The night wind blew, carrying a chill, and from the bonfire came the sounds of fighting and laughter.
Turning my head, I saw a group of people gathered around the bonfire. In the crowd, two men stood facing each other with swords, bowed to each other, and then began to exchange thrusts.
Seeing my rapt attention, Chief Chen said, "My brothers here have no other hobbies than practicing their swordsmanship. The move on the left, as you see, is called 'A Thousand Stars and Moons.' The sword strikes are powerful, landing like scattered starlight. This was a move my master created himself."
Curiosity piqued, I casually remarked, "Chief Chen's master must have been a martial arts grandmaster."
Boss Wan, overhearing our conversation, couldn't help but chime in, "Everyone thinks Chief Chen's master is an unparalleled expert. Little do they know, he only enjoys writing poetry, painting, and immersing himself in the beauty of mountains and rivers. He rarely discusses martial arts."
Chief Chen laughed heartily, confirming his words, "Boss Wan is absolutely right. My master isn't really a martial arts master; he's just a leisurely fellow who enjoys traveling and sightseeing."
True masters were often those who found solace in nature, like reclusive hermits. It seemed Chief Chen's master was one of them.
"A leisurely person isn't just any ordinary leisurely person. I feel that although that brother's moves are powerful and his recovery swift, something is still missing. I'm not entirely satisfied."
Hearing my critique, Chief Chen nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. My brother is still new to swordsmanship and not yet proficient. However, I know this move as well. Since there's nothing else to do, I'll demonstrate it for everyone."
Upon hearing Chief Chen was going to showcase his martial arts prowess, Daolang and Feixiong were also very eager. Daolang said, "Brother, how many years has it been since you last wielded a sword? It's a good opportunity for everyone to broaden their horizons."
"Hahaha, of course, I'll let you all see."
With that, he turned and walked to the edge of the crowd, casually took a sword from someone's waist, leaped into the air, and landed a sword strike on the two clashing swords below. Then, with a slight flick, he pushed both swords away.
The crowd was astonished, erupting in applause and exclamations of "Good! Good! Good!"
We also moved closer to watch intently. As Chief Chen landed, he swept his sword, disarming the man on the left. He then flicked his sword upwards, causing it to spin rapidly and land precisely on the empty ground nearby.
The crowd was dumbfounded, staring with wide eyes. Daolang and Feixiong were the first to clap and praise, "A magnificent move, 'A Thousand Stars and Moons'! Truly extraordinary."
Another round of long and admiring applause followed.
Chief Chen smiled slightly, then tossed the sword in his hand and the fallen sword into the air. He then leaped up, kicking each sword back with a foot to their respective owners' waists.
He landed gracefully and cupped his hands towards everyone, saying, "I've made a fool of myself."
The crowd, however, praised him, "The Chief is still the most skilled, executing the essence of 'A Thousand Stars and Moons'."
"The Chief rarely speaks of swordsmanship, so today has truly been an eye-opener."
Chief Chen smiled sheepishly. "You all aren't usually this eloquent. Today, it's as if you've all eaten honey, showering me with praise."
"We're speaking the truth, hahaha."
Everyone burst into laughter in unison, and Chief Chen, infected by the merriment, laughed heartily as well.
Chief Chen slowly walked out of the crowd and came to our side, asking, "Did you all enjoy the show?"
Daolang commented, "Chief Chen's move, 'A Thousand Stars and Moons,' is swift in execution and controlled in its retraction. I doubt many could withstand that move."
Chief Chen laughed, but despite the praise, he remained humble. "Daolang, you've hit the nail on the head. However, there are far more skilled individuals than myself. The world is peaceful now, and there are no major disturbances, so I haven't practiced much. I've become rusty."
Boss Wan patted his shoulder. "Chief Chen, you possess extraordinary talent, excelling in both literary and martial arts. We who travel far and wide cannot do without you."
Chief Chen nodded slightly in affirmation. "Rest assured, as long as I am alive, I will protect you all."
Feixiong said, "Watching you wield your sword has made me eager. When will I have the chance to spar with you?"
Chief Chen chuckled. "Brother Feixiong, your temperament is still so straightforward, just like when we first met. I recall we sparred back then, don't we?"
His words made Feixiong recall seriously. It seemed there was indeed such an occasion. He laughed, "Yes, there was. But after so many years, I wonder if I can still manage a move or two against you."
"If you wish, after I escort Boss Wan to Dongyue Town, you can come find me, and then we can truly unleash our skills."
"That would be wonderful. If there's nothing else, I'll come looking for you."
"Agreed, it's a deal."
"It's a deal."
I never would have guessed that Feixiong was such a martial arts enthusiast. His broad, sturdy frame and his face, which could be gentle one moment and rough the next, gave no indication of his martial prowess.
We chatted for a long time, enjoying ourselves immensely. A cold gust of wind blew, and I shivered, letting out an involuntary yawn. It was then that the others realized how late it had become.
Boss Wan said, "It's quite late tonight. We still have to travel tomorrow, so everyone should go back and rest."
We also felt it was late and nodded in agreement, "Alright, let's go back to sleep."
Boss Wan invited Daolang and Feixiong, "Brothers, why don't you sleep in my carriage tonight?"
Feixiong politely declined, "No, thank you. I think it might not be entirely safe for those two brothers and sister-in-law to be alone in the back of the carriage. Daolang and I can stay by their side to protect them."
Boss Wan didn't insist further upon hearing Feixiong's words, merely saying, "In that case, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Alright, see you tomorrow."
With that, we each turned and departed. Chief Chen shouted to his brothers behind him, "Alright, alright, everyone go back to sleep. We still have to travel tomorrow."
The crowd seemed a little reluctant. "So soon? It's rare to sit down together like this."
"I don't really want to sleep."
Despite their grumbles, they had no choice but to get up and return to their carriages to sleep.
To avoid suspicion, Daolang and Feixiong voluntarily offered to sleep outside the carriage, allowing Ah Li and me to sleep inside.
Although Ah Li felt a bit guilty, he still followed this suggestion.
That night, I slept soundly and peacefully.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, I was awakened by a gentle breeze. Rubbing my eyes, I looked out the carriage window, gazing at the road ahead. The journey was long, and I had no idea when we would reach Dongyue Town.
Seeing that everyone else was still asleep and the carriage was quiet, I felt a wave of drowsiness. I leaned my head on Ah Li's shoulder, intending to sleep a little longer. In a daze, I heard faint whispers of gossip.
Feixiong suddenly brought up something he had recently heard. "Second Brother, I heard that the young girl has escaped."
"Yes, but Tai Shen Palace isn't a place you can just come and go as you please. It's likely the Madam let her go," Daolang speculated.
"Second Brother is right," Feixiong agreed.
The escaped young girl? That must be me. Hearing their conversation, my drowsiness vanished, replaced by a sudden alertness. I nudged Ah Li awake and gestured with my eyes, asking what we should do.
Ah Li, with his eyes still half-closed, understood my thoughts. He calmly patted my hand, reassuring me.
Just then, Daolang poked his head in. I quickly feigned sleep. Seeing that both of us were still asleep, Daolang didn't disturb us further. Instead, he turned back to Feixiong and said, "These two seem quite tired and haven't woken up yet. Since we're riding in their carriage, let's help drive the horses."
Feixiong laughed heartily. "I'm good at this! Let me do it."
"Alright."
Daolang got up and gave Feixiong his seat. Feixiong sat in the driver's position with a practiced air, waving a bamboo whip, and laughing heartily.
At this moment, the foremost carriage began to move, and the carriages behind followed suit. Feixiong, seeing the carriages gradually moving, quickly followed suit.
Ah Li then slightly opened his eyes and saw me clinging tightly to his arm. He stroked my head, telling me not to worry, then got up and went to the carriage door, lifting the curtain. He greeted the two men driving the horses, "You two brothers are up so early."
Daolang turned to look. Seeing the dark circles under his eyes, he smiled faintly. "Brother, you look very tired. If you're still sleepy, go back to sleep. My third brother and I will drive the horses to Dongyue Town safely. Don't worry."
Ah Li rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm not very sleepy. Looking at the road, we should be reaching Dongyue Town soon."
Feixiong, looking at the slightly raised mountain ahead, replied, "Soon. We should arrive today."
"That's great! We've been traveling for days, and my bones are about to fall apart."
"It's clear you haven't traveled much. It's still a bumpy ride back to Xiziguo from here."
"Hahaha, that's true."
Daolang suddenly asked, "Brother, as you've traveled south, have you happened to see a young girl about your height, with her hair tied up, who speaks rather strangely?"
Leaning by the window, I listened to Daolang's question, my heart filled with worry that he might recognize me.
Ah Li, acting as if it were nothing, replied casually, "I've seen quite a few young girls passing by, but I haven't paid close attention to any of them."
Ah Li then turned the question back, "Is that young lady a relative of yours, brothers?"
Feixiong smiled slightly. "Not a relative, but a friend. She left without saying goodbye a few days ago, and we're a bit worried, so we're asking around."
My mind began to churn with suspicion. Were they acting on Zi Yu's orders again? Had Zi Yu changed her mind?
Daolang glanced into the carriage and casually asked, "Is sister-in-law not feeling well? She hasn't spoken much."
Ah Li chuckled and turned to me, asking, "Lian'er, are you awake?"
Lian'er? This must be the new name Ah Li gave me. I responded, "I just woke up and heard you all chatting. What were you discussing so heatedly?"
Ah Li, feigning ignorance, asked me, "These two brothers have a friend who has come to this vicinity. She's a woman, about my height, and speaks rather strangely. I've been busy driving the horses these past few days and haven't paid much attention. Have you seen her?"
I pretended to think hard, and after a while, I said, "About your height, and speaks strangely? I have seen several girls of similar height these past few days, but I don't know which one it was."
Seeing that we were struggling to recall, Daolang and Feixiong said, "We suspect she went to Dongyue Town. We should be able to see her once we get there."
"That's true. Besides going to Dongyue Town, the only other path from here leads to the nearby mountains. How could a young girl possibly go to mountains full of bandits?"
After much back and forth, the matter was finally put to rest.
After seeing them off, I finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat down properly. The carriage had traveled for a day and a night, and after crossing this low-lying plain, we would reach Dongyue Town.
Upon arriving outside Dongyue Town, we saw a large river flowing gently. Several luxurious large boats were also floating on the river, seemingly prepared for wealthy patrons.
Dongyue Town was a place formed by wanderers, chivalrous knights, and merchants. It was located at the confluence of the Liujiang, Ganjiang, and Hushui rivers, gathering people from all walks of life from different realms, making it a prosperous area.
Before entering the town, Daolang and Feixiong alighted from the carriage. After thanking us, they proceeded into the town on foot. We followed the caravan into the town.
I expected a chaotic scene in such a crowded place, but to my surprise, it was quite orderly. People were eating, drinking, and going about their business without any fighting or disturbances.
Through the carriage window, I saw many signs hanging along the streets, uniformly displaying "Xu Family Restaurant."
"Night Fragrance Wine House," "Dream Return Inn," "Full Wine Hall." At a glance, all the large and small establishments were wine houses.
Then, looking at the stalls lining both sides of the street, selling things like flatbread, tea, fruits, and fried rice, they were endless and dazzling, making my mouth water.
However, it was strange that most people here were moving between the wine houses. Everywhere I looked, people were buying and selling wine, carrying wine through the streets, and passing through the city with wine, creating a unique spectacle.
We drove the horses to a guest house. Ah Li said to me, "Since everyone else has left, we don't need to pretend anymore. It's not convenient."
I nodded, agreeing with him.
Immediately, Ah Li waved his hand, and the veil on my head transformed into a leaf. My clothes also reverted to their original appearance. He spun around, and in an instant, he returned to his ordinary self.
Then he said, "Let's get off."
I responded with a "Okay" and followed him out of the carriage.
He then led me into the guest house and rented two rooms. Lying on the large, soft bed, I rolled back and forth. Suddenly, I heard the sounds of people drinking and talking from downstairs.
"Brother, come, drink more."
"You too, drink too."
The voices didn't sound like they were from within this building. I looked around, came to the window, and pushed it open, hearing the sounds of drinking and talking.
Looking down, I saw two people sitting at the base of the wall, dressed plainly, with swords at their waists, holding gourds, and drinking contentedly.
I quickly closed the window, wondering, "Why are there so many people drinking here? Will someone start a drunken brawl?"
Thinking this, I felt a little scared. I carefully checked the room for any safety hazards and only then did I feel reassured enough to lie down on the bed and sleep. I had had a very tiring day.
I slept until the next morning. It wasn't until Ah Li came to wake me up for food that I stirred.
Drowsily, I followed Ah Li out of the building and stopped at a small noodle stall by the roadside. Ah Li ordered two bowls of plain noodles, and I curiously looked around.
As I was lost in thought, I suddenly saw Daolang and Feixiong walking towards us.
Immediately, I turned my head away and nudged Ah Li, whispering, "We've run into them again."
Escaping was impossible at this point. I could only carefully cover my face. Ah Li quickly transformed back into his previous appearance and blew a breath at me, turning me back into the appearance I had in the carriage.
They seemed to have seen us as well and called out, "Brother, what a coincidence?"
Ah Li replied with an awkward smile, "Yes, what a coincidence."
They didn't stand on ceremony and sat down right next to us. Just then, the plain noodles arrived. Daolang pointed at the noodles and said, "Brother, do you know where these plain noodles come from?"
Ah Li looked confused and scratched his head. "This, isn't this the noodles from Dongyue Town?"
At this, Feixiong said mysteriously, "Brother, you truly don't know? You should know the origin of this better than we do."
Ah Li sighed, wondering what they were up to. He replied helplessly, "We usually live in seclusion and haven't paid much attention to these things."
"No wonder. These plain noodles were originally called Spring Silkworm Noodles, originating from Nanhai City, and later spread to Dongyue Town," Daolang explained.
"Hahaha, so that's how it is. I didn't expect you two brothers to know so much," Ah Li said, trying to ease the situation.
"But we know more than just that." He suddenly changed the subject.
My heart skipped a beat. Before I could react, Feixiong suddenly yanked off my silk scarf and, with a laugh at my surprised expression, exclaimed, "Hahaha, we knew it was you two all along!"
I tried to remain calm and asked curiously, "How did you figure it out?"
"We knew from the moment you got into the carriage," Daolang said without mincing words.
I sighed and then marveled, truly worthy of being top-tier kidnappers. They were so well-informed, immediately seeing through our disguise and even acting so convincingly. I had to admire them.