The Wealthy Eldest Sister Rules Supreme

Chapter 585: Chapter 572: Teaching a Lesson

Seeing Zhuang Qingning dressed neatly with a sizable bundle on her back, Xiangqiao was surprised. “Miss, what is this all about…?”

“I have some urgent business to handle, and will likely be away for a while. You take care of the house these days. See Mr. Fan in Qingzhuyuan tomorrow and tell him to check on Qingsui at the academy before the Dragon Boat Festival, and let her not bother to return home. If she wants to, let her go find Mr. Fan.”

“For other matters, instruct everyone to mind their business. If they face any difficult decisions, they may consult the village chief uncle in the village, or Uncle Zhang in the town.”

Zhuang Qingning did not have time to talk to Xiangqiao much and simply entrusted her with the matters that needed attention.

To Xiangqiao, whatever Zhuang Qingning was about to do must be extremely important, and if she didn’t find it necessary to mention what it was, then Xiangqiao had better not ask. She simply nodded. “Rest assured, Miss, I have made note of everything.”

“Although the weather has warmed up, it could still be cold at night. You should take a cloak with you.”

Xiangqiao fetched a cloak from the cupboard.

It was freshly made, using fabric from Cheng Ruize. The fabric shimmered in the light, making it look beautiful and eye-catching whether worn day or night.

Zhuang Qingning considered it, put the cloak on, took the water bag that Xiangqiao had just filled, and hastily left the house.

Xiangqiao stood at the door, feeling a bit uneasy as she watched Zhuang Qingning depart. Once she was out of sight, Xiangqiao closed the door and returned to her own room to lay down in bed.

Zhuang Qingning was setting off late at night, and being just a girl, Xiangqiao couldn’t help but feel worried. She tossed and turned without being able to sleep, so she decided not to sleep at all. She lit a candle and an oil lamp, illuminating her room, and continued sewing a summer dress for Zhuang Qingsui, only half completed, in order to calm herself.

Zhuang Qingning left the house in quick strides, and heading in the direction of Chu Jinnian, as instructed by someone.

When she was far from the village and could no longer see the faint light in the village, she stopped.

“Come out.” Zhuang Qingning said in a deep voice.

After a moment of silence, Su Mu, dressed in a black uniform, bowed to Zhuang Qingning, “I, Su Mu, pay my respects to Miss Zhuang.”

“Isn’t there another one of you? If I recall, there should be two.”

As soon as Zhuang Qingning finished speaking, Su Ye quietly appeared beside Su Mu and bowed in the same fashion, “I, Su Ye, pay my respects to Miss Zhuang.”

“Ready the horses. We must get to Xuanyuan City.” Zhuang Qingning spoke in a deep voice, “Jinnian is in danger. It’s a matter of utmost urgency. The faster you can move, the better.”

Chu Jinnian is in danger?

Su Mu and Su Ye looked at each other, both surprised. They quickly saluted, “Miss Zhuang, please follow us.”

Since Chu Jinnian had assigned them to secretly protect Zhuang Qingning, they had chosen a very concealed location near her. It was where they took refuge and kept a few horses on standby.

Their preparations were just coming in handy.

With three horses, one for each of them, they had enough supplies.

However…

Usually, the girls of the house were not accustomed to riding horses, even those who could ride, whipping the horse to ride fast for a long period might overwhelm them.

Especially after secretly observing Zhuang Qingning for such a long duration, she seemed not more than an ordinary farmer’s daughter who didn’t come across horses quite often in her daily life.

Su Mu was rather worried.

But when she saw Zhuang Qingning sporting the cloak, skillfully mounting the horse, holding the whip in her hand, and urging the horse to move forward, she was taken aback.

Multiplying that by the fact Chu Jinnian once mentioned that Zhuang Qingning was of noble birth, and considering Zhuang Qingning didn’t appear to be an ordinary farmer’s daughter on ordinary days, this seemed not unusual.

So Su Mu didn’t give it much thought. She raised her whip and, together with Su Ye, hurriedly followed suit.

During their rapid equestrian journey, the sound of the wind roared in Su Mu’s ears. As she glanced sideways at Zhuang Qingning, who looked calm and silent, she started to speak several times but always stopped.

“If you have something to say, just say it,” Zhuang Qingning said suddenly, turning her face slightly.

“Miss Zhuang, there’s something I don’t understand, and I hope you can enlighten me.” Su Mu bowed lightly, her hand on the reins.

“If you’re asking when I noticed you two sisters, I might as well tell you the truth.”

Zhuang Qingning looks at Su Mu and laughs lightly. “It was on the first day you came spying on me.”

As expected.

Su Mu was amazed at Zhuang Qingning’s vigilance, but also somewhat disappointed.

She and Su Ye were among the top in the secret guard. No one should discover them even if they shadowed someone for months or years.

However, not only were they discovered by Zhuang Qingning, but they were also discovered on the very first day they arrived.’

It seemed… a bit disgraceful, right…?

“You needn’t worry about it.” Zhuang Qingning clarified, “The snow globe at home is very sensitive to the scent of strangers. It had been miaowing nonstop that day.”

“No matter how well you hide, you can’t escape its nose and eyes.”

The actual fact was that someone told her that day, reminding her that there were people nearby and to conceal herself when using the system so as not to be discovered.

However, Zhuang Qingning could not say this aloud, so she had to use the snow globe as a cover.

“I see.” Su Mu exhaled slightly, “Many beasts are quite perceptive, they can sense things that humans can’t, and can smell scents unseen to humans. I guess this snow globe is no different.”

However, this fluffy little fellow, who was very lazy and loved to eat and sleep in daily life, to such an extent that it seemed lazier than an ordinary cat, also possessed such ability.

It seemed that in the future, if they were to carry out any mission, they could not ignore these factors.

Thinking this, Su Mu determined in her heart to learn from this lesson.

Zhuang Qingning had no idea what Su Mu was thinking, but when she saw that she no longer pursued the matter, she sighed in her heart. As she thought about the dangers Chu Jinnian was in, as someone previously mentioned, she whipped her horse, pressing it to gallop quickly onwards.

Su Mu and Su Ye were left rushing to catch up.

The three of them travelled hard overnight and reached Ying County by the time the sun began to rise.

With cues from someone, if they could gallop throughout the day, by tonight, they would be able to meet with Chu Jinnian.

“Miss Zhuang, let’s find a place to have some breakfast. I need to feed the horses some oats and let them rest a bit,” Su Mu suggested.

These three horses, all carefully selected from the Western Regions, were with them.