Chapter 2, The Beggar Boy

"Oh, there is Father," Xue Mu You discovered her father standing by a simple tea stall. She furrowed her brows in astonishment, wondering why her father was tightly gripping a small beggar. Did he steal something from Father?

"You... you..." Yue Tianheng finally caught his breath, trembling as he pointed at Xue Muyao across from him, "Your father is not just a fly, does it really require such a search?!"

Fortunately, the imperial officials and soldiers who rushed over upon hearing the news sealed off the meteorite landing site, and everyone hurried to watch. Yue Tianheng and Xue Muyao finally found the place. Xue Muyao pouted and stood on tiptoe to whisper regretfully in his ear: "Father probably made a wasted trip."

"Useless fellow!" Xue Mu You pouted and glared at him. This person learns things quickly, yet stubbornly refuses to learn martial arts, claiming it to be crude and uninteresting. He is refined, but at times like this, he reveals his cowardice.

"You should have said so earlier!" She stamped her foot, her two short arms crossed over her "water bucket waist." Her already plump little peach-like face became even rounder, and her large black eyes glared angrily, looking quite adorable. Yue Tianheng looked on with a helpless smile; he had never imagined that the most beautiful girl in the border region and the daughter of the master craftsman would be like this. He always thought she resembled the kind of sugar ball he loved to eat as a child, sweet and cute, making one want to pop it into their mouth and crunch it. It was precisely for this reason that he always enjoyed teasing her.

The leader of the officers and soldiers should be a hundred households, commanding his subordinates with a proud chest and a rounded belly to excavate the two-foot square, charred earth pit.

"Don't waste time, can you jump up that tree?" Yue Tianheng, still panting, turned around and pointed to the locust tree on the small slope in the distance

Yue Tianheng wore a mocking smile, for whenever a meteorite fell to the ground, both the court and the common people would regard it as an ominous sign. The emperor, who had caused the calamity, would have to issue an edict of self-blame. Now that a stone tablet inscribed with the character for 'blessing' has been unearthed, no matter how many doubts arise, the court will not investigate further. They are more than happy to take advantage of the situation, singing praises of peace and prosperity, and may even embellish the records in the historical texts, serving as a testament to the current emperor's virtuous rule.

Of course, I am happy. Has the stone been found?" Yue Tianheng couldn't help but laugh out loud

You should also give me a chance to speak! Hurry up! I estimate that a fight has already broken out over there.

What is father doing? Xue Mu You has been covering her nose, her voice muffled

The beggar boy snorted, trying to shake off Xue Yunmu's hand but failed, as his face was dark, making the whites of his eyes particularly striking. He rolled his eyes, and his voice, which was changing, sounded rough and hoarse like a duck's quack, "I don't know what you are talking about!"

Try to climb higher and see where the people rushing over are heading to

I saw it! They... three, four, five, oh dear, so many people! They all went to the riverside. She grabbed a branch and looked into the distance, exclaiming in astonishment. Jiang'an is a small place, with no tall buildings; from the tall trees outside the city, the view is broad and clear.

The onlookers were filled with skepticism, while the hundred households and soldiers were overjoyed and ecstatic, shouting: "Heaven has bestowed auspicious signs, long live the Emperor." Without a second thought, they all rushed back to report their achievements and claim their rewards. The common people were abuzz with discussion, and some even followed the officials and soldiers to join in the excitement, causing the crowd to suddenly dwindle by more than half

"Your father is the fly!" This person is very annoying as soon as he opens his mouth, Xue Mu You clenched her fist

"What are you so happy about?" Xue Mu You also noticed his smile was not sincere and glanced at him suspiciously

The small village, not densely populated, is situated by the banks of the Yangtze River, with numerous shipping docks, making it even more bustling and chaotic than the city of Jiang'an. The news of the meteor has already spread wildly among the passing boatmen, laborers, merchants, and travelers, and Xue Muyao and Yue Tianheng have been listening to their increasingly outrageous accounts, which are filled with ramblings yet fail to specify the exact location.

The young man winced in pain, yet his expression became even more defiant, "If you have the ability, kill me! Threatening me? I won't fall for that! If you want stones, go find them yourself. If you find them, I'll give you ten taels of gold!"

Xue Mu You suddenly realized and smiled with surprise, but her expression quickly shifted to a resentful glare. She had a sweet and lovely appearance, and her smile was like the spring breeze of February, truly reflecting a childlike innocence, yet in an instant, it transformed into the rainy gloom of April

Oh? Xue Yunmu clearly did not take this little brat seriously, and was somewhat irritated by his stubbornness. He raised his hand to press on the boy's mute acupoint, rendering his resistance and struggles powerless and amusing. In just a few moments, he was dragged to a less populated area.

Xue Yunmu sneered coldly, exerting more force with his hand, "The things you picked, give them to me"

Xue Mu You carefully estimated the height of the tree and felt confident.

Yue Tianheng remained quite optimistic, shaking his head with a smile, "Not necessarily, not necessarily."

Xue Mu You looked confused and turned to Yue Tian Heng, asking softly, "Shouldn't it be a stone?"

As she ran over, she suddenly covered her nose and took a step back; the little beggar smelled terrible

Let us hurry as well. Yue Tianheng smiled wryly and shook his head, unable to help but affectionately remind her: Be careful when coming down from the tree

"Haven't you figured it out yet? This little beggar must have hidden the stone." Yue Tianheng said with a smile, "Let's go take a look." This little street urchin is quite interesting, not even wanting gold, feels like a tough nut to crack. Xue Tiangong is eager to outsmart the little beggar, just thinking about it feels thrilling

This must be asked of my esteemed master. Yue Tianheng chuckled, indeed a master, to think of such a malicious method; the officials are all busy flattering and reporting achievements, who would still bother to investigate the whereabouts of the meteorite

With a pale complexion, Yue Tianheng finally shook off her hand under the strong will to survive, bent over, supported his knees, and gasped for breath, choking so much that tears streamed down his face

Yue Tianheng rubbed his temples and sighed, as the Bamboo Sea, renowned for its graceful lightness skill, had unexpectedly produced such an excellent disciple. No wonder the Grand Master Zhu Liancheng, in his later years, sought to recruit a closed-door disciple; it was likely an attempt to salvage the self-esteem and confidence shattered by Miss Xue Muyou.

Suddenly, the soldiers erupted in cheers and shouts, pulling out a small, dark stone slab from the pit, about the size of a palm. The hundred households, overjoyed, wiped the soot off the slab with their hands, revealing characters that resembled hasty seal script—"Fortune"

Oh. This time, she obediently flew down to the tree, gracefully leaping onto the lowest branch, and then, like a little chubby monkey, she clumsily climbed higher.

The town of Jiang'an is faintly visible in the淡青色 morning light, with wisps of smoke rising from the homes of early risers, seamlessly blending with the lingering morning mist. From a distance, it evokes a sense of tranquility and peace in one's heart

Xue Mu You was anxiously running back and forth on the meadow outside the city, pulling Yue Tian Heng along. She was the source of the noise that harmonized with the tranquil morning and the distant barking of dogs. Every time she changed direction, she would look at the breathless Yue Tian Heng with a face full of questions: "Where is my father?"

Xue Yunmu grasped his arm, seemingly indifferent, "Ten taels of gold." He glared at the disheveled, filthy beggar boy.