Chapter 8 Leaving for Chang'an (Part 2)

  After the 15th of the first month, after eating dumplings and watching lanterns, Xiao Si, Geng Shao-hua and others set off for Chang'an.

  Apart from Diao Xiao Si, Geng Shao Hua and Yi Bai, the three deputy heads who are about to take office, Jiangzhou Branch also dispatched four other heads and eight escorts to go to Chang'an together. The rest of the people were allocated by the General Administration from various places, and since Tongzi didn't have any special requirements for cultivation, as long as they were physically strong, willing to listen and able to work, they could be directly employed locally.

  Geng Nan Yi and Chu Lie parted ways at the northern gate of Jiangzhou, over thirty miles away, with a group of more than twenty people galloping towards Chang'an. As it was just after the New Year, there were few carriages on the road, making it quite desolate. The snow that had accumulated began to melt under the warm sunlight of early spring, and the horses' hooves splattered mud everywhere with a loud "plop".

  Xiao Si rode his horse alongside Bo Suanzi, with Wan'er walking ahead of him. He could just see the beautiful silhouette of this young girl, her fiery red clothes standing out vividly against the vast white sky and earth, like a snow lotus flower in full bloom, exceptionally eye-catching and charming.

  Perhaps due to the cold weather, people were reluctant to speak, lest a mouthful of icy wind would rush in. Occasionally, they would exchange a few words in hushed tones, which, apart from the crisp sound of horseshoes and the howling north wind, was the only sound that could be heard in this vast mountain wilderness.

  Xiao Si shrunk his neck into the collar and dozed off, when suddenly he heard a horseshoe sound approaching. Yi Bai hurried up from behind and said in a low voice: "Second Master, that horse carriage has been following us since we crossed the river."

  "Is someone following us?" Xiao Si immediately woke up, her eyes shining brightly as she secretly looked back, and indeed saw a horse carriage slowly moving about dozens of feet away.

  The person who was in a hurry was a middle-aged man with a slender figure, elegant appearance, and wearing white clothes. His attire was simple and clean, but he didn't seem like someone with extraordinary skills.

  Xiao Si asked curiously: "Old Yi, how did you know he was following us? Maybe he's just going in the same direction?"

  Yi Bai said with a "hmm": "Just now, I deliberately slowed down my horse and fell behind. That guy also slowed down the carriage speed, keeping a distance of about 36 or 37 zhang (a unit of length). Neither getting closer nor falling behind. After traveling for a while, I suddenly accelerated again, and that carriage was still about 40 zhang away from me."

  Xiao Si suddenly realized that although he was clever and resourceful, his experience of traveling the world was far inferior to that of Yi Bo and others.

  He thought for a moment and then asked, "Could it be that the scholar is alone and afraid of being robbed by bandits, so he intentionally follows us to feel safe on the road?"

  Yi Bo shook his head and said, "That guy's wrist was loose when he whipped the horse, doesn't seem like a seasoned practitioner, but I couldn't figure out his moves either."

  While the two were whispering to each other, the horse carriage behind them suddenly accelerated and caught up.

  Bu Suanzi heard the noise and calmly said: "Stop and wait for him."

  Yi Bao asked in surprise: "Second Master, did you guess that he came looking for us?"

  Ba Suanzi closed her mouth and didn't speak, treasuring every word like gold. Xiao Si smiled and said: "Isn't this easy to guess? This bookworm must have realized that we've discovered him, and seeing you catch up with us and talk, he's afraid it might be disadvantageous for him. So he came forward to reveal his identity to avoid misunderstandings." Disciple, is Master right?

  "Half a bottle of water makes the most noise when shaken."

  Xiao Si snorted and said, "That also depends on the size of the bottle."

  Yi Bo listened to the master and apprentice coming and going without any distinction between superior and inferior, secretly laughing in his heart but not daring to show it on his face. Pretending to turn around and look back, he saw that the horse carriage had already caught up from behind.

  The white-faced scholar driving the carriage tightened his reins, made a bow and asked somewhat nervously: "Are you gentlemen heroes who are familiar with the Huabu Bureau?"

  Xiao Si Chang was taken aback, it was the first time he had been called a "hero" with such solemn tone. He couldn't help but change his expression and replied: "Not bad, we are all familiar with the Tong Bureau. Who are you, and why are you following us?"

  The young scholar Bai Mian replied politely: "I am Fang Xuanling. Some time ago, I was traveling in the Daba Mountains when I met a woman who had fallen on hard times. She told me that she was going to Jiangzhou to find an old friend named Bo Er, who was staying at the Huitong Escort Agency. So earlier, when I saw you carrying the flag of the Huitong Escort Agency at the dock, I wanted to catch up with you and ask questions. But I was worried about being too forward since we had never met before, so I hesitated and followed you from a distance."

  Yi Bo saw the white-faced scholar's expression and tone were not like pretending, and he was shocked: "A fallen woman is looking for Mr. Bu Er?"

  Fang Xuanling said: "That's right, dare I ask if you gentlemen know Mr. Bu Er?"

  "Divination child coldly said: 'I am!'"

  Fang Xuanling hesitated and looked him up and down: "You... are Mr. Bo Er?"

  Originally, he thought that the woman who had traveled thousands of miles to seek help from Mr. Bo Er would not possibly be an old and ugly blind man. But then he immediately realized: "The Master said that taking a person by appearance is wrong, as in the case of Zi Wu. Fang Xuanling, Fang Xuanling, you consider yourself a rare talent with the ability to assist kings, how can you belittle others?"

  He dismounted his horse and bowed: "Mr. Bo, I pay my respects!"

  "Mr. Fang, why are you so arrogant towards me at first but then become polite later?"

  Fang Xuanling slightly revealed an embarrassed expression, and honestly said: "At first, I saw that you are a blind old man who cannot see things with both eyes, and I felt somewhat disappointed in my heart. But then I thought that since someone is willing to come from afar to seek your help, sir must have some extraordinary abilities. Moreover, people should not be judged by their appearance, Yu Rang and Jing Ke were also true heroes!"

  A dry smile squeezed out on Bo's face as he asked, "Is the woman in your carriage, sir?"

  Fang Xuanling slightly surprised said: "It turns out that Old Master had already guessed it."

  Xiao Si's curiosity was getting the better of him, and he heard the heavy breathing coming from inside the car, as if someone had suffered a severe internal injury. But what kind of woman could have had an affair with old blind man?

  He didn't hesitate either, jumped off his horse and strode to the front of the carriage, saying: "Lao Fang, let me take a look at who she is, you don't mind, do you?"

  Fang Xuanling hesitated for a moment before nodding and saying, "Young master, please take a look." He stretched out his hand and slowly lifted the curtain of the carriage.

  Xiao Si looked inside and couldn't help but exclaim: "Chaotian Jiao!"

  All that could be seen was a beautiful young woman lying on the soft cushion in the carriage, her face pale and her eyes tightly closed, sleeping soundly, unaware of what was happening outside. If it wasn't Yu Hongjiao, the original mistress of Hu Ge Village, who else could it be?

  Fang Xuanling looked at Xiao Si in surprise, thinking to himself: "This young lady is as beautiful as a flower, how could she be the notorious thief 'Chao Tian Jiao'?"

  Yi Bo heard the words and also walked over, reaching out to grasp Yu Hongjiao's right wrist exposed outside the quilt, his expression slightly changing: "What a sinister and eerie aura, it seems that this person's cultivation is very high."

  Bu Suanzi didn't dismount, and after a moment of contemplation, he instructed, "Yi Bai, inform Geng Shaohua to stop at the town ahead."

  Yi Bai responded and caught up with Geng Shaohua and others who were waiting ahead, telling them what had happened.

  He shot out a pellet with his fingers and said, "Let her take it first, we'll talk about it when we get to town."

  Xiao Si's hand grasped the medicine pill, thought for a moment and handed it over to Fang Xuanling: "Old Fang, you'd better do it."

  Fang Xuanling took a look at the medicine pill and then brought it under his nose to sniff, slightly moved: "Good medicine!"

  "Divination Master asked: 'Do you also understand medicine?'"

  Fang Xuanling humbly said: "When I was at home, I also read a few volumes of medical books and had a chance encounter with Sun Simiao."

  "Ah!" exclaimed Sun Simiao, who did not expect that this seemingly dull and bookish scholar could make him look at him in a different light.

  The so-called "Northern Thought, Southern Evil Moon" refers to the two great divine doctors of today's world. Sun Simiao is like Ye Fashan, also one of the Five True Ones of Zhongnan, and has a high reputation in the court for his medical skills.

  Fang Xuanling had already fed the Dan pill, and Xiao Si flipped over on his horse, thinking: "I wonder where that old man Chengxian Hu went? His wife is always running around outside, and as a man, he can't even control her, it's really embarrassing. Ah, I got it, this little girl won't be here to find Old Blind Man to tell on me for what happened last time, will she?"

  Xiao Si couldn't help but sneak a peek at Mu, who was still expressionless. She then comforted herself by thinking: "If that's really the case, then Cao Tianzheng has miscalculated. Where in the world is there a reason for an apprentice to report their master? I just don't know who beat her up this time. Luckily, she met a bookworm like him, otherwise..."

  For some reason, thinking of this, Xīao Sì's mind suddenly flashed back to the snow-capped peaks of Cháo Tiān Jiāo's Yuè Gǔ, the fierce flames and red lips.

  He hastily put away his thoughts and continued on with the crowd, walking another thirty or so miles before finding an inn in a small town to stay at.

  After a round of rescue, plus Xiang Xiaosi reluctantly contributing two "Jiuyang Dan" healing sacred medicines bought from the black market in Jiangzhou, Zhang Tianyang slowly woke up at dawn.

  This time what entered her line of sight was no longer just Fang Xuanling alone, but rather more than ten figures fluttering back and forth in front of her, fluttering back and forth...

  She gritted her teeth and endured the intense physical and mental pain, trying to make out every face, but vaguely heard a familiar voice asking: "Madam Cheng, what do you want with my apprentice? If it's something unrelated and messy, just tell me."

  Heavens... how is it this little devil again?

  Yu Hongjiao's face involuntarily flushed with excitement, but then she heard Bu Suanzi say: "Madam Cheng, the old man is here."

  Yu Hongjiao's heart skipped a beat, her pale lips trembled, and two lines of scorching tears rolled down.

  After a while, she calmed down and sobbed: "Second Master, I beg of you to avenge my family!"

  Xiao Si's expression changed suddenly as he exclaimed: "Is Cheng Xianhu dead?"

  Yu Hongqiao sobbed and said: "Since leaving Hu Ge Village, the master's heart has been cold and he has been hiding in a small town outside Chang'an City. Who knew that on New Year's Eve, Eagle Yang suddenly came to our door, accusing us of killing his son and disciple, and started a massacre on the spot..."

  She was so emotional at this point that she suddenly fainted again.

  The room was silent as a crow, and the sound of a needle falling could be heard. After a long time, Fang Xuanling finally asked, "Who is that Eagle Yang old demon?"

  Geng Shaohua replied: "He is a notorious villain, with extraordinary cultivation and exceptional abilities."

  "Wan Er angrily said: 'Is there really such a person and such a thing in this world? This demon head is too overbearing!'"

  "Only afraid that even I am far from being his match."

  Everyone was shocked, although they had never seen Bu Suanzi take action, his cultivation was higher than that of Geng Nan Yi, Chu Lie and Cheng Xian Hu, which was beyond doubt. Moreover, with the mysterious and magical technique of Qimen Dunjia, he could be said to be a rare opponent in the world.

  Even if he were to publicly admit that his cultivation was far inferior to that of the old demon, the ferocity of this demon lord would still be unimaginable!

  Xiao Si's spine felt a chill run down it as he thought to himself, "Eagle Yang is so ruthless that even the Immortal Tiger didn't escape his wrath. Who will be his next target? I'd better hurry to Chang'an and find Thief Old Dao and Tang Xiao San, get them to help me take on Eagle Yang together. After all, they're the ones who got us into this mess, but it was Tang Xiao San alone who killed him. They should at least take some responsibility."

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