Chapter 30: The Wandering Ranger
Tianshui's official roads were well-developed, with resting pavilions every twenty miles and post stations every sixty. Elm trees lined the road, giving it a subtle, if somewhat bleak, feel despite the approach of winter. Beneath, layers of compacted brick and loess, the road stretched on until it was cut off by a towering masonry wall. A central gate stood open, its brass nails, the size of a child's fist, gleaming with a majestic presence. Two flagpoles pierced the wall, their silver-gray flags fluttering in the wind.
Yanling, an important town where powerful people are stationed, should have such a grandeur.
Wen Yao, holding the reins, gazed at the circle of soldiers gathered a few dozen meters ahead. A carved carriage, followed by the majestic Feathered Guards, slowly approached the city gate. The Yanling County Magistrate and a group of officials and family elders beside him bowed in greeting, respectfully welcoming the Prince of Yan, who had arrived to investigate.
The person who pushed open the car window and looked out had a hastily painted human skin mask on his face. Due to time constraints, it could not be made perfect, and his appearance was only about 70% similar to Zhao Xuanxu who was riding a horse beside her.
But this was enough. Aside from the retired officials from the aristocratic families, no one present had ever seen Zhao Xuanxu. The reputations of Gao Shaoshan's Feathered Guards and Prince Yuanyang's brutal henchmen, who were eyeing him covetously, intimidated these people, and they had no doubt about the authenticity of the man before them.
Gao Shaoshan was wearing armor and holding a broadsword on his waist. He secretly looked at the face that was very similar to Zhao Xuanxu. He felt uncomfortable and something was wrong with his whole body.
No matter how similar the human skin mask is, it doesn't have the right aura. It's not scary at all, and it doesn't look like its master.
He didn't look behind the Feather Guards, and his expression became more serious.
To everyone, Prince Yan looked uninterested. He said nothing, only glancing outside the carriage before quickly closing the window. As the carriage entered the city, Gao Shaoshan waved, and the feathered guards of the God of Death followed in a line.
According to normal procedures, the Prince of Yan was to go to the welcoming banquet at the county magistrate's mansion, and the people of Yanling hurriedly followed. After these nobles entered the city, the people who had been stopped at the city gate to watch the excitement were finally allowed to pass.
Wen Yao touched the human skin mask on her face. The Xingyi Sword was still tied behind her with a cloth. She and Zhao Xuanxu rode forward, handed over a fake pass, and successfully entered the city.
Yanling has been a place of prosperity and splendor since ancient times, its markets overflowing with pearls and silks, its bustling scene no less vibrant than that of Bianliang. As soon as Wen Yao entered, he pulled two copper coins from his waist, exchanged them for two strings of candy from a vendor, and handed one to Zhao Xuanxu.
"I didn't expect that," she said, chewing the candy string with emotion. "I'm really indebted to you for having this experience, the legendary incognito visit."
"I owe it to Ayao." Zhao Xuanxu said modestly, "Without Ayao, I wouldn't have come to Yanling."
Wen Yao raised an eyebrow: "What about Princess Yong's family?"
"Nothing to do." Zhao Xuanxu: "I can't die if I can."
...So awesome, so awesome.
Wen Yao looked at His Royal Highness Prince Yan in silence, and then his attention was drawn to the sounds coming from the wine shed nearby.
The air was thick with the smell of alcohol, and most of the people who had come to watch the fun had dispersed into the wine tent.
Someone exclaimed in surprise, "Was that the Prince of Yan just now? Isn't the Prince of Yan the emperor's son, the highest-ranking official in Bianliang? Why would he come to Yanling?"
The man next to him had downed two ounces of wine, his head clouded by the alcohol. Hearing this, he reached out and shoved him, lowering his voice and saying mysteriously, "It's not Yushan Villa... Something happened at Yushan Villa. The officials up there are panicking, and since they can't handle it, they've reported it to Bianliang City."
Yushan Villa seemed to be very famous. As soon as the four words "Pu" were uttered, everyone nearby came forward to listen to what he said.
"You've heard of the excerpt about the case of the King of Hell's blue thumbprint?" The man, who was attracting much attention, looked a bit smug. "The Xu family of Yushan Villa are true royal relatives! But what can they do? Nearly ten people died in a row, and each had a blue thumbprint on their forehead—that was caused by the King of Hell!"
"Hey!" Nothing is more captivating than the bloody mystery of a great figure. The bar was bustling with activity, with people talking and chatting at the same time, the atmosphere was filled with excitement.
Wen Yao listened attentively for a moment and thought, as expected. Although the case was still hidden in Bianliang, it could no longer be suppressed in Yanling.
Zhao Xuanxu was very polite, concentrating on biting the candy string. When he was done, he took out a handkerchief, handed it to Wen Yao and gently touched the back of her hand.
Wen Yao didn't care much about this. He took it and wiped his fingers roughly twice, then grabbed the reins and pulled the horse away.
Because they would be staying in Yanling for a while, Wen Yao didn't stay at an inn for convenience. The two of them searched around for a while and finally rented a courtyard in an alley near the county government office.
Gao Shaoshan and the Lingyu Guards followed the "Prince of Yan" to live in the county magistrate's mansion. Wen Yao and Zhao Xuanxu had to buy the missing bedding, bowls and chopsticks in the yard themselves.
Wen Yao was quite cautious. He bought pen and ink and wrote down a long list of things he wanted to buy on a piece of paper before going out with Zhao Xuanxu.
Zhao Xuanxu was clearly very interested in shopping, and he looked relaxed, carrying the rough bamboo basket he had bought from the street corner in one hand. Wen Yao was staring at the list, and just as he was worrying about how to carry so many things back, someone tugged at his sleeve.
"Ah Yao." Zhao Xuanxu tugged at Wen Yao's sleeve, then pointed at the stall opposite: "Look, what is that?"
"Ah, what?" Wen Yao raised her eyes from the list and followed the direction of Zhao Xuanxu's finger. A small stall, atop a wooden pole, held a row of intricately carved bamboo combs bound with vibrant red ribbons. The reddish bamboo ribs were carved into delicate patterns, winding all the way down the back of the teeth.
Wen Yao suddenly realized: "Comb, yes, Yanling's combs are well made and very famous."
Zhao Xuanxu had already strode forward and bent down in front of the stall to take a closer look at the comb.
"It looks good." Prince Yan, who had seen countless luxurious treasures, praised it happily. Then he turned around and sincerely asked Wen Yao for his opinion: "Ayao, it looks good. Let's buy one."
Wen Yao had no choice but to follow him.
The stall owner was an elderly woman with a kind smile, her gray hair neatly tied in a bun, and she was embroidering silk flowers. She looked up at the noise and saw a handsome man pause in front of her stall, followed by a woman. They were huddled together, each carrying some items in their hands and a backpack hanging behind them. They were obviously a newlywed couple out shopping for household items.
Hearing Zhao Xuanxu's words, she laughed cheerfully: "The combs are good, they are all made of good bamboo. Madam, pick one and comb your hair all the way to the end. Then you and your husband will grow old together in this life."
Wen Yao was stunned and wanted to explain.
Without waiting for her to speak, Zhao Xuanxu took down a reddish comb and held it tightly in his hand. He turned his head to look at her, his beautiful eyes deeply curved, and whispered, "Ayao, I like it very much. Buy me one."
You like size, but you don't seem to be interested in so many white jade and ivory combs in Prince Yan's Mansion.
"My wife manages the money at home." The old woman smiled, her tone even more kind and tolerant, and said, "I've been married to my old man for over fifty years, and it's always been me who manages the money. I can't ignore it, he loves to drink, and his legs and feet hurt when he's old, and I won't listen to him even if I tell him to!"
"I won't. I'll listen to you." Zhao Xuanxu immediately said. He opened his hand and waved it in front of Wen Yao, lowered his eyebrows and said in a pleasant way: "Ayao, buy it, it has a good meaning."
...What's good about it?
Wen Yao looked at the comb, swallowed the words in his mouth under the loving gaze of the old woman, and took out his purse to pay.
Zhao Xuanxu was content and cheerful. The more he looked at the comb in his hand, the more he liked it. He was reluctant to put it into the backpack and held it tightly in his hand.
Across the street was a silk shop. It was still early, and the shop wasn't crowded, so the shop assistants were sitting on the doorstep, idle. He had seen everything Wen Yao and Zhao Xuanxu were doing at the comb stall. Seeing the young couple approaching his shop, his eyes lit up and he stood up to greet them. "Madam, would you like to see the wedding quilt? It's newly embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water. It's made of fine material!"
Wen Yao gritted his teeth and grabbed Zhao Xuanxu's wrist to stop him from excitedly walking into the store.
Zhao Xuanxu let her hold him, stopped obediently, and looked at Wen Yao: "Ayao doesn't like Yuanyang?"
"I'll pick it." Wen Yao took off the backpack from her back and slapped it against Zhao Xuanxu's chest. She used a bit of force, and Zhao Xuanxu took a step back. She touched her face and said calmly, "Don't say anything."
Although Zhao Xuanxu showed great love and praise for the mandarin ducks cuddling together on the bright red quilt, under Wen Yao's arbitrary decision, the two of them finally bought two ordinary quilts.
Wen Yao paid the money and told the store owner his address, and the store delivered the quilt to his door that same day.
Zhao Xuanxu stood in the yard holding a quilt in one hand. Wen Yao set up the drying pole in the open space and took the corner of the quilt in his hand.
"Squeak." The soil of the fence at the gate of the yard was pushed, making a little sound.
Wen Yao shook off the quilt and looked back, only to see a well-dressed young man waving at him from outside.
I haven't seen him before. Who is this person?
The man bared his large white teeth and said with a smile, "Where are you two from? I live next door, and I saw someone living here, so I came over to bring you some food!"
Wen Yao hung the quilt on the pole and walked over to open the door. The young man handed over a large bundle of green leafy vegetables. They were lush and heavy, showing their weight.
"They're all grown by me, so they're not worth much. Don't refuse them." The young man was a very friendly person, with a baby face and a youthful appearance. His eyes were bright and black, and he looked very energetic. "Just call me Xiaodao. I'm a bodyguard in the city. I've lived here for over a year. What are your names?"
Wen Yao thanked him, cleared his throat, and prepared to reveal his fake identity: "I——"
"Brother Xiaodao, have you reached adulthood?" Zhao Xuanxu walked forward slowly from behind and interrupted Wen Yao.
Xiaodao looked at Zhao Xuanxu and shook his head: "He's still one year away."
"Oh, my last name is Zhao. I'm a few years older than you." Zhao Xuanxu smiled. His human skin mask made him look handsome, and with this smile he looked even more like a gentle scholar.
Xiao Dao usually hangs out with a group of burly escorts, so he's never seen someone with such grace before. He immediately felt a little shy and scratched his head, saying, "So it's Brother Zhao... Brother Zhao and Sister-in-law, have you just arrived in Yanling? What business are you planning to do next? I've been a bit talkative, but if there's anything you can do with me, Brother Zhao and Sister-in-law, just ask."
He also naturally thought that the people entering the yard were a couple.
Wen Yao simply shut up and stood aside with the dishes in his hand, raising an eyebrow at Zhao Xuanxu, who usually had no good face towards King Yong and King Qin, and happily accepted such a brother.
Zhao Xuanxu became more and more excited as he spoke cheerfully, "To be honest, my wife and I are originally from the Northwest martial arts world. The martial arts world is treacherous and full of twists and turns. My wife and I came south to Yanling because we want to settle down here. We haven't decided what to do yet, so we'll just rest for a while before we decide."
"No wonder!" Xiaodao understood and stood in awe. "Don't be afraid of being laughed at by Brother Zhao. I also know some martial arts. When Brother Zhao and his wife came over just now, I felt that they were quite skilled in martial arts. I didn't expect them to be veterans in the martial arts world!"
"We are all from the same world, so please don't be polite, Brother Zhao and Sister-in-law!" He patted his chest, and his expression and words became more enthusiastic.
After sending Xiaodao away, who had suddenly appeared, Zhao Xuanxu naturally took the dish from Wen Yao's hand and turned to walk towards the kitchen: "He delivered this dish just in time. I just bought a chicken. I can make chicken soup and porridge tonight, ok?"
Chicken soup doesn't sound simple.
Wen Yao had a blank expression on his face: "Can you do it?"
Of course Zhao Xuanxu could do it, and he did it quite well.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan was leisurely, his wide, flowing sleeves tied with strips of cloth around his forearms, revealing a strong, smooth wrist. His long hair was tied loosely behind him, and he bent down to taste the fragrant soup in the pot.
At first glance, she looks really beautiful and intelligent——
Wen Yao suddenly closed his eyes and came back to his senses from his wild thoughts.
Zhao Xuanxu placed the bowl on the stone table in the courtyard and called Wen Yao, who was leaning against the kitchen door with a quizzical look on her face, to eat. He had made chicken soup, which he then used to make porridge. The porridge was smooth and refreshing with leafy vegetables, and the chicken soup was rich and delicious. Wen Yao drank most of the bowl in a few gulps, and the more he ate, the more familiar the taste became.
A light bulb went off in her head, and she asked in surprise, "Did you also make the pot of porridge that Shaoshan fanned me with when I went to see Yan Cang?"
"Yeah." Zhao Xuanxu added more porridge to Wen Yao: "Ayao, do you like it?"
Wen Yao licked her lips subconsciously: "It tastes good."
How come they all have such a talent for cooking? Jiang Qiaosheng roasted chicken in a kiln, Zhao Xuanxu stewed chicken soup and cooked porridge... Wen Yao thought about it and suddenly felt happy. She thought, why don't these two just quit their jobs and open a shop together? She could sit behind the counter and count the money.
As the sky gradually darkened, Wen Yao walked to the canal outside the yard, drew a bucket of water, and carried it back to the yard, pouring it into the wooden barrel with a "splash". Zhao Xuanxu squatted on the ground washing dishes and was caught off guard by the cold water droplets splashing all over his face.
Wen Yao had a hundred ways to prevent him from getting splashed with water, and she did it on purpose.
Zhao Xuanxu wasn't angry at all; he knew Wen Yao was still a little upset about what happened during the day. He looked up at her, his thick black lashes dappled with a few glistening drops of water, his damp cheeks forming a dimple, and he looked incredibly happy.
Ever since leaving Bianliang City, Wen Yao had noticed that this man was in a much better mood, the pale and gloomy look in his eyes gone. He was just like a child, happy just to be out and about.
Wen Yao smiled inexplicably as he watched. He put down the wooden barrel, squatted down, and took the two bowls from Zhao Xuanxu's hands and washed them clean. "There's a tile market tonight. I'll take you out later to see if you can hear the 'Yan Wang's Green Seal Case'."
There is no smoke without fire. She took to heart what was said in the wine shed in the city today.
Zhao Xuanxu nodded, picked up his wet sleeves and changed his clothes, and then the two of them went out.
The tile market in Yanling is located in the east. It is a very large place with tents and booths set up and vendors gathered. The loud sound of drums and gongs can be heard from far away.
Wen Yao took a quick look and estimated that this place could seat at least a few hundred people.
Another gong sounded, and the female lead on stage, pinching her fingers, began to sing "Sea of Hate and Love" in a voice as tender as autumn water. The opera troupe's actor, a tall and imposing figure, carried a cloth bag in his hand and a flower pinned comically on his chest. He walked among the tables and chairs, bowing and begging for money.
Wen Yao stood in a corner, waiting for someone to come over before reaching out and pinching the man's neck. He felt a wave of strength drain from his body, a numbness spreading from his spine. The tall man, limp and groggy, was carried into the dark corner.
He was terrified and covered his chest with the cloth pocket and opened his mouth to call for help.
"Don't shout." Wen Yao took out a silver ingot and waved it in front of him: "I'm not going to rob you of your money, I'm just asking you questions."
The man's eyes followed the glittering silver and he immediately swallowed his words: "Okay, okay, go ahead."
"I see the performance on stage today is about saving the wind and dust, but why isn't there the play 'The Case of the King of Hell's Green Seal'?"
Hearing the words "Yanwangchu", Kanzi, who had been quiet, thought to himself that something was wrong and pushed forward suddenly, trying to struggle again. However, the woman in front of him looked thin, but her hands were strangely strong. He felt like a huge rock was pressing down on his shoulders, unable to move.
"No, no, no, lady, please don't do anything." Kanzi was sweating profusely and stammered, "It's just that there really isn't any 'Yanwangtou' in our place..."
Wen Yao smiled again and took out the second silver coin: "Really? Everyone is saying that this excerpt is wonderful, why is it gone when I want to listen to it?"
"You're late." The silver and the increasing strength on his body finally made Kanzi speak: "It's the officials who forbade us to sing. There's no such play at Lotus Tile anymore."
"Then take me to the place you want to go." Wen Yao paused and shook his finger to stop the man from saying, "Don't say you don't know. People who make kanzi know the place well. I'm not an official. If you take me there, the money will be yours. If you don't take me there, I'll go find your Liu Laohe and say you only take money but don't do anything."
After Wen Yao finished saying these seemingly threatening words, the man in front of him suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, stopped struggling, and quickly reached out to take the money from Wen Yao's hand and held it against his chest.
He said with lingering fear, "So you're from the same trade? I was really shocked. Please don't be offended. Recently, something important happened to someone important, and the situation is very tense. The boss specifically instructed that strangers cannot be brought in to listen to this short play, so I declined."
Wen Yao knew in his heart that this was probably the reason, so he let go of his hand and straightened the man's collar: "Okay, okay."
Kanzi reached out and called a servant over, whispering a few words. The servant turned around, bowed, and said to Wen Yao and Zhao Xuanxu, "The road to Neiva is a little dark. Please be careful and follow me."
Zhao Xuanxu followed Wen Yao, and the servant led them around the bustling tent and toward the back. After passing a secret door, the inside suddenly opened up. The lights were bright everywhere, and the tables and chairs were neatly arranged. The stage was no worse than the one outside.
The servant led Wen Yao and Zhao Xuanxu to sit together, then served them tea before leaving.
"Why did he say you're an insider?" Zhao Xuanxu sat to one side, then came over after a while, touching his arm intimately with Wen Yao's. "Ayao, you're very familiar with this place."
"As a gangster, you should be more aware of the tricks of the four major and eight minor sects." Wen Yao shook the cup with hot tea and poured it on the ground.
She glanced at Zhao Xuanxu and saw a hint of curiosity between his eyebrows. Suddenly, she felt that she was like a vagrant knight who kidnapped an innocent girl and took her to a bad place.
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