The next day, when Lu Jinshuang and Mu Jin passed through Lü City’s wharf, they heard only the legends of the two little gods of slaughter. The girls themselves were nowhere to be seen.
Lu Jinshuang was puzzled. They had left the capital behind Xi Qingyue and her sister. Along the way, she had asked some refugees about them. Xi Qingyue’s motorhome was not traveling particularly fast, and many people had seen it. They had been only half an hour behind the sisters and should have caught up.
Yet after switching to the waterways the previous day and traveling by boat for an entire day, they still had not seen a trace of Xi Qingyue. Instead, they had come across water stained red with blood and some scattered remains.
She guessed Xi Qingyue had been responsible, but she had not paid much attention to it. The two girls never killed indiscriminately. Anyone who died by their hands was either a river bandit or someone who deserved to die.
But today, she learned that Xi Qingyue had arrived in Lü City the previous day—only a little over an hour before they had boarded the boat themselves. How could they have traveled so quickly? It had taken Lu Jinshuang and the others an entire day to reach this place.
With a smile, she teased Mu Jin, “Mu Jin, it seems we’ll be listening to stories about those two sisters all the way there. Catching up to them is impossible.”
Mu Jin nodded in agreement. “The Princess is right. The two commandery princesses are extraordinary in everything they do. They’re straightforward, with a clear sense of love and hate. Wherever they go, anyone foolish enough to provoke them is bound to be killed. The county magistrate of Lü City is a perfect example.”
At the mention of the magistrate, Lu Jinshuang let out a cold snort. “What a shameless, short-sighted wretch! He probably wanted to claim credit for killing the river bandits so he could win a promotion and make a fortune. Unfortunately for him, he picked the wrong people to bully.”
He had even dared to seize Xi Qingyue and her sister’s money and credit. He had practically gone looking for death. Even Lu Jinshuang, a Princess, would not have dared to do something like that.
After standing on the boat and thinking for a moment, Lu Jinshuang instructed the guards behind her, “Take my seal and go to the county yamen. Announce our identities at the entrance and tell the people of the city that anyone with a grievance may seek justice there. Anyone who has been persecuted by the magistrate and his family may come forward and report it. Have them state their grievances, record everything, and obtain their signatures or fingerprints. Then send all the documents back to the capital and deliver them to Ninth Sister.”
Dongxue, who was standing nearby, looked worried. “Princess, if this reaches the capital, those old conservatives will accuse you of overstepping your authority and interfering in government affairs.”
Lu Jinshuang smiled, completely unconcerned. “If they come back with a stack of petitions describing the people’s grievances, they should resolve those wrongful cases before they think of impeaching me. Otherwise, they’re nothing but a bunch of useless fools. Besides, Yue and her sister have rid the people of evil. The court ought to reward them.”
Although the county magistrate was dead, the farmland and shops he had seized remained, and the families of those he had killed had not all perished. The same was true of his son. Now that all of them were dead, the people finally had the courage to go to the county yamen and report their grievances. By then, there would surely be a mountain of evidence.
With so much evidence, no one would dare criticize the Xi sisters no matter how many people they had killed. Everyone they had slain deserved death.
By making her identity known at the county yamen and taking responsibility for handling the matter, she would also prevent the nearby garrison troops from casually arresting people and forcing them to take the blame. It was a solution that benefited everyone.
Xi Qingyue had no idea that someone was cleaning up the mess behind her. Though, in her opinion, there had never been any need for it.
She and Xi Weilan traveled along at an unhurried pace in their yacht. Every day, they set aside time to learn how to swim, familiarize themselves with their lightness skills, and practice their supernatural abilities. Their days were full and satisfying.
Many people on the other boats saw them practicing. Xi Weilan was small and conspicuous as she darted through the air. Some people nervously held their breath for her, while others accused her of showing off. A few even set up bets on their boats, wagering on whether she would fall into the water.
In the end, she always managed to stop just above the surface at the most perilous moment. Whenever she fell halfway from a tree, a willow branch would catch her. Not once did she actually hit the water.
Thus, under the astonished gazes of the people on the other boats, they continued onward. After traveling on the water for seven days, they finally arrived at Yongfu City that evening.
“Big Sis, we’re here!” Xi Weilan cheered from the yacht. They had finally made it.
A smile appeared on Xi Qingyue’s face as well. “Yes, we’re here. The waterways inside the city are narrow, so we’ll continue on foot. We’ll put the yacht away for now. When we need it, the speedboat will be more convenient.”
With that, she picked up Xi Weilan and flew to shore. At that very moment, the yacht they had been traveling in vanished into thin air. Xi Qingyue rose into the air once more, and in the blink of an eye, the two girls disappeared from sight.
Their yacht was far too unusual. It had attracted the attention of several people when the sisters took flight, but by the time those people turned back, the yacht had vanished without a trace. One by one, they rubbed their eyes in disbelief, convinced they must have imagined it.
By then, Xi Qingyue was already standing on a broad stone-paved road with Xi Weilan in her arms. Behind them stood rows of shops, while ahead, boats traveled back and forth along the river.
Shops lined both sides of the waterway, making the area extremely lively.
Many townspeople strolled along the riverbank, chatting and laughing. Some planned to take a boat home, while others had just disembarked and were heading to a restaurant for drinks. Young men and women walking together along the bank all wore bright smiles.
Xi Qingyue set Xi Weilan down, took her hand, and led her toward a food stall. Their first priority was to sample the local delicacies.
The two girls entered a clean and tidy establishment that was nearly full. When the waiter saw them come in, he did not sneer at them or make any disparaging remarks. Instead, he approached them courteously.
“Honored guests, this way, please!”
Smiling, he led Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan to an empty table inside. He did not look down on them simply because they were children. Their clothes and bearing made it obvious that they were young ladies from a wealthy family. Besides, the proprietor had repeatedly instructed the staff never to judge people by their appearance.
After sitting down, Xi Qingyue immediately said, “Bring us one of everything delicious you have.”
Xi Weilan added, “And be quick. We’re hungry.”
The waiter was stunned, and so were the other diners in the establishment. One after another, they turned to look over.
“Honored guests, do you mean everything? We have dozens of dishes. Won’t that be too much?”
Afraid that the girls were too young to understand, the waiter hurriedly offered a reminder.
Xi Qingyue calmly nodded. “Yes, everything. Hurry up and prepare it. If we can’t finish it all, we’ll take the rest with us.”
As she spoke, she placed a silver ingot on the table, making it clear that they could afford the meal.
The waiter asked no further questions and immediately went to have the dishes prepared. He also had some of the foods that were kept ready at all times—such as mint cakes and nut-filled honey cakes—brought over first.
Xi Weilan picked up a mint cake and stuffed it into her mouth. She nodded at Xi Qingyue. “Big Sis, this is delicious.”
Xi Qingyue reminded her with a smile, “Just try two pieces. You still have other things to eat later.”
Xi Weilan nodded as she picked up another honey cake, followed by osmanthus cake and fried little fish. She sampled a bit of everything.
She placed the foods she liked on one side and those that tasted ordinary on the other, then reported her verdicts to Xi Qingyue.
Xi Qingyue also picked up the treats on the table and sampled them. She even made a mental note of which ones were especially delicious so that she could buy more the next time they came by.
