The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 294: Experiencing the Dungeon (4)_1

Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Experiencing the Dungeon (4)_1

Upon exiting the County Government Office, Sun Lizheng’s gaze towards Pei Qin had become indescribable. Was he getting old, or was he simply not savvy to her ways?

Pei Qian felt as though she had once again seen the light of day, yet her legs still trembled slightly with lingering fear.

"I thought you were brave, so I brought you along, and yet this little incident has frightened you to such a state?" Pei Qin said with a smile as she looked at her.

Her smile was gentle, and her gaze warm. Pei Qian looked up at her and suddenly thought, she was still a child! And her elder sister, she was an adult!

"Let’s go! It’s not easy to come to Fu City; let’s take a stroll around!" Pei Qin patted her little head and went to the grain shop to fetch the donkey cart.

Sun Lizheng too was feeling shaken and wanted to hurry home. Moreover, when he had heard Pei Qin’s words, saying that Pei Qian was ’brave enough to be brought here’, had she sensed that this trip was going to be trouble before coming? And yet she had still proactively dragged him along!?

Pei Qin, with a gleeful smile, said to him, "Sun Lizheng! I’ve heard that Runing Prefecture’s chicken broth tofu skins are delicious. Since we’re here, we can’t leave without trying them, right? Let’s go have a taste!"

What else could Sun Lizheng say? He could only nod helplessly and accompany them to the street.

Chicken broth tofu skins were a specialty snack of Runing Prefecture; Pei Qin had seen them on her way there. There were quite a few places selling them on the street, so they took the donkey cart and brought the two to a small restaurant to try the chicken broth tofu skins and a few other dishes.

While the three were enjoying the chicken broth tofu skins in the restaurant, Zhang Yan had also arrived in Runing Prefecture. He was a day late, but the speed of his carriage was fast. Seeing that it was getting dark, he sent someone to the County Government Office to inquire first.

When the Wang family came to ask about Pei Qin, the Government Officers at the County Government Office all had a strange look on their faces, saying that she had already left.

"Left?" Zhang Yan frowned. If Meng Dinglun had taken action, how could he have possibly let them go so easily? Even if Pei Qin was eloquent and skilled, she couldn’t have escaped the Yamen. Without charging them, detaining them for a few days in prison and bribing a prison guard to administer a punishment would have been easy.

"Yes, left! They say she left after having a meal with Sir Magistrate!"

Zhang Yan’s expression became odd. He had hoped to arrive a bit earlier, to prevent them from spending the night in prison. He was also curious to see how such a woman would fare if she truly was imprisoned. Yet she had made a meal for the magistrate who was to prosecute her, and she left!?

Further inquiries revealed from the Wang family’s grain shop that Pei Qin had indeed left around noon, under the pretext of picking up the donkey cart. If she had left Runing Prefecture, she would have been dozens of miles away by now.

However, Zhang Yan hadn’t encountered them on the road, which meant that they were still somewhere within Runing Prefecture.

Pei Qin and her companions had wandered around the streets for a while, buying whatever could be purchased, and had filled a whole bundle. They had also loaded quite a bit onto the donkey cart. Afterward, they found a large inn and rented two rooms to stay in.

After washing up, Pei Qian and Pei Qin shared a bed. Pei Qian couldn’t help but whisper softly, "Elder sister?"

"...Hmm," Pei Qin mumbled, almost asleep.

Seeing that she had actually fallen asleep, Pei Qian’s expression stiffened, and she didn’t call out again. To be able to sleep at a time like this was truly something!

Meanwhile, the people in the Yamen had not gone to bed yet. A person claiming to be the steward from Yong’an Prince Mansion had rushed over on horseback at dusk, also inquiring about Pei Qin.

Meng Dinglun could understand the Wang family’s concerns since both Pei Qin and the Wang family were from Yuanyang County, and Pei Qin was a teacher to Wang Ting. It was reasonable for them to ask. But for the steward of Prince Yong’an to also come asking about Pei Qin? Meng Dinglun felt somewhat relieved he hadn’t actually thrown them in prison. Yet, he thought, the people from the Wang family and Prince Yong’an wanted to curry favor, or else they wouldn’t have let Pei Qin leave unscathed and still be unaware of the news, hurrying to the Yamen to inquire. Considering this, he couldn’t help but chuckle. His daughter was still searching for Pei Qin. Who exactly was this woman? Why did so many wish to ingratiate themselves with her, to befriend her?