Along this journey, they’d also encountered some merchant caravans and asked around.

But everyone said they hadn’t seen a man wearing a mask, or any woman!

Could they have vanished into thin air?

Swallowed by a sandstorm?

It couldn’t be that tragic, could it?

So now, Jiahe Town ahead was their only hope. If they still couldn’t find Ji Yinshu, then hope would truly be slim.

Luo Yang leaned against the carriage wall, not speaking.

Seeing him remain silent for so long, Xiao Ba glanced at him: “Brother, what’s wrong?”

He himself couldn’t say.

Was he worried that no one would cure the poison in Xiao Ba’s body?

Or was he truly worried about Ji Yinshu’s safety?

He was conflicted himself.

That heavy feeling in his chest was something he’d never experienced before.

And he disliked this dark feeling immensely.

Thinking of this, he raised his hand and struck the lantern hanging above his head.

He almost knocked it down!

Xiao Ba was puzzled, not knowing where his mood was coming from.

Truly baffling.

Instead, he worried: “Brother, you don’t think Miss Ji really met with misfortune, do you? We haven’t seen her this whole way, asked so many people, and they all said they haven’t seen her. She absolutely mustn’t have an accident, or I’ll die too!”

Speaking of this, he felt like crying.

He lost all focus on driving the carriage.

Luo Yang pulled himself out of his inexplicable emotions and heavily patted Xiao Ba, saying with certainty: “Xiao Ba, you’re my only brother. Don’t worry, I definitely won’t let you die.”

“But if we can’t find Miss Ji, I’ll still have to die.”

“Stop always talking about dying.”

“But…”

“In any case, I’ve already thought of what to do next.”

Xiao Ba’s eyes lit up, his face beaming with joy as he looked at him: “Really? What method?”

Luo Yang said: “Previously we were in Zhuxin City, a very remote place with no decent physicians at all. But now we’ve come to Qujiang. Qujiang is huge, and Jiahe Town is just ahead. We can definitely find a good physician there to cure

the poison in your body.”

“Is it possible?”

“Definitely possible!” Luo Yang’s tone was full of confidence.

But actually he wasn’t certain!

He just didn’t want Xiao Ba to be sad. Better to give him a bit of hope.

Xiao Ba simply trusted Luo Yang. Whatever Luo Yang said, he believed.

However—

“But brother, we have no money. This carriage was bought with money from selling the camels.”

“Who says we have no money?” Luo Yang pulled out a package of silver from his robe.

That was what he’d stolen from Yao Niang at the Tiansha Inn earlier.

Three hundred taels of silver!

Not a cent had been spent.

He tossed the silver up a few times: “This money is for treating your illness. When we get to Jiahe Town, if we still can’t find that woman, I’ll hire the best physician to treat you. We’ll definitely cure the poison in your body.”

Xiao Ba laughed: “You’re still the best, brother.”

“You’re my only brother. If I don’t treat you well, who should I treat well?”

“When I’m better, I’ll definitely earn lots of money and give it all to you.”

“At least you have a conscience.”

The two chatted happily.

Both like carefree children!

Suddenly—

“Thud thud!”

Movement came from inside the carriage.

Xiao Ba looked back: “He must be awake.”

He, naturally referring to Wen Yu!

Luo Yang happened to have no sleepiness, so he thought he’d go tease Wen Yu for amusement.

He told Xiao Ba to drive properly, then crawled into the carriage.

Wen Yu had awakened!

But his entire body was bound with rope.

His hands and feet couldn’t move!

A wad of cloth was stuffed in his mouth.

He couldn’t speak.

In this state, he seemed to have been abused for a long time.

For this past half month, he’d had no freedom!

Throughout the journey, Luo Yang had treated him like a prisoner, never letting him eat his fill. He was almost skin and bones now, his cheeks protruding.

Now, his whole body was weak, his hair disheveled, his clothes filthy—no different from a beggar.

Because the injuries on his body hadn’t fully healed, he simply couldn’t escape.

Previously in the desert, Luo Yang had only bound his hands.

But after leaving the desert, worried he might play tricks, he’d had no choice but to bind both his hands and feet.

As a precaution!

After all, this guy knew martial arts.

Out of the desert, it was like releasing him from a cage.

Naturally they had to be careful!

Luo Yang squatted before him, pointing his finger at him: “Listen up. I’m going to take the thing out of your mouth now, but if you make a fuss and create a racket, I’ll stuff another wad of cloth in your mouth. Understand?”

Wen Yu’s eyes were full of fury and unwillingness!

“Still glaring at me? Still glaring!”

Unfortunately, Wen Yu couldn’t speak.

Those eyes still stared fixedly.

When had he ever suffered such treatment?

In the desert, he’d been able to escape from Li Chuan’s hands, but never expected to fall into the hands of this shameless little bandit.

To have his dignity trampled like this!

Tormented until he was neither alive nor dead.

Like a ghost!

Luo Yang said: “If you stay quiet and don’t yell, I’ll remove the thing from your mouth! Let you breathe, speak a bit. If you understand, nod your head.”

Wen Yu’s current state was indeed extremely uncomfortable.

His mouth felt full of blood.

Though he was extremely unwilling to be controlled.

Under the circumstances, he had no choice but to show weakness and compromise.

He could only nod his head.

Only then did Luo Yang remove the wad of cloth from his mouth.

It was like a huge stone that had been pressing on him was removed.

Wen Yu’s entire being relaxed considerably.

He gasped for breath, not getting angry, only asking: “Where are we now?”

Luo Yang lifted the carriage curtain to let him look outside, saying: “We’re already on the road to Jiahe Town at the border of Qujiang. Probably… almost there.”

“Jiahe Town?” Wen Yu felt hope kindle.

Before going to the Southern Frontier desert, he’d passed through Jiahe Town, though he hadn’t visited the Jiahe Yamen.

If they arrived there, perhaps there would be a way to escape.

Luo Yang saw through his little schemes and smiled wickedly: “Let me tell you, don’t count on escaping. When we get to Jiahe Town, if we still can’t find Miss Ji, I’ll just have to deal with you.”

Heh!

Wen Yu raised his chin, saying: “Do you know that killing people is illegal?”

“Of course I know. That’s why I won’t kill you. Killing you would mean dealing with a corpse—too much trouble.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

“Of course I’ll follow the original plan. I’m going to sell you!”

Wen Yu’s eyes tightened: “Then where do you plan to sell me?”

This…

Was a problem!

Wen Yu was male, so he couldn’t be sold to a brothel. If he was sold to a wealthy household as a servant, he knew martial arts—what if he escaped and came for revenge?

That won’t work!

He had to think of a foolproof plan!

First, it had to eliminate any possibility of escape. Second, it must ensure his own safety.

Thinking it over and over, Luo Yang stroked his chin. Suddenly his eyes lit up—he had an idea: “This young master knows where to sell you now.”