Mu Xing gazed at the woman who had led him out of the palace. "You damnable creature, you won't get away with this today," he said coldly, flicking his sleeve.
"Xiao Jin, bite this woman to death for me."
Upon hearing his words, Ye Nu immediately ran out. She had heard about the suffering Prince Yu Lou had endured last time, being bitten to death by a snake. But on this journey, she had observed him carefully and hadn't seen any snakes on him. Thinking this, Ye Nu stopped. Could this brat be lying to her?
Before she could turn around, a chill brushed against her neck. A small golden snake had already coiled around it. She let out a pained cry and quickly collapsed to the ground, extending her hands in fear and pleading.
"Please, let me go."
Mu Xing chuckled coldly, speaking unhurriedly, "I hate being lied to, so you must die."
As his words fell, Ye Nu drew her last breath, convulsing as she fell to the ground.
Seeing the dead body, the people in the inn panicked. They paid no mind to the burly men and scrambled to their feet, rushing out of the inn in a frenzy.
Mu Xing also ran out with the crowd. The burly men, seeing his small figure disappear through the inn's doors in an instant, felt a pang of anxiety. If this brat disappeared, none of them would survive.
Even though the brat had a venomous snake, if over a dozen people attacked at once, Xiao Jin wouldn't have time to bite them all individually.
So, the men chased after him. On the bustling street, a scene unfolded: a child of about five or six years old, being pursued by a group of tall, strong men desperately trying to catch him. Many people on the street stopped what they were doing, wondering what had happened.
Mu Xing ran, pondering, "What should I do now?"
Ye Nu was dead, but he was too young to find his mother.
"Mother, Mu Xing is so pitiful," Mu Xing almost cried out to the heavens. Suddenly, he saw a woman in white buying steamed buns not far ahead. She held a sword in one hand and was reaching for money at her waist with the other.
Seeing that silhouette, Mu Xing was so excited he could have cried. Was that his mother? Her back looked so much like his mother's. Without a second thought, he lunged forward, shouting.
"Mother, mother, Mu Xing has missed you terribly."
The woman heard a small child suddenly appear by her leg, hugging her and calling her mother. She turned to look at Mu Xing curiously. The first glance captivated her. She crouched down and spoke softly, "Little one, you have mistaken me, I am not your mother!"
"Oh," Mu Xing saw the woman's face now. She was beautiful, with curved eyebrows, large eyes, and a small mouth. But she truly wasn't his mother. Though disappointed, he saw the pursuers closing in. Moreover, this woman held a precious sword, clearly a fine item. Her martial arts must be exceptional. With no one else around, he decided to cling to her and subtly inquire about places where people had died in war. His decision was made.
Mu Xing clung even tighter to the beautiful woman's leg and said sadly, "Sister, save me, they want to kill me." His expression was one of tense fear, his large eyes glistening with mist, his lashes trembling.
Hearing Mu Xing's words, the white-clothed woman's heart softened. She stood up straight, turned, and looked at the dozen or so black-clothed men who had reached them. The black-clothed men chuckled triumphantly, pointing their large sabers at Mu Xing. "Brat, where do you think you're going to run now?"
"You damnable wretches, preying on a child in broad daylight. You court death."
The white-clothed woman, with her beautiful and alluring face, gazed coldly at the men. She twirled her long sword, creating a dance of steel, and thrust it towards the dozen men before her.
"Who are you to meddle in our affairs?" the leader of the men asked indignantly, seeing the woman interfere.
The white-clothed woman smiled faintly, her expression calm and composed. "I am Lu Wanqing. Allow me to demonstrate." With that, she gestured for Mu Xing to stand aside. Mu Xing lowered his small head and moved to the side. He liked this woman.
Once Mu Xing was in a safe spot, Lu Wanqing flashed forward, landing as lightly as a flying swallow. Her sword light was as cold as ice, causing the onlookers to feel a chill and retreat ten meters back to enjoy the spectacle. Mu Xing also stood aside, watching with relish. He heard whispers from behind him.
"Is this the eldest daughter of the Lu family from Jiangnan?"
"Yes, I heard this eldest daughter Lu is a chivalrous woman, always acting righteously and unable to stand seeing the strong bully the weak or the many overpower the few. She will surely teach those men a lesson."
"But Eldest Daughter Lu is a woman, how can she fight so many big men?"
"You wouldn't know, would you? Eldest Daughter Lu has inherited the true martial arts of the Lu family. Her swordsmanship is profound and not something ordinary people can contend with."
After the discussions, the people behind them fell silent, focusing on the fight in the arena.
A smug glint appeared in Mu Xing's beautiful eyes. It seemed he had made the right choice. From now on, he would stick with this Eldest Daughter Lu. He believed she could help him find his father and mother.
In the arena, Eldest Daughter Lu spun in her white attire and then, with a chilling allure, held her sword, gazing at the seven or eight men sprawled on the ground. She said sternly, "Scram. If I see you again, I'll beat you every time."
The dozen or so men, some clutching their faces, others their hindquarters, fled in disarray. Mu Xing, already delighted, jumped up and clapped his hands. "Sister, well fought, well fought, well fought! Sister's skills are so powerful!"
Everyone looked over. This was the child who had been chased just moments ago. Was he perhaps too happy?
As people dispersed, they kept looking back. Even Lu Wanqing felt the child was a bit overly excited. She walked up to him, crouched down, and asked earnestly, "What is your name?"
"I am Liu Mu Xing." Mu Xing noticed the suspicious glances from everyone and subtly reined in his boisterous personality. He blinked his large eyes, looking pitiful. Moreover, he wisely did not use the surname Feng, which was the royal surname, opting instead for his mother's surname.
"Liu Mu Xing."
Lu Wanqing nodded. This child was not only cute in appearance but also had a cute name. There were truly too many handsome men in ancient times.
Lu Wanqing sighed. She was surrounded by handsome men; her brother, Lu Youchen, was one of them. A few days ago, she had picked up a great beauty.
Now she had picked up another little beauty. Heaven truly favored her. As Lu Wanqing smiled, her eyes narrowed, making people want to approach her instinctively.
"Alright, tell me, where do you live? Sister will send someone to take you back."
Lu Wanqing stood up and took Mu Xing's hand, picking up the steamed buns she had just bought. As a young lady, she wasn't dining in the restaurant but was simply filling her stomach with a few buns, too pressed for time to delay.
Having been out for a few days, she was truly worried about the handsome man at home. He was as beautiful as a wisp of cloud in the sky; if she wasn't careful, he would drift away. She didn't know his past, not even his name. She had named him Wanfeng.
As Lu Wanqing thought of Wanfeng, the smile on her face deepened. She was so eager to see him, wondering if he was doing well, if he remembered her at all.