The crisis of food shortage had arrived once more.
It was imperative to stockpile various supplies, especially food and medicine.
Should anything truly happen, these two types of supplies would be the most sought after and scarce, perhaps even impossible to buy.
However, she was unaware that someone in the shadows intended to shoot her with an arrow, but was intercepted by a hidden guard.
Upon seeing the hidden guard, the man in green fled without a word. How could hidden guards appear?!
Had Tao Lengshuang's identity been exposed?
Impossible, impossible!
If that were the case, people would have been sent long ago; it couldn't be hidden guards.
Then why were there hidden guards?
Seeing the hidden guard in close pursuit, the man in green dared not return to the village. Instead, he ran into the mountains, intending to shake off the guard.
Alas, the hidden guard's distance from him grew shorter and shorter.
Just as he was about to be caught, the man in green suddenly fired several arrows.
He forced the hidden guard back and then vanished with a flash.
When the hidden guard searched, he could no longer find any trace of the man and had to return to report.
Not long after the hidden guard left, the man in green emerged from a more concealed hillside.
Gazing in the direction the hidden guard had departed, he fell into deep thought. If Tao Lengshuang's identity hadn't been discovered, then where did this hidden guard come from?
After thinking for a long time without finding a reason, he decided to be more cautious in his actions from then on, ensuring he wouldn't be discovered again.
If absolutely necessary, he would have to eliminate Tao Lengshuang to be safe.
...
Tao Lengshuang and the other three arrived at Lotus Town.
The items Tao Lengshuang needed to buy and sell were different from those Shen Ershao needed to buy and sell.
Thus, the two parties agreed to meet at the city gate two hours later to take an ox cart back to the village together.
After bidding farewell to Shen Ershao and his son, Tao Lengshuang led Xiao Feng to the shop where she had sold medicine last time, intending to sell some Cordyceps sinensis. However, she was spotted by Miss Sheng.
"Is she the village girl who ruined my shop's business last time?" Sheng Li, seated in a private room of a restaurant opposite the pharmacy, looked at Tao Lengshuang with malicious eyes.
Tao Lengshuang was wearing a set of slightly worn hemp clothes, her plump body straining the fabric, making her appear even more ugly and unpleasant.
But her clear eyes were intensely disliked by Sheng Li, as if she saw someone familiar.
As for who this familiar person was, she couldn't recall for a moment.
"Replying to madam, it is said to be her."
The maidservant showed disdain and disgust: "Look at her pig-like ugliness, it's truly disgusting. I don't know what her husband saw in her. If it were me, I would have divorced her eight hundred years ago."
Sheng Li's extreme hatred for Tao Lengshuang stemmed from the fact that this vulgar, lowly woman had forced her to stay in this desolate place for the past two days to sort out the shop's affairs, lest the bad news spread to the Eastern Capital and damage her reputation.
She cast a venomous glance at the well-behaved Xiao Feng and whispered to her maidservant, "Don't let anyone discover this, understand?"
The maidservant repeatedly assured her that she would handle it well, showing no surprise or panic. She had done similar things before.
...
Tao Lengshuang sold a small amount of Cordyceps sinensis, earning five taels of silver. Holding Xiao Feng's hand, she prepared to buy some daily necessities.
She didn't dare to sell too much at once, as it would easily arouse suspicion and bring trouble upon herself.
After some time, she would go to other pharmacies to sell more Cordyceps sinensis and other medicinal herbs, striving to prepare the necessary items for winter as soon as possible.
"Xiao Feng..." she had just begun to speak when a masked man suddenly appeared. Without a word, he snatched Xiao Feng and then ran forward swiftly.
"Someone's kidnapping!" Tao Lengshuang didn't hesitate for a moment and took off in pursuit: "My child, my child! Give me back my child, someone is kidnapping my child!"
"Mother, save me!" Xiao Feng struggled to get down but was knocked unconscious by a palm strike from the villain.
Most of the pedestrians on the street glanced at the scene and then paid no further attention, continuing with their business.
A minority of the common folk craned their necks to watch the spectacle, but apart from pointing and gossiping, no one stepped forward to help.
The plump Tao Lengshuang chased for a while, already panting.
Seeing the villain running further and further away with the unconscious Xiao Feng, Tao Lengshuang gritted her teeth and shouted loudly, "If anyone can help me bring back my child, I will give them one tael of silver!"
As soon as these words were spoken, a large crowd of people immediately surged forward, fiercely pursuing the villain.
"Villain, put down the child quickly, or you'll regret it!"
"Hurry, chase him, that's one tael of silver."
Tao Lengshuang felt slightly more at ease seeing this. She dragged her tired and weak body, gritting her teeth and chasing after them.
Xiao Feng, please don't be alright.
The villain, seeing so many commoners chasing him, was startled and ran even faster.
Damn it!
However, no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't outrun the surging crowd.
In less than fifteen minutes, he was surrounded by a large group of commoners.
Some commoners held clubs and other objects, menacingly surrounding him: "Hand over the child, or you'll regret it."
Seeing the situation, the villain tossed Xiao Feng into the air...
Tao Lengshuang's heart nearly stopped beating from fright, and she cried out sharply, "Xiao Feng!"
She lunged as if mad to catch Xiao Feng.
But she saw another masked person appear in mid-air, catch Xiao Feng, and then use Qinggong to flee forward.
At this, the commoners looked at each other, and no one pursued further.
"Put down my child!"
Tao Lengshuang chased with all her might, completely forgetting her fatigue, weakness, and dizziness, her mind solely focused on rescuing her child and ensuring Xiao Feng's safety.
Xiao Feng, Xiao Feng, you cannot be taken away, you absolutely cannot be taken away.
The masked man saw that the commoners had stopped chasing, leaving only Tao Lengshuang pursuing. He continued to use Qinggong to move forward, intending to complete his mission as quickly as possible.
But at this moment, he was struck by a palm and sent flying, and at the same time, the child in his hands was snatched away.
Looking down as he fell, he saw a young man in black brocade, masked, with fierce eyes.
Who was this? He wasn't someone arranged by the madam; he appeared halfway.
While he was thinking, he crashed heavily onto the ground, spitting out a large mouthful of blood.
Before he could get up, Tao Lengshuang, who had caught up, stomped on him forcefully several times and sprinkled a bag of unknown powder on him, causing him to writhe in extreme pain and pass out.
Before he lost consciousness from the pain, he saw Tao Lengshuang continuing to run forward rapidly.
Tao Lengshuang was covered in cold sweat, her legs feeling as heavy as lead, her internal organs aching from exhaustion, but she dared not stop.
She feared that if she stopped, what awaited her would be the loss of Xiao Feng.
She had to save Xiao Feng!
As she ran, she stumbled and fell to the ground, landing heavily, causing the ground to shake a few times.
Her palm was scraped, and her head hit the ground, her vision blurring.
But she ignored it all, only thinking of getting up to continue the chase.
Get up, get up quickly!
After trying several times, she weakly fell back, her body bruised and battered.
"Get up quickly, get up!"