Chapter 2: Life is as Fragile as Grass

Before the second one could make a move, Jin Xiangyu knocked aside the leading man, performing a graceful backflip and landing on the table behind him

Qin Zhiyong took the clothes and asked, "May I ask what year it is now?"

While changing clothes, Qin Zhiyong discovered several large dark gray stains on his Confucian robe

"Squeak."

Qin Zhiyong is deeply in love with Tang Xia, and it is now impossible for him to have any interest in other women. His gaze towards Jin Xiangyu remains clear and pure, without a trace of lewdness

Qin Zhiyong nodded. After all, he was a university graduate, certainly a person of learning

Three men were killed in the blink of an eye. The speed of the golden-inlaid jade was too fast. An ordinary person simply could not react in time

Jin Xiangyu did not know from which part of his body he had pulled out three willow leaf-shaped flying daggers

Lord Qian

Qin Zhiyong caught a glimpse of the jade inlaid with gold and recognized her as an extraordinary beauty. Any man would find it hard to resist such a captivating woman. However, when it came to the matter of murder, Qin Zhiyong remained somewhat skeptical

Jin Xiangyu walked up to the three men and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, yes. The wine and meat you wanted are all here. Waiter, quickly serve the wine and meat to the three esteemed guests. If you want me to accompany you for drinks... it's not impossible, as long as there is silver. You can do as you please."

Qin Zhiyong changed into a Confucian robe and walked into the guest hall, where there were no guests, only Jin Xiangyu, the shopkeeper, and Diao Buyu having breakfast

Central Plains people

Giving silver is an impossible task

Qin Zhiyong plans to check the boss's wife's attitude in a couple of days

Breakfast has not yet been finished

Breakfast consists of congee, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables. Such a diet is hardly considered anything in the twenty-first century, but it was regarded as quite precious during the Ming Dynasty. Ordinary households could not afford to eat white flour steamed buns

The man at the forefront possessed superior martial skills and successfully blocked the flying dagger of the one adorned with gold and jade using his knife

The innkeeper's ability to read the room is quite impressive; upon seeing Qin Zhiyong's expression, he immediately knew that he did not believe him

The shopkeeper said: "Young Master Qin does not understand martial arts, has delicate skin and tender flesh, and surely has never done any rough work; he must be a scholar, right?"

The shopkeeper and Diao Buyu both wore calm expressions, sipping congee and nibbling on steamed buns. There was no indication whatsoever that they intended to offer assistance.

When Qin Zhiyong woke up again, he found himself lying in a simple room

The man at the forefront was taken aback, then cruelly laughed and said: "There really are those who are not afraid of death. Second, kill that short-haired pretty boy."

The three men were taken aback upon seeing the woman adorned in gold and jade, their eyes lighting up with lust and desire. A beauty like her is a rare sight, especially in the vast desert.

Children all know that murder is against the law

Qin Zhiyong exclaimed: "The Wanli era, the Ming Dynasty!"

Jin Xiangyu glanced at Qin Zhiyong and nodded, saying: "Hmm. After changing clothes, you look much more pleasing to the eye. Not bad, not bad, quite a talented individual. It's just a pity that your hair is too short"

The boss lady possesses exceptional martial arts skills. I wonder if she would be willing to teach me martial arts.

Qin Zhiyong was astonished to witness the graceful skills of the one adorned with gold and jade, truly possessing martial prowess

The man at the forefront laughed heartily: "Are you trying to intimidate me with the court's watchdogs? I am not afraid. If you act recklessly, what can you do about it?"

Once again, I would like to express my gratitude for everyone's life-saving assistance said Qin Zhiyong

The other two men immediately burst into laughter

I really killed someone

The shopkeeper said with a smile: "There is meat filling for buns again"

Jin Xiangyu smiled and said, "Gentlemen, why must you lower yourselves to the level of a scholar who lacks martial skills? Let us discuss business instead."

As an ordinary adult in the twenty-first century, Qin Zhiyong has never even killed a chicken, let alone experienced a scene of murder. The casual manner in which Jin Xiangyu took three lives undoubtedly had a profound impact on Qin Zhiyong's psyche.

The man at the forefront tightly embraced the gold-inlaid jade, domineeringly stating: "I have no silver, but I have a knife. You, my dear lady, must ensure that I am well taken care of today. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to let my knife taste blood"

In the early morning, indulging in meat and wine, and speaking so domineeringly, wanting the proprietress to accompany them in drinking. Qin Zhiyong felt somewhat anxious and fearful; these three individuals were certainly not good people

Qin Zhiyong had no such intentions. Not understanding martial arts, and surrounded by desert and Gobi, stepping out alone would be a certain death.

I am no longer in the twenty-first century, but in the Ming Dynasty where human life is as insignificant as grass. Qin Zhiyong thought to himself, Today encountering a scene of murder is just the beginning. In the future, I fear I will encounter more similar events. The first thing I must do is find a way to survive

The man at the forefront snorted coldly: "Good wine and good meat, bring them all to me. Also, you, this young lady, look quite charming, come over and drink with me."

The shopkeeper said: "Young man, just now the proprietress saved your life. You must not be ungrateful. Did you not see that those three bandits intended to kill you to silence you?"

The shop assistant went to the kitchen to fetch wine and meat for three guests

... ...

In the eyes of the gold-inlaid jade and the shopkeepers, he may appear to be just over twenty years old. However, in reality, Qin Zhiyong is nearly twenty-seven years old

After all, before Qin Zhiyong, people lived in a time of peace. Although the legal system was not well-established, it was deeply rooted in people's hearts

With a bang on the table, Qin Zhiyong stood up and shouted, "Do you still have any regard for the law? Hurry up and release the boss lady!"

Jin Xiangyu walked up to Qin Zhiyong and said in a gentle tone: "You do not understand martial arts, yet you dare to speak out against those three bandits. I did not expect you to have such a chivalrous heart. It is truly rare."

Jin Xiangyu jumped off the table and struck him on the chest with a palm.

The people in the inn all looked at Qin Zhiyong with astonishment

The shop assistant thought for a moment and said, "I have heard the lady boss and Lord Qian mention that it seems to be during the Wanli period. As for the specific year, I am afraid I do not know."

With a slender figure adorned with gold and jade, and delicate hands, it is hard to imagine that this seemingly fragile woman can unleash such formidable strength

Qin Zhiyong studied history as his major, and he possesses extensive knowledge of the history of the Ming Dynasty

Although the room is modest, it is already the best guest room at the Longmen Inn

Jin Xiangyu said to Qin Zhiyong: "In the world of rivers and lakes, one is not in control of their own fate. If you do not kill others, others will kill you. Since you have arrived at my Longmen Inn, you must learn to adapt. Of course, you can also choose to leave. You seem disoriented; it would be better for you to return to your room and rest."

The man at the forefront sneered and said: "Three months ago, I had two brothers who went missing. I found out that they were last seen at this inn. You, little girl, are skilled in martial arts and a master at that. Brothers, spare this little girl; the rest, kill them all to avenge Lao Si and Lao Wu. I will take my time to punish her later"

The foul breath and the sour odor emanating from the man caused the jade-adorned willow brows to furrow slightly

The shop assistant walked in holding a set of clothes

Human life is of utmost importance; how can it be taken lightly?

... ...

They are all ruthless bandits who engage in the trade of murder and plunder

Seeing that they were not helping, Qin Zhiyong, fearing that the proprietress would suffer losses, had no choice but to take matters into his own hands

These are all ancient expressions. Could it be that I have truly returned to ancient times

Ding

Qin Zhiyong has an ordinary appearance, of average height, and is not particularly remarkable. However, he has not been exposed to the elements, resulting in somewhat fair skin, and his face bears no scars or signs of weathering, which makes him appear somewhat younger

Qin Zhiyong came to his senses, stepping back in panic and pointing at the gold-inlaid jade, saying: "You have killed someone... you are the murderer..."

Bang

The second brother said, "Eldest brother, just watch. I will take him down with one strike."

The door opens

Three burly men armed with long knives entered the inn

Qin Zhiyong was stunned

Snap

"Young Master Qin, the proprietress has found you a set of Confucian robes. Please change into them first." The shop assistant handed the clothes to Qin Zhiyong, "Your current attire is truly peculiar. You hardly resemble a person from the Central Plains. If Lord Qian were to see you, he would surely mistake you for a spy and have you arrested, sending you into military exile."

Jin Xiangyu put down the bowls and chopsticks, stood up, and smiled brightly: "Oh dear. Three esteemed guests, please make yourselves comfortable. May I ask what you would like to eat? We have freshly steamed large meat buns available."

The clothing of the leading man was shattered by the force of the palm strike. He spat blood and was sent flying backwards.

Exile to the military service

The butcher, Diao Buyu, was quick and nimble, carrying three corpses back to the kitchen. His movements were skilled and practiced, clearly indicating that this was not the first time he had done such a thing

The innkeeper understood and assisted Qin Zhiyong back to Room 18

Jin Xiangyu gave the shopkeeper a meaningful glance

The attire adorned with gold and jade remains as overt as ever

Three cold lights flashed by, and two men were killed

Qin Zhiyong sat in the guest room for more than half an hour before his emotions gradually stabilized

"Do you not believe it? Look, the Four Books and Five Classics of that impoverished scholar are still on the table," the innkeeper said with a smile. "Young Master Qin must not have experienced grand occasions. You will see in the future. I hope it does not frighten you. Change your clothes and come to the hall for breakfast. I will take my leave now"

Leaving the Longmen Inn

The innkeeper casually remarked, "Oh. That is bloodstains, impossible to clean. Previously, a scholar came to the inn. Heh heh, that fellow was a poor wretch, full of lofty words about benevolence and morality, yet he was a hypocrite. With just a slight provocation from the landlady, he revealed his true colors, consumed by lust. The landlady ended his life with a single knife, and then had Diao Buyu chop him into minced meat.

Jin Xiangyu clapped his hands and said, "Diao Buyu, it's time to get to work."

Young Master Qin

The vast desert sands, combined with beautiful women, is enough to evoke excitement just by thinking about it

Jin Xiangyu said, "Let us sit down and have breakfast."

"Esteemed guests, without silver, it cannot be done," said Jin Xiangyu. "To speak frankly to the three of you, I have a bit of an acquaintance with Lord Qian, who is stationed three miles away. Please do not act recklessly."