Chapter 170

Chapter 170

It was already past noon, and it would probably take more than two hours to finish seeing everyone still waiting outside.

They had a lot of things to buy this time. With evening approaching, they could not afford to waste any more time.

Sheng Zhaoning came back to herself and looked toward Zhou Lingsheng. After a moment’s thought, she saw that he and Jin He could manage on their own, so she agreed.

The three of them drove the carriage toward the center of the town.

Preparing for winter meant little more than buying winter clothes, meat and vegetables, charcoal, rice, and other grains.

Zhou Wei did have some talent for haggling. He bargained his way along until he nearly got chased down and beaten again.

Fortunately, being thick-skinned did have its benefits, and he managed to get them a few good deals.

After roughly two hours, the carriage had gone from one end of the street to the other, and they had covered half the town.

The things they had bought filled the carriage to the brim.

“See? I told you, you can’t manage without me!”

Zhou Wei was driving from the front, once again shamelessly boasting about himself.

The speechless look on Sheng Yao’s little face was impossible to miss.

Sheng Zhaoning shook her head helplessly. “Yes, yes. You’re the best.”

Whenever she humored Zhou Wei, she treated him much the same way she treated Yaoyao.

Zhou Wei grinned, his face full of smug satisfaction.

Inside the carriage, Sheng Yao clung to the window and looked outside. Her round little head bobbed as she craned her neck to follow everything that caught her eye.

Sheng Yao spent most of her days at the academy. The rest of the time, she was usually running all over the mountain with Zhou Wei and Zhou Lingsheng, so she rarely came into town.

The medical hall had been busy seeing patients that day, while Sheng Zhaoning had been rushing to buy so many things. She had not had a chance to take Sheng Yao out to play.

Although Sheng Yao obediently remained silent, the longing in her eyes was unmistakable.

“Would you like to get down and look around for a while?” Sheng Zhaoning noticed her mood, looked at her, and asked gently.

At those words, Sheng Yao’s eyes lit up. “Can I?”

Sheng Zhaoning smiled. “Of course.”

Sheng Yao must have known that the adults were busy that day. Even though she wanted to get down and play, she had forced herself not to ask.

But that very thoughtfulness only made people feel even more protective of her.

Her daughter did not need to worry about so many things. If there was something she wanted to do or something she wanted, she could simply say so.

When Zhou Wei heard their conversation, he pulled on the reins and brought the carriage to a stop beside the road. Turning around, he said, “You two get down. I’ll lead the horse.”

Sheng Yao threw her arms into the air and let out a delighted cry.

After lifting Sheng Yao down from the carriage, Sheng Zhaoning took her hand and walked slowly with her through the crowds in the street.

With winter fast approaching, more and more people were out shopping.

Sheng Zhaoning took a piece of silver from her purse and handed it to Sheng Yao. She placed no restrictions on her, telling her that she could buy anything she liked.

Sheng Yao walked ahead with the silver in her hand. She stopped in front of a small stall selling sugar figurines and stared at it for a long while, her eyes darting from one figure to another. In the end, she chose a little tiger.

Sheng Zhaoning had thought she would also buy some cloth dolls, rolling lanterns, clay figurines, or other toys. Instead, Sheng Yao did not spend a single coin of the remaining silver on herself. She bought a gift for everyone.

When Zhou Wei received a brown bear hat with a slightly cross-eyed expression, the corner of his mouth twitched. Still, he steeled himself and said, “Thank you. I like it very much.”

Sheng Zhaoning looked at his face, then at the hat on his head, which practically screamed “clever.” She nearly burst out laughing.

Sheng Yao probably thought the hat suited his personality perfectly.

They wandered along the street a little longer, then returned to the medical hall with their purchases. By then, Zhou Lingsheng had nearly finished with his patients as well.

The queue at the entrance dispersed. After Jin He handed out the last packet of medicine, dusk was already approaching.

Zhou Lingsheng closed the clinic. After a full day of work, the group was beginning to feel the strain.

They had set out that morning with one horse and a horse-drawn carriage.

Zhou Wei still planned to ride the horse back, but this time Sheng Yao had insisted on going with him.

“I’ll take Yaoyao for a ride around the village. The rest of you can go back in the carriage first,” Zhou Wei said.

Sheng Zhaoning glanced at Sheng Yao and, seeing how excited she was, walked over to the horse and handed her to Zhou Wei.

“Go ahead, but don’t be back too late,” Sheng Zhaoning reminded him.

Zhou Wei took Sheng Yao’s hand and lifted her onto the horse’s back. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back before dark.”

With that, he wrapped an arm around Sheng Yao and rode off.

Sheng Zhaoning watched them disappear into the distance, then turned and climbed back into the carriage. They began the journey home.

The village was not far from the town, and the carriage ride took about half an hour.

By the time they reached the village, the sun had just dipped below the western horizon.

The autumn wind swept through the streets, sending fallen leaves rustling across the ground.

The carriage, loaded with goods, rolled slowly toward home.

For some reason, the village seemed unusually quiet that day.

There wasn’t a single person on the road. Even the elderly women who usually sat at the village entrance were nowhere to be seen.

Zhou Lingsheng frowned slightly as he drove the carriage.

Though he found it strange, he did not dwell on it, assuming that the cold weather had kept everyone indoors.

The carriage turned onto the narrow road by the village entrance and stopped directly in front of their home.

“Whoa!”

He pulled hard on the reins. Once the carriage came to a complete stop, he looked back and said, “We’re here.”

Zhou Lingsheng jumped down first.

Sheng Zhaoning lifted the curtain, and she and Jin He climbed down one after the other.

Looking at the carriage packed full of goods, Sheng Zhaoning said, “There are too many things. Let’s unload them first.”

Jin He glanced toward the courtyard. It was completely empty and utterly silent.

How strange. Where had everyone gone?

Someone should have come out to greet them when they saw the carriage returning.

There were too many things on the carriage for the three of them to unload quickly, let alone carry everything inside.

Jin He looked back at Sheng Zhaoning. “My lady, wait here. I’ll go get someone.”

Sheng Zhaoning nodded. “All right.”

At this hour, her parents and Auntie Dai Rong should all have been at home.

Jin He hurried into the courtyard.

Zhou Lingsheng unloaded some of the goods first, choosing the heavier items.

Sheng Zhaoning helped carry several lighter things and set them on the ground.

They had been working for a while, yet Jin He still had not returned. The courtyard remained completely silent. After pausing for a moment, they finally realized that something was wrong.

Zhou Lingsheng and Sheng Zhaoning exchanged a glance. His heart tightened, and he carefully pulled her behind him as he warily scanned their surroundings.

Then, from somewhere in the shadows, a flash of cold light flickered.

He suddenly understood and shouted, “Run!”

Zhou Lingsheng grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the carriage.

But in the brief instant it took him to turn, heavily armored figures appeared from all sides and blocked their escape, surrounding them layer upon layer.

At a glance, Zhou Lingsheng recognized where the men before him had come from.

They were… the Imperial Guards.