Indeed, every grain store in Fengcheng had rice seeds for sale, and Bai Sheng bought quite a lot.
The Qinghuang Kingdom was exceptionally rich in produce. Bai Sheng also managed to find pepper seeds, onion, ginger, and garlic seeds, and even seeds for fruits like strawberries, watermelons, cantaloupes, and dragon fruit.
Her spatial dimension had grown significantly, providing ample space to cultivate these. Once conditions were favorable, she could even plant them in the desert.
After purchasing all they needed, the couple had no desire to linger in Fengcheng. They had been out for over twenty days and it was time to head back.
Furthermore, Bai Sheng had just discovered she was pregnant with quadruplets, and the first three months required extreme caution. Lu Ye didn't want her to travel too much.
They boarded their camel cart, preparing to depart for home immediately.
As they turned into an alley, three disheveled Qinghuang youths suddenly rushed towards them. Wuyun braked sharply, and the three youths stopped abruptly, stunned.
Bai Sheng and Lu Ye, seated at the front of the cart, stared at the three youths for a couple of seconds.
The youths appeared to be around twelve or thirteen years old, with multiple injuries and pale, panting faces from their desperate flight.
Despite their condition, their eyes held unusual vigilance and determination.
The sounds of rapid pursuit and shouts from the end of the alley grew closer.
"We must catch them!"
"They stole something important from the prefectural office! Don't let them escape!"
A decision had to be made in an instant. Bai Sheng lowered her voice and said, "Get in the cart quickly!"
The leading youth hesitated. He looked deeply into Bai Sheng's eyes, then glanced back at the pursuers behind them. With that, he gestured to his companions, and the three immediately jumped onto the camel cart.
Three panting figures crowded into the cart. Without hesitation, Bai Sheng sprinkled some knockout drug. The panting sounds abruptly ceased, followed by the thudding of bodies hitting the ground.
Bai Sheng collected them into her spatial dimension.
Poor Xue Hua was once again stabbed in the backside by its owner to create the illusion of bloodstains in the cart.
Xue Hua: Alright, master. Feel free to use my backside anytime. After all, my life as Xue Hua the brave hero belongs to you. What's a backside compared to that?
Lu Ye drove the cart forward, his expression unchanged. Shortly after, a troop of soldiers rushed towards them from the front, while another group emerged from the alley and continued their pursuit in another direction.
"Halt!" the leader of the soldiers commanded Lu Ye sternly. The law-abiding Lu Ye obediently stopped the cart and then stared at the soldiers with innocent, handsome eyes.
"Fugitives passed through here. Did you see them?"
"Yes, they ran that way," Lu Ye pointed towards the other alley.
The leading cavalryman's sharp gaze swept over Lu Ye's face and the cart. Seeing several bloodstains at the front, his expression hardened. He ordered his men, "Search!"
Two soldiers immediately stepped forward and lifted the cart curtain.
Inside, a remarkably beautiful young woman was cradling an injured snow rabbit. Upon seeing the soldiers, she immediately wailed, "Officers, please avenge this servant! I don't know which gluttonous person mistook my Xue Hua for a wild rabbit and stabbed it so badly. This is a birthday gift from my husband, sob sob..."
The soldiers, seeing the exceptionally beautiful maiden and noting she was from the Great Xia Kingdom, did not adopt a menacing demeanor. They merely glanced inside the cart before letting down the curtain.
The cart was small, and everything was visible at a glance. However, the soldiers remained cautious, even checking underneath the cart. In the end, they found no fugitives.
The leading soldier impatiently waved Lu Ye away, signaling him to leave quickly.
Lu Ye feigned a "Giddy-up," and Wuyun cooperatively lifted its hooves, letting out a "neigh" as it moved forward.
Upon reaching the city gate, the exit checks were extremely stringent, resulting in a long queue.
Lu Ye drove the camel cart, falling into the very end of the line. He noticed many wanted posters with portraits plastered on the city walls, including those of the three youths.
The queue slowly inched forward.
Inside the cart, Bai Sheng overheard two soldiers guarding the line whispering about a nearby camp.
"Is that really true? Don't try to fool me! This... this is unbelievable."
"Hmph, if you don't believe me, go ask our squad leader. It's absolutely true. They woke up one morning and not even a broken tile was left. They say everything was gone except the clothes on their backs. Oh, no, wait, everyone was left with only a pair of underpants."
"That's too damn bizarre. If it wasn't gods or monsters, no one could have done it."
"I think it must be the Qinghuang people. They practice witchcraft."
"Even with powerful witchcraft, how could they move an entire military camp overnight? You think our camp... could be like that too?"
"Oh, stop talking about it! I'm getting goosebumps all over. I'm sleeping with you tonight."
Lu Ye glanced back at Bai Sheng. Seeing her doubled over with laughter inside the cart, he couldn't help but curve his lips as well.
The couple, with just a bare cart and an injured rabbit, encountered no significant resistance leaving the city.
After applying ointment and bandaging Xue Hua's backside, Bai Sheng placed it back into her spatial dimension.
Hengheng, looking at the injured Xue Hua, suddenly discovered its significant utility – as a prop rabbit to be stabbed. Since the master always stabbed its backside with a knife, Hengheng suggested Xue Hua do more squat exercises to strengthen its gluteal muscles. Otherwise, it wouldn't withstand the master's stabs.
Xue Hua actually wished its master would choose another rabbit to stab, given the many it kept in its spatial dimension. However, it didn't want to lose its special status of "being stabbed at any time." Therefore, with tears streaming down its face, it said with a smile that it wasn't afraid of pain and that being stabbed made it healthier.
About five or six li outside the city, Bai Sheng noticed the surroundings were rather desolate with few people around, so she had Wuyun stop the cart.
Bai Sheng first retrieved a large vat of water from her spatial dimension and placed it on the cart. She also took out plenty of food before releasing the three youths from the spatial dimension, administering an antidote pill to each.
Lu Ye, concerned for Bai Sheng, sat beside her.
The three youths gradually regained consciousness. Remembering that they had lost consciousness the moment they entered the cart, they sat up like startled birds, their bodies tense, and their eyes vigilantly fixed on Bai Sheng and Lu Ye.
Among them, the most handsome youth immediately raised his hand, lifted the cart's window curtain, and asked nervously, "Where is this?"
Bai Sheng felt they were like frightened wolf cubs, much like her own Baoyu. She smiled and replied, "We're already out of Fengcheng, about five or six li away."
The three youths visibly relaxed. Their gazes slowly swept over Bai Sheng and Lu Ye, still carrying a hint of wariness and vigilance.
The handsome youth said, "Just now, we fainted..."
Bai Sheng immediately interrupted him, not giving him too much time to think, "I used a little knockout drug just now. Your gasping was too loud and might have attracted the soldiers' attention."
The three youths considered this. They had indeed been running for a long time, feeling as though they could only gasp for breath to avoid collapsing.
Bai Sheng sighed in relief. This matter seemed to have been glossed over.
After regaining their composure, the handsome youth cupped his hands towards Bai Sheng and Lu Ye and said sincerely, "Thank you, two benefactors, for your rescue. My name is Shi Sheng. These are my good brothers, Lang Ya and Da Li. May I know your names, benefactors? Shi Sheng will surely repay you generously."