Xiao Zhu was already panicked when she heard them talk about the bandit leader. Now that she was being asked to call for help, she asked dumbly, "Call for...who?"
"Summon the guards in the manor, report to the authorities, and summon whoever you encounter first, and tell them to come quickly!"
"Yes, yes, hurry up and find someone." Su Qing chimed in, indignantly: "I never thought that bandit and that spoiled young lady were in cahoots. I really helped her for nothing back then."
“They’re not in cahoots,” Ju Mu’er said anxiously. “If they were accomplices, given the Ding family’s power and influence, they certainly wouldn’t be unable to settle a man. Why would they let him parade around on the street and even drive Miss Ding’s carriage? He’s a wanted criminal. If he’s recognized, isn’t he just asking for trouble?”
"That……"
"We can't do it on our own. They're in a carriage, and we can't catch up. We need to find help quickly. Miss Ding is in danger."
"I, I, I'll go right away," Xiao Zhu said hurriedly. "Madam, please wait for me. I'll be right back."
Xiao Zhu ran away. Ju Mu'er stood there silently, clutching her bamboo cane. Su Qing looked around; there were many pedestrians on the street, and in full view of everyone, the bandit leader was truly audacious, daring to kidnap people in the street. She recalled the evil deeds of those bandits when she was robbed, and the deaths of the two village girls; she was immediately filled with shock and disgust, and goosebumps rose all over her body.
"That spoiled young lady is too stupid. Doesn't she recognize her own coachman? If she did, she would have shouted a few times. With so many people on the street, how could that bandit have kidnapped her so easily?" Su Qing stamped her foot, worried for Ding Yanshan.
"She was locked in a room with us when she was abducted to the mountain, so she didn't have much chance to see the bandit. She was angry just now, so she probably wasn't paying attention. The Ding family has many servants, so it's easy to find a pretext and make up an excuse to get away with it. Besides, people are easily deceived by appearances. You and I were the ones who were taken up the mountain by the bandit, so we should have been the easiest to recognize him. But he shaved his beard and changed his appearance, so you didn't recognize him at first glance, did you? It's just that we discovered it too late."
"It's not too late, it's not too late. When the officials arrive, they will immediately seal off the city and search it. They will surely be able to rescue Miss Ding."
Ju Mu'er thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Qing'er, that bandit must have switched the coachman while Miss Ding was at the restaurant. Can you look around for a place where someone can hide?"
Before she could finish speaking, she heard a scream from the back alley of the restaurant, followed by a cacophony of shouts: "Someone's dead! Someone's dead! Report it to the authorities!"
Ju Mu'er's face turned pale instantly. Su Qing ran over there and rushed back a moment later: "Sister, the dead man was a young man. Judging from his attire, he was definitely a servant of a wealthy family."
Ju Mu'er asked anxiously, "Qing'er, the journey from here to the Ding residence isn't far, is it?"
“Yes.” Su Qing quickly ran through the streets of the city in her mind: “The Ding residence is less than five streets away.”
"In broad daylight, when the streets were bustling, the bandit didn't dare to openly use force to abduct people for fear of attracting attention and summoning the authorities. He was like a stray dog, forced to hide. Miss Ding assumed he was a servant and, without suspicion, naturally wouldn't call for help. But if he had driven the carriage away from home and Miss Ding had sensed something was wrong, that would have been a different story."
"So the bandit managed to subdue Miss Ding before she realized his identity?" Su Qing asked.
Ju Mu'er nodded and then asked, "Are there any secluded and inconspicuous places along the way from here to the Ding residence?"
"They're all main streets... Ah, there's a lane called Shuizi Lane that connects to Ding'an Road. I don't know when it got blocked off, it's become a dead end. The houses inside are dilapidated and deserted. I heard it's been haunted, so people on the main road usually don't turn there."
"Qing'er, go to the restaurant and shout that you saw a suspicious person heading towards Ding'an Road."
Su Qing agreed and quickly ran off to deliver the message. She returned a moment later and said, "Those people are all talk and no action. They're all waiting for the officials. I don't know if anyone has gone to report it yet. It seems no one is planning to go and investigate Ding'an Road."
"Ignore them, just pass on the message. Let's go first."
“Okay.” Su Qing didn’t try to dissuade her at all, and took Ju Mu’er’s hand to lead the way. As they walked, Ju Mu’er said, “My guess might not be accurate, so let’s go and see first. If that bandit has other helpers and isn’t afraid to make a scene, then he won’t go to the Ding residence or stop in Shuizi Lane.”
“I understand.” Su Qing led Ju Mu’er along the way and replied, “Sister saw that he was disguised as a coachman and deduced from this that he would not dare to act openly, so it is very likely that he would find a secluded street to strike. Sister, don’t worry, I can’t guarantee anything else, but I know this road best. If he guesses as you guessed, the easiest place to strike is Shuizi Alley.”
The two hurried along and soon arrived at their destination. Ding'an Road was not as bustling as other streets, but there were still pedestrians, scattered shops, and stalls, so the street was not deserted.
Su Qing looked around cautiously but found nothing unusual. She settled Ju Mu'er at a tea stall, asking the elderly woman running the stall to look after her. Then she said goodbye to Ju Mu'er and told her she would go explore the alley first.
Su Qing went and quickly ran back, saying, "Sister, there is indeed a carriage parked in the alley. It looks like the one that took Miss Ding away. I'll go check it out again and come back in a bit."
Without waiting for Ju Mu'er's reply, Su Qing had already run towards Shuizi Lane.
The alley was quite deep, and although it was right next to the main street, it was quiet and eerie, exuding an indescribable sense of unease. Su Qing rubbed her arms, thinking to herself, "No wonder no one comes here."
The carriage stopped in the middle of the alley, and no one was around. After carefully observing the surroundings, Su Qing stealthily approached. The carriage was quiet. Su Qing circled around, wondering whether she should get closer to peek inside. Just then, she heard a dripping sound. A chill ran down her spine, but she couldn't resist looking down.
Bright red blood was dripping from the carriage.
Su Qing abruptly covered her mouth, swallowing back her scream. She took a few deep breaths, then decided to check the situation inside the car. She cautiously approached and peered through the crack in the door. Even though she was mentally prepared, she was still startled by what she saw inside. Lying there was Ding Yanshan's maid, Xiaoyu, covered in blood.
Su Qing's legs went weak, and she covered her mouth tightly with her hand, leaning against the wall. She steadied herself and was about to run out to tell Ju Mu'er when she heard a faint, terrified scream coming from the alley. Su Qing's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively crept over.
It was a small, dilapidated courtyard at the back of the alley. The gate was loosely latched and tattered, allowing a clear view inside. Su Qing approached and could hear the sounds coming from inside clearly. It was indeed Ding Yanshan's voice. She didn't call out twice before it seemed someone covered her mouth.
Su Qing heard the bandit leader cursing in a low voice, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Then she heard the sound of clothes being torn and Ding Yanshan's whimpering struggles. Su Qing looked inside and was instantly filled with rage and anger.
That bastard is bullying the girl again!
Su Qing suddenly pulled out a dagger from her waist for self-defense, which she had pestered Li Ke to buy for her after she started learning martial arts. Of course, she had also obtained it in exchange for "taking care of her master in his old age."
With the dagger in hand, Su Qing kicked open the broken gate to the courtyard and, with a shout, stabbed at the bandit.
The bandit was startled and turned sharply to dodge. Su Qing grabbed Ding Yanshan and tried to run away. The bandit came to his senses and reached out to grab Su Qing.
Su Qing got into position and quickly performed a couple of moves. Taking advantage of this moment, Ding Yanshan started screaming for help at the top of her lungs.
The bandit was initially surprised by Su Qing's martial arts skills, but quickly realized that she was just a show-off. He knocked Su Qing to the ground with a single blow, and seeing her lying there, he pulled out a dagger from his boot, intending to finish her off, when Ding Yanshan ran out the door shouting loudly.
But the bandit was a martial artist and faster than Ding Yanshan. Before Ding Yanshan could run two steps, he grabbed her and slammed her against the wall. A bloodstained dagger was pointed at her throat: "If you dare to make another sound, I'll stab you to death. I won't care whether you live or die. With your corpse, I can still settle accounts with your Ding family."
Ding Yanshan was both shocked and terrified, her eyes fixed on the bloodstains on the dagger—the blood of her maid, Xiaoyu. She had witnessed the bandit stab Xiaoyu to death, and her fate might be the same, or even worse.
Ding Yanshan pleaded in a trembling voice, "Don't kill me, don't kill me..."
"Behave yourself and don't cause me any trouble!" the bandit growled menacingly. "Otherwise, I'll chop off your fingers one by one, just to appease my nine dead brothers. Then I'll cut off your bald hands, send them to your family, and then..."
"Thump." A loud noise.
The bandit was spouting his harsh words when suddenly his eyes widened and he froze.
Ding Yanshan was both surprised and suspicious, but then she saw a bamboo cane lash out repeatedly at the bandit's head. The man froze for a moment before finally collapsing to the ground.
As soon as the bandit fell to the ground, Ding Yanshan saw Ju Mu'er.
Her face was ashen, her teeth clenched, and she was swinging her bamboo cane with all her might. Before, it was the bandit who was speaking, and she had been striking his head according to his voice. Now that he had fallen, she couldn't see clearly, so she continued to strike him instinctively.
Ding Yanshan pressed herself against the wall, terrified that the unlucky bamboo cane would strike her. She slowly moved to the side, trying to get away from its range. Just then, Su Qing rushed out and, seeing the situation, shouted, "Sister, let me handle this!"
Ju Mu'er stopped when she heard her voice. Su Qing rushed over and kicked the thug twice, and he fell to the ground, motionless. Upon closer inspection, Su Qing saw that his head was smashed open, and he had already passed out.
Ju Mu'er was still in shock. She had been waiting for Su Qing for a long time and was afraid that something had happened to her. She hadn't received any help, so she couldn't help but go to the alley entrance to listen for any noise. Unexpectedly, she heard the bandit threatening to kill Ding Yanshan. In a moment of panic, she attacked without thinking.
The three women looked at each other at the end of the alley, wondering what to do. Just then, they heard the sound of horses' hooves, and Li Ke and two other guards arrived.
The three men were shocked to see the three women surrounding a burly man covered in blood. This was a far cry from the perilous and desperate situation they had imagined, one that required immediate rescue.
As soon as Su Qing saw Li Ke arrive, she rushed over and shouted, "Master, Master, the villain is here. We've captured him!"
Li Ke gave her a disapproving look and asked, "Is there anyone else?" Su Qing and Ding Yanshan both shook their heads, saying they hadn't seen anyone else. Two guards went over and tied the bandit up tightly. Taking advantage of this moment, Su Qing vividly recounted what had happened.
Ding Yanshan listened and glanced at Ju Mu'er.
Ju Mu'er bit her lip, staring blankly at the broken bamboo cane, lost in thought.
Li Ke quickly took control of the situation. He ordered one guard to escort Ding Yanshan back to the Ding residence, and another to stay and watch over the bandits, the carriage, and the corpse on the carriage. He himself was to escort Ju Mu'er and Su Qing back to the Long residence.
“But is it okay to leave only one person to watch over this villain? What if he has accomplices? He’s a wanted criminal.” Su Qing felt it was inappropriate.
"I've already reported to the authorities, and the officers will be here shortly. The other guards from the manor will be here soon too." As soon as Li Ke finished speaking, three men dressed as constables arrived.
Upon seeing this, Li Ke hurried forward to greet them. The three constables were very polite, saying they had come immediately after receiving the report. Li Ke briefly explained what had happened. The constables looked at Ding Yanshan and Ju Mu'er, nodded, and said they would take the criminal away first, and after the young ladies had rested and calmed down, they would go to the government office to discuss the case with the prefect.
Li Ke and his guards agreed. They helped the constable tie the bandit to the horse, and then the three constables, two escorting the prisoner and one driving the evidence carriage, took Xiao Yu's body and headed towards the government office.
With this matter resolved, Li Ke breathed a sigh of relief. He followed the original plan, having one guard escort Ding Yanshan back to her residence, while he himself escorted Ju Mu'er and Su Qing. The remaining guard was freed up to further investigate the restaurant, searching for the bandit's hiding place and whether he had any other accomplices.
Everyone went about their tasks and soon dispersed.
Before leaving, Ding Yanshan glanced at Ju Mu'er, hesitating to speak. Ju Mu'er, however, kept her eyes closed, secretly vexed, thinking that she would be scolded when she got home.
Things turned out exactly as Ju Mu'er had predicted.
When Ju Mu'er returned to the manor, Long Er was in a great hurry to leave. Hearing that Ju Mu'er had entered the house, he quickly threw down the reins and rushed to the gate.
Su Qing was still telling Li Ke that her style was impressive enough to impress people, but she lacked strength and quick reflexes. She was listing the names of kung fu styles she wanted to learn when she glanced up and saw the dark-faced Master Long. She immediately fell silent.
Long Er came over with a sullen face. He didn't respond when the people bowed and called him Second Master. He just stared at Ju Mu'er's cracked and rotten bamboo cane.
Li Ke quickly stepped forward and whispered what had happened. The more Long Er listened, the uglier his face became, while Ju Mu'er lowered her head further and further, looking like a timid wife.
After Li Ke finished speaking, Long Er glared at Ju Mu'er and said fiercely, "Come with me."
The two entered the house one after the other. Before Ju Mu'er could even sit down, Long Er started scolding her. "You're all set now, standing in a horse stance for a few days and you think you're a female knight-errant. You can stalk, you can fight! What's next? Pack your bags and go off to be a chivalrous heroine?"
Ju Mu'er bit her lip and asked cautiously, "Then, husband, are you going too?"
Long Er was so angry that smoke was practically billowing from his head. He roared, "Ju Mu'er!"
"I'm here, my husband."
"I'm giving a speech!"
"I am listening attentively to the instructions, but if my husband doesn't go, I won't go either. I will be wherever my husband is." Ju Mu'er's expression was serious.
"Ju Mu'er!" Long Er shouted again. Was this woman deliberately teasing him, as if she thought he wasn't angry enough?
"My lord, please call me Longju Shi." Her attitude was truly humble.
With a "snap," the taut string of anger in Long Er's mind snapped. He slumped into a chair, unable to utter a single curse word.
He pointed at Ju Mu'er, opened his mouth, then closed it again.
That damned Longju clan woman!
No matter how furious he became, she always remained perfectly justified and completely ignored him. It's a shame he praised her to the Emperor today as "obedient and amusing"; she must be "clever and infuriating."
Stalking and fighting aren't her strongest skills. Her greatest strength is infuriating him!
Author's Note: The writer is still working on editing, so I can't guarantee daily updates. But I'll update at least every two days, and I'll try my best to write more in each chapter to make up for it.
58☆, A playful banter unexpectedly leads to a surprise.
Long Er remained silent for a long time. Ju Mu'er slowly reached out and softly called out, "Husband."
Long Er did not respond.
Ju Mu'er called out again, "Husband."
Long Er glared at her, annoyed. She stood right next to him, her face scrunched up, her hands groping wildly in the air. But after groping for a long time, she still couldn't touch him.
Long Er was furious. Was she doing this on purpose? He hadn't run away or left; he was just sitting there. How could she not know where he was?
"Husband," Ju Mu'er called for the third time. She was still touching him.
Long Er tapped the armrest of the chair impatiently with his finger and said irritably, "You're not the smartest one. You can hit people even if you can't see. I'm sitting here and you still can't find me? If you keep pretending to be stupid, I'm going to get angry."
Upon hearing his voice, Ju Mu'er wore an exaggerated "So this is where you are" expression on her face. Then, she accurately placed her hand on Long Er's shoulder and began to massage it in a flattering manner.
"What are you saying, my lord? I have offended you. If you do not allow it, I would not dare to get close to you without permission."
"You know you've upset me, so why don't you behave yourself?"
Ju Mu'er didn't speak, but instead earnestly massaged his shoulders in a flattering manner.