Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1302: Chapter 1304: Mighty and Domineering_1

Bai Ruozhu narrowed her eyes, she had already made preparations to resist. Even if this trip couldn’t spoil the big scheme, she definitely wouldn’t take a beating for no reason, and these people had been bribed. Who knew what dirty tricks they would use when administering the punishment? She did not want to gamble away her life here.

Of course, she knew Yichun would not just watch her get beaten without resisting. If push came to shove, they would all just escape Gaochang City and hide out somewhere. They could figure out the long-term plan later.

Jiang Yichun pulled Bai Ruozhu into his arms and glared at the officers who had designs on Bai Ruozhu, saying, ”Who dares to touch my wife? Today I’ve really seen what it means for the Government to drive people to revolt!”

”How audacious, stirring up trouble in Gaochang! Let’s see if you have enough lives to take what’s coming!” The City Official shouted and then, with a ferocious tone, said to the officers, ”What are you dawdling for? Get them!”

Just as a standoff was about to erupt, a man dressed in brocade charged in, exclaiming, ”Hold on, these people are friends I made in Danliang Country. They have come to visit Gaochang at my invitation, and I can personally vouch for their character!”

When Bai Ruozhu heard this, she turned to look, and it was actually Ao Qi!

Ao Qi flashed them a benevolent smile, giving them a look that said ”Leave everything to me.”

The City Official paused for a moment and then said, ”How did Young Master Ao come to be involved? Why would you wade into these muddy waters?”

Ao Qi, looking gentle and refined, always had a smile on his face, making him seem quite approachable. Only now, his face suddenly turned cold, and a powerful aura emanated from him as he stared down the City Official and asked, ”What, even a mere City Official dares to lecture me now? Even those openly from the Holy Hall wouldn’t dare to treat me with such an attitude. Who do you think you are?”

The City Official shuddered with fright, and then his face turned an angry red as Ao Qi’s words made it clear that he was calling him a lackey set up by the Holy Hall, further humiliating him in front of his subordinates.

”Naturally, I am not qualified to speak with Young Master Ao, but it was an important figure from within the Holy Hall who reported them, along with numerous Holy Guards as witnesses. Young Master Ao, if you intend to use personal relationships to take them away, it would be difficult for this subordinate to explain,” the City Official said through clenched teeth.

Fury flashed in Ao Qi’s eyes, but he quickly composed himself and snorted coldly, ”Is that so? It seems the City Official no longer regards the Royal Family in high esteem.”

The City Official snickered inwardly, thinking your mother is the Grand Princess, but you’re no prince, so what’s with the attitude.

”What? Is the City Official unaware that the Grand Princess is present?” A capricious female voice rang out, and a fiery red figure entered the Main Hall—it was Princess Yingtong who had almost caused trouble for Bai Ruozhu and the others earlier.

Bai Ruozhu was somewhat taken aback. What was going on?

”They are friends of mine, who have always admired our Western Regions culture. How could they have insulted the Holy Hall? Wouldn’t it likely be the work of some petty person looking to cause trouble?” Princess Yingtong said, her chin held high, her demeanor incredibly assertive and domineering. Yet this assertiveness and domineering attitude was there to help Bai Ruozhu and the others, which made her seem much more likeable in Bai Ruozhu’s eyes.

”This subordinate greets Princess Yingtong,” the City Official hurriedly stood up and bowed to the princess, then put on an embarrassed expression. ”This matter really is beyond this subordinate’s authority. They are being sent to the Holy Hall for trial. Perhaps the princess might speak to the Divine Envoy of the Holy Hall?”

”Presumptuous!” Princess Yingtong shouted angrily. One had to admit, she truly commanded presence right now.

”Now I have to look at your faces to take a few friends out? Who do you think you are! Guards, anyone who dares stop me from taking my friends out, beat them to death with your clubs!”

Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but cheer internally. The princess was truly domineering, but she liked it.

Ao Qi bowed to them both. ”I’m sorry that you two have been startled. Let us leave first and talk later.”

Bai Ruozhu bowed her hands in return, ”Thank you, Young Master Ao and Princess Yingtong.”

Jiang Yichun also bowed his hands in thanks, but Princess Yingtong sported a proud and coquettish look and did not pay much attention to them.

They followed Princess Yingtong out of the Government Office, with the city officer desperately pleading behind them. He nearly got pushed and tripped by Princess Yingtong’s guards numerous times and, in the end, could only watch as they left.

”Sir, what should we do now?” the city officer’s trusted aide asked him, moving closer.

The city officer’s eyes shifted, and he said in a low voice, ”Report to the one from the Holy Hall, just tell the truth!”

”Yes, I’ll go right away,” said the city officer’s trusted aide, scurrying off.

However, before he got very far, he was suddenly subdued by someone hitting his acupoint, then dragged into an alley.

”What’s your hurry? What are you up to?” Ao Qi asked with a smile.

Bai Ruozhu, seeing Ao Qi’s demeanor, was suddenly reminded of Xu Huilin. He had that same smile of a Fox, but Ao Qi was a few shades more cunning than Senior Fox, with an added dash of carefree elegance.

When the city officer’s trusted aide saw he was facing Ao Qi, and behind him stood the two prisoners they had captured before, with Princess Yingtong appearing very impatient at his side, continuously slapping her riding crop against her palm.

”Why waste words with him? Just give him a whipping, and he’ll spill everything.” Princess Yingtong said, and with that, she whipped him.

The city officer’s trusted aide almost let out a loud cry from the pain, but fearing she might get angry and kill him on the spot, he clenched his teeth tightly.

”Talk, to avoid more suffering,” Ao Qi commanded.

Princess Yingtong raised her eyebrows, ”You’re just afraid the city officer will find out and blame you, right? If you don’t talk, we won’t either. How would he know where we got the information from?”

”Think about it. Is your life more important, or is being honest more important? Besides, we’re not asking you to betray the city officer, right?” Ao Qi added.

Bai Ruozhu tugged at Jiang Yichun’s sleeve, indicating that Ao Qi and the princess were interrogating the man with such uncanny synergy. They had been at each other’s throats the day before—were they not true enemies but rather the so-called ’frenemies’?

Indeed, the city officer’s trusted aide could not withstand their good-cop-bad-cop routine and confided everything in detail.

”After you took the people away, the city officer was afraid he couldn’t explain to that person, so he sent me to report to the Holy Hall.” He gritted his teeth and whispered, ”It was Lady Diao Mo from the Holy Maiden’s service who directed the city officer to do it, saying they had harmed her daughter.”

”It really was her.” Bai Ruozhu scoffed, ”Have you seen Diao Mo before? Have you ever seen her husband and daughter?”

The city officer’s trusted aide did not dare not to answer and hastily said, ”Lady Diao Mo’s husband is from Danliang. I did not see him this time; I heard he fell seriously ill on the road. I did see Miss Jin Jing, her daughter. She also told me...”

”Told you what?” Jiang Yichun’s face turned cold.

The city officer’s trusted aide shrank his neck and said, ”She told me to pass a message to the city officer, saying if you resist, to go after the lady with full force. It’s best to cripple her.”