Chapter 154 The Outside is Very Lively

Miss Jun deftly deceived with her words, then smiled without saying anything further.

Xia Yong, flustered and exasperated, looked at the few men who still hadn't figured out what had just happened.

"All of you, shut up," he barked.

The men fell silent, and quietness settled around them.

Indeed, they were men whose names were drawn on the Array Map by the master, and it was clear they commanded great authority here.

Miss Jun watched Xia Yong, and Xia Yong watched her back.

This young girl was too eloquent. Faced with someone like her, blunt-speaking people like them could only respond by staying still and silent.

"Anyway, Miss Jun, there's no need to worry. We won't take up too much of your time," he said briskly, "and please rest assured that we won't harm you or shortchange your medical fee."

With that, he bowed to Miss Jun.

"Please rest for now, Miss Jun. We will go and get the village children ready."

Without waiting for Miss Jun to say anything, he turned around and waved to the onlookers, called Sister-in-law Xia over to instruct her, then took the crowd and left, leaving only Xia Yong's wife and a few women in the courtyard.

"Miss Jun, even though you might not believe it, we really mean no harm," Xia Yong's wife said. "Sorry to trouble you..."

She didn't finish her sentence, as Miss Jun nodded with a smile.

"I believe," she said. "You mean no harm."

She believed them without hearing their explanation?

The prepared persuasive words thus became unnecessary. Sister-in-law Xia watched her for a moment.

Did she truly believe, or was it feigned?

"Whether it's true belief or mock belief, we simple folk won't say it out loud. Miss Jun, you just watch what we do," she said, patting her hand.

Miss Jun nodded.

"Indeed, whether I truly believe or pretend to, you'll know by watching what I do," she said. "But Aunt Xia, please let me write a letter to my people to give them a heads up."

Xia Yong's wife chuckled.

"Quickly, prepare some food for Miss Jun. She's been worn out all night," she said, avoiding the topic and calling out to the other women, then to Miss Jun holding her arm, "Come, Miss Jun, the room is ready for you to rest in."

Her hands were coarse but strong, clearly the result of years of hard work.

Though they meant no harm, they also wouldn't take her at her word, just as she herself acted kindly towards them but didn't foolishly divulge everything.

"Be careful then, it must be lively outside already," she said, not resisting as she walked toward the house.

The women looked to Sister-in-law Xia, who waved her hand at them, and everyone started bustling about.

Under the big tree at the village entrance, a group of people stood and squatted, engaged in animated discussions.

"Have they really found our village already?" an older man asked Xia Yong anxiously.

Xia Yong sat on a Big Green Stone under the tree, his expression solemn and silent.

"Is that young girl frightening?"

"How could they find out so quickly?"

The crowd voiced their opinions.

"Enough, stop arguing and keep an eye on the surroundings," Xia Yong interrupted the chatter.

He stood up, knocked a shoe he had been using as a cushion against the stone, and put it on.

"Regardless of what she says, whether it's scary or seductive, we still have to do what needs to be done. Add a few more men to the scouts outside," he said.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the people in front of him.

"Be careful in your tasks. We'll likely have to move to a new place this time. I hope we can all move together without anyone falling behind."

Everyone stood up, their postures straightening with his words. Whether old or young, their expressions turned serious and their eyes determined, like soldiers awaiting orders.

"Yes," they responded in unison, their voices low and powerful.

The crowd dispersed, leaving only Xia Yong and two others under the tree.

"Isn't this too risky?" one man said after a moment of silence.

Xia Yong remained quiet for a moment.

"This opportunity is too rare," he said, then laughed at himself, "It's not that the action is risky, but that we have been too foolish, and our lack of preparation is the true risk..."

As he spoke, the image of Miss Jun came to his mind again.

"The key thing is that you also have your vulnerabilities."

"Creating chaos in the water is the right move, but in doing so, you've also stepped into the water," she had said.

Her voice was gentle, betraying no particular emotion, but now, recalling it, Xia Yong could vividly see the arch of her brow.

Such an arch... it did not seem mocking, but rather conveyed confidence and certainty.

He indeed trusted her words.

It was truly baffling; why would he trust someone he had never met before and who he had captured?

"It's nothing serious, just be careful. Even if trouble comes, there's nothing to fear," he said.

The two men also regained their calm.

However, it was uncertain whether they would remain this calm upon learning that Qingyuan Prefecture had already begun bustling with activity at this moment, considering General Peng was anything but calm.

He stood on the street, watching the crowd surge in one direction like a tide.

"Distribute money?" he asked in surprise, "What does that mean?"

"What else could it mean? Looking for someone," the Prefect of Qingyuan said irritably, as he once again wiped the sweat from his forehead. Ever since he learned that Miss Jun had been kidnapped and gone missing, his sweating hadn't stopped.

"De Sheng Chang is distributing money to everyone, asking them to join in the search?" General Peng seemed to understand and asked.

"Of course, it's their way of showing they don't trust us," Prefect Zhou said coldly, "They entrusted you to escort Miss Jun, yet you let her slip away. Who would dare let you search for her now? You might even accidentally get her killed."

Such sarcastic remarks had been heard by General Peng incessantly ever since the news of Miss Jun's disappearance spread.

"I've said before, it was Miss Jun herself who didn't want us to follow. She chose to leave on her own," he argued with a flushed face.

Prefect Zhou snorted.

General Peng didn't want to continue this topic and stepped forward without waiting for a response, frowning at the gathering crowd.

"What good can these people do? It's simply chaos," he muttered.

The escort said he was going to call people over. Was this the crowd he brought? Have they gone mad?

Lei Zhonglian didn't think it was madness, nor did the people from De Sheng Chang. They were calmly and efficiently organizing the incoming crowd.

"What we need you to do is very simple," Lei Zhonglian repeated loudly to the crowd approaching, "Any news regarding Zhangqing Mountain, and extra money will be given for informative leads."

"Was Miss Jun really kidnapped?" Voices of inquiry also rose from the crowd.

The news was no longer concealed, and Lei Zhonglian nodded in confirmation.

"According to the current information, it was done by people near Zhangqing Mountain," he said, "We are newcomers and unfamiliar with this area, so we kindly request your diligent assistance."

He bowed as he spoke, and the staff from De Sheng Chang also hurriedly followed suit.

"Please go over there and collect a few coins as a token of our gratitude for your effort," Lei Zhonglian said, pointing to another side.

Seeing Lei Zhonglian's direction, a few workers yanked off the cloth covering the table, causing an immediate uproar on the site.

The table was laden with no less than a dozen large winnowing baskets, filled to the brim with coins, dazzling under the sunlight.

Such a scene was common in the affluent Jiangnan region, especially during the tide-watching festivals. It was said that wealthy merchants would throw baskets of coins into the water, inducing countless tide watchers to scramble for them.

Fetching money from the tides was dangerously risky, like trading one's life for wealth. Yet now, all they needed to do was to inquire about some news and they could snatch up these coins so easily and temptingly.

The decade of peace at the border made the lives of people in the northern lands much better, but this was their first time encountering such opulence. The throng of people became instantly tumultuous.

Prefect Zhou and General Peng were also staring agape at the sight.

Just by mentioning news related to Zhangqing Mountain would earn them money, and they'd receive more depending on the importance of the news. Wouldn't the civilians within Qingyuan Prefecture go mad?

To bandits and marauders, a few civilians or even dozens of government soldiers are no threat, but when thousands, or even tens of thousands, charge towards a single target, that's terrifying.

Damn it, to have such wealth, it's great to be rich.

The seemingly dull and foolish crippled man said he would call people, and indeed the people he called were formidable.

General Peng smacked his lips.

Standing on the other side of the street, Eighteenth Jin smiled when he saw this scene.

"If Miss Jun was really captured by us, then we probably really wouldn't be able to get out," he said.

Lu Yunqi told them to capture someone only after Miss Jun's vaccination was completed, precisely to avoid the frenzied obstruction by civilians concerned about their own interests being harmed.

Once the vaccination was over, to the civilians, Miss Jun became dispensable. When people find something dispensable, they naturally become more hesitant and contemplative.

But instead of seeking favors or appealing to loyalty in difficult times, direct money talks were employed.

In this world, there are sayings that money can make ghosts turn mills; colossal rewards bring out brave warriors; people die for wealth, and birds die for food.

"It's really good to have money." Eighteenth Jin laughed.

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Thank you Tiankong Yi Weilan for the Spirit Beast Egg reward; indeed, yesterday was worthwhile for today's gain.

Thank you Jing Sanshao, Longteng Zhetian, and Bing Yi from the south for the He's Bi reward, (*^__^*)

Thank you Tencent café for the 10,000 book coin reward.

Thank you Mi'er Tang'er for the reward.

Thank you all!