The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 42

Song Luoning pondered for a moment, then said seriously, “Husband, you should change your clothes first. We’ll go out and have a look.”

“Okay,” Xiao Yu nodded. He glanced at Chen Yu, who tactfully left the room. After Xiao Yu changed his clothes, the three of them packed their bags and went downstairs. Just as they were about to leave, a lazy female voice came from behind them: “It’s been a long time, Miss Song.”

Following the voice, they saw that the speaker was none other than Ming Zhiqing, the owner of the Ming Pin Tower, whom the male protagonist had just been speaking with downstairs. Song Luoning curved her lips and nodded at the woman. “It’s been a long time, Miss Ming.”

Although Ming Zhiqing was over forty, her beautiful appearance made her look no more than thirty. She waved her hand cheerfully, her attitude completely different from how she had just been with Xiao Chengze. “I wasn’t sure before, but it really is Miss Song. But why are you in Qingzhou?” She said, then glanced at Xiao Yu with a knowing smile.

“This lady is…”

Xiao Yu subconsciously looked at Song Luoning, his eyes sparkling with a hint of expectation.

How will the ‘big miss’ introduce me?

Song Luoning’s expression faltered. She tightened her fists under her wide sleeves, curved her lips, and said, “She is my maidservant.”

Xiao Yu was stunned. Her maidservant? She was not a maidservant! She was the big miss’s husband!

Xiao Yu glared at Song Luoning in displeasure.

Song Luoning clutched her sleeves, her expression a little unnatural. She was truly afraid this rogue would ignore her and directly reveal their relationship. Fortunately, he only glared at her. She didn’t intentionally want to hide Xiao Yu’s identity, but since Xiao Yu was dressed as a woman, it was safer not to let people know.

“Oh, a maidservant,” Ming Zhiqing squinted, appraising the overly delicate-looking woman. “I haven’t seen her before. She has a good appearance, though.”

As soon as she spoke, a hint of displeasure flashed in Song Luoning’s eyes. She finally understood what the strange feeling she had towards Xiao Yu meant before. Faced with the other woman’s brazen scrutiny, Song Luoning even wanted to immediately take Xiao Yu’s hand and declare her ownership. She tightened her grip and said in a cool voice, “You jest, Miss Ming. She’s just a servant. We have business to attend to, so we won’t bother you anymore.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu was a little unhappy. What did she mean, “just a servant”? She could barely accept being called a maidservant, but now she was a servant? She looked at Song Luoning, feeling wronged.

Song Luoning guiltily turned her face away.

Ming Zhiqing smiled, her gaze still on Xiao Yu. “Then perhaps we’ll meet again.”

Song Luoning nodded, looked away, and turned to walk outside.

Seeing this, Xiao Yu glanced at Ming Zhiqing and followed Song Luoning out.

Outside, the waiter was already waiting with the carriage.

The service at Ming Pin Tower was truly commendable, well worth the three taels of silver for a night. Xiao Yu stepped forward to help Song Luoning into the carriage. “My lady, I’ll help you into the carriage.”

“Husband, for now, please call me ‘Miss’,” came the cold voice.

Xiao Yu was speechless.

Why is she really treating me like a maidservant? There are no outsiders here, so why make me call her ‘Miss’?

Xiao Yu blinked. “Mi…ss…” It felt so awkward to say.

“My lad…”

Song Luoning sat against the carriage wall and interrupted her. “Let’s leave first.”

Xiao Yu closed her mouth and pursed her lips. Now was not the time to talk. She would be a maidservant for now. She stepped aside, and after Chen Yu got in, she jumped onto the driver’s seat and drove the carriage towards the city gates.

On the way, they encountered many soldiers, which caused widespread panic. At the city gate, a squad of soldiers was stationed, checking everyone’s identity papers and searching them.

Xiao Yu stopped the carriage from a distance. “My lady, there’s a checkpoint at the city gate.”

Song Luoning’s heart skipped a beat. After the carriage stopped, she pushed open the curtain, steadied herself, and said, “Husband, wait a moment before we go.”

“Huh? Oh… okay.” Although he didn’t understand why Song Luoning was so nervous, Xiao Yu didn’t think much of it. King Chang and my father-in-law may have a conflict, but it’s not to the point of killing us, right? The big miss is probably just scaring herself.

However…

He couldn’t say this to the big miss. They had just encountered assassins yesterday, so it was better to be cautious. He parked the carriage by the side of the road.

After a long while, the big miss still hadn’t spoken, and Xiao Yu couldn’t help but ask, “My lady, we…”

“Call me ‘Miss’,” came Song Luoning’s cold voice from inside the carriage.

“…” Xiao Yu obediently shut her mouth.

I’ll just listen to the big miss.

After a while, Song Luoning’s voice came again: “Husband, let’s go back to Ming Pin Tower first.”

“…” Why are we going back again? Xiao Yu wanted to ask several times but swallowed the words. He turned the carriage around and headed back the way they came.

Song Luoning sat in the carriage, worried. She was now 100% sure that the person the Prince of Chang’s Mansion wanted to catch was Xiao Yu. She had just glimpsed the men who had been arrested at the city gate, and they all bore a slight resemblance to Xiao Yu.

For now, they could only return to the Ming Pin Tower. The Prince of Chang’s people had just searched the place, and with Ming Zhiqing in charge, they probably wouldn’t search again for a while.

Outside the Ming Pin Tower, Xiao Yu stopped the carriage again. Just as he put down the footstool and helped Song Luoning get out, the waiter came out to greet them. He took the reins, leaned closer, and whispered, “Guest, please follow me.”

“…” This voice… Xiao Yu looked carefully and saw that the person in front of her was none other than Constable Liang. Why is she here?

Before she could ask, Liang Chengqiu lowered her voice. “Don’t speak. Just follow me.”

Xiao Yu’s heart tightened. She subconsciously looked at Song Luoning. After all, she was a fugitive now, and the person who was supposed to be escorting her was right here. Although she didn’t escape by choice, it felt like she was being caught after a flight.

She deserved whatever she got.

Song Luoning nodded at her. The three of them followed Liang Chengqiu into an empty room in the backyard of the Ming Pin Tower. Chen Yu couldn’t wait to ask, “Constable Liang, how are my aunt and the others doing?”

Liang Chengqiu replied, “You don’t have to worry. They are safe outside the city now.”

The three of them sighed in relief, the weight in their hearts finally lifted.

Xiao Yu asked, “How did you know we were here?”

Liang Chengqiu said, “I didn’t know at first. When I entered the city, I saw the soldiers holding your portrait and searching for you everywhere, so I rushed here.”

What?

They had a portrait of her? Xiao Yu was immediately startled. Why are they arresting me? Didn’t the Prince of Chang’s Mansion get robbed? Is the thief someone who looks a lot like me?

Xiao Yu subconsciously looked at Song Luoning. A thought suddenly flashed through her mind. Why did Song Luoning insist on me wearing women’s clothes? Why did Song Luoning stop me from leaving the city?

All these strange things, combined with the big miss’s reaction, made it very likely that the big miss knew all along that the person the Prince of Chang’s Mansion wanted to catch was her. The portrait she mentioned that looked “similar” to her wasn’t a lie to Chen Yu.

Xiao Yu’s mind was in a jumble.

Now was not the time to get a clear explanation. She glanced at Song Luoning and forced herself to calm down. “Constable Liang, do you know why they want to arrest me?”

Maybe it’s not what I’m guessing.

Liang Chengqiu shook her head. “I’m not sure of the specifics. I heard they are looking for a thief.”

A thief?

Xiao Yu felt wronged. She didn’t even know where the Prince of Chang’s Mansion was. This was a serious accusation. And this Constable Liang was also very strange. She was an official, so why didn’t she arrest her and turn her over to the Prince of Chang? Instead, she brought her here secretly without even asking for a reason, as if she had known beforehand.

Xiao Yu felt another pang of surprise. However, this was not the time to think about such things. She had to figure out how to leave this place first. After all, the Prince of Chang’s actions were overt, while her suspicions about Liang Chengqiu were only a guess.

If worst came to worst, she could just leave and figure out a way to escape later.

Xiao Yu was silent for a moment, then pretended to be calm. “Constable Liang, do you have a way for us to leave the city?”

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