211 Blocking the Way
It turned out that Yu Niaoniao’s estimation was right. Her height was not much different from that of Shen Xu’s.
Shen Xu’s clothes were just the right length for her. There was no need to cut them short.
Xiao Juan and Prince Min also changed into each other’s clothes.
Prince Min was shorter than Xiao Juan. Xiao Juan’s clothes were a little long for him, so he could only get someone to cut off a portion of his clothes and pants.
Xiao Juan found Prince Min’s clothes too short so he could only wear his own clothes and put on Prince Min’s cloak as a disguise.
After entering the city, Yu Niaoniao would buy fabric and make two sets of clothes for him.
Prince Min touched his wrinkled face and was worried. “I don’t look like Duke Lang, do I?”
Xiao Juan got someone to bring him a black mask.
“Put this on. As long as there are outsiders present, don’t take off your mask.”
“That’s a good idea!” Prince Min took the mask and put it on himself on the spot.
The three of them had already packed up. They were only missing Shen Xu.
Yu Niaoniao shouted at Shen Xu, who was behind the screen.
“Aren’t you done yet?”
A moment later, Shen Xu walked out coyly.
He was wearing a pale green waist-length narrow-sleeved kilt and a pale yellow shawl on his arm.
Since he didn’t know how to comb a woman’s hairstyle, so he could only let his hair drape down his back, and he didn’t have any makeup on.
To be honest, he looked a little perverted.
This was the first time Shen Xu was wearing a dress. He felt that something was wrong.
He tugged at the hem of his dress, looking ashamed and embarrassed.
“Won’t I scare someone if I walk out like this?”
Prince Min wanted to nod and say that it was scary.
However, when he thought that if he said that, he might have to be the one cross-dressing, he immediately changed his words and praised him vigorously.
“Very nice! You look like a fairy. I wish I had another daughter.”
As long as he wasn’t the one who had to do it.
Yu Niaoniao resisted the urge to laugh and praised him against her will.
“You’re indeed beautiful. Much better than when you were wearing men’s clothes.”
Shen Xu was skeptical.
He looked at Duke Lang for his opinion.
Among these people, only Duke Lang was considered reliable.
Xiao Juan said expressionlessly.
“In my heart, Niaoniao is the best.”
Yu Niaoniao blushed. “In my heart, Your Highness is also the best-looking.”
Shen Xu was speechless.
He was caught off guard and was overwhelmed by the avalanche of public displays of affection.
Xiao Juan called Meng Xizhou and Lo Pingsha over and told them about the exchange of identities. He told them to be careful along the way and not to get the address wrong.
After a simple breakfast, the convoy set off again.
Yu Niaoniao was still riding her little donkey.
When the convoy left the forest and entered the official road again, she gave up on the donkey and got into the carriage.
This carriage originally belonged to Shen Xu, but now it was hers.
The interior of the car was very spacious. There was everything they needed.
Yu Niaoniao lay on the soft blanket and sighed comfortably.
With the principle that it was a waste not to eat, she dug out everything she could eat in the carriage and tasted them one by one.
Shen Xu liked to enjoy himself. Food that could enter his mouth was naturally good stuff. Yu Niaoniao ate with relish along the way.
The carriage suddenly stopped and Yu Niaoniao stopped eating.
She pushed open the window and peered out.
“What happened?”
A moment later, Dang Gui came over on her donkey and spoke.
“There’s someone kneeling in the middle of the road ahead, blocking our way.”
Knowing that there was a good show to watch, Yu Niaoniao immediately became interested.
She wiped her hands clean and jumped down from the carriage.
Dang Gui wanted to give the donkey to her, but she refused.
It was only a few dozen steps to the left and right. There was no need to ride a donkey.
Yu Niaoniao walked to the front of the convoy and saw the person blocking its path.
It was a young couple.
The woman knelt on the ground and refused to get up. She cried until her voice was hoarse.
“Please help us! My girl is missing. She was kidnapped!”
The man was anxious and wanted to pull the woman up. “Don’t be like this. These officials are unrelated to us. They won’t help us. Blocking an official’s path is a serious crime. Let’s go!”
But the woman refused to listen to him. She insisted on not getting up.
“If you want to go, go! I’ll find my wench even if I have to risk my life!”
Xiao Juan sent someone to summon the couple over.
Meng Xizhou walked up to the couple and said a few words to them before pointing in Xiao Juan’s direction.
A moment later, the couple was brought to Xiao Juan.
The two of them did not have much experience and could not tell Xiao Juan’s identity. However, from the horse that Xiao Juan was riding, they could tell that this person’s identity was definitely extraordinary.
So the couple knelt down and called out to the official.
Xiao Juan sat on his horse and looked down at them.
“Why are you blocking our way?”
Hearing his deep and dignified voice, the woman and the man were very afraid. But for her daughter’s sake, the woman mustered her courage and spoke loudly.
“Please forgive me, Your Excellency. My girl was kidnapped not long ago.
We searched everywhere but couldn’t find her. No one cared when we went to the city to report it.
We really have no choice but to loiter at the official road and see if we can find a kind benefactor or two.”
At this point, the woman started crying again.
“My poor wench is only ten years old. She’s my only child. If she can’t be found, I don’t want to live anymore!”
Thinking of his obedient and cute daughter, the man’s eyes could not help but turn red.
He kowtowed to Xiao Juan.
“Please show mercy and help us find our daughter!”
Yu Niaoniao could not help but ask.
“A case like this should be handled by the local authorities. Why don’t the authorities care about you?”
The woman wiped her tears. “Young Master, you don’t know.
“Recently, many girls have gone missing. Many people have gone to the government to report it.
The government was short-handed and could not handle everything, so they only investigated cases for those who were rich and powerful.
“Poor and powerless commoners like us were rejected and ignored.”
Yu Niaoniao frowned. “There’s actually such a thing? Didn’t anyone report this?”
The woman said bitterly.
“Previously, a poor scholar went to the prefectural city to report this matter. However, that county governor had a relationship with the county magistrate here, so he sent the poor scholar away with a few words. When the poor scholar returned home, he realized that his house had been smashed. After that, hooligans would go to his house every few days to cause trouble. The poor scholar’s family was forced to move away. With such a precedent, who would dare to report it?”
Yu Niaoniao gritted her teeth in anger just by listening.
“This county magistrate is too much!”
Xiao Juan asked slowly, “If you want us to help you find your daughter, do you have her picture?”