Koi Fubao: Being loved by everyone on the road to escape from famine

Chapter 252 Catching a Thief

They simply packed their luggage, taking only the necessary small amount of silver and a few winter clothes to protect themselves from the cold wind, then nimbly mounted their horses. The sound of horse hooves echoed in the morning air as they moved away from the familiar military camp step by step.

Fan Heng stood at the edge of the camp, watching his son and two guards gradually disappear into the distance until they became just a dot on the horizon.

A gentle smile slowly emerged on his face, and he had a high opinion of Xiao Zhixue in his heart.

Not only does she have outstanding medical skills, she also has courage and talent in martial arts that are no less than men.

If these two young lives can meet by chance and write the chapter of life together, Fan Heng will do his best to give them the most firm support and blessings.

At the same time, Jiuer in the distance was flying hurriedly towards Nanping Town along the path in her memory.

Its heart was full of anticipation, but it had no idea that Xiao Zhixue and her group had already left and embarked on a journey to Nanchong City.

Despite the exhaustion of traveling day and night, Jiuer finally arrived at Nanping Town, only to find that the town was completely different from what she remembered. The doors of every household were wide open, and the townspeople's conversations were filled with speculation and discussion about Xiao Zhixue's whereabouts.

When Jiuer learned that they had set out for Xiliang, she adjusted her direction without hesitation, flapped her wings and rushed towards Nanchong City, her speed so fast that it seemed like a flash of lightning across the sky.

Xiao Zhixue and her group traveled day and night, and fortunately they did not encounter any harassment from pursuers along the way, so the journey was particularly smooth.

When they were hungry, they would stop, look for a suitable place to set up a simple stove and cook simple food.

After the meal, everyone took a short rest and then continued their journey full of hope.

As they got closer to Nanchong City, the summer heat wave was like an invisible beast, tightly entangling everyone and making them feel increasingly stuffy and unbearable.

In order to adapt to the hot climate, everyone had to change out of their heavy winter clothes and put on light and breathable summer clothes. This change made everyone's steps seem to become lighter.

However, even so, sweat still rolled down their foreheads like pearls from a broken string, soaking their clothes.

Finally, they arrived at a vast wilderness not far from Nanchong City.

An isolated city stands proudly in this desolate place, surrounded by overgrown weeds, appearing both lonely and tough.

The scorching heat was like being roasted by fire, the air seemed to be frozen, and one could feel a sense of oppression with every breath.

From time to time, strong winds mixed with fine sand particles, like a roaring beast, tried to penetrate the solid defense line of Nanchong City.

Faced with such a scene, Xiao Zhixue decided not to rush to lead everyone into the city, but instead arranged for everyone to find a shady place on the outskirts to rest. She herself planned to go ahead and go deep into the city to explore the local customs and practices.

She heard the innkeeper mention that the people of Nanchong City were tough and often wary of outsiders, and that breaking in directly might cause unnecessary trouble.

Therefore, Xiao Zhixue invited An Ying'er, who had the best martial arts in the team, to explore the way together. Although Fang Weiyi, who was straightforward in character, also expressed his desire to follow, he was rejected by Xiao Zhixue in a tactful way, and she suggested that he stay where he was and wait for Jiu'er who was about to arrive.

Fang Weiyi couldn't help feeling lonely, and was confused and puzzled by Xiao Zhixue's slightly cold attitude.

The next day, Xiao Zhixue and An Ying'er dressed up carefully, put on men's clothes, and disguised themselves as two young scholars, hoping to enter Nanchong City more low-key.

At the city gate, the guards stood like rocks, and everyone who wanted to enter the city needed to show a legal pass.

Xiao Zhixue handed over the document she had prepared in advance. The guards took it and carefully checked it with sharp eyes. After a while, they slowly raised their heads, looked at them and asked, "What are your names, gentlemen?"

Xiao Zhixue reacted quickly and replied in a low voice: "My name is Xiao Tingxuan, and this is my brother Xiao Tingrui."

There was a barely perceptible hint of nervousness in her voice.

However, the guard did not seem satisfied with this explanation. Instead, he raised his voice and questioned, "You two look very different. How can you be called brothers? Moreover, this document does not look genuine. Without the real pass, no one can even step into the city gate!"

After saying this, the guard's hand unconsciously touched the hilt of the knife at his waist, revealing a hint of threat.

Xiao Zhixue immediately realized that these guards were deliberately making things difficult for her, and it was not accidental. This coincided with what the innkeeper had said before. Nanchong City was indeed deeply wary of outsiders.

But she did not back down. Years of experience in the business world taught her that money is often the best key.

So, she kept a gentle smile on her face, calmly took out a few pieces of shiny silver from her sleeves, and gently placed them in front of the guards: "Thank you for your hard work, officers. This is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it. I hope you can make some concessions and allow us to enter the city smoothly."

Seeing the glittering silver pieces, the guard's expression softened significantly, and his tone also softened: "Okay, go in, but remember, don't cause trouble in the city."

After saying this, they stepped aside to make way for him, as if it was a tacit tribute to wealth.

The two of them hurriedly bowed their heads to express their gratitude, hurriedly walked through the city gate, stepped onto the stone-paved street, and strode into the city.

The sunlight shines between the ancient city walls and the bustling streets, giving the city a golden glow.

Not long after walking in the city, a sharp cry broke the tranquility of the afternoon like a torn silk: "Robbery! Someone come quickly, catch the thief, my wallet!"

There was helplessness and despair in the voice.

A thin man with a bulging purse in his pocket was running like a cunning rabbit in the busy streets. Chasing closely behind him was a woman in a veiled skirt. Although her steps were fast, they seemed unsteady, and in her panic she dropped one of her delicate embroidered shoes.

The woman named Liu Yin was so anxious when she saw the thief walking away that she called for help: "Kind people, can anyone help me? That's the life-saving money for my child's medical treatment!"

At this time, Yuan Shang, the thief with an extraordinary appearance, gloomy face and fierce eyes, approached Xiao Zhixue and An Ying'er who were strolling leisurely. He thought he could get away easily, but he didn't expect that the two of them accidentally blocked his way.

Yuan Shang's face was filled with anger, and he started to speak harshly: "Get out of the way!"

The threat in the voice caused the surrounding pedestrians to look sideways, but no one dared to step forward to interfere.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhixue curled up a scornful smile. She rarely saw such open street robbery.

She had traveled a lot and seen many strange things, but this was the first time she had ever encountered such a blatant robbery in broad daylight.

I thought to myself that it seems that the customs of the people in Nanchong City are indeed as rough and unrestrained as the rumors outside.