Chapter 37: On the Road! Eight Treasures Pavilion!
Chapter 37 On the Road! Eight Treasures Pavilion!
"Are we really going to use this kid?"
In the final hiring process, Wang Sumo, Old Master Qu, and Master He held a final discussion, while Bai Cen stood politely opposite them, awaiting the final decision.
He had been chased around by the two old men the whole way. At first, when he was still driving the Bazhenlou restaurant, the two old men were a little more reserved, after all, Bazhenlou was in his hands.
Later, when he came down from the Bazhenlou restaurant, the two old men simply stopped being reserved.
Although he was chased like a dog, even when the old man used his Cloud-Piercing Mountain-Splitting Hand technique, he still couldn't catch him!
He single-handedly led Old Master Qu and Master He to run slowly up the mountain.
Finally, when all three of them were too exhausted to run any further, he circled back to Wang Sumo and hurriedly raised his hand to stop them, saying, "Two seniors, we're all on the same side, on the same side!"
The two old men then stopped, and the three of them stood with their hands on their hips, panting heavily.
Although the two old men were physically weak, their ability to persist for so long under the combined attack of the Cloud Piercing Mountain Breaker and the Gentleman's Sword is no small feat.
Although it seemed that he eventually circled back to Wang Sumo, pretending to be too tired to run and having to stop, it was clear to everyone that he deliberately circled back to Wang Sumo and stopped first because he saw the two old men chasing after him, panting heavily.
It may seem like a narrow escape, but in reality, it was a matter of great ease.
Lao Qu naturally had doubts about him, which is why he asked Wang Sumo if he really wanted to use him.
Wang Sumo whispered, "Didn't you say you were looking for a handyman? I think he's quite capable."
Old Qu frowned slightly. "Ask Old He."
The two old men were already standing on either side of Wang Sumo. Old Master He could have heard what Lao Qu was saying, so Wang Sumo didn't need to relay it. Old Master He, arms crossed and brows furrowed, said, "I haven't figured out this guy's true strength either. Lao Qu, have you?"
Old Qu sighed, "If I figure this out, will I be able to ask you?"
Wang Sumo asked in surprise, "So, what school of thought does he follow, and how could he possibly hide it from the two of you?"
Lao Qu and Lao He exchanged a glance, but neither of them said a word. They simply crossed their arms, as if they were making their final decisions.
Wang Sumo knew that this was tantamount to acquiescing.
Master He was indeed puzzled. "His moves seem familiar, as if I've seen them somewhere before; it must have been a long time ago, but I can't remember where."
Old Qu also said, "He's not completely without internal energy, but it's almost nonexistent, weak and powerless. He has moves, yet he can still dodge several attacks from me and Old Qu. If he can't dodge, he runs away. This kid is very cunning."
Old Master He agreed, "Then let's keep him for now and see what's going on."
Lao Qu nodded, "Alright, something feels off. Letting him out is not as good as keeping him and slowly probing his true intentions."
"So, the three of us have reached an agreement?" Wang Sumo asked finally.
Both Master He and Master Qu nodded repeatedly.
"Both old gentlemen approve of you as a guard at Bazhenlou. From now on, you are officially a guard and handyman at Bazhenlou, with a monthly salary of one string of cash, and room and board included. Oh, by the way, when we're in the wilderness, there are no inns to stay in, so everyone sleeps in the carriage or in the small courtyard of Bazhenlou."
After Wang Sumo finished speaking, he took out a string of cash from his sleeve pocket. "I'll advance my monthly allowance. I should pass through Huzhen later. Buy whatever you need yourself. I don't know where I'll stay for the next few days. I need to discuss it with the two old men and also see how the road conditions are."
Bai Cen reached out and took it. "Understood, boss."
"Have a quick lunch at the herbal tea shop before we set off," Wang Sumo reminded him. "Eat more, because we'll be buying meat and vegetables for tomorrow, as well as your own things, around dusk before we reach the lake town. We might not have much time to eat then."
"Understood, boss, I'll go to work now!" Bai Cen turned around.
Wang Sumo blinked. "Are you that perceptive?"
Ah Zhen also crossed her arms and stepped forward, "Hey, this guy's not bad, he's got tough stuff!"
Wang Sumo sighed, "Maybe they've taken an advance on their monthly allowance?"
Ah Zhen sighed, "He can run so fast that even two old men can't catch up with him. Be careful with your Bazhenlou restaurant."
Wang Sumo whispered, "It has anti-theft design."
Ah Zhen exclaimed again, "She's such a good friend! She never even told me about the back door of Bazhen Restaurant!"
Wang Sumo said softly, "Uncle Yu Daozi said that according to the sixth rule of the Xuanji Sect, all hidden weapons, props and mechanisms must have a back door. All back doors can only be disclosed to the person who entrusted them, and the person who entrusted them must not tell any third party. If the person who entrusted them passes away, the person who entrusted them can return to the Xuanji Sect with the key to reset the back door, ensuring the safety of the hidden weapons, props and mechanisms produced by the Xuanji Sect."
Ah Zhen felt a headache coming on when she heard that. As she turned around, she said, "Fine, you know it better than I do!"
Wang Sumo couldn't help but laugh.
Back at the pergola, Dunzi was busy moving things around, his eyes...
Wang Sumo sighed, resting her chin on her hand, "Dunzi, is it true that I'll never see you again?"
Dunzi paused for a moment, then said softly, "I want to work at the herbal tea shop with the proprietress for a few more years to learn more so that I have a skill to rely on in the future. Once I've saved up some money, I'll take over a shop and support myself and my family. The proprietress is moving, so I'll go with her and won't delay Miss Xishi's business for now."
Wang Sumo was slightly taken aback.
Everything was fine yesterday, wasn't it?
The Eight Treasures Banquet didn't come; he said he went to see the beauty Xi Shi.
Dunzi smiled憨厚ly, then said in a low voice, "The road ahead is long. If I don't know anything, it won't be good for Miss Xishi. I'll follow the landlady for a few more years and learn everything. Once I've saved up some money, if Miss Xishi is still not married, I'll come back and marry her!"
Wang Sumo blinked, and Dunzi said softly, "It's okay, the landlady has been comforting me all morning. A good man should have ambitions beyond his hometown..."
After finishing his sentence, Dunzi continued to hunch over and move things.
Things that would normally take four or five trips to move, I forced myself to move all at once this time, leaving me breathless and exhausted.
After Dunzi left, Azhen wandered back and whispered, "Didn't he go to see Xishi at the Eight Delicacies Banquet yesterday? I heard from Xishi's parents that they were arranging a marriage for her with a local gentry. Xishi's parents don't want their daughter to marry Dunzi; they don't want her to suffer."
"What about the mound?" Wang Sumo asked worriedly.
“He sat alone at the village entrance last night and didn’t come back until this morning. He said he’d figured it out and that Xi Shi’s parents were right.” Ah Zhen sighed softly. “I told him I had some money to help him get married, and guess what he said?”
"What did you say?" Wang Sumo looked at her.
Ah Zhen lamented, "He said that money will eventually run out, and what can be bought with money today can also be bought with money tomorrow. This money can only fuel his desires, but it cannot truly change him."
Wang Sumo seems to have gained a new understanding of Dunzi.
Ah Zhen continued, "People always have to go through some things to change; experiences teach people better than people teaching them."
Wang Sumo watched Dunzi's retreating figure from afar, wondering, "What about Xi Shi?"
Ah Zhen shook her head. "I don't know. It's their own business, and it's not appropriate for outsiders to interfere. But I think this incident has suddenly made Dunzi see things clearly. He used to be so carefree and silly, but now he knows to plan for the future."
Too.
Ah Zhen sighed, "These days, no one has it easy. I still have such a huge burden of the Xuanji Sect on my shoulders! I wish you a safe journey, and farewell to the martial world!"
Ah Zhen reached out her hand, and Wang Sumo also reached out his hand. The two smiled and hooked their fingers together.
...
Inside the Bazhenlou restaurant, experienced staff are mentoring new ones.
The old ones are the old ones, and the new ones are the old manor lord He and Bai Cen.
Although the Eight Treasures Pavilion appears simple, no different from an ordinary small restaurant, it is actually full of traps and mechanisms. For safety's sake, Lao Qu needs to explain these details to Master He and Bai Cen first. Otherwise, a kitchen knife might fly into the kitchen, the wooden planks underfoot might suddenly go empty, or a wooden plank might suddenly block both sides, forcing a breakthrough would only lead to being surrounded by trap arrows...
Bazhenlou was first and foremost a secret weapon of the Xuanji Sect, and only secondarily a mobile private restaurant in the martial arts world.
It's not that simple, of course.
Moreover, some rotary buttons and mechanisms must not be touched, and in dangerous situations, they will activate self-rescue and escape modes.
Of course, every organization will have backdoors.
Only the maid knew about the back door.
With the back door mechanism activated, Bazhenlou cannot be moved. Therefore, if someone intends to stay in one place for an extended period and is not planning to leave immediately, the maid will activate the back door setting.
Master He and Bai Cen listened and nodded.
The amazing scenes at the Eight Treasures Pavilion were already breathtaking, but the intricate, interconnected, and interwoven design inside is what truly makes it amazing.
Old Qu paused: "Of course, it's best not to activate these mechanisms if possible. No one wants to encounter that day while traveling the world, but if it does happen, it's better to be prepared."
Master He stroked his beard and nodded, thinking that this was much more interesting than the chicken farm at Qingyun Manor.
"What are you doing!" Lao Qu suddenly tensed up.
Bai Cen stopped and smiled apologetically, "Sorry, I was just curious and wanted to try it."
Old Qu was dissatisfied. "I already told you, this is called 'Kill a Thousand Times'! The first press is a contact restriction, the second press, and the person on the other side will be stabbed into a hornet's nest by dozens of kitchen knives here. Do you want to try it?"
Bai Cen: (｀Д)!!
Bai Cen felt it himself.
Old Qu complained, "You young people are just so curious. The more you tell someone not to do something, the more you want to do it..."
While Lao Qu complained, Master He couldn't help but laugh, knowing that some people were just like that when they were young and suffered a lot as a result.
"This is the kitchen. Remember, the kitchen is where the maid is. She has her own rules and preferences. If she asks for your help, then help her. If she doesn't ask for your help, don't go. You'll only make things worse. This is the food serving area. When the food is ready, she'll ring a bell. Just come here to collect it." After Lao Qu finished speaking, Bai Cen finally got a chance to ring the bell.
Old Qu was right there, and the ringing of the bell was right in his ears.
Old Qu was furious: "I just said that!!!"
Bai Cen quickly put it down, "I'm not shaking it anymore!"
It seems like it wasn't him who was being shaken just now.
The small courtyard is right outside the kitchen. The stairs leading to the second floor are in the courtyard. I went up the stairs to the second floor. Today there was no rain or wind, and all the curtains on all sides were drawn up.
The sound of creaking as you climb the stairs continued, "There are nineteen steps from the first floor to the second floor. Each step has a carving on the handrail. When you press down on the carving, only a ring will protrude. Pulling the ring will activate a mechanism that shoots out a sword, a hidden weapon, or a nail or something. I don't know, I've never used it. Anyway, it's a frightening thing, so don't touch it unless you have to."
"What are you doing! What are you doing!" Old Qu was speechless!
Some people have already posted it to study the carvings.
"I'm just curious. I didn't see the ring. Can you pull it up if you press it down?" Bai Cen hadn't seen enough and was eager to stretch out his paws and try it out.
"If he moves again, chop off those claws with your sword," Old Qu said deliberately.
Bai Cen quickly hid his hands behind his back, but Grandpa He still carefully examined the entrance to the mechanism.
He's a very smart and talented guy.
"This is the second floor. There's not enough room for an eight-immortal table, but we can fit two square tables. It's not a small space, but it's not very well-ventilated. If the sun is too strong or it rains, just lower the curtain and pull this rope. Pull it in the opposite direction and it will go up," Old Qu demonstrated.
At this stage, some people's curiosity diminishes, and they stop reaching out their claws.
Lao Qu glanced at him.
Bai Cen quickly pulled twice symbolically, then raised the rope twice more.
“The table legs are embedded in the floor. Look, just pull here and it will stand up.” Old Qu squatted down.
Bai Cen was also surprised to find that the table legs were all on the ground. They could be lifted up with a simple pull, and then the buckles would snap in place, making the table legs as stable as Mount Tai. The tabletop was also on the two sides of the table, which could be removed and fixed to the table legs to make a complete table ready for business.
"Huh~" Bai Cen found it novel.
"Isn't it novel? Isn't it interesting?" the old man chuckled.
Bai Cen nodded repeatedly.
"Why don't you go and try pulling the other one?" Old Qu commanded.
Bai Cen hurried over.
He was naturally clever, and the job was simple. He only had to look at it once to figure out how to fasten the clips, how to flip the tabletop, and how to fix it. He even took out a rag and started wiping it carefully until it was shiny.
Old Qu scoffed, "You certainly have a lot on your mind."
Bai Cen explained, "I just grabbed it downstairs. As a handyman, I have to carry a rag with me at all times, and I also need to be observant—I'll wipe up any dust I see. Please have a seat, sir."
Don't be surprised, he looks more like her than he does with the girl!
"Then why don't you wipe your face properly?" Old Qu retorted habitually.
Bai Cen: "..."
Old Master He chuckled lightly, clenching his fist, and said to defuse the situation, "Is there another hidden world here as well?"
Bai Cen quickly put away the rag and listened intently.
“You saw Zhen’s inescapable net yesterday.” Old Qu patted the railings on all four sides of the second floor. “Inside each of these four railings is an inescapable net, several times larger than the one from yesterday, but it needs to be replaced after it’s used.”
Master He looked surprised. The power of yesterday's net was such that if there hadn't been a special hidden weapon mechanism to pull it open from the outside, the people inside would have struggled and been tightened up, eventually becoming like cocoons, unable to move, and even in danger of losing their lives.
Four inescapable nets were hidden inside the Eight Treasures Pavilion. Yu Daozi went to great lengths to fill the pavilion with traps and hidden weapons.
The Eight Treasures Pavilion is not only ingeniously designed, but also priceless.
Having spent most of my life wandering the world, to finally see this wondrous Eight Treasures Pavilion makes this trip worthwhile.
Bai Cen had naturally heard of the Heavenly Net. If four Heavenly Nets were placed inside the Eight Treasures Pavilion, even four top-tier experts would have at least a short time to escape. Bai Cen stepped forward to examine it closely, but the items seemed to be sealed tightly within wooden boards, so tightly that they were not visible.
But it must be said, it is an ingenious creation.
However, the legendary Eight Treasures Pavilion is full of mysteries, and it should be much more than that...
"Finally, remember that when the Eight Treasures Pavilion is not in use, everything will be put back into the wooden crates for easy transport. But before putting the crates back in, make sure that everything that cannot be put back in the crates has been pushed out of the Eight Treasures Pavilion, and that all the tables and chairs have been returned to their original positions."
The old man was particularly concerned about this point, saying, "Only in this way can the Bazhenlou restaurant be safely taken back. Otherwise, a pottery urn or a spatula could cause the Bazhenlou restaurant to get stuck or damaged. This is of utmost importance."
The old man demonstrated how pots, pans, and knives were separated from the Bazhenlou restaurant and pushed into another "cart" (which was actually an empty shell, but these carts could be inserted for easy transport).
Bai Cen and Grandpa He each tried out the strollers at the other two locations.
The three carts fit perfectly into the wooden frame of one of the carriages, forming a single unit. People could sit up to rest, and at night, with bedding laid out, they could lie down to rest.
"Wow~" Bai Cen's eyes were opened, and even Grandpa He thought it was incredibly wonderful.
But the most ingenious part is that after these things are separated, the old man twists the mechanism on the side, and with a "clattering" sound, the entire Bazhenlou begins to shrink in an orderly manner, like a glacier slowly sinking into the sea.
From a high enough vantage point, one can clearly see that every single wooden plank of the Eight Treasures Pavilion is perfectly fitted together, folded and neatly packed into wooden crates by the pull of iron chains.
Layer by layer, piece by piece, arranged in a staggered and orderly manner, the lid of the wooden box was finally precisely closed and secured.
The shock was like having a mountain contained within a single stone!
Especially when the top of the wooden box was closed, it was hard to imagine how the two-story Bazhenlou, which had a kitchen, a second floor, and a small courtyard, was recovered.
How many ingenious ideas and precise measurements would it take to achieve this!
Only those who have truly witnessed the rise and fall of the Eight Treasures Pavilion will know the terrifying nature of the Mysterious Gate.
"The Eight Treasures Pavilion is packed up. Old He, you brat, let's discuss the division of labor among the three of us." After the tour just now, Bai Cen has officially been promoted to brat.
Bai Cen quickly put down the rag.
Previously, there were only Grandpa Qu and Wang Sumo, but now there are two more people. There are enough people, but we still need to divide the work in advance. Otherwise, when we are busy, everyone will be in a mess, and when we are not busy, no one will do anything.
Wang Sumo overheard the three of them dividing up the tasks.
January is divided into three ten-day periods: early, middle, and late, with each ten-day period alternating with the next.
For example, it is currently the beginning of August.
In the first ten days of the month, the old man was in charge of driving the carriage. After all, it was a restaurant called Bazhenlou pulled by eight horses, and everyone needed to get used to it at first. The old man taught them while Master He and Bai Cen learned.
Bai Cen was mainly responsible for miscellaneous tasks at Bazhenlou, such as sweeping, cleaning, maintaining Bazhenlou, tidying up pots, pans, plants, and trees, and going out to buy ingredients with Wang Sumo, etc.
Master He was in charge of the security and waiters at Bazhenlou Restaurant.
The rotation began in the middle of the month: Bai Cen drove the carriage, He Laozhuang handled miscellaneous tasks, and Lao Qu was responsible for security and serving customers during business hours.
Bazhenlou has different opening and closing times.
Whether we operate or not is entirely up to Wang Sumo!
Bai Cen understood. He would first learn to drive a carriage, and at the same time do odd jobs at Bazhenlou Restaurant. He would also have to go grocery shopping with the owner. He was very clear about it.
Finally, he leaned closer to the old man and said, "You brat, you better not try anything funny, I'm watching you!"
"How dare I! Old man, I'm just here to mooch a meal from the employer." Bai Cen said frankly.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Old Master Qu struck out with a palm, but Bai Cen deftly dodged it. Then, Old Master Qu's Cloud-Piercing Mountain-Splitting Hand struck down the tree behind him.
The old man looked at him and exclaimed, "What impressive skills!"
Just as Bai Cen was reacting, another palm strike came. Although he dodged it this time, the force of the palm still grazed the fabric of his arm. He could clearly feel the powerful palm force bypassing him and closing in on him.
Bai Cen: "..."
The old man clapped his hands and said, "Take it easy."
Then, with his hands behind his back, he turned and left.
Bai Cen was indeed covered in cold sweat. The impact and enveloping force of that torrent-like attack would have probably cleaved a person in two if they had been hit by it.
Master He chuckled softly, "Be careful, he's a very meticulous person."
"Of course, I'm not much better off either," Old Master He said gently, patting him on the shoulder.
Bai Cen could feel the oppressive force of the powerful internal energy, a daunting presence like Mount Tai pressing down on him.
This was the double pressure from the "Cloud-Piercing Mountain-Splitting Hand" and the "Eternal Gentleman's Sword" in the martial arts world. Bai Cen seemed to suddenly regret becoming a guard at the Eight Treasures Pavilion...
But the contract has already been signed.
Bai Cen picked up the coin and examined it closely, keeping a low profile.
*
After noon, Wang Sumo said goodbye to Azhen and Dunzi, and set off for Bazhenlou!
Next stop, northwards, Liangzhou.
"According to the map, there are three routes to Liangzhou, one of which is by water, but it's inconvenient to go to Bazhenlou by water."
"The second route is the official road, but in order to accommodate the surrounding towns, it takes a detour, passing through many towns, and it will take at least two months to reach Liangzhou, not counting the delays caused by stops along the way."
"The third non-official road can save us almost a month's travel time. My daughter and I originally planned to take this route, but two sections of it are mountain roads, especially during June and July when there are many flash floods and mudslides. We managed to avoid that period, but now there are some other problems with this road..."
At this point, the old man paused briefly.
Old Master He looked at him, "What trouble?"
Wang Sumo also turned to look at the old man.
Bai Cen said slowly, "The old man must be referring to the floods near Yangcheng half a year ago, which submerged many fertile fields and towns, creating a large number of refugees. At that time, the imperial court probably did not expect the floods to be so severe, and the disaster relief was not timely, resulting in many more refugees. These refugees were swept away by the floods and suffered from famine. Unable to travel that far, they went to Gangong Mountain to become bandits under the leadership of one of them. The imperial court sent several groups to suppress the bandits, but in the end, none of them succeeded. Later, when there was a drought in the west, the imperial court learned its lesson and allocated disaster relief grain early, fearing that another tough nut to crack like Gangong Mountain might emerge."
After Bai Cen finished speaking, he looked at Wang Sumo.
The disaster relief grain was the same kind they saw at the dock last time.
The call was made, but we don't know where it went or how much of it reached.
"These bandits had been based in Gangong Mountain for a long time, but after several unsuccessful attempts to suppress them, I think it was last month, a portion of them split off and occupied Chahu Mountain, which is one of the two mountain paths that the old man just mentioned. A month ago, it was easy to travel through here; but now Chahu Mountain has been occupied by these bandits from Gangong Mountain, and I don't know what the situation is like for passage."
Bai Cen shrugged. "I heard that caravans and escort agencies are no longer passing through here. They're all waiting for news. Boss, if we risk passing through here, the Eight Treasures Restaurant might become too conspicuous..."
Wang Sumo looked carefully at the map; the time difference between the two routes was indeed too long.
If the journey takes two months, we'll arrive in Liangzhou in October...
"Let's head towards Teapot Mountain first. It will take some time to get there. We might find out if it's passable when we get there. If it's really not passable, we can go back to the main road and try again."
For Wang Sumo, the official road was already a long way to go, and if it became impassable, it would only take another month at most; but if Teapot Mountain became passable, he could reach Liangzhou in September.
It's a fine autumn day, and in September, Liangzhou is ready to eat female crabs!
[Author's Note]
There are some things going on at home these few days, so the update schedule will be irregular, but I'll still update every day!
There's a weekend red envelope giveaway in this chapter! The first 100 will receive one, all distributed at 12:00 noon on Monday. [fist bump]
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