BXBX NOVEL Chapter 407: 403
Xiao Mo played with the porcelain bottle in his hand and unconsciously wore a smile on his face.
Chui Zhaochen glanced at him and whispered, “My lord, are you really going to keep that child around?”
“What else should we do? Let her be targeted again by Qi Da and his people?”
Xiao Mo shot his confidant a look, “Once Chengjun’s army arrives in a few days and we appoint new officials to the county, we can let her go home.” That way, the little girl wouldn’t have to worry about revenge from anyone.
Chui Zhaochen looked worriedly at his master’s arm. “My lord, do you plan to kill Qi Da later?”
Xiao Mo: “Why should I kill Qi Da? Isn’t it nice to let them charge ahead for us?”
Chui Zhaochen swallowed, wondering why he didn’t plan to kill Qi Da but still wanted to keep the girl around. Wasn’t that double trouble?
Moreover, there was a high probability that the girl was involved in the injury on his lord’s arm. Wasn’t he afraid of getting hurt again?
“Your injury might have been done by the allies of the Jiang kid. Are you sure you want to release the tiger back to the mountain?” Chui Zhaochen nervously asked.
Xiao Mo sat up lazily, “That child is of great use and naive. If we imprison her, we will only drive her against us. It’s better to give her freedom. Let’s deal with the traitors first, then we’ll talk.”
Chui Zhaochen blinked, seeming to understand something.
The lord. He wouldn’t be considering taking the young girl in, would he?
Not to mention that when the girl grows up, she would be one in a million, and her personality fits the lord’s taste quite well.
And whenever the girl confronted his lord, his lord didn’t get angry at all. He seemed to enjoy it.
Was this mutual agreement?
Chui Zhaochen shook his head and reminded, “My Lord, be careful. The…the young lady knows medical skills, don’t be fooled by her.”
Xiao Mo glanced at his subordinate, “Do you think your lord is a fool?”
Chui Zhaochen remained silent and left the room.
The more he talks, the more mistakes he makes; better to say nothing.
Coming into the courtyard, he saw Yingbao sitting under the wisteria trellis in the garden, happily shaking a folding fan in her hand.
There were two maids beside her, one brewing tea for her, and the other feeding her pastries.
Chui Zhaochen’s eye twitched, and he quickly left the inner courtyard.
Actually, Yingbao wasn’t as composed as she appeared; she was extremely anxious.
Chen Zhu was still waiting outside the city for her to relay information. However, she was confined within the County Government’s inner courtyard.
If the Xiao family’s army arrived, Chen Zhu would be in danger.
She had looked around: there were hundreds of guards inside and outside the County Government, and even soldiers stationed outside the wall.
Initially, these were all Cao Can’s men; now it seems like Xiao Mo had benefitted from the situation.
She had asked the maids and learned that Xiao Mo had brought over two hundred elite cavalrymen into the city.
After eating a few cakes, Yingbao suddenly stood up, startling the two maids.
“Young lady, what do you want? I’ll get it for you,” one of the maids asked.
Yingbao waved her hand, picked up the remaining cakes, and walked to Xiao Mo’s room.
“Xiao Mo! Are you asleep?”
Yingbao stood at the window, standing on her tiptoes to peek inside.
Xiao Mo was reviewing the espionage report for the day, and answered indifferently, “Speak your mind.”
“I want to go for a walk; tell your men not to block my way,” declared Yingbao.
Xiao Mo ignored her and continued reading the report.
Having no other option, Yingbao moved to the door, tiptoed in, and put the cakes on the table. “You must be hungry, these are especially for you.”
Xiao Mo calmly closed the report and glanced at the plate, “I’m not hungry.”
Yingbao sat down next to him and sized him up with blinking eyes, “I’m thinking about going out for a stroll, do you want to come?”
Xiao Mo glanced at her, thought for a moment, and stood up, “Okay, where do you want to wander off to?”
Yingbao’s eyes gleamed, and she chuckled, “I want to wander everywhere.”
Xiao Mo chuckled and called someone in to change his clothes.
Yingbao, knowing better, ran outside to wait for him, but ended up waiting for two maids instead.
The maids carried a pile of clothes and said, “Please change, miss.”
Yingbao looked down at her dancer’s dress and had no choice but to follow the maids to change and freshen up.
After a while, she emerged in her new dress.
She wore a white crossover blouse and a light green rhomboid long skirt tied around her waist. She had on a pair of green satin embroidered shoes, and her hair had been re-combed. The maids coiffed her in a side bun, making her look both cute and sassy.
Yingbao ran out of the room to see Xiao Mo already waiting in the courtyard and asked, “Xiao Mo, are we going horse-riding?”
Xiao Mo glanced at her: “Can you ride a horse like this?”
“Yes! Of course, I can!” Yingbao looked around, didn’t see any horses, but saw a horse carriage parked at the entrance.
Xiao Mo went straight into the carriage, saying, “There are no horses, only a carriage. Either get in, or stay here.”
Yingbao had no other option but to climb into the carriage, sitting next to Xiao Mo.
The carriage started moving slowly down the street.
Yingbao did not converse with Xiao Mo; instead, she craned her neck to look out, without any intention to get off and wander around.
Finally, the coachman had no choice but to ask, “Sir, where would you like to go?”
Yingbao spoke, “Let’s go to the city wall, I’ve never been there.”
The coachman dared not answer and instead, asked again, “Sir, you…”
“To the city gate.” Xiao Mo said indifferently.
On hearing this, Yingbao was overjoyed, “Yes yes, let’s go towards the city gate.”
“Got it!” The coachman gave a whip and drove the carriage towards the city gate.
In a little while, the carriage arrived at the stairs of the mountain.
Yingbao jumped off the carriage and looked around.
There were quite a few guards here as well, along with several cavalrymen following Xiao Mo’s carriage. It would not be easy for her to escape.
Unless she grew a pair of wings and flew off the city wall.
Xiao Mo also got down from the carriage and took the lead to walk up the stairs.
Yingbao followed closely behind, eventually reaching the gate tower. She stood near the wall, gazing outwards.
Xiao Mo stood beside her, their bodies only two fists apart. Was he afraid she might jump?
Yingbao subtly moved aside, pulled out a white rhombus handkerchief from her sleeve, waving it outside the wall. She then let it go, and the handkerchief flew away.
“Ah! My handkerchief!” Yingbao tiptoed to look down, saw her white handkerchief flutter away in the distance, gradually whisked away by the wind.
Xiao Mo abruptly grabbed Yingbao’s arm, pulling her away from the wall.
He then looked at her sternly, “Why on earth would you throw your handkerchief?”
Yingbao gave an innocent look, “I didn’t mean to. Who knew the wind on the wall is so strong that it swept away my handkerchief.”
Unsure of whether to believe her or not, Xiao Mo dragged her down from the city gate tower.
He then tossed her into the carriage, turned back and ordered his attendant something.
Seeing this, Yingbao’s heart pounded, fearing that he might suddenly order to open the city gate and send people out to investigate.
However, just as she feared, Xiao Mo indeed ordered the city gates to be opened and sent a team of soldiers out.
Panic-stricken, Yingbao jumped off the carriage and ran outward, but was stopped at the city gate.
Xiao Mo was on horseback, blocking her way, gazing at her grimly.
She looked back up at him defiantly, wondering whether to take out her secret weapon – a large knife.