Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 181 A hero saves a beauty?

Liu Mang ignored the scream, and the other servants in the courtyard also lowered their heads and looked away, as if they hadn't heard anything.

Since one intends to go to the execution ground, one must be fully prepared.

Liu Mang turned towards the storeroom, intending to retrieve some items in case of emergency.

He was halfway there when the gatekeeper called him to a stop.

"Sir, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works has sent an invitation to your residence." As he spoke, the gatekeeper respectfully handed over the invitation.

Liu Mang frowned slightly, took the invitation, and glanced at it. It was indeed sent by Lord Bai, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works.

Why would that stubborn person send me a message?
Liu Mang stroked the post, his gaze somewhat hesitant.

He wasn't unaware that Lin Zhiqing had cured Miss Bai's eyes.

He used to have some intention of befriending this Lord Bai, after all, Lord Bai was related to the Grand Secretary's Mansion and was a man of some influence.

But ever since Lin Zhiqing became involved with him, his interest in him vanished.

Anyone who is on good terms with the Lin family is Liu Mang's enemy.

Moreover, this Lord Bai used to be very aloof; he rejected every invitation Liu Mang sent him.

The Lin family is currently in the eye of the storm, making this post even more inappropriate.

Could it be...? Liu Mang couldn't help but think a little further ahead.

The Lin family does indeed have evidence that Lord Bai was persuaded by Lin Zhiqing to delay him from going to the execution ground.

Liu Mang narrowed his eyes, and the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Otherwise, who would post such a nonsensical message just as that good-for-nothing from the Lin family is about to be executed?

He would never have thought of this if the post had come from any other adult.

However, the relationship between the Bai family and Lin Zhiqing is truly intriguing.

If I go to the Bai family at this time, I will definitely miss Lin Congyan's execution.

If he wasn't at the execution ground, wouldn't Lin Zhiqing be able to use the so-called evidence to make wild accusations?
No!

Not only could he not accept the Bai family's invitation, but he also had to leave early.

The Lin family might do something to stall him.

With that in mind, he waved his hand and said to the gatekeeper, "Return the invitation. Also, prepare the carriage immediately, now!"

"Yes, sir!" The gatekeeper acknowledged the order and left.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, an ordinary carriage stopped at the gate of the Liu residence.

Liu Mang left with the servant boy he had just met.

In addition, he brought four bodyguards and a coachman.

This was the first time there had been a group of seven.

But when the guard saw the coachman, he couldn't help but frown: "Why is it you? Didn't I order someone else?"

"Old Wang has a bit of an upset stomach today and can't come," the driver quickly replied.

Old Wang was skilled in martial arts, which is why the guards wanted to take him under their wing.

But Liu Mang was in a hurry to leave, and he felt that the people he brought were all experts, so he didn't need to add another one. So he waved his hand and said, "Never mind, let's hurry on our way."

After saying that, he got into the carriage.

The guards walked to the carriage and stood at attention, while the other four guards were scattered around.

Soon, the carriage started moving.

There was still some distance between Liu's residence and the market entrance, and the coachman took the busiest main road.

This route requires going around the West Market and heading east, so it's naturally farther than going directly from the West Market to the market entrance.

But Liu Mang's carriage never passed through the filthy West Market, a fact known to all the coachmen in the Liu household.

Halfway through the journey, the driver changed course and entered a quiet side road.

Next, simply turn left at the end of the alley to transition from the East Market to the residential area.

That was the only way to get from the East Market to the West Market entrance.

The path was very quiet, with almost no unusual sounds except for the occasional whistling of the wind.

The lanterns lining both sides of the street were quite eye-catching, drawing the attention of the guards, as the Liu residence also had many lanterns. Although it was daytime, the lanterns here seemed to be lit up, with candlelight flickering inside.

Fortunately, the road wasn't long, and they soon reached a fork in the road.

The driver raised the reins, intending to turn left.

"drive!"

The horse skillfully turned to the left, but before it had fully turned, a slightly surprised woman screamed.

Immediately following was the sound of someone falling to the ground.

There's someone around the corner!
Realizing this, the driver quickly tightened the reins: "Whoa!"

The horse's movements were restrained, but the inertia caused the horse's center of gravity to suddenly shift, and its forelegs shot up high.

If it were to fall, even a grown man would likely die on the spot.

The driver panicked.

The woman's screams rose and fell, sounding utterly terrified.

The guard frowned, initially not intending to step forward.

The road is only so wide; if people on the left don't watch where they're going, they deserve to be trampled to death by horses.

But knowing that his elders valued kindness and might cause trouble, he quickly went forward to check the situation.

As his gaze shifted, in front of the horse, a woman in white wearing a veiled hat collapsed to the ground, her body still trembling slightly.

The guard frowned. This kind of weak and spineless woman was the most troublesome. If it weren't for startling the carriage, he wouldn't have given her a second glance on a normal day.

Just then, a gentle breeze blew by, lifting the white-clad woman's veil slightly.

The first thing that caught the guard's eye was a pair of frightened eyes, like those of a fawn.

Strangely, those were clearly phoenix eyes, yet they didn't appear sharp.

Then, he saw two clear tears fall instantly from the face of the woman whose clothes were disheveled.

Her skin was as white as snow, her long eyelashes trembled slightly like cicada wings, and a few strands of hair fell casually on both sides of her cheeks. Paired with her wet eyes, she was truly pitiful.

The guard felt as if his heart had been struck by something. Under the pleading look in the beautiful woman's eyes, he leaped up and pulled her out from under the horse's hooves.

The sound of hooves landing startled Liu Mang inside the carriage.

Although it all happened in just a few seconds, after such a jolt, Liu Mang's heart was already in his throat.

"What's going on?" He leaned against the carriage wall, his chest heaving slightly, and suddenly lifted the curtain.

"Your Excellency, a woman was blocking the carriage just now, which startled the horses and caused some jolting," the guard replied, regaining his composure.

"Give them some money and send someone to the clinic to take a look." Liu Mang glanced at the white-clad woman wearing a veil and sobbing, then lowered the carriage curtain.

"Yes!" the guard replied, then reached for his purse.

Before he could take out the silver, a pair of soft, boneless little hands pressed against his big hands.

"Brave warrior, you...you saved me, thank you!" The beauty's voice was sweet and delicate.

Feeling the delicate touch of those soft hands, the guard's mind wandered.

"No need to thank me, my master is merciful, you can take this money..." He wanted to push the beauty's small hand away, but for some reason, he couldn't move it.

Just as he was wondering what was going on, the beauty withdrew her hand and fell right into his arms.

Such a close distance...

The guard was at a loss. The beauty in his arms had a very special fragrance that he felt he had smelled somewhere before.

It's like... the smell of freshly written characters when an adult is practicing calligraphy.

Just as he was about to take a closer sniff, the beauty blushed and said, "Brave warrior, there's no need for money. It was my carelessness that caused you trouble."

The voice sounded like it was being coquettish, making one's heart itch with desire.

The guard's face flushed, completely forgetting the carriage behind him.

He was about to speak when the woman in white touched his shoulder, slipped out of his arms, and turned to leave.

The guard's eyes momentarily became hazy and alluring before returning to clarity.

He did not forget his identity and mission, and turned back to the carriage.