Chapter Six, The Obsequious Ministers of the State

Jing Jian expressed great concern, returned the letter, and walked in front of Bai Dong, gazing at him with an infinitely gentle look. Bai felt a flush of heat on his face and thought to himself, what is this Jing's problem? Does a man look at another man with such eyes? You are Jing Gong, not Jing Gong Gong. After carefully observing Jing Jian for a moment, he noticed that the man before him was handsome and elegant, with skin at the base of his beard resembling beautiful jade, his eyes sparkling, and a pair of phoenix eyes that seemed to speak... If this guy were to come to the 21st century and become a cross-dresser, he would definitely become an overnight sensation... After carefully observing Jing Jian for a moment, he noticed that the man before him was handsome and elegant, with skin at the base of his beard resembling beautiful jade, his eyes sparkling, and a pair of phoenix eyes that seemed to speak... If this guy were to come to the 21st century and become a cross-dresser, he would definitely become an overnight sensation...

Is it really possible to make a living just by styling hair? This is truly astonishing. The gentleman's words are indeed interesting. What does it mean to be a frog at the bottom of a well? Jing Jian has never heard anyone mention it before

Good man! With such keen insight, it would be an underutilization of talent to be a forensic expert in the 21st century. Thank you, thank you; consider it a favor owed to you, my friend.

The young man in white approached Bai Dong, his gaze sweeping over the sword at his side. He then took out a scroll of the "Book of Documents" from his satchel, flipped through it, and nodded slightly, saying: "The binding of the scroll still shows creases, and the book is loosely rolled rather than tightly bound, indicating that it was recently read. It is commendable that you continue to pursue knowledge even while traveling, which speaks to your great talent. Please allow me to pay my respects to you, Master."

Truly intelligent individuals always find ways to solve problems that may appear foolish at first glance

Uh, this frog at the bottom of the well... it means a water frog sitting at the bottom of a well, no matter how it jumps, it cannot get out, and can only see a small patch of sky at the well opening... Bai Dong was slightly taken aback, only then recalling that this idiom comes from the "Autumn Waters" chapter of Zhuangzi. Nowadays, Zhuangzi's mother is still a little girl, no wonder this Duke Jing would be confused.

The techniques of Duke Jing are truly remarkable. Do you know about the books? In my youth, I traveled far with my family teacher and encountered many girls in a peculiar place. They did not farm, weave, or raise silkworms; instead, they earned a living by helping others manage their hair. Each of them was exceptionally beautiful, with fingers that were white and soft, dressed and adorned like fairies, making one feel at ease just by looking at them. I always thought they were the best in the world at hairstyling, but today, upon meeting Duke Jing, I realized I was merely a frog at the bottom of a well... Each of them was exceptionally beautiful, with fingers that were white and soft, dressed and adorned like fairies, making one feel at ease just by looking at them. I always thought they were the best in the world at hairstyling, but today, upon meeting Duke Jing, I realized I was merely a frog at the bottom of a well...

The gentleman was startled

Four armored men cast strange glances at Bai Dong before they each took their leave.

Finally, someone has arrived. Five hundred meters, three hundred meters... The figures gradually became clearer; they were five individuals moving like the wind. When they were about one hundred meters away, Bai Dong could clearly see that the first four were clad in half-body leather armor and had a fierce appearance, while the one behind seemed to be a fair-skinned young man, adorned in bronze armor and a jade crown, exuding an extraordinary aura. It was a relief; among the mountain bandits, there was likely no one as striking as this individual. Judging by his attire, the fair-faced youth was most likely a young master or noble from this era, belonging to the upper class.

Jing Jian smiled even more happily: "Search this mountain range, not a single inch of land is to be overlooked. After taking a blow from me, it is already surprising that she could escape to this place; how could she have the strength to escape any further?"

Now Bai Dong is waiting for the pursuers to appear. In ancient times, social hierarchy was strict, and one could discern a person's status just by their attire. If they were officials of the righteous path, there would be no fear of them harming scholars. Even if they refused to be deceived, finding the woman in black and coming to the aid in times of danger would still reflect the demeanor of a scholar. They would only sever that woman's head and then give a thumbs-up to oneself. If they were mountain bandits or robbers, one might have to flee down the mountain to gamble with the wolf pack, which is an unavoidable situation. Therefore, one must pray to God, hoping that they are certainly not mountain bandits or strongmen.

Bai Dong truly wanted to laugh; he had won the bet. In this era, the term 'Duke' can only refer to two situations: one is a duke officially conferred by the Son of Heaven, and the other is a respectful title used by subordinates for their superiors or by commoners for nobles. The handsome young man before him appeared to be just over twenty; if he shaved his beard, he would likely look around eighteen or nineteen. The armored man referred to him as Duke Jing, which clearly indicated the latter.

A young man, resembling a noble, made a gesture, and four armored men surrounded Bai Dong. One of them approached to help him up, scrutinizing him closely. He then turned back and reported loudly, "Lord Jing, this man carries a sword and a book pouch, appearing to be a scholar. His hair is disheveled from being struck, and there are sword marks on his face. Judging from the wounds, it seems he was injured by that vile maid..."

If a clever person were to change their approach, there would be three optimal choices at this moment. The first is to kill the woman in black and present her head to gain merit and rewards. Alternatively, one could secure her in a cave and immediately flee far away from this place, which seems to be the more prudent option, as it avoids standing under a precarious wall, a choice befitting a gentleman. Another option would be to hide oneself as well, waiting until it is safe to leave.

In fact, pursuing the enemy is not an easy task. This woman runs very fast, especially in the mountainous terrain where our horses cannot be used, forcing us to track her on foot. My subordinates and I didn't even have time to eat dinner

Seeing the four armored men turn back empty-handed, Bai Dong felt a sense of relief. He was unsure whether it was his disguise at the cave entrance that had deceived them, or if the black-clad woman truly possessed a tenacity akin to that of a cockroach, managing to escape on her own.

Live

Under Bai Dong's patient explanation, Jing Jian barely understood the meanings of new terms such as service and package, and looked at Bai Dong with great admiration: "Your words are quite refined, indeed you possess great knowledge. I have never been to such a novel place, what a pity. May I ask in which country it is located? What is its name?"

"Mistaken, greatly mistaken! Since the gentleman says she has escaped, then he is telling us that she is still hiding nearby..."

It is easy to deal with the upper class, as they can readily find common ground. Bai Dong did not hesitate for a moment; he quickly ran down the dirt mound, deeply thrusting the index and middle fingers of his right hand into his throat. Instantly, a wave of nausea hit him, and he bent over, retching loudly, watching as bitter water was expelled. He simply collapsed to the ground, beginning to moan loudly.

Your subordinates have returned; why not ask them directly

The fiery red sun is setting, and even the spring breeze brings a chill to the bones. Bai Dong sits cross-legged on the highest mound of the ridge, with long hair cascading down and a scar across his face, exuding a certain fierce charm reminiscent of a wandering hero.

Dongguan? Indeed, I have never heard of it; it must be a truly magical and beautiful place. Jing Jian is greatly intrigued, but finds it somewhat strange why those women must encounter male guests in order to offer such a 'health care package.' After pondering for a long time, he still cannot make sense of it, when suddenly he is awakened: 'So you are a master of rhetoric, sir. But do you really think this will allow you to evade scrutiny? The State of Qin never executes scholars, but Jing Jian can certainly make you suffer a bit.'

Ah, in my early years, I traveled the world with my esteemed mentor, visiting countless strange places, many of which I can no longer recall. However, I still clearly remember a certain place, a city called Dongguan. You must remember this, Duke Jing.

scholar

Bai Dong, after all, possesses the heart of a modern person and would not kill a woman without reason; fleeing is not a viable option, as the sun is about to set. Two thousand years ago, the Guanzhong Plain was home to wolf packs, and escaping down the mountain would be tantamount to seeking death. As for hiding, that is the worst strategy of all; if the pursuers of the woman in black were to find him, he would only be regarded as an accomplice, and even pretending to be a scholar would not save him.

Jing Jian sighed and shook his head, as if to comfort Bai Dong for the pain he had endured. He gently gathered Bai Dong's long hair and carefully examined the sword scars on his face. His fingers were soft and smooth, which should have been quite pleasant; however, Bai Dong felt somewhat uneasy. This guy was too strange. Could it be that he had taken a liking to him, openly making advances?

Did you all hear what the gentleman said?" Jing Jian suddenly chuckled.

Jing Jian was very skilled at arranging hair, and soon fashioned a beautiful bun for Bai Dong. With a sigh, she said, "Sir, your hair is truly wonderful, so black and thick. Unfortunately, I did not bring any fine hairpins, so I can only tie it up like this for now. I hope you won't mind? Ah, if only you would tell me where that woman is hiding, we would surely become great friends, just like Guan Zhong and Bao Shuyah. What do you think?"

"Lord Jing, we shall go at once to track down that wretched maidservant"

Are the scholars of this era so easily deceived? Bai Dong, suppressing the urge to laugh wildly at the sky, slowly stood up and, imitating Jing Jian, returned a salute: "I am honored, Bai Dong from Qin. It is a great fortune to meet Duke Jing. As for that woman..."

I see, that is truly fascinating. You are indeed a person of great talent, sir. By the way, those women who only style hair for others, I fear that may not be a sufficient livelihood. I, being of lesser ability, have visited several countries, yet I have never heard of such individuals.

Did the gentleman see her? Did she harm the gentleman

A clever person is indeed a clever person. It is true that merely tidying one's hair is not sufficient for making a living. Therefore, when encountering male clients willing to pay, they also provide exceptionally wonderful services, such as a 'health care package' and the like, all of which are one-on-one services conducted in a private room. A handsome young man like Jing Gong, with excellent hair styling skills, would surely attract a steady stream of clients if he engaged in such a business, allowing him to earn a great deal of money. I am not deceiving you; it is the truth.

Bai Dong casually pointed and said: "That woman has fled towards the east, hurry and chase her, or it may be too late!"

The book pouch hung under the armpit, a clear testament to the identity of a scholar, which must never be discarded. Wherever his gaze fell, it was in the direction where the woman in black had appeared. Who exactly were those pursuing her? Bai Dong felt both anxious and somewhat curious. Reflecting on his own response strategy, he found no obvious mistakes, which allowed him to finally breathe a sigh of relief

Wait, Jing Jian? If it is indeed that person, he is quite famous. Duke Xiao of Qin, Ying Qu Liang, was a powerful figure throughout his life, yet he uniquely favored this individual. Although the official history does not record this person's preference for same-sex relationships, unofficial accounts are rather ambiguous. Such a beautiful young man, favored by the monarch, and there seems to be little historical record regarding Ying Qu Liang's wife. Looking beyond the surface to grasp the essence, the more Bai Dong thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt, bending down to vomit for a while. Moreover, there seems to be little historical record regarding Ying Qu Liang's wife. Looking beyond the surface to grasp the essence, the more Bai Dong thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt, bending down to vomit for a while.

Hmm, this woman is truly fierce; she wounded me with a sword and even kicked me a few times. Look at me, I am still not feeling well. Duke Jing is a young hero; he must capture her to avenge me