It wasn't long before a carriage stopped at the back door of Lu Zi's residence. A large chest was carried down from the carriage, and Wu Caiwei said as it was being lifted, "This chest is full of clothes. Don't you have many brothers who are struggling? These clothes are for them."
Lu Zi immediately opened the chest and took out a few pieces of clothing, holding them up to himself, his face beaming with surprise. He invited Wu Caiwei inside while happily carrying the chest.
The commotion had long since attracted the attention of the neighbors. The courtyards were narrow and densely populated, so a carriage's arrival had already drawn many eyes. Seeing Wu Caiwei arriving to deliver something to Lu Zi again, people couldn't help but cast envious glances. They wondered how this young beggar Lu Zi had such good luck. He used to be a beggar, and now he had a master who frequently brought him food and drink. This time, it was clothes, and the fabric was clearly not cheap. Why couldn't such good fortune fall upon them?
Soon, Wu Caiwei emerged from the house carrying the chest again. Lu Zi hurried forward, trying to take it from her. Wu Caiwei turned and dodged his hand, saying nonchalantly, "It's not that heavy. I can manage it alone. You save your strength for the work you need to do for me."
Hearing this, Lu Zi scratched his head with a simple honesty and patted his chest, assuring her, "Master, don't worry. I will definitely satisfy you. You need to go out of the city, don't you? Feel free to go. I'll take good care of the shop."
Wu Caiwei nodded and got into the carriage, telling the driver to leave quickly. After she departed, Lu Zi locked the gate.
Wu Caiwei's carriage swayed towards the city gate and was immediately stopped. A group of soldiers stepped forward and lifted the curtain, spotting Wu Caiwei inside. Their gazes swept around, and seeing no place for anyone to hide, their attention turned to the large chest in the middle of the carriage.
"What's this chest for? It's so big, could someone be hidden inside?" the leader mused, the thought of it being possible immediately making him look at Wu Caiwei suspiciously.
"My lords, you jest. Who would hide a person in here? This chest is full of clothes I specifically brought for my poor disciple. It's getting late, and I couldn't be bothered to return to my manor to unload the chest, so I'm heading directly out of the city." Wu Caiwei calmly faced them, and while no one was paying attention, she secretly slipped a purse to the leader.
The leader felt the light weight of the silver notes inside and his expression shifted. In front of everyone, he opened the chest. Seeing nothing suspicious, he let them pass. Su Dan Novel Network
The carriage successfully left the city and headed towards a small manor not far outside the suburbs. Upon arrival, Wu Caiwei lifted her seat cushion, revealing a wooden frame beneath that could accommodate a person. It turned out that when she had the carriage made, she had incorporated some of her own ideas. She had originally intended to store things inside, but now it had unexpectedly come in handy.
"We're here. You can go now." If it weren't for Lu Zi, Wu Caiwei would never have helped this person who had once betrayed her. From now on, they would go their separate ways.
"Thank you, Mistress." Hua Hua knew she wasn't welcome. She understood, as she had indeed done things that wronged Wu Caiwei and betrayed her trust. Her current predicament was her own doing.
To her surprise, a bundle was suddenly placed in her arms. She involuntarily looked up, her gaze complex as she looked at her mistress. Even now, Wu Caiwei had prepared clean clothes and silver for her, and tears welled up in her eyes.
In this world, besides Lu Zi, the mistress had always been the kindest to her. If she had only listened to Lu Zi back then and not betrayed her, would her current situation be different? But it was too late for regrets. She bowed deeply to Wu Caiwei and then jumped off the carriage and left.
Watching her, a frail woman, walk away alone, Wu Caiwei opened her mouth as if to say something, but then sighed. She knew the other woman was proud and intelligent, and would understand her intentions. Well, there was no point in saying more. After all, there was food, men's clothes she had prepared for her, and money. She could start a new life elsewhere, especially with the skill of making rouge she had learned from her.
As the sun began to set, Lu Zi finally saw his mistress's carriage and hurried forward, looking at her with expectant eyes. Wu Caiwei shook her head helplessly, thinking this child still needed to learn to control his emotions.
She didn't want to deal with him, but he followed her wherever she went. Finally, she relented and told him her arrangements. Lu Zi's face lit up with surprise, he bowed deeply to her, and quickly went ahead to help.
"Why is bowing so popular as a form of thanks these days?" Wu Caiwei muttered to herself, remaining where she was.
As soon as she returned to the courtyard, the Third Prince, who had heard the news, arrived with his entourage. They had agreed to spar that afternoon, but the Emperor had summoned him for an urgent matter, so it was postponed. Now that he had finished his immediate business, he had sent people to guard her shop. Seeing that she was back, he had rushed over with his men.
Without asking any questions, Wu Caiwei quickly led them into her backyard. Although the backyard was not spacious, masters of combat did not always need a large area. Everyone knew the purpose of the visit, so they got straight to the action without any unnecessary words.
The guards behind the Third Prince saw that he had brought so many skilled martial artists and assumed they were going to face a formidable opponent. To their surprise, they saw a young girl, and they couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. Unable to show it, they directed their resentment towards Wu Caiwei.
They thought that as a mere girl, no matter how skilled she was, she couldn't be much of a threat. She would surely be no match for them. However, after the first exchange, their expressions turned serious. As the saying goes, amateurs watch the excitement, while professionals see the skill. The Third Prince couldn't discern much, but everyone else knew he was no match for Wu Caiwei. Their suspicions were soon confirmed. He only lasted ten moves against Wu Caiwei before falling to the ground, spitting blood. If Wu Caiwei hadn't held back, he would have lost his life. He looked at her gratefully, then lowered his head and stood behind the Third Prince.
The other men knew that individually, they were no match for her. Therefore, without Wu Caiwei's consent, they attacked her together. Wu Caiwei showed no unusual expression. She had held back earlier, only needing to defeat him and not expose her full strength.
Facing these opponents, she had to summon all her concentration, never underestimating anyone. Those who could be the Third Prince's trusted aides must possess considerable skill.