novelaction Chapter 430 Gathering
Chapter 430 Gathering
Chapter 430
Looking at the wine glass handed to her, and then at the people's eyes full of attentiveness and gratitude, Luo Shuiyao couldn't help feeling a surge of guilt in her heart.
She knew she had only contributed a small amount, and was unworthy of such praise. However, the simple people were grateful for her kindness, and through word of mouth, the story became more and more mysterious, and even those who had not seen it with their own eyes believed it to be true, which led to the enthusiastic scene before us.
But what could she do? She couldn't blame those who spread the news. After all, she was the biggest beneficiary. Looking at this scene, how could she have the nerve to let everyone's expectations be dashed?
Besides, she also knew that during this toasting festival, if someone offered a toast, she absolutely could not refuse, because toasting meant offering blessings, and if she refused, the person offering the toast would think she was looking down on her. Thinking this way, although she felt quite embarrassed, she still accepted the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp. She felt the sour and sweet fruit wine slide down her throat, carrying the friendship of everyone, and warming her heart.
Seeing her drink it down generously, the people, who had been feeling uneasy because of her silence, suddenly burst into even louder cheers.
The next moment, dozens of glasses filled with amber-colored wine were stacked before her, like a swaying golden wave. Luo Shuiyao, unwilling to reject their kindness, gritted her teeth and took each one, drinking.
The sweet and sour wine slid down her throat, refreshing at first, but as more cups were passed around, even if the fruit wine wasn't intoxicating, it made her stomach feel uncomfortable. She quietly took a half step back, her throat simmering with the sweet and sour taste of candied fruit, and she said loudly, "Thank you all for your kindness! But I really can't drink any more!"
However, her voice was quickly drowned out by the noisy crowd.
The noise of clinking glasses, the laughter and play of children, the music coming from afar, mixed with the repeated shouts of "Miss Luo", crushed her refusal.
The people continued to push forward, new wine glasses were handed to them, the aroma of wine mixed with the smell of sweat hit their faces, and the temperature around them continued to rise.
Luo Shuiyao felt her cheeks burning intensely, and she was squeezed so hard she could barely stand. She was caught in a dilemma when a clear voice suddenly pierced the air. The next moment, a calloused hand firmly grasped her elbow, and a warm breath brushed past her ear. She was then protected by Xuxu and taken to a solid back.
"Miss Luo already appreciates the kindness of all the villagers."
Qin Chuan, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, stood before the crowd, his wide sleeves brushing aside the surging tide. His voice was clear and powerful, "But how could she, a woman, drink so much wine? As the magistrate of Baihua County, I should protect the people. I will serve these glasses of wine for her!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already taken the wine glass from the nearest citizen, raised his head and drank it all in one gulp. The amber wine slid down his chin, gleaming in the light.
The people of Baihua County had always been grateful, close, and respectful of the county magistrate. This rare opportunity was met with a moment of silence, followed by a roar of applause that resounded throughout the venue like a wave.
Amidst the chaotic crowd, a woman wearing a blue headscarf spoke in a remarkably clear voice: "County Magistrate! You are not young anymore! I think this Miss Luo is both beautiful and kind-hearted, and she is a perfect match for you! We are hoping that you will marry a county magistrate's wife soon, so that the county magistrate's mansion can be more lively! We were originally wondering who would be worthy of you, but now it seems that it is fate that determines our destiny!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the people around started to make a fuss, with whistles and laughter coming one after another.
A few naughty children jumped and clapped their hands, shouting in baby voices, "Getting a wife! The county magistrate is getting a wife!"
Seeing this chaotic scene, Qin Chuan hurriedly raised his hand and shouted to stop it, but the boiling noise had already drowned out his words.
He felt a burning sensation on the back of his neck, and even the tips of his ears were turning a faint red. It was more scorching than drinking ten glasses of liquor. In a panic, he turned around and happened to meet Luo Shuiyao's eyes.
The girl's beautiful eyes reflected the flickering lights, and there seemed to be stars hidden in her eyes. A corner of his moon-white brocade robe was lifted by the night wind, and the fluttering corners of the clothes were wrapped in the aroma of honey, crushing the restless noise around them and the subtle feelings between the two of them into pieces in the night.
In the distance, someone on a tall building watched the entire scene unfold. With a crack, the man's hand clenched the redwood fence in front of him, shattering it and sending wood chips cascading from his grip.
His eyes were icy, fixed on the two people in the crowd, showing affection. From where he looked, the man and woman in the crowd seemed perfectly matched, yet this match was like a thorn in his heart, more unsettling than the sweet, cloying smell of alcohol that filled the city.
At this moment, the sounds of celebration in the street below were still rising and falling. But to him, they sounded like a mockery. He took a deep breath, his eyes gradually calmed, and whispered, "Yaoyao, you are mine. No one can take you away from me."
Ye Yi lowered his head and huddled in the shadows, not daring to breathe, for fear of being seen by the furious Ye Yunzhou.
It was not until he saw Ye Yunzhou's expression gradually calmed down that he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Ye Yunzhou turned around and stopped looking downstairs. He sat down with a cold expression and said in a deep voice, "How is the investigation going? Do you know where he is now?"
When Ye Yi heard Ye Yunzhou asking about the serious matter, he immediately restrained his expression and reported in a low voice: "It's at the inn next to South Street."
He paused, his voice filled with doubt. "I don't know where he found this woman. They acted like a couple all the way, and they looked so well-matched that they managed to evade many of our eyes. If it weren't for Xiao Yiwei and the others keeping a close eye on them, we would have nearly lost them several times."
After Ye Yunzhou finished handling his affairs in the capital, he volunteered to come here on the pretext of personally arresting the Third Prince. The Third Prince's injury was a carefully orchestrated act by him, his purpose being to force him into a desperate situation, forcing him to change his course of action so that he could legitimately travel with Luo Shuiyao.
However, to his surprise, after the third prince disappeared for a night, he appeared the next day with a woman. The two behaved intimately and slept in the same room, just like a real couple.
Ye Yiyin had never been able to find out the identity of that woman, and had not dared to report it to Ye Yunzhou. Until this moment, he had to tell the whole matter.
As expected, Ye Yunzhou's brows knitted tightly together when he heard this: "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Ye Yi hurriedly apologized, "It happened on the day the Third Prince disappeared and was injured. We've already found out that it was that woman who rescued the Third Prince after he was injured, and he was quite attracted to her. Their relationship was definitely not ordinary, but that woman seemed to appear out of thin air. I've searched everywhere with her portrait and name, even looking through the household registration files, but I can't find a single clue. I really don't dare to report this to you rashly."
Ye Yunzhou didn't pursue the matter further. He tapped his knuckles rhythmically on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he said in a deep voice, "Since the Third Prince has a disguise expert by his side, there's no guarantee that this woman doesn't use the same method. Find an opportunity to remove her mask, see her true appearance, and then conduct a thorough investigation."
"Yes, I understand."
Ye Yi did not make much excuses. He had always had this plan, but he had never been able to get close to the woman. This was due to his own incompetence.
After Ye Yi responded in a deep voice, he looked at Ye Yunzhou with his lowered eyes, as if thinking about something.
After hesitating for a while, Ye Yi said, "Sir, forcing the Third Prince to where Miss Luo is is like this. Isn't it too dangerous for Miss Luo?
Upon hearing this, Ye Yunzhou finally raised his eyes to look at Ye Yi, his gaze calm and deep. He then spoke in a calm voice, "The Third Prince is now obsessed with escaping Kyoto and avoiding investigation. He and Yaoyao are strangers, so there's no way he knows about her relationship with me. If that's the case, then she's safe, so there's no need to worry."
Ye Yi thought about it carefully and felt that it made sense, so he nodded and asked, "Do I need to send someone to protect Miss Luo? After all, she is away from home now..."
Ye Yi was still a little worried when Ye Yunzhou interrupted him with a shake of his head. "No need. The people around her are quite capable and can definitely protect her in ordinary matters."
Ye Yunzhou's eyes were solemn, and his tone was unquestionable. "You just need to keep an eye on the Third Prince and don't give him any chance to cause trouble. As for Yaoyao... I'll be there."
Hearing this, Ye Yi suddenly understood and instantly guessed Ye Yunzhou's plan. No wonder the master went to such great lengths to force the Third Prince here. It turned out that he was thinking, "The one who is close to the water gets the moon first!"
He secretly complained in his heart, but responded respectfully on the surface: "Yes, I'll do it right away!" After that, he turned around neatly and disappeared into the night.
Seeing Ye Yi's figure disappear at the corner of the corridor, Ye Yunzhou slowly stood up and walked to the wooden railing again.
The street below had long since lost its earlier bustle, but it was still bustling with people. The two figures from earlier were nowhere to be seen. He frowned slightly, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes. After a moment, he turned and strode out of the restaurant.
.........
On the other side, Qin Chuan leaned over to protect Luo Shuiyao, struggling to move forward amidst the shoving crowd. His wide sleeves were ripped and the jade pendant on his waist was almost falling, but he always used his arms to create a space to protect her behind him.
After finally squeezing out of the crowd, Luo Shuiyao's pearl flowers on her temples were crooked, a few strands of hair were scattered, and there were tiny sugar crumbs in her hair. She looked both embarrassed and cute.
Looking at her cheeks, which were obviously flushed due to the heat, Qin Chuan's ears also felt hot. He cleared his throat unnaturally and said, "The inn is just ahead. I'll take you there to clean up."
Luo Shuiyao knew she must be in a state of disarray without even looking in the mirror. After hearing his suggestion, she nodded gently, "Then I'll have to trouble County Magistrate Qin."
Qin Chuan didn't say anything more. He politely looked away, no longer looking at her, and led her towards the inn.
It was obvious that Qin Chuan was quite familiar with this inn. He briefly explained a few things to the waiter and then took Luo Shuiyao to a room. Standing at the door, he said softly, "Don't worry, young lady. I'm right outside. If you need anything, just call me."
Luo Shuiyao responded softly and pushed the door open to enter the room. The furnishings in the room were simple but clean, with a pot of green ivy by the window, adding a bit of liveliness.
She walked to the bronze mirror and sat down, looking at her messy hair and the hem of her skirt stained with broken leaves. She couldn't help but sigh, reached out to take off the crooked pearl flowers, and slowly combed her long hair.
Outside the door, Qin Chuan was a little worried. He took a few steps back to avoid the door and stood quietly against the wall. His thoughts were flying all over the place, and his ears were unconsciously paying attention to the movements in the room.
Just as I was lost in thought, a muffled sound suddenly came from inside the house, like the sound of something falling to the ground.
Qin Chuan almost didn't think twice before pushing the door open and rushing in as if by reflex, his eyes anxiously scanning the room. "Miss, what happened?"
Before he finished speaking, he saw Luo Shuiyao standing in front of the mirror with a look of astonishment on her face, her chair tilted to the ground, obviously she had tripped.
Hearing him ask this, Luo Shuiyao pursed her lips: "I accidentally tripped over the chair."
Qin Chuan saw the astonishment in her eyes and realized that he had been reckless. He hastily turned his eyes away, his ears burning instantly: "Yes, I'm sorry, I... I'll leave now."
When he turned around, he staggered slightly and almost bumped into the door frame. Behind him, he heard Luo Shuiyao coughing lightly while trying to suppress a smile.