Chapter 6

A dilapidated thatched cottage, drafty on all sides, the wobbling table and chairs occasionally making squeaking sounds. A small oil lamp is placed on the table, its swaying small flame not as bright as the moonlight. A bowl of white porridge, a small dish of pickled radishes, a wolfing figure, and a group of dumbfounded villagers.

"Miss Zhuo!" Wu Si glances at the empty bowl again, swallows his saliva, and asks carefully: "Would you like another bowl?"

Putting down the bowl, Zhuo Qing replies coldly: "Call me Zhuo Qing, and I'm full."

"Oh." Wu Si lets out a long sigh of relief. She is finally full, but the pot of porridge is also empty! Isn't it said that young ladies of noble families are delicate and eat elegantly? They couldn't have really robbed the wrong person, could they? This is also the voice of the whole village!

Her eyes are about to pop out. Zhuo Qing knows what they are thinking without looking. She hasn't eaten for three or four days, so she has no interest in pretending to be reserved.

The villagers only dare to mutter in their hearts, but no one dares to speak. This young lady is full of coldness, especially her eyes, which prick people like arrows. They don't dare to stare at her anymore.

Xiao Wuzi, who is not afraid of death, leans over, but doesn't dare to get too close, squatting on the side and asking flatteringly: "It's good that you dressed up as a villager early, otherwise you would definitely have been discovered. But how did you know the Prime Minister's mansion would send someone?"

Pulling the wide, coarse cloth hemp clothes on her body, Zhuo Qing scolds unhappily: "They sent servants, not government soldiers. You should be thankful for your luck and that you chose the right person." It seems that this Prime Minister Lou is a person who distinguishes right from wrong and cares for the people. Otherwise, if he sent soldiers to arrest them all, he would be afraid that no one would confess?!

Getting a cold shoulder, Xiao Wuzi curls his lips, but still wants to lean over and ask: "Then do you think Prime Minister Lou will really come?"

Curling up a faint smile, Zhuo Qing replies calmly: "He will definitely come."

For that faint curl of her mouth, which can hardly be called a smile, Xiao Wuzi is a little dazed. After looking for a long time, she seems really quite good-looking!

Before Zhuo Qing finishes speaking, another urgent and excited male voice shouts from the entrance of the village: "Brother Wu! Brother Wu!"

After finally rushing into the room, Liu Yu is sweating profusely, panting, his face flushed dark red, unable to speak. Wu Si hurriedly pats his back to help him breathe, asking: "What's the matter that makes you so anxious?!"

Pointing outside, Liu Yu shouts excitedly: "Prime... Prime Minister Lou is here!"

Wu Si widens his eyes, grabs Liu Yu's collar, and asks urgently: "Really? Where?"

The excited Liu Yu doesn't care that his collar is being held, shouting: "Really, really, right at the entrance of the village."

After a period of silence, joyful shouts erupt in the small house.

"Prime Minister Lou really came!" Wu Si mutters in disbelief. Coming back to his senses, he immediately greets loudly: "Quick, quick, quick, go out to welcome him!" Rushing to the door, Wu Si suddenly remembers something and rushes into the room to rummage around, shouting anxiously: "Petition! Where is the petition?"

Zhuo Qing sits steadily on the long bench, watching him run around like a headless fly with cold eyes. Unable to bear it, she rolls her eyes, shakes the petition in her hand, and says impatiently: "Here."

Rushing over to hold the petition carefully in his hand, Wu Si smiles happily: "Zhuo Qing, go to the entrance of the village with us. Prime Minister Lou is here, so after we tell our grievances, you can go back with him."

"No!" Zhuo Qing shouts urgently.

"Why?" Wu Si is puzzled. She was originally Prime Minister Lou's person, so why is she unwilling to go back now.

Because she is Zhuo Qing, she is not a gift, let alone someone's appendage! Of course, she doesn't need to explain this to them. Zhuo Qing's eyes turn, and she replies gently: "If I go back with him, what if he doesn't redress your grievances?! You go, I'll stay here." After they all leave, she will sneak away!

"That won't do." Wu Si shakes his head hurriedly: "You are a young lady of a noble family. It was already our fault to kidnap you, and you still helped us write a petition, thinking about helping us redress our grievances. We can't wrong you anymore. You go back with Prime Minister Lou. I believe that since Prime Minister Lou is here, he will definitely be the master for the people!"

This young lady is cold all day, but she has a kind heart. She can't be delayed. If a young lady is kidnapped for a few days, her reputation will be ruined!

"Right! Miss Zhuo, you go back."

"Yes! Don't be delayed by us."

The simple and honest comfort makes Zhuo Qing feel guilty. If she leaves, what will happen to these villagers?

Unable to bear to let the villagers be implicated, and unwilling to be treated as a gift, Zhuo Qing is in a dilemma. Besides, the Prime Minister has already arrived at the entrance of the village. Having no choice, Zhuo Qing can only take one step at a time.

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Zhuo Qing looks serious and deliberately asks: "Do you really want to redress the grievances for Lin Bokang!?"

"Of course!" Needless to say!

Very good! Raising her head slightly, her calm gaze slowly sweeps over everyone in the room, and Zhuo Qing says firmly: "If you want to, listen to me! I naturally have a way to make Prime Minister Lou have to redress your grievances. I will go with you later. Before Lin Bokang's case is closed, you must never let Prime Minister Lou know my identity. Now I am a villager in your village, named Zhuo Qing. Do you remember?!"

The villagers look at each other. Most of them still don't understand, but every time they face those calm and icy eyes, they inexplicably cannot resist, and finally can only nod foolishly and reply: "Remembered!"

"Let's go." Secretly letting out a sigh of relief, Zhuo Qing grabs a broken cloth hat hanging on the wall and puts it on her head. Making sure the high bun is covered tightly, Zhuo Qing walks out of the broken house, following the villagers to the entrance of the village where many people have already gathered.

I hope that Prime Minister Lou won't be too difficult to deal with!

The group rushes to the entrance of the village. Zhuo Qing doesn't walk too far ahead, her position just right, being able to see the situation ahead and being submerged in the crowd.

Squinting, Zhuo Qing cannot help but whistle secretly in her heart. Originally, she thought that at least it was the Prime Minister leaving the mansion, and they were meeting a group of reckless villagers, so the lineup must be quite large. Even if they didn't bring hundreds of guards, they should have brought dozens of elite soldiers! Who would have thought it would be like this—

Under the big banyan tree at the entrance of the village, facing hundreds of villagers, are two sturdy men. One has dark skin, almost blending into the moonlight, his face full of frost like a ten-thousand-year-old glacier; the other has skin as white as snow, with blue pupils like the deep sea, his charming eyes seductive. But they have the same sharp gaze and imposing manner. Under the night, these two, one black and one white, stand side by side, inexplicably a bit creepy.

Beside them, a man in gorgeous clothes leans lazily against the banyan tree, looking handsome, his movements unrestrained, quite a bit of a refined rogue temperament.

Zhuo Qing's wandering gaze cannot move away after seeing the man standing tall under the tree!

Under the moonlight, the man wears a dark purple long gown, with a few simple golden silk water wave patterns embroidered on the collar. His hair is simply tied with a jade buckle, without a hair crown. Even so, it does not damage his elegance and nobility. His long, narrow eyes are slightly raised, paired with a warm smile at the corners of his mouth. Every move is elegant. He is indeed a gentle gentleman like jade, described in four words: pleasing to the eye. But Zhuo Qing always feels something is strange, especially his eyes, deep and quiet, as if he can see through everything, faintly revealing a little...

A little what? Zhuo Qing squints, wanting to see more clearly. The man suddenly turns his gaze and looks in her direction. Zhuo Qing is startled, hurriedly lowering her head, pulling the broken hat down a bit to block most of her face, and finally letting out a sigh of relief. What a sharp person!

Prime Minister Lou sweeps across the black crowd seemingly casually, without finding anything unusual. Could it be that the feeling of being peeped at just now was his illusion, or that the person hid too well?! If so, he didn't make this trip in vain.

In a good mood, raising a warm smile, Prime Minister Lou takes a step forward to meet the villagers who ran over in a hurry and are now staring at him in panic and at a loss.

Prime Minister Lou walks in slowly, and the villagers react, hurriedly kneeling and bowing: "Greetings to the Prime Minister!" Zhuo Qing doesn't have the habit of kneeling, so she has to half-squat down.

"All rise." Prime Minister Lou raises his hand slightly, smiling and asking: "You invited me here, is there anything?"

Invited? Zhuo Qing raises her eyebrows slightly. Can this be considered an invitation? What a great style! The clear and pleasant voice, slightly low, matches his feeling very well. Pulling the hat again, Zhuo Qing cannot help but raise her head again, looking at the man smiling like a spring breeze ahead.

The Prime Minister is indeed as gentle and elegant as the legend says, loving the people like his own children! The villagers are greatly encouraged and shout in unison: "Prime Minister, please redress our grievances!"

(End of chapter)