Chapter 136 - 135: Traveling Together

Chapter 136: Chapter 135: Traveling Together

Bai San said in surprise, "Aren’t you Gossip? You’re supposed to be the most well-informed person around. For a catastrophe of this magnitude, you didn’t hear a single whisper beforehand? You didn’t slip away earlier?"

Gossip looked utterly dejected, beating his chest and stamping his feet. "A miscalculation! A grave miscalculation! Of all the things I planned for, I never expected... I never expected the Jiangzhou Government Office to get involved! For years, our Hidden Emperor Castle has been a major taxpayer in Jiangzhou. We hand over no less than two million taels in tax silver every year, comparable to the annual revenue of an entire commandery!

The Pig Emperor Fortress Master was even granted the title of Imperial Advisor, a Fifth Grade unranked official position, by the Court. It carried no real power and was purely symbolic, but it was still a mark of prestige! The Government Office usually turned a blind eye to our affairs. As long as we paid on time, everything was negotiable. Who could have imagined... that the Celestial Sword Sect had enough influence to convince the Government Office to cut off its own source of wealth?"

His voice grew agitated. "By moving against the Hidden Emperor Castle, where is the Jiangzhou Government Office going to make up for this enormous deficit of two million taels of silver? When the Court evaluates a local official, tax revenue accounts for a full seventy percent of their assessment!

As far as this Court is concerned, if you can collect taxes, you’re a capable official. Nothing else matters. Without those two million taels of silver, come the capital review, the Governor’s rank will probably be demoted.

For the Court to be determined to move against the Hidden Emperor Castle... unless someone can cover this deficit, or a much more powerful figure has given the order, what official would be stupid enough to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?"

Bai San curled his lip. "Maybe your Fortress Master offended a big shot he shouldn’t have."

Gossip stubbornly retorted, "Impossible! The Fortress Master is shrewd. He’s always focused on making money and steering clear of trouble... Even this time, with forcibly marrying the Snow Fairy for his son, he had already assessed the risks. Who knew the Celestial Sword Sect could actually persuade the Court... Sigh, it’s too late to talk about this now."

He sighed a few times, his small eyes darting toward Chen Li and the others. He gave an awkward smile. "Gentlemen, my horse is here. I’ll be taking my leave?"

Bai San chuckled, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "Old Bao, look, you could say we’ve been through thick and thin together. We’re a little short on cash right now, and the money for these three horses..."

Gossip was incredibly sharp and understood immediately. His little eyes shifted, and he readily agreed, "Say no more! Say no more! It’s my honor, Old Bao’s honor, to be of service to you gentlemen! I’ll pay for the horses!"

But his tone immediately changed. He rubbed his hands together and said with a fawning smile, "However... gentlemen, you see... with all this chaos and turmoil, I, Old Bao, am terrified to travel alone. Could I... could I ask you gentlemen to escort me for a ways? I, Old Bao... will reward you handsomely!"

Bai San couldn’t make that decision, so he immediately looked to Chen Li.

Hearing this, Chen Li frowned slightly and refused flatly without a moment’s hesitation. "Apologies, we have our own important matters to attend to. It’s not convenient for us to escort you. Please, find someone else."

When Gossip heard this, he grew frantic, and his face turned deathly pale. "No, please, sir! Can’t we discuss this? How about this, I... I’ll offer fifty taels... no! One hundred taels! One hundred taels of gold! I just ask you gentlemen to escort me for a safe stretch of the road!"

He held up two fingers, his voice growing shrill with desperation.

"One hundred taels? Of gold!"

Bai San sucked in a sharp breath. His eyes widened instantly, and his breathing quickened.

That was no small sum, and in gold, no less!

He subconsciously looked at Chen Li.

Chen Li’s expression remained calm. He gave Gossip a deep look, as if weighing something.

After a moment, he spoke slowly, his words landing like a heavy hammer on Gossip’s heart. "You’re carrying something worth more than one hundred taels of gold, aren’t you?"

"No, absolutely not!"

Chen Li’s gaze made Gossip’s heart pound. ’Is he going to rob me?’ He denied it without thinking. "Oh, come on, gentlemen! How about this, I’ll just travel with you for a while, alright? With all this chaos and turmoil, I, Old Bao, am just too terrified to be on the road alone!"

Chen Li’s calm gaze swept over Gossip as he said coolly, "You can travel with us. But we are not responsible for your safety."

Gossip looked as if he’d been granted a great pardon, nodding repeatedly. "That’s enough! That’s enough! Just traveling together is enough! Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

With Gossip, the "moneybags," around, the matter of buying horses went smoothly.

Three fine Hequ stallions were quickly prepared, and the silver coins were paid in full.

Chen Li had Bai San lead the horses back to the inn.

When the group returned to the inn, Li Weikun and the other two had more or less rested, their spirits somewhat recovered.

Everyone regrouped. Chen Li didn’t explain Gossip’s origins in detail, simply saying he was an old acquaintance they had run into.

Li Weikun was still in a daze, his Heart Spirit unsettled, and he asked no questions.

The group mounted their horses.

Gossip, wearing a mask and riding a fine steed, followed closely behind the group, his small eyes darting around warily like a bird startled by the twang of a bowstring.

...

The setting sun was the color of blood, staining the horizon a tragic, brilliant orange.

「Boundary Stone Collection.」

This place was situated at the border of two counties, with no villages for dozens of miles around.

However, because people from both areas often came here to trade goods, a small market town had sprung up.

It was called a market town, but in reality, it consisted of only a dozen or so buildings. Though small, it had all the essentials.

Two inns.

At a few rough wooden tables, a handful of traveling merchants and Porters were seated, eating and drinking with their heads down, occasionally murmuring a few words to each other.

When Chen Li’s group, covered in dust from their journey, arrived, the sky was already growing dark.

After traveling continuously, both men and horses were exhausted. Seeing that the official road ahead was about to wind out of Jiangkou County’s territory and into an even more desolate region, Chen Li decided to rest here for the night.

The inn wasn’t large. It was an earthen and wood structure with mottled walls, exuding an air of aged disrepair.

The main hall contained only four or five scattered square tables. The oil lamps were dim, their light barely illuminating a small area, and the air was a mixture of cheap alcohol, cooking fumes, and the faint smell of mildew.

After a full day of travel, everyone’s face showed signs of fatigue.

The group sat around a table, eating in silence.

The food was coarse—nothing more than some flatbread, pickled vegetables, and a bowl of vegetable soup with no trace of oil—but it was enough to fill their stomachs.

The atmosphere at the table was somewhat grim. The recent days of constant travel and dangerous encounters had left everyone weary and vigilant.

Bai San mumbled indistinctly while chewing on a hard, dry piece of flatbread, "This godforsaken, middle-of-nowhere place is nowhere near as comfortable as the Drunken Creek Pavilion."

Li Weikun sighed, the worry not yet gone from his brow, and simply lowered his head to drink his soup.

Chen Li’s expression was calm. He chewed his food slowly and deliberately, as if he were simply enjoying an ordinary dinner.

However, his Spiritual Sense, far surpassing that of an ordinary person, had already spread out like an invisible net, covering every slight disturbance within a hundred feet of the inn, both inside and out.

CLANG!

Just as the group was halfway through their meal, the inn’s creaking wooden door was violently thrown open with a BANG.

Everyone in the hall startled and looked up.

Five figures filed in, instantly shattering the dim tranquility of the hall.

The newcomers all wore tight-fitting, blue-gray outfits and carried identical, regulation Longswords at their waists. Their movements carried the unique arrogance and sharp intensity of Sect disciples.

The leader had a cold, stern face and eyes like lightning. His gaze swept over the few patrons in the hall before finally landing on the Shopkeeper, who was dozing behind the counter.

Without any ceremony, he slapped a roll of rice paper down on the greasy counter with a THWACK. His voice was cold and hard. "Shopkeeper! Have you seen the person in this drawing?"