Chapter 25: A Hero's Origin Doesn't Matter
It was dark when we returned to the street.
All the inns they passed on the road were closed, and no one answered even when the housekeeper knocked on the door.
At this time, a group of figures came from the front. Their footsteps were uniform and accompanied by the sound of armor colliding. They were a team of patrolling officers and soldiers.
The bodyguard driving the carriage pulled to the side of the road to let the team pass first. When the team came over, the leader raised his hand, asked the team to stop and walked towards the carriage.
When the butler saw that it was the middle-aged man he had met at the city gate before, he didn't have to worry about being embarrassed again.
"Why are you here again?" The young man I met earlier came over. He glanced at the carriage with his dagger-like eyes and said dissatisfiedly, "Don't you know it's curfew now? Why are you still wandering around the streets?"
"All inns are closed at this time," the middle-aged man called to the young man, "Xiao Ji, take this young lady to Manager Hao's inn. He owns the largest inn in the city."
"Boss, can't you let someone else go? I still have to patrol." The young man looked annoyed.
The middle-aged man slapped him on the back and pushed him forward. "Just go when I tell you to. Why are you talking so much nonsense?" After that, he led the others to continue patrolling.
After leading the way for a while, the young man walked backwards to the carriage and asked nonchalantly, "Did you steal that token?"
Gui'er was so angry that she lifted the car curtain to argue with him, but she was looked at by a pair of narrow eyes like knives. It was like a vicious dog with sharp white teeth smiling at her. She was so scared that she immediately lowered the car curtain and put her head back.
"Your young lady is a rich lady from the capital. Small minions like us can't afford to offend her, right?" he said sarcastically.
"A hero is not judged by his origin." Jiang Lan replied while sitting in the carriage.
The young man chuckled and said, "One day I will go to the capital, drink the most expensive wine, and see the most beautiful girls."
Gui'er and Qing'er were both embarrassed when they heard this, thinking that this person's words were too vulgar.
Jiang Lan thought that this person was quite interesting. He was much more upright than those people who were sweet-mouthed but treacherous.
"It's right up ahead. Go ahead." The young man pointed in a direction and turned to walk away. After two steps, he suddenly stopped and changed his mind. "Forget it, I'll just be a good person to the end, so I don't get scolded by the boss later." He walked over and knocked on the door of the inn, shouting, "Open the door!"
The rough voice made Qing'er and Gui'er feel that he was even more vulgar.
After the lights in the inn came back on, a waiter hurried over to open the door. The young man pointed to the carriage behind him and whispered a few words to him. The waiter immediately ran over to greet the distinguished guest. He looked at the waiter with a mocking look on his face as he nodded and bowed to show his courtesy, as if he was watching some funny farce.
After Qing'er and Gui'er got off the carriage, they reached out to help Jiang Lan down. He suddenly froze with a teasing look on his face. When Jiang Lan looked at him, he turned his head and left.
"What kind of person is he? It's like someone owes him money?" Guier said angrily.
Qing'er told her to calm down and not to bother with such a person.
"Come in." Jiang Lan said, and the two followed her into the inn.
After the waiter led the man to the guest room upstairs, he hurried to call Manager Hao.
"Why is there still a smell in this room?" A faint pungent smell lingered in the room. Qing'er fanned it with her hand and frowned.
Guier smelled it and fanned it with her hands.
Jiang Lan said that this was the smell of mugwort, and the room must have been fumigated with mugwort, which could prevent epidemics. Gui'er and Qing'er smelled it again, and it was indeed the smell of mugwort.
After Shopkeeper Hao came over, Qing'er asked why there was a smell of mugwort in the room and whether any patient had been staying there. Shopkeeper Hao quickly said no and repeatedly assured that the rooms in his shop were very clean and were cleaned every day. The bedding, teapots and cups were all new, so Jiang Lan could stay there without worry.
"Why does the city gate close so early here?" Jiang Lan asked casually.
Shopkeeper Hao sighed and said, "The city gates open late and close early these days, so there are fewer customers entering the city, and business is not doing well."
"I heard that it's because someone in the city fell ill?" Jiang Lan asked casually.
Shopkeeper Hao's eyelids twitched with fear, and he hurriedly said, "Don't worry, young lady. Our city is very safe. There are soldiers patrolling every day, and they will never let unidentified suspicious people into the city." After a pause, he continued, "To be honest, young lady, the county town ahead had a big flood a few days ago, submerging several villages. As soon as the water receded, some people fell ill, so our city gates closed earlier than usual."
After Manager Hao left, Jiang Lan asked Qing'er to find the housekeeper and asked the housekeeper to prepare a set of men's clothes for him to wear when he goes out tomorrow.
The next morning, when Manager Hao was about to go upstairs to ask his distinguished guest what he wanted for breakfast, the waiter came over and told him that the guest had already left.
"That lady is wearing men's clothes and pretending to be a young man." The waiter said quietly, feeling a little strange.
"What's so strange about this? When I went to the capital, I even saw girls dressed as men visiting brothels." Shopkeeper Hao was knowledgeable and had seen all sorts of things in the world. He seemed to be distracted for a while and left silently.
"Boss, are the brothels in the capital big?" The waiter came over with a flattering smile and asked, but was scolded by Boss Hao and quickly ran off to work.
......
This time, the little boy in white brought Jiang Lan, who was dressed as a man, into the academy.
Jiang Shen and another academy student were isolated in the bamboo garden in the backyard. When the little boy in white took Jiang Lan there, they happened to meet other students who were about to go to morning classes.
The little boy in white took Jiang Lan aside to let these people pass. One of the tall young men glanced at her when he passed by her, with a cold and arrogant look, as if he was superior.
Another older young man following behind him also looked at her when he passed by her, with a look of surprise in his eyes. It was the first time he saw such a handsome young man, even more handsome than a girl, so he looked at her twice more.
When the little boy in white took Jiang Lan away, the young man looked back again. Seeing that the direction they were going seemed to be the bamboo garden, he rolled his eyes, as if he was thinking of something.
"Brother Cui, do you think that's a new student in our academy?"
The tall young man snorted disdainfully, and the expression on his face became more cold and arrogant.
Hearing the faint rustling of bamboo leaves, Jiang Lan knew they were almost there.
A courtyard is hidden among the green bamboos. We have arrived at the Bamboo Garden.
There were two other little boys in white clothes guarding the door. They handed Jiang Lan a white towel and asked her to wear it before going in.
The white towel has the smell of mugwort and has been fumigated with mugwort.
Jiang Lan tied a white scarf to cover her mouth and nose, and was led into the yard by one of the little boys in white clothes. The boy pointed to a room on the left, and she nodded, thanked him, and walked over.
The door was ajar. She peeked inside through the crack, but couldn't see anything clearly. Then she reached out and gently pushed the door open, and saw a person lying on the bamboo bed in front of her.
She and her elder brother haven't seen each other for three years. Now she is wearing men's clothes. She wonders if her elder brother can still recognize her...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
