Song Yihuan panicked for only a split second before she calmed down.
She was already halfway to success and couldn't afford to lose her composure at this crucial moment.
So what if Ji Lingchuan was here? Given his proper and etiquette - abiding nature, he surely wouldn't strip off her clothes and tear off her mask in public. As long as she kept her cool, she could surely deceive him.
She imitated the voice of an old woman and coughed a few times heavily, aiming to remind the woman from the Wang family outside.
When Ji Lingchuan appeared outside the door, the woman from the Wang family was awed by his looks and bearing. It wasn't until she heard the cough from inside the house that she suddenly came to her senses.
Stepping back two paces with the two children behind her to avoid the snarling hounds, she tried hard not to hiccup and stammered:
"Your, your honor, when you knocked on the door, I was applying medicine to an old neighbor lady inside. That's why I'm late. Please don't blame me."
Ji Lingchuan frowned slightly, stepped into the courtyard, and glanced around at the furnishings. His eyes swept over the farm tools in the corner and the things placed there, then he asked indifferently:
"An old neighbor lady? Isn't there anyone in her family to take care of her? Why does she have to come here for medicine?"
The woman from the Wang family nervously clenched her fists and, following what Song Yihuan had taught her, replied truthfully:
"We were washing clothes by the well just now. The old lady squatted for too long. When she got up, she accidentally slipped and sprained her waist. Her family members have all gone out to work. My husband is a stonemason, and we always keep medicinal wine at home. So I helped her into our house to apply the medicine. It's quite normal for neighbors to look after each other."
The woman from the Wang family's child had been sizing up Ji Lingchuan. Thinking this man was both handsome and imposing, the child immediately chimed in, "What my mother said is true. That old grandma is not in good health. She sprained her waist after washing a few clothes."
Ji Lingchuan did see two wooden basins with clothes in the courtyard. One was very clean, while the clothes in the other were covered with some sand, clearly indicating that it had been knocked over just now.
At this time, Song Yihuan lowered her voice and said from inside the house, "Your honor, please forgive me. I've sprained my waist and can't move easily, so I can't get up to greet you."
This voice did sound like that of an elderly woman, and the testimonies of the woman from the Wang family and her child also seemed to prove her identity.
However, Ji Lingchuan wouldn't let go of any possibility without seeing the person with his own eyes.
"Don't be nervous, old lady. Just stay in the house. There's no need to come out to greet us. Today is just a routine search. We won't enter the house, but we need to let a hound in to search. Our hounds are well - trained. As long as you have nothing to hide, the hound won't do anything to you."
Inside the house, Song Yihuan bit her lower lip. Knowing that what was coming was inevitable, she replied, "Yes, your honor."
The woman from the Wang family looked at the hounds led by the black - armored soldiers, nervously swallowed her saliva, then stepped forward and opened all the doors of the rooms. The black - armored soldiers loosened the ropes in their hands. Ji Lingchuan took something out of his bosom and let the hounds smell it. Then he waved his hand, and the hounds started to search the courtyard.
If Song Yihuan had been outside, she would surely have been surprised. Because what Ji Lingchuan let the two hounds smell was the corner of the clothes he had grabbed when she fell off the cliff that day.
The hounds twitched their noses and began to search the small courtyard carefully. The woman from the Wang family hugged the children and shrank into a corner. Seeing the two hounds gradually approaching the room where Song Yihuan was, a look of worry appeared on her face.
The hounds found nothing wrong in the courtyard and other rooms. Only the room where Song Yihuan was remained to be searched. Without hesitation, the two strong and agile hounds got into the room through the open door.
The woman from the Wang family subconsciously tightened her grip on the children's hands, her heart pounding nervously.
Ji Lingchuan didn't notice the woman from the Wang family behind him. Instead, he looked down at the two wooden basins on the ground.
Inside the room, Song Yihuan was sitting on the bed. Seeing the two hounds enter the room, although she had been prepared, she still couldn't help feeling nervous.
The heavy panting of the hounds rang in her ears. The two hounds were confused by the strong smell of medicinal wine in the room. They twitched their noses and circled around the room several times. Several times, they circled in front of Song Yihuan and sniffed repeatedly at the place where she had just sat.
She didn't know if it was because she had applied too much medicinal wine, but Song Yihuan felt her stomach churn, which made her feel extremely uncomfortable.
Fearing that her secret would be discovered, she covered her mouth and nose tightly and endured it so as not to make a sound and be detected by Ji Lingchuan outside.
In the end, the strong smell of medicinal wine prevailed. The hounds couldn't recognize the familiar smell and had to leave the room one after another.
Seeing the two hounds leave the room, Ji Lingchuan said expressionlessly, "Sorry to bother you."
The black - armored soldiers behind him stepped forward to tie up the two hounds again. Then Ji Lingchuan didn't stay in the courtyard any longer and turned around to stride away. The two black - armored soldiers also saluted the woman from the Wang family with their fists clasped and withdrew with the hounds.
It wasn't until she heard the door being closed and the barking of the hounds getting farther and farther away that Song Yihuan dared to loosen the hand covering her mouth and nose and took a breath of fresh air.
The strong smell of medicinal wine penetrated her nostrils. She couldn't hold it back any longer and leaned on the edge of the bed, retching.
The first thing the woman from the Wang family saw when she entered the room was Song Yihuan retching while leaning on the edge of the bed. She was startled and quickly stepped forward to support Song Yihuan, asking, "Are, are you okay? You were fine just now. What's wrong?"
Song Yihuan raised her hand to speak, but her stomach churned again, and she vomited once more.
After driving the two children out, the woman from the Wang family went to pour some water and opened the window for ventilation. Then she sat on the edge of the bed and helped Song Yihuan up to feed her water.
"Miss, I think you're so weak. You'd better stay here to recuperate for a few days. Anyway, my husband won't be back for ten days or half a month. It'll be good to have each other for company."
But Song Yihuan shook her head. "Thank you for your kindness, but although I managed to avoid them today, this can't be a long - term solution. They've even sent out hounds to find me. I don't know what tricks they'll come up with next. I can't cause you any trouble."
Seeing that her mind was made up, the woman from the Wang family had no choice but to say, "There's a small path behind our house that can avoid those officials outside. You must be careful not to be caught by them."
Song Yihuan smiled and replied, "Yes, I will. Thank you."
Without lingering any longer, after her breathing had calmed down a bit, Song Yihuan picked up her wooden basin and clothes and quietly left through the back door of the Wang family's house. There was a field of very tall grass behind the Wang family's house, completely covering the path.
But this was no problem for her. With just a thought, she determined the direction. Enduring the itch of the weeds brushing against her face, she quickly returned to the courtyard where she was hiding.
Ji Lingchuan, who continued to search further, seemed to sense something. He raised his head and looked backward, only to see an empty alley and the black - armored soldiers coming in and out.
He frowned and looked at the woman who had come to answer the door. His eyes fell on the wet clothes hanging in the courtyard. Suddenly, Ji Lingchuan asked:
"Were you washing clothes by the well just now?"