The waiter sneered coldly, "Who are you?"
"Turns out you don’t know," Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, and decisively said, "Run!"
Zong Zhengxi froze, "Huh?"
The old farr bolted!
Lu Yuan yanked the dazed Zong Zhengxi and dashed out after the old farr.
The waiter was completely caught off guard by this move and paused in shock, stomping in anger, "Catch them for !"
The three of them fled out the back door, running madly down the street.
As he dashed forward, the old farr exclaid, "Kid, with so many paths to choose from, why are you chasing after ?"
Lu Yuan, carrying Zong Zhengxi, replied without stopping his stride, "If I don’t follow you, should I go draw them off to make it easier for you to escape alone?"
Better the friend than oneself, indeed—that was exactly what the old farr was thinking.
"Over there!"
The waiter’s voice rang out from the side; he had taken a shortcut and was now aiming to surround them up ahead.
The old farr remarked, "There’re too many of them. I’ll take your little brother and leave; you hold them back instead."
Lu Yuan replied, "Perhaps you could hold them back."
The alley’s end was blocked entirely, leaving no way through.
The old farr paused abruptly and turned sharply into a narrow lane, "I’m too old, not as capable as you youngsters."
Lu Yuan was not far behind, quickly making the turn as well, "Oh really? Then why do I feel like the older you are, the sharper you get!"
"After them! They went east!"
The old farr gritted his teeth and suddenly vaulted onto the rooftop.
This move was incomparably swift, completely impossible for an average person to react to.
The old farr chuckled in satisfaction, "Hah, lost them now, haven’t I?"
"Who are you talking about?"
Lu Yuan’s teasing voice abruptly sounded right by his ear.
The old farr was startled, turning to look at the pesky young man he still wasn’t able to shake off, "Young man, you’ve got so skills."
Lu Yuan kept his gaze forward, running nimbly ahead, "Old man, you’re not too bad yourself."
"Release the arrows!"
Along with an unfamiliar voice ca a volley of arrows soaring through the air.
The old farr was alard, "Now there’s arrows, too?"
Lu Yuan promptly darted around to the other side of the old farr.
Leaving the old farr as the human shield: "...!!"
This generation of youth certainly lacked honor!
The old farr leapt into the air, swiftly kicking away the speeding arrows before resuming his rooftop escape.
Lu Yuan called out, "Those were the patrolling officials earlier."
The old farr asked, "Reporting to the authorities over a al—is that really necessary?"
Another volley of arrows aid straight at the duo.
This ti, Lu Yuan’s attempt to repeat his maneuver didn’t work—the old farr had already dodged behind him.
Lu Yuan remained calm-faced and leapt down abruptly.
More arrows ca whizzing toward him!
The old farr, tricked once more, shivered in shock!
Using nothing but his hands, he caught five arrows mid-air and even clamped onto one with his teeth.
Lu Yuan set Zong Zhengxi down on the ground in the courtyard and looked up at the farr with a sly smirk, "Thanks a lot."
The old farr was still pondering over what exactly that ’thanks’ ant when suddenly a large net descended from above, ensnaring him tightly.
"Got him!"
The old farr snorted, "Kid, aiming to escape?"
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, "This is farewell, old man."
Yet as he turned, his body froze and he collapsed face-first onto the ground.
"What... why can’t I move all of a sudden...?"
-
A quarter-hour later.
An old man, a young man, and a child were all unceremoniously tossed into the jail of the County Governnt.
Double Willow Street’s governnt office was the smallest and least lucrative in the Capital City. Forget high-ranking officials or constables—the county magistrate himself had never even had dealings with anyone remotely important.
Lu Yuan could no doubt reveal his identity, but did he want to lose face?
A dignified Grand Commander, dining and dashing, running madly through three streets.
Zong Zhengxi sat pitifully in the jail cell.
Who’s heard of an emperor visiting in civilian disguise and ending up jailed on their first day?
Only the old farr lounged casually on the ground, legs crossed, chewing on a dried stalk of dogtail grass.
Lu Yuan leaned against the wall, lazily bending one leg, casting a glance at the old farr, "You don’t seem worried."
The old farr rested his hands behind his head, chewing his stalk of grass indifferently, "I’ll be out in no ti, what’s there to worry about?"
Lu Yuan chuckled lightly, "Sounds pretty impressive."
The old farr asked, "Kid, what did you drug with earlier? Why couldn’t I use my martial arts all of a sudden?"
Otherwise, even ten nets wouldn’t have been enough to trap him.
Lu Yuan replied nonchalantly, "First tell what trick you pulled that left paralyzed."
The old farr scowled, "I’m not telling."
Lu Yuan retorted, " neither then."
Zong Zhengxi whimpered, "Can you guys stop bickering already?"
The old farr looked at Lu Yuan, "Kid, beg , and I might take you and your little brother out later."
Lu Yuan smirked slyly, "How do you know you won’t be the one begging later?"
The old farr sighed heavily, "That’s improper. I’m a senior now, asking for help? You youngsters ought to show filial piety, respect age and wisdom. Don’t you have elders in your household?"
Lu Yuan shrugged, "You’re not part of my household."
The old farr fell silent, "..."
"What’s all the racket about?"
The annoyed governnt official yelled out, stomping over, "Looking all proper, but dining and scamming—is your hand broken or your leg crippled? Listen up, you pay the ransom, or you rot here forever!"
Zong Zhengxi sniffled miserably, "This is so humiliating."
The old farr consoled, "Hey now, it’s just a little jail ti. After this, we’ll be lifelong prison buddies!"
Zong Zhengxi scooted away, "I don’t want this kind of friendship."
Rejected, the old farr muttered, "..."
That day, ng Qianqian had fulfilled her bet with Princess Wanping at the Princess Mansion before visiting the pregnant Wang Madam with Zhou Nanyan and Lin Xiaoru at the Wang Family.
Liu Qingyun, anwhile, had gone boating with Princess Wanping.
When ng Qianqian arrived ho, neither Liu Qingyun nor Lu Yuan had returned.
"What happened today?"
Yu Zichuan soon returned, reporting, "Young Madam, the Grand Commander has been arrested."
"What happened to him?"
"He didn’t pay for his al."
ng Qianqian: "..."
Hurriedly, ng Qianqian grabbed ransom money and rushed to the County Governnt to bail him out.
At the entrance, she ran into Liu Qingyun, who had also co in a hurry.
"Mother?"
ng Qianqian froze montarily seeing her, "You’re here to bail soone out too?"
Had Yu Zichuan gone to find Liu Qingyun as well?
Hearing the "you’re here too," Liu Qingyun looked equally puzzled.
What now?
Did they approach Ayuan? Did Ayuan already tell this girl about it?
"Oh."
Liu Qingyun, not sure what was happening, hesitated and nodded.
ng Qianqian comnted, "Then, together?"
Liu Qingyun agreed softly.
The steward was called out, and seeing the two dressed impeccably—it was clear they weren’t ordinary folks—yet, rembering the three scamrs locked up inside, his attitude soured instantly.
"Five hundred taels per person!"
"Bailing two people."
"Bailing two people."
Both said simultaneously.
"I’ll cover it." Liu Qingyun pushed ng Qianqian’s silver notes aside and handed the steward one thousand taels.
The steward instructed the constable, "Take them to collect the detainees."
Along the corridor leading to the jail, the governnt official opened the cell door, "Soone’s here to bail you out!"
All three of them stood.
The official declared, "Hold on, only two were bailed."
Lu Yuan told Zong Zhengxi, "Let’s go."
At almost the exact sa mont, the old farr grabbed Zong Zhengxi’s hand and said exactly the sa thing.
Zong Zhengxi stared blankly at the two n.
The official asked, "So who exactly is being bailed out?"
The old farr firmly stated, "Obviously !"
Lu Yuan rely snorted, "Hmph."
At that mont, ng Qianqian and Liu Qingyun arrived.
Liu Qingyun was leading ahead.
The old farr caught sight of her and imdiately perked up, "Hah, my daughter’s here!"
"Which daughter? You end up in jail and still have the nerve to say that, making bail you out in the dead of night..."
As Liu Qingyun stepped inside the cell, her gaze fell upon Lu Yuan—and she nearly jumped in fright, "Son! Why are you here too? Did you co to bail out your grandpa?"
"Son? Grandpa?"
The old farr furrowed his brow, snapping his head toward Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan also turned to face the old farr.
Eyes locked.
The skies above the two n crumbled—
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