Chapter 66: Chapter 66
Thirty-three days since the fall of Gao Nian of the Golden Dragon Gang.
Noon.
Shen Xiuhan and Geng Weizhi came ashore at the ferry landing and hired a rickety old ox cart. Its wooden wheels ground over the rutted mud road, creaking and groaning with every jolt. After roughly two hours of bone-rattling travel, they finally reached the foot of Mang Mountain.
Wuji Academy was built against the mountainside, some twenty-odd li from the prefectural city of Nanxiang Commandery.
In years past, this had been nothing but untamed wilderness where tigers and leopards roamed.
It was only after Wuji Academy was established twenty years ago, casting its net wide for students, that the area gradually attracted a permanent population.
Shen Xiuhan lifted his gaze.
A sprawling complex of dark-tiled, grey-brick buildings climbed the mountain slope in terraced layers, their upswept eaves vanishing among ancient, verdant trees. Wisps of cloud and mist drifted between them, lending the whole scene an air of solemn grandeur.
Even as a mere branch school, the place was truly impressive.
By now, the base of the mountain was already bustling with traffic.
On the broad flat ground, dozens of carriages of every description were parked here and there. Their canopies trailed tassels, their draft horses were magnificent specimens — all belonging to wealthy families from Nanxiang Commandery and the surrounding counties, come to collect their children for the journey home.
Shen Xiuhan hopped off the ox cart alongside Geng Weizhi and fished out ten large coins, tossing them to the old driver.
Geng Weizhi strode ahead with familiar ease and exchanged a greeting with the corridor steward.
Before long, he led out a spacious, solidly built two-horse carriage. Its lacquered body gleamed black, curtains hanging neatly — clearly arranged in advance by the Ji clan.
“Patrol Envoy, this is the carriage for the two Young Ladies.”
Geng Weizhi secured the reins, then pointed to a tea stall beneath a thatched awning nearby.
“Why don’t you rest here a moment, have some hot tea? I’ll just pop in and be right back.”
Shen Xiuhan’s gaze followed the winding flagstone path up the mountainside.
“I’ll go with you. The Young Ladies’ luggage might be heavy.”
“No, no, it’s fine…”
Geng Weizhi waved him off with both hands, grinning.
“The Young Ladies have their maids with them, and being gently-bred women, they won’t have much in the way of personal effects. Please, Patrol Envoy, just sit tight.”
“All right.”
Shen Xiuhan nodded and found a clean bench at the tea stall to sit down.
He hadn’t even finished a cup of rough tea before a burst of bright laughter came drifting down the mountain path.
Shen Xiuhan turned to look.
Morning light filtered through the canopy of leaves, dappling several young lords and ladies in brocade as they descended the stone steps together.
The two girls in the lead were especially striking — like an orchid in spring and a chrysanthemum in autumn, each lovely in her own way.
The elder was around fourteen or fifteen, dressed in a water-pink skirt embroidered with plum blossoms. Her waist was slender enough to span with one hand, her legs long and graceful. Between her brows lingered a cool, aloof air that warned strangers to keep their distance, and as she walked, her skirt hem rippled gently, like winter plum reflected in snow.
The younger was perhaps twelve or thirteen, with features so delicate she might have been carved from jade. Her bright apricot eyes sparkled with every glance, and there was something about her that was even more endearing than her elder sister.
What drew the most sidelong glances, however, was the fact that despite her petite frame, the front of her bodice was already pushed conspicuously outward — in her girlhood years, she already displayed a jaw-dropping fullness that drew frequent stolen looks from the young men nearby.
The elder sister was called Ji Xue. The younger, Ji Yao.
Behind them, Geng Weizhi — who had sworn so confidently just moments ago — was bent nearly double alongside two maids, all of them buried under a mountain of rosewood chests and brocade-wrapped bundles.
Geng Weizhi in particular was gasping for breath, staggering under the weight like a pack mule hauling cargo.
Shen Xiuhan couldn’t help but laugh.
He flicked two copper coins onto the rough wooden table, rose to meet them, and with one hand took the two heaviest chests.
Geng Weizhi let out a tremendous sigh of relief, mopping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. He gave a rueful grin.
“Thank the heavens I made it down alive… Much obliged for the hand, Patrol Envoy.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Once Geng Weizhi had caught his breath, Shen Xiuhan’s gaze fell on two young men walking alongside the two Young Ladies.
“Who are those two?”
Geng Weizhi followed his line of sight and lowered his voice. “Apparently they’re classmates of the Young Ladies, also from Changyun County. They asked to share the ride home.”
While he spoke, he and the maids loaded the luggage piece by piece into the carriage’s rear compartment, lashing everything down with coarse hemp rope on the roof rack.
Shen Xiuhan stood by the carriage, quietly sizing up the two youths.
One, surnamed Ma, wore a white jade coronet and a gold-threaded brocade robe. His every gesture broadcast the swagger of a rich merchant’s son.
The other, surnamed Wen, wore only a simple blue scholar’s gown — nothing like his gold-bedecked companion — yet his bone structure and features were remarkably refined.
One glance told Shen Xiuhan everything.
These two were all smiles and attentiveness — plainly suitors vying for the young ladies’ favor.
Once everyone had climbed into the carriage, Geng Weizhi cracked the whip, and they set off at a gentle roll toward Linshui Wharf.
Along the way, snatches of youthful chatter drifted through the brocade curtain.
Geng Weizhi cocked an ear and listened for a while.
Inside, it was mostly the two young men talking, with the Ji sisters chiming in only occasionally.
The conversation was light and tepid, yet it only seemed to stoke the two youths’ enthusiasm higher.
Geng Weizhi chuckled to himself and shifted into a more comfortable position against the driver’s rail, a twinge of regret rising in his chest.
‘Finally made it all the way to the prefectural city, and I didn’t even have time to duck into town and pick out a hairpin for the missus.’
‘And then there’s Dalang and Erlang. Their cousin Huzi told them the Hu family’s roast chicken in the prefectural city is absolutely divine — said the smell alone makes your mouth water. Those two brats have been clamoring for me to bring one home. Too bad there’s no chance this trip. Next time, though — next time I’ll buy an extra one so their mother can have a taste too.’
‘She’s been holding down the fort all by herself, wrangling those two little rascals, looking after my old mother, keeping the household running… She really has had it rough…’
“Hoo…”
Setting those thoughts aside for now, Geng Weizhi tightened his grip on the steel saber tucked against his chest. His eyes swept quickly over the dense forest flanking both sides of the road.
He was, after all, carrying two of the master’s daughters. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Shen Xiuhan sitting beside him — spine subtly straightened, gaze fixed on the road ahead.
A jolt of unease shot through Geng Weizhi’s chest.
“Patrol Envoy Shen, is something wrong?”
Shen Xiuhan withdrew his gaze. He waited two beats, then spoke in a voice as faint as spider silk.
“Stay sharp. Something’s not right up ahead.”
Geng Weizhi’s heart clenched.
His face betrayed nothing, but his hand drifted silently to the saber hilt. Every muscle in his body went taut.
…
Two li ahead.
Behind a wind-sheltered earthen slope.
A cluster of burly men in short black jackets crouched in the shadows.
At their head was a wiry man with a centipede-like scar that slashed from the corner of his right eye down to his mouth, lending him a vicious, predatory air.
Beside him sat a dark-skinned, broad-backed iron tower of a man, arms thick and brawny.
The big man looked restless, craning his neck every few moments to peer toward the road.
“Third Brother, Erniang went alone — you sure nothing’ll go wrong?”
The wiry man lay back at his leisure, hands laced behind his head.
“Relax. The intel says their guard just broke into Blood Tempering — some martial hall kid, probably another greenhorn who’s never seen real blood. Erniang’s at Initial Mastery of Blood Tempering and has been dancing on knife-edges for years. You think she’s going to capsize against that?”
He crossed one leg over the other and bobbed it lazily.
“Besides… knowing Sun Erniang’s temperament, she won’t make her move right away. She’ll lure those little chicks down a side road first, toy with them nice and slow, have her fun — then slaughter the lot.”
“True enough…”
The dark-skinned giant scratched his head. A lewd gleam flickered across his face, and he sidled closer with a greasy grin.
“Third Brother, I heard… the Ji clan’s two young ladies are real beauties. When we’re done, how about we first—”
“Shut your mouth!”
The wiry man’s eyes turned cold as steel. He shot upright and fixed the giant with a glare.
“Are you out of your fucking mind!?”
“Those two girls were handpicked by the Great Chief himself! You lay one finger on them, and forget me — even Big Brother won’t be able to save your sorry hide!”
The giant flinched and shrank back, waving his hands hastily with a sheepish laugh.
“Hey, I was just saying…”
His eyes rolled, and he quickly changed the subject. “Third Brother, where’s Big Brother now, anyway?”
The wiry man lay back down, his tone softening.
“At the wharf, cultivating. Ever since he got that treasure, Big Brother’s been soaking in the water day and night. His art’s been advancing by leaps and bounds. Right now… hm?”
He cut himself off mid-sentence.
The wiry man’s head snapped up. He squinted toward the road for a long moment.
“They’re here!”
“Everybody look sharp!”
“Pull this off, and I’m taking you boys to the pleasure house in the prefectural city for a good time.”