Who would put a green hat on themselves? - Chapter 17

At the same time that the southwest gate was being scrutinized by a line of officers, the northwest gate remained open.

Blending into the crowd, Yun Yue wore a gray cloth outfit, looking like a young girl. Her face was plain, marked with several pimples that marred her natural beauty. She had stuffed a lot of fabric inside her cotton clothes, making her appear bulky.

She held a travel pass, waiting for inspection. If one looked closely, they would notice her delicate hands gave her away. However, the gatekeeper, put off by her pimples, averted his gaze and didn’t notice that this plain-looking girl actually had exceptionally bright and beautiful eyes.

Seeing she was just a young girl, the gatekeeper didn’t make things difficult for her. He might have warned another girl to be cautious out in the open, but seeing this girl’s unremarkable appearance, he said nothing more.

Soon after she was let through, there was a commotion at the city gate as it was about to be shut.

She overheard the guards whispering to each other.

“They caught human traffickers at the southwest gate, who had kidnapped a young noble, and a girl is missing. They’re going to seal the city to search for her!”

“How bold! They dare to meddle even with the children of officials. This is like digging at the head of the deity!”

“Officer, have mercy and let me out of the city. My elderly mother is sick at home!”

A middle-aged man stuck at the city gate pleaded with the city guards, who looked helpless. “A noble is missing in the city. If we let anyone out, no one can bear the responsibility, and neither can your mother!”

Many people at the gate wanted to argue, but after hearing about the missing noble, they exchanged glances, realizing they couldn’t afford to disagree. If the noble wasn’t found and blame was assigned, no one would be able to bear the consequences.

Yun Yue pulled her cloak’s hood low, disguising her face, and led a small donkey through the city gates. Once on the official road, she mounted the donkey.

However, her plans didn’t account for encountering a stubborn and lazy donkey. After only a short distance, the donkey refused to move, digging its hooves into the ground.

Yun Yue, frustrated, said, “What’s the meaning of this?”

Desperate and anxious, Yun Yue watched as the donkey began rolling on the ground.

“Fine, I’m afraid of you!” Yun Yue pulled out a carrot, hoping to bribe the donkey. Only then did the donkey finally pay attention to her.

Yun Yue was regretting deeply. Since last April, she had been planning her escape, and with everything in place, she didn’t want to be thwarted by this donkey.

“Ancestor!”

The donkey snatched the carrot but still refused to move. Yun Yue, who had taken to the mountain paths as dusk approached, grew more anxious. She was falling behind schedule and worried whether she would be able to make it to the water route in time.

She had to stay alert before reaching the water route. Given Yun Qing’s nature, he would likely see through her disguise soon.

Yun Qing could catch up at any time, and only by boarding a boat could she ensure her future freedom.

Moreover, traveling at night increased the risk. Even though her current appearance might not attract attention, she could still be robbed by bandits. And…

Wild beasts wouldn’t care about wealth or beauty; they only wanted a good meal.

Not far away, a man lounged on a tree branch, casually chewing on a piece of grass, watching the scene with interest.

He looked at Yun Yue with a hint of madness in his eyes.

Yun Yue had given up on making the donkey move. She removed the heavy burden from the donkey’s back and carried it herself.

The contrast between Yun Yue and a typical noble young lady was stark. Her years of hard work had built her strength, making her capable despite her delicate appearance.

Before she was ten, she had been subjected to hard labor in the brothel, carrying heavy water jars and working tirelessly. 

Her bulky silhouette looked somewhat comical as she carried the large bundle, appearing ready to roll around with the donkey.

Eventually, the man in the tree grew bored of the scene. He put on a black mask, descended from the tree, and landed directly in front of Yun Yue.

“Ah!” Yun Yue’s heart raced as she instinctively turned to run.

Her mind wasn’t dull, and as she turned, she threw the bundle behind her, aiming to hit the masked man.

If it were an ordinary person, they might have been stunned by the unexpected strike, but the masked man effortlessly caught the bundle and slung it over his shoulder.

Yun Yue ran swiftly, using both hands and feet to climb up the slope. The masked man didn’t rush to follow; instead, he smiled and called out, “Run! Count to ten while you’re at it, or the ghost will come to catch you!”

Yun Yue’s heart raced, and her thoughts were in chaos. The tune of the nursery rhyme seemed familiar, and the count of ten sounded like something she had heard before, but she couldn’t recall where.

This eccentric man is the second male lead.