Chapter 982: Breaking Camp and Setting Out

Editor: Henyee Translations

Chu Qingzhi, filled with doubts, took some small green worms from her bag. “Come on, come eat. You’ve worked hard these past days.”

The three parrots fluttered over excitedly at the sight of the green worms; it had been a long time since they had tasted the green worms made by Qingzhi, and they missed them dearly.

Chu Qingzhi sat aside, watching the three parrots eat with a smile. She had not seen these little fellows for a long time and missed them too.

At that moment, a warmth spread up her arm as Chu Qingzhi lightly tapped the golden phoenix feather, and soon she heard Tang Jinghong’s voice, “Qingzhi, Shuang’er has returned.”

Chu Qingzhi responded, “I know, I am now in Shu City. Zhaoyong has been captured, and it came back to inform me.”

Tang Jinghong asked, “You know about Jiang Zhaoyong?”

“Just found out,” Chu Qingzhi said. “Jinghong, let Shuang’er rest for a couple more days before it flies again. It’s too tiring to fly back and forth.”

“I understand, don’t worry,” Tang Jinghong reassured her.

Chu Qingzhi continued, “Tonight, I plan to explore the eastern border King’s mansion at night to see what secrets this eastern border King’s mansion holds.”

“Then be careful,” Tang Jinghong warned. “The eastern border King’s mansion is heavily guarded and filled with many experts. If something seems amiss, escape immediately.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled, “Okay.”

After ending the communication, Chu Qingzhi left the inn to visit a clothing store to buy some clothes.

Just stepping out of the inn, she witnessed a cruel scene: a guard on horseback dragged a man behind him with a rope. The man continuously collided with tables, chairs, and rocks on the roadside, his head bloody and his body covered in blood.

People lined the streets to watch the spectacle, but no one spoke; the scene seemed to have shocked them into silence.

Chu Qingzhi, after ensuring it wasn’t Jiang Zhaoyong, breathed a sigh of relief and asked a bystander, “What’s happening? Why is he being punished like this?”

The passerby shrugged, “I don’t know. That guard is from the eastern border King’s mansion. They often do this.”

“They often do this?” Chu Qingzhi frowned. “Doesn’t the magistrate care?”

The passerby scoffed, “Care? How can they care? The magistrate and the eastern border King’s mansion are thick as thieves; they’re all in it together. Why would they bother with something that offends the eastern border King’s mansion?”

Chu Qingzhi watched, her brow furrowed at the chaos reminiscent of the previous troubles in the north.

Thinking quickly, she flicked her finger slightly, causing the horse to rear up suddenly. The rider was thrown off, landing heavily and ending the brutal punishment.

As the crowd dispersed, Chu Qingzhi headed to the clothing store.

At the entrance of the store, a young girl and a boy kneeled, pleading with the shop owner, “Please buy us, sir. We eat little and work hard. If you buy us, we’ll serve you well.”

The owner brought out two bowls of rice, sighing, “Business is hard enough. Why would I buy you? Eat this and leave.”

“Thank you, sir. Thank you,” the siblings said. Although the food was cold, it was a divine feast for the famished pair.

Chu Qingzhi watched from across the street as the siblings finished their meal. The sister suddenly patted her brother’s head as if she’d made a significant decision, “Let’s go somewhere else, brother.”

“Big sister, do you know where someone will buy us?” the boy asked hopefully.

The girl smoothed her messy hair and smiled gently, “I know. Let’s go.”

Chu Qingzhi felt something was amiss and followed them.

The siblings approached the entrance of Yichun House (a brothel). The sister looked up at the plaque with a sorrowful smile but spoke softly when she addressed her brother, “After I go in here, brother, I might never come out again. Take good care of our parents.”

The boy, illiterate and unaware of the nature of the place, asked, “Why can’t you come out?”

Before she could answer, a man supported by a woman walked out, the woman swaying seductively, “Sir, come again next time.”

The man waved, “Sure, I’ll be back to support you.”

Seeing this, the boy understood, “I don’t agree, big sister! Let’s try somewhere else; we don’t have to take this path.”

The girl shook her head and urged, “We have no other roads left, brother. Take this money and hurry to buy medicine, make sure to cure dad.”

The boy’s eyes reddened as he shook his head vehemently, “Big sister, no, I don’t agree.”

Chu Qingzhi leaned against a tree, arms crossed over her chest, observing the scene, “I am in need of servants; would you siblings like to serve me?”

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