Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Liu Rouwei’s expression changed. There really was someone outside.

At that moment, an obsequious voice came through the rain. “Young Master He, be careful as you dismount. There happens to be a ruined temple right here.”

Another voice cursed, “Damn these cursed heavens! Why did it suddenly start raining so heavily? Now I have to suffer through this misery for no reason.”

“Old Fourth Li, are you blind? Can’t you watch what you’re doing? You even managed to step on my foot while helping Young Master He dismount. The ruined temple is right there. It isn’t going to run away! Hurry up and hold Young Master He steady!” a third voice complained indignantly.

The obsequious voice replied with a fawning laugh, “Yes, yes! Right away.”

Judging by their voices, there should only have been three people. Zhao Jiu said nothing and gestured for Liu Rouwei to remain silent as well.

A moment later, one man entered the ruined temple first.

He showed little reaction upon seeing Zhao Jiu seated inside. However, when his gaze shifted to Liu Rouwei, his eyes immediately lit up.

Two more men then entered the ruined temple side by side.

One of the newcomers was dressed like a wealthy young master, and his face was covered in pockmarks. Since his surname was He, the townspeople privately called him Pockmarked He.

The man beside him and the one who had entered first were both dressed as chief constables. The first man to enter was called Old Fifth Zhang, while the man supporting Pockmarked He—the one with the obsequious voice—was Old Fourth Li.

The three men saw that the person seated beside the fire was merely a fair-faced young man. The vicious irritation on Pockmarked He’s face immediately eased considerably. However, when he saw Liu Rouwei wrapped in a quilt, he stared at her fixedly, as though he wanted to tear the quilt away and see what lay beneath it.

Although Liu Rouwei was wrapped in the quilt, it could not conceal her stunning beauty. Her clothes lay discarded to one side, while disheveled strands of hair clung to her face. Rather than diminishing her appearance, they lent her a touch of fragile charm, making her look both breathtakingly alluring and pitifully vulnerable.

Liu Rouwei tightened the quilt around herself and frowned. “What are you looking at?”

Before Pockmarked He could speak, Old Fourth Li answered first. “What do you think we’re looking at? Do you suppose we’re wondering how thick your quilt is?”

“You—” Liu Rouwei was about to curse at him, but Zhao Jiu stopped her.

Pockmarked He withdrew his gaze and shook the water from his clothes. “Who are you, and what are you doing in this ruined temple outside the city?”

“The same as you. We are sheltering from the rain,” Zhao Jiu replied coldly.

Pockmarked He said nothing more and ordered, “Get a fire going first.”

Old Fifth Zhang and Old Fourth Li somehow found some dry firewood and straw, then built a small fire in the middle of the main hall.

Once the fire was burning, Pockmarked He gave another order. “Go and carry that thing inside. The wind and rain are so fierce outside. What will we do if it gets soaked and ruined?”

Old Fourth Li and Old Fifth Zhang acknowledged the order and went outside.

The moment they stepped out, they began whispering lewdly.

“That little wench is so fair and tender. Just looking at her gets the blood pumping.”

“Exactly. One glance is enough to tell that she isn’t some ordinary village girl. Country lasses don’t have that sort of allure. She’s luscious!”

“Heh. Do you think Young Master He can still perform?”

“He probably can. Young Master He couldn’t take his eyes off that woman. How could anyone say he can’t?”

As the two men spoke with growing excitement, Young Master He noticed that they had not returned and went outside as well.

“What are you two talking about?”

Old Fourth Li grinned obsequiously. “Young Master He, look at that tender little woman inside. There are only two of them. Once we kill the man, won’t that woman be ours to… heh, heh, heh.”

Old Fifth Zhang immediately agreed. “Exactly. The rain has mussed up her hair, and the sight of her is enough to drive a man mad. Besides, there are three of us.”

After speaking, Old Fifth Zhang exchanged a glance with Old Fourth Li. He leaned close to Young Master He’s ear and whispered, “Young Master He, we’re in the middle of nowhere. We can kill that pale-faced scholar beside her first. Then that woman will be… heh, heh, heh. Once we’ve all had our fun, we’ll dig a hole and bury her. It won’t matter which family she comes from. Not even the immortals will be able to find her!”

Young Master He’s eyes darted around before he asked quietly, “Could she be a daughter of any of the families in Lüzhou City?”

Old Fourth Li knew what Young Master He was worried about and hurriedly replied, “No. The two young ladies of the Xu Family married several years ago. The Ji Family’s young lady doesn’t look like that. We’ve never seen the Hu Family’s young lady, but I heard she’s as fat as an old breeding sow. It couldn’t possibly be her.”

“I’ve seen the Hu girl before. She doesn’t look like that.” Young Master He raised an eyebrow.

Pockmarked Wang was the only son of one of Lüzhou’s wealthy landlords. His family had made its fortune by colluding with the local Prefect, Assistant Prefect, and other officials while operating brothels, gambling dens, moneylending businesses, and other disreputable enterprises.

Because he frequently dealt with the authorities, he was also fairly familiar with the members of local officials’ households.

The He Family wielded considerable influence in the region. Otherwise, two chief constables like Old Fourth Li and Old Fifth Zhang would never have bowed and scraped before Young Master He.

The three men exchanged knowing smiles.

It was settled.

After exchanging a few more words, they carried a large burlap sack down from one of the horses, brought it into the temple, and flung it into a corner.

Zhao Jiu glanced sideways at the sack. He knew that whatever was inside was certainly not pork. He shook his head, then slowly closed his eyes and resumed his cultivation.

Pockmarked He and the other two men returned to their places beside the fire.

“May I ask where the two of you came from and where you are headed?” Pockmarked He probed in a mild tone, as though he were chatting with an old friend.

Liu Rouwei curled her lips and remained silent. Zhao Jiu, however, finally spoke.

“We are from Jingzhou and came to Lüzhou to visit relatives and friends. We happened upon this downpour, and neither man nor horse could continue. Black clothes, black road; ghost head, Buddha face; white cap, white blade; red flower, no recourse. We had no choice but to shelter in this ruined temple. Once the rain stops, we will return to Jingzhou.”

Zhao Jiu had spoken in Jianghu cant. “Black clothes, black road; white cap, white blade” meant that he was an assassin from the Ghost Market, while “white cap, white blade; red flower, no recourse” meant that his current assignment was extremely important. Anyone determined to stand in his way would have to fight him to the death.

He had said this because the contents of the sack suggested that these men might be fellow professionals. Unless two people in the same trade had a particularly serious conflict of interest, both sides would generally take a step back and leave room for the other.

They were all people who lived with blood on the blade for money. There was truly no need to make trouble for one another.

After hearing Zhao Jiu’s words, Pockmarked He and his companions looked at one another in confusion. None of them understood what he had said.

Their reactions told Zhao Jiu almost everything he needed to know. They were most likely nothing more than wealthy local landlords who had colluded with government officials.

Zhao Jiu immediately lost any desire to continue the conversation. He took out a Foundation-Nourishing Pill and resumed his cultivation. Getting into a conflict with a few wealthy landlords and petty local officials was beneath his dignity. More importantly, there was no money to be made from it. He had no reason to involve himself in such a thankless affair.

“Young brother, that young lady appears refined and elegant. She is clearly no ordinary person and might come from an official’s household. I am a chief constable of Lüzhou. Why don’t you wait outside while we ask the young lady about her background? Should she truly belong to an official’s family, we can report the matter upon our return and ensure that an honored guest is not neglected,” Old Fifth Zhang said amiably.

However, the lust in his eyes was impossible to conceal.

Zhao Jiu chuckled.

Report the matter? Welcome her?

He had only just told them that the two of them were returning from visiting relatives. Were these men planning to escort them back to Lüzhou so they could make the same visit all over again? Did visiting relatives now come with an encore?

“Warm yourselves by the fire, and nothing more. Don’t let it kindle any other ideas,” Zhao Jiu said with a cold smile. The warning in his words was unmistakable.

“So you won’t allow it?” Old Fourth Li barked. “What did she pay you—a few taels of silver? Is that worth risking your life over? Let me give you a word of advice. Young man, don’t be too hot-blooded!”

Zhao Jiu replied, “Can you still call yourself young if you aren’t hot-blooded?”