Chapter 18: An Incident at the City Gate
576 Words
Leng Lingyun strolled leisurely along the official road leading to the city gate, drawing sidelong glances from passersby. Upon reaching the city gate, she looked up at the two gilded characters on the gate: Dan City.
Just then, four strong men carrying a sedan chair brushed past her. Soon, a shrill voice came from inside the sedan chair: "Quick, stop the sedan!"
The bearers had just set down their loads and hadn't yet steadied themselves when a flamboyant figure hurriedly alighted from the sedan and rushed towards Leng Lingyun, stopping in front of her to block her path.
Leng Lingyun looked up to see a middle-aged woman dressed in flashy gold and silver jewelry, her face contorted with displeasure.
"Well, well, little sister, looking at your dirty and tattered clothes, you must have suffered a lot on the road. Come with Auntie Hong, and she'll take you somewhere to freshen up and get you some new clothes. How about that?" the woman said with a saccharine smile, trying to coax her.
"Move aside," Leng Lingyun said, feeling a surge of disgust.
"Oh, the little girl has quite the temper. If you obediently follow Auntie Hong, she promises you'll become famous and wealthy," the woman, referred to as Auntie Hong, took another step forward.
Leng Lingyun crossed her arms over her chest, silently observing her, calculating how she could teach these people a lesson without revealing her combat skills.
Because they were at the city gate, the commotion quickly attracted a crowd of onlookers.
"Damn, Auntie Hong must have taken a fancy to this pretty girl."
"She's a poor thing, covered in wounds. She must have escaped from somewhere and now she's fallen into Auntie Hong's hands again."
"Alas, if she's taken by Auntie Hong, her life is over."
Voices from the crowd were heard intermittently, but no one dared to intervene.
"What are you all, daring to disrupt my business here? Get lost, or else you'll be sorry," Auntie Hong's face darkened as she shouted at the crowd.
"She's the head of the Red Building, rich and powerful. We can't afford to offend her. Let's just keep moving," someone said.
"Exactly, exactly, pity the poor girl," another voice chimed in.
After her outburst, the crowd sighed again.
Just as they were about to disperse, a stern voice came from behind: "Who dares to gather a crowd at the city gate?"
"Oh, this officer is new here. I'm Auntie Hong from the Red Building. One of our new girls ran away, and I've just found her. I was about to take her back. I apologize for the disturbance. When will you officers grace us with a visit to the Red Building? The expenses will be on me," Auntie Hong said, pushing through the crowd to the newcomer, fanning herself with a embroidered handkerchief.
"The Red Building?" The voice carried a clear note of disdain. "Since you've found the person, please disperse and don't disrupt the order at the city gate."
With that, the sound of clanking armor could be heard, seemingly heading out of the city.
"Yes, yes, yes, Officer. We'll leave right away," Auntie Hong replied with a forced smile before turning to signal the four bearers behind her to seize the girl.
At that moment, Leng Lingyun smiled slightly and calmly lowered her hands from her chest, her childlike voice ringing out.
"Auntie Hong, what brings you to the city gate today to stand duty?"
- Writer
