As she continued reading, Zhuo Qing's brows furrowed once more. "And what exactly does this 'dot dot' mean?" she asked.
Liu Yu chuckled sheepishly. "That... it means justice has finally been served."
His father had once taught him that phrase, saying only very learned men would use it—though sadly, he had never taught him how to write it.
Zhuo Qing's lips twitched. So those "dots" represent justice served? How... imaginative. Far too imaginative! But she endured it and kept reading.
Soon, another sketch appeared on the paper—something that looked like a net.
"This blob?" she asked. Following his logic, she took a guess. "I know—it's a fishing net!"
"No," Liu Yu muttered. "It means a prison cell."
A prison cell?! "I swear—" No, stay calm. Deep breaths.
After a few slow inhales, she flung the petition back at Wu Si and gritted out between clenched teeth, "I admire you... from the bottom—of—my—heart."
This could actually pass for a petition?! Suddenly, she was quite curious to see the magistrate's face when he read it—it was sure to be a sight to behold.
Hearing their back-and-forth, Xiao Wu smacked Liu Yu square on the head and scolded, "Damn you, Liu Yu! Brother Wu asked you to write a petition, and you scribbled like a lunatic instead?!"
"Ow—stop hitting me!" Liu Yu covered his head, whining pitifully, "I told you I don't know how to write! You all forced me to!"
"And you still dare to talk back?!"
The two were on the verge of wrestling each other to the ground when—
"Enough!" Wu Si shouted. He slumped down on the ground in despair, his honest face filled with disappointment. He clutched the wrinkled petition tightly in his hands. "Without a petition, how can we clear our benefactor's name?!"
It's all your fault! Xiao Wu glared at Liu Yu and crouched beside Wu Si, gently coaxing, "Brother Wu, how about this—when Lord Lou arrives, we kneel and plead with him. We might not be able to write, but we can speak, can't we?"
"I'm afraid that, as a bunch of unrefined villagers, we won't be able to explain ourselves clearly in time. If Lord Lou loses patience and walks away, what then?!"
They had gone to the authorities before—only to be driven away without ever seeing an actual official. If things hadn't come to this, would they have resorted to seizing Lord Lou's woman?
Pointing at Zhuo Qing, Xiao Wu exclaimed, "She can read, can't she? Let her write it!"
Zhuo Qing turned her head coldly away. This bunch—brimming with passion yet utterly lacking in reason. A petition like this would be utterly useless.
Ignoring their gazes, Zhuo Qing remained silent. Suddenly, Wu Si stood up and walked to her, then knelt down with a heavy thud. Though just over thirty, his face was already weathered and worn, filled with humble pleading.
"Miss, we were wrong to tie you up. But we truly had no other choice. Please! Help us write a petition!"
Zhuo Qing was startled. Living in the 21st century, she had never grown accustomed to such acts of supplication. She took a step back and stood up, her voice still cold, though her heart was moved.
"No matter your reasons, kidnapping someone is still a crime. Even if Lord Lou truly does show up, there's no guarantee he'll listen to your pleas—and it might bring nothing but trouble to your village."
Wu Si stood tall, a look of unshakable resolve on his face. "The idea to kidnap was mine. I'll take full responsibility. So long as Lord Lou comes and redresses our benefactor's injustice, I, Wu Si, would give my life without regret!"
His wife and children had all perished in that plague. Living or dying—he was alone in the world.
The moment his words fell, the previously quiet villagers shouted in unison, their voices fervent.
"No, it was my idea!"
"Mine too!"
"If we can clear our benefactor's name, it's worth dying for!"
"Right!"
Their cries grew louder and fiercer, every earnest face burning with unyielding determination. Zhuo Qing's head began to ache again.
"Silence!" Her voice was cold as frost. At once, the villagers quieted, their hopeful eyes staring intently at her.
Grabbing Wu Si's sleeve, Zhuo Qing sighed helplessly. "If you want me to write the petition, then at least explain everything to me."
Zhuo Qing had to admit—she was moved by their raw, sincere devotion. To repay a debt of gratitude, they dared to snatch someone from a noble household. Armed with nothing but hoes and sticks, unable even to hold a pen properly, they had huddled at a table and scrawled crude symbols...
That petition, full of circles and crosses—just the memory made her chuckle.
"She agreed! Miss Zhuo agreed!" the villagers cheered.
At the village entrance, more people surged forward, surrounding her as voices chimed in from every direction.
"Here's what happened—"
"Our benefactor is a truly good man—"
"Listen, the magistrate—"
Inside the spacious study, a jade screen divided the room. On the left, a simple zitan desk and a few ink wash paintings exuded a refined elegance. On the right, two strikingly handsome men sat opposite each other at a low table by the window, both staring intently at a single point.
After a moment, Lou Xiyan's lips curled slightly. "You lost," he said.
Two, three, four—nine points. Small.
He lost again!
With a disgruntled grunt, Qi Tianyu pushed the dice cup away. "No more! At this rate, I'll lose the entire Qi family to you!"
Lou Xiyan smiled lazily. "Surely the esteemed Young Master Qi jests. These meager winnings are but a drop in the ocean for the Qi family."
A drop in the ocean, perhaps—but Qi Tianyu wasn't having it. His family ran casinos, and he had been playing dice since childhood. How could he possibly lose every time he played with Lou Xiyan? He must be cheating! Still, he dared not search him.
Glancing out the window, he saw the moon already high in the sky. With a teasing grin, he said, "It's already dark, and your little beauty still hasn't arrived. Don't tell me you're hiding her so I can't take a peek?"
He had been here since noon—hadn't seen the girl, and had lost thousands of taels of silver.
Lou Xiyan replied indifferently, "If you're so fond of her, you're welcome to bring her back to your manor."
He wasn't like General Su, who scoffed at women—but neither was he one to indulge in base pleasures.
"You trying to get me killed?!" Qi Tianyu yelped in mock horror. "She's a gift from the Emperor! Who'd dare steal her? Besides, you haven't even seen her yet. What if you lay eyes on her and can't let go? I heard the Second Miss of the Qing family is breathtaking—talented in every art, flawless in both looks and character..."
He was in mid-rant when a low knock interrupted.
"Enter," Lou Xiyan said.
A man stepped in, skin dark, features chiseled as if carved from stone—stoic and expressionless. Qi Tianyu had never once seen him smile.
Before he could speak, Qi Tianyu leapt up. "Jing Sa! Did you bring the beauty back?"
Jing Sa's face remained cold, but he hesitated as he looked at Lou Xiyan.
Understanding his character well, Lou Xiyan already sensed something was wrong. Maintaining a calm expression, he said softly, "Speak."
Jing Sa replied, voice as grim as ever, "Miss Qing's carriage was intercepted at the outskirts of the capital."
"Intercepted?!" Qi Tianyu was stunned. Someone had dared to snatch Lou Xiyan's woman? Were they tired of living?
"A mob of over a hundred villagers stormed the carriage, captured Miss Qing, and demanded the master come to Niujia Village in person before they'll release her. We've sent men to investigate—the village lies thirty li outside the capital, populated entirely by impoverished folk. Fewer than two hundred residents in total."
Qi Tianyu burst into laughter. "Barely two hundred people, and more than half turned out to snatch a woman from you?!"
"The guards we dispatched have scoured the entire village, but Miss Qing remains hidden. The villagers refuse to release her unless they see you in person."
Lou Xiyan's eyes glinted, lips curving into an almost imperceptible smile. "So it seems I have no choice but to pay them a visit."