Chapter 7: Distinguished Guests Arrive

"Hmm, you seem distracted today. So..." Ning Qing looked at Chen Yi with an expectant gaze, "How about I take you out to have some fun on the street tomorrow?"

Chen Yi wanted to ask a few more questions when some unusual sounds came from outside the door. It seemed that some strong individuals were moving quickly, causing the floor to thud. Then, the sounds suddenly ceased, leaving an eerie silence. Stunned by this unexpected situation, Chen Yi and Ning Qing exchanged glances for a moment, as if they shared a silent understanding, and quietly approached the door to investigate the matter.

Thank you, Manager Wu! Wang Chong, the eldest disciple of Sun Simiao, expressed his gratitude with a bow, while simultaneously inquiring with his eyes about his master's thoughts

"Alright! That would be a great opportunity!" Chen Yi immediately agreed, but then thought of something else and asked with a hint of doubt, "But will your master allow us to go? Isn't he coming to Chang'an for some business? Doesn't he need you to help with anything..."

Ning Qing hesitated, wanting to say a few more words to Chen Yi, but with her master and senior brother nearby, she did not dare to act recklessly. She lingered and slowly entered her own room, only casting a different glance at Chen Yi, who was still standing in the corridor, as she closed the door.

"Is this really your first time in Chang'an?" Ning Qing tilted her head and smiled back at Chen Yi, who was grinning widely.

Ning Qing walked in with a somewhat shy expression, "Ziying, aren't you going to take a break? Aren't you tired?"

Watching Ning Qing, whose excitement made her even more enchanting, Chen Yi's heart raced a few times. He was puzzled as to why Sun Simiao would arrange such a situation, leaving his beautiful female disciple alone with a young man like him in the inn, even for several days without returning. Was he not afraid that he would devour Ning Qing alive or even elope with her? With a man and a woman alone in a room, without any outside interference, anything could happen

Did your master tell you what he intends to do? Sun Simiao did not inform him of his purpose for coming to Chang'an, which seemed a bit mysterious. Chen Yi was very curious and eager to find out.

However, Chen Yi quickly calmed down, as he believed that these individuals would not act against their interests

After several people dismounted, a young attendant resembling a shopkeeper rushed out to take the horses from their hands. A plump man, who appeared to be the manager, hurried over and respectfully greeted, "Daoist Sun, you have arrived. Please come inside; the rooms have all been prepared for you"

Chen Yi and Ning Qing, who were locked inside, stared at each other wide-eyed, exchanging inquiring glances for a while. Without any explanation, both of their faces began to show signs of alarm.

In fact, Chen Yi's thought was that he had just prepared to rest, but with you, this young girl, coming in, how could he possibly rest?

However, it is necessary to clarify the purpose of these individuals' arrival. At his gesture, Ning Qing quietly followed him to the window, moistening a small section of the window paper in an inconspicuous spot with saliva, and peered outside through the small hole.

As Chen Yi was in doubt, Sun Simiao instructed, "You have all been a bit tired from the journey; you should rest for a while. We will have dinner together shortly"

The master is going out tomorrow with two senior brothers and may not return in the evening, leaving just the two of us!" Ning Qing said with some excitement

"Ziying, you will stay here!" Sun Simiao said to Chen Yi, pointing to a medium-sized room. Then, he pointed to a small room next to Chen Yi's and said to Ning Qing, "You will stay in this room!"

As Chen Yi was gazing at the chests of several women, imagining what they looked like, a tall woman dressed in luxurious attire approached with small steps. She stopped in front of Sun Simiao's residence, performed a bow, and gently knocked on the door. While knocking, she whispered something, but due to the distance and her soft voice, Chen Yi could not hear what she was saying

Chen Yi, whose physical injuries have mostly healed, feels that his physical condition is excellent. On this day, after riding a horse, he does not feel tired; instead, he is filled with excitement due to the fulfillment of his long-held desire to visit Chang'an for the first time.

Alright, I will come!" Chen Yi responded, putting aside his thoughts and quickly following.

This feeling cannot be shared with others, and it is quite difficult to bear in my heart

Chen Yi, who was somewhat puzzled, followed behind and went upstairs

A series of jingling sounds from distant bells approached, causing Chen Yi to feel a sudden tension in his heart

Peering through a small hole, Chen Yi saw that outside the door, in addition to the two knife-wielding guards he had just seen, there were several other individuals. Outside Sun Simiao's room, there were a few women dressed in men's clothing, and their prominent bosoms left Chen Yi with no doubt that they were indeed women. However, they kept their heads lowered, making it difficult to discern their features. Nevertheless, based on their figures and demeanor, Chen Yi could infer that these women were certainly not lacking in beauty.

"Yes, Master..." "Yes, Daoist!" several people responded in unison

Ning Qing stopped again and called out to Chen Yi, who was somewhat dazed and unsure of what to look at, "Ziying, let's go quickly..."

Zhuque Avenue is very wide, but only the central section, about several dozen meters wide, is paved with stone slabs, while both sides are bare yellow mud. Most of the other streets in Chang'an City are also merely compacted with yellow earth, with very few paved with stone slabs. On sunny days, the dust can be quite heavy, and during continuous rainy days, walking on the streets should not be a very comfortable experience. This is somewhat inconsistent with the grandeur of the Celestial Empire and the magnificent Tang Dynasty

The woman responded with a sound, performed another bow, and then lowered her head as she stepped back.

Several individuals remounted their horses and galloped at a moderate speed along the broad Zhuque Avenue, raising a considerable amount of dust alongside other merchants and travelers

Chen Yi, filled with astonishment, opened the door wide, wanting to peek outside to see what was going on and to clarify what the man with the saber was doing at their residence

"Really? Your master said that?" Chen Yi asked with a hint of redundancy

Ning Qing shook her head, "Master didn't tell me, and I also don't know what he and the two senior brothers are specifically going to do"

The fat manager led a group of five people into the building, introducing the room arrangements to each individual

The initial impression of Chang'an City is one of grandeur and magnificence, even surpassing the majestic atmosphere imagined in his mind. This fills Chen Yi with excitement, evoking a sense of pride and exhilaration akin to having obtained something he has long desired. He yearns to express this feeling to someone, yet there is no one to confide in, nor does he have a camera or a mobile phone to capture the scenery and share it on QQ or his personal space. He cannot articulate all that he wishes to convey, and this peculiar feeling must remain buried within his heart.

Today, I find myself standing in the capital of the Tang Empire, a place once depicted in historical texts and novels. Although I have yet to catch a glimpse of its true form and have only seen a rough outline, I feel a tinge of regret at the exposed yellow earth and swirling dust on the streets. However, this world-renowned ancient city of Chang'an leaves me with a very positive initial impression. The scale of the city's architecture and its overall grandeur are magnificent, matching the might of the Tang dynasty. Even with the swirling dust, the city does not bear the polluted, grayish appearance of modern Xi'an. The atmosphere is clear and bright, with vibrant green willow branches and blooming locust flowers lining the streets, creating a rustic beauty that harmonizes with the yellow earth.

Chen Yi heard Sun Simiao speaking inside the room, vaguely indicating that he was inviting someone in, suggesting that he was available to meet at the moment

Chen Yi, who did not understand the meaning in Ning Qing's gaze, hesitated for a moment but still walked into his room, closed the door, and lay down on the bed to rest

The burly man standing at the door immediately sensed something unusual, swiftly turned around, and shot a glare at Chen Yi and Ning Qing, who were curiously looking outside. The man's piercing gaze made Chen Yi shiver involuntarily, feeling a bit oppressed, and he hesitated to take another step forward. Although the man appeared unfriendly, he did not become angry; instead, he nodded slightly, offered a brief bow, and reached out to close the door, securing it from the outside.

Sun Simiao did not speak, but merely smiled and nodded, then stepped inside, following the plump shopkeeper who nodded and bowed while leading the way upstairs

Ning Qing nodded vigorously, "Of course it's true, the master just told me!"

After running for a while, he turned onto a wide straight street and stopped in front of an establishment resembling an inn. Chen Yi looked up and saw a plaque hanging on the door, which read "Anlai Inn." This was a rather spacious inn, and its quality should be quite good

His attention was mostly drawn to the situation outside, and he even somewhat overlooked Ning Qing's unusual expression

A group of people rode their horses for a while, leaving Zhuque Street and turning into a side street, continuing forward! Without any road signs, Chen Yi did not know where he was headed, but he felt it was inappropriate to ask for directions, so he could only follow closely behind Sun Simiao and his disciples as they moved ahead

As Chen Yizheng was lost in thought, a faint knocking sound was heard, followed by a familiar voice saying, "Ziying, please open the door..."

Wang Chong and Liu Hai share a slightly larger room, while Sun Simiao occupies the largest room by himself. With five people and four rooms, it still seems a bit extravagant, which is a point of confusion for Chen Yi. Although he is unaware of the prices in Chang'an, the appearance of this inn and the furnishings within the rooms suggest that the room rates should be quite high. This seems somewhat wasteful and inconsistent with Sun Simiao's usual frugality.

Curious, Ning Qing tugged at Chen Yi's collar, prompting him to create a small opening for her to take a look. Due to nervousness and curiosity, without much thought, their hands unexpectedly clasped together. After a moment of surprise, Ning Qing quickly realized what had happened, immediately pulled her hand away, and blushed as she hid to the side. Chen Yi glanced at the shy Ning Qing, gave an awkward smile, and then leaned his eyes back to the small hole to look outside.

Chen Yi gently opened the door, only to see two burly men standing outside, their hands resting on their waist knives, standing straight. One of the men was directly blocking the doorway, obscuring much of the view, so neither Chen Yi nor Ning Qing could clearly see the specific appearance of the two men.

Chen Yi nodded, wearing a very honest expression, "Of course it's true, I would never deceive you! It's precisely because it's my first time here that I feel curious about everything and want to see it all. Didn't you notice that I kept zoning out today?"

Chen Yi and Ning Qing immediately agreed

Chen Yi closed the door, turned to look at Ning Qing, whose expression was somewhat peculiar, and shook his head, saying: "I just... oh, I'm not tired, nor do I want to sleep. It's my first time in Chang'an, and I'm very excited. Even if I wanted to sleep, I couldn't..."

Upon hearing Ning Qing's voice, Chen Yi immediately got up from the couch, walked over, and opened the slightly ajar door, saying, "Miss Qing'er, please come in"