Chapter 92

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Chapter 92: Carriage Friend

With the means of transportation, the midday sun naturally didn’t affect Zhang Xiaohua. Sitting in the carriage, he recalled the last time he and his second brother walked all the way to Pingyang City. Zhang Xiaohua thought to himself: “No wonder people prefer to live in big cities, the quality of life here is truly different. Even if one wants to enjoy this in the countryside, the conditions just aren’t there. I wonder how much it costs to ride a carriage? Better not to ask, or else Ma Jing will start nagging again.”

The sound of horse hooves echoed “clack-clack” as they trotted along. After about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, the tall gates of Pingyang City came into view. Seeing the city gates again, Zhang Xiaohua no longer felt the surprise he once did. It seemed natural to him now, already familiar. Indeed, people’s habits are frightening, this was only his third time seeing it, and the novelty had already worn off. If faced with something every day, no matter how precious, it would inevitably be overlooked.

As the carriage entered the city, Zhang Xiaohua expected it to head towards the carriage service. Unexpectedly, it turned in another direction. Although Zhang Xiaohua wasn’t great with directions, he understood the general way. He asked Ma Jing in confusion: “Brother Ma, the carriage service doesn’t seem to be in this direction. Did I remember wrong?”

Ma Jing, long exasperated by Zhang Xiaohua’s strange questions, looked at him and replied irritably, “The carriage service isn’t in this direction, but Drunken Fragrance House is.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua quickly stood up. Luckily, he was still short, he almost hit the carriage roof. His sudden movement startled Ma Jing, who asked: “What’s wrong, little brother?”

Blushing, Zhang Xiaohua said: “Brother Ma, I really don’t want to go to Drunken Fragrance House. Please let me get off the carriage here.”

Ma Jing looked at Zhang Xiaohua’s embarrassment and laughed heartily. He called out to the coachman in front: “Driver, please stop for a moment. Let my brother get off.”

The carriage stopped promptly. Zhang Xiaohua quickly jumped off, fearing that the carriage might start moving again and take him to Drunken Fragrance House.

Ma Jing leaned half his body out of the carriage and asked, “Brother, do you know the address of the carriage service? You can go there to find a carriage back, don’t forget and walk the way back. You can also get a carriage to take you wherever you go.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said, “Got it, Brother Ma. No need for the carriage. Just remember to come back early tonight.”

After saying that, he waved his hand and he took off running.

“Come back early? It’s so hard for me to get out, it would be strange if I came back early.” Ma Jing thought to himself, a lewd smile appearing on his face.

Zhang Xiaohua ran down the road for a while, feeling safe only when he was far from the carriage. He stopped and asked a shop assistant by the roadside for directions to the Lotus Escort Agency.

Although it was already noon, the wide streets of Pingyang City were still bustling with people. Zhang Xiaohua had a hard time squeezing through the crowd. As he pushed his way forward, he kept an eye out for anyone who might be eyeing the silver he carried. Although he didn’t have a money pouch at his waist, he still didn’t feel safe with the silver hidden in his chest. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of how he and his second brother had encountered a thief the first time they went shopping.

Lost in thought, he suddenly noticed a familiar figure ahead. Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but be stunned. It was really a case of ‘speak of the Devil and he shall appear’.He hardly knew anyone in Pingyang City, so this figure was either Zhang Xiaohu or the thief they had almost caught last time. Watching the thief walking confidently ahead, Zhang Xiaohua found it amusing. Thinking of the thief’s eyes darting around, searching for his next target, Zhang Xiaohua quickened his pace.

Sure enough, in front of the thief was a scholar, holding a folding fan and looking around curiously. Whenever he saw an interesting stall, he would stop to check out the old books or buy some ink, paper, and writing brushes. His money pouch dangled from his waist, catching the thief’s eye. It seemed that the thief had been following him for a while, waiting for the right moment. At a junction with fewer people, the thief quickened his pace, about to approach the unsuspecting scholar.

Zhang Xiaohua, seeing this, naturally wanted to stop him. However, this time he was more cautious. He remembered how he had caught the thief last time, only to have a group of people swarm him, allowing the thief to escape. He looked around, suspecting that the thief’s accomplices were nearby. If he acted rashly, he might catch the thief, but he wouldn’t be able to handle the whole group alone. Last time, he had his second brother with him, and the gang didn’t dare make a move. This time, he was alone and could easily be overpowered.

He remembered that when he left, Liu Kai and Mr. Liu repeatedly reminded him that it was good to be brave and righteous, but he had to consider his safety first. What should he do?

Seeing the thief’s hand already reaching out, while the scholar was still looking up at the shop signs, Zhang Xiaohua’s eyes suddenly brightened. He shouted loudly: “Big Brother Zhang, what are you doing here?”

Zhang Xiaohua’s voice was loud enough to attract the attention of several people around, especially those with the surname Zhang. The scholar also turned his head in response. Seeing the scholar turn around, the thief quickly withdrew his hand and pretended to be looking at the items on the nearby stall.

When Zhang Xiaohua saw the scholar turn around, he was also stunned. He actually recognized this person. It was the scholar Li Jinfeng, who had ridden into the city with him on a carriage a month ago. Truly, fate works in mysterious ways. Of all the people he could have run into, it was two people he recognized, including the thief. Smiling, Zhang Xiaohua walked up to him. Li Jinfeng was also surprised. Although his impression of Zhang Xiaohua wasn’t very deep, they had shared a long carriage ride, and it had only been a little over a month since they parted ways. Seeing Zhang Xiaohua walking towards him and no one else responding, he guessed Zhang Xiaohua was indeed looking for him.

Zhang Xiaohua approached and greeted: “Hello, Big Brother Li.”

Li Jinfeng asked in surprise: “You are Zhang… Zhang Xiaohua, right? It’s been almost a month since we last met. I almost forgot your name. However, I’m still better than you, why did you just call me Brother Zhang?”

At this point, the thief realized that the two knew each other and recognized Zhang Xiaohua as the one who had chased him before, so he took advantage of their conversation to slip away quickly. Zhang Xiaohua then told Li Jinfeng about seeing the thief. Li Jinfeng patted his money pouch at his waist, realizing Zhang Xiaohua’s warning was indeed true, and couldn’t help but say happily: “It’s really thanks to you, otherwise I would have lost my living expenses for the month. I must thank you properly.”

Zhang Xiaohua modestly declined, saying: “Big Brother Li, you’re being too polite. We’re acquaintances, after all. Even if it were a stranger, I’d still help if I could. If we have to thank each other for such small matters, it diminishes the friendship we formed while traveling to Pingyang together.”

Li Jinfeng found Zhang Xiaohua’s reasoning very sensible and couldn’t help but see him in a new light. The boy standing before him was no longer the same inexperienced youth, he seemed more mature and confident. Li Jinfeng couldn’t help but like him from the bottom of his heart, almost as if he were his own younger brother. He patted Zhang Xiaohua’s shoulder warmly and said: “Alright, since you put it that way, I won’t be overly polite. We are both away from home, if you ever need any help in the future, don’t hesitate to come to me.”

He then gave Zhang Xiaohua his address, which Zhang Xiaohua carefully memorized.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua dressed in simple clothes and a small hat, Li Jinfeng was curious and asked: “What are you up to right now? Why are you dressed like this? Are you working as a servant for some wealthy family? And where is your brother?”

Zhang Xiaohua briefly explained his current situation to Li Jinfeng, though he didn’t mention anything about Huanxi Villa or the Piaomiao Sect. Li Jinfeng, although living in Pingyang City, was a scholar and knew little about the martial arts world. He assumed Huanxi Villa was just another wealthy estate. Hearing about how Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu had waited for him in front of the carriage service that day, he blushed and felt ashamed. He remembered how he had been dragged out by Shangguan Yun that day, first to eat and then to drink, and by the time he sobered up, it was already late morning. He had completely forgotten his promise to the Zhang brothers. If Zhang Xiaohua hadn’t mentioned it, he would have almost forgotten that he had patted his chest in front of them.

Li Jinfeng, being a well-educated scholar, immediately said: “Little Brother Xiaohua, I truly forgot that day and made you wait for a long time. I now apologize for that.”

After saying that, he bowed deeply. Zhang Xiaohua quickly pulled him up and said: “Big Brother Li, there’s no need for this. We found the Lotus Escort Agency easily enough by asking around.”

Li Jinfeng then asked: “Little Brother Xiaohua, where are you headed now? Are you going to the Lotus Escort Agency?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Big Brother Li, is really a genius. How did you guess? I am indeed going to the escort agency.”

Li Jinfeng laughed and said: “You mentioned that the villa is outside the city and that you haven’t been to the city for a while. Naturally, you’d come to see your brother at the escort agency, so it wasn’t hard to guess.”

Zhang Xiaohua scratched his head and said: “Hearing Big Brother Li’s analysis, it makes sense. Sometimes I don’t think things through, so I can’t even see very simple things clearly.”

Li Jinfeng patted his head and said: “You are still young. This is the time to start using your head. When faced with a problem, try to solve it yourself first before asking others. Others’ answers might be correct, but they might not suit your situation. The solutions you come up with yourself are the ones that truly belong to you.”

Zhang Xiaohua felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck through his mind, seemingly having an epiphany, but when he tried to grasp it, he couldn’t quite figure it out.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua in a daze, Li Jinfeng said: “I haven’t visited the escort agency to see Shangguan Yun and Yu Lun for a while. Now it’s the right time to go with you to see them.”

Zhang Xiaohua excitedly asked: “Really? Are they also at the agency? Are they working as porters?”

Li Jinfeng shook his head at Zhang Xiaohua’s excitement and said: “I don’t know what they are doing at the agency, but they should be learning martial arts. However, they wouldn’t be working as porters. They both have good family backgrounds, especially Shangguan Yun, who seems to be quite wealthy. He wouldn’t join the agency for work.”

Zhang Xiaohua blushed. Just a moment ago, Li Jinfeng had advised him to think things through, but he forgot it in a flash, making assumptions about being porters, they’re probably not even bodyguards. They were likely training under Fourth Master Wen, learning martial arts. He reminded himself to think more and speak less rashly, silence is golden!

He then said: “Big Brother Li, I understand. The Lotus Escort Agency has a martial arts hall, and you need money to learn there. Big Brother Shangguan and Big Brother Yu are probably training there.”

Li Jinfeng laughed and said: “That should be the case. They certainly have enough money. Let’s go and see them. I also need to apologize to your brother in person. By the way, what’s your brother’s name?”

Zhang Xiaohua stuck out his tongue and said: “My second brother’s name is Zhang Xiaohu.”

With that, the two chatted as they walked towards the escort agency.

The escort agency was near the city gate, and Zhang Xiaohua, having fled from Ma Jing’s carriage shortly after entering the gate, would have reached the agency by now if not for meeting Li Jinfeng. Despite Li Jinfeng’s scholarly physique slowing their pace compared to Zhang Xiaohua, they soon arrived at the entrance of the agency.

The entrance was bustling with people coming and going, suggesting good business. The stone lions on either side of the gate still looked imposing, but Zhang Xiaohua no longer paid them much attention, feeling they were just ordinary.

Li Jinfeng walked up the steps and respectfully greeted the guards at the gate: “Gentlemen, I am here to see Shangguan Yun, who is learning martial arts at your agency. Could you please grant me passage?”

The leading guard smiled and said: “Oh, you’re looking for Young Master Shangguan? I wonder if this young master knows how to get there? It’s quite busy today, and I’m afraid we might not have time to escort you.”

Li Jinfeng quickly replied: “I’ve been to your agency several times and know where Young Master Shangguan is. I can find my way.”

With that, the guard made a gesture of invitation and said: “Then please proceed, young master.”

Li Jinfeng nodded, turned to signal Zhang Xiaohua, and led him through the agency’s gate.

Since Zhang Xiaohua was dressed as a servant, he was assumed to be Li Jinfeng’s attendant. The guards saw no reason to stop or question him, allowing him to pass with just a glance.

The square in front of the agency had some people moving about, seemingly on business, and there were no martial artists. Zhang Xiaohua decided not to ask around and followed Li Jinfeng, hoping to gather information from Shangguan Yun later. Although Zhang Xiaohu wasn’t training with them, being under the same roof might mean he had some acquaintances there.

Previously, Zhang Xiaohua had only been to a row of small houses on the right side of the field, which were now closed, probably for rest. Li Jinfeng didn’t stop at these houses, instead continuing along the corridor in front of them. They walked into another spacious courtyard with a row of quiet houses facing them. The courtyard was shaded by many large trees, making it quite cool. After passing through the courtyard, they encountered a screen wall with two doors on each side. Without hesitation, Li Jinfeng turned left, entering the door, and walked down a long corridor. At the end of the corridor was a row of fine-looking houses. Li Jinfeng led Zhang Xiaohua to the front of several refined rooms, carefully identified one, and gently knocked on the door.

After a while, a lazy, somewhat hoarse voice asked: “Who is it? What’s the matter?”

The voice made Zhang Xiaohua’s heart skip a beat. Wasn’t that Yu Lun’s voice? He remembered it, though Yu Lun hadn’t spoken much to him.

Sure enough, Li Jinfeng replied: “Brother Yu, it’s me, Li Jinfeng, here to visit you two.”

Before he finished speaking, another voice chimed in: “Oh, it’s Brother Jinfeng. Come in, it’s been a while. Have you been busy with your studies?”

This voice, slightly arrogant, belonged to Shangguan Yun.

Li Jinfeng opened the door and entered, smiling: “I haven’t been too busy with my studies, just preparing for some exams, so I didn’t have much free time. As soon as I had some, I came to visit you two heroes.”

Inside, Shangguan Yun and Yu Lun were sitting in two chairs, still looking a bit sleepy, having just woken up from a nap. Seeing Li Jinfeng enter, they stood up, nodded in greeting, and then sat back down, indicating their familiarity with him.

“Hehe, Brother Li, you’re too kind. Speaking of heroes, Brother Shangguan certainly deserves the title. As for me, with my mediocre skills, I dare not accept such a title.” Yu Lun said modestly.

Shangguan Yun remarked: “Yu Lun has made progress recently. With more practice, you will make a name for yourself. There’s no need for false modesty.”

After they finished speaking, Li Jinfeng added: “I brought a familiar face with me today. Can you guess who it is?”

“An acquaintance? Our acquaintance?” The two exchanged bewildered glances.

Li Jinfeng smiled and called out: “Zhang Xiaohua, come in.”

Zhang Xiaohua then entered with a smile, greeting the two with a bow: “Greetings, two brothers. It’s been over a month since we last met.”

The two looked at the bowing young man in blue attire, why was Li Jinfeng’s attendant addressing them so familiarly?

After a closer look, they realized it was the young villager who had shared the carriage to Pingyang City with them, he was just now dressed as a servant.

Shangguan Yun acknowledged Zhang Xiaohua’s bow with a nod, not bothering to stand. Yu Lun, however, walked over and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, we were on the same carriage together. Haha, how did you end up as Li Jinfeng’s attendant?”

After hearing this, Li Jinfeng hurriedly explained: “No, no, I can’t barely take care of myself, how can I find a servant? Little Brother Xiaohua is working at the Huanxi Villa.”

“Huanxi Villa?” Shangguan Yun raised an eyebrow, “That’s a good place, probably with decent pay. Zhang Xiaohua, you’re quite fortunate to have found such a good spot as soon as you arrived in Pingyang City.”

Yu Lun asked; “Is Huanxi Villa well-known?”

Shangguan Yun glanced at him and said: “Huanxi Villa is managed by the Piaomiao Sect, just like the Lotus Escort Agency. Both are under the Piaomiao Sect’s control.”

Understanding dawned on Yu Lun, who then asked Zhang Xiaohua: “By the way, Zhang Xiaohua, didn’t you come to Pingyang City to join the Lotus Escort Agency? How did you end up at Huanxi Villa?”

Blushing, Zhang Xiaohua said, “Well, we initially wanted to join the escort agency to learn martial arts, but the people of the escort agency said that it required money, which we didn’t have, so…”

Before Zhang Xiaohua could finish, Yu Lun laughed: “I knew it. When you asked about the Lotus Escort Agency, I wondered why you wanted to come here, but I didn’t expect that you had the idea of practicing martial arts. If I’d asked you more, I could have dispelled your naive dream. The poor study literature and the rich learn martial arts. How could you learn martial arts without money? Martial arts training isn’t something people like you can imagine. It’s better for you to focus on being a servant, which has prospects. When you earn some money, go back home, buy some land, and when you grow up, marry a wife. Taking good care of your wife and children.”