The Prefect Su's old face turned green. He, the esteemed prefect of Fufeng City, was a distant emperor in his own right, the local overlord. To be questioned by this mere child enraged him. His face contorted in a ferocious grimace as he glared at Mu Qingyao and, with a cold wave of his hand, commanded,
"Beat them. Beat them to death, leave none alive."
At this moment, a large crowd of onlookers had gathered opposite the Deqing Tower. They were worried. Although these young gentlemen from out of town appeared formidable, Prefect Su was the local tyrant, and he had so many men. These unfortunate outsiders, they feared, would not fare well.
Upon hearing the prefect's words, Qingyao's expression changed drastically. Before the others could charge, she struck first, delivering a powerful kick that sent Prefect Su flying into the crowd behind him, knocking over several people.
Immediately, people rushed forward to help Prefect Su up. His face was now a sickly green, and he clutched his chest, his breath catching. The kick had left him breathless, nearly sending him into a swoon. Enraged, he waved his hand, and his subordinates instantly surrounded them in a neat formation.
Mu Rong Liu Zhao's heart had nearly stopped beating. Yao'er was deliberately provoking them. She wasn't impulsive. If a fight truly broke out, she might use the chaos to slip away.
The moment Mu Rong Liu Zhao understood this, he moved like lightning. He grabbed Prefect Su by the collar, revealing a token in his hand – a third-rank imperial guard with the authority to carry a sword.
Prefect Su shook his head. By the time he regained his senses, he was standing before Mu Qingyao, foolishly gazing at the group of people. He cast one last look at the Prince of Nan'an before kneeling down.
"This subordinate deserves death. I did not know the Commander was gracing my humble domain with his presence. For failing to welcome you properly, this humble one deserves death a thousand times over. I beg the Commander for his understanding."
Prefect Su kowtowed as if pounding garlic. It took his retinue of soldiers a moment to react. By the time they all knelt, a dense mass of people were prostrate before the Deqing Tower.
The innkeeper, the waiters, and the common folk on the street watched the earth-shattering turn of events with a touch of bewilderment. However, one thing was certain: these gentlemen from out of town held more power than the prefect. Perhaps they were even higher officials, which explained why the usually imperious prefect was so terrified.
Mu Qingyao swept a cold gaze over the kneeling soldiers before walking with feigned disinterest to Prefect Su, her voice cool and detached.
"Who, in the end, looks more pathetic, Prefect Su?"
"This subordinate deserves death, this subordinate deserves death," Prefect Su replied, flustered.
The person who had displayed the token earlier was a third-rank imperial guard, far superior in rank to him. And that person had shown such respect to the person before him. Just how important could this individual be?
The more the prefect thought about it, the more terrified he became. Sweat beaded on his forehead and dripped down. He quickly bowed his head forcefully.
Mu Qingyao smiled slowly, a smile that seemed to carry a heavy scent of conspiracy. Mu Rong Liu Zhao, Mu Rong Liu Zhao, I never imagined you could see through my intentions. Is there nothing else to me besides that?
"Prefect Su?" Qingyao's voice carried an eerie chill. Her other hand had already gripped Prefect Su's beard. She chuckled coldly before leaning close to his ear and warning him,
"Our esteemed imperial guard is not to be trifled with. You would be wise to quickly appease him with an apology, or you will face dismissal and perhaps even death."
The moment she finished speaking, Prefect Su began to tremble like a sieve, his face a mask of terror. He turned to look at Prince Nan'an Mu Rong Liu Zhao. Fearing the loss of his position and his head, he no longer cared about anything else. He lunged forward, grabbing the Prince of Nan'an's trouser leg and crying out,
"Imperial Guard, please spare me! I have elders above and children below, and a whole family to support. Please, do not kill me, please do not kill me!"
From behind the prefect, the mass of soldiers erupted in a thunderous chorus, "Imperial Guard, spare us!"
Mu Rong Liu Zhao was momentarily stunned, unsure of what was happening before him. Meanwhile, Mu Qingyao had already gestured silently, and several figures swiftly darted towards the street, vanishing into the crowd in the blink of an eye.
By the time the Prince of Nan'an realized it, they had already slipped away. His face changed dramatically. He suddenly yanked the trouser leg held by Prefect Su and commanded behind him,
"Chase them!"
The dozen or so guards snapped out of their daze. That woman had escaped again. They immediately followed the Prince, pursuing the figures ahead.
The street was a sea of people. Qingyao and her three subordinates weaved through the crowd like loaches. The Prince of Nan'an and his men, despite their superior martial arts, found it difficult to use their light footwork in the bustling street, especially at night. One wrong move and a person could disappear.
Therefore, they dared not be careless, closely following Mu Qingyao.
Qingyao was furious but helpless. At this moment, Mo You and Mo Chou ran beside her, their voices filled with worry, "Miss, the child in your belly?"
Meanwhile, Mei Xin, already panting heavily, waved her hands and gasped, "I can't, I can't anymore."
Qingyao looked back. Seeing that the Prince of Nan'an's men were getting closer, she wondered what to do. Could all her efforts be in vain? Her expression darkened, and she commanded, "You two support her, I am fine."
"Yes, Miss."
The group continued to run desperately. Suddenly, a luxurious carriage approached them. As it passed, it abruptly stopped. Someone lifted the curtain and said in a deep voice, "Quickly, get on?"
Mu Qingyao didn't hesitate. At this moment, as long as she could escape the Prince of Nan'an, others could be dealt with later. With that, she leaped onto the carriage. Mo Chou and Mo You, supporting Mei Xin, also jumped aboard.
From a distance, the Prince of Nan'an saw Qingyao board a luxurious carriage. His face changed dramatically. He snatched a fine steed from the street and prepared to charge forward.
However, a group of men in black suddenly emerged from the crowd, blocking their path. The two groups engaged in a fight. Mu Qingyao watched the receding shadows with relief, a sense of ease washing over her. She had finally escaped the Prince of Nan'an's pursuit.
But who had helped them? She quickly looked up, only to see someone inside the carriage.
A delicate-looking maid, not particularly beautiful, but possessing a certain charm. Although her clothes were not made of fine silk, they were of good quality. She likely was a head maid attending to a master.
However, it was unlikely she was helping them out of pure kindness, or why else would someone have blocked the Prince of Nan'an's path?
"Who are you?"
Qingyao asked with contained composure, her elegant eyes piercing the maid before her with an unspoken authority.
Several pairs of eyes inside the carriage fixed on the maid. She smiled, neither subservient nor overbearing. "My name is Ying Feng. My master wishes to meet you, Young Master."