Standing in front of the tall city gate, Lan Xi looked up at the city wall made of green bricks and stones. Strange dark red moss was attached to the stone wall. The moss had turned dark red because of the resentment in the city. When she looked up, the black fog was even thicker than what she saw at the edge of the dense forest. It enveloped the entire sky of Liao City, making people feel that the sky was dark and there was no hope for a bright future.
"Miss, I'm afraid we're not a match for that evil ghost.”Mei Sheng observed the black fog above their heads for a while and then said sadly. Although they were souls that had lived for hundreds of years, the resentment after death was not heavy. The evil spirits in the city had died not long ago, and they could turn the world upside down with the power of resentment. It was unknown if the heavens had deliberately sent them to attack them.
Retracting her gaze from the city wall, Lan Xi waved her hand, and a strange colorful light attached itself to Mei Sheng and Yuanyuan. The two ghosts were delighted. They knew that this colorful light was to protect them, so they had nothing to worry about. Lan Xi could sense their joy even without turning her head. Looking at the open city gate, a sharp light flashed in her unfathomable black eyes, and she said calmly," Let's go."”
The three of them stepped into the gloomy city gate. The dilapidated streets were filled with a desolate smell. There were pitifully few stalls, and there were only a few that could be seen. The stall owners were all old people. Their clothes were thin, and they could not hide their skinny bodies under them. Their lips were purple from the cold, and the skin on their faces and hands had several cracks. Their hair was messy, and they were no different from the beggars in Shengyang City.
The bun stall closest to Lan Xi and the others had two steamers in the small stall. Snow-white steam was rising from the steamers. There were two tables and chairs beside the stall. On the table were chopsticks, and the trolley used to transport the food was behind the stall. The stall owner was an old man with white hair and beard. His face, hands, and skin were covered with wrinkles. His lips were purple and black from the cold wind, and his coarse linen clothes were patched with holes. However, when he saw them, he forced a smile.
"Three ladies, buy some buns. This old man made them personally. It's good to warm your stomachs on such a cold day.”The old man said sincerely. His eyes, which had experienced many vicissitudes of life, flickered with hope.
Yuanyuan was completely moved. She looked at the old man with eyes full of emotion and sympathy. She silently pleaded with Lan Xi in front of her. Mei Sheng, however, stood there as if he was indifferent. His gaze was not on the stall owner. She believed that the young lady had her own ideas.
As expected, Lan Xi, who was standing at the front, gently nodded. Yuanyuan immediately took out an ingot of silver and walked to the front of the stall. She smiled and said," Boss, is this enough?”
The old man was happy, but he couldn't help but feel troubled. After a few days of opening, he was still a big customer, but the silver was too big for him to change. He was afraid that if he delayed it for too long, the customer would leave. So, he just said honestly," Miss, do you have a smaller one? I can't change it."”
Unexpectedly, just as he finished speaking, he heard the girl a few steps away say," You don't have to change. My young lady will buy all these buns. After you wrap them, send them to that inn."”As he spoke, he pointed at the Fulai Inn diagonally opposite and nodded at the girl in front.
Lan Xi waited for Mei Sheng to finish speaking before she walked towards Fulai Inn. She did not bother with the excited old stall owner. Yuanyuan put down the silver and quickened her pace to catch up. The other stall owners also wanted to try their luck when they saw this situation. They took a few goods that caught their eye and ran over to promote them. However, the three women had high standards and returned empty-handed. They could only watch enviously as the old man sent all the buns into the inn. They took the silver and pushed the cart home.
The two-story Fulai Inn was still passable. The tables and chairs were all cleaned by the shopkeeper. Because of the plague, he was the only one left to support himself. After a month, there were finally guests who checked in. He was so generous that the shopkeeper could not close his mouth. He treated Lan Xi and the others even more warmly. After arranging three rooms, he personally changed the bedding and mattresses. With a smile on his face, he went downstairs and moved the buns that had just been sent to the kitchen. Then, he started busying himself in the kitchen.
Lan Xi's room was in the middle of the second floor. Mei Sheng and Yuanyuan were on the left and right. She pushed open the window and saw the street behind the inn. It was as bleak as the street at the front door. The broken lanterns rolled to the corners of the wall under the cold wind. There were many bamboo cages that had been stepped on on and abandoned papers flew low. Most of the time, only one or two people would pass by.
Mei Sheng stood beside Lan Xi and sighed as she looked at the desolate streets." This Liao City has always been prosperous because it's right next to the Shengyang City. I didn't expect it to become a dead city now. Look at the clothes those people are wearing. Even the beggars of the Shengyang City are better than them."”
"It's fine, it'll be fine. You guys go back to your rooms and rest first. Tell the shopkeeper not to disturb you. Tonight, we'll walk around the city and find out what that evil ghost has done.”Her voice was like a silver bell, pleasant to the ears. Lan Xi smiled faintly and walked towards the bed.
"Yes, Miss." After curtsied, Mei Sheng closed the window and walked out of the room. She gave Yuanyuan a look and went downstairs to instruct the shopkeeper. Yuanyuan pouted in annoyance but obediently returned to her room to rest.
Outside the city gate, Gu Moxi and two hidden guards finally arrived at Liao City at sunset. They were already panting when they stopped in front of the city gate. It was obviously a very exhausting thing to fly all the way from Shengyang City to Liao City with Qinggong. The three of them waited until they had calmed down before entering the city. What they saw was a scene of death and depression, making Gu Moxi's heroic eyebrows tightly knit. Had the prosperous city that she had seen before become so desolate?
Yan came back to report after asking the stall owner about the news," Your Highness, the stall owner said that three women entered the city in the afternoon and checked into the Fulai Inn. It looks like they are the future wangfei and the others. Your Highness, are you going to stay in the inn or the magistrate's office?”
Gu Moxi walked to the Fu Lai Inn diagonally opposite without thinking. The shopkeeper was not there, so he went upstairs to search for them. He could not open the door of three rooms. Apparently, Xi 'er and the others should be inside. According to the temperament of the two maids, Xi' er must be staying in the middle.
Yan found the shopkeeper and asked for a room, then went upstairs with another secret guard. After explaining the location of the room to Gu Mo Xi, they both went back to their rooms to rest. In fact, they didn't want to disturb His Highness and his sweetheart.
Gu Mo Xi raised her hand and knocked on the door. Immediately, a " Come in " came from inside. She pushed open the door excitedly and stepped in. She saw the woman sitting in front of the dressing table and her heart finally settled down. She didn't leave. It was good.
The woman sitting in front of the dressing table had loose black hair. She combed her hair with one hand and held it with the other. Her tight comb teeth carefully combed her hair. Her hair was thick, black, and very soft. It draped over her back and made her skin look like jade. Her phoenix-like eyes were locked on her white and tender back. Gu Mo Xi's breathing tightened and she immediately looked away. Her cheeks were slightly hot. After a while, she could not help but look at the woman again.
"What's wrong, Mei Sheng?" Lan Xi turned around and saw a flash of surprise in the man's eyes. She asked," Why are you here?"”
"I also want to ask you, Xi 'er, do you know what happened here? Why did you come here?”Gu Mo Xi strode over and took the comb from Lan Xi's hand to tie her hair up, half blaming and half asking.
Lan Xi raised her thin eyebrows and asked instead of answering," What about you? Why did you ask for an edict when you knew that the plague was rampant here?”
"It's different. I'm the king and I can't abandon the people. Listen to me, Xi 'er. Go back. I don't want anything to happen to you.”Gu Mo Xi hugged her from behind, her hands trembling as if she was really going to get hurt.
Gu Moxi was indeed thinking for Lan Xi and did not want anything to happen to her. However, he had obviously forgotten that she was not human, or he simply treated her like a human woman. Lan Xi could not agree with this. She closed her complicated eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, she had returned to her usual calm and composed self.
Gu Moxi's slightly cold little hand gently rested on the big hot palm. She was shocked and a sense of joy surged in her heart. This was the first time Xi 'er had taken the initiative to touch him since she turned into a human. Did this mean that they were closer? However, when she heard the melodious voice of the woman in her arms, her eyebrows were stained with a touch of complicated and painful expression.
"Gu Mo Xi, this plague isn't that simple.”
The night fell like a waterfall, plunging the already dark Liao City into even deeper darkness. There were only a few dim lights flickering in the huge city. The cold wind was fierce, and the dim lights barely avoided the fate of being blown out again and again. The streets were even more desolate at night. The people who still lived here hid in their homes and did not dare to go out.
There were only Gu Moxi and Lan Xi in the hall on the first floor of Fulai Inn. They were sitting at two square tables with hot dishes in front of them. They were all personally cooked by the shopkeeper. Gu Moxi picked up her chopsticks and picked up one of the dishes. She stretched out half of her hand and was held by the other hand. She looked at Lan Xi in confusion.
"Xi 'er, what's wrong? Aren't you hungry after not eating for a day?”
Lan Xi let go of her hand and frowned as she asked the shopkeeper," Shopkeeper, where did you get the water for cooking?”
Although the shopkeeper did not know the reason for his question, he still answered truthfully," It's the well water in the courtyard. Don't worry, Miss. It's absolutely clean."”
Her alluring pink lips curled up slightly. Seeing that the black gas between the shopkeeper's eyebrows was a little deeper than before, Lan Xi confirmed one thing," These can't be eaten. Gu Mo Xi, ask the secret guards to bring food and water from the Sacred Sun."”After saying that, he stood up and adjusted his cloak. He brought Mei Sheng and Yuanyuan out of the inn under the shopkeeper's shocked gaze.
The shopkeeper came back to his senses and quickly advised," The three ladies must not go out.”Unfortunately, the other party still stubbornly left.
Gu Mo Xi saw the shopkeeper's flustered expression and immediately calmed down. She hurriedly chased after him, while Yan asked the shopkeeper about the reason and the plague in detail. Only then did the shopkeeper know that the man just now was the famous King Jing. This time, he came to cure the plague under the imperial edict, so he immediately told everything he knew.
Only Gu Moxi's footsteps echoed on the street. He caught up with Lan Xi in three steps, grabbed her hand and turned around. The softness in his palm was flexible and broke free. He turned around and saw Lan Xi walking forward.
"Gu Mo Xi, if you don't want to die, go back to the inn immediately. I will be fine, don't forget the people in your heart.”
Once again, he chased after Lan Xi and walked side by side with her. His warm palm held her little hand tightly. Gu Moxi smiled warmly and he vowed firmly and fearlessly," No matter what is in front of me, I will never leave you."”
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。