Chapter Ten, The Journey to Jing and Xiang is Far
This autumn rain is rather damp and chilly, so the old man hurried to the county town to buy two taels of wine to warm himself up. The old man resolved in his heart.
Before long, the carriage carried the handsome young man into the rain curtain, and the shallow wheel tracks were soon washed away by the rain, leaving no trace behind
Officer Feng removed his bamboo hat and strode in with a knife in hand. A sharp-eyed young officer beside him seized the collar of a drunken old man and coldly shouted, "Where is he?"
Shu Commandery, Fengdu Mountain
Xu Dian's chubby hands wiped the nonexistent cold sweat from his forehead as he argued in a low voice, "Is it reasonable that just because I, Xu, am close to Chief Chen, it implicates me?"
In a tavern in the county town, a flag is hoisted on the tavern's flagpole, and not far away, a horse-drawn carriage is parked
"Sir, it is time for breakfast," the servant called out three times from outside the door, only to find that there was no response from within, leaving him astonished.
By the banks of the Xiaoqing River, a handsome young man in a white robe walks along the river, holding a treasured sword in his right hand and an oiled paper umbrella in his left, his expression resolute
Just as Lu Bei left this place, approximately one hour later, more than ten swift horses galloped past, whipping the reins along the official road, it was precisely the group led by County Constable Feng
Lu Bei has always believed that he is not a pedantic person, and of course, he would not be constrained by the marriage contract from his previous life
"Do adults still pursue?" Shi Hu asked in a low voice
Feng Yi frowned and said, "I ask you, where is the young man who entered the city with you?"
The young man did not waste words, taking out a few pieces of silver from his bosom and handing them to the old man
In this journey to Jing and Xiang, apart from seeking renowned mountains and rivers, and pursuing immortality and the Dao, it is also to bring closure to the marriage contract I hold in my bosom
... ...
The young man before me was dressed in a plain white robe, carrying a long bundle on his back. His expression was calm, and his pair of eyes was exceptionally bright, exuding an indescribable brilliance
The rain gradually intensified, and the droplets on the oiled paper umbrella fell like broken pearls.
A few extravagantly dressed women, crawling not far from a body covered with a white cloth, cried out: "My lord, you have died such a tragic death"
Feng Yi gazed at the patch of grass pressed down against the green wall in the courtyard, then turned back and said, "There is no need to go; this fellow is meticulous in his thoughts. After a rain, no trace will be left."
The old man, upon hearing these words, pulled the reins of the horse, and the cart moved forward for another several dozen zhang before finally coming to a stop
An elderly coroner stepped forward and respectfully said: "In response to the county magistrate, Lord Chen was killed by a villain with a single sword last night during the hour of Zi and Chou. The perpetrator likely entered silently while the servants were sound asleep during the hour of Zi."
On this journey to Jingxiang, my original intention was to take a boat from the Yuyang Tingzhou ferry, navigate upstream along the Han River, drift across the 8,000 miles of Dongting Lake, and then enter the Xiang River.
"The stone tiger, forget it." A trace of fatigue appeared on the resolute square face of County Magistrate Feng.
Walking along the path, at this moment, Fang felt the irritation in his heart gradually dissipate. Lu Bei's gaze was obscure and unclear, and a faint cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he said, "Indeed."
Inside the carriage, Lu Bei suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of annoyance. He raised his hand to lift the curtain and gazed blankly at the misty rain.
Having spoken, she raised the oiled paper umbrella, lifted the curtain of the carriage, and jumped down from the horse-drawn carriage
In the blink of an eye, I noticed a group of patrons in the tavern pointing and gesturing towards this place
A thought crossed my mind, and I softly called out: "Old sir, stop at the intersection ahead."
... ...
"Yes, father-in-law, can we go to Yuyang County?" Although it was a question, the young man's voice was concise and powerful, conveying a sense of insistence that left no room for refusal
Feng Yi heard this murmur and was about to scold.
Lu Bei lightly brushed aside a lock of hair that obscured his eyes, gazing at the hazy rain mist before him, walking at a leisurely pace, deep in thought.
Lu Beixin no longer pondered, focusing solely on the journey, and soon his figure disappeared at the end of the Xiaoqing River
The old man, overwhelmed with joy, took the broken silver and shouted, "Xiao Liu, bring out the cart."
As Lu Bei thought of the thin marriage certificate and the exquisite phoenix hairpin he held in his arms, a look of helplessness appeared on his face
"Immediately go to the county to deliver the message to arrest Lu Bei. No, prepare a horse for me; I will personally pursue the arrest." Feng Yi's gaze was as sharp as that of an eagle.
If in this life one cannot embark on the path of immortality, then a hundred years later, no matter how astonishingly talented or beautiful one may be, one will ultimately become nothing more than a withered skeleton, a mere remnant in the grave.
"Yes." More than ten robust soldiers, each with a standard saber hanging at their waist, responded in unison.
The stone tiger awkwardly lowered the old man's collar and stood by, bowing respectfully.
The servant, disregarding Chen Qingshan's reproach, forcefully pushed open the door.
Ah... murder! The piercing scream broke through the curtain of rain, spreading across half of Wuliu Village.
"Old fool, still trying to play dumb with me." With a raised hand, a slap was about to land on the old man's face
Upon hearing the words of County Lieutenant Feng, Shi Hu understood in his heart, his eyes sparkling with brilliance, and he lowered his head in silence
At this moment, Xu Dian heard the coroner mention that Chen Qingshan had been killed by a single sword strike. For some reason, a cold and stern face of a young man, standing with a sword in hand, suddenly appeared in his mind
Feng Yi furrowed his brows and shouted, "Who is it?"
For the time being, let us not speak of how the young lady of the He family, He Xiang, appears. Even if one were to know of her extraordinary beauty, captivating enough to bring a nation to its knees, Lu Bei is not someone who has never encountered the charms of women, nor is he easily swayed in his resolve.
"The old man, how could he not know what villages are within a ten-mile radius?" The old man shook his head, no longer paying attention, and drove the horse-drawn cart towards Yuyang County.
Having spoken, without paying any attention to the old man's bewildered expression and his desire to speak, he directly held up his umbrella and chose a small path. In no time, his figure disappeared into the vast rain and mist
Chen Family
However, now that the route has changed, it is likely that we will have to take the Jian Gate and pass through Tianmu Mountain. Yet, if we can avoid the unwarranted calamity, a small price to pay would still be worth it
"Young master, what is the matter? In less than three miles ahead, we will reach the city of Yuyang County," the old man turned back, looking at the young master with a puzzled expression, and asked.
Looking back with a faint smile, he said: "Old sir, I take my leave now"
Before long, the constable returned and reported: "According to the Li and Zhang family next door to the Lu family, Lu Bei has already left Wuliu Village this morning"
"Young master, are you looking to rent the old man's cart?" In a horse and carriage shop, under a canopy made of oilcloth, an old man dressed in a gray cotton robe rubbed his hands together and asked a young boy.
Feng Yi spoke sharply and with a stern expression: "In recent days, my father-in-law Feng has been conversing and laughing with you, yet now he has fallen victim to treachery. Do you truly know nothing about this matter?"
At this moment, the old man had lost most of his drunkenness and, terrified, fell to his knees and said: "My lord, spare my life"
Zhong Kui looked up at the drizzling sky and sighed, saying: "The land of Bashu truly experiences continuous autumn rain."
As night gives way to dawn, the morning breeze is slightly cool
At that moment, Fortune shouted with a clear mind: "It is him, it must be him"
Xu Dian was also taken aback and said, "County Magistrate Feng, I do not quite understand your meaning."
At this moment, the donkey let out a loud bray, seemingly quite cheerful from walking in the rain, swiftly carrying Zhong Kui in a certain direction, which was notably towards the land of Yuyang
Noon, in the backyard of the Chen family
"What kind of person?" The old man had a flushed face, full of the effects of alcohol
More than ten soldiers stood nearby, each with a standard saber at their waist, their postures upright and their gazes unwavering.
A small black donkey, its coat shining with luster, with the sound of a bell tinkling, echoing along the mountain path
Suddenly, a faint sniff at the tip of the nose revealed a strong smell of blood, overpowering the earthy scent of the rain-soaked soil, rushing straight to the mind
Thus, Xu Dian recounted in detail the events that had transpired a few days prior with Chen Qingshan at the Lu family.
How about we take the mother and daughter pair from the Lu family...
Feng Yihu's eyes sparkled with intensity as he reached out to summon a constable, saying: "Quickly go to the Lu family and see if Lu Bei is still there."
Lu Bei smiled and said, "I just thought of it; there is an elder living in a nearby village. Since we are here, we should naturally pay a visit."
"That's right." Xu Dian, resembling a possessed Conan, exclaimed joyfully while slapping his thigh
Well, it is said that he has gone out to seek immortality and pursue the Dao
Hurry, hurry... this young man is riding in a carriage and will surely not get far. The deep voice carried a sense of urgency as he shouted to his attendants while urging the horses forward
On the official road from Qinghe County to Yuyang County, a horse-drawn carriage tore through the thick rain and fog, racing forward and splashing mud along the way
A young man resembling a constable stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "I have already dispatched officers to investigate the traces left by the murderer."
Feng County Lieutenant struggled for a moment, then composed himself and said: "Don't act recklessly"
"Chasing after nonsense, we have all been played." Feng Yi's expression was so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip from it
A rugged-looking middle-aged man with a resolute expression, his brows deeply furrowed, turned to the portly clerk beside him and said, "Xu Shubo, do you have anything to convey to Feng?"
"Young man? Oh, are you referring to that young master? He got off the carriage five miles outside the city long ago," the old man said, his voice trembling and his body shaking as he finished speaking.
The old man glanced at the rain outside the shed and hesitated, saying: "Young master, look, it's raining so heavily, you need to pay more."