Li Lin was already somewhat panicked, and her crying only made him more irritable. He couldn't help but scold loudly, "What's the use of saying this now? Hurry and think of a solution. If that dead girl isn't found, we'll really be doomed as a family?"
His wife's crying intensified when he mentioned it, and the children started crying too, making him feel like he wanted to punch a wall.
The people sent by the First Madam to find Wu Caiwei quickly encountered the carriage driver. As per their arrangement, he was supposed to stay overnight in Taohua Town. At the time, he had been intimidated by the man and had driven the carriage back to the city. Halfway there, he felt increasingly uneasy. The gates of the capital would surely be locked at this hour, and he had no relatives or friends in the suburbs. Following his usual practice when working for his madam, she would have arranged his accommodation.
If Taohua Town was truly inaccessible, she would have definitely made sure he stayed with them. It wasn't as if he could just huddle under the city walls all night. The more he thought about it, the more it didn't align with the First Madam's usual style of operation. He couldn't help but turn the horse around. Their figures were long gone from the road. He headed in the direction the man had indicated, and after about two li, he indeed saw a village. He breathed a sigh of relief.
The entire village was shrouded in darkness. He didn't know which house they were staying in, and he couldn't possibly knock on every door to inquire. He couldn't help but pat his head. He didn't know what he was thinking at the time, why didn't he stay with them? Perhaps the First Madam had truly overlooked this. After all, she had so many matters to attend to every day.
He could only resign himself to heading back, planning to park the carriage at the city wall. This way, as soon as the city gates opened at dawn, he could report to his madam and go home for some sleep.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of horses approaching in the darkness. At this late hour, could he be encountering danger? His heart faltered. Then, he remembered that this place wasn't far from the capital, so it shouldn't be too dangerous. He decided to wait until the approaching party got closer to see who it was.
The other party was moving quite fast. Upon seeing the carriage ahead, they quickly reined in their horses. Their hooves kicked up dust, nearly striking the horses on the other side. Even so, the horses on the other side were startled and began to prance nervously in place. The driver struggled to calm his mount.
As soon as they met, both were surprised. "What are you doing here? Where are they?" Liu Gui asked in astonishment.
"They should be in Xiaozhai Village. What happened?" The carriage driver's heart sank, and he quickly inquired.
"It's a long story. Hurry and lead the way," Liu Gui said, wanting as few people to know as possible and not wishing to talk further.
Seeing his somber expression, the carriage driver knew something was amiss. He quickly turned his horse and led the way. By the time they reached Xiaozhai Village, it was pitch black, and only the sound of dogs barking could be heard.
After a brief discussion, they split up to search the houses for their figures. The sound of knocking echoed, immediately met with curses. No one sleeps soundly and enjoys being disturbed; their tempers would naturally be foul.
Initially, they were reluctant to respond, but the persistent knocking made them open the door. Upon seeing the fierce-looking individuals standing before them, their complaints immediately ceased. They asked nervously, "Who are you? What do you want?"
Liu Gui immediately produced fifty taels of silver and dangled them before them, enticing them, "Several runaway slaves from our mansion have fled to your village. If you help us catch them, this silver is yours."
The villager swallowed hard. Although the silver was very tempting, he had never seen outsiders before. Liu Gui also promised that if they helped him find them, he would share some of the silver with them. Immediately, some people joined their ranks. With the help of these locals, they quickly searched the village inside and out but found no trace of them. Su Dan Novel Network.
Liu Gui quickly pulled the carriage driver aside and had him describe what had happened since they met. The more he listened, the darker Liu Gui's expression became. It was clear that they had been tricked. Without a word, he handed the silver to the clan elder to distribute among everyone and then rode away on his horse.
He returned to the spot where the carriage driver and they had separated. It had been dark then, and they had instinctively taken a wider road. Now, with dawn approaching, he discovered that on either side of the main road, concealed by trees, were two narrower paths, just wide enough for a single carriage. He wondered where they led.
"What should we do?" The people behind him knew that Liu Gui was favored by the First Madam and always sought his advice.
Liu Gui thought for a moment and divided them into two groups, sending them to pursue along the two smaller paths. In his opinion, the main road was impossible. His madam had intended for them to go to Taohua Town, and this main road led directly there. They still had people in the town, so they wouldn't walk into a trap.
After traveling all night, Wu Caiwei learned that the man was named Wu Ye and the woman was Li Yu. It could be said that both had suffered hardships. Their parents had passed away early, and they had no one to protect them in their youth. Their similar experiences led them to develop a mutual understanding, and they eventually came together.
Although she hadn't interacted much with Wu Ye, his arrangements were orderly, indicating that he wasn't acting without foresight. Thus, she didn't voice her own opinions.
All night, Wu Ye drove the carriage without stopping for a moment, afraid of being pursued. His expression was tense, and he didn't feel tired at all.
Finally, as dawn broke, they arrived outside a city. Seeing the large characters "Jin County" on the city walls, he breathed a sigh of relief. They had escaped the First Madam's control. There were so many people selling clothes and cosmetics in the city. If they tidied themselves up and kept a low profile, the chances of the other party catching them would be slim.
To facilitate their movement, Wu Caiwei had subtly applied some makeup to them earlier. She believed that as long as it wasn't someone they knew very well, they wouldn't be recognized.
When Wu Ye drove the carriage to an inn and signaled for them to disembark, he was slightly taken aback by their clothing and appearance. He quickly composed himself and, feigning normalcy, led them into the inn and requested four rooms.
Before long, he brought Li Yu to Wu Caiwei's room and discussed their next plan. "If I'm not mistaken, the First Madam's people will arrive soon. We plan to buy some tattered clothes and pretend to be refugees. This journey is too dangerous; we can't take you with us. Please take care of yourself, Miss."
"Can you tell me your story?" Wu Caiwei changed the subject and asked something unrelated.
The two were stunned for a moment, looking at her blankly, not understanding why she wanted to hear a story at such a critical juncture.
"To leave like this, to live in anonymity forever, are you content?" Seeing their lack of response, Wu Caiwei knew time was of the essence and couldn't help but provoke him.
Wu Ye gave a wry smile. "What's the point of not being content? In the face of power, my life is like an ant's. Now that I have someone I care about, I just want to ensure her safety. Even if I live a life of unfulfilled ambitions, at least we can grow old together in peace."