Chapter 16 Floating Light and Wandering Dragon: Escort Agency
She was determined to get the medicinal herbs in the attic.
The next day, the three men's carriages entered the west gate of Zhongjing via the official road.
Just past the city gate, the bustling scene of Zhongjing came into view. Vendors lined both sides of the street, their shouts rising and falling, and children chased and played.
However, since horses were forbidden to roam freely in the capital, carriages could only move slowly.
Wang Shanyue then introduced Tang Yu to the local customs and culture of Zhongjing.
Tang Yu lifted the carriage curtain and looked into the distance. In front of her, a golden-painted building was surrounded by a large crowd of people. People were crowded below, watching the red silk and gold threads on the building dance in the wind.
"Look at this magnificent pavilion that was just erected yesterday! It's truly resplendent!" A passerby exclaimed excitedly. "I imagine that during the Floating Light Festival in a couple of days, the entire land will be ablaze with lights!"
The person next to him was also very interested, "That's right! I heard that the Southern Frontier delegation will be presenting sacred objects this time. I really want to see them soon."
"I wonder how spectacular it will be that day! We can't miss it!"
Xiao Fangliang looked in the direction of the voice and showed a rare interest. "Brother Su, you've come at just the right time. The Floating Light Ceremony of Great Xia is a rare event that only comes around once every few years."
Wang Shanyue laughed and said, "Wait three more days, then we'll go together and see what this sacred artifact from the Southern Frontier is all about."
Tang Yu's lips curled slightly: "It's a deal."
Before long, the carriage stopped outside the scholar's residence. Xiao Fangliang closed his folding fan and bid farewell with a smile.
The carriage set off again, passing through the main street, and finally stopped in front of a large courtyard with red walls and green tiles.
Looking up, four sharp, golden characters—Wangyuan Escort Agency—hang prominently above the vermilion gate. Though not a royal merchant, they still exude a dignified and extraordinary air.
Tang Yu stepped into the green-tiled, red-walled place, expecting it to be a scene of fluttering flags and a forest of swords and spears, but to her surprise, she found herself surrounded by pavilions, waterside terraces, and lush flowers and trees, which was surprisingly elegant.
"Yue'er!" A loud and clear shout broke the silence.
A middle-aged woman dressed in dark gold walked into the courtyard. She was tall and straight, and although her brows and eyes showed signs of hardship, her graceful demeanor and extraordinary bearing were undeniable. She walked up behind Wang Shanyue and slapped him hard on the shoulder. The sound was so loud that even Tang Yu felt pain for him.
“Mother…” Wang Shanyue grinned, her tone reproachful, but her face couldn’t hide her joy.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with his mother, Wang Shanyue immediately began introducing Tang Yu.
Madam Wang looked Tang Yusheng up and down with a generous air. Seeing that he was handsome and dashing, her eyes immediately lit up with joy and affection. "Yue'er, this is your first time escorting goods. I'm sure you've had a lot of trouble on the road. Stay at the escort agency in Zhongjing for the time being. Let him show you around Zhongjing. Don't be shy."
Tang Yu quickly thanked her, thinking to herself: They truly are mother and son, their generosity and enthusiasm are inherited from the same source, making it impossible to avoid them.
Madam Wang led the two into the house, listened to Wang Shanyue recount his journey in a few words, and then turned to sigh, "Young Master Su is truly both talented and handsome."
The interest and appreciation in his eyes were undisguised.
"Yue'er, you've caused everyone a lot of trouble this time."
She then instructed, "Today, take Young Master Su around the escort agency to familiarize him with it. Tomorrow, invite Fang Liang and General Xie to the mansion for a banquet so we can properly express our gratitude."
"Okay, okay." Wang Shanyue said with a helpless smile, pulling Tang Yu away from her mother's nagging.
The two walked along the corridor, and Wang Shanyue carefully introduced the security agency and various courtyards to her.
Arriving at a secluded courtyard, he pointed to a pavilion with upturned eaves not far away, "Look, that's my father's treasure vault. It's a pity it's always locked up and no one is allowed to go in, otherwise I would definitely take you to see it."
Tang Yu looked in that direction and saw that although the pavilion was locked and the doors were tightly closed, there was no one guarding it.
"Such an important place, is it just left unguarded without any protection?" she asked curiously.
“Our security escort agency is no ordinary residence,” Wang Shanyue said proudly. “The courtyard is full of traps and mechanisms. Let alone stealing things, outsiders can’t even get through the main gate.”
But he didn't see the glint of light that flashed in Tang Yu's eyes.
It seems that the medicinal herbs she was looking for were right here.
*
The next day, Madam Wang hosted a banquet, but only Xiao Fangliang was invited to the mansion. Xie Xingzheng was unable to attend due to remaining matters related to the human trafficking case. Although Madam Wang felt regretful, she did not insist that he come.
This, however, made Tang Yu secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
The night before, she had secretly explored the attic and knew its layout by heart. There were indeed interconnected crossbow mechanisms hidden in the four corners of the attic; if the doors or windows were moved even slightly, a hail of arrows would be fired, turning people into sieves.
Anyone else might have hesitated. But she grew up in the Tang Clan, and her father was a once-in-a-century genius of the Tianji Sect. Growing up surrounded by such art, she also possessed a talent for mechanisms. Therefore, such mechanisms were naturally not difficult for her.
There's no Xie Xingzheng tonight either; perhaps it's a good opportunity...
At this moment, the Wang family members were all smiling and chatting warmly, and were very hospitable. Tang Yu could only silently apologize in her heart.
For her brother's sake, she was determined to get the medicinal herbs in the attic.
Since Yunling Mountain was invaded by assassins from the southern border, causing her brother to be poisoned with a strange poison, it has been half a year now, and it is unknown how long the poison can be suppressed.
Even including the Blood Spirit Mushroom stolen from the Xia Nan Prince's Mansion, she only found four of the eight medicinal herbs needed.
However, the Wangyuan Escort Agency has exactly the ingredient she is missing—Cistanche deserticola.
Legend has it that whenever the head steward of the Wang family delivers goods, he always collects rare treasures from all over the land to bring back for his own collection. This Cistanche deserticola is a rare herb that he obtained during his journey to the Western Regions. This plant grows in the desert, thrives in arid conditions, and is rarely found in the Central Plains.
Now, it's so close...
"Young Master Su, did you find your stay yesterday comfortable?" Madam Wang's voice pulled her back from her thoughts.
Madam Wang was dressed elegantly and gracefully today, exuding poise in every gesture. She even served food to Tang Yu with her chopsticks, her face beaming with smiles.
Tang Yu quickly stood up, bowed, and thanked him.
As expected of one of the seven great families of the Jianghu, the Wang family hosted a simple family banquet in a waterside pavilion, its reflection shimmering in the clear water, creating a unique ambiance. The dishes on the table were a feast for the eyes and the palate, all specialties of Zhongjing.
“They grew up in Zhongjing and are used to eating these things, so they made them especially for you.” The head of the gang laughed heartily, and fearing that she might be reserved, he added generously, “Young Master Su is new to Zhongjing, so please don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything.”
Tang Yu lowered her eyes, a gentle smile playing on her lips.
At this moment, Madam Wang suddenly turned to the person beside her, her smile widening: "Young Master Su, this is Yue'er's older sister, Yunxi. She is twenty-three years old this year, beautiful, and her martial arts skills are not bad either, but she has a bit of a temper."
Wang Yunxi nodded as a greeting.
She had a striking, heroic appearance, her chin slightly raised, and her gaze, filled with scrutiny and arrogance, coldly appraised Tang Yu before her.
Tang Yu respectfully returned the greeting, but secretly groaned inwardly.
How could she not see through Madam Wang's intentions? She wanted to play matchmaker for her daughter, but the problem was that she wasn't a man, so she was powerless to help.
Xiao Fangliang, being an insider, couldn't help but laugh out loud at the sight, which conveniently helped her out of the predicament.
He coughed lightly and advised, "Aunt Wang, Sister Yunxi is a person with her own ideas. If you force someone to marry you just because you've met someone suitable, you might end up driving them away."
Seeing this, Madam Wang quickly stepped down, smiling and saying, "I was being nosy. Today is just a family gathering, with no outsiders around, so we're being a bit casual."
Wang Yunxi gave a soft hum, her expression softening, and tilted her head back to drink the wine in her cup in one gulp.
Tang Yu stood up and raised her glass to express her gratitude. Before long, everyone had subtly drunk quite a bit of wine.
As the wine intensified, the leader smiled and waved, indicating that the banquet was over and everyone should get some rest.
After returning to their rooms, everyone fell into a deep sleep shortly afterward, fueled by alcohol.
Only Tang Yu, though leaning against the bedside with her eyes closed in rest, was perfectly awake.
She sat in her room until late at night, until the courtyard was so quiet that even the sound of the wind rustling through the eaves could be clearly heard, before slowly opening her eyes. Her fingertips lightly tapped the edge of the bed, and a ripple of emotion quietly spread across her face in the darkness.
This dinner party came at just the right time, and it was perfect timing.
The night when everyone was drunk and asleep was the perfect opportunity for her to sneak into the pavilion.
Just to be on the safe side, Tang Yu decided to remove the quack doctor's disguise first.
Beneath the mask lay an exceptionally beautiful face. It wasn't the gentle grace of a woman from Jiangnan, nor the refined elegance of a woman from Zhongjing, but rather a face with striking, striking features that could be etched into one's heart at first glance.
His features are distinct, with a high nose bridge, giving him a somewhat exotic appearance, yet his black hair and eyes indicate that he is from the Central Plains.
After changing into her night clothes, Tang Yu silently slipped out of the room, leaping several times before landing under the eaves of the attic. With a flick of her fingertips, a thin, cicada-wing-like piece of iron slid into the mechanism lock on the corner of the eaves, and with a gentle push, she locked the mechanism firmly in place.
Using the same method, she quickly sealed off the other three locations as well. Thus, the repeating crossbow was completely rendered useless.
The lock on the door was even simpler for Tang Yu. She carefully inserted a silver needle into the keyhole, gently flicked it, and the bolt clicked softly, opening the door.
Pushing open the door, she found the attic filled with rare treasures, their cold light shimmering, but she paid them no heed, only quickly searching through them.
The room was cluttered with things, and after a while, she finally found a strangely shaped, withered brown bud-like plant lying quietly in a brocade box, wrapped in silk cloth. The leaves, resembling scales, were arranged like roof tiles, and it was the Cistanche deserticola she had been searching for.
Tang Yu's eyes lit up with joy, and she was about to put it into her bosom when she suddenly heard a faint sound outside the pavilion, almost inaudible, but definitely not the sound of the wind.
Her heart tightened, and she swiftly disappeared into the shadows behind the shelf, holding her breath until there was no more sound in her ears before quietly peeking out.
Could it be... that I misheard?
Tang Yu frowned, stuffed the medicinal herbs into her bosom. Although she felt uneasy, she knew that getting back quickly was the safest course of action.
She walked very lightly, but the moment she stepped out of the pavilion, she immediately realized something was wrong.
In the darkness, a dark figure flew towards her with incredible speed, striking like lightning.
The man's moves were fierce, and she barely dodged them, a wisp of cold wind catching the hem of her clothes.
She carried no weapons, only concealed weapons. With a flick of her sleeves, more than a dozen cold lights shot towards the dark figure like meteors.
The newcomer was extremely skilled in martial arts; with a single leap, he deflected all the hidden weapons in just a few moves.
Under the moonlight, Tang Yu finally saw that cold and stern face clearly; it was Xie Xingzheng.
Wasn't he held back by the human trafficking case?!
Hidden behind the black cloth, Tang Yu's face was contorted in pain.
She felt incredibly unlucky. What was even more infuriating was that Xie Xingzheng wasn't holding a sword, but an ordinary tree branch.
Even so, she had no confidence in escaping from his grasp. Not to mention, if she alerted the members of the escort agency, escape would be impossible, even if they had wings.
[Author's Note]
Tang Yu: You're using a tree branch? Are you looking down on me?!
Xie Xingzheng: It's really not...
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