The fact that so many people could enter the mountain from here showed that this place was the closest to the destination.
The reason so many congratulatory guests could come was not simply because Hong Teng had great face. The reason of the prefect marrying off his daughter was even bigger.
In terms of status and position, Lu Kai was higher than Hong Teng. Within Luanzhou under Lu Kai’s jurisdiction there were several territories similar to Yuanshan. His spirit pet Mingyue could be considered marrying down.
Yu Qing could not figure out what kind of people the guests were. He simply watched Qin Jue and the others who had already gone far, feeling puzzled in his heart. How did these guys also come?
Thinking of his lost four million taels, he felt a bit itchy in his teeth. If not for that, he would not have run here to toil like this.
All the congratulatory gifts were properly shouldered. Meng Wei left four people to take the carriages away for placement.
Although the four left behind were strong and sturdy, they were actually all ordinary commoners. The remaining ones, apart from Yu Qing and the other two, were all people from Bihai Shipping themselves. The reason for putting on the act of recruiting porters was purely to deceive others’ eyes and ears.
Twenty porters shouldered twelve loads of congratulatory gifts. Two people carried a sedan chair, lifting Right Lingluo into the mountain. The remaining six porters served as rotation for the whole team, not including the three team leaders Yu Qing and the others.
Yu Qing and the other two felt they had mixed in quite well. Along the way they looked spirited and did their best.
Especially Nan Zhu, who had turned very serious again. The preaching mode of a teacher started once more. His mouth hardly stopped. Even while shouldering a big stick and crossing mountains and ridges he could not shut his mouth. He caught those porters and chattered endlessly about how many people were in their families and so on. The most disgusting thing was teaching others how to be a person.
He even worried about whether others were hot and whether they should take off a piece of clothing.
Towards the end, along the way there was only Nan Zhu’s voice left. Those porters one by one were unwilling to pay him any attention.
Meng Wei was unwilling to look back. Right Lingluo also seemed to have listened to a lullaby and closed his eyes and fallen asleep.
Yu Qing was convinced by this senior brother. Talking endlessly with a great beauty like Tie Miaoqing could still be acceptable, but he could even chat with these rough men. One had to admire it. He really did not know where he got so much common language with people.
Looking at the other one, Mu Aotie, one could not squeeze a fart out of him even with a stick.
Previously in the temple, with second senior brother Gao Yunjie mediating between the two, it did not feel like much. Now they increasingly felt that these two senior brothers were two extremes.
Walking along the small path trodden by people, the deeper into the mountains they went, the more quiet and secluded the mountain scenery became. There were more towering trees, and big trees that several people could not embrace became increasingly common.
The speed of the group was overall still quite fast. Along the way they would from time to time overtake other congratulatory guest teams that had stopped to rest.
They kept walking. Although they had reserved people to rotate carrying the loads, they would still occasionally rest along the way.
The group walked until it was dark, then continued forward holding torches. They often encountered patrolling demon cultivators.
Until around the beginning of the hai hour, a brightly lit area appeared in the mountains. The destination of this trip, Yuanshan, had arrived.
The group set out early in the morning and only arrived late at night. The road was not very far, only because it was not easy to walk and quite time-consuming.
It was dark, so the appearance of Yuanshan could no longer be seen clearly. They only felt the mountain was very high. Along the way up the mountain there were from time to time the sounds of gurgling flowing water, or the rumbling sounds of flying waterfalls.
The road on the mountain was already quite easy to walk. Steps were laid all the way, and there were occasionally pavilions in the mountains. It seemed no different from the human world.
To welcome the guests, quite a few lanterns were hung along the road.
Climbing up to a large platform on the mountainside, the sweat-soaked crowd suddenly saw a wide open view before their eyes. In the brightly lit scene, pavilions and towers hidden among ancient trees looked like a fairyland.
There were high steps like a heavenly ladder leading straight to the mountaintop, decorated with lanterns and streamers all the way. Above, a palace-like existence could be vaguely seen.
Welcoming staff were already waiting at the entrance. Meng Wei presented the gift list and offered congratulations. Immediately demon cultivators from Yuanshan came over and carried away all the congratulatory gifts.
Right Lingluo, Meng Wei and the two guards were treated as main guests and invited up the high steps. It was said that Hong Teng had personally set up a banquet above.
“Brothers have worked hard along the way. Please quickly take your seats. There is plenty of wine and food. Eat freely, drink freely, and do not be polite.”
A demon cultivator greeted Yu Qing and the others to take their seats.
These labourers of theirs had no qualification to go above and could only go to the flowing banquet before their eyes. However being able to receive such hospitality was already quite good. Normally, how could Yuanshan take them seriously.
The big happy day was tomorrow. Today the flowing banquet had already been set up.
There was no choice. Entering the mountain was inconvenient, so guests needed to arrive one day early, otherwise they would miss tomorrow’s happy banquet.
Guests followed the host’s convenience. The three martial brothers first threw the sticks in their hands to the grass aside, then followed the crowd to casually find a few tables and start eating and drinking. The wine and food tasted quite good.
“Everyone has worked hard. Eat more, eat more.”
Nan Zhu, with a hoarse voice, greeted everyone. He had talked too much nonsense along the way and had made his own throat hoarse.
After eating and drinking to their fill, the group sat and waited for quite a while before seeing Right Lingluo and the others come down. They then led them together down the mountain. Demon cultivators led them to the courtyard for staying at the foot of the mountain. The three martial brothers hurriedly picked up their sticks from the grass again.
Based on their number, they were given a courtyard with quite a few rooms.
Although there were quite a few rooms, labourers like Yu Qing could not have one room each. Twenty or so people were divided into four rooms and slept on communal beds.
They had just laid out the bedding when Meng Wei appeared at the door and called out, “Niu Youqing, come over for a moment.”
Yu Qing agreed and walked over.
Meng Wei then pointed at Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie who also wanted to follow. “I did not call you.”
The two could only stop.
Meng Wei directly brought Yu Qing to the study in the guest courtyard. Right Lingluo was sitting upright behind the desk waiting. A lamp flame flickered dimly.
“Sir.” Yu Qing politely paid his respects.
Right Lingluo pointed with his finger at the chair beside. “Sit.”
Yu Qing waved his hand. “No need, no need. If you have any instructions, please just say them.”
Right Lingluo did not insist anymore. He was silent for a moment and said, “Along the way, I saw that you are quite sharp and diligent, and you can also read and write. I have the intention to cultivate you. If there is a chance, would you be willing to follow me to the Yin Kingdom?”
Yu Qing was stunned. “This small one is a person of the Jin Kingdom. What would I do going to the Yin Kingdom?”
Right Lingluo said, “You are still too young now and cannot bear heavy responsibilities. The head office of Bihai Shipping is in the Yin Kingdom. It can let you learn more things. Once you have learned well, the local shipping company can be handed over to you to manage. Do you not want that?”
Seeing Yu Qing hesitate, Meng Wei beside him interjected, “It is truly that sir has taken a liking to you. This is a good opportunity that many people beg for but cannot get.”
Yu Qing was immediately made a bit uncomfortable. He did not want to manage any shipping company in this broken place at all. But the reality was that he could not easily refuse. As a labourer, with such a good opportunity placed before him, if he refused it would be too abnormal.
After thinking it over, he could only dodge and say, “Sir, the Yin Kingdom is too far. I need to go back and discuss with my family before I can decide.”
Meng Wei immediately looked at Right Lingluo’s reaction. Right Lingluo had a smile on his face and did not insist. “Good, then think about it again. You have been rushing about for a day and are also tired. Go back and rest first.”
“Yes.” Yu Qing immediately took his leave.
After he left, Meng Wei who had observed from the door quickly returned to the front of the desk and said in a low voice, “Sir, why bother talking so much with him. After matters here are settled, we might as well directly tie him up and take him to the Yin Kingdom.”
Right Lingluo sighed and said, “If only it were as simple as you say. Some things cannot be done by force. It needs him to be willing himself. Forget it. We should first take care of the matters before our eyes. What exactly this kid came here to do needs to be watched closely. The breakthrough for this trip may well be on him.”
Meng Wei said, “Sir, rest assured. The labourers with them are all our people. The three of them are all mixed into our crowd. Every move, even when sleeping, has people watching.”
…
The mountaintop of Yuanshan was half hollowed out. The excavated mountain walls merged with the brick and wood structure, giving quite an imposing air.
According to messages from various places, no more guests would come today. The tiger-backed and bear-waisted Hong Teng stood up supporting the long desk. His build was robust, his eyes round and spirited, and his face had golden curly whiskers.
After giving instructions on some matters left and right, he carried a body full of wine smell and climbed the steps upward, entering the highest palace building.
Behind the main hall there was still a stone door. After being pushed open with a buzzing sound it closed again with a rumbling sound. Inside was a cave. Hong Teng went straight to find the beautiful maid who had been waiting long on the sleeping couch.
The beautiful woman on the couch had an alluring figure. Hong Teng pounced on her and fiddled around, but found no reaction. He immediately felt something was wrong. Upon checking he discovered she had been restrained by someone and had already fallen into unconsciousness. He was greatly shocked and only then sobered up and looked around.
When he flashed to the side room, he discovered a person sitting behind the desk.
It was a man who was calm and composed, with a jade-like face and purple-gold crown, vermilion lips and a hooked eagle nose, sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, handsome and quiet. Wearing a black cloak, he leaned against the back of the chair, lightly flipping through a book scroll, looking absorbed.
Hong Teng was just about to angrily rebuke who the person was. After clearly seeing the visitor’s face, shock and fear flashed in his eyes. He stepped forward a few steps and asked apprehensively, “You are… you are the third cave master of Qianliu Mountain?”
That man slowly flipped over a book page, not even raising his eyes, and said indifferently, “Have you and I met?”
“You have not seen this small demon. It was when this small demon went to the sea market that I had the fortune to catch sight of third master you making an appearance.” After Hong Teng finished speaking, he stepped forward two more steps and knelt on one knee. “This small demon Hong Teng pays respects to third master!”
In his heart he was actually full of doubt and uncertainty, not knowing how the other party had come in, and even less knowing what it meant for the other party to appear here.
The man called the third cave master then threw down the book scroll in his hand and looked at him. “I heard you are going to hold a big happy event. I specially rushed over to offer congratulations.”
Hong Teng broke out in a small sweat. This was a figure that even a great demon from one side did not dare to act rashly towards. In front of him he counted for nothing. He said fearfully, “I dare not, I dare not. A trivial small matter is not worth disturbing third master’s honoured presence. Since third master has graciously come, there must be instructions. Please enlighten me, third master. If there is any place where this small demon can be of use, this small demon will definitely go through fire and water without hesitation!”
“Get up and speak.”
“Yes.”
After the person stood up, the third cave master asked, “Have you heard about the matter of the great sage taking action, forcing the earth mother to kill a disciple, and later the earth mother taking in two female disciples?”
Suddenly jumping to such high-level figures, Hong Teng’s expression became serious. He bent his waist and replied, “Such a big matter, even if this small demon wanted not to hear about it, it would be hard. I have heard something.”
The third cave master said, “Do you know the identities of the two new female disciples taken in by the earth mother?”
Hong Teng thought for a moment. “I heard one is called Zhong Ruochen and one is called Wen Ruwei. The two are blood sisters. One follows the father’s surname and one follows the mother’s surname. Both are daughters of a wealthy merchant surnamed Zhong in the capital. And that Zhong Ruochen once had a fiance, precisely that great talent famous throughout the world, the new top scorer Ashiheng. For some unknown reason, Zhong Ruochen was actually abandoned by Ashiheng through broken engagement. Third master, what this small demon knows is roughly like this. I do not know if there is any mistake?”