Chapter 147

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Everyone stopped when they heard Qiu Tong call out for them to wait, and looked at her in confusion.

Fourth Master Wen, upon hearing Qiu Tong call for a pause, thought to himself that things might not be going well. Head Escort Luo was unaware of the importance of the accusations against Zhang Xiaohu. One of which was related to Zhang Xiaohua. He was well aware of Zhang Xiaohua’s connections in Huanxi Villa. If Ou Yan found out about this matter of the food and lodging fees, it could turn into a big issue. What originally wasn’t much of a problem might escalate into something serious, and even he could get caught up in it.

Hurriedly, he said: “Miss Qiu Tong, we’ve already finished discussing the escort agency’s matters. Let them get back to their work. What brings you to the agency today? Please tell us.”

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand, signaling for the others to leave.

Qiu Tong smiled and said: “Fourth Master Wen, what I came to talk about today is actually related to Zhang Xiaohu. I also overheard the Fourth Master mention something about food and lodging fees. I’m not sure if it’s connected to what I need to say. Why don’t we have everyone stay and listen?”

Fourth Master Wen, left with no choice, asked everyone to sit back down.

Qiu Tong glanced around and then said to Head Escort Luo: “Is this the famous Head Escort Luo of the Lotus Escort Agency?”

Upon hearing this, Head Escort Luo was immediately surprised. He stood up and said: “That is indeed me. Does the young lady actually know my humble name?”

Qiu Tong smiled and said: “Of course I know. Even our Villa Owner knows of you. You are quite good, haha, quite good.”

Head Escort Luo was so overjoyed that he couldn’t stop smiling, forgetting even to sit down. He just stood there, grinning foolishly.

Qiu Tong then glanced at Zhang Xiaohu and smiled, saying: “Zhang Xiaohu, we meet again.”

Zhang Xiaohu stood up, clasped his fists, and said: “Greetings, Miss Qiu Tong.”

Qiu Tong said: “You can sit down. Your brother, Zhang Xiaohua, asked me to tell you that he’s doing well, so you don’t need to worry.”

Zhang Xiaohu replied: “Thank you, Miss Qiu Tong. Xiaohua has caused you trouble at the villa, but it’s reassuring to know you’re looking after him.”

Qiu Tong nodded and then turned to Fourth Master Wen, saying: “Actually, I didn’t come here with any major issue. I’m just here on behalf of our Villa Owner to deliver some silver to the escort agency.”

With that, she took ten taels of silver from her money pouch and placed it on the table in front of Fourth Master Wen.

Fourth Master Wen was shocked and asked: “Miss Qiu Tong, what is the Villa Owner’s intention with this?”

Qiu Tong sneered and replied: “It’s nothing much. Since Zhang Xiaohua used your escort agency’s transport, and you asked him to pay for food and lodging, our Villa Owner has decided that not only should the food and lodging fees be covered, but the transport fees as well. Fourth Master Wen, have your Head Escort Luo check if these ten taels are enough. If not, let me know the exact amount, and I will provide it.”

Hearing this, Fourth Master Wen’s expression changed drastically. Head Escort Luo, who was standing, turned pale and fell into his chair with a thud.

Fourth Master Wen quickly forced a smile and said: “Miss Qiu Tong, there’s no need for this. The Lotus Escort Agency and Huanxi Villa are like one family. We shouldn’t be talking about such things between us. This is a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding.”

Qiu Tong replied: “We naturally consider ourselves as one family, but some people don’t think so. Our Villa Owner is very upset and almost came personally. I didn’t want to cause too much trouble to the Fourth Master, so I took this matter into my own hands. Fourth Master Wen, you can handle it as you see fit.”

Fourth Master Wen glared at Head Escort Luo and said; “To solve the problem, you need to address the issue at hand. Head Escort Luo, what do you suggest we do?”

Head Escort Luo, seemingly dazed, mumbled: “Uh… The accountant just mentioned that the total, including accommodation and transport, is just over nine hundred copper coins. It doesn’t require this much.”

Fourth Master Wen, upon hearing this, cursed angrily to himself: “Idiot!”

As she was about to speak further, Qiu Tong, laughed angrily and said, “Fourth Master Wen, this is indeed the head escort of your agency. Truly impressive. Our Huanxi Villa isn’t short of this amount of silver. Consider these ten taels as Zhang Xiaohua’s meal expenses. If there’s any excess, consider it a reward for Head Escort Luo. Fourth Master Wen, I must take my leave. The Villa Owner is waiting for my report.”

With that, she stood up and, with a flick of her sleeve, left.

Fourth Master Wen couldn’t let Qiu Tong leave so easily. He quickly ran after her, calling out: “Miss Qiu Tong, Miss Qiu Tong, please wait. Please listen to me.”

Qiu Tong and Fourth Master Wen walked, one leaving and the other pursuing, until they reached the small courtyard.

The others in the room, not daring to stay seated, hurriedly stood up and followed out of the house.

At that moment, the guard Xiao Si appeared at the door, leading a disciple dressed in the distinctive attire of the Piaomiao Sect. He rushed into the courtyard and, upon seeing Fourth Master Wen, exclaimed: “Fourth Master Wen, Fourth Master Wen, This is a disciple of the Piaomiao Sect who has come to find Zhang Xiaohu. I heard he was here, so I brought him along. Is Zhang Xiaohu here?”

Upon hearing the guard’s words, everyone stopped in their tracks and looked at Zhang Xiaohu with astonished expressions. Zhang Xiaohu himself was also surprised and stood there in a daze, what did the Piaomiao Sect disciple want with him?

Two flowers bloomed, one in each branch. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaohua and He Tianshu followed Ou Yan out of the main hall. Instead of heading to the outer courtyard, they went deeper into the inner courtyard. Zhang Xiaohua, unaware of the significance, simply followed Ou Yan, while He Tianshu was shocked, wondering what kind of medicine Villa Owner Ou was selling in her gourd.

The trio passed through several courtyards and arrived at a small side gate. The wooden door of the side gate was tightly closed. Ou Yan approached, opened the door, and walked through it, with Zhang Xiaohua and He Tianshu following.

He Tianshu’s eyes brightened as he saw that behind the side gate was a lush garden. On either side of the gate stood several energetic young disciples in Piaomiao Sect attire. He Tianshu was momentarily stunned and, after a brief contemplation, came to a conclusion.

Indeed, as soon as the Piaomiao Sect disciples saw Ou Yan enter, they respectfully greeted her, saying: “We welcome the Villa Owner.”

Ou Yan smiled and waved her hand, saying: “Thank you for your hard work. Please take me to the council hall.”

The leading young disciple quickly stepped forward and said: “Please, Villa Owner, follow me. I will take you there.”

With that, he led the way, with Ou Yan and the others following behind, heading towards the council hall.

As He Tianshu walked, he was secretly wondering in his heart. He had always gone back to the Piaomiao Sect through a side door of Huanxi Villa and then made his way to Piaomiao Sect’s main gate, assuming that was also how Villa Owner Ou did it. To his surprise, there was such a shortcut through the inner courtyard. However, upon reflection, it made sense. The Piaomiao Sect and Huanxi Villa were built next to each other, so wasn’t only natural to have connecting passages? It would have been unusual otherwise. The fact that Ou Yan was not avoiding him and led him through this shortcut suggested that his contributions during the southern expedition had earned him a place of respect and didn’t treat him as an outsider. He hadn’t expected such a fortunate turn of events from his “demotion” to Huanxi Villa to cultivate herbs.

However, he then thought of Zhang Xiaohua, who had made the most significant contributions during the southern expedition. He realized that his own achievements paled in comparison to Zhang Xiaohua’s, like a firefly compared to the bright moon. He was merely benefiting from Zhang Xiaohua’s success. After all, Zhang Xiaohua had learned all his martial arts from He Tianshu himself. It seemed that Ou Yan’s kindness extended to Zhang Xiaohua, and He Tianshu was benefiting by extension. Zhang Xiaohua’s sword techniques, which he used to kill, were taught by Elder Yu, but He Tianshu conveniently overlooked that detail.

Thinking about martial arts, He Tianshu had a sudden insight. He realized the true purpose of the visit to the Piaomiao Sect. Didn’t Zhang Xiaohua always want to learn internal cultivation techniques? Ou Yan bringing He Tianshu and Zhang Xiaohua to the Piaomiao Sect was likely to request the sect leader’s permission for He Tianshu to teach Zhang Xiaohua internal energy techniques.

Thinking of the benefits he had reaped from merely teaching Zhang Xiaohua incomplete martial arts made He Tianshu very eager to give it a try. He wondered, what advantages would come his way if he taught Zhang Xiaohua internal energy techniques?

However, it was so difficult for Zhang Xiaohua to learn simple martial techniques, which gave him a headache. If he were allowed to teach him the profound internal energy cultivation techniques, what a challenge it would be for him! When he thought of Zhang Xiaohua’s poor aptitude, He Tianshu was overwhelmed.

While He Tianshu was preoccupied with his worries, the disciple had already led them to the entrance of the council hall.

The disciple spoke softly to Ou Yan: “Villa Owner, we have arrived at the council hall. This disciple will take his leave now.”

Ou Yan smiled and said: “Thank you for your trouble.”

Once the disciple had left, Ou Yan turned to He Tianshu and Zhang Xiaohua, saying: “You two, please come inside with me.”

With that, she led them into the council hall.

Although He Tianshu was a disciple of the Piaomiao Sect, his rank was not high enough to have ever entered the council hall. He had only heard of it and had never been inside. Even during his previous inquiry about the rainstorm attack, he had only been questioned in the Law Enforcement Hall’s main hall. He knew that the council hall was a core area of the Piaomiao Sect and had long since focused his mind, walking respectfully behind Ou Yan, careful not to overstep any boundaries.

Zhang Xiaohua, though inexperienced, had grown a lot over the past six months from reading and learning. As he entered the hall, he initially peered around curiously. However, the solemn atmosphere and the grandeur of the hall quickly made him feel the gravity of the situation. Noticing He Tianshu’s composed demeanor, Zhang Xiaohua promptly stopped his wandering gaze and adopted a more proper and respectful posture.

Inside the conference hall, the matters being discussed seemed to be of a lower level. The hall was filled with people, on either side of the room, there were seats occupied by various hall masters and elders, and behind them stood numerous disciples. The crowd appeared to be whispering among themselves. When the three newcomers entered without prior notice, all conversation ceased immediately, and dozens of curious gazes turned toward them.

Upon recognizing Ou Yan, the crowd’s confusion turned into understanding, but they were still puzzled about the identities of the other two. Some even voiced their surprise with an audible “Huh”.

The Hall Master Bai of the Medicine Hall, Bai Dong, was particularly surprised to see He Tianshu entering the hall behind Ou Yan. He muttered a quiet “Huh” and thought to himself: “Why is this kid here in the council hall? What could Ou Yan be bringing him here for? Is there a promotion involved? Why haven’t I received any information about this?” These questions left him bewildered.

Another person who voiced surprise was Zhang Xiaohua’s old acquaintance, Wen Wenhai, who had saved him in Lu Town.

As a disciple of Ou Peng, Wen Wenhai was standing with Xue Qing behind the hall masters. Seeing Zhang Xiaohua, he was astonished and felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had seen the youth before. It took him a moment to recall that Zhang Xiaohua was the same person he had saved a year ago when Zhang Xiaohua was beaten badly and appeared as a swollen mess. The changes in Zhang Xiaohua’s appearance since then were considerable, and it was thanks to Wen Wenhai’s exceptional talent as a disciple of the Piaomiao Sect’s sect master that he could recognize him from his faded memories.

But he was unable to confirm his suspicion, so he leaned over to Xue Qing and whispered a few words. Xue Qing’s usually calm demeanor showed surprise as she closely examined Zhang Xiaohua. After a moment, she shook her head. Xue Qing was wearing a veil, so couldn’t see Zhang Xiaohua clearly, and with her indifferent personality, she likely paid little attention to a young child. Thus, she did not recognize him.

Seeing that Xue Qing couldn’t identify him either, Wen Wenhai fell silent.

Ou Peng, observing Ou Yan bringing the guests in, smiled and gestured to a nearby chair, saying: “Yan’er, come and sit here.”

Ou Yan promptly walked over to the indicated seat.

However, He Tianshu, unsure of the proper etiquette, hesitated and stopped in his tracks.

Zhang Xiaohua, who was behind, did not know what was happening. Seeing that Ou Yan had not instructed anyone to stop, he naturally continued to follow closely. When He Tianshu suddenly stopped, Zhang Xiaohua was caught off guard and, unable to stop in time, collided directly with He Tianshu’s back. Instinctively, Zhang Xiaohua pushed him in a reflexive motion.

Although it was a casual push, Zhang Xiaohua’s strength was of a thousand jin. He Tianshu was caught off guard and staggered forward. Fortunately, He Tianshu’s excellent martial skills allowed him to regain his balance quickly, though he had stumbled a step. Behind him, Zhang Xiaohua complained softly: “Captain He, why did you suddenly stop?”

He Tianshu wanted to turn around and pinch Zhang Xiaohua’s neck to explain to him, but being in the council hall, he refrained from saying anything. Gritting his teeth, he took a couple of steps back to align himself with Zhang Xiaohua.

This whole incident happened in a flash, and by the time people noticed and began to laugh, He Tianshu had already repositioned himself beside Zhang Xiaohua.

Seizing the moment of laughter, He Tianshu tapped Zhang Xiaohua’s arm and whispered: “Don’t speak. Just stand here.”

Zhang Xiaohua, slightly embarrassed by the laughter, felt it was not a big deal. It was just an accident. Despite the slight redness in He Tianshu’s face, he knew that everyone in the hall was an esteemed figure in the sect, so he naturally didn’t dare to complain a word.

Ou Peng, witnessing the amusing scene, couldn’t help but laugh. It had been a long time since something so entertaining had happened in the council hall. The only person unaware of the details was Ou Yan, who, seated in her chair, looked back at the blushing He Tianshu and Zhang Xiaohua who rolled his eyes with confusion.

Once the laughter had subsided, Ou Peng asked: “Yan’er, is this young man the Zhang Xiaohua you mentioned?”

Ou Yan smiled and replied: “Yes, elder brother. This is the Zhang Xiaohua I told you about.”

Ou Peng chuckled and said: “Zhang Xiaohua seems quite interesting.”

Ou Yan, curious, responded: “Really? I didn’t notice that. Brother, you truly have an eye for talent.”

Ou Peng merely smiled and said nothing further. He then addressed Zhang Xiaohua: “Zhang Xiaohua, come here for a moment.”

Upon hearing the name “Zhang Xiaohua,” Xue Qing and Wen Wenhai exchanged a glance, confirming Zhang Xiaohua’s identity. The name left quite an impression on them.

Zhang Xiaohua hesitated and glanced at He Tianshu, who quickly nodded, signaling for him to approach. Only then did Zhang Xiaohua walk up to Ou Peng. Ou Peng looked at him warmly and said: “My name is Ou Peng. I am the brother of your Villa Owner and also the Sect Master of the Piaomiao Sect.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed and said: “So you’re the famous, renowned leader of the Piaomiao Sect. It seems that you…”

Zhang Xiaohua stopped mid-sentence.

Ou Peng, curious, asked: “What about me?”

Zhang Xiaohua mumbled: “You look very young and quite handsome. Not at all like what I had imagined.”

The entire hall burst into laughter! That was quite a flattering remark.

Ou Peng was also delighted and asked: “What did you imagine I would look like?”

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and replied: “I imagined someone towering over others, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, exuding authority without needing to show anger. Hands as large as a fan, and arms thicker than my legs.”

Ou Peng blushed with embarrassment, breaking into a sweat. Isn’t that the giant Shi Niu!

He then asked: “So, are you disappointed?”

Zhang Xiaohua laughed: “Not at all. This is much more approachable, and you seem very kind, better than I imagined.”

Everyone in the hall collapsed with laughter!

It was rare for Ou Peng to smile during a meeting in the council hall. Usually, when everyone saw his stern face, they would shiver with fear and be extra cautious. But today, with Ou Yan present, he was much more approachable, giving Zhang Xiaohua a lucky break.

Ou Peng smiled and said: “The ancients were wise when they said, ‘A person’s true nature is revealed over time’. Just because this is your first time meeting me, it doesn’t mean you can truly understand who I am. The same applies in the martial world; you must not be deceived by appearances. Observe carefully. The human heart is one of the most complex things in the world, which is why there’s the saying, ‘The human heart is unfathomable’.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua’s expression became solemn. He bowed and said: “Thank you for your teachings, Sect Master. I will remember them well.”

Ou Peng nodded and continued, “Zhang Xiaohua, I called you here today for something. This time, during your journey south, you risked your life to save my sister. I have not forgotten this favor. Originally, we thought you had lost your life, and we prepared a generous compensation to honor you. But now that you have returned safely and even refused that compensation, as the leader of the Piaomiao Sect, I am someone who distinguishes clearly between favors and grievances. A few days ago, Yan’er came to me, asking for my help in fulfilling your wish, and I agreed. So today, tell me what you desire. As long as it is within my power, I will grant it.”

Upon hearing this, He Tianshu suddenly understood why Ou Yan had brought him to the council hall. He had initially thought it was merely to teach Zhang Xiaohua some internal martial arts techniques, but now it seemed that Sect Master Ou was about to offer Zhang Xiaohua a significant reward.

Zhang Xiaohua, overjoyed by Ou Peng’s words, asked in a trembling voice: “Sect Master Ou, is it really true?”