Chapter 145: The Steward |
The two remaining on the near bank, Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong, came back to their senses and without the slightest hesitation leaped from their horses, abandoned the animals, and skimmed across the surging river water with their lightness techniques, arriving on the far bank safely behind the carriage without incident.
The black-robed man who had been blocking people from crossing and the armored soldiers behind him made no move whatsoever.
Naturally, this was not because they were unwilling, but because they did not dare.
They had been genuinely shaken by the sight of the old man in hemp throwing a horse one-handed and the carriage flying across the Julu River through the air, and had not yet recovered their wits. To make a move in front of martial experts of such terrifying ability was simply unthinkable.
Inside the carriage, Hu Rui'an stroked his beard and looked toward Li Musheng with a composed expression, saying, "Your Highness, could this modest display of mine be considered worth something?"
Li Musheng glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Was Commissioner Hu not planning to act with caution?"
Had Hu Rui'an been the first to fly a carriage across the river, Li Musheng would not have been stingy with his praise and would have called it an impressive show.
But with the old man in hemp having done it first, what Hu Rui'an had managed was at most a copy. Put generously, it was on-the-spot borrowing of inspiration.
To speak plainly, even when it came to performing a display of casual superiority, the man had resorted to copying someone else. Could he not muster even a shred of originality?
"Besides, I have already changed my appearance. As long as I do not actively reveal my identity, the people of Zhanliu Manor should not recognize me."
Li Musheng said nothing, and instead turned to look out through the carriage window.
On this side of the river after crossing the Julu, the scene was noticeably sparse, far less crowded and busy than the far bank they had come from.
The black-robed man and the armored soldiers behind him had warily stepped back to one side, looking very much on guard against Hu Rui'an and the others.
As for the old man in hemp who had crossed first, he was still standing there, leading the mule with the little girl in pink on its back, his gaze drifting toward the carriage driven by Cao Gaoshan.
He had clearly seen the carriage fly across the river, recognized that there was an expert hidden within, and had been watching with a degree of curiosity ever since.
At this point, Captains Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong came up to the carriage, looked the black-robed man and his companions over, and both furrowed their brows, saying, "From the armor and standard-issue weapons they are carrying, they appear to be local Great Li garrison soldiers from Sheng Province. Why would they leave their provincial station and come all the way out here?"
Hearing this, Hu Rui'an thought it over for a moment, then finally issued an instruction to Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong, saying, "Go and ask them what is going on."
He had not originally wanted to get involved in this, but their destination ahead was Sheng Province, where they needed to deal with Governor Zhu Ziming and Tianjin Guards Branch Deputy Commander Mei Yan.
Now that they had encountered Sheng Province garrison soldiers behaving in this unusual manner, he truly had no way of turning a blind eye. He also harbored the intention of learning about the current situation in Sheng Province directly from the black-robed man's mouth.
Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong agreed and set off toward the black-robed man and his group.
The two of them had just approached the black-robed man, whose expression was grave, and were about to speak, when the sound of galloping hoofbeats reached them from the distance.
In a cloud of churning dust, a group came riding up at speed.
At the head of them sat a powerfully built middle-aged man with coarse features and a thick, dense beard.
His purpose was clear. He swept a glance over the old man in hemp and the carriage driven by Cao Gaoshan, then looked at Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong, before finally clasping his hands in a greeting to everyone in turn and saying, "Esteemed seniors and heroes of the martial world, I am the steward of Zhanliu Manor. Today, our manor's Third Young Miss is holding a martial arts competition to choose a husband, and the manor has prepared a banquet to welcome guests from all corners of the martial world. If none of you find it beneath you, I extend a sincere invitation to all of you to come and have a drink at the manor."
Hearing this, Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong furrowed their brows slightly, turned to glance at the black-robed man, and suddenly understood all at once why he had established that rule preventing people from crossing the river.
Just at that moment, the old man in hemp, leading the mule with the little girl in pink on its back, heard the manor steward's words and suddenly looked toward him. The little girl's clear voice rang out, saying, "Grandpa, I want to go to the feast."
The old man in hemp withdrew his gaze from the carriage, gave a light nod, then said to the manor steward sitting astride his horse, "Then this old one will impose on your hospitality."
Hearing this, the manor steward quickly clasped his hands and said with a smile, "Having Senior grace Zhanliu Manor with your presence is an honor for us."
As he spoke, he suddenly shifted his gaze toward Hu Rui'an, who had lifted the carriage curtain at some unknown moment to show his face, and dipped his head respectfully, asking, "I wonder if this Senior has any instruction?"
Hu Rui'an waved a hand, saying, "Since you extend your hospitality so warmly, it would be rather cold of us to turn you away. We will accompany you for a visit to your manor."
The moment those words fell, the middle-aged man's face lit up with pleased surprise. He clasped his fists in a bow, then turned at once and led his followers to take the lead, saying, "Please follow me, everyone."
With that, he spurred his horse back the way he had come.
Throughout the whole exchange, he had not exchanged a single word with the black-robed man and the others, as though the two parties were entirely unacquainted.
Seeing this, the old man in hemp led his mule and followed along, while at the same time Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong both wore peculiar expressions, turning their gazes toward the carriage.
That Hu Rui'an would agree to go to Zhanliu Manor was the very last thing they had expected, for it ran completely counter to the cautious conduct he had maintained throughout the journey.
Even so, they naturally did not dare question him to his face, and could only follow along full of unspoken questions.
Just at that moment, Hu Rui'an turned his head toward them and said, "Finish asking your questions first, then catch up quickly."
With that, he let the curtain fall and signaled Cao Gaoshan to drive the carriage along with the people from Zhanliu Manor.
Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong both agreed at once and turned back toward the black-robed man and his companions.
Meanwhile, inside the carriage.
Before Li Musheng could even open his mouth to ask, Hu Rui'an clasped his hands first and offered an explanation, saying, "Your Highness, the hour is growing late, and once past the Julu River, there is no town or resting place for dozens of li ahead except for Zhanliu Manor. It would serve us well to rest there briefly before continuing."
Hearing this, Li Musheng furrowed his brow slightly. He naturally did not believe a word of it.
The man had said just moments before that he had grudges and entanglements with the master of Zhanliu Manor, yet now he had reversed course faster than turning a page, actively agreeing to enter the manor. It was a clear contradiction from beginning to end.
And pressing on through the night and making do with rough conditions on the road was entirely normal on a journey like this. To use that as a reason was not particularly clever.
Even so, Li Musheng was not one to endure hardship for no reason. Since there was a manor with good food and drink on offer, he had no inclination to object to Hu Rui'an and insist on gnawing dried rations and buns instead.
He simply looked the man over at his leisure with a skeptical expression, saying, "Commissioner Hu, whatever you are planning is your own business. But if you intend to stay and take part in the martial arts competition to win a bride, I have no time to sit around waiting for you."