Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 964 - 962_1

Chapter 964: Chapter 962_1

Xiao’er recounted the same cover story she used last night when the soldiers were searching.

Gong Qinghua heard the voice. He halted his steps and turned his head to take a look.

What he saw was a middle-aged woman with dark skin, yellow, brittle hair, and a face full of wrinkles, nervously looking at the soldiers with a worried expression as if scared they might not let her leave the city.

Gong Qinghua’s gaze fell on her hands. They were yellow and old, like tree bark, nervously tugging at her clothes. Gong Qinghua knew this was the kind of reaction people who were afraid and nervous would subconsciously make when facing intimidation or pressure.

With Gong Qinghua’s keen sight, he even noticed that the woman’s fingernails were black.

Disgusted, he averted his gaze and walked away.

He had turned to look because the woman’s voice seemed purposely disguised, which drew his attention.

But no matter how carefully one disguised oneself, one’s skin, particularly on the hands and neck, could not be changed. The loose, wrinkled skin of the woman was nothing like the person he held in his heart, a person whose skin was crystal-clear, smooth, and delicate.

Xiao’er caught a glimpse of Gong Qinghua stopping his steps and turning his head to look at her from the corner of her eye. She was startled, thinking, could he see through her disguise so easily?

Luckily, he only looked at her for a few seconds before moving his gaze!

Otherwise, she might have had to consider pretending to pick her nose to gross him out!

The soldier also felt slightly nauseated by the sight of Xiao’er’s disguise, waved his hand, and allowed her to pass.

People with carriages and those on foot were separated into two lines. Shangguan Xuanyi was in the other line, discreetly keeping an eye on Xiao’er. Seeing her safely leave the city, he finally heaved a sigh of relief.

When it was their turn, the three of them got off the carriage. Shangguan Ruixi was in charge of answering the soldier’s questions, using the same cover story as last night.

The guards compared their faces to the portraits for quite a while, then thoroughly searched their carriage to make sure there was no baby hidden inside before letting them leave.

From the second floor of a shop, Gong Qinghua watched without noticing anything unusual. He didn’t spot Xiao’er and the others until the sun set, and the city gates were closed.

Gong Qinghua assumed that they might not have dared to leave the city when they saw him guarding the gates in the morning!

Hmph! There’s no rush, they can’t possibly escape!

After Xiao’er left the city, she walked a considerable distance to be sure she was out of sight of the city guards. She then left the main road and found a secluded place. She entered her own space and fed Zhuan’er some milk because she had run out of her own. She now had to use processed cow’s milk as a substitute.

Zhuan’er barely cried in the space. He only cried when he was hungry, and then would sleep after eating. Perhaps the peaceful and comfortable atmosphere made Zhuan’er sleep soundly.

Once Zhuan’er was fed and asleep, Xiao’er changed her disguise again. This time, she dressed as a man. After leaving her space, she summoned a horse and rode away quickly.

Xiao’er made her way to the pier, where, as expected, there were soldiers on guard, checking everyone.

Anyone holding a child was taken away for questioning!

Luckily they had anticipated this!

Xiao’er, without any difficulties, passed the inspection and boarded the ship.

Upon reaching the pier but not seeing Xiao’er, Shangguan Wanru couldn’t contain her worry anymore: "There are soldiers inspecting here as well, where is Xiao’er? Could she have been arrested?"

Shangguan Xuanyi, sitting in the carriage, saw Xiao’er board the ship, which was already full of people and was leaving.

Shangguan Ruixi began to explain: "We have discussed this previously. In case things got exposed too early and soldiers were on guard at the pier, Xiao’er would take the child and leave at the earliest possible time. We only lied to you about meeting here because we knew you’d be worried. If Xiao’er hadn’t left earlier, and soldiers were checking everyone now as we can see, all those carrying babies have been taken away for questioning, we wouldn’t have been able to get away, right?"

Looking a bit skeptical, Shangguan Wanru asked him, "You’re not lying to me, are you? What if Xiao’er wasn’t brought back, but was arrested by the soldiers?"

Upon hearing these words, Shangguan Xuanyi turned to look at her and calmly said, "No."

Perhaps it was the definitiveness in Shangguan Xuanyi’s voice that silenced Shangguan Wanru, because she didn’t say anything more after that.

After another round of questioning, the three finally boarded the ship. It felt as if they had just cleared five levels and defeated six bosses.

Upon reaching the territory of Minze Country, Xiao’er disembarked at one of the piers. She found a secluded spot, entered her space, fed Zhuan’er some milk, and put him to sleep before exiting her space.

Finally back in the embrace of her homeland! Xiao’er took a deep breath of fresh air, then carried Zhuan’er towards the prearranged meeting place.

At the same pier, a lavish official ship was docked. Jingrui, Zhu Yan, Yang Liu, and Yang Mei had been waiting for Xiao’er and the others for a whole day.

Upon seeing Xiao’er holding Zhuan’er arrive at the pier, Yang Liu, Yang Mei, and Jingrui quickly got off the boat:

"Lady, are you okay?"

"Is everything fine? Where are the others?"

Xiao’er shook her head with a smile: "Everything’s fine! They should arrive in about half an hour."

Jingrui, relieved, said: "We were about to send people to Nangong Country to check on you if you hadn’t appeared."

"Things were exposed too early, the city gates were closed, and we were delayed a bit," Xiao’er simply explained.

The group boarded the ship together. Zhu Yan, who loved children, couldn’t let go of chubby little Zhuan’er after taking him.

Half an hour later, Shangguan Xuanyi and the others arrived.

On seeing Xiao’er and Zhuan’er safely on the ship, Shangguan Wanru gave a sigh of relief. Taking Zhuan’er from Zhu Yan, she held him tightly and thanked Xiao’er: "Thank you, Xiao’er! I really can’t thank you enough!"

Perhaps sensing his mother’s presence, Zhuan’er instantly started crying.

Seeing this, Xiao’er said, "Zhuan’er is probably hungry. You should feed him first, Princess."

Worried about Zhuan’er being hungry on the journey, Shangguan Wanru didn’t hesitate. She nodded before following a maid into the cabin with Zhuan’er.

The ship then set sail north, towards the Imperial Capital.

Jingrui had taken a four-month leave to return to the Imperial Capital and get married.

After dinner on the ship, Shangguan Xuanyi took Xiao’er directly back to their cabin. He noticed the faint dark circles under her eyes and her evident fatigue. Knowing that she hadn’t been sleeping well over the past few days and had spent a sleepless night two nights ago, he guessed she must have been exhausted from the past few days’ events.

Xiao’er also felt exceptionally tired, so, after excusing herself from Jingrui and the others, she went straight back to their cabin and slept.

Xiao’er slept until noon the next day, making up for the sleep she had missed out on these past few days.

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