154 There’s a Trap
Xiao Ye could only turn around and ask again in a trembling voice. This time, the voice was finally a little louder, and the guard heard it clearly.
It was because he heard it clearly that the expression on his face immediately fell.
“Go, go, go! Children go play somewhere else! This isn’t a place for children to play. Go away!”
This time, although Xiao Ye’s neck was red, in the end, he did not cry.
Jian Qingqing was gratified as she blocked him behind. She smiled and said, “Big Brother Guard, we really did not come here to play. We really received an invitation from the Prefectural Academy to enter the school.”
As she said that, she took out the invitation letter and showed it to the guard.
The guard looked at it suspiciously and scolded angrily, “Where did this girl come from to make fun of me?! Do you think I don’t know the Prefectural Academy? Get lost quickly! If you don’t get lost, I will beat you up!”
Jian Qingqing also looked at the official seal in the invitation letter suspiciously. It was indeed not the name of the academy, but a private official seal. The name was Wu Zuming.
She asked again, “Is Wu Zuming a teacher of the academy? This letter was written by him, and it was stamped with his private seal.”
This time, the guard did not chase her away, instead, he nodded and said, “Mr. Wu is indeed a teacher of the academy, but he is just a teacher. It is impossible to invite you to the academy. To enter the academy, you have to get the academy’s approval. Our Dean has always been fair and impartial. He would never allow a teacher to casually bring people in. Did you read the wrong letter? Mr. Wu did not invite you to the academy, but to be his personal student? The letter was written by Mr. Wu to you. You can go and ask him.”
Xiao Ye’s eyes were red as he mustered up the courage to retort, “We didn’t read it wrong.”
Mr. Liang also said that this was an invitation letter from the academy, but he did not mention anything about this stamp.
Jian Qingqing’s face darkened. She had not noticed this stamp before, so she read the contents of the letter. This letter was indeed an invitation letter, and it used the academy’s name. Since the guard had said that the academy’s invitation letter definitely had the academy’s stamp, then why would a letter written in the name of the academy have a private stamp? There was definitely a problem, and the problem lay with this Mr. Wu Zuming.
However, they really did not know this person, Wu Zuming. So why would he forge this invitation letter for no reason and give it to Xiao Ye?
Since there was no personal grudge, it was likely that he was entrusted by someone else.
Sensing that there was a trap, Jian Qingqing thanked the guard with a dark expression and left with Xiao Ye.
She decided to leave early the next morning. It was too late now, and the road was not safe. Otherwise, she would have gone back overnight.
After she left, a beggar who was squatting opposite the academy looked up at her and left silently. No one noticed this beggar who had no sense of presence at all.
When they returned to the inn, Xiao Ye’s eyes were still red. He asked worriedly, “Sister, is someone trying to harm us?”
He was not stupid. He knew what was going on just by thinking about it. He knew that this invitation letter was fake. He was a little sad, but he was more worried that someone was trying to harm his family.
Jian Qingqing nodded and instructed, “Let’s not go out today. We’ll go back early tomorrow morning. No matter what scheme or trick, we won’t be fooled.”
Xiao ye nodded obediently. “I’ll protect my sister.”
That night, Jian Qingqing had been very vigilant. After locking the doors and windows, she lay on the bed, keeping her eyes open and her mind active as she observed her surroundings.
However, in less than four hours, her eyelids gradually sank, and her head sank into chaos.
Before she lost consciousness, she seemed to see the door being pushed open.