Mu Aotie arrived first. Yu Qing pulled aside the curtain and called out, “Get in.”
Nan Zhu, who came later, did the same. When he climbed into the carriage and saw Yu Qing sitting there without his servant clothes on, he was rather stunned.
Old Seven and Old Nine had not seen Yu Qing for some time. They were still carrying out their earlier plan, the one about finding a way to take control of Wen Xin’s dowry. To avoid arousing suspicion, they had been trying their best not to meet Yu Qing.
“Go.” At Yu Qing’s word, the carriage clattered away.
After Old Seven and Old Nine exchanged glances, Nan Zhu pointed at the long sword hanging at Yu Qing’s waist, and the bundle placed beside him. He tried asking in a low voice, “Coming to find us looking like this, are you not afraid of being exposed?”
Yu Qing replied in a low voice, “No. I have already been exposed.”
“Ah?” Nan Zhu exclaimed, then quickly asked in a low voice, “What happened?”
Mu Aotie also stared blankly at their little junior brother.
Yu Qing did not say what had happened, nor did he want to explain how he had been exposed. “Since that is the case, I had no choice but to enter the library directly as A Shiheng. I found Shiji Bay. It is not in Ning Prefecture…” He explained how he had found the location.
Even Mu Aotie, who was usually as wooden as could be, could not help but show joy along with Nan Zhu.
“Listening to you, it is a good thing you went in as the Tanhu Lang. If it had been through someone else, it would probably have been truly difficult to find.” Nan Zhu rarely praised their little junior brother. Then he came to his senses, pointed at his little junior brother’s clothes, and said, “Then what is this?”
“Go, leave immediately…” Yu Qing explained his escape plan.
The three senior and junior brothers put their heads together and muttered for quite a while.
The carriage wandered through the streets, and only stopped when it reached a restaurant that also sold breakfast, the one Yu Qing had designated.
Not long after the three brothers went inside, two men passed by the carriage. Their eyes met the driver’s. They were precisely the people sent by the Wen residence to protect Yu Qing. Yu Qing had said he did not need protection and had refused, but the Wen residence still sent people secretly.
The two men entered the restaurant and looked around. They had intended to continue watching the target’s safety as diners, but after entering and looking everywhere, they did not see Yu Qing. The two of them then searched upstairs and downstairs thoroughly, and discovered that the target had truly disappeared.
Having no other option, they asked the waiters for the waiters, and went to the front desk for the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper at the front desk, after hearing the guests describe the people’s appearance, pulled out a letter and handed it over. “Stop looking. The people have already left through the back. Before leaving they left a letter, saying that if anyone came looking for them, I should give the letter to that person. And he asked me to pass on a message, telling you not to look for them, saying they have already left, and telling you to give this letter to the clan head. He gave some money, and only said these unclear words. He did not say anything more.”
The man who had asked the questions took the letter, immediately called to his companion, then quickly left. They found their mounts nearby and urgently returned to the Wen residence with the letter.
The three brothers, who had exited from the other side of the restaurant, had already hailed a carriage on the road. They climbed in and quickly left.
The three did not go anywhere else. They went to the place they had rented before entering the Wen residence. The things Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie had hidden were still there.
Arriving at the rented place, they found their swords and travel bags. The two of them, having changed clothes, followed Yu Qing to a nearby river lane. They climbed into a black canopy boat, and went along with the boatman’s leisurely rowing.
After leaving the city, Yu Qing gave the boatman extra money, asking him to continue forward for another twenty li. As for the three brothers, they went ashore.
They did not continue by water. They went to the livestock market outside the city and bought three mounts, then galloped away at full speed.
They had to leave now. They had to get away quickly before news that the Tanhu Lang was at the Wen residence spread far and wide.
Yu Qing led the ride in front. Nan Zhu, following behind, shouted, “Where are we going?”
Yu Qing: “Shiji Bay!”
Nan Zhu was slightly startled. “Since the destination has already been exposed, I suggest taking a detour first. Even if we simply hide for a few years, that would work. Anyway, even if others know about Shiji Bay, they do not know how to find the cave dwelling. Besides, the Wen clan does not know what we are doing. As long as we are not targeted, nothing will happen.”
Yu Qing: “First find the cave dwelling entrance, then we will see. Just one word, ‘fast’. Without stopping along the way, we will rush to Shiji Bay at the fastest speed. If Shiji Bay really will be targeted by those great powers, hiding for a few years may not be useful. If we will be targeted whether we go early or late, I choose to go when they are not yet fully prepared.”
Nan Zhu reminded him, “There are still three or four months until the first new moon day of next year. If what Yun Xi said is true, going early will not get us in either.”
Yu Qing: “At worst we hide at the cave dwelling entrance for a few months. If we go late, and that place really gets targeted, there will be eyes and ears everywhere.”
“Sigh!” Nan Zhu sighed. He was a bit puzzled. Everyone had been so careful for so long, not hesitating to infiltrate the Wen clan as servants. Was it not all to secretly search for Shiji Bay? In the end, it was still exposed by this fellow Old Fifteen. This meant unpredictable risks would appear.
However, Old Fifteen had also said that if he had not been exposed, they would not have found it at all. The knowledge of the three brothers was such that not a single one of them had thought that Shiji Bay was no longer within Ning Prefecture’s borders. They could have searched until their heads broke and still not found it.
The three spoke no more, rumbling and galloping swiftly along the official road.
The way ahead was open. The three advanced facing the direction where the sun rose. The sun was bright, the grass grew long, and orioles flew.
On horseback, Yu Qing suddenly thumped his chest heavily with his fist, and shouted loudly toward the golden sunlight, “One day, I will definitely let everyone know openly and honourably that I am Yu Qing!”
Old Seven and Old Nine exchanged glances.
Nan Zhu: “His brain is ill.”
Mu Aotie: “He is indeed ill.”
“One day, I will definitely become a rich man. I will definitely become an expert. No one can stop me!”
Yu Qing, shouting toward the sun, gave people a hysterical feeling.
The two senior brothers did not know what was wrong with him. In any case, they could all see that Old Fifteen’s emotions were very abnormal. He seemed to be venting.
What interrupted Yu Qing’s wild shouting was not the two senior brothers, but a knocking sound from his bundle. He reached into the bundle and pulled out a teapot, then forcefully threw it at a rock by the roadside.
Crack!
The teapot was smashed to pieces. A black shadow flashed out from the exploding fragments and shot up into the sky. It was Datou, who had just woken up.
The three brothers raised their heads to watch the black shadow flailing about in the air like a headless fly. They guessed it had been stunned by that smash.
Nan Zhu sighed, “Old Fifteen is acting recklessly. He dares to smash something so valuable like this. What if it gets killed?”
Seeing that Datou was awake, Yu Qing looked ahead and again spurred his horse. A trail of dust followed behind him.
Datou, soaring in the air, suddenly flew in a straight line, chasing the three riders all the way. In the end, it flashed and landed on Yu Qing’s shoulder. It chirped “dee dee” once, as if wanting to say something. Together with Yu Qing, who was smiling, it galloped facing the wind…
In a large pavilion with ornate flying eaves, Wen Mao already held the farewell letter Yu Qing had left behind.
There was nothing else in the letter. It just said things like thank you for your care, sorry for the intrusion, and mentioned that there was also a fat man and a big fellow who were his people, saying he had taken them along. The reason for leaving in a hurry was also roughly explained. It said he was involved in some troubles, his identity was exposed and it was not suitable to stay long. He did not want to cause trouble for himself or for the Wen clan.
Wen Mao put down the letter and sighed, “I still wanted him to write something for the Wen residence. In the end he just ran off like this. He really does not take the usual path.”
Wen Kui, standing nearby, said, “Yes, everything was fine. I truly did not expect him to suddenly leave in this manner, catching us off guard.”
Wen Mao stroked his beard. “It seems he found what he wanted in the Wenshu Pavilion last night. What was it?”
Wen Kui: “Old Wen there, it is unclear whether he knows or not. I am afraid you will have to ask personally.”
Wen Mao: “There are still two doubts that have not been resolved. What was the matter with Zou Yunting being beaten? Did Xin’er know something beforehand? Kui, Xin’er’s appearance yesterday looked a bit abnormal. I am worried. I hope it is not that she has developed feelings for A Shiheng.”
Wen Kui: “It is hard to say what young people are thinking, but one thing is certain. The two of them had no time and no opportunity to do something they could not turn back from. Master, apart from this, everything else is a small matter. A Shiheng has also left.”
Wen Mao walked away. As he casually handed the letter to Wen Kui, he suddenly laughed and said, “This is probably the only surviving letter of the Tanhu Lang currently in existence. It should be worth quite a bit of money.”
Wen Kui smiled…
By the time Wen Mao returned from the Wenshu Pavilion again, it was almost lunchtime.
Just like last night, Wen Xin again sent Xiao Hong to say that she had no appetite and did not want to eat. She could not accompany her grandfather for the meal. She told her grandfather to eat by himself and not wait for her.
Wen Mao was silent for a moment, then said, “Still call her over. Just say there is something I need to tell her face to face. If she refuses, have Song Pingping drag her here.”
Xiao Hong responded submissively. She did not dare disobey the clan head’s words, and quickly went.
Before long, Wen Xin arrived. But her complexion was so haggard. One look and you could tell she had not rested well.
When Wen Mao saw her like this, his heart sank. He suspected his unfortunate prediction had come true.
At the dining table, after the grandfather and granddaughter had slightly filled their stomachs, Wen Xin lost her appetite. She put down her chopsticks and tried asking, “Grandfather, what is it you need to tell Xin’er?”
Wen Mao: “That servant Niu Youqing in your Jade Garden actually has another identity. He is that Tanhu Lang famous throughout the world.”
Wen Xin pressed her lips together and said nothing.
Seeing this, Wen Mao understood. This girl had indeed known that person’s identity long ago. He immediately asked, “You knew who he was all along?”
Wen Xin was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, “In the storage courtyard, I accidentally saw the drafts of his calligraphy practice. I found they were the same as the ink treasures Fifth Brother bought. I suspected it then, but I never dared to be certain.”
Wen Mao made an “oh” sound. “So you took the opportunity when I relented to have him moved to your Jade Garden? Xin’er, tell me honestly. Have you fallen for him?”
Panic instantly flashed in Wen Xin’s eyes. She quickly shook her head repeatedly, indicating no.
Wen Mao: “I do not care whether you like him or not. Grandfather is asking you, do you know he once had a fiancee?”
Wen Xin was briefly silent, then finally nodded.
Wen Mao: “Do you know who his fiancee is?”
Wen Xin made an “mm” sound. “The disciple of the Sinan Prefecture Commandant, the direct disciple of the Earth Mother.”
Wen Mao: “This is the key. Although the Wen clan is large, in the eyes of the Sinan Prefecture, it is nothing. Once the Sinan Prefecture decides to move against the Wen clan, the Wen clan’s thousand year foundation will instantly collapse. Even Qinglian Mountain would not dare to protect the Wen clan. Yes, A Shiheng now has no relationship with that Miss Zhong, but the fact that A Shiheng abandoned her is known throughout the world. If you are together with him, what does that mean? Are you trying to prove you are better than the Earth Mother’s direct disciple? Perhaps Grandfather has the heart of a petty man, but Grandfather dares guarantee that there are few people in the world who would dare to marry their daughter to him!”