Kiyomi Tsuki and His Fox

Chapter 20

"Want more?"

"want."

Kiyomizuki's face contorted from the sourness of the fermented plums, yet she still insisted on eating them.

Cai Zhonghe burst into laughter at his adorable and greedy appearance.

Cai Bo'an glared at them angrily, but soon he deflated like a punctured balloon.

Lei Yongxiang helped Yang Xueli arrive. The couple appeared both happy and shy, yet also reserved and uneasy. They apologized and thanked Qing Jianyue repeatedly. Then, Yang Xueli went inside to see Zhou Yanhua, reminding her that she should have the courage to take responsibility for her mistakes and asking for forgiveness. Lei Yongxiang assured Cai Bo'an that he was willing to assume the position of the Third Lord, and Cai Bo'an's mood improved somewhat upon hearing this news.

Kiyomi Tsuki suddenly jumped up, "What was that sound?"

The people talking in the living room quieted down as the tolling of the golden bell came in waves, each one more urgent than the last.

"An outsider has trespassed on the ranch."

Lei Yongxiang raised a thick eyebrow and led them out of the living room. Soon, they reached the highest point of the manor. Looking down, under a star-studded night sky, a pure white steed, like a white cloud, rode the wind towards the manor, skillfully leaving any horses that tried to intercept it in the dust. Riding it was a woman in red, her red cloak billowing, exuding an imposing aura.

Kiyomi Tsuki exclaimed, "How impressive!"

In the blink of an eye, the woman in red rode into the manor. Her divine steed suddenly reared up and neighed. The woman in red, her face veiled in red and her forehead painted with daffodils, held a bow and arrow in her hands. Qing Jian Yue's heart skipped a beat. The bowstring twanged, and a white-feathered arrow shot through the air like lightning. Qing Jian Yue stared intently at the arrow, calculating the precise time in an instant. Just as the arrow was about to arrive, she suddenly turned to the side and raised her hand to firmly grasp the arrow.

The woman in red laughed loudly, gracefully riding her divine steed into the air. Zhou Jie watched with fervor, whistling to summon her beloved horse, and quickly gave chase.

"Jie'er, be careful!" Steward Zhou shouted.

The neighing of horses could be heard, and Zhou Jie had already spurred her horse forward like an arrow.

Qing Jianyue took a piece of cloth from the arrow and handed it to Cai Bo'an. Cai Bo'an opened the cloth to read it, and Lei Yongxiang and Cai Zhonghe also came over. The letter said that Tong Sen was disguised as a bandit and was hiding in the Black Pine Forest, which they would definitely pass through on their way back to the fort, intending to kill them all, including the women. After reading the letter, their faces turned black.

“Regardless of whether what’s said in this letter is true or false, we should be on guard,” Cai Bo’an said.

In Lei Yongxiang's study, Cai Bo'an, Cai Zhonghe, Lei Yongxiang, and Qing Jianyue held a secret meeting.

Cai Zhonghe sneered, "There's no doubt about it. I think this news couldn't be more true. Taking advantage of the Lady's return to White Stone Manor, the Lord of the Fortress suddenly launched an attack to seize control of the castle. The people most at risk are Liu Jianhua and Tong Sen. Now, my elder brother has been ordered by the Lord of the Fortress to invite Brother Yongxiang back to take over the position of the Third Lord. The threat this poses to Liu Jianhua and Tong Sen is self-evident. If he can kill us in the Black Pine Forest, he will not only eliminate a thorn in his side but also deal a heavy blow to the Lord of the Fortress."

“Zhonghe’s analysis is correct.” Lei Yongxiang leaned over and looked at the map spread out on the table. “The Black Pine Forest is a dangerous place, which is advantageous for both offense and defense. If we are caught off guard and have women and children with us, we will be in a mess and it will be difficult to escape if they suddenly attack us.”

Kiyomizuki took out a big, bright red apple from the bag, drew out her sharp wrist blade, and shared it with her beloved little fox, one piece at a time.

Cai Bo'an frowned. "What does Jian Yue think?"

"I think Brother Lei is already very confident." Qing Jianyue crunched on her apple.

Lei Yongxiang smiled slightly, "How about we go all out?"

Qing Jianyue nodded, swallowing the apple crumbs in her mouth. "We'll do whatever Brother Lei says. Let's take this opportunity to make a great contribution and go back home, so we can brag to the Lord."

Cai Zhonghe chuckled and snatched a piece of apple from Qing Jianyue's mouth.

Cai Bo'an asked, "How confident are you? Don't forget, Tong Sen's strength far surpasses ours."

"If you follow my plan, you can capture Tong Sen alive without lifting a finger," Lei Yongxiang said, pointing to the map with great enthusiasm.

Looking at him, Qing Jianyue saw no trace of despondency or self-abandonment on his face, which radiated determination and wisdom. Qing Jianyue and Cai Zhonghe exchanged thoughtful glances and couldn't help but smile. His pure and innocent smile was so joyful that Cai Zhonghe felt an indescribable happiness in his heart for a moment.

The carved door opened, and Zhou Jie returned.

Zhou Jie said, "I'm ashamed. I didn't catch up with that woman; she got away."

Lei Yongxiang said, "It's alright. If there's a first time, there will be a second. She will definitely reappear."

Cai Bo'an nodded.

Qingjian Yue stared intently at the scratches on Zhou Jie's left cheek. "Brother Zhou, were you scratched by a cat? I'm sure it wasn't my fox that scratched you."

The white fox suddenly appeared from nowhere and let out a loud cry.

Kiyomi Tsuki smiled and said, "I wasn't talking to you. Go play and catch a few more mice."

“That’s not right.” Cai Zhonghe asked suspiciously, “You didn’t have any injuries on your face before you chased that girl in red. Zhou Jie, tell me honestly, was it that girl who scratched you?”

Instantly, her blood rushed to her head, and Zhou Jie's face turned a deep, bright red, as if someone had applied two thick patches of rouge to it.

Lei Yongxiang and Cai Bo'an stared at Zhou Jie in surprise, while Cai Zhonghe and Qing Jianyue clicked their tongues in disapproval...

The dark and dense Black Forest appears eerie and frightening even during the day, and is even less frequented by pedestrians at night. However, it is the only way to and from Lujiabao.

Tong Sen lay in the grassy ditch, growing angrier the more he thought about it. Two days and two nights—damn it, all for waiting for that little bastard Qing Jianyue, he had to lower himself to hide in this dark, damp, godforsaken place. If he ever caught that brat, he'd tear him to pieces to vent his anger.

As the sun set and the stars shifted, the moon sank and the sun rose, dust billowed, and the thunderous sound of horses' hooves grew louder as the exhausted Tong Sen led his men out of their burrows like a pack of hungry wolves, eyeing their prey below. Just as the caravan was about to enter the Black Forest mountain path, it suddenly stopped.

Tong Sen's men, disguised as bandits, were itching to make their move, fearing they might lose the prize they were about to devour. Tong Sen raised a hand to stop them, his sharp, eagle-like eyes observing them.

A magnificent steed, as swift as a cloud, suddenly shot off like an arrow towards the rugged mountain path. The rider on horseback was agile, young, and handsome; it was none other than Kiyomi Tsuki, whom he had been waiting for for a long time.

Tong Sen gritted his teeth and said, "Qing Jianyue." His gaze shifted to the Cai brothers behind him, then swept over the carriages carrying women and those piled with valuables. Tong Sen smiled with satisfaction.

Kiyomi Tsuki returned from patrol, and the caravan continued its journey, slowly ascending the rugged Black Forest mountain path. Tong Sen held his breath, waiting for the perfect moment to attack, but unexpectedly, halfway through the caravan, the last carriage overturned, two chests burst open, and gold and silver, gleaming dazzlingly in the sunlight, rolled all over the mountain path.

A greedy green glint flashed in Tong Sen's eyes, and his men were also restless, their postures like hungry dogs trying to break free of their leashs. They anxiously awaited Tong Sen's orders, but a sudden doubt arose in Tong Sen's mind.

Why is Lei Yongxiang nowhere to be seen? It is reported that Lei Yongxiang has agreed to take over the position of the three lords.

Down the mountain, the guards of Lu Family Fort were frantically gathering valuables, stuffing them into their clothes and boots. Tong Sen's men stared wide-eyed, as if they were looking at a delicious piece of meat they couldn't get their hands on.

Chaos was breaking out, and Tong Sen knew it was time to give the order. These desperate men wouldn't work for him unless they were fed. So he raised his hand, but just as he was about to strike, a thought flashed through his mind. He tried to retract the order, but it was too late. With a roar, his men pounced on their prey like hungry wolves.