“Is the male lead a replaced prince?” Lin Ya’s gaze met that of a pale-faced boy for an instant before both quickly turned away.
[Um… the male lead is a raccoon cat. He was originally the heir of a marquis’s mansion but has now been sent back.]
“Oh.” No wonder he didn’t look like someone who grew up in a farming family. Although he seemed sickly, his behavior was very courteous, and he had an air about him that was different from ordinary people.
[Later, the male lead will rebel with others, and if the rebellion is successful, it can still be considered a career achievement. However, his survival relies entirely on the female lead’s golden finger.]
Lin Ya lightly hummed in acknowledgement, having roughly guessed the situation, and, unfazed, turned to enter the courtyard. “Most online novels include a spatial pouch with a spirit spring, so healing is quite normal.”
[Host, you guessed correctly!]
Ignoring the flattery of 123, he quickly climbed into the carriage and tossed out the struggling grasshoppers one by one. Two children rushed in to help.
“Daddy, we’re here to help!”
“Yeah! Daddy, Zhao’er and sister are here to catch bugs!”
Lin Ya stepped aside to make room for them and jumped out of the carriage, observing the others busy with their tasks. After a moment, his gaze unconsciously fell on the courtyard gate.
That uncomfortable probing gaze was no longer present.
Lin Ya frowned in contemplation; that person’s gaze seemed very perceptive. In fact, if possible, helping him out and forming a good connection wouldn’t be bad. After he leaves, perhaps the others could rely on that person’s protection.
…
In the evening, another group arrived near the village. However, this time there were many people, so they chose to camp outside the village instead of entering.
Hearing the sounds of horse hooves and carts, many people craned their necks to look around. With the deepening night, they could hardly make out the figures of those arriving.
All they could see were numerous guards, most with wooden clubs standing vigil, while others were starting fires to cook.
“So many carts… with this many people, there must be plenty of food on board…”
“If no one is guarding it, sneaking in to grab a little should go undetected.”
“What a pity, so many guards…” Most people turned fearful at the sight of the muscular men holding clubs.
Purely having the intention of stealing but lacking the courage.
The night deepened, accompanied by a cool breeze, causing the dry yellow leaves to quickly pile up over the shoe tops.
A figure quietly climbed over the wall and, taking advantage of the night, dashed away.
While Lin Ya was awake at night, he heard a slight noise. Alert, he looked over but found nothing. He opened the door and walked around but didn’t discover anything. Just when he was about to return to sleep, the door of the neighboring courtyard opened.
He paused, turned to look.
A slender, pale-faced boy dressed in a thin long gown was holding a lamp. The dim candlelight illuminated his jade-white face. The boy’s narrow eyes fixed on him, as if he wanted to say something, slightly parting his lips.
Lin Ya stood still, waiting for him to speak.
“Cough, cough…” The boy opened his mouth, interrupted by a series of dull coughs, causing the corner of Lin Ya’s eye to twitch. He thought the boy wanted to talk, but it turned out he was just coughing.
Seeing him covering his mouth with his sleeve, nearly dropping the lantern, Lin Ya walked over and took the handle from his hand.
“Are you alright?”
“…Cough, cough… thank you… cough…” The boy took a couple of deep breaths, lowering his sleeve.
“Did you come out because you heard the noise?” Lin Ya, who generally disliked speaking in riddles, directly asked.
The boy was momentarily taken aback, then nodded.
“Someone from the village has left.”
Due to the coughing, his voice was slightly hoarse, and being in the voice-changing period, it didn’t sound pleasant.
“…I saw that person’s back; I have an idea of who it was.”
Lin Ya didn’t think much of it, nodded: “Since there’s nothing else, let’s go back and rest.”
“That person—” The boy gazed at Lin Ya’s back, his lips pressing together as he softly said, “seems to be a scout for bandits.”
Lin Ya abruptly turned around, his eyes fixed on him: “Are there bandit camps nearby?”
The boy nodded, glancing at Lin Ya’s shabby courtyard before turning to close his own gate, lowering his voice: “Let’s talk specifics at your place.”
“Oh, by the way, my surname is Chu, my name is Ying, courtesy name Lingjun. May I ask for your surname?”
“Ren Jing, courtesy name Zixiu.” Lin Ya led him into the courtyard, moving two old stools for them to sit.
“Not long ago, I happened to overhear someone discussing that the largest grain merchant from Tianyan Prefecture will soon be passing through here on the way to Qingzhou Prefecture. They subtly implied that something unusual is going on with that merchant surnamed Li, which made me pay extra attention.”
Chu Ying observed the countenance of the young man in the darkness, where details were unclear, but he sensed a flicker of brilliance in his eyes. Although he was dressed plainly, and those around him were similar, he appeared composed and far from ordinary.
After all, having lived in a marquis’s mansion for so many years, he might not have ventured out frequently, but he still had some knowledge.
With a hint of a smile on his lips, his voice was anxious and fearful: “There’s a bandit camp about ten miles away. Years ago, someone from this village went up the mountain. It is said that those people used to rob passersby, but in recent years, they have become increasingly ruthless. Many merchants who passed by didn’t just lose their goods; they even lost their lives.”
Lin Ya frowned, looking at him with a somewhat strange expression.
“This area is hundreds of miles away from the county town. Although reports have been made, the county officials have turned a blind eye and haven’t sent even a single constable. Then, those bandits went silent for a while, and this matter was left unresolved.”
Unexpectedly, this person had some acting skills.
To Lin Ya, the night offered no difference in visibility compared to daytime, so he could see the expressions of the person clearly.
However, he did not expose him.
“If they travel quickly, they might reach here by tomorrow morning. Those people outside the village should be that merchant surnamed Li. Although they brought guards, those bandits probably have some sharp weapons.”
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