Volume 1 Chapter 88: Deceiving Me and Humiliating Me (Part 2)

  Chapter 88: With You, Mingzhu (Part 2)

  "I'll make him spit out the boat fare too." Xiao Erlang nodded to let his followers collect it, "A small punishment serves as a warning. Best he learns from this and knows which side to stand on in the future. I'm only teaching him because we're fellow passengers."

  It seems that Mo Ge has offended Xiao Baiyu badly. Zhong An saw that Xiao Erlang had already gone to Yuan Cheng's side, and he also hurriedly followed up.

  He said, "Look at the way he spoke to us just now, it's the same as what we usually see from him, a sly and cunning little person. But thinking back to that day on the boat when he was furious, he wasn't someone to be trifled with. How could he possibly learn his lesson and become obedient? And now, this boot-licking hasn't ended yet, I just slightly let something slip, and he quickly ran off to send money over there. It's really unclear whether he's stupid or simply doesn't take us seriously? Doing things like this, anyone can tell that everything he said was a lie."

  Xiao Er Lang thought that they were not taken seriously. The one with the surname Mo, being too clever, wouldn't be foolish. His gaze swept coldly and stopped at the weak man who was being held up. Yuan Cheng, how much did you pay to have someone follow him like a loyal dog? Already a prisoner of war, yet still busy taking care of him.

  "Zhong An, be careful on this trip with that person. He's cunning and ruthless, and you never know when he'll try to escape. Don't let your guard down for a moment." Xiao Erlang reminded his friend, "Also, avoid busy areas along the way, in case those people find out and ambush us halfway."

  That group of people were the masked men who had taken the first batch of prisoners that night. As he had expected, they should be the big beggars whom the Yongfu had encountered at Jingyutai, or related to them.

  "It's a good thing we're certain he doesn't know martial arts, otherwise even if I were to bring Shi Lei along, I wouldn't necessarily have the upper hand. It has to be you." After discussing it, the six of them split into two groups and left. Firstly, to distract people and divert their attention. Secondly, they still had one more thing to take care of on this trip.

  "If you think so, I can swap with you." Xiao Erlang would rather take the risk.

  "Zhong An, how can you not know this? He shook his head and solemnly refused. 'How can that be? One is your aunt, but not mine. The other is your brother's wife, but also not mine. When the Xiao family welcomes or sends off a relative, it should naturally be led by a Xiao family son. Your younger brother won't show up, so as his older brother, you have to take on this responsibility.'"

  Xiao Erlang ignored Zhong An and mentioned his good younger brother, but there was nothing to say.

  At this time, the two of them were very close to Mo Zi, and they could hear her making requests left and right.

  "Two gentlemen, the remaining silver will be yours. Don't trouble yourselves too much, just help Mr. Yuan get a doctor, grab some medicine, and have him drink some soup along the way. Although catching him is no small feat, a living person is far more useful than a dead one, don't you think?"

  Although those two said they accepted the silver after being allowed by their superiors, it can't be denied that the private traders made sense. The first corrupt official is more valuable alive than dead.

  Xiao Erlang had thought that even if the silver was spent according to his plan, there wouldn't be much left. However, in the end he still pretended not to know and urged the two men to take the person ashore.

  "Wait." Meizhi said these two words again.

  If he didn't consider his own identity, Xiao Er Lang wanted to be as impulsive as Shi Lei, and with one sword, cut off the tongue of the surname Mo, see if he would still dare to stir up trouble from time to time.

  "What else do you want?" The bribed silver, he can turn a blind eye. Asking the doctor's favor, he also secretly agreed. But this man won't finish.

  "General Xiao, don't be annoyed. I just wanted to bid farewell to Mr. Yuan, that's all." Facing Xiao Erlang's impatience, Mozi suddenly became extremely patient, and her words were no longer sharp. The reason was simple: she had done everything she could, and there was no need to continue making pointed remarks to provoke the other party.

  Xiao Erlang heard Mozi's tone was calm and gentle, but for a moment he couldn't adjust to it, and instead became somewhat stunned.

  He was stunned for a moment, and others thought he had acquiesced, of course, there was even less reason to shout at Mozi's next actions.

  Mozzie beckoned with one hand, and Cen Er, who had been standing on the mountain head, came over with a large wooden tray. On it were placed a small package, a wine jug, two cups, and a small, delicate wooden bottle.

  "Master Yuan, I've packed two sets of clean old clothes in this bundle for you to change into on the road. This wooden bottle can hold clear water and be carried with you; the lid is twisted open and closed like this." Mozi demonstrated, attracting several pairs of curious eyes, but continued speaking, "A thousand miles to send you off, we must eventually part ways. I'll use tea instead of wine to bid you farewell, Master. May you have a smooth journey and turn bad luck into good fortune."

  "Hold on." Xiao Er Lang finally thought of this cunning child, and also learned from Mozi to slow down. He then ordered the two men who were holding Yuan Cheng, "Check carefully, don't let anything that shouldn't be in here mix in."

  Then the bundle was opened, and two sets of clothes were pulled out in a mess, then carelessly stuffed back in, looking several times larger than before. Then the wooden bottle was examined, twisted left and right, found to be novel, repeated several times, and carefully checked for any hidden tricks. The wine jug was opened, peeking inside to see if there was anything strange. In the end, the two of them shook their heads at Xiao Erlang and Zhong An.

  Xiao Erlang's gaze followed them as they examined it, and after they shook their heads, he stepped forward, picked up the wooden bottle, pointed to the wooden lid, and asked Mozi, "What is this thing?"

  "Lid." This bottle cap thing, don't underestimate its design difficulty. If you can't understand the principle, ordinary people can't immediately understand it. Mozi was certain that this Second Lang God General wouldn't understand.

  What's this? Xia Erlang mimicked the attendants' actions, twisting it open and placing it in his palm to examine. He found that there were spiral patterns engraved inside. After twisting it back onto the bottle mouth, he couldn't twist it anymore after two circles. Using force to pull it out also didn't work. When he turned the bottle upside down, not a drop of water leaked out, making it more useful than a wooden stopper. He thought this little thing was strange and wanted to find an excuse to get rid of it, but felt it was a pity. Because no matter how he looked at it, although it was old-fashioned, it couldn't possibly be hiding escape tools in such a small bottle.

  Zhang An also took it and tried it. He was bolder than Xiao Er Lang in speaking directly to Mo Zi, asking, "This bottle cap is interesting, I wonder where Brother Mo got it from?"

  "I got it from a merchant who came from overseas." Mu Zi casually fabricated.

  While they were focused on the lid, she poured two cups of tea and handed one to Yuan Cheng. "Sir, have a hot drink while you can, there's still a long and arduous road ahead."

  Yuan Cheng raised his head, his facial features still terrifying, and weakly thanked Mozi before drinking the medicine in one gulp. Then, a glimmer of light flashed through the slits of his swollen eyes before dispersing.

  "Thank you, Mo Ge, for everything you've done for Yuan Mou. If Yuan Mou can escape this disaster, I will definitely repay your kindness of saving my life." The voice was more muffled and unclear than before, as if the internal injury was even more severe, with a hint of weakness.

  "Although the master has a bad reputation, my brother's reputation is not much better either. But I believe that since we've already come this far and are about to part ways, let's just end it here. I only feel that I have a connection with the master, so I'll do my best to help him out a bit. Now it's up to the master's fate." After getting to know Yuan Qing, Mo Zi began to understand why ancient people would often say things like "a toast to our friendship" and "escort you for a thousand miles", as they truly understood the spirit of camaraderie.

  On the Yongfu ship, a strong wind rises and clouds fly high. The river water is vast and the sky is boundless. The crisp sound of two cups of clear tea colliding is so delightful. Lacking material enjoyment at a high level, ancient people were more spiritually fulfilled than modern people. Traveling thousands of miles to visit an old friend. After years of hard travel, just to see the grand mountains and rivers. A poem of enlightenment, a song of improvisation, spread over ten thousand miles, transcending time and space. Truly, it's the heroic spirit and open-mindedness that moves one's heart and soul. Cry when you want to cry, laugh when you want to laugh, dare to love and hate, this is what wins respect and admiration in this era.

  Even so, to many people, Yuan Cheng is an unforgivable corrupt official and a remnant of the traitorous party. But she, with her own eyes, cannot see the evil on this person's body. He is just a desperate person at the end of his road, a person who harbors national hatred and family resentment but is helpless and pitiful, a person who has had everything and lost everything. Perhaps she is not righteous enough; perhaps she is blinded by wealth; perhaps he and she have some kind of similar resonance in essence; or perhaps if he were still in the prime minister's position, she would not give him the time of day. Of course, at first, she was willing to help him purely out of a desire for mutual benefit. Now, it seems more like an unlikely friendship? Or is it just birds of a feather flocking together?

  In the end, whether it was a bundle or a bottle, both Xiao Erlang and Zhong An agreed to let Yuan Cheng take them. No matter how vigilant they were, they really couldn't see what use these things could be to Yuan Cheng.

  Mo Qian heard Xiao Er Lang calling her as Yuan Cheng was taken down the boat and got on a horse carriage that had been waiting on the shore.

  "General Xiao has something else?" She turned her face, with a relaxed expression as if there was nothing more to say.

  Xiao Erlang slapped his palm, "Can I have my things back? Less nonsense!"

  "What's wrong?" The mood was too relaxed, so much so that she couldn't think of anything, Mo Zi blinked her eyes, looking a bit dazed.

  "Mo Lao Di, you wouldn't think of secretly keeping his family heirloom for yourself, would you?" Zan said with a smile after the matter with Yuan Cheng was settled. "Don't blame me for not warning you beforehand, whatever you do, don't have that idea, or else..." He made a slashing motion at his own neck.

  "Ah, it's Zi recalling Xiao Erlang's pledge, and she hastily pulled out a small pouch from her bosom, turned it upside down, and the metal lump fell into her palm. "Look at my memory. It wasn't that I wanted to embezzle, but I really forgot." Anyone can understand embezzling the Water Purification Pearl. But embezzling this metal block and selling it to a pawnshop might not even be worth a single coin. Anyway, she couldn't see its value."

  "General Xiao, the goods are returned, and we owe each other nothing. Please remember your promise, and don't bother my master or Wang Qiulou again. We'll all keep our mouths shut tight. Moreover, I'm not sure if I should say this, but after this shipment is over, my master will retire and won't do business anymore. If you want to rob officials on someone else's turf in the future, find someone else." That's all I have to say.

  This man spoke to him, why did he always listen with a piercing ear? Xiao Erlang hummed and stretched out his big hand, taking away his things.

  Zhong An saw the atmosphere was not right again, so he pulled Xiao Er Lang onto the boat, cupped his hands in farewell and said, "Mo Ge, I see your sachet is exquisite, it must have been embroidered by the one you love. Having been away from home for several days, she must be missing you dearly, we won't delay your return home, let's part ways here, until next time... who knows when."

  Mozzie chuckled at their silhouettes. The one in his heart?

  At this time, in the gray carriage, Yuan Cheng spat out an object from his mouth.

  That was a round wax ball, which made Mo Ge mix it into the farewell tea in that cup.

  His withered fingers gently pinched the wax ball, revealing a thin strip of paper. He unfolded it and read silently, first stunned, then laughing. His facial features almost shifted, that laugh was extremely ugly, yet extremely genuine. Especially in the midst of a dull and lifeless fate, it seemed to inject a stream of unstoppable vitality.

  After finishing, Yuan Cheng squeezed the wax ball into the seam of the car's bottom plate and put the note back in his mouth, chewing it up and swallowing. He leaned against the wall of the car, his eyes gazing through the black curtain at Yongfu Number, his pale, cracked lips moving. It was a string of words, but only a few were audible -

  "with you bright pearl..."

  Just found out that powder 60 has been reached, striving for double updates tomorrow.

  Thanks for the likes, rewards and subscriptions from all of you guys.

  Chapter 88: With You, Mingzhu (Part 2)

  Chapter 88: With You, Mingzhu (2)