Chapter 220

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Zhang Xiaohua, seeing his second brother’s gesture, did not dismount. The two of them turned their horses back onto the road and continued for the time it took to smoke a pipe. Only then did Zhang Xiaohua slightly slow his horse and curiously ask: “Second Brother, what was that all about earlier?”

[TL_Note: Odd way to measure time, but ok. I checked out of curiosity and it’s about 40 minutes :)]

Zhang Xiaohu replied: “It’s nothing much. I suspect there’s something off about that small inn. It might be a black inn, or it could be harmless. But when traveling far from home, caution is key. It’s better to avoid it altogether.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua’s curiosity was piqued. He asked: “Second Brother, how did you figure that out?”

Zhang Xiaohu chuckled and said: “It’s just a feeling. First of all, small inns like that don’t make much money. Usually, they’re run by older folks who can’t do more labor-intensive work and just want to pass time in peace. But the attendant we met was a young man. He could easily make more money doing something else. Secondly, didn’t you hear what he said? ‘Stopping for a short rest or dining in?’ What could such a small hut possibly offer for dining? At best, they could provide some water and a place to sit. His phrasing was clearly borrowed from proper inns. And finally, did you see the horses at the entrance? They were so old! Why would anyone ride horses like those out here?”

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t quite understand. “So, just based on these observations, you think the inn is suspicious?”

“Isn’t that enough? Even if it were just one of these reasons, it would be enough to avoid going inside. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“But, Second Brother, with our skills, are we really afraid of any tricks they might have in that inn?”

“Our skills?” Zhang Xiaohu shook his head. “Xiaohua, let’s not even talk about whether our martial abilities are enough to make us invincible in the martial world. Even if we were highly skilled, as the ancients said: ‘An open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to defend against’. Who knows what might be waiting for us in that inn? Sleeping gas, hidden weapons, traps? In any case, of all the strategies, retreating is the best.”

Then, Zhang Xiaohu added seriously: “And Xiaohua, don’t think that just because you defeated a few monks from Dalin Temple, you’re invincible. The competitions on the martial stage are very different from life-and-death combat. You absolutely must not let your guard down.”

In truth, Zhang Xiaohua had already experienced life-and-death combat on that rainy night. The only reason he said such things now was due to the impulsiveness of youth. Having learned martial arts, he couldn’t help but feel a desire to test his skills.

Hearing Zhang Xiaohu’s words, Zhang Xiaohua felt somewhat unwilling to accept them. However, thinking about how he might not even be a match for Nie Xiao’er at the moment, he temporarily gave up on the extravagant idea of showing off on their way home.

Zhang Xiaohu noticed his younger brother fall silent. Knowing that youthful pride and ambition were at play, he didn’t press the issue further. Many things in life require personal experience to truly understand. No matter how convincing others might sound, it’s hard to believe until one faces it themselves—especially in matters one takes pride in.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xiaohu asked: “Xiaohua, are you tired? We’ve been riding all morning. Let’s dismount and rest for a bit.”

Zhang Xiaohua replied, “I’m fine, Second Brother. I don’t feel very tired and can keep going if needed.”

Zhang Xiaohu assumed his brother was still excited about riding and hadn’t yet felt the strain. He figured Xiaohua would tire eventually. What he didn’t know was that Zhang Xiaohua, having trained in horse stance for long periods without fatigue, wouldn’t feel tired from merely riding a horse for a short time.

Zhang Xiaohu chuckled and said: “Hehe, even if you don’t need to rest, the horses do. We’ll be relying on them for the next few days. We can’t exhaust them too early.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua quickly pulled on the reins. Without waiting for Zhang Xiaohu to help, he leaped off the horse with a swift motion.

The two led their horses to the roadside, allowing them to graze freely. They then retrieved some dry rations from their bundles and ate a little to satisfy their hunger.

After resting for a while and ensuring the horses had regained their energy, they mounted again and resumed their journey.

Since encountering the suspicious inn just half a day outside Pingyang City, Zhang Xiaohu had been extra cautious on the road home. However, the route from Pingyang City to Lu Town was mostly open and straightforward, with few forests or mountain paths. The chances of encountering bandits were relatively low. Moreover, the two were eager to return home, urging their horses to gallop swiftly. Even if there had been potential threats, they were nipped in the bud due to their speed. Thus, after a few days of travel, they encountered nothing unusual.

During these days of riding, Zhang Xiaohua felt both joy and frustration. The joy came from the exhilarating feeling of riding, the wind in his face, and the vast views—an experience that embodied freedom. The frustration, however, stemmed from the monotony of the long journey. The fatigue wasn’t just physical but also mental, making it far less convenient than traveling by carriage. While horseback riding was indeed faster, it wasn’t sustainable for long distances. Along the way, they had passed several carriages, only to be overtaken by them later after stopping to rest. This happened a few times, and eventually, Zhang Xiaohua lost interest in the meaningless game of overtaking carriages.

At noon that day, the two brothers arrived at a three-way crossroads. Zhang Xiaohu dismounted, walked to a small roadside tea stall, bought some dry rations, and filled their water skins. After asking for directions, he smiled and said to Zhang Xiaohua: “Xiaohua, look, if we take the middle road straight ahead, in about the time it takes to finish a meal, we’ll reach Lu Town.”

Zhang Xiaohua was delighted. Taking the water skin, he gulped down several mouthfuls before exclaiming: “What are we waiting for? Let’s spur the horses and ride hard! If we hurry, we might even reach Guo Village before nightfall.”

Zhang Xiaohu nodded. “Exactly. Let’s move!”

With that, the brothers spurred their horses onward, galloping down the central path, leaving a trail of dust behind.

However, shortly after passing the crossroads, Zhang Xiaohua, riding ahead, suddenly pulled on his reins and called out: “Second Brother, did you hear something?”

Zhang Xiaohu slowed his horse, listening carefully. “No, just the sound of the wind.”

Frowning, Zhang Xiaohua tilted his head and listened intently. “It’s gone now, but I think I just heard a woman crying for help from the side of the road.”

Zhang Xiaohu chuckled. “Even if you’re dreaming of rescuing a damsel in distress, there’d have to be a damsel first. This open road is empty as far as the eye can see.”

Zhang Xiaohua shrugged and said: “Maybe I misheard. Let’s go.”

Just as he was about to pull the reins, he suddenly stopped again and said: “Second Brother, I hear it again—two women calling for help! It’s definitely coming from the roadside, over there, in the woods.”

Zhang Xiaohu glanced toward the distant forest along the road. After a brief hesitation, he raised his brows and said: “Xiaohua, a true man knows when to act and when not to. Let’s head to the woods and take a look. If there’s nothing there, so be it. But if we encounter injustice, then as brothers who’ve learned martial arts, we can’t stand idly by.”

With that, he spurred his horse off the main road toward the forest. Zhang Xiaohua immediately followed, smiling as he rode. “Second Brother, you speak exactly to my heart. I was worried you’d be too timid and hesitate to act in a situation like this.”

Zhang Xiaohu laughed heartily and said: “Just because I don’t want trouble doesn’t mean I’m afraid of it. If there are women calling for help and we shy away, then we might as well return to Guo Village to farm the fields. Why bother learning martial arts at all?”

The two chestnut horses galloped swiftly, and in no time, they reached the edge of the forest. Along the way, Zhang Xiaohu also faintly heard the cries for help from within the woods, prompting him to push his horse even faster.

Just as they reached the forest’s edge, a loud voice boomed from inside the trees: “Whoever wants to enter, listen up! This old man from West Cui Mountain is doing business here. Outsiders, keep your distance!”

“West Cui Mountain?!”

Hearing these three words, Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua exchanged a glance. To Zhang Xiaohua, the name West Cui Mountain was a source of deep hatred. Back when he was bullied by their bandits, he had been powerless, no stronger than a trussed chicken. He had been mere prey for the taking. However, after Lu Mingyue killed the three leaders of West Cui Mountain, Zhang Xiaohua had almost forgotten about them. Now, hearing that these scattered bandits had regrouped and were once again oppressing the weak, fury ignited in his heart.

As the desperate cries of the women from the forest reached his ears, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but recall his sister-in-law’s helplessness that day. How could he endure it? Spurring his horse, he charged into the woods, shouting: “This young master does meddle in such matters! Let’s see what kind of rubbish West Cui Mountain is!”

Zhang Xiaohu, seeing this from behind, was shocked. As the old saying goes: Avoid entering forests lightly. Forests are often breeding grounds for traps. How could Zhang Xiaohua understand this? Yet, he charged in headlong. Afraid for his brother’s safety, Zhang Xiaohu hurriedly followed.

Once inside the forest, they saw a clearing. In the middle of it stood a small, elegant carriage. The carriage itself was exquisitely made, but the canopy had been torn off, revealing two young women sitting on the carriage. Their clothes were in disarray, their pale faces filled with terror. They clung to each other, shrinking desperately to one side of the carriage to avoid the grasping hands of two shirtless burly men.

The carriage was so small that the two men could easily reach the women. Yet, they had deliberately prolonged their actions, toying with them. The two women, oblivious to this, continued to dodge and cry for help, which only drew laughter from the onlookers.

Beside the carriage were six large horses. Two of them were riderless, while the other four were mounted by muscular men who looked on coldly as Zhang Xiaohua galloped in.

The crying women had heard the sound of approaching hooves and Zhang Xiaohua’s shouts. At first, their terrified eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. However, when they saw Zhang Xiaohua’s youthful figure and the similarly young Zhang Xiaohu following behind him, their hope was extinguished almost immediately, replaced by despair.

It was understandable. Anyone brave enough to enter the forest and confront the bandits of West Cui Mountain would surely be a robust warrior or at least part of a larger group. Instead, all they saw was a young boy, followed by another youth who didn’t look particularly strong. These were no heroes charging to their rescue—they looked more like lambs wandering into a den of tigers, offering themselves up.

The two women, realizing this, couldn’t even muster the strength to cry for help. They watched as the burly men’s hands closed in on their shoulders, resigned to their fate, not even bothering to resist anymore.
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