Chapter 67

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Chapter 67: Entering the City

     

As the carriage started again, two new passengers boarded. One was a young gentleman dressed in fine clothes, holding a folding fan, looking quite elegant. The other was a chubby young man with small, darting eyes. They clearly didn’t know each other, and each found a seat on their own.

     

It seemed like birds of a feather flock together. Not long after the carriage started moving, the young scholar Li Jinfeng and the elegant gentleman began to converse animatedly. The other passengers learned that the gentleman’s surname was Shangguan, with the given name Yun, and he was from Xu Town. However, he didn’t reveal why he was traveling to Pingyang City. Shangguan Yun seemed quite arrogant, speaking only to Li Jinfeng and ignoring Zhang Xiaohua and the others. Occasionally, when he glanced at Zhang Xiaohua, he would even frown.

     

Zhang Xiaohu might have been preoccupied with his own thoughts and didn’t notice, but Zhang Xiaohua saw it clearly. He found it odd and even looked down at his own clothes and then at his brother’s. There was nothing wrong with them, they were new clothes made by their mother before they left. This left Zhang Xiaohua puzzled.

     

In truth, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t understand that their attire and demeanor clearly marked them as country folk, likely on their first long journey. The previous passengers, though from modest backgrounds, didn’t outwardly show their disdain. Li Jinfeng, being a scholar, was too cultured to display any contempt on his face. But Shangguan Yun was different. Coming from a wealthy family, he wasn’t a spoiled brat, but the household servants he was used to were far better dressed and behaved than Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu. This time, he chose to travel by public carriage instead of using his own, aiming to gain some worldly experience. Encountering two obvious country bumpkins right after boarding naturally made him show some impatience. In fact, it wasn’t malice, but it left Zhang Xiaohua confused.

     

The chubby man sitting nearby observed Shangguan Yun’s expression and also glanced at Zhang Xiaohua. He smirked before closing his eyes, seemingly indifferent. However, he kept trying to find an opportunity to join Shangguan Yun’s conversation, indicating his disdain for Zhang Xiaohua as well.

     

After chatting for a while, Shangguan Yun suddenly asked: “Brother Li, you’ve been studying in Pingyang City for a while. Do you know the Lotus Escort Agency?”

     

Li Jinfeng was taken aback and said: “Of course, almost everyone in Pingyang City knows about it. It’s located in the western part of Pingyang City, occupies a large area, and is said to be quite powerful, with many branches in the Yu Kingdom. Brother Shangguan, why did you suddenly mention the Lotus Escort Agency? Do you have business with them?”

     

At this moment, the chubby young man finally found an opportunity to speak. He interjected, clasping his hands and asking: “May I ask if Young Master Shangguan is also going to the Lotus Escort Agency for the exam?”

     

Shangguan Yun looked at the chubby young man in surprise and asked: “Are you going to the Lotus Escort Agency as well?”

     

The chubby man replied: “Yes, my name is Yu Lun. I’m heading to the Lotus Escort Agency.”

     

Shangguan Yun smiled and said: “I didn’t expect to meet a fellow traveler here. I’ve been disrespectful. But, Brother Yu have you been to the Lotus Escort Agency before?”

     

Yu Lun said: “I’ve been to Pingyang City before, but I was too busy having fun to go there. I heard that the Lotus Escort Agency is recruiting, so I thought I’d try my luck. But Brother Shangguan, you seem to have a good family background. Why are you heading to an escort agency to make a living?”

     

Shangguan Yun sighed and said: “I sneaked out. My family forces me to study, but I get dizzy just looking at books. A few days ago, I heard one of our household guards mention the Lotus Escort Agency, and it sounded interesting. I’ve been practicing martial arts since I was a child, so I should be fine. Once I learn some real skills, I won’t have to deal with my old man’s nagging about studying.”

     

After speaking, he seemed to realize he might have said too much and quickly turned to Li Jinfeng, saying: “Brother Li, I don’t mean to offend scholars. It’s just that I was born with no interest in studying, please don’t mind it.”

     

Li Jinfeng smiled and said: “No offense taken. Everyone has their own path.”

     

But he was secretly complaining in his heart that martial artists were just a bunch of brutes.

     

At this moment, Zhang Xiaohua timidly asked: “Excuse me, is the Lotus Escort Agency related to the one in Lu Town?”

     

Shangguan Yun remained silent, but Yu Lun replied: “Little Brother, you must be from Lu Town. The Lotus Escort Agency is a large organization with branches everywhere, including Lu Town.”

     

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said: “Oh, I understand. I have another question.”

     

Yu Lun smiled and said: “Ask away, little brother. If I know the answer, I’ll tell you.”

     

With his puffed-up cheeks, Yu Lun looked like he enjoyed being a teacher. Zhang Xiaohua asked: “So, what does an escort agency do?”

     

With a loud thud, the chubby young man fell back in the carriage, his head hitting the carriage canopy.

     

Li Jinfeng and Shangguan Yun were also taken aback, their mouths agape as they stared at Zhang Xiaohua. Zhang Xiaohua, puzzled, asked: “What’s the matter? You don’t know what an escort agency does either, do you?”

     

At this point, the nearby guard spoke up: “Is this your first time traveling, little brother?”

     

Zhang Xiaohua nodded. The guard explained: “An escort agency is an organization of martial artists who offer services to protect ordinary people’s valuables or ensure their safety.”

     

Zhang Xiaohua nodded as if he understood. He thought to himself: ” Great Hero Lu said that if our family ever needed help, we should take his token to the Lotus Escort Agency in Lu Town. That must mean the Lotus Escort Agency is connected to the Piaomiao Sect.”

     

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua ask these questions, Zhang Xiaohu blushed slightly. He didn’t know much about this either, but he was too embarrassed to ask. Zhang Xiaohua’s questions were helping him learn as well.

     

At this moment, the chubby Yu Lun sat back up, and Shangguan Yun and Li Jinfeng closed their mouths. Zhang Xiaohua then asked: “So, Big Brother Shangguan and Big Brother Yu are going to the escort agency to become guards?”

     

The three of them were taken aback again.

     

Yu Lun chuckled and said: “Little brother, it’s like this, the Lotus Escort Agency not only provides guards for others but also teaches martial arts. We’re going to the Lotus Escort Agency to learn martial arts.”

     

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu’s eyes lit up, and they exchanged a look, their minds made up. Zhang Xiaohua asked: “Brother Yu, how does the Lotus Escort Agency select people?”

     

Yu Lun replied: “It’s mainly based on strength, hand-to-hand combat, and weapon skills. I’m not exactly sure of the details, but we’ll find out when we get there.”

     

Zhang Xiaohu noted this down in his mind.

     

Shangguan Yun, growing impatient, said: “Why are you asking so many questions? Are you planning to join too?”

     

Yu Lun interjected: “This little brother is probably too young, but his elder brother might have a chance.”

     

Zhang Xiaohu asked excitedly: “Really?”

     

Yu Lun blinked and said: “Really, you should be fine.”

     

Zhang Xiaohu, thrilled, asked: “Can you take us with you tomorrow? We don’t know the way.”

     

Yu Lun smiled and said: “Sure, no problem. We’ll go together tomorrow.”

     

Yu Lun and the other two started discussing cultural topics, leaving Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua unable to join the conversation. The two brothers, excited about their prospects for tomorrow, looked outside with hope. Unfortunately, being first-time travelers, they failed to notice Shangguan Yun’s disdainful expression and the sneer in Yu Lun’s eyes. Only the guard noticed these looks but didn’t comment, thinking it was normal for first-time travelers to face some challenges.

     

The carriage arrived in Pingyang City at night. Initially eager to see the city, the Zhang brothers were disappointed by the dark night, which extinguished their curiosity. They could only see the massive city gates swallowing the carriage like a monster and the lanterns swaying in the wind outside wealthy households.

     

The carriage traveled quite a distance into the city before stopping at a secluded spot. Everyone disembarked, seeing the familiar sign of “Jichi Carriage Inn”, confirming they were at the Pingyang City branch. It was late, and the staff quickly led them inside. After a simple meal, everyone went to rest. The Zhang brothers stayed in a shared room, unaware of where Yu Lun and the others stayed. Zhang Xiaohua wanted to remind them about going to the Lotus Escort Agency together the next day but held back seeing how tired they were.

     

The shared room at the Pingyang City Carriage Inn was cleaner than others and less crowded. Exhausted from the day’s journey, the Zhang brothers quickly fell asleep. Zhang Xiaohua passed out as soon as he hit the bed, while Zhang Xiaohu carefully placed their bundle under his head before sleeping soundly.

     

The next morning, they woke up early, had breakfast, and waited at the entrance for Yu Lun and the others. However, despite waiting for a long time, they didn’t show up. Growing anxious, they asked around and found out that Young Master Shangguan had found the place uncomfortable and called Yu Lun and Li Jinfeng to look for another inn together. The scholar Li Jinfeng patted his chest, and the chubby Yu Lun readily agreed. Their previous assurances were now worthless, the two brothers couldn’t help looking at each other, how could people be so unreliable?

     

They debated whether to go to the Piaomiao Sect or the Lotus Escort Agency. Ultimately, they decided to follow Zhang Xiaohu’s suggestion and go to the Piaomiao Sect. But where was the Piaomiao Sect? After the two brothers asked the carriage inn staff, fortunately, the attitude of the staff of the Jichi Carriage Inn was good. The reputation of the Piaomiao Sect was prominent, so it was easy to find out that the Piaomiao Sect was not located in Pingyang City but in Piaomiao Manor, ten miles east of the city.

     

Since the carriage inn was in the city’s northwest corner, they needed to cross the city and exit through the east gate. After getting clear directions, they set out from the carriage inn.

     

The area around the carriage inn was quiet, with the sun already high in the sky but few people around. After walking a while, crossing an alley, and turning a corner, they both stopped abruptly. Zhang Xiaohua, puzzled, asked Zhang Xiaohu: “Second Brother, is it New Year’s again?”