Chapter 8: Chapter 8

On the official road.

Zhao Jiu rode leisurely onward, neither quickly nor slowly.

He had originally planned to travel by boat, but after thinking it over, he realized that no one had told him when he needed to reach the Capital.

Why the hell was he in such a hurry?

Thus, he decisively chose to ride north instead, taking the opportunity to admire the scenery along the way. Chuzhou was already close at hand. It would be pleasant to let his horse stroll leisurely while he enjoyed the lakes and mountains.

After riding slowly for half an hour, Zhao Jiu crossed a river and saw that the land before him was almost completely flat.

He laughed heartily and urged his horse into a gallop. The wind roared past him as the horse raced like it was flying.

Sunlight spilled across his shoulders, and he felt like a free man.

It was not until nightfall that Zhao Jiu led his horse into Chuzhou City.

Unlike before, he did not look for a tavern. Instead, he led his horse directly to a brothel.

At the entrance, Zhao Jiu casually raised a hand. A Gatekeeper came over and tied up his horse for him.

As Zhao Jiu walked inside, the heavy scent of cosmetics struck him. A flock of scantily dressed beauties stood beside the railing on the second floor, waving handkerchiefs and calling out coquettishly.

On the performance stage, young musicians played reed pipes and zithers, while dancers and courtesans performed. Their long sleeves fluttered through the air, and their graceful figures were utterly captivating.

This truly was paradise on earth!

Zhao Jiu ordered a pot of wine and sat quietly in the main hall.

Although he appeared to be listening to the music and watching the dancers, most of his attention was focused on the conversations among the wandering martial artists nearby.

He was unfamiliar with Chuzhou and needed to learn as quickly as possible whether anything unusual was happening in the city.

The fastest way to do so was naturally to visit a brothel.

After all, under the stimulation of wine and women, people would say almost anything.

Zhao Jiu eavesdropped for half an hour but heard nothing out of the ordinary. He finished the wine in his cup and ignored the madam’s enthusiastic attempts to persuade him to stay.

He rose, collected his horse, and left.

This place cost far too much money.

A single pot of wine cost two taels of silver. That was only marginally better than outright robbery.

Zhao Jiu found a tavern, requested one of its better rooms, and ordered an entire table of food.

He quietly gazed at the sky outside the window. The moonlight was hazy, and dark clouds concealed the stars.

The road ahead was shrouded in uncertainty.

He could not see it at all.

The following day, Zhao Jiu led his horse out of the city and rode north.

He needed to pick up the pace. After thinking matters through the previous night, he had concluded that earning money was still more important!

Chuzhou was two thousand li from the Capital. Even though Zhao Jiu traveled day and night and spent most of his time on the road, the journey still took him an entire month.

When the majestic Capital finally appeared before him, Zhao Jiu was filled with excitement.

The journey had been far too arduous. He had spent half his time sleeping in the open and the other half sitting in the saddle.

Fortunately, he did not have hemorrhoids.

No wonder exile to Ningguta was considered a form of torture.

He had traveled only two thousand li through relatively prosperous territory, yet the journey had nearly killed him. Ningguta lay three thousand li away, and the route passed through barren wilderness.

Zhao Jiu entered the city.

The Capital truly was different.

The streets were paved with bluestone slabs, and verdant trees lined both sides of the road. Carriages occasionally passed by, while the cries of vendors rose and fell throughout the streets.

Everywhere he looked, he saw prosperity and bustling activity.

Zhao Jiu found a tavern and requested a good room, a table of food, and hot water.

When he heard the shopkeeper say, “Five taels,” he nearly cursed aloud.

No wonder people said that although the Capital was grand, living there was no easy matter.

At five taels a day, who the hell could live here easily?

The life of an Imperial Envoy had only been worth two thousand taels!

Complaints were complaints, but Zhao Jiu still needed somewhere to stay.

After eating and drinking his fill, he enjoyed a thorough bath. Then he went downstairs and asked the shopkeeper about Guimiao Manor.

“Guimiao Manor? That is an extraordinary place!” the shopkeeper exclaimed. His thin mustache twitched as he spoke with absolute certainty.

“I have heard that there are pools of wine and forests of meat inside. Gold, silver, and jewels are piled as high as mountains, while every maid is as beautiful as a celestial maiden.”

“The manor contains countless dance pavilions and song terraces. Talented scholars and beautiful women spend all their time composing poetry and exchanging verses, completely unaware of the passing seasons.”

“I have even heard that it is the dwelling of an immortal!”

Zhao Jiu was rendered speechless.

He desperately wanted to slap the shopkeeper across the face.

Could the man not say something even remotely reliable?

Left with no alternative, Zhao Jiu asked, “Shopkeeper, could you simply tell me where the manor is?”

“Oh. It is behind the woods outside the city. Everyone in the Capital knows where it is.”

“…”

Silence was Cambridge tonight.

Since everyone in the Capital knew about the place, there probably was not much danger involved.

It was most likely nothing more than the country residence of some wealthy family.

He would find out tomorrow.

The next day, Zhao Jiu ate lunch and rode out of the city.

Once inside the woods, he changed into different clothes and put on a Human-Skin Mask. He then led his horse toward Guimiao Manor.

Just as Zhao Jiu had expected, it was merely a country residence.

The walls surrounding the courtyard were not high. Two Hitching Posts stood beside the gate, while a pair of willow trees swayed in the wind.

Zhao Jiu stepped forward and knocked.

A deeply wrinkled old man opened the gate. Zhao Jiu did not enter. He merely asked for a bowl of water, drank it, and left.

After the first Watch Drum sounded that night, Zhao Jiu changed into a Human-Skin Mask that had no corresponding Household Registration documents and led his horse out of the city.

After changing his clothes in the woods, Zhao Jiu knocked on the gate of Guimiao Manor.

There was no response the first time.

He waited for a while and knocked again, but there was still no movement.

Only after the third knock did the gate slowly open.

The same deeply wrinkled old man stood behind it.

“Does the young master have business here?” The old man narrowed his eyes and studied Zhao Jiu.

“The Ghost Market sent me.”

The old man froze for a moment before stepping aside and inviting Zhao Jiu inside.

“One other person has yet to arrive. You will need to wait several days.”

He led Zhao Jiu toward the rear courtyard and spoke as they walked.

“The manor is not large. I am afraid the young hero will have to endure staying in the rear courtyard with this old man.”

“There is no need for such courtesy. You may call me Old Nine,” Zhao Jiu replied.

Wealthy households truly were different.

The old man had clearly climbed out of bed to answer the door, yet he had not neglected a single point of etiquette.

“Old Nine. Very well. This old man will boldly address the young hero that way. I am Gao Qi, the steward of this manor,” Gao Qi said with a smile.

He led Zhao Jiu to a side room and raised a hand toward it.

“Old Nine, the manor is small. Please forgive the humble accommodations.”

“It does not matter. A bed is all I need. Thank you for the trouble, Uncle Gao,” Zhao Jiu replied.

“As long as the young hero finds it acceptable. This old man stays in the room opposite yours. Call for me if you need anything.”

“You are too courteous, Uncle Gao. Please call me Old Nine. I do not deserve to be called a young hero.”

Zhao Jiu cupped his hands in greeting.

Gao Qi waved dismissively.

Each returned to his own room and went to sleep.

After three days of waiting, everyone finally arrived.

Apart from Zhao Jiu, there were three others—two men and one woman. All three possessed Sixth Rank Cultivation Ranks.

That evening, Uncle Gao arranged a banquet so that everyone could become acquainted before working together.

The two men were named Xiong Wu and Zhou Yun.

Xiong Wu stood at least 1.9 meters tall. His entire body bulged with muscle, and his skin was as dark as a lump of charcoal.

Zhou Yun had a build similar to Zhao Jiu’s. His face was pale and clean-shaven, and his refined, scholarly appearance made him look no different from a learned gentleman.

The woman was named Song Fu. She was dressed like a peasant woman and had a round face and large eyes. At first glance, she appeared simple and unremarkable.

However, Zhao Jiu could sense the intense murderous intent in her eyes.

She was clearly a novice assassin who had not yet learned to conceal herself.

After eating and drinking his fill, Zhao Jiu returned to the rear courtyard. He lay on a reclining chair, drinking tea and enjoying the cool evening air.

While drifting between sleep and wakefulness, he became vaguely aware of two women lowering their heads to stare at him with curious expressions.

“Miss, Grandpa Gao said that he hired four experts. Is he one of them?” the woman standing in the rear asked.

“I suppose so.”

The sound of their voices jolted Zhao Jiu awake.

A Throwing Knife instantly appeared in his hand, and he stared at the two women warily.

When the woman standing in front saw the Throwing Knife, she gave him a formal salute.

“Please do not take offense, young master. We merely saw you enjoying the cool air alone and became curious.”

Zhao Jiu put away the Throwing Knife and returned the salute without rising from his chair.

“Oh. I merely found the room somewhat stuffy, so I came into the courtyard to cool off.”

“We have disturbed the young master’s leisure. Please forgive us. I am Liu Rouwei, the owner of the manor. This is my maid, Chunzhu.”

Well, well.

The client herself!

Zhao Jiu immediately stood and bowed.

“I truly did not know that you were Young Miss Liu. Please forgive my offense. I deserve punishment.”

Seeing how quickly he had humbled himself, both women covered their mouths to suppress their laughter.

Zhao Jiu took the opportunity to examine them carefully.

Liu Rouwei had a slender face and delicately painted eyebrows. Her eyes were not large, but they were lively and gentle, resembling a deep pool shimmering beneath the light.

Her nose was slightly low-set, its tip faintly red. Her mouth was small, though not quite small enough to be called a cherry mouth. She wore no powder on her cheeks, yet her complexion was naturally rosy.

A green silk garment served as her inner layer, while a translucent purple robe covered it. Beneath that was a peach-colored skirt.

Her figure was slender and graceful, with curves rising like mountain peaks from every angle.

Xu Song, you rascal.

Purple truly did possess a special charm!

Chunzhu, who stood behind her, had a round face and large eyes. She wore a blue-green outer skirt and looked like a child who had not yet fully grown up.

Before the two women had even finished laughing, Zhao Jiu had already lain back down on the chair.

He stretched comfortably and ignored them.

“May I ask the young master’s name?” Liu Rouwei asked after suppressing her laughter.

I did not call for anyone, Zhao Jiu thought.

Nevertheless, he respectfully answered his employer.

“You may call me Old Nine.”

“Old Nine, Uncle Gao said that all of you are experts. Are you truly an expert?” Chunzhu asked curiously.

“Not really. The Jianghu is filled with crouching tigers and hidden dragons. At most, I have barely crossed the threshold.”

“Oh. Then what weapon do you use?” Liu Rouwei continued.

“Hidden Weapons. Throwing Darts, Throwing Knives, and similar things.”

Zhao Jiu did not dare treat the question lightly.

A hired worker still needed to demonstrate the proper degree of professionalism before a client.

“Hidden Weapons?” Chunzhu stared at him in astonishment. “You secretly attack people while they are unprepared. Does that not make you a treacherous villain?”

“Yes, yes. You are absolutely right!”

Zhao Jiu saw no need to explain himself.

This young girl had probably never left the Capital, much less entered the Jianghu. Why make life difficult for himself?

During peaceful times, the Jianghu was all about favors, relationships, and proper conduct.

However, once swords were drawn and sabers were unsheathed, who still cared about righteousness?

Killing one’s opponent came first.

When Zhao Jiu had first become an assassin, he had witnessed a life-and-death battle.

The two combatants had not even drawn their weapons before each threw half a jin of poison powder at the other.

From a distance, it had looked as though a thick fog had suddenly descended.

“Hey! Do you not think what I said was correct?” Chunzhu demanded, puffing out her cheeks angrily.

“Yes, yes. Everything you said was correct.”

“You—!”

Chunzhu stamped her foot in fury, turned around, and walked away.

Liu Rouwei gave Zhao Jiu a polite salute before hurrying after her.

Never argue with an amateur about matters beyond their understanding.

That was one of Zhao Jiu’s fundamental principles in life!

Whenever someone asked, his answer would simply be:

Curl up beneath an overpass with a little blanket, and whenever trouble comes, just say, “Yes, yes, you are right.”

Still, purple truly did possess a special charm…