Discuss with you

Chapter 448 Women’s Clothing
As they were talking, Lu Qing suddenly gave him a wink.

Yan Daoxin immediately understood and realized that there must be something around him that he needed to be careful of, so he stopped talking and continued riding forward on his horse as if nothing had happened.

Not far ahead, a group of six or seven people on horseback approached. They were all dressed in coarse cloth clothes, either gray or black, with narrow sleeves and short lengths.

Judging solely from their clothing, it wouldn't seem wrong to call them hunters, woodcutters, or farmers.

However, if you look at their burly figures and the fierce glint in their eyes, it's easy to see that these people are definitely not ordinary farmers or woodcutters.

The group of people rode towards them on horseback. When they spotted Lu Qing and his companions in the distance, they turned their gaze toward them as well.

Strangely enough, among the five people, especially in this remote place, the most eye-catching one was Fu Lu, because he was too tall and burly, and looked very fierce. He was a tough guy who was not to be trifled with, and he couldn't hide it at all.

Or perhaps, Lu Qing is someone who needs to do everything she can to hide her sharpness.

But when those people came towards them, they only glanced at them casually, but stared intently at Yan Daoxin and Zhu Yu, scrutinizing them all the way as they walked, without any intention of avoiding them.

Yan Daoxin didn't mind being scrutinized. Regardless of whether he was male or female, anyone who saw him couldn't help but take a second look. Whether they were shy or straightforward, he was used to it and remained very calm.

Although Zhu Yu appeared calm on the surface, seemingly unafraid of being stared at, she felt inexplicably uneasy inside. She felt that she hadn't seen any young women or wives along the way, which was somewhat related to the people she was encountering now.

She felt a strong sense of unease as they scrutinized her.

Fortunately, because no women were seen along the way, both Zhu Yu and Lu Qing were prepared. Zhu Yu not only tightened her chest binder, but Lu Qing also specially made her a high-necked undergarment that covered her neck, making it impossible for anyone to see if she had an Adam's apple.

Even so, they still felt uneasy. Just two days ago, when they stayed at an inn in the county town, Lu Qing used his best method to stick a small Adam's apple on Zhu Yu's neck with fake skin.

The fake Adam's apple wasn't too big, since a large one would easily give it away. Fortunately, Zhu Yu's outfit also resembled that of a young apprentice, and a boy of that age wouldn't have a very large Adam's apple, so the overall look was still quite harmonious.

With this, Zhu Yu felt a little more at ease. Suppressing the pounding in her chest, she followed Lu Qing obediently.

Fortunately, those people stared at her and Yan Daoxin for a long time, but did not stop them when they passed by. Instead, they looked away with some disgust and even spurred their horses to walk away faster.

It seemed those people genuinely suspected she and Yan Daoxin were traveling disguised as men, which was why they were keeping a close eye on them. Zhu Yu wondered to herself, but finding nothing amiss, she left disappointed, glancing at the two "men with women's appearances" with disdain.
In broad daylight, without any attempt to conceal themselves, who exactly are these people?
"Who do you think those people were just now?" After a while, when he was sure that those people had long since disappeared and were unlikely to suddenly return, Zhu Yu asked Lu Qing.

“Guards,” Lu Qing answered with particular certainty. “Ordinary constables and soldiers wouldn’t have such an arrogant and fearless demeanor. These people are probably not just guards, but guards from the residences of high-ranking and powerful people.”

Zhu Yu frowned, a look of worry creeping onto his face.

Seeing this, Lu Qing assumed she was still scared from what had just happened, so he comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, although those people look tall and fierce, they are no match for us if it really comes down to it. You don't need to be afraid, no one will be able to touch you again."

"No, I was thinking, no wonder we haven't seen many old women along the way. It seems there must be quite a few of those people. They are wandering around, making the people of Brahma live in constant fear."

And this situation had likely been going on for a long time, which is why the women, in order to remain more secretive, dared not buy anything, not even everyday items, let alone fine silks and satins for making dresses, for fear of inadvertently revealing their whereabouts.

After she finished speaking, she suddenly realized that she seemed to have ignored Lu Qing's comfort and protection just now, so she added, "With you here, I really don't worry about anyone being able to do anything to me."

However, getting by like this is still the best option, since we don't want to alert them.

Lu Qing looked at her, smiled, and patted her head, like a doctor instructing his young apprentice: "I am forced by circumstances to be cautious in my words and actions."

It's good that you're careful around strangers, but you don't need to be so meticulous in everything you do with me, or try to be absolutely flawless.

Zhu Yu smiled too. Ever since she witnessed firsthand how she was treated by her father, Zhu Cheng, in Shuo Kingdom, even though Zhu Cheng had learned his lesson before they parted and his attitude had changed drastically, treating Zhu Yu much better than before, it seemed that Lu Qing still held a grudge in his heart.

The five of them walked for another hour and passed through a village. When they passed a farmhouse, Zhu Yu saw a child standing at the gate. The child looked to be about six or seven years old and was holding something in his arms.

"Are you thirsty?" Zhu Yu turned to the others and asked, "Should we go ask for some water?"

Lu Qing looked in the direction she indicated and immediately saw what the child was holding.

That soft, pale yellow color clearly belonged to a woman's dress.

This was the first time they had seen women's clothing since arriving in the territory of Brahma. What would be an ordinary sight elsewhere seemed exceptionally rare given their previous experiences.

"Now that you mention it, I really am so thirsty my throat is practically on fire!" Yan Daoxin rubbed his throat, looking as if he had been struggling in the desert for days and was about to die of thirst.

Lu Qing looked at Yan Daoxin, who was behaving in an exaggerated manner, speechless, shook his head, and nodded to the runes.