Chapter 538 - 540: Captured Again, Returning to Beiyu City
Li Yi did possess inner strength, so he didn’t fall immediately after being poisoned. He could see Bai Ruozhu hop away triumphantly, snatch the talisman from his hand, and say, "I’ve got to go home quickly. My husband might get jealous if he sees both of us together."
Li Yi staggered a bit, surprised to find himself outwitted by a village woman. No, something was off! As he recalled being close to that woman, focusing on her eyes, it hit him - she was wearing a mask!
Unfortunately, by the time he wanted a closer look, Bai Ruozhu was already running away with the talisman, even disappearing halfway through her run.
He wondered about the woman’s background. He was certain this town didn’t have such characters. Was she the one secretly helping Jiang Yichun? Catching Yichun would be troublesome with someone like her around.
However, Li Yi decided that even if Yichun was difficult to catch, he could still tarnish his reputation.
Bai Ruozhu hadn’t left but was hiding, watching the scene unfold on a ’big screen’, reminding her of Li Yi’s menacingly distorted face. She couldn’t help but shudder at his terrifying, sinister eyes.
Li Yi soon closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, focusing on his inner strength. After a moment, he spat out black blood and stood up, dusting off his clothes. He ordered, "Block all the nearby roads and immediately bring back any woman in her thirties."
"Yes, sir!" The two guards responded and disappeared in a flash.
A chill ran down Bai Ruozhu’s spine, seemingly predicting the dangerous path ahead.
Fortunately, she was an optimist. Since she couldn’t leave at the moment, she decided to have a feast in the space.
So, she prepared a fish stew, added tender water caltrops, stir-fried some lotus root slices, and made some fried shrimp. She then enjoyed her meal heartily.
However, the thought of Jiang Yichun probably hiding somewhere without a meal to eat made her feel uneasy. She was eager to report to Beiyu City.
With this thought, she quickly finished her meal and started searching in the space. Since Li Yi wanted to catch her, she intended to create chaos!
She found numerous medicinal materials and concocted poisons in her space. However, she had a soft heart and had not prepared any lethal poisons.
Having decided, she carefully sprinkled a packet of drug powder outside the space and quickly returned.
The drug powder, when mixed in the air, caused people to itch horribly and suffer unbearable pain. However, its effect would wear off in five days, after which the itching would subside.
Bai Ruozhu watched from the space and sure enough, the guards in the yard began to fuss. One of the guards sensed something was wrong and decided to inform Li Yi.
Seeing this as an opportunity, Bai Ruozhu quietly left the space and swiftly left the yard. She bolted towards the main street. En route, she saw a stand with clothes hanging and quietly took a set of men’s clothes.
When Bai Ruozhu reappeared, she had turned into a man in his thirties.
Although her original face was far too pretty to pass as a man, her disguise worked because of her ordinary mask.
Plus, Bai Ruozhu, being almost 1.7 meters tall, didn’t appear too short when dressed as a man. Her slender frame was her only disadvantage.
During this winter season, she was able to conceal her figure with a thick cotton-padded jacket. But had it been summer, there would be no way for her to pass as a man.
This time, Bai Ruozhu left the town without any difficulties. Soon, she found a donkey cart heading back to Anyuan Town. She gave the coachman some coins and the cart immediately turned around and took her towards Anyuan Town.
On the way, she encountered several soldiers checking on travelers. But seeing a middle-aged man boldly seated in a topless donkey cart, they paid no attention and proceeded to check on the women.
Finally, she safely reached Anyuan Town. She intended to seek help from Officer Li. But considering the officer’s rank, she feared that he might get into trouble for helping her.
In the end, she purchased clothes that a steward would wear from a shop and disguised herself as a large household manager. She then hired a horse carriage towards Beiyu City.
Halfway through the journey, it turned dark. The coachman was reluctant to travel at night and suggested they stay in the town for the night. Bai Ruozhu, eager to reach home, agreed reluctantly given the dangers of night travel.
They stayed at the same inn she had stopped at on her way to Beiyu City. The coachman, instead of staying at the inn, slept in his carriage.
At midnight, Bai Ruozhu remained hidden in her space and had a peaceful night. She almost doubted Li Yi’s competency; if he could not capture her, how could he capture Jiang Yichun, who had used the Bone Shrinking Skill?
However, trouble unexpectedly arose the next morning as soon as they started.
The horse carriage was trotting on the road when the sound of horse hooves was heard behind. A man swooped down from the sky, flipped the top of the carriage, and grabbed her collar.
She was again picked up like a chicken.
However, Bai Ruozhu feigned shock and asked, "What... what are you planning to do? Are you going to rob me? I am the steward of Li family from Beiyu City. My boss is an officer so you better think twice."
Having taken the potion to modify her voice, she now sounded like a middle-aged man.
Unfortunately, Li Yi was not easily fooled. He chuckled scornfully and said, "No more pretending. I recognize those eyes!"
A feeling of self-destruction surged within Bai Ruozhu. She wanted to argue, but a sudden stab pain on her neck made her black out.
Before losing consciousness, she saw Li Yi throw her onto the horse and ride towards Beiyu City. At least, she was now closer to her destination...
When she woke up again, she took a quick, cold breath and rubbed the back of her neck. That traitorous Li Yi had a heavy hand! However, she knew Li Yi would not kill her because he was yet to learn about the whereabouts of Jiang Yichun.
She realized she was lying down on a large bed. She quickly sat up, noticing her clothes were changed. To her horror, even her undergarments had been replaced!
Bai Ruozhu panicked, and was about to retreat into her space, when the door opened. A woman dressed as a maid greeted her with a smile, "Madam, I’m glad you’ve woken up. The master has been terribly worried."
"Who’s the master?" Bai Ruozhu asked anxiously, "Where am I?"