The two found the largest casino in town, a place teeming with all sorts of people.
Hiding behind a stone lion, Xia Yun glanced at the soldiers searching the area. He then led her to a secluded teahouse, settled her in a private room, and instructed her, "Wait for me here. Don't wander off."
Chi You sat on a stool and said, "Brother Yun, I want to go with you."
"No, there are all sorts of people inside. They might discover you're a girl and bully you. We can't be too conspicuous. If things escalate, it will attract the soldiers."
Xia Yun bought her tea and snacks, and slipped her a small knife. "Wait here obediently. I'll be back soon."
Hearing this, Chi You hid the knife in her sleeve and nodded obediently. Xia Yun looked at her, couldn't help but reach out and stroke her hair. After carefully observing the surroundings, he climbed out the window and left.
Chi You was also hungry, so she sat on the stool and ate the pastries on the table. She didn't know how long she waited before she became so sleepy that she slumped onto the table and fell asleep.
The sky outside gradually darkened. She was woken by a suffocating heat. Seeing that he still hadn't returned, she couldn't bear it any longer and quietly slipped out of the door. She regretted drinking so much tea.
Inside the teahouse, there were still many people listening to the story. Chi You bypassed the small door and went to the washroom in the back. As she emerged and was about to return to the private room, she suddenly felt a killing intent from behind her. Startled, she quickly turned around, only to see two men with ill intentions approaching her.
"What... what do you want?"
The two men exchanged glances, said nothing, and lunged at her. Chi You didn't know who they were, nor did she dare to make a loud scene. She quickly ran down the corridor, her face pale. However, she was no match for the two burly men. In just a few moves, she was grabbed by the neck from behind.
At that moment, Chi You's body stiffened, and her expression instantly changed. Her eyes became sharp and fierce, and she kicked the man away before flashing past and seizing the other man by the neck.
"Who are you?"
With one man in each hand, the two were barely able to breathe. They looked at the transformed Chi You with terror in their eyes. Chi You loosened her grip slightly and said, "Speak."
The bearded man gritted his teeth and remained silent.
"Hmph, if you don't speak, I'll cripple your manhood."
The two men were startled. The more timid one instinctively clenched his crotch and let out a pig-like scream. "I'll speak, I'll speak! Spare me, my lady!"
Listening to their words, Chi You's expression slowly turned grim. It turned out these two were sent by Qin Yunshang. They had accidentally encountered her, recognized her, and followed her. Qin Yunshang, that beast's fiancée. Chi You snorted coldly and, without mercy, twisted both their necks before standing up.
The sky was gradually darkening. She stood in the corridor, her mind replaying the events of the past few days. She looked down at her attire and then at her surroundings, her lips pursing slightly.
"I've actually come out?!"
Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. She thought of Xia Yun, who had always helped her. She paused and decided to follow him. Staying in the palace, she couldn't kill that beast and would only be constrained. If she could truly return to Southern Xinjiang, reorganize the army, and ally with Northern Qi, she could one day avenge her clan's destruction.
As the thought crossed her mind, hurried footsteps approached from not far away, someone calling her name in a low voice. Chi You's heart warmed slightly, and she ran towards the sound.
"Brother Yun, over here."
"Why did you run out? You scared me to death."
Seeing her, Xia Yun rushed over, looking her up and down. "Are you alright?"
Chi You looked at the concern in his eyes, and her usually hardened heart felt strangely peculiar. She coughed lightly. "I'm fine."
"By the way, did you earn any money?"
Xia Yun felt something was off with her, but he didn't have time to think about it. He took her hand and started walking. "I got some. Let's hurry to the black market. The outside is blocked."
Chi You's palm felt a slight warmth, but she didn't struggle and followed him out.
"You can gamble?"
"I learned a few tricks from my master."
Chi You raised an eyebrow, thinking of cheating.
The two left the teahouse, bypassed alleys, and crossed several streets, weaving their way through pursuers and entering the black market. As soon as darkness fell, the black market came alive, decorated with lanterns and festoons everywhere. Xia Yun led her to the wharf.
The wharf was bustling with activity. The two squeezed through the noisy crowd and boarded a small boat.
"Kid, no tricks. You pay after we cross the river." The boatman was a thin old man, inconspicuous in the crowd. There were only three or five people on this boat. The others had already paid. Xia Yun, fearing he would be cheated, agreed to pay on the other side.
"Don't worry, we'll pay you when we get to Boss Hei." The river breeze was cold at night. Xia Yun took out a cloak from his bundle and handed it to Chi You.
"Ah Wu, put this on." Chi You looked around vigilantly and turned back upon hearing his words.
There were many boats on the river. The faint light made the person in front of her seem fiery and bright. She was suddenly reminded of her younger brother, and her heart ached slightly. Xia Yun took out a hot oil pancake wrapped in oil paper from his embrace and offered it to her.
"Here, have something to eat." Chi You shook her head. "You eat it. I ate too much at the teahouse, I'm stuffed."
Hearing this, Xia Yun began to eat it himself. There weren't many people on the boat, and everyone else had their eyes closed. When they heard the conversation, some stole glances. Chi You was very beautiful. Even with makeup, her enchanting, beautiful eyes couldn't be hidden, nor could her hands, which were slender and unlike a man's. Being experienced travelers, everyone could tell she was a disguised young lady, and some ruffians began to harbor lewd thoughts. Chi You quickly noticed this and snorted, showing no reaction.
Xia Yun, however, became anxious and stepped in front of her. These were all desperate, reckless people. If a conflict were to arise, he feared he wouldn't be able to protect Ah Wu.
"Brother Yun, eat yours."
Xia Yun was slightly surprised by the words that reached his ears and turned to look at her. Why was Ah Wu acting so strangely today?
"By the way, the black market seems quite safe. Why don't we lie low here for a while? It's still full of pursuers outside the city."
Hearing her puzzled question, Xia Yun withdrew his thoughts and explained, "I just discovered that the soldiers were heading this way. They might have already found our tracks—"
Before he could finish speaking, her expression suddenly changed. Seeing that she wasn't well, Xia Yun quickly supported her. "Ah Wu, what's wrong?"
Chi You looked around confusedly, then at the person beside her. Seeing that she was on a small boat, she opened her mouth slightly. "How did I get here just by sleeping?"
"Brother Yun, did we escape?"
Seeing that she was fine, Xia Yun breathed a sigh of relief, tidied her clothes, and continued to explain. "Once we cross this river and get ashore, we can leave the city with Boss Hei's men."