Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 327 - 327 328 Knives Have No Eyes_1

Chapter 327: Chapter 328: Knives Have No Eyes_1 Chapter 327: Chapter 328: Knives Have No Eyes_1 After the New Year had passed, with visits to and fro between households for a month, time had slipped away, and the breath of spring grew ever stronger. It was the best time for all things to grow as spring warmth blossomed.

Yet the flames of war on the border were already starting to stir, a war secretly planned was quietly casting its net wide. Qilian Kingdom harbored grand ambitions. If it weren’t for Yu Ze, where would the Daqian Dynasty find peace for these ten years?

“Master, what would you have me do?” As soon as Qiao Yuanzhen entered, he immediately knelt on the ground, bowing low and waiting for instructions.

Nangong Qian pursed his lips, his face already tinged with a frost-like murderous aura, “Have you secured the people’s loyalty in these days?”

“Responding to the master, this servant dares not boast, but I can say with certainty that the Qiao family harbors not the slightest guard against me.”

“Then it is time to take action.”

“Please give your instructions, Master.”

“Trick Li Xi’er into coming out, and hand her over to the people we have arranged. With that done, your current mission is complete.”

“Understood.” Qiao Yuanzhen’s eyes were filled with coldness; where was there any trace of warmth?

Xi’er could now toddle about, waddling like a little duckling, utterly adorable.

Muniang laughed and said, “Naming the child Xi’er really hit the mark. Not only does she bring herself joy, but she also brings joy to others. In the future, she will surely be the kind of girl that every family wants to welcome.”

Qinghe chided with a laugh, “You always think of the most random things with that mouth of yours. She’s still so young; I cannot bear the thought of her marrying off.”

“Then why not find a man willing to marry into our family?” teased Muniang.

Qinghe pinched Muniang, “Stop your nonsense.”

Suddenly remembering something, Muniang said, “Right, staying cooped up at home these days is pretty boring. We haven’t gone out at all this winter, and now the weather is just right, plus Xi’er can walk. Why don’t we take Xi’er out for some fun?”

Hearing that she could go out to play, Xi’er became excited, articulating in her baby talk, “Play, play, play.” Qinghe smiled and said, “She’s bored too. It wouldn’t hurt to take her out on a warm day.”

As they were discussing this, Qiao Yuanzhen arrived. Muniang didn’t say much else; these past few months, he had been utterly devoted to the child and Qinghe. She wasn’t heartless, seeing someone work so hard, what more was there to say?

“What’s got you all so happy?”

Xi’er now also liked Qiao Yuanzhen and flung herself into his arms flapping and babbling, “Play, play, play.”

Qinghe laughed, “We were just discussing whether to take her out to have some fun. The weather is warming up, and we’re afraid she might get too bored. She is so young, but she hasn’t been to town very often. Perhaps we should take her there for a stroll; the little girl would be ecstatic.”

Qiao Yuanzhen’s eyes lit up, “That’s a great idea, I’ll accompany you.”

Qinghe felt warmth in her heart; this image of a good father was something she had never dared to hope for before.

Yu Ze had originally planned to follow as well, but Nangong Qian deliberately leaked his whereabouts. When a prince from an enemy nation appeared in the Daqian Dynasty and went unnoticed, how could Yu Ze let the opportunity slip by easily? Thinking that it was not a big deal for Muniang to go shopping, he only warned Muniang a few times and personally went to investigate Nangong Qian’s situation.

All the way, Qiao Yuanzhen held Xi’er, touching things here and there, looking around as Xi’er laughed gleefully as if at something delightful.

Seeing Qinghe’s content expression, Muniang knew she was about to fall again. After all, it was the man she once deeply loved but had to give up. With his behavior these past months right before her eyes, even someone as strong-minded as Qinghe was just a woman.

In the midst of their conversation, Qiao Yuanzhen had already covertly received instructions from someone else. She shouted at them directly, “Muniang, Qinghe, let’s find somewhere to eat first. Xi’er is hungry, the carriage is already prepared, we can just get on.”

Muniang and Qinghe followed suit and, upon seeing the carriage in front of them, asked, “How come this isn’t our carriage? Where’s Dazhu?”

Qiao Yuanzhen smiled and said, “Dazhu mentioned that the wheel suddenly broke, and he’s fixing it now. I found another one in the meantime.”

As Qiao Yuanzhen spoke, she boarded the carriage with Xi’er in her arms. Muniang and Qinghe, without any suspicion, followed suit and stepped onto the carriage.

The moment Muniang lifted the curtain, she saw a strange man inside. The experiences she went through for such a long time told her that there must be deceit, so she became alert immediately and demanded, “Who is this?”

Qiao Yuanzhen was already seated inside and clearly hadn’t anticipated Muniang’s vigilance to be so strong. Deciding to go all out, she drew a knife from her sleeve and placed it against the neck of Xi’er, whom she was holding, “If you don’t come in now, my knife might not stay blind!”

Qinghe’s face turned pale suddenly, as if the sight of the gleaming knife were gouging out her heart, leaving her unable to speak. Muniang’s eyes widened in fury as she began to curse, “Qiao Yuanzhen, this is your daughter!”

Qiao Yuanzhen scoffed, “Who knows if she’s a bastard? Be sensible and obey, or my knife won’t stay blind!”

Muniang froze, and Qinghe nearly collapsed, “Qiao Yuanzhen, you’re inhuman! What in the world do you want?!”

“Get in!” Qiao Yuanzhen threatened.

Muniang bit her lip and entered the carriage. She truly must have been blind to believe this man had really changed.

The coachman cracked his whip and the carriage quickly raced away.

Qinghe cried tears as if her life depended on it. Xi’er was everything to her. If Qiao Yuanzhen really became heartless enough to do something to Xi’er, she wouldn’t want to live.

“Qiao Yuanzhen, I beg you, do whatever you want with me, but please spare Xi’er. Xi’er really is your child, don’t be so cruel,” cried Qinghe, her voice filled with despair and agony.

Impatiently, Qiao Yuanzhen said, “A child born to a woman like you also deserves to be my child? Shut your mouth quickly. If passersby outside the carriage hear something, my knife won’t hesitate in the slightest!”

The other man in the carriage was Nangong Qian’s most trusted subordinate. Even he felt disgusted seeing Qiao Yuanzhen’s despicable behavior. Had his master not needed such a person, he would have looked down on him from the bottom of his heart.

From rage, Muniang’s emotions had shifted to calmness. She had to stay composed to process the current situation. Qiao Yuanzhen had spent months courting favor, getting them to lower their guard, to the point where she couldn’t see through his feigned sincerity and the huge conspiracy hidden behind it.

Her intuition told her that these people were here for her. If it weren’t for using Xi’er as leverage, they would have had a hard time capturing her easily because she was protected by numerous Hidden Guards. After surviving two assassination attempts, Yu Ze had ceased to feel at ease with her being alone and especially arranged for the Hidden Guard to protect her. The moment there was any sign of trouble, those Hidden Guards would swoop down to kill and inform Yu Ze.

But she hadn’t. She had calmly boarded a carriage that raced away, and even if the Hidden Guards followed the whole way, they wouldn’t inquire at all. How could they know that this was the situation inside the carriage?