Chapter 2, In a foreign land, one does not know they are a guest

Lord Wang, you seem to have misunderstood. My elder brother admires your character greatly. Upon learning of your demotion to Tangzhou, he became concerned about the roads in Tongbai Mountain, which may not be very safe. There could be a few reckless thieves who might pose a threat to you. Therefore, he specifically instructed me to wait for you here. Lord Wang, please continue on your way; I will handle these three thieves myself, as I doubt they have the courage to venture into this eagle's mouth

It is indeed I! The scholar in the blue robe seized the reins and halted the carriage, looking over towards the cliff. He spoke boldly, "If you wish to take Wang Bing's life, I am here. I kindly ask that you do not harm the innocent!"

In the fifth year of the Tianxuan era, on the first day of the year, Wang Bing, the Deputy Minister of Justice, was demoted to Tangzhou. In the second month, he was harmed by bandits at Yingzi Mouth on Tongbai Mountain... ...

Then who is he

As noon approaches, a thin mist still lingers in the valley

What about those other memories that have almost been forgotten, are they all from a future yet to come?

Thus, he has been leaving early and returning late these past few days, constantly lurking at the Eagle's Beak Cliff.

The cart slowly approached the edge of the cliff, and the driver fixed his gaze on the cliff top. Although the scattered trees partially obscured the view, he was able to clearly see that the figure at the cliff's edge was a robust young man. Despite the fierce posture of gripping the hilt of a knife, there was no trace of cruelty on his face

During the journey, encountering such an unexpected event, the girl hiding in the carriage curled up in the arms of her wet nurse, nearly suffocating from fear. However, upon hearing the commotion outside the carriage, she could not help but lift the curtain of the window and look towards the cliff. There, she saw a young man half-squatting among the scraggly trees at the cliff's edge, his tattered clothing fluttering in the wind.

Moreover, the walls of Eagle's Beak are steep, and Xu Huai believes that the three assassins are unlikely to dare to launch a strong attack. By that time, even if Uncle Seventeen and Xu Xinan do not come looking for him, he can hold out until dark and then find a way to escape

Xu Huairen could not help but slap his forehead, thinking that if he had not stumbled upon it today, Wang Bing would have been found dead at the bottom of Eagle's Beak Cliff. To others, it would simply appear as if he had fallen victim to bandits.

It is just like a dream, a grand illusion of books and Buddha.

Until a month ago, he fell off a horse and hit the back of his head. He did not suffer any serious injuries, but his mind suddenly became clear, as if a layer of shell had been unexpectedly shattered.

This passage resembles a brief historical record, etched in his mind, indelible after that moment

Perhaps, it is far from being just that

Even thieves who are greedy for wealth must first value their lives, right

If the assassin sees his face, after killing Wang Bing and his entourage, will he come to eliminate him to silence him?

Not only did others think he had acted foolishly again, but he also began to doubt whether his so-called "mind" had truly returned, or if he was merely under a spell.

The elderly scholar in the blue robe, with dimming eyesight, could not clearly see the appearance of the young man at the cliff's edge. He shouted again towards the cliff, saying: "I know that you are also acting on someone else's behalf. I have no intention of knowing where you come from, but please take my life and do not harm the innocent"

The slopes on both sides are gently sloping, without any obstructions, and do not appear to have any signs of an ambush.

At this moment, Xu Huai regretted not covering his face with clothing, and he was uncertain whether the three assassins, who were separated from him by a distance of one or two hundred steps, had seen his face clearly

Xu Huai regained consciousness several days ago, but he has yet to understand what has happened

Perhaps those memories that he thought he could not recall, believing that nothing remained, like a dream, were not actually lost; rather, they fundamentally transformed him

Previously, he was compelled by his mother to study in the clan's school for several years, stammering through the lessons, and he could barely read through a few introductory texts, let alone provide a profound interpretation of these teachings

"I do not know what happened at the front, but it is undoubtedly an assassin sent by Cai Ting..." The coachman squinted his eyes, sizing up Xu Huai, and said to the scholar in the blue robe in a low voice.

Upon witnessing this scene, Xu Huaixin felt a tightness in her chest, her hand gripping the hatchet behind her tightly, the veins on the back of her hand bulging. After struggling internally for a moment, she gritted her teeth and called out loudly towards the cliff below: "Is there someone who is the Imperial Censor Wang Bing, who was demoted and sent from the capital to Tangzhou?"

Is it a friend rather than an enemy

It can also be affirmed that the strange dreams he had in his youth are related to these memories, and it is even possible that his childhood brain disorder was triggered by the impact of these memories.

Apart from the middle-aged man beside Wang Bing, who resembled a coachman and possessed considerable strength, shouldn't these three bandits retreat upon seeing me suddenly standing at the edge of the cliff calling out to Wang Bing

... ...

What should we do now? Tell those three guys behind that they should do whatever they need to do. I am just passing by to say hello and will not interfere with your assassination of Wang Bing

... ...

... ...

The key is that all of this unexpectedly appeared in his mind in the form of a passage just a few days ago

At the end of the horizon, one can see the densely packed buildings of Huaiyuan Town

Eagle's Mouth is located at the ridge of the highest point of this slope, and since the cart has not yet passed through Eagle's Mouth, it is impossible to see the situation on the other side through the opening of Eagle's Mouth

Perhaps these memories existed in his mind at the time of his birth

The Eagle's Beak Cliff rises high, and Xu Huai notices that there are quite a few miscellaneous trees around. He thinks to himself that as long as he is careful, he should not fear the arrows from the assassins' bows.

In the past, many naive and ignorant matters suddenly became clear

Until this moment, when Wang Bing stood up from the front of the carriage to declare his name, Xu Huai's inner shock surged like a tumultuous wave.

The scholar in the blue robe gazed at the cliff's edge, equally filled with astonishment and uncertainty

This is not how a youth who has spent fifteen years growing aimlessly in the Tongbai Mountains should be

If there is anything certain, it is that he can affirm that these memories once existed deep within his mind, as if he had lived an entire life in a completely unfamiliar world

Not far behind and to the side of the picture book, three men disguised as hunters, all rugged and casual, held in one hand a straight-backed long knife that is commonly seen in the military, while with the other hand they pulled the reins, urging their horses to speed up, intending to intercept the cart before it reached the eagle's beak

Unfortunately, by the time he managed to calm his mind slightly and attempted to recall these memories, he found that he could remember nothing significant, apart from a few fragmented pieces or images that held little meaning.

If the passage that emerged in his mind is a record of history concerning today's events, then there is no issue with that

As the scholar in the blue robe stood up from the front of the carriage, the coachman had already placed the long knife wrapped in a bundle cloth across his knees. Xu Huai felt that the coachman resembled a hungry wolf, ready to pounce and deliver a fatal blow to his prey at any moment. He thought to himself, this must be what Uncle Seventeen referred to as a martial artist, truly exuding a fierce aura that intimidates others.

He is no longer "he"

The coachman did not inquire about who this young man and his "big brother" behind him were, lest he be overheard by the assassin behind him

However, after Mr. Wang Bing introduced himself, the person on the cliff fell silent, not uttering another word for a long while, nor making any other movements. This left the coachman feeling a twinge of restlessness and confusion: what exactly do these people intend to do

The entire person can be said to have undergone a complete transformation

What treasures are hidden in the carriage that Wang Bing is riding in, that they still think about forcibly seizing it

Xu Huai was internally shocked, as if waves were surging: Is all of this really true?

This text may represent a "memory" that has yet to occur

Xu Huai's mind turned over several thoughts, hesitating to escape from the back cliff, yet there was an indescribable faint emotion in his heart that prevented him from doing so

His thinking has become unprecedentedly sharp at this moment

Now, it is well; the content discussed in these several scriptures, along with the derived principles, he not only understands completely but can also discern the numerous errors, pedantry, and utterly unacceptable aspects within them compared to the books.

He saw the scholar in the blue robe nod slightly, and then he cupped his hands towards the cliff and said: "Thank you, noble warrior, for your assistance. Should there be any tasks in the future, Lu Xiong will certainly not hesitate to risk his life!" After saying this, he flicked the horsewhip, and with a "crack," it struck the horse's plump rear, causing the carriage to slowly begin to move.

Apart from some emotions and feelings of melancholy, sadness, joy, or distress, nothing remains, and nothing can be retrieved

... ...

Occasionally, I have some strange and bizarre dreams, but I forget them within a few days

However, the reactions of these three bandits also puzzled Xu Huai in his heart

Xu Huai was both shocked and regretful, thinking to himself that what others said about him being a fool was indeed true. How could he have been so enchanted as to get involved in such a mess?

For several consecutive days, he left early and returned late, squatting at the edge of the cliff, merely obsessed with verifying the memory that flashed through his mind, not with the intention of becoming a hero to rescue Wang Bing

After passing Eagle's Mouth, there is a stretch of downhill road, and at this time, there are no pedestrians.

Xu Huai thought that Wang Bing had mistakenly believed he was "entrusted by someone". He was startled and wondered if these three were not bandits at all, but rather the true "entrusted ones" who had come to hunt down Wang Bing

After stubbornly growing up to the age of eight or nine, his brain condition somewhat alleviated, and he began to have some vague memories of what he had experienced. However, he seemed to be shrouded in a layer of confusion, and both his speech and actions were very clumsy, as if a string were missing in his mind

The three assassins disguised as hunters behind him did not take the opportunity to encircle him at this moment; instead, they pulled back some distance and gathered together, both surprised and suspicious, staring intently at the cliff's edge. This left the coachman even more perplexed.

Since there are pursuers behind and assassins lying in wait at the cliff's edge, the coachman suspects that there are likely ambushers ahead as well. He does not expect the carriage to break through the encirclement, so he unfastens the bundle cloth, revealing a long, gleaming blade without a scabbard.

... ... and books

The youth Xu Huai, who had grown up in a daze for fifteen or sixteen years in the Tongbai Mountains, stood at the edge of the Eagle's Mouth Cliff, about seven or eight zhang high, feeling conflicted as he watched the horse-drawn carriage slowly approach the cliff's edge

It doesn't seem like a bandit

Of course, after regaining consciousness, some events he experienced during his childhood became clear.

Meanwhile, countless bizarre and unfamiliar memories surged forth from the depths of my mind

The early spring sun is as thin as a piece of cut paper, curled up in the depths of the sky

Xu Huai regained his senses and noticed that the three bandits, after creating some distance, did not retreat. Instead, they gathered together about two hundred paces away, each drawing their longbows, and he felt a deep sense of despair.

Given the current situation, they can only move forward.

However, at that time, there were no similar robbery cases occurring in Yingzi Mouth, nor were there any court officials being demoted passing through Huaiyuan Town. Xu Huai, however, was troubled by this memory for two or three days and suddenly thought of a possibility

... ...

This suddenly emerging text memory is unexpectedly validated at this moment: Are the three individuals masquerading as hunters the "bandits" that Wang Bing is destined to encounter on his way to exile?

Xu Huai was puzzled for several days. A few days ago, while passing through Yingzi Mouth in Huaiyuan Town, a passage of text suddenly appeared in his mind, and at that moment, he felt as if he had been struck by an electric current

After a while, Xu Huaicai shouted loudly down the cliff:

He cannot remember anything from his childhood. According to his mother, after he was born, he suffered from a severe brain disease, which caused his body to convulse violently during episodes, with his hands uncontrollably scratching his head, as if countless steel needles were piercing and stirring deep within his mind

Isn't the young man at the cliff's edge part of the group behind him?

Perhaps it is just a grand dream

The coachman urged the horse to go faster, heading towards Huaiyuan Town

He seemed to have spent over ten years in a daze among the Tongbai Mountains, and then suddenly fell off a horse, awakening abruptly, only to be flooded with countless unfamiliar memories