Ci Jinzhi

  Chapter 13 Startled Horse

  When the four of Xin You rushed to the foot of the mountain, the coachman was jumping and cursing.

   "Old Zhang, who provoked you, are you so angry?" A guard asked curiously.

  The coachman pointed at the carriage, his face darkened: "I don't know who killed a thousand dollars and stole the door curtain while I was taking a nap!"

  The two guards took a closer look, and sure enough, the entrance of the carriage was empty, and there was no sign of the door curtain.

   "Why is there someone stealing the door curtain?" A guard was full of disbelief.

  Another guard clapped his hands suddenly: "I see, that monkey must have done it!"

  The coachman hurriedly asked what was going on, and the guard gritted his teeth and told the monkey about snatching Xinyouhuachai and splashing water on his face.

  The coachman's eyes were murderous: "Damn bastard, he should be skinned and brained!"

  Xin You said sorry to the monkey in her heart.

   It really made the monkey suffer too much.

  Xiao Lian understood how the carriage door curtain came about at this time, and she couldn't help but show admiration in her eyes looking at Xin You.

  Xin You thought that the reason why Xiaolian thought she was capable might be to add a door curtain that could steal cars, the corner of her mouth twitched, and she silently looked away.

   "Cousin girl, get in the car, it's already afternoon, it's been too long." The driver urged.

  Xin You nodded slightly and got on the carriage, asking Xiaolian to bring the pastry in the carriage to the driver and the two guards.

   "I missed the meal, the three of you will eat a few pieces of pastries to fill your stomach first."

  The little maid who poked her head out of the carriage had a fair face, beautiful and pleasing, and one of the guards was heartbroken, and blurted out, "Sister Xiaolian, don't you want to eat?"

  Xiao Lian reluctantly bent the corners of her lips: "The girl is not in a good mood because she didn't find the jade pendant. The girl and I are not hungry. Eat quickly, and you can go on your way after eating."

   "Thank you Cousin and Sister Xiaolian."

  The two guards stuffed the pastries in twos and threes, boasting that the pastries were delicious.

  The driver is older, and he thinks this soft and sweet pastry suits his taste even more. He turned his head involuntarily and glanced at the master and servant sitting in the carriage.

   Sensing the coachman's gaze, Xin You asked, "Is there something wrong with Uncle Zhang?"

   "No, the old servant is afraid that there is no curtain to cover it, and the cousin girl is not used to it."

  Xin You smiled: "It doesn't matter, it's more comfortable without a curtain to cover this day."

   "Then you sit still." The coachman flicked his whip, and the carriage went from slow to fast, driving on the official road.

  When the carriage really started to run, the wind was strong, blowing directly into the carriage. It was refreshing in this hot weather, but it also made the hair and clothes of the people in the carriage fly away.

There are a lot of pedestrians and horses on the road, and when they pass by, they all look into the carriage curiously. Even if they can't hear the comments of these people, they can still see the meaning from their faces: what kind of family, they all go out in a carriage, I can't even hang a door curtain.

  The two guards were thick-skinned people, and they couldn't bear it. They approached the driver and urged him to hurry up.

  The people in the carriage were indifferent to the various gazes.

  Xiao Lian was sad about Kou Qingqing's death and didn't care about anything else. Apart from sympathizing with Kou Qingqing's death, Xin You felt more physically uncomfortable.

  It doesn't take courage to restrain such a skeleton, at least she won't be able to eat dinner today, and it's unknown whether she can return to normal tomorrow.

  Xin You put all her strength into resisting the faint smell lingering around her body. Fortunately, without the curtain, there was enough ventilation, which made her feel more comfortable.

  The wind seems to be getting stronger.

  Xiaolian's exclamation sounded: "Girl!"

  The carriage started to gallop, completely ignoring the oncoming pedestrians, and just rushed past.

   There were screams and exclamations along the road, and the driver hurriedly let go of the rein after seeing a bullock cart coming from the opposite side, and fell down from the carriage.

   "Girl, the horse is shocked!" Xiao Lian in the carriage swayed, her face paled with fright.

   Staring closely at the ox cart that was getting closer, Xin You quickly made a judgment in her heart: at the speed of the carriage at this time, it is too risky to take Xiaolian to jump off the cart.

  Then it can only—

   As soon as Xin You made a decision, she saw a figure jumping up from a galloping horse onto the back of a frightened horse.

  Although the frightened horse was on a rampage, but fortunately it was pulling the carriage carrying people, and the speed was not so fast as to be exaggerated. The man clamped the horse's belly with his legs, pulled the reins vigorously, and narrowly avoided the oncoming bullock cart and rushed over.

  Xin You grabbed Xiaolian's hand and comforted her: "Don't be afraid, we'll be fine."

  It may be that everything Xinyou does these days is so reliable to Xiao Lian. Hearing this calm voice, Xiao Lian suddenly became quiet.

  The two held hands, silently staring at the strange figure on the back of the startled horse, and after an unknown amount of time, they suddenly heard a shout from the front: "Hurry up!"

   Then, the carriage rushed out for a certain distance, but gradually slowed down while shaking violently. Finally, as the startled horse crashed to the ground, the wheels made a screeching sound, and the carriage stopped.

  Xiao Lian lost her grip and almost flew out. Fortunately, Xin You grabbed her and let out a scream uncontrollably.

   "Are you two okay?" The man who jumped off the horse before the horse fell to the ground came over.

  Xin You looked over.

  The man is dressed in vermilion, his skin is as white as jade, his eyebrows are like feathers, like the most brilliant ink painting on the best white porcelain embryo.

  Xin You grew up to be sixteen years old, and she has never seen such a good-looking man.

  She pulled Xiaolian out of the carriage, and slightly knelt to the man in red: "Thank you, righteous man, for saving us, we are fine."

   "That's good." The man in Zhu Yi looked at the fallen horse in shock, "The situation is urgent and the horse's life has to be injured. I wonder if the girl is in trouble?"

  The frightened horse was already lying motionless in a pool of blood, and the dagger pierced into its neck gleamed coldly in the sun.

  But it is impossible for any normal person to say that although you saved me, you will pay for my horse, and Xinyou is no exception.

   "Thanks to the righteous man beheading the frightened horse in time, we were not injured, and innocent passers-by were not hurt. I don't know what the righteous man is called. When I return home and report to the elders, I can come to express my thanks."

   "There's no need to thank you, it's just a matter of little effort." The man in Zhu Yi declined gently.

   There was a shout from behind: "Cousin girl, cousin girl—"

  Xin You looked at the two guards who were chasing after her in a hurry, and suddenly thought of what her mother joked when she finished telling a certain story: Those who should be responsible for protecting are always late.

   "Cousin, are you okay?" The two guards got off their horses and asked nervously.

   "It's okay. This righteous man saved Xiaolian and me."

  The two guards clasped their fists together: "Thanks to the martyr for saving our cousin girl."

   "You're welcome." The man in red clothes nodded slightly, and turned to walk towards the steed that followed without its master.

   "I don't know the surname of the righteous man, where is your residence—" As the man in red clothes turned his head, the guard who shouted suddenly paused and his expression changed.

  The man in red clothes looked indifferent, and took the reins.

  Seeing the man in Zhu Yi get on his horse, Xin You shouted: "Righteous man, please stay."

  (end of this chapter)