Chapter 141 Let's drop by
Chapter 141 Let's drop by
"So, did Sister Zhen finally get the money?" Duan Wuheng didn't want to miss out on even the smallest thing.
Bai Cen crossed his arms: "I don't know, you'll have to ask Uncle Weng."
Jiang Yutang happened to be passing by and reminded him, "If I were you, I wouldn't ask—no one in the martial arts world can get money from Old Master Weng. He's just teasing you."
Jiang Yutang finished speaking.
Bai Cen: "..."
Duan Wuheng pouted: "You said it was the last time."
Bai Cen reached out and gently patted his head, sighing, "I'm demonstrating to you with my actions just how treacherous the world can be, how complex people's hearts can be, and how turbulent and unpredictable life can be..."
Duan Wuheng finally understood why his master had said those things before, and then put his knowledge to use—"a string of lies."
Bai Cen: "..."
"Kids these days learn so fast," Bai Cen remarked, unsure whether he was marveling or mocking himself.
Because Zhao Tong was also there, this sentence was originally meant for Zhao Tong to hear, but Zhao Tong seemed to be lost in thought and did not hear it.
"Brother Zhao?"
Zhao Tong turned to look at him: "What's wrong?"
Bai Cen leaned closer: "I haven't seen you so lost in thought since that fruitwood-roasted duck. What famous dish from the martial arts world has you set your sights on now?"
Zhao Tong scoffed, "Your brain is..."
Bai Cen was just joking, and once Zhao Tong left, he followed suit.
But as they approached Uncle Weng, they actually heard Duan Wuheng's voice: "So, Sister Zhen didn't get any money from you, did she?"
Bai Cen was so angry with him that she collapsed.
I know everything, but I still have to do everything. Even if there are pitfalls ahead, I have to step into them myself before I'll be honest.
That stubbornness is typical of a young boy his age.
Bai Cen was about to leave when he heard Uncle Weng speak up: "Why didn't you get it?"
"Huh?" Duan Wuheng was surprised.
Bai Cen was also surprised; it really was coming.
Uncle Weng glanced at Duan Wuheng in front of him, straightened his abacus, and began to calculate for him one by one, saying, "The Eight Treasures Pavilion was damaged, and others helped with the repairs. The money that should be paid must naturally be paid. This is the foundation and reputation of the Eight Treasures Pavilion in the martial arts world."
Duan Wuheng nodded like a chick pecking at rice.
Uncle Weng continued, "But how the money is paid must be clearly stated. It's impossible for the repair materials to be shortchanged. Xuanji Sect's craftsmanship and labor costs are indeed high, but they must be listed out. Reasonable profit, reasonable working hours, and reasonable loss estimates are all acceptable."
“But…” Uncle Weng finally stopped calculating: “But Bazhenlou cannot pay any amount exceeding a reasonable figure.”
Uncle Weng handed him the abacus. “One thousand four hundred and thirty-seven taels, plus the round-trip travel expenses, round it up to one thousand four hundred and fifty taels, not a tael more or less.”
Duan Wuheng stared in disbelief: "..."
Bai Cen suddenly felt relieved. This was the real Uncle Weng. Who said that the Ghost-Fearing Demon of Zhenhu Division was unreasonable?
Uncle Weng is also reasonable.
Uncle Weng's principle of reasoning is based on his mood.
The Five Sages of Luolin can charge only thirty coins, or they can settle accounts with the Xuanji Sect clearly—in this martial world, only Guijianchou can do this.
Bai Cen smiled and shook his head.
Grandpa Weng continued, "And there's more."
Old Master Weng glared at him, "Is it appropriate for you to call yourself the 'Ghost-Fearer' of Zhenhu Division?"
Duan Wuheng: ? ? ?
"Big," isn't that what everyone calls him?
Grandpa Weng: Give me back to everyone! Don't you even know how old you are?
Duan Wuheng: ? ? ?
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Duan Wuheng covered his head, ┭┮﹏┭┮. He had just been beaten by Old Master Qu in the morning, and now he was beaten a second time.
Bai Cen was both amused and exasperated. Serves him right for not listening to advice.
"Xiao Bai, come help." The old man called out to him from the second floor.
"Alright~" Bai Cen knew it was time to take back the Eight Treasures Pavilion and get on the road.
"Chen Village is several hours' walk from here. Bazhenlou is a slow journey. Today, I'll drive with Lao Zhao, so you and Uncle Weng can rest," Bai Cen said to the old man as he tidied up.
When Zhenniang came last night, he saw Wang Sumo coming down from the second floor of Bazhenlou.
The old man was also on the second floor at the time. He immediately noticed that the old man looked extremely tired, and his eyes held a sense of solemnity and sorrow.
Having traveled this far, I've become quite familiar with most of the places around Bazhenlou.
This is how the old man looks when he has something on his mind; he only runs around the mountain when he has nothing on his mind.
He now hopes that the old man can chase him all over the mountain, at least back then the old man will be lively and energetic.
Currently, Huo Ling and the people from Qingyun Manor are still here.
Huo Ling is a troublemaker, and Bai Cen wanted to talk to the old man about this: "Can't the carriage that carries the flowers and plant slots be towed out separately? Huo Ling, Uncle Ding, and Qingwu are just right, and He Zhen can drive the carriage. Our own carriage won't be crowded either."
Yesterday, I encountered some inconvenience on the way.
Back then, to get that little carriage out separately, we had to first raise the Eight Treasures Pavilion and move the things inside the carriage aside.
I was already packing my things, so I can prepare everything at once.
Huo Ling was also sick, so a carriage with fewer people would make her more comfortable.
Moreover, as Fang said yesterday, there should be a separate consultation room for the two of them every one or two days, and we can't wait until the situation becomes difficult before we come up with a solution.
We need to create the conditions now.
There was no point in taking the old man's body, so Bai Cen readily agreed: "Then I'll go."
Zhao Tong and Jiang Yutang conducted a routine cross-inspection of the carriage.
Each day after setting up camp and before setting off, the carriages had to be checked alternately to prevent accidents on the road.
Watching everyone around her gradually get busy, each doing their own job, creating an orderly chaos, Huo Ling suddenly felt that three or four days of this journey together might be a bit too short…
Huo Ling was briefly lost in thought.
"Young Master, it's time to set off." Ding Bolai said, "Chen Village is ahead, but Bazhenlou is slow, so it will probably take several hours to get there. Although we can't buy a carriage in Chen Village, we can find a place to rest and bathe in the village."
After Ding Bo finished speaking, Huo Ling thought for a moment and said, "Let's see what everyone else is like. We don't necessarily have to go to the village. I slept quite well last night."
After Huo Ling finished speaking, she continued to look down at the book in her hands.
Ding Bo was slightly surprised, but soon a faint warmth appeared in his eyes.
Qingwu packed his things, and Ding Bo and He Zhen discussed buying some necessities for the journey in Chencun later.
Huo Ling turned another page of the book in her hand, when she suddenly heard Old Master Weng calling Duan Wuheng's name: "Aheng, come and help."
He looked up in that instant.
Grandpa Weng was setting up a wooden staircase, probably to take down the eaves lanterns that were hanging under the eaves.
Those beautiful, bright and charming eaves lanterns.
Yesterday, Duan Wuheng told him about the origins of those eaves lanterns. They were all people who had traveled with the Eight Treasures Pavilion for a long or short time, but in the end, they all became these eaves lanterns with completely different shapes under the eaves.
They took their master's place and continued to accompany Bazhenlou all the way...
He really liked this kind of story.
It's not exactly wildly imaginative, but it has a touch of romance unique to the martial arts world.
Perhaps only a boss like Wang Sumo would do that.
Last night, he and Duan Wuheng looked at the lantern depicting a boy searching for treasure for a long time. He actually envied the boy on the lantern, who, even when falling into a desperate situation, was able to find a way out and then cut off his past to embark on another path.
He also wanted that kind of life...
If the old man hadn't sacrificed most of his cultivation to save him, he wouldn't have the chance to sit here now, watching the people of Bazhenlou bustling about, the scene under the eaves lamps at night—a sight he had never seen before.
— Ah Ling, I've arranged for Lao Ding and He Zhen to accompany you. Go wherever you want. You can go find Fang Ru Shi, or see how vast the martial arts world is. You can travel the world, or find a place to admire plum blossoms in winter and lotus flowers in summer. From now on, live a different life; come back whenever you want.
And here he was now, in front of the Eight Treasures Pavilion, watching Duan Wuheng set up the wooden ladder to retrieve the eaves lanterns from the first floor. He would retrieve one, come down once, and put it back in the box.
Huo Ling put down her book and stepped forward.
Amidst the surprised gazes of Ding Bo, He Zhen, and Qing Wu, Huo Ling looked up and said to Duan Wuheng, "I'll help you."
Duan Wuheng glanced at him. He had expected the wild child to insult him, but Duan Wuheng frowned and said, "You'd better hold on tight!"
It's not "Are you sure you can hold it steady?", it's "You'd better hold it steady!"
Huo Ling smiled faintly: "Of course."
Although Duan Wuheng looked at his physique with some doubt, he still gave him a relatively lighter one.
With Huo Ling's help, he no longer needed to go up and down frequently. Instead, he could simply bend down slightly to hand it to Huo Ling, who accepted it solemnly, as if she were receiving a rare treasure.
Duan Wuheng also reminded him, "Slow down, slow down!"
Huo Ling cooperated and, under Duan Wuheng's watchful gaze, neatly placed the items into the wooden box. Then she looked up at him and asked, "Is this okay?"
Duan Wuheng chuckled: "Not bad, passable! Not bad, sickly fellow!"
Although he was still "sickly", there was a clear sense of closeness to him.
Huo Ling continued, "If you don't call me a sickly person, I can help you for the next few days."
They will also negotiate terms.
Duan Wuheng scratched his head: "Okay! It's settled then, but you can't call me a wild child."
"Then what should I call you?" Huo Ling asked seriously.
Without a second thought, Duan Wuheng blurted out, "Grasshopper! The famous Grasshopper in the martial arts world is me!"
Huo Ling was slightly surprised: "You are... Grasshopper?"
Duan Wuheng said smugly, "Didn't expect that, did you! I'm a grass-skimming wonder! Scared yet?"
Huo Ling laughed, "So this is what floating on grass is all about."
"Ugh, that mouth of yours!" Duan Wuheng was angered again; this guy was simply...
Duan Wuheng didn't know how to describe it.
Huo Ling said calmly, "Keep picking, don't be lazy."
Duan Wuheng: !!!
...
A short while later, Wang Sumo returned after tidying up the three little white tigers. She saw Duan Wuheng and Huo Ling, one taking off the lantern and the other putting it back on, creating a surprisingly harmonious scene. However, as she approached, she heard them again spouting "sickly brat" and "wild child."
Bai Cen had just finished cleaning up the little carriage. While brushing the dust off his hands, he asked Wang Sumo, "Hey, aren't these two childish?"
Wang Sumo glanced at him, then turned to look at the two little ones on the Bazhen Tower, and then smiled gently: "Perhaps, this is to gradually let go of certain things that you thought you couldn't get over?"
Bai Cen looked at her as if he understood but didn't.
Wang Sumo suddenly leaned closer, the wind carrying her black hair across his cheek. He would occasionally lose his composure and feel his heart skip a beat for a strange reason...
Wang Sumo lowered her voice: "He Ping is in trouble."
He Ping?
Bai Cen came to his senses, his eyes filled with horror.
"Does your senior master, Layman Yu'an, live in Huizhou? Is he far away?"
Bai Cen: "It's...it's alright..."
Wang Sumo smiled and said, "Going to visit someone?"
[Author's Note]
Xiao Bai: Actually, my senior apprentice is building a ship...
Meng Huizhou: (⊙o⊙)…, Come quick, come quick, let me show you the big ship!!!
The host: The seaside is great! There are oysters there, which can be used to make oyster sauce!
[come on]
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