Chapter 25: After traveling through the counties for several days, Xiao Wangshu felt that Chi Hua was a mystery...
A few miles away from Zhu County, there is a forest with lush vegetation. The sunlight shines through the treetops, casting mottled shadows.
The group took a short rest here after a long journey. After traveling together for several days, Xiao Wangshu felt that there were many mysteries surrounding Chihua.
Even if this person is an immortal, the Chihua people have been eating and resting like them for the past few days.
But if he is not an immortal, there are many strange things about Chihua.
The first is the miraculous power of divination. Chihua will not speak easily, and everything he says will come true.
The second reason is that the journey is long and if they can't make it in time, they will inevitably have to sleep in the open air, and their clothes will not be very clean. However, Chihua is still as clean as the day they met.
It was really weird, but just as Chihua said, it didn't matter whether he believed it or not, whether Chihua was a human, a demon or an immortal. He could only accept it now.
I hope that Chihua really has no ill will towards him and the people of the counties, and is really a good man who saves the world as the rumors say.
After getting enough rest, the group was ready to go. Before they could get on the carriage, more than 20 people suddenly jumped out from the bushes. Some of them were holding swords, some were holding broadswords, and some were holding not even weapons, but slightly thicker sticks, or knives for cutting vegetables at home. They were wearing coarse linen clothes and masks, and their clothes were not good, but they were muscular and looked quite strong.
Looking at Chi Hua, who had not spoken or reminded them before, Xiao Wangshu had an idea in his mind. Because of the previous instructions, Wu Guang did not take action directly this time, but was waiting for his order.
But before Xiao Wangshu could speak, a burly man from the group stepped forward with a big knife in hand. He seemed to be their leader and shouted:
"Who are you, setting foot on our territory and not leaving money to buy your life?"
"My dear brothers, I am just a scholar. I just came to the counties to look for someone. I have some silver here. Please spare my life."
Taking a step forward, Xiao Wangshu stood in front of the crowd and tried to negotiate with the group.
"Stop talking nonsense and pay the money."
Taking out some silver from his sleeve, Xiao Wangshu handed it to the man. The man took the silver, shook it, and said with a smile:
"Go ahead, before I leave, I want to ask you about someone. There's a guy named Xiao, what's his name? Xiao Wangshu. Do you know him?"
Frowning, Xiao Wangshu couldn't understand why so many people knew his name before he even arrived in Zhu County. However, he definitely couldn't admit it now, so he laughed and said tentatively:
"I wonder what you, brothers, want to see him for?"
"He's not a good guy. I'm looking for him to seek revenge."
This time it was not the leader who spoke, but a young man beside him. Judging from his stature, he did not look very old. The young man spoke quickly and was kicked by the strong man who hit him before he could finish his words.
"Don't ask too many questions. The more you know, the faster you'll die. Just give me the money and get out."
With a wave of his hand, the strong man said impatiently.
"Thank you, brothers."
Xiao Wangshu raised his eyebrows, thinking of his own things. He bowed to everyone and retreated to the carriage. Nian Yue had hidden behind Wu Guang early in the morning, and Chi Hua, who had put on a hood at some point, stood beside her.
Xiao Wangshu lowered his voice and said to the three people beside the carriage:
"Xiaoyue, get in the car first,"
Then he looked at Chi Hua who was beside Nian Yue.
"gentlemen?"
After a nod of approval, Nian Yue quickly got on the carriage, followed closely by Chi Hua.
He bowed to the group of people again, and then he and Wu Guangxian walked a few meters and got on the car one after another. With the sound of the car, they were getting farther and farther away from the group.
As for the group that stayed in place, the man who was suspected to be the leader threw the silver in his hand to the young man behind him and stared at the carriage road where Xiao Wangshu and his group were gradually moving away:
"You guys go back to find Brother Tao first. I'm going into the city."
The young man nodded and left with the rest of the people.
The atmosphere in the carriage was not cheerful either. Only Nian Yue, looking like she had survived a disaster, patted her chest and said:
"I was scared to death. Those bandits looked so vicious. I thought we were going to fight! But they are so strange. Are they really so disciplined? They will let people go after they get the silver? And..."
She glanced at Xiao Wangshu secretly.
"Why are you still looking for the young master?"
"Yeah, how could a bandit do such a hasty thing? They didn't even bother to get a portrait of the person they hired."
The person who took over Nian Yue's conversation was beyond their expectations. It was Chi Hua, who had been taciturn and acted like a master in the past few days.
Chi Hua seemed to realize it as well. He coughed and said in a desperate tone:
"I only lasted half a month this time. It's too difficult to stop me from talking."
As soon as he shrugged, his nonchalant and dandy air lost some of its sage-like aura, and he became more popular, making people feel a lot closer to him.
"Mr. Chihua is truly intriguing."
Xiao Wangshu smiled and continued.
"Hey, don't be curious about me. The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. Curiosity is useless."
Perhaps because he had already revealed some things, Chihua was too lazy to pretend. Unlike the serious behavior he had performed in the past two days, he crossed his legs and casually threw the dustpan he always held in his hand to his side, waving his hand while talking.
The most surprised person was Nian Yue. She watched Chi Hua's series of actions with her mouth open for a long time.
"Little girl, if you keep staring at me, I'll misunderstand."
Although he said that, there was only good-natured teasing in Chihua's tone, which did not make people feel offended.
"Oh."
So the only response he got was Nian Yue's cold snort. Chi Hua had a pretty good temper and didn't care. Instead, he turned around and said to Xiao Wangshu:
"What do you think of this group of people?"
He shook his head first, then Xiao Wangshu pondered for a moment and said:
"Except for the few in the lead, the rest don't look like bandits. They seem like they were temporarily captured from that village. They don't want to conflict with us. They just want to intimidate us, and they might even let us go if we pay them. But I don't understand why they're looking for me."
Suddenly thinking of something, Xiao Wangshu looked up at Chi Hua and continued,
"Come to think of it, the first time you met me, you addressed me by my first name."
"Oh, you found out. To be honest, this wasn't my divination. The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. Even divination can't calculate your name so accurately. We only have a partial understanding."
Sitting up straighter, Chihua regained his usual serious demeanor. Nianyue, who was standing beside him, also interjected with curiosity:
"Mr. Chihua's divination is quite accurate, but how did you know that the young master is a young master?"
"Of course it's because of you."
Because of this, Nian Yue was stunned for a moment, and Chi Hua laughed and said:
"Zhu County is a remote and poor place. Even traveling merchants only come a few times a year. Every household in the city is an acquaintance. As long as we guard this important road, we will be able to wait for the county magistrate who is about to take office in Zhu County."
Hearing this, Nian Yue's cheeks puffed up with anger, and she turned her head away and ignored him. Xiao Wangshu took out some snacks from the secret compartment of the car and gave them to the little girl to cheer her up, then said to Chi Hua:
"I see. It seems the people in this city have a bad impression of me."
"Why do you say that, sir?"
With a smile on his face, Xiao Wangshu inexplicably sensed a double kindness from this smile. Suppressing this strange feeling, Xiao Wangshu said:
"The group from before had dark skin. Although their hands were calloused, they weren't martial artists. Their eyes, though cloudy, weren't fierce. They didn't look like people who lived on the edge of a knife. Furthermore, their robbery didn't seem very professional. And if they're looking for revenge, they'd definitely know their enemy's family and ask around."
Looking up at Chi Hua's expression again, Xiao Wangshu continued to explain:
"Besides, I heard some rumors about you before I came here. If I wasn't so 'bad', why would you have to guard me on the official road? But..."
Xiao Wangshu smiled bitterly.
"I don't know who hates me so much."
"That's right. As for who hates you so much, you'll find out once you enter the city."
At some point, Chihua picked up his dust again, waved it away, and said with an unfathomable look on his face.
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
