Chapter 1023: The Profligate Noble
Lao Huihui whispered, "I still don't know what kind of power you represent. How could I possibly join so easily? Are you the imperial court? Another bandit faction? Or is some prince plotting rebellion?"
The scout replied, "Huh? Look at what you're imagining!"
He pointed to the Heavenly Lord emblem embroidered on his chest: "We are the people of Dao Xuan Tian Zun, united under the Heavenly Lord's protection, to bring salvation to all."
Lao Huihui: "..."
Bloody hell, wasn't this just a cult?
Lao Huihui was utterly bewildered.
After all that, it was a cult?
The scout continued, "By your expression, you're definitely misunderstanding. Here in Tianzhu Mountain, you can't fully see the Heavenly Lord's benevolence. How about you go to Xi'an tomorrow morning? It's not far from here, only about three hundred li in a straight line. By vehicle, you'd be there in half a day."
Lao Huihui asked, "By vehicle?"
Lao Huihui frowned. "Such a thing exists?"
The scout said, "You'll know when you see it tomorrow morning. Oh, and you'd best disguise yourself. Otherwise, with your face and attire, you'll be recognized too easily. Xi'an isn't entirely populated by our own people yet."
The next morning, Lao Huihui woke before dawn, disguised himself as a Han Chinese man, and came to the entrance of Luojia Village. Sure enough, a strangely shaped vehicle was waiting for passengers there.
A few passengers were already seated, not many; they didn't even fill half the carriage. Lao Huihui quietly took a seat at the very back.
He could hear a few passengers chatting up front: "Brother Zhang, where are you headed?"
"I'm going to Shanyang County Town to buy some things for my wife. And you? Where are you off to?"
"I'm going to Lantian County to visit a relative."
"Hahaha, that explains it."
Lao Huihui realized the vehicle would pass through quite a few places along the way.
Soon after, the sun rose, and the long-distance solar car began its journey.
It first traveled from Tianzhu Mountain to Shanyang County Town, where a few people disembarked, but more boarded. The vehicle then drove steadily forward, with people constantly getting on and off along the route. It traveled for a good half-day before finally arriving outside Xi'an.
It was already afternoon by then. Lao Huihui looked up at Xi'an before him, and his eyes were immediately drawn to a colossal, golden statue of the Heavenly Lord erected within the city.
It was enormous. It stood at least twice as tall as the city's highest buildings. Even the towering city walls couldn't obscure its majesty. The gleaming golden colossus seemed to gaze down upon the entire city of Xi'an.
Lao Huihui exclaimed, "Incredible! The local authorities actually allowed such a massive statue to be built in the city."
He stepped inside Xi'an, and his attention was captured by the market district outside the South Gate. Numerous vendors were selling all sorts of strange and exotic goods there. The market district was bustling with a constant flow of carriages and people, a vibrant tapestry of prosperity.
This was a world apart from the decaying ancient capital Lao Huihui remembered.
Evidently, the people here lived happier and more joyful lives, more confident and cheerful than the labor reform prisoners he'd seen on Tianzhu Mountain.
He hadn't walked far into the city when he saw a large golden iron vehicle. Its front was adorned with a soaring five-clawed golden dragon as it emerged from a side street.
It wasn't moving fast, clearly yielding to pedestrians in the street. This was completely unlike the wealthy folk's carriages and horses he remembered, which used to rampage recklessly through the streets.
Lao Huihui overheard two passersby laughing nearby: "Oh, the Prince's heir's Kulinan has arrived! That vehicle is truly magnificent, I wish I had one too."
"Don't be foolish. That vehicle costs a fortune. Even the Prince's heir had to sell everything he owned to build one. How could common folk like us afford it?"
Lao Huihui asked curiously, "Brothers, is that the Prince of Qin's vehicle?"
The two men nodded. "Yes, that's Zhu Cunji, the Prince of Qin's heir, driving it. Look, that profligate middle-aged man grinning foolishly in the vehicle, that's the Prince's heir."
Lao Huihui said, "Aren't all imperial relatives and powerful families usually wicked? Rampaging through the streets in their carriages, killing people with impunity? How is it that this golden iron vehicle from the Prince of Qin's estate is moving so slowly and even yielding to people? And that profligate middle-aged man doesn't seem so bad; he just looks a bit foolish."
The two pedestrians chuckled. "What kind of place is this? This is the Heavenly Lord's Liberated Zone! Who would dare to rampage recklessly here? Forget about the Prince's heir; even if the old emperor himself were here, if he drove recklessly and killed a pedestrian, he'd be charged with 'traffic endangerment' and put into labor reform."
Lao Huihui: "!!!"
This was absolutely preposterous.
The two pedestrians continued, "However, if someone intentionally runs into a vehicle to extort money, that's a different matter entirely. In any case, the Heavenly Lord is a very reasonable deity; he always sides with whoever is in the right."
Lao Huihui pointed at the golden colossus. "Is that the Heavenly Lord?"
The two pedestrians replied, "Yes!"
Lao Huihui asked, "He's a celestial immortal, right? Would he really concern himself with our mortal affairs?"
His question was actually quite subtle. What he really wanted to ask was: "Is he a fake?"
But he knew that saying such a thing in a place full of religious devotees could get him stabbed, so he subtly rephrased it to imply the Heavenly Lord wouldn't interfere with mortal matters.
The two pedestrians burst out laughing. "Other deities might not concern themselves with mortal affairs, but the Heavenly Lord is different. He frequently performs divine miracles. Just stay here a while longer, and you'll surely get a chance to witness his divine manifestations."
Lao Huihui: "!"
Just as they were speaking, the Kulinan stopped right behind Lao Huihui. A head poked out from the vehicle, belonging to none other than the profligate middle-aged man, Zhu Cunji. He grunted at Lao Huihui, "Your face, it looks familiar. Where have I seen it before? Ah! I remember now, Gaojia News, hmm, Gaojia News... War correspondent Zhou Daya's report, you're from Henan... Henan Qun..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Lao Huihui was already terrified. He hadn't understood the talk of Gaojia News, but as soon as "Henan" was mentioned, he could guess what would follow.
Lao Huihui was utterly petrified; his mind went blank. Without thinking, he swiftly leaped onto the Kulinan's hood and reached out to seize Zhu Cunji by the throat...
But Zhu Cunji was no ordinary citizen. How could he be so easily subdued?
At almost the exact same moment, the Prince's personal guards leaped out from the sides, as if conjured from thin air.
Two of the Prince's guards, one on each side, simultaneously sprang into the air. With two sharp thuds, they seized Lao Huihui's shoulders and pulled him back.
Lao Huihui's lunge failed to subdue Zhu Cunji. Instead, he was yanked backward and tumbled off the Kulinan.
An ordinary person would surely have fallen hard on their back, but he was truly extraordinary. He spun 360 degrees in mid-air, and landed with a solid thud, standing firm.
The Prince's personal guards were startled. They shouted, "Assassin! A master, he's a master!"
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