Xi Qingyue was willing to let them look because they wouldn't be able to figure anything out, and selling them was out of the question.
Although Lu Qianning felt a little disappointed, she did not insist. She bid farewell to Xi Qingyue and the others, then mounted her horse and led her people away.
Before leaving, she tossed a book to Xi Qingyue and said, "These are some sword techniques. Once you learn them, teach them to Little Lan'er."
Xi Qingyue looked at the sword manual in her hands with excitement. It was filled with illustrations—various poses of sword dancing. All one had to do was practice following the pictures; no inner strength was required, and there was no risk of mishaps.
For her, using it alongside her special ability would yield even better results. As for Xi Weilan, she could start training with a short sword from a young age.
Xi Qingyue knew how to kill, but her fighting style changed on the fly, making it impossible to teach others. With this manual, that problem was solved.
"Big Sister, why did she give us this? You didn’t even sell her the hidden weapon she wanted?" Xi Weilan’s little face was full of confusion.
Xi Qingyue pinched her cheek and flashed a bright smile. "Of course, it’s because of you. You accidentally shot her leg with that arrow, and I gave her some medicine that helped her old injuries heal quickly. It was a bit coincidental, but she clearly took it to heart."
"Big Sister, then she should be thanking you. The gun was from you, and the medicine was from you. I didn’t do anything."
Hearing this, Xi Qingyue scooped her up, gave her a loud kiss on the cheek, and said, "Of course, the reason is that our Lan'er is sweet and pretty, loved by everyone. From now on, your Big Sister and I will practice swordsmanship for an hour every day. Come on, let’s head into the city too."
Xi Weilan giggled at the praise, her face full of joy.
The two sat on the mule cart, driving it slowly along the road. Ahead of them was a procession of refugees, packed tightly together as they trudged forward. All vehicles crept along at a snail’s pace.
Behind Xi Qingyue followed the middle-aged man and his group. He had bought a horse from a merchant caravan and was now sitting on it with a grim face, a little boy seated in front of him. The other women and children walked behind on foot.
The lead guard stared at Xi Qingyue’s mule cart with venomous eyes. He had already learned from others who had killed his eldest brother. Once they reached Liang City, where the second brother held power, he would make sure all these people went to the grave to accompany his brother.
By the time Xi Qingyue arrived at Liang City, Lu Qianning and her people had already entered long before.
Along the way, she quietly peeled away the bloodstains from the mule and the cart, layer by layer. By the time they reached the city gate, there was no trace left.
The entrance fee for Liang City was five coppers—much more expensive than Baiquan County. Between herself, Xi Weilan, and the mule, they had to pay fifteen coppers to enter.
The city was not as lively and bustling as she had imagined. Instead, it was cold and desolate. There were few vendors along the streets, and many shops had already closed. The sight caught Xi Qingyue off guard.
Seeing a pastry shop still open ahead, she drove the cart over and walked inside.
"Auntie, can I try your pastries before buying?" Xi Qingyue asked with a smile, eyeing the colorful array of sweets.
A middle-aged woman sat listlessly in the shop. Hearing a voice, she looked up and saw a child, assuming the girl was just hungry and trying to get free food.
But considering her pastries weren’t selling well anyway—few people in the city bought them, and the refugees coming in from outside wouldn’t either—she waved dismissively at Xi Qingyue. "Go ahead, try some."
Xi Qingyue picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and took a bite. The moment it touched her tongue, she nodded in satisfaction. It was soft, flaky, and carried the sweet fragrance of osmanthus.
She smiled at the woman. "Auntie, I’ll take all the pastries in your shop. Please wrap them up."
With that, she placed a piece of silver on the counter.
The woman was startled at first, then overjoyed. "Alright, alright! I’ll wrap them up right away."
Xi Qingyue nodded slightly, then turned and waved to Xi Weilan outside. "Lan'er, come inside and grab the things."
Xi Weilan jumped off the cart and ran happily into the shop. Xi Qingyue picked up a piece of pastry and stuffed it into her mouth. "Have a little snack first. Later, we’ll get something good to eat."
After that, she asked the woman about the situation in the city. "By the way, Auntie, why are there so few people here? I saw many shops closed when I entered. Did something happen?"
Hearing this, the woman realized they weren’t locals. Seeing that they were just two children without any adults, she quickly advised them, "Little girl, after you finish buying your things, head back to your family and leave as soon as possible. Children go missing in this city all the time, and it’s been happening even more lately. Families with kids have already moved away. My son just got married and doesn’t have children yet, so that’s why we haven’t left."
Xi Qingyue frowned. "Doesn’t the government do anything about it? With so many children lost, haven’t they found any clues?"
"Alas, no. Not a trace. Everyone’s saying there’s a man-eating monster in the city. At first, people thought if they just kept an eye on their kids, they’d be fine. But later, they realized no matter how careful they were, children still went missing. After a while, everyone lost hope and started leaving Liang City one by one."
The woman spoke with helplessness. With so many people gone, fewer customers bought her pastries, making it hard to get by. On top of that, who knew when the forces from Beiyue would invade?
But thinking about leaving meant becoming refugees like those on the road, facing unexpected dangers at any moment. That fear had kept them from making up their minds—until now.
She silently packed the pastries and handed them to Xi Qingyue and her sister, again urging them to leave soon.
"Thank you, Auntie! Don’t worry, we’ll be fine." Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan smiled and waved goodbye.
Once they were out of sight of the pastry shop, Xi Qingyue’s expression darkened. It seemed this was a city that devoured people without mercy.
"Big Sister, are we leaving the city?" Xi Weilan tilted her head and looked at her.
Xi Qingyue nodded. "Yes, let’s leave. If that many children have gone missing, the city officials are definitely involved. We’ll go outside the city and find some empty place to rest. If trouble comes out there, it’ll be easier to handle. If we’re surrounded by soldiers inside the city, killing them would make us wanted fugitives."
The two immediately drove the cart toward the city gate. They remembered how the soldiers in Baiquan County had gone out of town to rob people for just a little silver. Liang City was likely even crueler.
Staying in a place controlled by others was worse than leaving. A wise man doesn’t stand beneath a crumbling wall.
It was already getting dark. Few people were leaving the city at this hour—only those who couldn’t afford an inn and chose to camp not far from the city walls, which was safer than the wilderness.
When Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan got out of the city and saw that the road was empty, they picked up speed. They only stopped when they reached a fork in the path.
"Let’s take the small trail. There won’t be anyone there. When we stop, we can pack up and put everything in the space for a good rest."
"Okay, whatever Big Sister says." Xi Weilan nodded obediently.
The trail was narrow, and the mule cart slowly rolled onto it.
For them, the more desolate the wilderness, the more convenient it was—whether for resting or for killing.
Meanwhile, the guard beside the middle-aged man found an excuse to slip away, and before long, he appeared at the county government office.
He strode in openly through the main gate of the office, and the gatekeepers even greeted him respectfully, calling out, "Third Master!"
He walked straight to the study of the county magistrate of Liangcheng, meeting no obstruction along the way.
Pushing open the study door, what met his eyes was a face composed and steady, refined yet dignified.
As soon as he saw the elegant man, he could no longer hold himself back. "Second Brother, Big Brother has been killed. You must avenge him."
