MCSCPM -Chapter 275 The Refugees

“If you dare lie to me, I’ll twist your arm off.”

“Y-Yes… I definitely wouldn’t dare lie to you, Miss,” he stammered, sweating profusely from the pain. He hurriedly explained, “My uncle placed them in houses in the forest outside the city. If you leave the city gate and follow the river westward, you’ll see the forest. You’ll be able to find them there.”

Yin Qingyue snorted. They had hidden them pretty well.

“Miss, I’ve told you everything! I wouldn’t hide a single word! Please let go, my arm is really going to break,” he pleaded, pale with fear.

Yin Qingyue thought he probably wasn’t lying, but if things went wrong and someone got hurt, she couldn’t bear the responsibility. So she pressed her other hand forcefully against his neck, and in a moment, he fainted.

“People like you deserve punishment,” she said angrily, then clapped her hands and walked out.

Outside, the few young masters smiled at her with a hidden meaning. Yin Qingyue naturally returned a small smile, then quickly pulled Cailian along and left the inn.

Not long after Yin Qingyue left, those men noticed that Young Master Kong hadn’t come out. Feeling suspicious, they went to the private room and knocked—but there was no response. They had no choice but to push the door open.

Inside, they found Young Master Kong collapsed on the floor. Panicked, they lifted him and pressed on his philtrum to revive him.

After a while, he woke up as if from a nightmare, drenched in sweat. He quickly checked his hand—thankfully, it was still intact.

“Young Master Kong, what happened? Why were you on the floor?”

He suddenly remembered and said hurriedly, “It’s bad… that woman must be Prince Jing’s agent.”

“Prince Jing’s agent? Young Master Kong, don’t take advantage of us!” the man in blue said.

“Take advantage? I was knocked out by her. She asked me about the refugees, and I told her everything.”

“No way… if she really is Prince Jing’s agent, wouldn’t… your uncle be doomed? Young Master Kong, you must warn him immediately!”

“I’ll go now,” he said, running toward the door, but paused. Thinking it over, he said, “No. If I go tell my uncle, it would seem like I let something slip. He’d kill me. Absolutely not.”

Hesitating, he decided to keep it secret to avoid blame.

“You all listen carefully: nobody can speak of this, and especially do not let my uncle find out. Understand?” Young Master Kong ordered.

The men exchanged glances. It wasn’t their business, and the county magistrate wasn’t their confidant. They nodded in agreement to stay silent.

Young Master Kong sat down, thinking as long as it wasn’t revealed that he had said anything, it was fine.

But he also thought—women are dangerous, especially beautiful ones. This time, he had to believe it.

He had finally seen a beautiful woman, yet she turned out to be Prince Jing’s agent. He felt both resentful and regretful.

Meanwhile, Yin Qingyue and Cailian left the inn and hurried toward the county magistrate’s office, worried Young Master Kong might recover.

Cailian hurried alongside her, asking anxiously, “Miss, what happened just now? Why did we leave in such a rush?”

“Don’t worry about that for now. Remember, what happened just now must not be mentioned to anyone.”

“Yes, I will obey your instructions, Miss,” Cailian replied.

They rushed and finally arrived at the county magistrate’s office, entering through the back.

Yin Qingyue told Cailian to wait and went to Chu Jingcheng’s room.

She arrived just as he was changing his bandages, and his muscular chest caught her eye.

Seeing her, Chu Jingcheng dismissed the guard helping him. Once dressed, Yin Qingyue intended to speak, but he teased her again:

“You deliberately came while I was changing, didn’t you? Did you enjoy the view? If not, I can take it off again for you.”

“I’ve seen enough already,” she replied disdainfully.

“True, you’ve seen all of me,” he said with a grin.

Last time, during their intimate encounter, she had been shy and closed her eyes, far from seeing “all of him.”

Chu Jingcheng laughed silently, adjusted his clothes, then asked seriously, “I won’t tease you anymore. So, what did you find out?”

“I’ve confirmed it, though I don’t know if it’s entirely true,” Yin Qingyue replied.

“Oh? Really?”

“Lord Kong has a nephew—a cowardly man. I encountered him at the teahouse and used a few tricks. He revealed everything. Kong Xian hid the refugees in houses in the forest outside the city. If you leave the city gate and follow the western river, you’ll find the forest and the houses,” she explained, not wanting to leave anything out.

Chu Jingcheng’s brows tightened, and his expression darkened—just as he had suspected.

Yin Qingyue looked at him. His handsome face now radiated authority and composure, the kind of man many women desired. She felt lucky to have him on her side.

“I’ll immediately send men to the forest to investigate thoroughly. You stay here; I will go myself,” Chu Jingcheng commanded.

“No, it’s getting late. We should go tomorrow,” Yin Qingyue reasoned.

“This can’t wait.”

“But if the refugees are really there, we should at least prepare food and supplies. Should we take swords?” she argued.

Chu Jingcheng considered her point. The refugees were already suffering; encountering armed men now would only frighten them.

Yin Qingyue’s main goal was to make Kong Xian expose himself. If she and Chu Jingcheng went to investigate, by morning, news would reach Kong Xian. If he felt guilty, he might flee, and the refugees wouldn’t even be needed as witnesses.

“You’re right. Everything will follow your plan,” Chu Jingcheng agreed.

Indeed, things went exactly as Yin Qingyue expected.

The next day, Chu Jingcheng and his men set out for the bamboo forest to find the houses, with Yin Qingyue accompanying him.

Meanwhile, at the county office, Kong Xian had risen. His guards rushed in, panicked.

“Sir, it’s bad! Prince Jing has discovered it. He’s heading to the bamboo forest and has probably found the refugees by now.”

Kong Xian staggered back in fear, dropping his teacup. The pieces shattered on the floor; his face went pale.

“What should we do? Should we prepare anything?” the guard asked anxiously.

Kong Xian quickly regained composure and ordered, “Gather all the gold and valuables and leave the county immediately. Don’t let anyone know.”

“Yes, sir,” the guard replied, ready to collect the treasures, but Kong Xian stopped him.

“Wait. We can’t bring wives or children this time. Just the money. Understand?”

The guard hesitated.

“Hurry! Don’t you want to enjoy luxury in the future?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll prepare it immediately.”

Unable to bring his family, Kong Xian could only take one guard with him, fearing that too many people would attract attention. He left quietly, the county office unaware.

Meanwhile, Yin Qingyue and Chu Jingcheng reached the bamboo forest, carefully searching until they found the houses.

Outside, the refugees were sitting or lying on the ground. Some held infants in swaddling clothes. Elderly men, women, and children were all weak and ragged, looking pitiful despite their numbers.

Kong Xian’s men guarded the houses, clearly to prevent the refugees from escaping and reporting.

Chu Jingcheng ordered, “Seize them all.”

“Yes, sir!”

The prince’s guards advanced. Kong Xian’s men drew swords, and a fight broke out.

Chu Jingcheng protected Yin Qingyue behind him. The refugees retreated inside the houses, terrified and screaming.

Kong Xian’s men quickly realized they were outmatched and surrendered, kneeling and begging for mercy.

“Prince Jing, mercy! We only obeyed Lord Kong’s orders!”

Chu Jingcheng coldly kicked one aside. “You dare beg after treating human lives like grass? I could take your heads without guilt!”

“We were forced! Lord Kong held our wives and children hostage! If we didn’t obey, he would have killed them. Please show mercy, Prince Jing!”

The men knelt in fear, terrified by the words “pay with your life.”

Seeing the refugees, Chu Jingcheng’s heart ached. He commanded, “Bring the supplies and distribute them to the people.”

The guards brought down the food. Seeing buns and flatbreads, the refugees rushed forward, shouting, “The Bodhisattva has appeared! The Bodhisattva has appeared!”

Everyone scrambled for the food.

“Don’t panic. There’s enough for everyone,” Yin Qingyue said, moved and teary-eyed, unable to speak more at that moment.