CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 74: AH... ANCESTOR GRANDMA

Little did they know that these words sounded laughable to Ruan Mian.

She squatted down, observing Ruan Jiao’s current miserable state, her eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Have you forgotten what you said when you were exiled? Do you think I don’t know how Aunt Chen died? Whether you approached Qi Nanfeng or he approached you, do you think I don’t know?"

"To speak of recent events, do you think I can pretend I didn’t see that rabid dog blocking my path yesterday?"

Her eyes were cold and indifferent, making Ruan Jiao feel inexplicable fear.

Before she could speak again, Ruan Mian already grabbed her chin: "Tell me, why would I help you cure your illness?"

She pushed Ruan Jiao’s face aside, about to speak, when suddenly there was a noise outside the post station.

Cui Zhu hurried over, whispering to Ruan Mian.

"Miss, a group of people has arrived outside, and we have to give up the main room for them."

"How many people are there?" Ruan Mian asked her, thinking about what the stationmaster had told her, feeling that their arrival was inopportune.

Cui Zhu thought for a moment and said: "I don’t know their exact number, just overheard the lord saying we should vacate the main room for them to rest, and we move to the woodshed."

It was indeed all within the stationmaster’s plan.

Cui Zhu said: "The size of their group doesn’t seem like exiles like us; if they were some official or merchant convoy, they shouldn’t be staying in the lower-grade main room like us."

This was inherently contradictory.

Ruan Mian wanted to go and see for herself, but they were blocked by a group of government officers, who shouted at them to move their belongings to the woodshed in the courtyard.

By the time everything was sorted, it was already evening.

The officers unexpectedly brought them a basin of burning coals, blazing warmly.

Even Ashun exclaimed: "Ru Ning truly is a big city. Although the post station officers are a bit fierce, they haven’t shortchanged us on food or accommodation; even the coals are ample."

The others couldn’t spot anything amiss, but Ruan Mian sensed something unusual.

She cautiously surveyed her surroundings, and when no one noticed, she began moving around in the small woodshed.

The walls, behind the firewood, everything smelled and looked normal.

She planned to explore the main room once her family fell asleep.

As everyone gradually fell asleep, Ruan Mian worried the space was too sealed, so she went up to open the only window.

However, as she reached out, she found that the window was firmly locked.

She frowned, immediately heading to the main door to pull the latch, and to her amazement, it was also locked from the outside.

Even outside the paper window, someone had sealed it with oilcloth.

Glancing at the abundant and thick basin of coals, she smirked.

Could the post station staff be planning to poison them with carbon monoxide?

Her eyes darkened as she decisively put the coals into her space storage, while many others were already asleep.

Ruan Mian pulled out a dagger, inching away the wooden latch outside, and after opening the door, she quietly closed it again.

The post station was eerily silent, void of any firelight or figures.

Ruan Mian hurried towards the main room, passing by the duty room where she saw the officer who earlier brought them the coals sleeping soundly.

She didn’t disturb him, instead she went to the side of the main room and found that this window was also sealed.

Just as she was about to open it, a shadow suddenly leaped out from behind!

She keenly sensed the movement, gripping her dagger tightly and spinning around to stab backward.

The person was quick-eyed and deft, the blade at the neck. In the next moment, seeing each other’s familiar face, Ruan Mian was briefly stunned.

"Vice Minister Dong?"

"Miss Ruan?"

It turned out this person was Vice Minister Dong, whom she hadn’t seen for a long time.

Ruan Mian had already suspected that the new arrivals at the post station might be connected with Xie Huai’an, and now it appeared to be true.

So, she asked, "Where is the lord? Still inside?"

Vice Minister Dong led her into the darkness and spoke softly: "The post station is full of traps; the lord withdrew long ago. The one inside is a stand-in I arranged."

"Did you all know in advance that someone would make a move against you here at the post station?"

"It’s a long story, the side door in the backyard is ajar, once the post station catches fire, take your family and escape from the backyard."

If Ruan Mian hadn’t been found now, Vice Minister Dong, after realizing their silence plan, would have sought her out to help her leave.

But Ruan Mian grabbed him: "Do you want to set this place on fire?"

She then smiled: "Why not let me add some fuel?"

Without accelerants, just relying on him to stealthily start a fire would be too slow, leaving room for some villains to escape.

If those people wanted to quietly poison them, then let them taste the consequences of their actions!

Ruan Mian then entered an empty room, taking advantage of Vice Minister Dong’s inattention, reaching for the Jade Bracelet and quickly taking out several barrels of tung oil from her space.

Just like she had set the Xuanjia Army Camp ablaze last time.

Seeing the tung oil, Vice Minister Dong exclaimed with joy: "Where did this come from?"

Ruan Mian didn’t explain much, simply saying: "Go set the fire, I’ll first go and move my family."

Seeing him nod, Ruan Mian immediately left the room, but instead of heading back immediately, she went straight to the post station’s warehouse and backyard.

First, move these supplies!

The warehouse contained a lot of grain, as well as postal horses and mules, all reserved by the Royal Family, spirited and vigorous, reaching all over the world. They were much better than the ones traded at the livestock market.

The mules were also in excellent condition, and besides, there were some postal boats stored from the nearby waterway station.

She put them all into her space!

At this moment, the outside was already ablaze... As the post station’s servants shouted, everyone awoke suddenly.

Ruan Mian rushed to the woodshed, finding that Ruan Qingsong had already brought the family out first; seeing this, she was relieved and headed to the stables outside the post station.

She took a big step inside, just as the stationmaster received the news of the post station catching fire, his face turned pale with fright, immediately calling for people, but unexpectedly, just as he exited the stables, Ruan Mian blocked his way.

Before the stationmaster could react, Ruan Mian gripped the knife handle, unexpectedly stabbing his arm!

The stationmaster cried out in pain, and Ruan Mian swiftly stepped forward, pulling out a cloth to decisively gag his mouth!

The more he struggled, the more blood flowed from his wound; Ruan Mian, already prepared, used a piece of rope to bind him back into the room.

Once the stable door was locked, the stationmaster was thrown to the ground with great force!

Inside, she discovered a group of bound civilians.

They were emaciated and pitiful.

On the first day of arrival at the post station, Ruan Mian had heard that this stationmaster had captured some civilians for labor, and they were the first to be called to move bricks right after their own arrival.

Now seeing those terrified, trembling people, Ruan Mian felt a wave of disgust in her heart.

This damned bastard, using such petty authority to oppress others!

She then pulled out the whip from the stationmaster’s waist and without a word, lashed it across him!

"Ah... Mistress, spare me, Mistress!"