Chapter 5

Continuing to look down, Zhuo Qing's brows knit again, asking: "Then what do these dots mean?"

Liu Yu smiles and says: "It's that... it means the injustice is cleared." Father once taught this word, saying it's something only very learned people would use, but unfortunately, he didn't teach him how to write it.

Zhuo Qing's mouth stiffens. Does that mean these dots are snow? Creative! Too creative! She endures!

Continuing to look down, after a while, a net-like thing is drawn on the paper. "This lump?" According to his way of thinking, Zhuo Qing thinks for a while and says: "I know, it means a fishing net!"

"No." Liu Yu mutters: "It means a prison."

This is a prison?!

"I really..." Don't be angry, don't be angry. After taking several deep breaths, Zhuo Qing throws the petition back to Wu Si, and only then does she pop a few words out from between her teeth: "I admire you—to—the—ground—" Can this even be considered a petition?! She suddenly wants to see the expression on Prime Minister Lou's face when he sees this petition; it must be wonderful!

Hearing their question and answer, Xiao Wuzi slaps Liu Yu's head hard, scolding: "Dead Liu Yu! Brother Wu asked you to write a petition, so you were drawing ghost symbols!"

"Ouch, don't hit me." Protecting his head, Liu Yu also cries out aggrievedly: "I didn't know how to write in the first place, you forced me to write it!"

"Still talking back!" Seeing that the two are about to fight.

"Stop arguing!" With a loud shout, Wu Si squats on the ground decadently, his honest face full of disappointment. The petition in his hand is tightly gripped, all wrinkled. "Without a petition, how can we help the benefactor clear his grievances!"

It's all your fault! Xiao Wuzi glares at Liu Yu, squats down beside Wu Si, and carefully advises: "Brother Wu, why don't we kneel down when Prime Minister Lou comes? We don't know how to write, but we can still talk, right!"

"I'm just afraid that we, a group of rough people, won't be able to explain it clearly for a while. If Prime Minister Lou loses patience and leaves, what should we do?!" It's not like they haven't gone to the government to talk. Besides being driven away, they haven't even seen an official! If it weren't for this, why would they rob Prime Minister Lou's woman!

Pointing at Zhuo Qing, Xiao Wuzi says: "She knows how to read! Let her write!"

Zhuo Qing turns her head coldly. This group of people has enthusiasm but no brains; a petition is useless.

Zhuo Qing ignores them, but Wu Si suddenly stands up, walks to her, and kneels heavily in front of her. His face, which is only in his thirties but already full of wind and frost, is full of pleading: "Young lady, it was our fault to kidnap you, but we really had no choice but to do so. Please! Help us write a petition!"

Zhuo Qing is startled. Living in the 21st century, she is really not used to being knelt to. Standing up and taking a step back, Zhuo Qing's voice is still indifferent, but her heart is moved: "Regardless of the reason, forcibly kidnapping people is against the law. Even if Prime Minister Lou really comes, the grievances you mentioned may not necessarily be addressed, and it will only cause trouble for the village!"

Straightening his body, Wu Si looks indifferent and shouts loudly: "Kidnapping people was my idea, I will bear it alone. As long as Prime Minister Lou can come and overturn the case for the benefactor, even if it costs me, Wu Si, this lowly life, I am willing!" Anyway, his wife and children died in that epidemic, so whether he lives or dies is just him alone!

As soon as Wu Si finishes speaking, the originally quiet villagers follow suit and shout excitedly.

"No, kidnapping people was our idea!"

"It was my idea!"

"It's worth it to overturn the case for the benefactor, even if we die!"

"Right!"

The shouting is louder than the last, and every simple face has an expression of heroic sacrifice.

Zhuo Qing's head starts to hurt again!

"Shut up!" A cool female voice sounds coldly. The villagers immediately shut up, their eyes full of hope staring straight at her. Zhuo Qing drags Wu Si up by his sleeve and sighs helplessly: "If you want me to write a petition, you have to tell me the whole story."

Zhuo Qing admits that she is moved by these simple and sincere hearts. To repay kindness, they don't hesitate to rob people from the Prime Minister's mansion. What they hold in their hands are just simple shoulder poles and hoes. Thinking of them not even being able to hold a pen, lying on the table and hooking and drawing, thinking of that petition full of circles and crosses, Zhuo Qing cannot help but smile.

"The young lady agreed! Great!" The villagers cheer. Just at the entrance of Niu Family Village, a group of people rushes up, surrounding Zhuo Qing, talking all at once...

"The thing is like this..."

"The benefactor is a very good person..."

"I tell you, the government..."

The spacious study is divided into two by a green jade screen. On the left, a simple sandalwood desk and a few ink paintings highlight the owner's elegant and refined temperament; on the right, by the low table by the window, two handsome men sit opposite each other, their eyes focused on a point on the low table.

After a while, Prime Minister Lou's mouth curls up, and he smiles: "You lost."

Two, three, four, nine points small! He lost again! Pushing away the dice cup boringly, Qi Tianyu curses in a low voice: "Not playing anymore. If I keep losing, the Qi family will be lost to you!"

Prime Minister Lou smiles indifferently: "Young Master Qi is joking. The little things I won are just a drop in the bucket for the Qi family!"

It is a drop in the bucket, but he is not convinced. His family runs a casino, and since he was a child, gambling with dice has been his specialty. There is no reason why he loses every time he plays dice with Prime Minister Lou?! He must be cheating! Slandering inwardly, Qi Tianyu doesn't have the guts to search Prime Minister Lou's body.

Looking out the window, the moon is already high in the sky. Qi Tianyu teases: "It's already dark, why hasn't your little beauty arrived yet! Don't tell me you're hiding her so I can't see her?!" He came over at noon, but didn't see the beauty, and instead lost several thousand taels of silver.

Looking at his impatient appearance, Prime Minister Lou replies indifferently: "If you like, you can take her back to your mansion later." Although he is not like General Su, who disdains women, he also doesn't like indulging in sensual pleasures.

"Are you trying to kill me!" Qi Tianyu pretends to be scared and cries out: "The gift sent by the Emperor, who dares to rob it! Besides, you haven't even seen the little beauty. Maybe once you see her, you won't be able to let go. I heard that the second Qing sister is peerless, proficient in poetry and prose, with both talent and beauty..."

Qi Tianyu is talking happily when a low knock on the door comes.

"Come in."

The man who enters has dark skin, a firm face, as if carved by a knife, cold and expressionless. Qi Tianyu has indeed never seen this rock have any expression. Before he can speak, Qi Tianyu asks urgently: "Jing Sa, has the little beauty been picked up?"

Jing Sa has a cold face, hesitating to look at Prime Minister Lou.

Knowing Jing Sa's character well, Prime Minister Lou already understands that things have changed. With his face as usual, Prime Minister Lou smiles faintly: "Speak."

Jing Sa replies coldly: "Miss Qing's carriage was robbed at the foot of the capital."

"Robbed?!" Qi Tianyu is dumbfounded. Someone really dares to rob Prime Minister Lou's woman! Are they tired of living?!

"More than a hundred villagers rushed up, robbed Miss Qing, and threatened that the master must go to Niu Family Village himself to release her. The subordinate has sent people to investigate. Niu Family Village is a small village thirty miles away from the capital, where some poor people live. The whole village, old and young, is no more than two hundred people."

Qi Tianyu laughs excitedly: "A total of two hundred people, and more than a hundred of them went out to rob a woman with you?!"

"The guards sent reported that they have searched Niu Family Village thoroughly and did not find Miss Qing's whereabouts. They insist that if they don't see the master, they won't release her. Hearing that Miss Qingfeng was robbed this afternoon, I originally thought this was just a farce by the villagers and sent people to rob her back, but these villagers are not simple either, as if they knew our intentions long ago, hiding her very well, and their attitude is very tough."

Prime Minister Lou's eyes flash slightly, his lips curling up faintly, and he smiles: "So it seems I have to go and see for myself!"

Prime Minister Lou's expression...

Qi Tianyu gets goosebumps for no reason.

(End of chapter)