Lan Yan looked around and found herself sitting on the grass, resting. Many others like her were around. They were all dressed in rags, gaunt, and held only dry, dark steamed buns.
A faint cough came from beside her. She turned her head to find a little girl lying next to her. The girl's lips were chapped, her eyes lacked spirit, and she weakly called out, "Sister Lan, don't mind me. Go find your brother yourself."
Lan Yan was stunned. Who was this little girl! She continued to call out to the system in her mind, but no one responded. This darn system was malfunctioning again!
Seeing the little girl staring at her, Lan Yan felt a pang of pity. She felt around her clothes and found a piece of paper and half a steamed bun in her chest. She handed the bun to the little girl and said, "Eat something."
The little girl raised her thin hand and pushed the bun back into Lan Yan's hand, shaking her head, "Sister Lan, we don't know when we'll reach the city or if we'll see brother. Little Yi isn't hungry, I won't eat."
As she spoke, her stomach rumbled loudly.
Lan Yan's eyes almost welled up with tears. She stuffed the bun into the little girl's mouth, "Eat." While the girl was eating, Lan Yan asked, "Your name is Xiao Yi, and why do we need to find your brother?"
Since the system was absent, she had to rely on herself. She hoped not to see the system again!
Jun Xiao Yi blinked her eyes and looked at Lan Yan curiously. She still said, "Sister Lan, there was a famine in our village. My whole family starved to death, and only we were left."
"You heard news that brother was in the city, so you brought me to find him. We've been traveling for days and nights." Her small, bean-like eyes welled up with tears; she missed home.
Lan Yan finally understood a little. She stroked Jun Xiao Yi's head and comforted her, "Don't worry, we'll find your brother." However, looking at the city gate not far away, the problem was that she didn't even know this brother's name or address. How could she find him!
Never mind, she could only take it one step at a time.
Seeing that the sky was getting late, she picked up Jun Xiao Yi and continued walking forward.
After an unknown amount of time, as people entered the city in batches, they finally managed to get in. They could smell the aroma of food, and both their stomachs growled.
Jun Xiao Yi was extremely tired, lying still on Lan Yan's back.
Lan Yan became worried, thinking she had to find him as soon as possible. But looking at the vast imperial city, she truly had no idea where to start. Perhaps she should find a place to rest first; there was no rush to find the person.
As she was walking back, the system's prompt sounded in her mind.
"Host, the person you need to find is the mission target Jun Yelan, who has noble status and is also the fiancé of this body. Host, please do not give up!"
"Darn system, you finally appeared! If you want me to find someone, you should at least give me more clues." As Lan Yan was complaining, the system went silent again. It seemed the system only appeared temporarily, and she didn't know what the problem was.
She had no choice but to grab a passerby and ask, "Excuse me, do you know anyone named Jun Yelan? Where does he live?"
The passerby trembled all over and pointed to the house ahead.
Lan Yan smiled, turned her head and shouted, "Thank you..." But the passerby had already run off. Thinking the passerby had urgent business, she followed the direction pointed and successfully found a large mansion with guards at the entrance.
She asked again, "Brother, hello, I'm looking for Jun Yelan. The person on my back is his sister."
The guard eyed Lan Yan suspiciously and said angrily, "What kind of country bumpkin dares to seek our Eunuch Grand Supervisor? Moreover, you can't even utter the Eunuch Grand Supervisor's name! Leave quickly, or I'll drive you away."
What kind of person is this! Lan Yan took a step back and sat on the steps nearby, complaining, "I'm here to find a mission target, and it's already this difficult. I haven't even started the actual mission yet."
And the system was still nowhere to be found. She looked at Jun Xiao Yi, who was placed to the side, and took out the piece of paper from her embrace. Opening it, she found an old marriage certificate with both their names on it.
Just as she put away the marriage certificate, the sound of horse hooves echoed from not far away. She looked up and saw a majestic man sitting proudly on horseback, wearing official robes and a hat, emanating a bone-chilling coldness.
Although his face was strikingly handsome, his demeanor made people afraid to approach.
She stood up, blocked the horse's path, and shouted, "You are Jun Yelan, I am Lan Yan."
Jun Yelan turned his head, his icy eyes fixed on her, "Don't recognize you."
Lan Yan suppressed her anger and pushed Jun Xiao Yi forward, saying, "This is your sister, you should remember her. And this is our marriage certificate, take a look."
She unfolded the marriage certificate; black and white on white paper, there was no denying it.
Jun Yelan glanced at the marriage certificate, then at Jun Xiao Yi, who was looking at him fearfully. He remembered. This was before he was sold to human traffickers by the Jun family.
He sneered, looking at the travel-worn appearance of the two before him, knowing they had come specifically to find him. They had all abandoned him back then, and now they dared to appear, did they really think he was kind-hearted!
"So what?"
Lan Yan was stunned. She hadn't expected this answer. Seeing Jun Yelan's coldness, she realized ordinary methods wouldn't work. So, she forced out two tears and said pitifully, "I've traveled all the way from the countryside specifically to find you, my fiancé."
"It's so difficult for two weak women to travel alone, not to mention I have to take care of your sister along the way. I thought we would finally reunite, but you're saying this. My life is so bitter."
Hearing her words, Jun Xiao Yi also started crying loudly.
This immediately attracted the attention of the nearby citizens. Due to Jun Yelan's status, they dared not speak loudly, so they began to whisper, "This woman has had a hard time. The Eunuch Grand Supervisor is indeed a bit too much this time."
"Given the Eunuch Grand Supervisor's ruthless methods, who knows what will happen to this woman! Alas!"
These whispers reached Jun Yelan's ears, and his eyes deepened. He stared at the disguised Lan Yan before him and said coldly, "Then you and she can stay here. However, I cannot guarantee the safety of anything in this Eunuch Grand Supervisor's mansion!"
He was waiting for Lan Yan to retreat.
But Lan Yan had experienced many worlds. This small matter couldn't stump her. She curved her lips and said, "No problem, thank you, Eunuch Grand Supervisor." She took Jun Xiao Yi's hand and strode into the mansion, with not a trace of fear in her eyes.
Yay! The first step was successful.
Behind her, Jun Yelan's eyes flickered, and he frowned. What exactly did this woman want to do! He looked at the maids in the mansion, "Have her clean up and then come to my study to see me."
If he couldn't kill her outside the mansion, it might not be the same inside. If it weren't for the Jun and Lan families, he wouldn't have entered the palace. He had struggled in the palace for ten years, and even reaching this position, he was still a eunuch everyone despised.
Since this Lan Yan was unwilling to leave and had delivered herself to him, he wouldn't be blamed for taking revenge.