The two sides glared at each other, poised to clash, when a cold voice came from the city gates:
"Miss Cao, surely there's no need to be so confrontational. We're transporting these water barrels out of the city because of local conditions. In previous years, there was very little drinking water on the island at this time of year. We're only doing this for everyone's convenience."
The commoners pointing at them began murmuring among themselves. The young lady narrowed her eyes slightly, then suddenly smiled. Her smile was gracious, and her voice lost its earlier edge:
"So you serve Manor Lord Lu. I was wondering whose men you were. Since you're Manor Lord Lu's men... you may pass."
The maid beside her wanted to say something, but a look from her mistress forced her to close her mouth.
"By the way, what position do you hold under Manor Lord Lu, and what is your name?"
The soldiers' expressions shifted slightly, and they suddenly swallowed in unison, thinking, Surely this young lady hasn't taken a fancy to our leader?
Holy shit.
"My surname is Yue, and my given name is Hanshan. I'm one of the Lu Manor's patrol guards."
The young lady nodded. Her gaze shifted from Yue Hanshan to the water barrels, then withdrew a moment later as she turned to mount her horse again.
The two groups passed each other, heading in opposite directions. Just as the water barrels drew level with the carriage, the young lady sitting inside looked out the window and happened to see tiny flecks of golden sand drifting from a gap beneath one barrel's lid.
She froze for a moment, then looked closely. The flecks had vanished, as though everything she had just seen had been an illusion.
But had it really been an