Chapter 588: Qianqian Arrives
Chapter 588: Qianqian Arrives
Duan Mingyue laughed, "I wanted to see just how stupid you could be, and it's... exactly as I expected."
Duan Wenliang's face darkened.
On the journey, Cui Hu and Yu Zichuan took turns driving the carriage.
Meng Qianqian and Tan'er rested inside the carriage.
Tan'er could sleep anywhere.
Meng Qianqian drifted in and out of sleep, having several painful and blurry dreams.
"Mother."
Tan'er mumbled in her sleep.
Meng Qianqian touched her neck and found that she was sweating, so she pulled the blanket back a bit.
"Young Lady!"
Cui Hu suddenly called out, "We lost them!"
The carriage stopped at the market entrance, but there was no one inside.
Meng Qianqian said, "No matter. I've placed a Tracer Insect on Duan Wenliang."
Cui Hu stammered, "Ah, then why did we follow them so closely? They must have noticed us and slipped away."
Meng Qianqian curved her lips into a smile, "I wanted to test Duan Mingyue's attitude."
"Did you find anything?"
Cui Hu asked.
Meng Qianqian nodded, "He's very arrogant."
This was important.
Cui Hu: "Ah..."
"Tan'er, it's time to get out."
Meng Qianqian gently woke Tan'er.
Tan'er rubbed her eyes, "Are we there yet?"
Meng Qianqian smoothed out her clothes, "We're in town."
Tan'er sniffed and her eyes lit up, "Meat buns! They smell so good!"
Meng Qianqian bought meat buns for Tan'er and Cui Hu.
"He's not eating?"
Cui Hu, munching on a big meat bun, glanced at the little ice cube, Yu Zichuan.
Yu Zichuan: "No."
Cui Hu: "Why not?"
Yu Zichuan: "Chop up your fingers, mix them into the meat, and blend it with egg whites and green onions. That's how you make human meat buns."
Cui Hu: "..."
Tan'er leaned in, "Human meat buns are the best!"
Cui Hu: "...!!!"
Meng Qianqian bought a few steamed cakes for Yu Zichuan and herself.
Cui Hu, holding the buns wrapped in lotus leaves, walked quickly to Meng Qianqian's side, "Young Lady, have one. Don't listen to Yu Zichuan's nonsense. They're not human meat buns."
Meng Qianqian, of course, knew they weren't.
She just preferred steamed cakes.
"Have one, Young Lady."
Cui Hu looked at her with pleading eyes.
His gaze practically said, "I can't eat human meat buns alone."
Meng Qianqian was usually very easygoing about small things.
She took a bun.
The bun's skin was soft, and the first bite revealed a rich, oily filling.
At that moment, her stomach suddenly churned, and a wave of intense nausea rose to her throat.
She covered her mouth and pushed the bun back into Cui Hu's hands.
Cui Hu was struck like by lightning!
No way!
They really are human meat buns!!!
"Sister!"
Tan'er turned around and saw Meng Qianqian clutching her chest, looking distressed.
She forgot about her bun and threw it into Yu Zichuan's arms, then ran over to Meng Qianqian, "What's wrong?"
Her mouth was still oily from the bun, and her fingers were greasy.
Meng Qianqian, who had just managed to suppress the nausea, felt it surge again.
She couldn't hold it back any longer and turned to vomit.
"Sister!"
Tan'er was on the verge of tears.
She hadn't shed a single tear even when she was cut.
Cui Hu quickly handed her a water pouch, "Young Lady!"
Meng Qianqian rinsed her mouth, wiped the water from her lips with the back of her hand, and said, gasping for breath, "I must have gotten stuffy from sitting in the carriage for too long."
Yu Zichuan said, "Let's rest for the night."
Cui Hu looked at him oddly. "What, you're in charge now?"
Yu Zichuan replied solemnly, "He instructed us to."
Yu Zichuan was a man of few words, and Cui Hu's mind wasn't as sharp as Ji Feng's, so he often couldn't figure out what this kid was talking about.
But this time, he didn't miss it.
It was the young master's instructions.
Always prioritize the Young Lady's health.
All tasks come after her well-being.
He agreed with that.
Tan'er said, "Sister, I'm so tired, I can't walk anymore."
Meng Qianqian sighed and found an inn in town for them to stay the night.
The next day, they set out again.
She released the tracer insect.
The group followed the tracer insect onto an official road.
"Isn't this the way we came?"
Cui Hu asked, "Are they going back?"
Before he could finish, the tracer insect flew into a nearby village.
To avoid drawing attention, the group dressed as ordinary merchants.
Even so, as they passed through the village, they still attracted the gaze of many villagers.
"Yesterday, a bunch of city folks came, and today, another group."
"Is something big happening in the neighboring village?"
"Isn't your second cousin from the neighboring village? Why don't you ask?"
Meng Qianqian guessed that the first group of city folks the villagers were talking about was Duan Mingyue and his companions.
After passing through two villages and climbing over a hill, they wandered for most of the day.
Tan'er, holding her legs and panting, said, "How much farther... He's in a wheelchair, how can he walk so well?"
This reminded Meng Qianqian.
The terrain here was unsuitable for a carriage, and even with a skilled person carrying him, Duan Mingyue couldn't move too quickly without straining his body.
"We've gone too far."
Meng Qianqian narrowed her eyes.
Cui Hu was stunned. "What do you mean?"
Meng Qianqian frowned and looked around. "I mean, we've been tricked by Duan Mingyue."
She took out the bone flute she had stolen from the palace and placed it to her lips, but no sound came out.
Cui Hu curiously asked, "What are you playing? There's no sound."
Her tracer insect suddenly became agitated and flew quickly southeast.
Yu Zichuan instantly followed.
About a quarter of an hour later, he returned with an insect bottle.
Inside was the tracer insect Meng Qianqian had placed on Duan Wenliang.
Additionally, there was a note on the bottle.
Meng Qianqian opened the note, which read, "Farewell."
Cui Hu, after reading the note, was even more confused. "This was written by... that guy called Duan Mingyue? He... he... knew we were following him... and he's saying farewell?"
Meng Qianqian replied, "He knows I placed a tracer insect on Duan Wenliang."
Cui Hu scratched his head. "Knowing that, he still—"
This was also what puzzled Meng Qianqian.
If Duan Mingyue had allowed them to follow him to Lu Fengyin's fief, it could be seen as his arrogance.
He didn't care about them at all.
But the tracer insect was not a matter of arrogance.
"Is he playing us?"
Cui Hu asked.
"No, he led us here, but from now on, we have to find our own way."
Meng Qianqian didn't burn the note but put it in her pouch.
"Why would he do this?"
Cui Hu didn't understand.
Meng Qianqian didn't understand either.
She believed that with Duan Mingyue's arrogance, he would never intentionally lead them down a wrong path.
Duan Mingyue was not the type to mock them.
But why would he help them?
No, not them.
It was Tan'er.
Duan Mingqiu was helping Tan'er.
He brought them here out of consideration for Tan'er, but also for her safety, he could only bring them this far.
The "farewell" on the note was for her and Tan'er.
(End of Chapter)
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