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She came out of the restaurant. Her hands were locked behind her back. ‘Should I go with Ye Xin’s first suggestion and lie to the Fourth Prince about having a lover?’ she thought.

Lin Jiao shook her head as she thought of asking Bai Jue to act as her fake lover. However, she didn’t want to give him any opportunity to get close to her.

‘I don’t think the Prince would complain to my father about disturbing him. He is the one, who wants to know about me. So, he must see what kind of person I am,’ she thought and smiled.

Lin Jiao had decided that she would chase Mingquan like a shadow. Also, men didn’t like those women who were outgoing, talked a lot, and did not act like gentle ladies. Lin Jiao possessed all the features which were the opposite of a noble, humble lady.

‘A humble man needs a gentle loving woman.’ Lin Jiao nodded her head as she smiled within herself.

A cart loaded with goods was coming in her direction which was unaware of.

“Ahh!” A scream escaped her mouth as a hand pulled her out of the way of the heavily loaded cart. Her hand rested on the person’s chest and she raised it.

Mingquan was peering at her. Seeing him, she immediately stepped back. Huang Xi and Li Tian were standing behind him.

.....

“You have been drinking on a pleasant day,” Mingquan said as he looked at the sky for a brief moment before landing his gaze on her. A few patches of clouds could be seen while the rest of the sky was clear.

Mingquan tilted his head and narrowly glanced at Huang Xi. “Commander Huang Xi and Li Tian can leave for the palace,” he said.

“What about the Fourth Prince?” Huang Xi asked.

“I have an important matter to discuss with Miss Lin,” Mingquan replied. Huang Xi and Li Tian bowed before leaving for the palace.

Lin Jiao was checking if her breath had a wine smell. But she didn’t drink much… only a tiny jar of wine she finished earlier.

She lowered her hand when she realized that Mingquan gaze was on her. “I can do anything I want. It shouldn’t bother the Fourth Prince,” Lin Jiao muttered and squinted her eyes.

“I didn’t mean that,” Mingquan said and asked her why she followed him.

“I didn’t,” Lin Jiao plainly denied it. “I am a regular here. I wanted to read a book, but didn’t find anything good,” she stated. She took a step back and told Mingquan that she should leave when he stopped her.

‘Now, what does he want?’ she thought.

“Miss Lin ran away to see me,” Mingquan said. “She should not lie to me. If she does, I will punish her.”

“Punish me? There is no one born to punish me,” Lin Jiao said and she crossed her arms.

“I admit I chased the Fourth Prince but that is because I do not want to marry him,” Lin Jiao pronounced. Mingquan saw the eyes on them because of him and he asked Lin Jiao to follow him.

“Miss Lin, you never got a beating. Am I right? How about ten floggings for lying to me?” Mingquan asked her.

“But I did nothing,” Lin Jiao said.

“Miss Lin lied,” Mingquan clarified to her. “In front of justice everyone is equal,” he asserted.

“But-but I admitted it immediately,” Lin Jiao defended herself and looked around. She thought to run away and carefully stepped away from him.

“Don’t think of running away. I will reach the Lin Residence and inform Minister Lin Wujian what his lovely daughter did,” Mingquan warned her. Lin Jiao clenched her fists to hear him and glared at him.

“Follow me,” Mingquan said and walked past her. Lin Jiao could not believe that she was listening to a person outside her family. Dragging her feet forward, she walked after him.

“People are looking at us. Is it necessary for me to walk along with the Fourth Prince?” She inquired.

“Miss Lin has to do something for me if she wants me to forgive her mistake,” Mingquan stated.

“What?” Lin Jiao exclaimed. She wondered what kind of work Mingquan wanted her to do. She stayed quiet and silently followed him.

~~~~~~~~

Qiu Mu hopped off the horse and looked at the house, which was not in such good condition. Chang Shi and Xiwan also got off their respective horses.

“Miss Kang usually goes to work in the morning and stays with the old lady the night here,” Chang Shi informed Qiu Mu.

“She is from a noble family. How could she even think of living in such a place?” Qiu Mu murmured. The condition of the place was enough to tell her how much difficulty Cha Ying might be facing.

“Who are you?” They heard the old woman’s voice and the three of them turned around.

“We are travelers,” Qiu Mu lied. “Can we stay a night here? We will leave in the morning,” he stated.

The old lady was carrying a big bamboo basket that Xiwan took from her. “Grandma, I will carry it,” he said with a smile.

“It is not a resting house. Go to the city center to find a place to stay at night,” the old woman asserted and took the basket from Xiwan.

The old lady walked in with a limp leg while the three of them followed her. “We have been traveling on the horses before sunrise. The city center is far from here. We will pay you a good amount for staying a night here,” Qiu Mu tried to convince the old lady.

She placed the basket on the large wooden bench outside the house and turned to look at them.

“We will make a tent house here,” Chang Shi said. “We had planned to do it in the forest, but it is dangerous to stay in the night. We request Grandma to let us stay for only a night,” he humbly requested.

The old lady contemplated and then nodded her head. “You can put the tent here and you’ve to cook your food by yourself. You don’t need to pay me,” she said and walked to the other side.

Qiu Mu smiled and thanked the old lady. Now, he needed to wait for Cha Ying to return.