There is a god in the sky

Chapter 132 Trip to Jiangling 3

"You guys aren't all in cahoots, are you?" the man admitted defeat.

If it were just a woman like Shen Lan, he definitely wouldn't care.

But the man in front of her had a dignified air about him, clearly someone in a high position, and was followed by two guards with swords.

Be careful not to offend any important person.

He let go, and the little beggar fell to the ground.

"Fine, I'll let this thief go today for your sake. But if I see you again, I'll snap your neck!"

The man left, grumbling and cursing.

Shen Lan reached out and helped the little beggar up. Her gaze fell on his neck, and she suddenly noticed something.

"how old are you?"

The other person lowered their head and shrank back, answering, "Ten...fifteen."

“You are a girl.” Shen Lan used a statement of certainty.

The other person looked up at Shen Lan with fear, then nervously glanced to the left and right.

"Let's talk somewhere else," Xiao Ji said from the side.

The group found a secluded stall and ordered a bowl of mutton noodles for the little beggar.

While waiting for the noodles, Shen Lan cut to the chase and asked, "Who gave you the stone you're wearing around your neck?"

The other person nervously clutched the necklace, shook their head vigorously, and remained silent.

"What's your name? Where are you from?"

A little beggar who can steal money bags can't be an honest person; she's clearly unwilling to cooperate.

Shen Lan slammed a pair of chopsticks on the table. "If you refuse to talk, I'll have no choice but to send you to see the authorities."

The little beggar shrank back and whispered, "Anyway, it wasn't stolen."

"Where did it come from? Was it found? Given to you by someone? Or stolen?"

"Why would I steal a broken stone?" The little beggar angrily pulled off the jade stone and threw it in front of Shen Lan.

"You can have it now, can I leave?" She stared longingly at the steaming pot.

The aroma of the mutton was so enticing; she had no idea how long it had been since she had eaten meat.

"Sit down," Shen Lan commanded.

The little beggar quickly sat up straight, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Fu Qingyan poked his head out, stared at the stone, and asked, "Does this stone hold some hidden secret?"

He felt that Shen Lan's intense concern about the stone meant it must be a treasure.

Shen Lan took the stone in her hand and rubbed it vigorously, washing away the outer layer of dirt and revealing its original color.

"Huh, this is... lapis lazuli?"

This stone is entirely blue, and because it hasn't been polished, it just looks like a nice-looking stone.

Of course, lapis lazuli is not expensive.

Shen Lan recognized it because the stone was shaped like a heart. She had found it when she was a child and even punched a hole in it so she could wear it around her neck.

Her cousin, Shen Zhiyuan, asked for the stone, saying he wanted to give it to Miaoniang as a token of their love.

At that age, he probably didn't understand love; he only knew that Miao Niang would be his future wife, and he had a lot of feelings for her.

"The mutton noodles are here! Who wants some?" the waiter asked, holding a bowl of noodles and looking at the group of people sitting at the table.

If these people hadn't looked like they were poor, he would have kicked them out.

Shen Lan first asked the little beggar, "I'll ask you one more time, what's your name? If you tell me, this bowl of noodles is yours."

The little beggar quickly replied, "My name is Miaoniang."

The waiter placed the bowl in front of her, and she eagerly picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.

Even though her tongue was burned, she didn't spit out the food.

Shen Lan stared blankly at her, then reached out and brushed aside the bangs that were covering her eyebrows and eyes.

Her face was filthy, covered in something black, though her eyes were pretty, but there was nothing that felt familiar about her.

"Is your original name Miaoniang? Where are you from?"

"I don't remember. I was abducted when I was very young. Later, I escaped and wandered around."

"This stone...is it really yours?"

Although the ages don't match, if she really was abducted as a child, perhaps she would have forgotten what happened when she was little.

If you can forget, it seems like a good thing.

The little beggar nodded as she ate her noodles, but after a while, she shook her head.

Shen Lan waited until she finished eating her noodles before asking, "How much of what you remember about your childhood?"

The little beggar, having eaten and drunk his fill, let out a burp and revealed a lazy expression.

She looked at Shen Lan, especially at the stone she was holding in her hand, and a thought suddenly struck her. "This stone is mine. I've been wearing it since I was a child."

"Is that so?" Shen Lan was somewhat dazed.

People may change as they grow up, Shen Lan thought.

She turned to Xiao Ji and said, "My lord, may I take her with me?"

Xiao Ji knew the crux of the problem as soon as he heard the name. Although he didn't know if this person was the one Shen Lan was looking for, since he had finally met him, he should take him with him and find out what was going on.

"it is good."

Shen Lan took the little beggar to buy her two new sets of clothes, shoes, and socks, and also took her to a bathhouse.

When she came out after washing herself clean, she seemed like a completely different person; she was a beautiful girl with delicate features.

However, she was too thin, with sunken cheeks and no signs of development. No wonder she was able to survive among the beggars for so long.

"Miao Niang, your accent sounds like you're from the Tanzhou area. Did you live there?" Shen Lan asked nervously.

She tried to find some familiar traces in this woman, but to this day, it was all in vain.

"You mean Tanzhou? ...Yes, I've been there. I spent the longest time in Tanzhou."

"Then how did you get here?"

"They came here secretly, hiding in the ship's cabin."

"How long have you been here?"

The little beggar counted on his fingers: "It's been at least half a year."

Shen Lan still remembered that the top dancer at Wan Hua Lou seemed to have become famous this year.

She asked casually, "Have you heard of the famous dancer in Tanzhou who shares your name?"

The little beggar paused, his eyes darting around. "Ah... this name... this name is very common. There must be many people with the same name, right?"

Shen Lan looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"You know her?"

"This……"

As they approached the dock, the little beggar saw the magnificent official ship and the soldiers patrolling on it.

She was so frightened that she hid behind Shen Lan.

"Are you afraid of the soldiers?" Shen Lan turned to ask her.

"Shouldn't normal people be afraid of government soldiers?"

Shen Lan smiled and pulled her out, "If you walk upright and honestly, you won't be afraid of ghosts when you walk at night, so you don't need to be afraid of the soldiers."

A soft murmur reached my ears: "They're much scarier than ghosts."

Shen Lan nodded thoughtfully and said, "That's right, the human heart is the most terrifying thing."

When he saw Xiao Ji and the others board the official ship, the little beggar regretted coming along.

She thought she was hooking up with a rich young master and his concubine, but she never expected that he was actually an official.

"Oh, right, I haven't told you yet, we're going to Bianjing. Would you like to come with us?"

The little beggar wouldn't have hesitated; as long as she could have something to eat, she didn't care where she went.

"If I don't want to go, will you just leave me alone?" The little beggar looked at Shen Lan pitifully.