Miss Ji coming back? He missed the reward money she gave him.
During this time, besides greeting guests, arranging rooms, carrying tea and water, washing dishes, sweeping floors, running errands, and hauling luggage, he had also been chopping wood, drawing water, and moving goods…
Skinflint Zhou had even wanted the vegetables grown by his parents, saying that way he wouldn’t have to spend any money.
At the thought of this, Li Fu’s eyes reddened despite himself.
One day, he would trample Skinflint Zhou under his feet!
At daybreak, Ji Zhaoxi and the others finished packing and set off.
Xu Ancheng drove the carriage. He was being especially cautious today, afraid that another rabbit might fly through the air and kick him again.
There was still a rabbit’s footprint on his face.
It was early, and the weather was not yet hot. It was perfect for sleeping.
Inside the carriage, Qin Qiwu was organizing the clues they had gathered. They would all have to be handed over to the magistrate.
“Hu—”
The man in black lay in the corner, snoring like thunder. His body rose and fell with every breath, and each time he inhaled, it seemed as though he intended to suck all the air out of the carriage. After a while, a loud “hrrr” shook everyone’s ears numb.
Qin Qiwu acted as though she heard nothing and simply focused on her work.
If they could find the missing silver sooner, the common people could receive it sooner.
Zhou Cheng sighed. With snoring that loud, how was he supposed to sleep?
A cool breeze slipped through the gap in the carriage curtain. The farther they went, the smoother the road became.
Ji Zhaoxi and Fu Xianyan leaned against each other as they slept. They had been hurrying along for several days, and both had dark circles beneath their eyes. Their foreheads had been sunburned so badly that the skin had peeled away, revealing reddened flesh underneath. The two of them looked rather bedraggled.
The breeze gently stirred the hair on their foreheads. Huddled together in the corner of the carriage, they slept soundly.
“It still hasn’t healed…”
Qin Qiwu leaned closer to examine the wounds on their foreheads and frowned.
Ji Zhaoxi had been holding the reins at the time, so the back of her hand had suffered a little sunburn as well. Qin Qiwu carefully applied medicine to it.
Zhou Cheng looked at Qin Qiwu across from him, hesitating to speak.
“Miss Qin…”
Qin Qiwu turned around in confusion.
Zhou Cheng said awkwardly, “Could you make him stop snoring? It’s too loud.”
He hadn’t slept well for several days.
Qin Qiwu glanced at Zhou Cheng, whose face looked worn out from lack of sleep. She then took out a handkerchief and stuffed it into the black-clad man’s mouth.
The carriage finally grew somewhat quieter.
Xu Ancheng continued driving along the road. After a while, as the sun climbed higher and higher, a city wall finally appeared in the distance.
The wall was extremely tall, and a huge crowd was packed beneath the city gate. People carrying shoulder poles and merchants entering the city to do business were all crammed together, while the constables had shouted themselves hoarse.
“Don’t push! Don’t push!”
A constable squeezed through the crowd, trying to get everyone to calm down. The next moment, someone stepped on her shoe, knocking it clean off.
The constable’s mouth twitched.
She had just bought those shoes!
“Keep moving! Don’t stand around here!”
The constable rapped on the carriage with her baton and impatiently shouted, “Move along!”
Xu Ancheng waited behind the flow of people, curiously taking in the vendors around him.
This place was far livelier than the county town.
Ji Zhaoxi and Fu Xianyan leaned against the wooden window, watching the scene outside.
There were all kinds of small vendors lined up nearby, selling every imaginable thing. The air was filled with the enticing aroma of food.
“Auntie, do you have vegetable buns?” Ji Zhaoxi asked in a muffled voice. Several faint red marks from sleeping were still visible on her face.
There were so many people waiting in line that the older woman had simply sat down on a small wooden stool to rest.
She looked at Ji Zhaoxi cheerfully and nodded. “We have those, as well as sesame flatbreads and steamed cakes.”
Ji Zhaoxi bought some buns and flatbreads. Before she could say anything, Fu Xianyan had already handed over the silver.
The buns were hot in her hands. Ji Zhaoxi hurriedly set them on the table and laughed.
“So hot.”
Fu Xianyan lowered his head to check her hands, then gave a quiet chuckle.
“We can finally eat something fresh.”
Qin Qiwu lifted the carriage curtain and handed several buns to Xu Ancheng.
“There are so many people,” Qin Qiwu said as she looked at the vendors packed together nearby.
Xu Ancheng took huge bites of his bun, his eyes curving with a smile. “Everyone’s coming into the city to sell things.”
A nearby vendor spotted the two of them and hurried over.
“Miss, would you like some mung bean soup or lotus seed sweet soup?”
Qin Qiwu smiled. “Then we’ll have six bowls.”
The vendor happily agreed. He hadn’t expected to sell six bowls before even entering the city.
The constable came over with her baton. The older woman remained seated on her little stool and complained, “My lady, if you don’t let me in soon, no one will be able to buy my buns.”
The constable’s mouth twitched. “You must count so much silver every day that your hands ache. Just wait your turn.”
Her monthly wages were less than what these vendors made selling mung bean soup.
The constable looked at Xu Ancheng, then at the two little men in black leaning against the window and eating buns. She frowned.
“Where are you from?”
Xu Ancheng answered softly, “Pingyuan County. We’re entering the city to take care of some business.”
The constable gave a grunt and opened the carriage curtain. The moment she saw the two bound men inside, she fell silent.
What was going on?
She looked at Ji Zhaoxi. Ji Zhaoxi took a sip of mung bean soup and swallowed the flatbread in her mouth.
“We have official documents!”
They had powerful people backing them!
Ji Zhaoxi handed the documents to the constable. The constable accepted them and gave them a cursory glance. Her expression changed slightly.
“You’re going to the prefectural government office, right?”
Xu Ancheng hurriedly answered from outside, “That’s right.”
The constable returned the documents to Ji Zhaoxi. Looking at the table piled with food, she couldn’t help saying, “Eating this much in the morning will make you throw up.”
Ji Zhaoxi was still processing her words. “Oh. Oh.”
Fu Xianyan immediately lifted his head, his brows drawing together.
The constable jumped down from the carriage.
“All right. You can go in.”
The carriage continued forward. As soon as it entered the city, the streets on either side sprang to life.
The shops stood shoulder to shoulder, selling every kind of merchandise. The rumble of wheels mingled with vendors’ cries, and the air was filled with a steaming, bustling warmth.
Xu Ancheng continued toward the main street. Before long, they saw the plaque bearing the name of the prefectural government office.
Beneath the high walls stood two enormous stone lions, while several yamen runners guarded the entrance.
The yamen runners at the gate frowned when they saw the group’s unusual appearance.
“What business brings you to the government office?”
Qin Qiwu handed one of them the official documents.
“We have been ordered to investigate the case of the official silver stolen from Pingyuan County. We request an audience with the prefect.”
The yamen runner accepted the documents and read them carefully. When he saw the identities of the people listed, his expression grew serious.
“Several honored guests, please wait a moment.”
He handed the documents to the person beside him and whispered a few words. That person quickly hurried inside.
Ji Zhaoxi and the others waited at the entrance.
After a while, the clerk returned. He stood before them and cupped his hands.
“The prefect will see you.”
