NOVPUBChapter 748 -52: The Moonlight of That Year (7721 Part 1)
On the second day, Wu Qiong finally informed Wang Anfeng and the others about the situation. This elderly man had been evading capture alongside Jiang Lan—after all this time, they finally received some relatively good news.
His face radiated with vigor, even temporarily suppressing the defeat and frustration of the previous night.
In contrast, Wang Anfeng seemed somewhat weary. He glanced at Xue Qinshuang, who remained as usual, talking to a gentle girl from The Number One Manor in the World. When she noticed his gaze, she simply smiled slightly, her demeanor relaxed and natural, showing no sign of anything amiss. 𝚗ovp𝚞b.𝚌om
At this point, it was only a few days until the Liangzhou wine event. Jiu Zizai could inquire about the Liangzhou attendees later to determine their whereabouts, but the people from One-Leaf Pavilion might be in mortal danger. Wang Anfeng and his company were determined to rescue them to the end.
Liu Ling, who often found himself inebriated, said that if they could go to One-Leaf Pavilion and drink a pot of the unparalleled “National Hero” wine, missing a Liangzhou wine event was no big deal.
They decided to rest for a while at this inn before starting their journey back to Jiangnan Road.
At this time, no longer worried about potential threats, they could take the direct route, which was naturally much faster. It was only now that Wang Anfeng and the others learned from Wu Qiong exactly what had happened at One-Leaf Pavilion.
It turned out that disciples within the sect were causing chaos. Wu Qiong and Jiang Lan were outside the sect at that time, and after receiving only a fragment of a letter, did not dare to delay. They hurriedly left Jiangnan Road and thus managed to avoid being poisoned.
Along the way, they met a Jianghu martial artist who had once been helped by Jiang Lan’s father. Out of gratitude for Jiang Yang’s kindness, the martial artist volunteered to escort Jiang Lan to Zixiao Mountain Villa on Jiannan Road. They had not traveled far when they were inexplicably targeted by the recently risen Mysterious Sword Sect of Jiangnan Road and were repeatedly ambushed, leading to the scene they witnessed several days ago.
As for the exact reason behind these events, seeing Wu Qiong’s hesitation, Wang Anfeng tactfully refrained from asking further, though he couldn’t help but presumptuously feel that the elderly man’s status and identity seemed out of sync with his somewhat confused ways of handling the situation.
If it had been him in charge, he feared he would have been subjected to the elder’s ridicule for several days without end.
Over the past few days, they had passed through several cities, their appearances inevitably becoming more ragged with travel. As they drew closer to One-Leaf Pavilion, they paradoxically slowed down. When they were only about a hundred li from the State City where One-Leaf Pavilion was located, Wu Qiong chose to stay at an inn during the day.
He cashed in his jade pendant for silver coins, sent the Jianghu folks to buy scholar’s robes, headscarves, belts, and wide sleeves from the city’s largest clothing store, meticulously detailed, then requested the shopkeeper to prepare a bath with fragrant orchid and laurel in hot water.
The pedantic air was so overpowering it made Li Qidao grimace in disgust, nearly making him retch. He found even the alcoholic fumes of Liu Ling more comforting.
Upon entering the inn, they passed through the most bustling area of this State City on Jiangnan Road, where one could see elegant scholars and beautiful women everywhere.
The voices of the women were tender and soft, speaking in the famous gentle language of Jiangnan. Even their anger carried a hint of charm in their tone, and their coquetry could easily melt the hearts of these so-called men of culture and literally lighten their purses, as they spent lavishly on their whims.
Lv Baiping curled her lips, her thoughts unbiddenly drifting towards Yuchi Jie, who was now far away in Fufeng County.
Though these men may not be as handsome as Yuchi or as well-pocketed, they certainly shared the same boldness when it came to spending money, not treating money as money at all.
The inn on Jiangnan Road had that subtle style seen everywhere, supported by eight huge round pillars for spaciousness, suitable for banqueting. A bamboo staircase led upward to numerous compartments for entertaining and resting, and at the very top was a pavilion with upward-curving eaves.
From within, one could gaze at the river flowing into the city and the sight of the city’s red dust and glowing lights.
Wang Anfeng was disguised as a steward in charge of money, so naturally, he had to pay. He quietly placed the proper amount of silver on the table, producing a dull thunk. His eyes shifted towards the staircase and caught a glimpse of Xue Qinshuang’s silhouette.
Ever since that day, despite Xue Qinshuang’s outward composure, Wang Anfeng found himself preoccupied with her. When he closed his eyes, he couldn’t help but remember the young man who had called her “elder sister.”
The shopkeeper squinted his already small eyes, and with a hearty exclamation of admiration for a generous customer, he tightly clutched the silver. Wang Anfeng belatedly realized he hadn’t haggled and instinctively reached for the silver.
But he saw the gaunt shopkeeper clutching it tight, appearing as if he were one of the Divine Martial soldiers brandishing a sword, refusing to surrender it at all costs.
With no choice but to let it go, as he was about to do so, a hand reached out from the side. When it withdrew, a translucent jade pendant was left on the table, devoid of extraneous carvings, just plain and simple, looking at it seemed to evoke a sense of coolness in one’s heart.
Ye Zhuhua said amiably to the side, “Shopkeeper, take this jade pendant as payment for the room and give the silver back to Brother Feng.”
Wang Anfeng frowned and intervened,
“That’s not acceptable.”
Although he was accustomed to frugality, he was not stingy by nature.
In the mountains, haggling was a common experience when purchasing goods, as peddlers often set higher prices. A noble son from a Noble Clan like Yuchi Jie never haggled when shopping, and behind his back, the merchants would often grumble about the foolishness of his lavish spending.
Since ancient times, gentlemen likened themselves to jade, and Confucian scholars would carry jade stones if their family circumstances allowed. The pendant in question was obviously extraordinary, bearing special significance—whether a gift from relatives and elders or a beloved possession. How could Wang Anfeng partake in such an act?
