After deceiving the villain, I was forced to love him.

Although Lu Jian implemented new laws, many places outside the capital still followed the lead of powerful aristocratic families.

The local officials where the post station was located were not known for their principles, and they became even more terrified when they heard that the person involved was a young lady from the Baili family.

The sent constables and clerks barely asked a few questions before repeatedly assuring Baili Ce that the county magistrate had ordered a city-wide search for suspicious persons and that he would notify her as soon as there was any news.

In addition, they stated that they would bear all the losses of the convoy, and that they would let Baili Ce and Wang Qingyan ask for anything they needed, as long as they could do it.

"..." Even capitalists were moved to tears upon hearing this.

Finally, she and Wang Qingyan each took a deep breath, realizing that there was no point in saying more. They had the clerk take a brief statement, explaining what had happened, and then sent the person away.

"It seems you don't intend to let the officials get involved in this matter." Wang Qingyan, who was accompanying her to file the report, had been listening for a long time and, apart from receiving a few very flattering compliments, felt that not a single useful word had been said.

Bai Li Ce rubbed her stiff legs. She had only intended to use these officials to give a reminder to His Majesty the Emperor in the capital, and she did not really expect anything from them.

But I never expected them to be so unreliable even when writing a written statement. "These people are just putting on a show."

Suddenly I feel that Emperor Lu Jian is really... deserving of his fate.

“Once we leave, they’ll act like nothing happened.”

He had already experienced the meaning of "certainty" many years ago.

"So what are you planning to do next?"

What's next...

"Take it easy," Wang Qingyan said, instinctively reaching out to help her as she got up.

"Hey, don't move!" Baili Ce immediately reached out to stop him.

With a beaming smile and her eyes crinkling, she said, "Patriarch Wang, please sit still."

Qingyan flicked his sleeve and sat back down, looking at her with a "let's see what you're up to" expression as she limped over and sat down next to him.

He poured a glass of water with great enthusiasm and presented it with both hands, saying, "Then it's up to you, Master Wang!"

Wang Qingyan shook his head and chuckled, politely accepting the cup. His jade-like fingertips quickly brushed against Baili Ce's fingers, and he glanced at the water in the cup but did not drink it immediately.

Instead, he asked her directly, "What do you want me to do?"

"Sigh~" Through these few interactions, she has figured out Wang Qingyan's temperament.

Knowing that to get him to do something, you have to go along with his wishes, one might say, "What are you saying, Patriarch Wang? How could I dare to ask you to do something?"

"I just wanted to ask you... to borrow some manpower."

Seeing her playful yet feigned coy demeanor, Wang Qingyan's tone became lighter, "How much do you want?"

"Hehe, not much," Baili Ce smiled even more sweetly and held up five fingers.

Five hundred?

That's indeed not much.

Wang Qingyan immediately agreed, "Okay."

"It would be best if you could give it to me tomorrow." Seeing his promptness, Baili Ce began to push his luck.

To avoid making her feel like she was exaggerating or bragging, Wang Qingyan chose to be more conservative, saying, "I can give it to you this afternoon."

Wow!

He's so generous, is this what it means to be rich and powerful?

Fifty people just gave it to them like that?

Or perhaps the person behind the account is really her sister, which is why she's being so generous.

"Then thank you so much, Patriarch Wang, for your righteous help!" Baili Ce happily clenched his little fists.

Seeing how easily she was satisfied, Wang Qingyan couldn't help but purse his lips with a smile, and his eyes lit up as well.

"By the way, has Patriarch Wang eaten yet?"

"Um"

"I don't have any either, why don't we go together?" Although it was an invitation, Baili Ce was already preparing to get up and go downstairs.

Completely captivated by her radiant beauty, how could he refuse? "Okay."

He raised his right hand and winked at her.

“......” Bicui really should be replaced.

Finding it difficult to refuse, Baili Ce could only politely place his hand on Baili Ce's arm and say, "Then I won't be polite."

"No problem"

"Walk slowly, they can't finish eating."

Forehead......

"But I want to eat five bowls."

"Hahaha..." Wang Qingyan laughed heartily.

Since Baili Ce and his group were very close to Lincheng, and with their beloved Wang family head there, they didn't have to worry about attacks. Moreover, everyone needed to replenish their nutrition, so Sister Wang had prepared a much more lavish meal these past few days.

I made three pots of chicken soup alone, some with angelica root and some without, without adding any salt. It was so bland that it didn't taste like chicken soup at all.

But Wang Qingyan scooped out the pot that had almost no flavor.

He filled two bowls and set them aside to eat with Baili Ce.

"Thank you for your trouble." Bai Li Ce took the chicken soup and placed it next to his rice bowl before starting to eat.

Looking at the neatly arranged bowls and chopsticks and the two small dishes selected by Baili Ce, Wang Qingyan was happy, but a strange feeling also arose in his heart.

But he quickly suppressed his anger and, with a normal expression, used the cloth chopsticks to serve food to Baili Ce.

Then he picked up some food for himself and finally ate with his own chopsticks.

Before he could eat two bites, he felt Baili Ce staring at him.

But this person was completely oblivious and showed no intention of looking away.

"Is there flowers on my face?"

"No flowers, but plenty of coolness~"

Actually, she was thinking about whether she should give Wang Qingyan a try.

"Cough..." Wang Qingyan almost couldn't hold back and spat out the mouthful of food he had just swallowed.

Composing herself, she met Bai Li Ce's gaze without feeling shy. "You seem a little different today."

Bai Lize put down his chopsticks, rested his chin on his hand, and looked at him. "How is it different?"

His eyes were sparkling, as if he was expecting something.

I glanced again at the food on the table...

Wang Qingyan roughly understood what she was expecting.

Suppressing his elation, he calmly and naturally said, "What you said today—"

"many."

"His attitude was much better than when we first met."

"Hey, that's because we're not familiar with each other."

"Besides, it's our first meeting..."

Bai Li Ce said with a hint of sarcasm, "The Wang family head's entourage is truly frightening."

"How could a young woman like me not be scared?"

Anyone who likes that way of greeting is probably crazy.

"Now?"

"Now?" Knowing that Wang Qingyan was testing him again, Baili Ce changed the chopsticks and put some vegetables wrapped with peppercorns on his plate after only taking a couple of bites.

Anyone can test someone's limits.

"Now, of course, she is the benefactor of this young lady and everyone else."

As she spoke, she put a few more pieces of meat on his plate. "Hey, eat more. You've lost weight lately."

Wang Qingyan shook his head, feigning disappointment. "Sigh, young ladies' minds are indeed fickle."

"Just now you said I was very handsome, but now you're complaining that I'm too thin."

"So you need to eat more to become even more handsome~"

Wang Qingyan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

Under her expectant gaze, Wang Qingyan carefully picked out the peppercorns wrapped in the dish one by one.

She slowly rinsed the meat in the broth, letting the joy in her eyes grow and spread little by little.

"You..." Baili Ce was so surprised he almost fell over. But when he saw Bi Cui glancing at him from time to time in the corner, he sat up straight again.

His face was beaming with excitement, which he couldn't hide. "Even Patriarch Wang doesn't like Sichuan peppercorns?"

Lincheng is famous for its Sichuan peppercorns, but very few people there eat them.

“Yes, I’ve never liked it.” Wang Qingyan looked directly at Baili Ce, his gaze no longer daring to waver.

"You don't like it at all?"

"I don't like it at all."

"You don't like pork either?"

"I always feel there's a fishy smell about it, I don't like it."

A sentence immediately flashed through Baili Ce's mind—

I really don't understand how anyone could like to eat pork, which is so gamey.

Is it really her?!