Chapter 146: Kidnapped! So Miserable

Chapter 146: Kidnapped · What a Miserable Fate

As Qin Jiao had expected, He Zhao was indeed very fond of that colorful silk umbrella, even going so far as to specially attach a glittering golden tassel to it.

Not only that, but to express his gratitude, that very night He Zhao voluntarily "offered himself up" and requested to share a room with Qin Jiao. At that moment, Xiao Baiyu clearly sensed that the instant Qin Jiao nodded, Xie Nai shot a subtle glare at Xiao Baiyu.

Why are you glaring at me?

Xiao Baiyu was caught between laughter and frustration. If you hadn't riled Qin Jiao up, would we have ended up like this?

Xie Nai and Xiao Baiyu both had a lot on their minds that night, but Qin Jiao hadn't actually been thinking that deeply about it. He simply felt a bit reluctant to part with He Zhao again soon, and just wanted to chat with him.

He Zhao was warm and sincere with people, and loyal by nature. Even though he came off as a bit of a goofball, he'd gone out of his way to learn sign language for Cong Shuang, and had been suppressing his feelings for Xiao Baiyu to spare Xiao Qisheng. He was considerate and a damn good friend.

However, Qin Jiao's reluctance went out the window the next day when he saw He Zhao loaded down with colorful bundles.

"Let's go! Let's grab a bite before we go."

Qin Jiao stood at his door, stunned. "You're heading to Xiaoxiang Commandery too?"

When He Zhao wasn't there in the morning, Qin Jiao had assumed he'd gone back to his own room, but it turned out he'd gone back to pack up his stuff.

"It's all just for fun anyway." He Zhao set down his bundles and laughed. "Might as well tag along to Xiaoxiang Commandery!"

"But weren't you supposed to head back to Apricot Grove Manor with Divine Doctor Xiao to get ready for the wedding?"

Just last night, He Zhao had been sighing to Qin Jiao about how Xiao Qisheng was way too proactive—Xiao Baiyu had only been in Lingbei two days when Xiao Qisheng sent over wedding robe patterns for him to choose from.

Looking at He Zhao now, Qin Jiao figured that even though he talked a big game, he probably wasn't ready and wanted to put the wedding off a little longer.

"The wedding can wait. A little later, maybe."

Sure enough, Qin Jiao called it.

"Let's grab Sister Congshuang and go get some breakfast." He Zhao said as he pulled Qin Jiao along. "I found a new place that serves shredded chicken tofu pudding, salty and spicy—Sister's gonna love it!"

"Slow down." Qin Jiao laughed. "Hey, shouldn't we ask Divine Doctor Xiao along?"

He Zhao didn't slow down, clearly dead set on that tofu pudding. "No need. The Lingbei prefect came to report on the 'corpse for ransom' case, so Xie Nai dragged him off."

"I see."

Qin Jiao didn't dwell on it. He called Cong Shuang, and the three of them set off for breakfast.

Since they were heading to Xiaoxiang Commandery, they'd gotten up early. By the time they finished the shredded chicken tofu pudding that He Zhao had been craving, it was barely past seven in the morning.

A soft rosy glow spread across the horizon. As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the morning mist and gently kissed the surface of the winding river, the land of Lingbei slowly awakened to the rugged, drawn-out work songs of the river boatmen.

Along with the boatmen's chants came the mournful wail of cymbals and suona playing a funeral dirge.

Qin Jiao and the others were standing by the roadside. Turning around, they saw a funeral procession—people in white mourning robes, faces grim.

Soul banners and spirit flags fluttered as yellow paper money drifted through the air. Two middle-aged men flanked the procession, carrying goatskin flasks and sprinkling wine as they went.

The smell of incense and burnt paper mixed with the sharp scent of wine, filling the whole street with a strange odor.

"This smell seems a bit familiar."

Qin Jiao rubbed his nose without thinking. Where had he caught this smell before?

He Zhao knew Qin Jiao had a sharp nose, but didn't dwell on it. "Yeah, the wine does smell good," he said.

As He Zhao spoke, the tofu pudding vendor beside them smiled and said, "You two must be from out of town, huh? This wine's from the Lu Family Winery. Strong stuff—one cup and you'll smell like it for days."

"That amazing?" He Zhao was a wine lover and immediately wanted to ask where the winery was so he could grab a few jars to go.

"You can't get it anymore." The middle-aged vendor shook his head. "Only Lu Ming knew how to brew this wine. Now that he's gone, the Lu family shut the winery down."

"Lu Ming—you mean that rock hunter Lu Ming?"

Qin Jiao and He Zhao looked at each other. What are the odds?

"Yes, that's him." The vendor sighed regretfully. "He made a fortune off the 'Fortune Cave,' but in the end, that same cave cost him his life."

The vendor's voice trailed off, lost in the mournful funeral music. "Those wines can only be offered to Lu Ming to drink on his journey to the afterlife..."

"My boy! Next life, may you be born into a better family!" In the distance, Lu Ming's mother's wails grew increasingly piercing.

"A dragonfly flying into a spider's web—no way out." He Zhao sighed and said to Qin Jiao, "Stop staring. It's fate. Let's go back."

He Zhao figured if they dawdled any longer, the Prince of Lingnan would come find them himself.

Cong Shuang tugged Qin Jiao's sleeve too. Just as they were about to head back, a young servant in gray dashed out and blocked Qin Jiao's way: "Young Master Qin, our young master's in a bad way! Please come quick!"

"Hey, who the hell are you?" He Zhao reacted quickly, pulling Qin Jiao and Cong Shuang behind him. "What's with the grabbing and yanking!"

"Zhou Zhou, relax, I know him." Qin Jiao quickly reassured He Zhao. "He's my cousin's servant."

Back at the Qin estate in the capital, this guy was always with Ning Zhong whenever he came to see me.

"Oh, okay then." He Zhao relaxed a little at that. Though he didn't have a good impression of that Ning fellow, he still stepped aside to let the guy pass.

Qin Jiao looked at the servant. "Wait, what? What's wrong with my cousin?"

The servant's eyes were red. He dropped to his knees, voice cracking: "The young master... after meeting with you that day, he went home and got all depressed. This morning, he started coughing up blood and wouldn't stop. The doctors they called in couldn't do anything... *sob* Young Master Qin, he kept calling your name in his sleep, so I took the liberty of coming to beg you to see him."

Qin Jiao's face fell slightly. Had he been too blunt that day and hurt Ning Zhong's feelings?

"Alright, I'll go check on him."

After all, it was his own mess, so he'd better go see for himself. Sickness doesn't wait. Qin Jiao was about to head out when He Zhao grabbed his arm.

"Sister Congshuang, go back and get my senior brother." Xiao Baiyu had been around He Zhao so long that he'd picked up some basic sign language. He Zhao turned to Qin Jiao. "I'm going with you."

Qin Jiao tried to wave him off: "You stay. No point in you coming along."

"Do I look like I mind a little trouble?"

Qin Jiao couldn't talk him out of it.

"Hurry up, let's go. Time's ticking—didn't you say he's puking blood nonstop?"

He Zhao grumbled under his breath as he walked. You came out with me, and Luo Yue's not around. If you so much as get a scratch, how could I face Sister Congshuang after all those midnight snacks she feeds me? And Xie Nai would probably skin me alive—and make Xiao Baiyu watch!

But no matter how careful He Zhao was, the second they got on the Ning family carriage, shit hit the fan...

The moment he got knocked out with a "thud," Qin Jiao's mind went blank. But He Zhao's thoughts were:

"A fat pig on its way to the butcher—Ning, you bastard! If you're gonna pull something, use poison or knockout powder—I'm immune to all that! But no, you had to use a club to knock me out—what kind of move is that..."

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