novelraw Chapter 135: Prefecture City
Chapter 135: Prefecture City
"We went out, just walked out of the street corner when suddenly we encountered a monk! The monk stopped Escort Master Liu Ao, and it seemed they knew each other and chatted a bit."
"Escort Master Liu Ao then told me he had some personal matters to attend to and asked me to deliver the Message Dart on my own."
"After saying that, Escort Master Liu Ao left with the monk!"
"After that, I went to deliver the Message Dart by myself! I wasn’t familiar with the area, so I had to ask for directions while I searched. I ended up in the wrong place and wasted some time."
Duan Rong spoke calmly, recounting the events with a tranquil expression.
"This Liu Ao is really unreliable. He promised to take you to deliver the Message Dart, but ran off halfway!" Xiao Yu sat there, speaking in a blaming tone.
"That kid is always headstrong, not taking orders well. Let him be with these trivial matters, as long as it doesn’t delay the escort." Sun Huang said to Xiao Yu, then turned and patted Duan Rong’s shoulder, saying, "You’ve worked hard, have a good rest. Tomorrow we have to rise early and continue the journey!"
Duan Rong nodded, walked to Xiao Yu’s table, poured himself a cup of tea, and then asked about the recovery of Xiao Yu’s leg injury. Xiao Yu said it wasn’t that painful anymore. After Duan Rong finished his tea, he went back to his room to rest.
After Duan Rong left, Xiao Yu also returned to his room.
The next day, at 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., when the sky was still dark, torches were already lit at the inn’s entrance. Porter Tang Dejin and Ren Tiewa were leading the escort vehicle out!
However, there was no sign of Liu Ao.
Sun Huang turned to look at Yao Liangrong and asked, "Liu Ao, where is he?"
While lodging at the inn, Liu Ao had almost always shared a room with Yao Liangrong. They had been together since their days as servant disciples, maintaining a good relationship.
Yao Liangrong said, "I don’t know. I haven’t seen him return all night!"
Sun Huang’s eyelid twitched. Although this kid was a bit of a troublemaker, he never dared to act so recklessly on serious matters!
Sun Huang’s eyes flashed as he turned to Duan Rong and asked, "You said a monk stopped him yesterday! What did they talk about?"
Duan Rong replied, "They spoke quietly, and the street was noisy, so I couldn’t hear the specifics."
Sun Huang pondered briefly and asked, "What did the monk look like?"
Duan Rong said, "Very thin, skin and bones, with a greasy string of prayer beads around his neck. He seemed quite amiable."
Duan Rong responded fluently. The monk he described was precisely the one he had seen, Wu Hui.
Sun Huang nodded, turned to Yao Liangrong, and said solemnly, "Yao Liangrong, stay here! Investigate the news, and according to Duan Rong’s description of that monk, try to find some clues. After two hours, whether you find anything or not, chase after the escort team on fast horses! The escort journey cannot be delayed!"
"Yes, Leader!" Yao Liangrong clasped his hands in acknowledgment.
"Everyone else, assemble! Move out!" Sun Huang said. His expression was grave, and he felt a tinge of unease. This escort journey seemed rather troublesome.
The escort team, in silence, left Wancheng County, proceeding along the official road. About two hours later, when the sun was already bright, Yao Liangrong rode from behind and reported to Sun Huang that he hadn’t found any clues about Liu Ao.
"Fall back with the team!" Sun Huang said.
Xiao Yu’s leg injury hadn’t fully healed, and Liu Ao had inexplicably disappeared, leaving the Second Escort Team at its weakest. Moreover, there was still the potential threat of Li Yuliang in the team, who knew what else they might face along the way!
As Sun Huang pondered, he felt as if a heavy stone weighed on his shoulders...
"That kid, what kind of trouble is he stirring now!"
However, things went much smoother than Sun Huang anticipated. Although Liu Ao hadn’t shown up, Xiao Yu’s leg injury healed completely just two days later!
After that, the escort team continued smoothly and safely, arriving at the Prefecture City of Ruyang Prefecture!
"It’s indeed a Prefecture City, truly bustling..." Once in Prefecture City, the hearts of the escort team members felt somewhat relieved.
Although the Prefecture City is far more prosperous than the county, for Duan Rong, who had seen neon lights shining as bright as a galaxy in a city that never sleeps in his past life, this place was just more populous, with wider streets at best.
Still, those performing acrobats on the street, selling sugar figurines and candied haws, intrigued Duan Rong!
Looking at the bustling street scene, everyone’s minds were somewhat distracted, and the urge to drink was itching after being repressed for quite a journey. However, they had to hold back before completing the handover.
They had already endured for over a month; a few more hours wouldn’t matter!
The escort team first handed the eight large boxes of cargo to the client, who checked the iron locks and seals on the boxes before issuing a receipt!
Sun Huang took the receipt, and the escort team dragged the empty vehicle onto the street!
With the escort vehicle empty, the hearts of the escort masters instantly felt lighter!
Sun Huang stood at the street corner and said, "Lu Feng, Tang Dejin, and Ren Tiewa, you three take the escort vehicle and horses to settle at the Yuet Shun Inn first. We’ll follow after handing over the person!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Feng, Tang Dejin, and Ren Tiewa led their horses and went from the east end of the street.
Sun Huang, with the escort masters, escorted Li Yuliang to the Li Mansion on Fuchun Street.
The group abandoned their horses for walking because the Prefecture City’s market streets were indeed crowded; riding horses wasn’t as quick as walking.
This Li Mansion on Fuchun Street was the home of Li Yuliang’s aunt.
Li Yuliang’s aunt, Li Yuru, had married a distant cousin, Li Shicheng. Although Li Shicheng’s martial arts were average, he excelled in business, thriving in the fur trade.
Sun Huang, with the escort masters, surrounded Li Yuliang, Xiao Yu even standing by his side.
The group passed through the busy streets and finally brought Li Yuliang into the Li Mansion!
Wang Tong, the butler of the Li Mansion, had already received the orders from the mistress, Li Yuru. Upon seeing Li Yuliang, he welcomed him and prepared to personally take him to see Li Yuru.
Seeing the handover of the person complete, Sun Huang finally felt a weight lifted off his heart. Leading the Second Escort Team’s escort masters, he exited the main door of the Li Mansion. Just as he stepped on the stone steps, he heard a sudden cry of alarm behind him!
Wang Tong had just taken a few steps with Li Yuliang when a small, figure serving in miscellaneous tasks suddenly leaped out from the side corridor, moving like a great bird. With a gleam in his hand, a dagger flashed like a fleeting light and deftly slit Li Yuliang’s throat...
This turn of events happened far too suddenly...
Blood spurted from Li Yuliang’s throat, splattering Wang Tong, who was standing next to him, leaving red spots on his face.
And the servant who assassinated Li Yuliang darted past him, rushing out of the Li Mansion’s main door. The gatekeeper, upon seeing this, dared not stop him and immediately stepped aside.
Although the servant’s face only flickered by, Wang Tong recognized him at a glance as the servant newly hired in the front courtyard’s kitchen half a month ago.
The servant who assassinated Li Yuliang dashed through the main door, stepped on the stone steps, brushing past the Second Escort Team’s members.
As soon as Duan Rong saw the side of that person’s face, he recognized him as the assassin from the abandoned temple who pretended to be a refugee.
"Don’t make a move! The person has already been handed over! This matter is no longer related to us!" Sun Huang saw the man rushing over and promptly advised. The man brushed past the escort masters, rounded the stone lions at the gate, and vanished...
Inside the Li Mansion, Wang Tong screamed as shadows flickered everywhere, with many hospital guards already arriving...
But by then, Sun Huang had already led the Second Escort Team’s escort masters away from the Li Mansion, heading toward their lodging at the Yuet Shun Inn...
Duan Rong sighed inwardly. Sun Huang indeed had a clear head—once the person was handed over, the matter was no longer associated with Yuan Shun Escort Agency!
If, at that moment, they had intervened out of moral obligation to stop the assassin, even if they had managed to capture him, it might have brought unnecessary trouble upon themselves!
The Jianghu is full of lessons everywhere!
Inside the Li Mansion courtyard, Li Yuliang lay in a pool of blood, his lips trembling, his pupils already beginning to dilate. Through his blurred vision, he saw the hospital guards rushing over. In the corridor’s corner, a well-dressed woman pushed away a maid, running toward him, her head full of golden hairpins glistening in the sunlight...
Li Yuliang could no longer clearly see the woman’s face, but he knew it was his aunt coming. He gave a bitter smile, and his consciousness completely faded away...