LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 39: How Is It Different
Chapter 39: How Is It Different
As the two men were about to approach her, Qiao Nian finally shouted sternly, “Wait!”
Her chest was heaving violently, her fear reaching its peak, yet she still forced herself to remain calm.
The two men seemed to be truly intimidated by her and stopped in their tracks.
Then Qiao Nian said, “I’ve already mentioned that the Emperor has arranged my marriage. I’m now Prince Ming’s fiancée. If you dare to touch me, you’re not just going against the Marquis’s mansion, but also against Prince Ming and the current Emperor! Why don’t you think carefully about whether the person who sent you here can really protect you!”
Hearing this, the two men looked at each other, seemingly finding reason in Qiao Nian’s words.
So, they bowed slightly to Qiao Nian, their tone and attitude softening considerably, “Young lady, we are men of the jianghu and don’t understand the grievances between you nobles. We only know that we must complete the job we’ve been paid for. But don’t worry, young lady, we won’t harm you. We just need you to come with us!”
Only after hearing these words from the two men did Qiao Nian seem to finally be able to breathe normally again.
At least for now, these two men seemed to have some jianghu honor.
As long as they didn’t harm her, as long as she could keep her life!
But…
“Where are you taking me?” Qiao Nian asked again, hoping the two would reveal more.
But the men shook their heads, “We beg your forgiveness, young lady, but we cannot say more.”
With that, they moved to approach her again.
“Wait!” Qiao Nian shouted once more, but it wasn’t as fierce as before.
She didn’t have the energy to be fierce anymore.
In the past, at the laundry bureau, she had only dealt with women. This was the first time she was confronting two burly ruffians.
She knew well the difference in strength between men and women. Let alone two men, even against one, she might not be able to win.
She was truly terrified.
But she couldn’t show even a hint of fear, otherwise she would be like a lamb before a pack of wolves, only waiting to be devoured.
She looked at the two men, took a deep breath before saying, “I can walk on my own.”
She didn’t want them to touch her. If she were to be seen being forcibly taken away by these two, who knows what kind of gossip would spread!
She had just been betrothed to Prince Ming, she absolutely couldn’t let such gossip ruin her future!
The two brothers clearly hadn’t expected Qiao Nian to have such courage.
In the past, those who faced them, even if they were men, would have been scared enough to wet themselves by now.
Therefore, they showed a rare look of admiration for the young woman before them, but jianghu people always have their own rules when doing business.
One of them said, “Forgive us, young lady, but we must decline. Excuse us!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the man rushed forward with lightning speed.
Qiao Nian moved, seemingly about to dodge, but was firmly grabbed by the other man.
The next moment, a handkerchief covered her nose and mouth. Within a single breath, waves of dizziness hit her. Qiao Nian’s vision went black, and she completely lost consciousness.
Meanwhile, Xiao Heng had ended up buying both masks.
Lin Yuan thought he would give one to her, but to her surprise, Xiao Heng showed no intention of giving her either mask.
She couldn’t help feeling a bit hurt, but then thought, it’s just two masks, they don’t represent anything!
She followed behind Xiao Heng, continuing to walk forward.
The lanterns on the street were becoming more and more beautiful. There were butterfly lanterns, carp lanterns, and even qilin lanterns!
Each one was lifelike.
Lin Yuan took a liking to a small rabbit lantern, its two ears moving back and forth, very cute.
“Does the young lady like it?” The stall owner had sharp eyes and immediately noticed Lin Yuan. He took down the rabbit lantern, “Only five taels of silver.”
Xiao Heng quite naturally handed over the silver.
The stall owner smiled and handed the lantern to Xiao Heng, but before Xiao Heng could pass it to Lin Yuan, he noticed that the crowd behind them suddenly became agitated.
It seemed as if something big had happened.
Lin Yuan and Xiao Heng’s attention was also drawn by this commotion.
Xiao Heng was tall and could see farther than Lin Yuan.
Over the crowd, he immediately spotted a maid with a bloodied face.
She looked somewhat familiar.
It seemed to be…
Qiao Nian’s maid!
He was immediately startled and hurriedly rushed towards Ning Shuang.
Lin Yuan was frightened, letting out a cry, only to find that the rabbit lantern in Xiao Heng’s hand had fallen to the ground and immediately caught fire.
The flames were licking towards her skirt. She was terrified, but fortunately, the stall owner reacted quickly and put out the fire with a scoop of water.
Lin Yuan hadn’t yet recovered from her fear, only blankly raising her eyes to look in the direction Xiao Heng had gone. She didn’t know what had happened to Xiao Heng, but as if possessed, she lifted her feet and followed.
By this time, Xiao Heng had rushed to Ning Shuang’s side, “What happened? Where’s your young lady?”
Ning Shuang had run out of the teahouse with a bloodied face to find her young lady. She hadn’t cried, her eyes constantly scanning the crowd sharply.
But the moment she saw Xiao Heng, she suddenly couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Waaah! General Xiao, please save my young lady!”
Ning Shuang immediately knelt down. She knew that at this moment, perhaps only Xiao Heng could save her young lady.
Xiao Heng’s eyes darkened as he grabbed Ning Shuang and pulled her up, his voice stern, “Shut up! Don’t cry. What exactly happened?”
Ning Shuang immediately stopped crying and, between sobs, told Xiao Heng what had happened in the private room.
Only then did Xiao Heng learn that Qiao Nian had been kidnapped.
He immediately shouted, “Men!”
“Here!”
Unified responses came from all directions in the crowd.
Soon, several tall and strong men stood before Xiao Heng, led by the deputy commander Jing Yan.
“Miss Qiao has been kidnapped. Quickly seal off all entrances and exits to Chunshan Street. Don’t let any carriages pass, especially those with two men. Arrest them all!” He urgently ordered, and Jing Yan responded before quickly dispersing with his men into the crowd.
Only then did Xiao Heng have time to turn to Ning Shuang and ask in detail, “Didn’t your young lady have an appointment with Prince Ming?”
Could it be Prince Ming?
That crippled pervert?
Blood was still flowing down Ning Shuang’s head, her tears mixing with the blood, “Prince Ming wrote a letter inviting my young lady to meet here, but it wasn’t Prince Ming who came, but two fierce-looking men!”
Hearing this, Xiao Heng’s expression darkened further.
At this moment, someone pushed through the crowd, saw Xiao Heng and was startled, “General Xiao?”
Then he looked at Ning Shuang, “You are… Miss Qiao’s maid? What happened to you?”
“Your Highness Prince Ming…” Ning Shuang also recognized Prince Ming and cried even harder, “Why are you only coming now? My young lady has been waiting for you here for so long!”
If Prince Ming had come earlier, her young lady wouldn’t have been taken by bad people!
But Prince Ming looked innocent, “This Prince clearly wrote in the letter to meet Miss Qiao at the Yuanlai Teahouse up ahead. This Prince has been waiting for an incense stick’s time.”
Yuanlai Teahouse?
Wasn’t it Fulai Teahouse?
Ning Shuang was stunned. How could they be different?