Chapter 546: An Encounter with a Fat Fish (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.
Just as Qin Li had guessed, the young lady of the Zhao family was not only well-versed in military strategy from a young age, but also applied it flexibly in various aspects of life, such as running away from home. She knew that her father had an unclear relationship with the River Governor and had close ties with both the previous and current River Governors. If she went to the River Governor, it would be tantamount to walking into a trap, and she would be caught and brought back home in a few days.
So she spread false information to mislead the public.
She deliberately mentioned He Yin to the person in charge of the carriage and horse shop, and even mentioned it two or three more times to make sure the other person remembered it.
Under the protection of two hired guards, they left Tianhai headquarters overnight. On the way to Shangnan, they settled their wages with the two guards. At first, the two guards refused, saying that according to the rules of the trade, they could only leave after safely escorting the person to their destination.
If you are dismissed midway, you will not receive the full payment.
The young lady from the Zhao family laughed and said, "I won't deduct your money. In fact, I'll give you an extra 20% commission. Use that 20% commission to travel around the area for seven or eight days before returning to Tianhai. Once you're back, just tell them to escort me to my destination."
Upon hearing this good news, the two men wavered.
but--
Out of professional ethics and conscience, they hesitated before reminding the young man, "It's chaotic outside, and bandits are rampant. If you travel alone, you might encounter thugs... It's clear that you're also a trained fighter; after all, even the strongest can't fight off many opponents."
The young lady of the Zhao family was dressed as a young man. To emphasize her masculine features, she deliberately darkened her face and neck, thickened her eyebrows, and outlined the peaks and angles of her brows to minimize her feminine characteristics. Since she was not very old, she could still fool him.
"Well, you two can rest assured. I plan to join a merchant caravan on the road. With each other's help, there should be no problem."
Seeing that the young lady of the Zhao family had a plan, the guards decided not to try to persuade her any further. After weighing the commission they were to receive, they left satisfied.
After the two left, the young lady of the Zhao family indeed sat for quite a while at the teahouse by the official road, quenching her thirst while observing the passing merchants. Although the world was chaotic, people still needed to eat. How could merchants earn a living if they didn't engage in commerce?
To ensure safety and reduce the risks of traveling as merchants, several merchants from the same hometown would often travel together and share the cost of hiring guards.
The young lady of the Zhao family observed them not only to ascertain their destination, but also the size and strength of the caravan, and even the temperament of the merchants' guards. After searching for a long time, and having had her tea refilled three times, she finally locked onto her target and stepped forward to volunteer as a guard.
I don't care about money, I just want to travel together and have a companion.
The merchants sitting around hesitated, seeing that she was short and had a youthful face. Who knew if she was telling the truth? Was she genuinely interested in forming a partnership, or was she a spy sent by bandits? So they made things difficult and politely declined, saying, "If you can exchange a few blows with him, then you can agree."
The young lady from the Zhao family, holding her gun, said, "No problem!"
Although the merchant was clueless, he couldn't help but admire her marksmanship and graceful movements. In almost a single exchange, she had the tip of her spear right in front of the accompanying guard's face, stopping it steadily less than a finger's width away. The guard was so astonished that his hair stood on end.
Seeing this, the merchant could no longer refuse.
He nodded in agreement to let her join the team.
The young lady of the Zhao family was assigned to the end of the caravan. An old farmhand in the caravan saw that she was short and carried a long spear, and that she was also very pretty. He took a moment to feel sorry for her and waved for her to sit on the cart so that she would walk less: "Young man, come on up."
Thank you!
The young lady of the Zhao family jumped happily into the carriage.
Only then did they realize that someone was already sitting on the cart loaded with goods. The person was dressed as a scholar, with bright red clothes, long black hair tied up, and a fresh red flower pinned to the side of his hair ornament. He sat casually with his legs stretched out, taking up most of the empty space.
Looking at its appearance again...
How should I put it?
Each of his eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and lips was individually beautiful, but when combined on his fair, snow-white face, there was an inexplicable oddity. The young man pursed his lips, his brows slightly furrowed, and he was deep in thought, head bowed in the most relaxed posture.
The young lady from the Zhao family subconsciously looked at the man's waist again and sure enough, she found a bright red monogram there.
This young man is a scholar with a refined mind.
Her signature seal was still adorned with a peony pattern in full bloom. She knew her own limitations; bullying a few ordinary people was no problem, but when it came to scholars or warriors, she would avoid them if possible, steer clear if she could, and avoid offending them if she could…
Her father couldn't just magically solve her predicament.
The young lady of the Zhao family remained silent, curled up her arms and legs, and sat down in the limited space, being careful to avoid the young man's feet.
Caravan trade is tedious.
Occasionally, someone would laugh, which only slightly eased the atmosphere. Once they entered sparsely populated sections of the road, the entire team had to be on high alert to prevent bandits from suddenly jumping out to kill and rob them. The journey was bumpy, and even Zhao's young lady felt uncomfortable after maintaining one position for a long time.
Just as she was hesitating whether to talk to the young scholar and ask him to give her some space, the other woman suddenly looked up and gazed into the distance.
Upon seeing this, Zhao's young lady instinctively grabbed the gun, her heart pounding – could it be that something was amiss?
Who knew—
The young man simply turned his head away with a nonchalant expression.
Are you nervous?
A little.
Young scholar: "So nervous, yet you still venture out to make your way in the world?"
Zhao's young lady swallowed hard.
Everyone has a first time! Is someone coming over?
The young scholar relaxed his back, leaned back, drooped his eyelids, and said nonchalantly, "Just a few petty thieves."
Literary figures have the confidence to say this.
But the young lady of the Zhao family is an ordinary person.
She jumped up from the cart and ran towards the head of the caravan, shouting, "Bandits ahead! Everyone, be on alert!"
The caravan suddenly stopped. Regardless of whether it was real or not, the leader shouted "Be on guard!" and the guards drew their swords. Realizing their operation had been discovered, heads popped out from their hiding places. About thirty men, wielding blood-stained broadswords, blocked the caravan's path.
Leave your belongings, and I'll spare your lives.
Merchants aren't easily intimidated. Do you think a few shouts from a few men will make you abandon goods that are crucial to your family's livelihood?
dream!
Unexpectedly, these bandits came from all walks of life.
Open robbery and covert ambush.
The estimated size is over fifty people.
A fierce battle seemed imminent, but the bandits hadn't anticipated that the caravan included a scholar with considerable skill. His arrows, seemingly hidden from view, were all blocked by his spiritual energy. After a brief skirmish, the bandits fled in disarray, leaving behind a dozen or so corpses.
The leading merchant was moved to tears of gratitude by the young man, who said nothing but tossed a golden cake into the man's arms.
"then."
The merchant, unaware of what was happening, reached for the object.
This object still has body heat, and it looks very familiar!
He raised his hand and touched his neck; it was empty.
"Sir, this, this is..."
The young scholar said calmly, "Yours."
"My... mine? It really does look like mine..."
The merchants were completely baffled.
Before he went on his business journey, he accidentally acquired a gold ingot of excellent quality. He then had a craftsman hammer it into a small gold cake and wore it around his neck, hoping for abundant wealth. When did it leave him and end up in the hands of the young scholar?
He dared not speak, nor did he dare ask.
Sometimes it's better to be a little oblivious; why get to the bottom of things and annoy the other person, only to end up not benefiting yourself...
He turned and called to the rest of the caravan to clean up the battlefield.
The young lady from the Zhao family was carefully washing her long spear, which was stained with blood, by the stream, where the young man happened to be sitting nearby.
She looked up and then down, then down and then up again.
He seemed to want to speak but then stopped, and then wanted to speak again.
The young man felt uncomfortable under her gaze: "Just ask if you want to."
The young lady from the Zhao family asked curiously, "I saw that thing hanging around someone's neck at the teahouse. You didn't get close to the person, so how did it end up in your hands?"
The young scholar did not answer but asked a question in return.
Do you know a saying?
The young lady of the Zhao family didn't understand: "What are you saying?"
Although her father didn't restrict her, the people and things the young lady of the Zhao family encountered were still scarce and uninteresting. Where could they compare to the excitement of this half-day of business? Distance makes the heart grow fonder; her father was a martial artist, so martial arts held no mystery for her. Scholars were different; her understanding of the latter was limited to Uncle Qin, who often visited their home…
Despite being such a refined and cultured person, his father, being tall, strong, and muscular, showed respect and awe towards Uncle Qin.
This curiosity has also shifted to the young people.
Then he said, "A gentleman does not take what others cherish."
The young lady from the Zhao family nodded honestly: "I know."
For the first time, the young scholar's lips curled into a smile, and his once dignified and upright face inexplicably turned treacherous and wicked.
He's more like a bandit than a real bandit.
"I am not a gentleman."
Zhao's young lady: "..."
ヾ(ω`)o
Today is my birthday according to my ID card! I wouldn't have known unless all the apps on my phone reminded me...
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
