Chapter 113 Meeting and Entering the City 25

The commotion coming from the city gate was not small; as soon as the city gate moved, everyone here noticed the commotion.

They all looked in unison at the gradually opening city gate. Xiao He frowned; to be honest, this was much earlier than expected.

Even if the letter was picked up the moment it hit the ground, and that person immediately notified others to begin the operation, it shouldn't have been this swift.

Another unexpected turn of events!

Sometimes unexpected events are good, such as the questionable strength of Empress Lü Zhi, or the sudden appearance of the Qin brothers; but sometimes unexpected events are bad.

For example, regarding the city gates that were opened ahead of time, Xiao He even considered that the magistrate of Pei County might change his mind at the last minute and welcome them back.

After that, everyone's situation changed completely.

As Xiao He pondered this, he witnessed firsthand how Meng Tian commanded the troops. While not exactly obeying orders without question, his discipline was far superior to that of the soldiers in the county.

He felt that the Qin brothers were not simple, and a strange emotion surged within him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong. He could only frown and shift his gaze to the slowly opening city gate.

The people who appeared at the city gate were not the 'elders and villagers' they had imagined, nor were they a county magistrate leading soldiers to talk to them.

Only one person emerged from the city gate; he was dressed in a blood-stained blue robe and appeared to be carrying a bundle in his hand.

After he came out, the city gate was not closed, but remained wide open. The soldiers standing on the city wall had disappeared. After a while, some of the bolder villagers from Pei County followed him out after he slowly walked towards them.

Most of them were connected to someone in Liu Bang's army. While others might have come out to watch the excitement or to join him, they came out with the clear goal of finding their families.

Even so, no one dared to overtake the man in blue. He walked slowly, and no one behind him dared to run. Even if they missed their loved ones, no one dared to overtake him.

They weren't afraid of the bundle he was carrying, nor were they afraid because he had killed the magistrate of Pei County. Rather, they were afraid because he had single-handedly defeated a hundred soldiers at the city gate, killing them decisively and subduing the guards.

Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu originally intended to make way for these people who missed their loved ones. He himself walked slowly as Qing Ai had requested, so as not to delay them.

But amidst Zhu Qing'ai's "da no te no" sounds, he abandoned the decision.

Zhu Qing'ai said to Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu, "Do you even know what 'bking' means? If you step aside, how can you still pretend?"

"Don't pay attention to the people behind you. They're just there to make you look good. You're not harming them, they're just a little slower in seeing their families. Keep going, stand tall, head held high, and walk forward with a cold expression!"

She continued, "For someone as unknown as you to get promoted, you have to make an impressive entrance."

"If it were during the Three Kingdoms period, it wouldn't be so complicated. When you recommend yourself, just laugh out loud three times in front of the person. When they ask you why you laughed, just say that your death is imminent, and that's it."

She looked at the angle of his right hand holding the sword and the casual way he carried the bundle in his left hand before she was satisfied: "Not bad, he has the potential to become a BKing."

Liu Bang and his men had already noticed the situation. Although they were surprised, they realized that the magistrate of Pei County must be dead. They just didn't know whether the visitor was friendly or hostile.

Meng Tian looked at Liu Bang: "Shall I go and meet him?"

Liu Bang nodded: "Be careful, I don't know that person."

He was so certain because the man's physique matched none of the people he knew, and most importantly, he believed his friend didn't have the habit of killing someone while dressed in a wide-sleeved robe like he was going to a banquet.

Liu Bang found this person strange, yet he also inexplicably felt that this behavior revealed something he couldn't quite put his finger on...

The fluctuating emotions within one's heart—a feeling that modern people could probably understand—would also elicit a comment like, "Holy crap, he got it!"

Empress Lü, Xiao He, and Cao Can shared similar feelings with Liu Bang. They didn't recognize this person either. Cao Can even asked Empress Lü with some doubt, "Is this your elder brother?"

Lü Zhi: ...

She thought, "That's not it."

"No, I don't know him either."

Liu Bang stroked his beard and said, "Is it possible that he came to seek refuge with me?"

Lü Zhi: ...

Lü Zhi's expression flickered slightly for a moment, but she was excellent at controlling her emotions and quickly made sure no one noticed. She nodded and said, "That is indeed possible. All the young men of Pei County know that there are clouds around the place where the Red Emperor's son lives, and they all want to come to Mangdang Mountain to follow him. I suppose this person is no exception."

She wasn't really implying that the person came to her because of this; she was just mentioning her contribution.

Liu Bang knew the truth behind the rumors, but outwardly he remained confident.

Liu Bang's men believed it wholeheartedly, but Xiao He and Cao Shen didn't say whether they believed it or not. Didn't they know whether this thing was believable or not?

****

Meng Tian had already met with Wei Shengjiu. Meng Tian was riding a tall horse, looking down at the person in front of him.

Although the person looked up, Meng Tian felt that he was looking at the other person at eye level, or even... being looked down upon, because of the person's cold expression.

Meng Tian rode forward and clearly saw Wei Shengjiu's appearance. To be honest, he preferred to believe that the other party was a nobleman rather than...

His gaze shifted to the blood-red bundle, and he keenly sensed that it contained a human head.

Not an assassin.

Knowing there was no chance to intimidate him, Meng Tian immediately dismounted and politely bowed, saying, "My name is Qin Tian. May I ask who you are?"

"Ninety-nine microscopic births."

When Wei Sheng Jiujiu revealed his surname, Meng Tian was not surprised at all. After all, he was a descendant of King Wen of Zhou, so it was not surprising that such a person existed.

Upon hearing the full name, Meng Tian frowned slightly. Looking at the group of people, who had such a name?

Aren't single words popular now?

Or is it a code name?

Meng Tian felt he had figured it out, so he didn't dwell on the matter of the name and pondered the question for a moment in front of the aloof-looking person.

Despite his seemingly aloof demeanor, Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu was already chatting with Zhu Qing Ai in the private chat channel. He wrote: "[So why isn't he asking me anything? Just giving me his name makes the conversation impossible. What should I do next?]"

This was the first time he had tried to portray a cold and aloof persona. In the previous world, he was so straightforward that he had never uttered a single word.

Zhu Qing'ai quickly replied: "Wait until he asks what you're doing here. If he doesn't ask, walk past him and head towards Liu Bang. Also, remember, your answer shouldn't exceed five characters. If you absolutely must, break it down into several sentences!"

When Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu saw this request, he felt that it was really making things difficult for him, a novice host. However, even though he frowned slightly, he did not object to it. Instead, he diligently followed Zhu Qing Ai's instructions.

So when Meng Tian felt that this person might be getting impatient, he urgently asked Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu what he was carrying, why he was leaving the city, and whether he was looking for Liu Bang. Meng Tian received an extremely simple answer.

"The magistrate of Pei County," he paused before answering the last two questions, "went to seek refuge with."

Although it only has five words, it answers three questions perfectly!

Meng Tian: ...

Zhu Qing'ai also clapped enthusiastically in the private chat channel: 【Perfect!】

To be honest, she didn't expect it to be so economical. She thought that she should be able to answer at least ten words for three questions.

Meng Tian hesitated, seemingly wanting to speak but holding back. Although he had indeed answered all three questions, however…

In the end, he gave up the idea of ​​saying anything, thinking that the only possibilities for the person in front of him were that he was difficult to get along with and simply didn't like to talk.

He still politely invited the man to come with him: "Since you want to join Liu Bang, then come with me."

"[Pei Gong?]" Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu timely expressed his doubt, as he remembered that Pei Gong was a later figure.

In response, Zhu Qing'ai replied: "Because he truly slew the white snake, the event was brought forward. Whether the magistrate of Pei County lives or dies, he is now the Duke of Pei."

Wei Sheng nodded and followed Meng Tian toward Liu Bang and his entourage.

Meng Tian and his men did not mount their horses, but Liu Bang, seeing the situation, ordered his troops to move forward, so the two sides soon met.

Meng Tian thought this person might really not like to talk, so he introduced him directly and then said, "Brother Weisheng has come to seek refuge."

Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu nodded in agreement, and then used the bamboo green mist to mark a trajectory in the air that only he could see before sheathing his sword.

Zhu Qing'ai: [Elegant, so elegant! Elegance never goes out of style!]

He seemed oblivious to the astonishment in the eyes of those before him, or perhaps he was simply used to being the center of attention, as he calmly unwrapped the bundle to reveal the head inside.

Xiao He and Cao Can peeked out and exclaimed, "Hey, isn't this the magistrate of Pei County who plotted to kill them before? You've finally met your match, huh? You're so happy!"

Liu Bang had felt that Wei Sheng Jiujiu was a talented person worth winning over as soon as he met him. Now that he actually saw the head of the magistrate of Pei County, his expression became even more sincere.

As is well known, Liu Bang had a wide circle of friends and treated his friends exceptionally well. He also treated Wei Shengjiujiu with the same respect that one would show to a friend.

So Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu simply nodded politely: "I've heard so much about you."

Liu Bang: ...Is this really someone who has come to seek refuge with him?

Fortunately, Lao Liu has a thick skin, so even if Wei Sheng Jiujiu only answered with two words, he could still keep the conversation going.

"Haha, Brother Weisheng, you're too kind. I'm honored to call you my worthy brother. It's my good fortune to have you by my side."

"You flatter me."

Liu Bang counted... but there was no need to count at all; no matter how many times he counted, there were only four characters.

Such politeness doesn't seem like the kind of person who looks down on him. Besides, he looked closely and saw that the person's eyes were sincere. He didn't see any disdain or contempt in the calm, dark eyes.

After figuring things out, he didn't feel neglected. He continued to enthusiastically connect with everyone present, doing his best to help his future important subordinates get to know each other and get along.

Once inside the city, Liu Bang finally felt a sense of reality; he, Liu Bang, had truly returned!

Although he wasn't respectfully invited back, it wasn't a big problem; he had already established his first official foothold in this chaotic world.

Since the magistrate of Pei County had already died, Liu Bang summoned many elders and fellow villagers and told them that the magistrate regretted the uprising and wanted to stop the rebel army outside the city, but had now been killed by the brave man beside him.

Liu Bang: "The position of magistrate of Pei County is currently vacant. I hope everyone will recommend a person of high moral character and prestige to fill the position. This way, I can rest assured."