Jiang Mian came to the carriage and only then realized that Mo Zhizhang and Xiao Jingcheng had disappeared.
She turned back and looked up at the second - floor. The two of them had their arms around each other, their heads close together, whispering something.
She ran up and called out, "Eldest brother, second brother, what are you whispering about? Do you need any help?"
Only then did Mo Zhizhang restrain the coldness on him. He withdrew his gaze from Xiao Jingcheng and looked at Jiang Mian with a smile. "We were just talking about the delicious dishes in this inn."
"Don't worry. Just let your second brother help me down," Xiao Jingcheng said, patting Mo Zhizhang's shoulder and smiling at Jiang Mian.
Although Mo Zhizhang didn't give Xiao Jingcheng a definite answer, the two had reached a consensus at this moment - to keep each other's secrets and maintain a temporary truce.
As for other things, they would talk about them later.
Jiang Mian scratched her head, replied with an "oh", and followed the two towards the carriage. She helped Mo Zhizhang support Xiao Jingcheng and got him into the carriage.
Mo Zhizhang stood below and said to Jiang Mian with a smile, "Be careful on your way to Luozhou."
Jiang Mian said seriously, "Second brother, you're alone. Be careful too. Remember, don't let the yellow talisman the Taoist priest gave you get wet, or it will lose its effectiveness."
Mo Zhizhang nodded slightly and stood there, watching the two carriages drive away one after another.
After seeing Jiang Mian and the others off, he didn't go back to the inn. Instead, he wandered aimlessly in the city. Then he came to a deep alley, knocked on a door that had been closed for a long time, and walked in.
It was an extremely quiet small courtyard. There were many pigeon cages in the yard, and there was only an old man with one blind eye guarding it.
"I thought you were dead since I haven't heard from you for so long," the one - eyed old man said hoarsely.
Mo Zhizhang walked towards the pigeon cages, smiling enigmatically. "How can I die when the Xiao family is still alive?"
He randomly grabbed a pigeon from the cage. Sensing the dangerous aura on him, the pigeon flapped its wings desperately. Mo Zhizhang reached out and gently stroked the pigeon, coaxing it tenderly, "Calm down. I'm not going to kill you."
The pigeon gradually calmed down. He took the bird food and fed the pigeon. After it was full, he put the secret letter he had already written into the letter tube on its leg and waved his hand.
The pigeon flapped its wings and flew away, gradually disappearing in the direction of the capital.
"Is that person still alive?" Mo Zhizhang said to the old man.
"The person is inside. Go in and see for yourself," the one - eyed old man tilted his chin towards the house. Mo Zhizhang pushed open the door. The light shone into the room. In the flying dust, a man about twenty - five years old, with a handsome but somewhat thin face, looked up at him.
Seeing Mo Zhizhang's face clearly, the man shrank back obviously. He backed away, his body trembling. "Don't come near. I've already given you everything and told you everything you wanted to know. What else do you want?"
Mo Zhizhang walked up to him, knelt on one knee. Although he was smiling, his smile and his gaze were creepy.
"You've told me everything, but there's one thing you didn't tell me, which allowed others to guess my identity and origin."
The man stammered, "Wh - what thing?"
Mo Zhizhang's smile deepened. "You didn't tell me where your master, who comes and goes like a ghost, is now and how he is doing."
That's right. The man in front of him, with a delicate appearance and looking no different from a scholar, should be Jiang Mian's uncle and Wang Hengyong's junior brother, Liu Wenyao.
"I - how could I know that others would suspect you because of my master's matter?" Liu Wenyao said angrily, his body trembling. "Besides, you're an impostor. Isn't it only a matter of time before you're discovered?"
After saying that, he immediately held his breath and looked at Mo Zhizhang in horror.
This man was unpredictable and moody. Would he kill him in a fit of anger?
"However, I met a very interesting girl in Dongli Town," Mo Zhizhang changed the subject. "I originally wanted to kill you, but I'm afraid she would hate me for it. Forget it. I'll spare you."
Under Liu Wenyao's surprised gaze, Mo Zhizhang threw a porcelain bottle at him.
"There's an antidote in it. After you take it, the deadly poison on you will be immediately cured. But..."
He stroked Liu Wenyao's cheek, which made Liu Wenyao tremble again.
"But I still need you to do one thing."
"You need to go back to the capital and find your senior brother, Wang Hengyong..."
A moment later, Liu Wenyao burst open the door and rushed out of the yard.
He had been poisoned and had been trapped in the room like a useless person for a long time. Although he had been cured of the poison, he hadn't walked for so long, so he crawled out on all fours. Although he was not ugly and could even be called handsome, he looked extremely disheveled at the moment.
The one - eyed old man didn't stop him and just watched him leave indifferently.
Mo Zhizhang walked out of the room. The one - eyed old man joked with a laugh, "After going to Dongli Town, have you become a Buddhist? You actually spared his life. This is not like you."
Mo Zhizhang smiled gently. "Why do we have to fight and kill all the time? It's not a bad thing to do some good deeds occasionally."
"I'm leaving," he waved and said goodbye to the one - eyed old man, then walked out of the yard.
A soft laugh from the one - eyed old man came from behind.
"The little madman has fallen in love."
...
On the official road, two carriages were driving openly. Inside the carriages were Jiang Mian and the others.
Chenzhou and Luozhou were not far apart. Moreover, since they were now in the territory of the Emperor of Beisheng, they no longer had to worry about Xiao Yixuan chasing after them. So they were walking on the broad and flat official road.
After Mo Zhizhang separated from them, Xiao Jingcheng seemed much more relaxed. He asked Jiang Mian to help him sit up and lean against the carriage wall to enjoy the scenery with her.
Chenzhou had many hills and a moderate climate, so the scenery was quite beautiful.
"Did you pass by Chenzhou when you fled from your arranged marriage in Xuanzhou?" Xiao Jingcheng asked Jiang Mian beside him.
Jiang Mian nodded. "I passed by, but I didn't stay for long. And I was so scared at that time that I had no mood to enjoy the scenery."
Xiao Jingcheng lowered his head and thought.
The Ye family had married her to Xuanzhou just to let her die there to complete this life - swapping scheme.
He didn't know if that bastard in Xuanzhou had given up looking for Jiang Mian's whereabouts.
Although they hadn't had the wedding ceremony at that time, all the formalities such as the betrothal letter and marriage certificate were complete.
He had to find a way to solve this matter for her so that the Ye family wouldn't dare to cause trouble again.
"What about you? Have you ever been to Chenzhou before?"
Jiang Mian asked.
Xiao Jingcheng nodded. "I've been here and stayed for a while, but that was five or six years ago."
"What about Luozhou?"
"I haven't been there."
The two chatted aimlessly, and Jiang Mian didn't feel bored at all.
As they were talking, the voice beside her stopped. She turned her head and saw that the man had leaned against the carriage wall and fallen asleep again.