The shabby thatched hut was open to the wind on all sides. The rickety table and chairs creaked with every tremble. A small oil lamp sat atop the table, its flickering flame dimmer than the moonlight outside. Before it, a bowl of plain porridge, a small dish of pickled radish, and a figure devouring the meal hungrily, surrounded by a group of stunned villagers.
"Miss Zhuo!" Wu Si glanced at the now-empty bowl once more, swallowed hard, and cautiously asked, "Would you like another?"
Setting down the bowl, Zhuo Qing replied coldly, "Call me Zhuo Qing. And I've had enough."
"Oh." Wu Si let out a long sigh of relief. She was finally full—though, so was the pot of porridge: emptied to the bottom. Wasn't a noble lady supposed to be dainty and refined, with exquisite tastes in food? Had they abducted the wrong person?
That doubt echoed silently through the villagers' hearts. Their eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, but even without looking up, Zhuo Qing knew what they were thinking. She hadn't eaten for three or four days—she had no interest in feigning delicacy.
No one dared voice their thoughts aloud. The cold aura this girl exuded, especially her gaze—sharp like arrows—left them all too afraid to meet her eyes.
Braver than most, Xiao Wuzi crept closer, not daring to come too near. He crouched beside her and flatteringly asked, "It's a good thing you dressed as a villager beforehand. Otherwise, they surely would've discovered you. But… how did you know the Xiangfu would send someone?"
Tugging at the coarse, oversized linen robe on her body, Zhuo Qing snapped irritably, "They didn't send soldiers—they sent servants. You ought to thank your luck for choosing the right person."
So, that Minister Lou was someone capable of discernment and compassion. Otherwise, had he dispatched soldiers to seize them all, would there be any need to fear someone might not confess?
Met with such sharp rebuke, Xiao Wuzi pouted but still edged closer and asked, "Then do you think Lord Lou will really come?"
A faint smile tugged at her lips. Zhuo Qing answered with poise, "He will come. Without a doubt."
That barely-there smile made Xiao Wuzi momentarily dazed. Looking at her now, she really was… quite beautiful.
Before Zhuo Qing's words had even faded, an excited male voice came shouting urgently from the village entrance.
"Brother Wu! Brother Wu!"
Liu Yu burst into the hut, drenched in sweat, breathless, face flushed crimson. He could barely speak.
Wu Si hurriedly patted his back to help him catch his breath and asked, "What has you so worked up?!"
Pointing outside, Liu Yu cried out, thrilled, "Lord… Lord Lou has arrived!"
Wu Si's eyes widened. Grabbing Liu Yu by the collar, he asked anxiously, "Really? Where?!"
Too excited to care he was being manhandled, Liu Yu exclaimed, "Really! Truly! He's right at the village entrance!"
After a brief silence, the hut erupted in joyous shouts.
"Lord Lou is really here!" Wu Si murmured in disbelief. Snapping back to his senses, he bellowed, "Quick, quickly, go welcome him!"
Just as he rushed to the door, a sudden thought struck him. He turned around and began rummaging frantically through the hut.
"The petition! Where's the petition?!"
Zhuo Qing sat calmly on the bench, eyes cool as she watched him flail like a headless chicken. With an exasperated sigh, she rolled her eyes, waved the document in her hand, and said tersely, "Here."
Snatching the paper and clutching it carefully, Wu Si beamed, "Zhuo Qing, come to the village entrance with us. Since Lord Lou has arrived, once we've stated our grievances, you can return with him."
"No," Zhuo Qing replied sharply.
"Why not?" Wu Si was puzzled. She belonged to the Minister's household—shouldn't she be glad to return?
Because she was Zhuo Qing. Not a gift, nor anyone's possession. Of course, she didn't need to explain that to them. Her gaze softened slightly as she responded, "What if I go with him and he refuses to seek justice for you? You go ahead. I'll remain here."
And once they were gone, she would find a way to slip away unnoticed.
"That won't do," Wu Si said, shaking his head. "You're a noblewoman. Being abducted was already too much suffering, yet you even wrote our petition and spoke up for us. We can't let you endure more. Go back with Lord Lou. I believe, now that he's here, he will stand up for the people."
She always looked so cold, yet her heart was genuinely kind. They mustn't ruin her name—after all, if a young lady were taken for even a few days, her reputation would be in shambles.
"Yes, Miss Zhuo, you should return."
"Don't let us delay you."
Voices full of rustic sincerity made Zhuo Qing's heart waver. If she left now, what would happen to these villagers?
She couldn't bear to see them implicated, nor did she want to be seen as someone's possession. Torn between the two, Zhuo Qing found herself at an impasse—especially now that the Chancellor was already at the village gates.
Left with no choice, she decided to act one step at a time.
Arms crossed over her chest, Zhuo Qing straightened and asked with gravitas, "Do you want justice for Lin Bokang or not?!"
"Of course we do!" came the unanimous response.
"Good." She lifted her chin slightly, her calm eyes sweeping across each face in the room. In a steady voice, she declared, "Then follow my lead. I will make Lord Lou pursue justice for you. But before the Lin Bokang case is resolved, none of you must reveal my identity. For now, I am simply a villager—your fellow villager, Zhuo Qing. Do you understand?"
Bewildered glances were exchanged, but under her cold, unwavering stare, no one could resist. In the end, they all nodded dumbly.
"We understand!"
"Let's go."
Zhuo Qing secretly let out a breath of relief. Grabbing a torn cloth hat from the wall, she pulled it down firmly over her towering hair bun, making sure it was completely hidden. Only then did she step out of the decrepit hut and join the villagers heading for the already bustling entrance to the village.
Hopefully, this Minister Lou wouldn't be too troublesome.
They hurried toward the village entrance. Zhuo Qing remained near the back—just close enough to see everything clearly, yet far enough to blend into the crowd.
Narrowing her eyes, she let out a silent whistle in her heart. She had expected a grand display—after all, it was the Chancellor making an appearance, and before a horde of rough villagers no less. Surely there'd be at least a hundred guards, or several dozen elite soldiers?
Instead, the scene before her was shockingly subdued.
Beneath the ancient banyan tree at the edge of the village stood two imposing men, facing hundreds of villagers. One had skin so dark he nearly melded with the night, his face stern and expressionless like a slab of eternal ice. The other was pale as snow, with deep blue eyes as mysterious as the sea, his beauty almost bewitching.
Despite their contrasting appearances, both radiated an intimidating presence.
Beside them, a handsome man in luxurious robes leaned lazily against the tree. His casual demeanor exuded a roguish charm, refined yet unruly.
But Zhuo Qing's gaze came to a halt upon the tall figure standing beneath the tree.
Bathed in moonlight, the man wore a deep violet robe embroidered subtly with gold-threaded waves. His hair was tied with a simple jade clasp, no formal headdress, yet nothing could detract from his noble elegance. His long, upturned eyes shimmered gently, a warm smile playing at the corners of his lips. Every movement was graceful, embodying the very image of a gentle, refined gentleman—an utter delight to behold.
And yet, something about him felt… strange.
Especially his eyes—deep, tranquil, as if they could see through everything. Within them was a glimmer of something else… what was it?
Zhuo Qing narrowed her gaze, trying to see more clearly, when the man suddenly turned and looked in her direction. Her heart skipped. She quickly lowered her head and tugged the hat further down to cover most of her face.
What a sharp gaze!
Lou Xiyan casually swept his eyes over the sea of dark heads before him. Nothing seemed amiss. Had that fleeting sense of being watched been his imagination? Or had the observer simply concealed themselves too well?
If it were the latter, then this trip would not be in vain.
His mood lifted. A warm smile spread across his lips as he took a step forward to meet the villagers, who were now rushing toward him, frantic and trembling in awe.