Rude Kidnapping

Once back in the White Lotus Pavilion, Yang Yulan finally breathed a sigh of relief. The last few days, all she did was solve some problems and get into trouble. She was sure that a normal person in her situation would have gone crazy with stress long ago. Vacation! She needed a vacation urgently!

Yang Yulan didn't like working at all. She could rightfully be called lazy. Her occasional bursts of energy were almost always followed by prolonged apathy. There is no productivity, only light books, music and discussions about the meaning of being alive.

But is real rest possible in her current situation? As the girl remembered, Chu Qi was still serving her sentence in the stable, and the other maids in the pavilion would not lift a finger to take care of her food and leisure.

Yang Yulan, of course, had handled everything alone before, but it wasn't until she arrived here, in this world where she finally didn't have to work and worry about money, that she realized how bad her life really was in the past.

While the girl was lamenting about her difficult future, the collar of her clothes moved and a silvery head peeked out from under the thick fabric.

– Little Bell! I completely forgot about you.

Yang Yulan was in such a hurry to escape from the villainess who attacked her out of nowhere that she did not notice that she didn't return the captured animal back to its familiar environment.

The silvery creature stretched out its nose and licked her hand.

– What am I going to do with you? I won't be able to take care of you.

The animal whined as if supporting the girl's words

– And what should I feed you? Of course, I have no doubt that there are a lot of rats and cockroaches in the White Lotus Pavilion, but I still can't say for sure that you will last long on such a diet.

Yang Yulan quickly opened the system and reread the contents of the book. There were no romantic events in the near future, much less those taking place in the forest, so it was not possible to quickly teleport to the right place.

The girl sighed heavily, not knowing what to do next.

The princess spent the next few days in Hardcore mode. She had to steal food from unfriendly cooks, and wash her clothes in the same water that she used for bathing. She was not welcomed even by the dirtiest servants, and some maids even shied away from her as if she were a contagious patient. The girl was already ready to beg the system for mercy. What has she done so wrong that she has to put up with all this?

By the end of a week of unbearable suffering, Qing Zixiao came to the White Lotus Pavilion. Looking at the girl, who had turned from a healthy woman flaming with energy into a walking corpse, the general could not help but sigh in shock.

– You look like you're going to faint.

– Maybe I will, really. I've been feeling terribly dizzy lately.

– What's going on? Are you feeling unwell?

– What about it? Are you afraid that I will die and not have time to fulfill your wish?

The general did not react to the provocation of the girl in any way, only continued to look at her with a sympathetic look. Yang Yulan immediately faded away.

– It's been harder to get food lately. The maid who used to provide it for me is now serving her sentence elsewhere.

– Then why don't you ask the other servants?"

– You don't seem to quite understand the situation. No one will do anything to me here. They don't care who I am. They know perfectly well that my parents will not respond to my complaints.

– Ha! How unlike you. The princess I know, for the sake of food, would be ready to come to the cook with bow and arrows and threaten him for a cup of soup

– You think I'm some kind of crazy executioner.

– Well, aren't you ?

Yang Yulan rolled her eyes.

– If I try to threaten them, they will only get more excited. Then I'll be a thorn in their side. They can kill me while I'm sleeping and then pass me off as an accident. No one will even think of investigating this case. I'd rather starve than tremble in anticipation of death.

Qing Zixiao's eyebrows shot up. He obviously did not expect to hear such an answer.

– Hmm.. I suspected it before, but.. You're not crazy at all. You're thinking too sensibly for a madwoman. I'd say you're just weird.

– Thank you for such a comment

Qing Zixiao chuckled cheerfully

– I can arrange with some servant.

– It's not worth it. It's not going to work anyway.

– I'd rather go to the city and buy groceries. A little more. Enough to last until my maid returns.

– Interesting. And how are you going to get there?

Yang Yulan suddenly slapped her forehead. So abruptly that the man in front of her was ready to reconsider his thoughts about her adequacy.

«The system won't move me to the city like last time. This event was temporary. I forgot something so important again.»

– I'll take you there – General Qing interjected into her train of thought.

– Really? – the princess couldn't believe her ears – why do you always help me?

– You don't like it ?

– No, no. I'm absolutely glad. But what's the benefit to you? Do you want another wish?

— No. I just... I just want to help.

– Listen – the tone of Yang Yulan's voice suddenly became a little softer, which made the general involuntarily tense up – are you really in love with me?

– Well, that is.. – the girl panicked at her own words and started waving her arms chaotically – Not that I thought everyone around me was in love with me or something. It's just that you proposed to me and all that..

–No – Qing Zixiao replied proudly, ignoring the girl's nervousness – it just seemed to me that you cared about me. And you fit my standards as a legitimate wife. I decided that something might come out of it.

– I don't like you. I mean, I don't love you.

– I've already figured that out. It was not necessary to voice it.

– I'm sorry.

– Forget it.

There was silence. The couple strolled leisurely along a small lake and enjoyed the view of the setting sun

– After everything that happened, you still keep coming here and talking to me. Why? I thought you'd hate me.

– I've just been a little lonely lately.

***

The next day was illuminated by a long-awaited trip. All the way to the city, Yang Yulan rubbed her rumbling stomach in anticipation, and even the people looking at her askance at the market could not spoil her mood

– Little bell. I'll get you something delicious, too. You must be completely exhausted from eating bugs.

The girl gently patted the place where her little friend was sitting.

– Is this animal still with you? I was very surprised when I realized that you had caught him. How did you do that?

– I think I was just being very friendly with him.

– How so.

Looking at the products on the market, Yang Yulan, as usual, turned on her ossified huckster mode. If it was possible to buy rice cheaper, she would do anything to buy it at the lowest price. She was rich. Money was not a problem. However, she couldn't help herself.

– You almost drove that man crazy. He was ready to explode with anger. I'm surprised he sold you anything at all.

– If he hadn't sold it, I would have gone to another merchant. It would have worked on someone else.

– What worked?

– My ingenious tactic of getting a bargain price.

Qing Zixiao shook his head hopelessly.

«More of a problem-making tactic»

The merchant placed two thick large bags of rice in front of them and, muttering curses to himself, went to serve other customers.

– Let me help you. There's a lot here. You won't get up..

Before the guy could finish, the girl took a bag of rice in both hands and stood up as if they weighed nothing.

– Is this even possible?

– What are you talking about?

– Never mind

Their further path lay towards spices, salt, sugar, various vegetables and additives. The list also included flour and eggs. The only thing they haven't taken in all this time is meat. In any case, without using the kitchen, the princess would hardly be able to roast meat or make minced meat.

– Since I'm going to live on vegetables for another half a month, I need to eat meat today, the girl decided, and the couple went straight to the nearest restaurant for lunch.

They took a seat on the balcony and ordered food.

While Qing Zixiao went downstairs to give some servant boy their purchases for safekeeping, Yang Yulan fed the meat snacks she brought to her little pet

– Here you go! It's not hot. You'll like it.

The trees rustled. A huge wing sliced through the air. A black bird almost half the size of Yang Yulan flew onto the balcony and grabbed the defenseless gray animal with its claws and dragged it into the air

– Hey! – the girl immediately panicked – let him go now!

The bird flew very fast, so Yang Yulan, without hesitating for a second, jumped off the balcony and, moving from roof to roof, rushed after the flying bird

– Hey. Stop!

The girl pulled the bowstring as she ran and fired a couple of times at the floating target.

Both times the arrow missed. The race continued.

Yang Yulan was rapidly losing strength. From time to time she lost sight of the bird. There were fewer and fewer people on the streets, and at some point the girl realized that she had run out of the city center

– Stop, you!

The girl was wheezing and desperately inhaling the prickly air. Her lungs were about to explode

Another couple of shots. Missed again.

The girl stopped and looked desperately at the receding black dot.

— You won't leave!

Yang Yulan took a deep breath. She pulled the bowstring and aimed again.

– Okay, this is my last chance. About three.

– One..

– Two..

– And three!

The arrow flew out of the bow at the speed of light and flew towards a little higher than the flying bird.

The girl peered up at the sky. The arrow disappeared from sight, and the bird flew all the way.

– Come on.. Please!

After a few seconds of intense observation, the girl realized that the black dot began to move rapidly downward.

– Yes!

The princess gathered all her remaining strength and rushed towards the bird wreck.

Fortunately, I didn't have to run for long. The place where the bird fell was completely deserted. Poor little houses, dirty homeless children.

– It seems that I got into some kind of dysfunctional area

Frightened, the girl reached for her belt and unbuckled her mask, put it on her face.

– It's much better this way.

– I need to find this black bird quickly and get out of here.

The girl moved for a long time through the dirty streets until the ground shook from someone's scream.

– I think I heard something – the girl could more and more clearly distinguish the bird's cawing. It was so loud and strong that it was like a small earthquake.

She's very close now. Right around this corner.

– Got you! – The girl screamed and jumped out from behind the wall with a drawn bow and came across the surprised gaze of a dozen tall men. They were pushing a big screaming bird into an iron cage.

– What?

– Who are you?

– Nobody. Bye!

The girl realized that she had acted recklessly and hurried to get away from the crime scene.

Naturally, a chase began for her. The girl couldn't run far if she wanted to. Her strength had long since dried up, and compared to full-grown men, she was no faster than a turtle.

– Where are you going, huh?

– Let me go – the girl struggled out of the bandit's clutches

– What a strange voice. Take off his mask – the other man told the one who was holding the princess

–She's a girl!

– A girl?!

– Hey. What are you doing in a place like this all by yourself? Don't you want to live ?

A couple of men laughed loudly in unison.

Yang Yulan stubbornly remained silent and only looked at them sullenly from under her brows.

– You don't seem too scared? Do you even know who we are and what we can do?

– Do you see those cages? There are people sitting there. Unhappy people who were sold by their relatives for a bag of rice. Haha. Can you believe it.

The coarse laughter was heard again.

Yang Yulan continued to remain silent, but took a brief glance at the wounded bird randomly beating against the walls of the cage. She was begging for help and bleeding profusely. Her wing was injured.

– Did you like the bird? So do we. It is incomparable luck that the great spirit of Death has fallen right into our hands. They'll pay good money for it on the black market.

– Stop talking already – one of the men protested. He ordered the fugitive to be thrown into an empty cage

– Boss, are we really going to sell her?

– What about it? She was walking here alone, and even wearing a mask. I have an eye for such things. I bet she's either on the run or no one knows she came here.

– No, I mean, she's so ugly. They definitely won't buy it in a brothel.

– Hmm.. –The man looked at the girl's face, and then took the torn mask and put it on her. – If you don't look at her face, then her body is fine. Then we'll check for defects again. She's in good clothes, I don't think she's been working hard. There should be no injuries. Put her in the cart already and let's go.

– Copy that, boss

– And shut that bird up. It gave me a headache.