SFS The ambushing caravan in Chapter 46
The ambushing caravan in Chapter 46
"Do we look that poor? Why are those two servants welcoming them like they've seen a god of wealth?"
Qu Lingyan was equally quick-witted and, like Xiao Xuan, noticed the strange behavior of the servants.
Xiao Xuan used his ability to look at the two servants.
The other party's identity is not in question, but the hidden information is truly astonishing.
[They were taken hostage in an attempt to rob the goods belonging to Fuyuan Escort Agency.]
"That's strange indeed. If we're going to rest here, we'd better be careful."
"Your horse still has the strength, but mine can't run anymore. Let's wait for them to eat some good feed."
Xiao Xuan nodded. This was the only post station within dozens of miles. If they missed it, the rest of the journey would be quite difficult.
However, Xiao Xuan also had a solution.
With so many people and horses at Fuyuan Escort Agency, it would take at least a day for them to rest and get back to their best condition.
He and Qu Lingyan could set off in two or three hours.
If the people at the post station could wait until he and Qu Lingyan left before making their move, then Xiao Xuan wouldn't need to meddle.
But if these people can't wait and start plotting their own schemes, then they can't blame anyone else.
A moment later, an old man carrying a pot of tea came to the two of them.
"Esteemed guests, our inn is an official post station and it is not convenient for us to serve people from the martial arts world. Please rest for a while and then leave."
Seeing the old man covered in sweat, Xiao Ding looked closely and indeed found that he had also been taken hostage. Although his words were meant to drive the man away, they also served as a warning.
However, Qu Lingyan is not like Xiao Xuan, who can see through other people's secrets.
Seeing that the people from Fuyuan Escort Agency showed no sign of taking a break, he said unhappily:
"Your inn is really interesting. We're all江湖人士 (jianghu people, people of the martial world), why don't you let them rest for a bit?"
After Qu Lingyan finished speaking, Xiao Xuan slammed the money bag on the table.
"Prepare some clean, hot food for us, and we'll leave after we eat."
Xiao Xuan had made himself clear enough; it was up to the old man to interpret it.
The old man nodded and went to greet the people from Fuyuan Escort Agency.
"Old Jin, how have you been lately?"
Fu Lianzhuang often stopped at this post station when he was escorting goods, and he had become familiar with the innkeeper, Lao Jin. Lao Jin even occasionally let them stay overnight at the post station.
"Thanks to the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), all is well."
Old Jin smiled slightly nervously, but Fu Lianzhuang didn't seem to care much.
Immediately afterwards, the inn's servants came out carrying hot food and served dishes to the people from Fuyuan Escort Agency first.
Fu Lianzhuang glanced at it and asked somewhat warily:
"Old Jin, why do these guys look unfamiliar?"
Old Jin's heart tightened, and he quickly began to explain.
"My son is getting married soon, and they've all gone to help out."
Congratulations!
Upon hearing this joyous news, Fu Lianzhuang immediately stood up to offer his congratulations, and then asked:
"Then why are you still here?"
"This post station can't do without me. Anyway, the wedding is still two days away, I'll head back tomorrow night."
"I see."
Fu Lianzhuang did not continue to doubt, and the atmosphere became lively again.
"Hey you, bring two jars of good wine. I want to invite Chief Escort Fu to a wedding feast."
Upon hearing that there was wine to drink, everyone from Fuyuan Escort Agency became excited.
At this moment, an untimely voice appeared.
"No alcohol!"
When everyone turned around, they saw that it was the same monk, Shishan, again.
"Master, we didn't ask you to drink."
"That's right, Master! Drinking will help us relax and make our journey easier!"
Several bodyguards tried to persuade him, but the monk Shishan remained adamant, stating righteously:
"This shipment is different; His Highness Prince Chen specifically requested it. You all have to listen to me!"
"You monk, you have no sense of propriety!"
Upon hearing this, the bodyguards immediately became furious.
"You're just one of the goods we're escorting, why should you listen to me?"
"Yeah, if you're not going to drink, then you're not going to make us drink either?"
Seeing this, Fu Lianzhuang had no choice but to come over and try to persuade him gently.
"Master, even if we divide these two jars of wine among our twenty-odd brothers, we won't get drunk."
Although Fu Lianzhuang spoke in a kind tone, his expression had become serious.
Seeing that he couldn't command the guards, the monk Shishan angrily left the post station and returned to the caravan to look after the goods himself.
"This monk is even more stubborn than the old Taoist priest with the bull's nose."
Fu Lianzhuang said something irritatingly, and the bodyguard beside him immediately said:
"Head镖师, now that the monk has gone back, why don't we let the brothers outside come in and share in the joy?"
Seeing that Fu Lianzhuang nodded, the bodyguard quickly ran out.
Qu Lingyan saw all of this and, feeling wronged, pouted angrily.
Xiao Xuan chuckled as he looked at Qu Lingyan, thinking to himself that she was indeed a teenage girl.
"What, you want to poison me?"
"Hmph, do you think I'm a female demon?"
Qu Lingyan replied irritably:
"I don't even know that old man. What's so strange about him not inviting me to his happy occasion?"
Xiao Xuan nodded in agreement. Although Qu Lingyan was eccentric and willful, she was a reasonable person.
The key point is that if the wine were actually served, he wouldn't dare to drink it.
After a while, a servant brought two dishes and a plate of hot steamed buns to the two of them and casually placed them on the table.
"What kind of attitude is this?"
But before Qu Lingyan could finish speaking, the servant had already vanished.
"Tsk, you're right, I really should have drugged them."
Qu Lingyan angrily picked up her chopsticks, intending to fill her stomach first, but stopped halfway through eating.
At this moment, Xiao Xuan also saw the information about the food through his ability.
Stir-fried seasonal vegetables
[Contains a hidden drug to induce sweating]
Qu Lingyan was naturally fed up with such a shady shop, but instead of throwing a tantrum, she looked at Xiao Xuan.
"You noticed the poison inside too?"
Seeing Qu Lingyan so calm, Xiao Xuan was surprised. He nodded and said:
"A sleeping potion; if you take even a little bit, you'll probably fall into a coma."
"You know so much about this?"
Qu Lingyan learned poison skills from Granny Ling Snake from a young age, so she could naturally detect poisons and knew that the person who poisoned her was quite skilled, mixing the medicine into the food in a way that ordinary people couldn't tell.
But Xiao Xuan not only noticed the poison in the dish, but he could even identify the type of poison, which further confirmed Qu Lingyan's suspicions about him.
At the same time, Qu Lingyan was secretly relieved that she hadn't poisoned Xiao Xuan along the way.
"I feel like their target isn't us."
Qu Lingyan spoke softly, and Xiao Xuan nodded in agreement, thinking to himself that this little girl was indeed clever and shrewd, no wonder Granny Ling Snake trusted her so much.
Their target is the Fuyuan Escort Agency.
"Was there something wrong with the alcohol they drank?"
"It's all food and drinks, and since they've already eaten and drunk, they can't escape now."
"And what about us?"
Xiao Xuan countered, "How do you plan to resolve this? Are you going to expose it directly? Or should we just leave? Or perhaps we can pretend to be poisoned and watch the show unfold?"
Qu Lingyan looked at Xiao Xuan with a face full of surprise; each of his suggestions was more interesting than the last.
But at that moment, Qu Lingyan's stomach started growling.
"These steamed buns aren't poisonous, why don't we fill our stomachs first?"