Chapter 65

Hu Xiaotian finally heard the commotion outside, the sound of hurried footsteps. Soon after, someone knocked on the door. Upon hearing the knock, Murong Feiyan realized a very serious issue: how to explain the situation of a man and a woman being alone in the same room. It would be one thing if others didn't know them, but those four servants—oh no, how could she have been so careless? She had actually let this guy follow her in. Her reputation would be ruined! She gestured for Hu Xiaotian to hide behind the curtain, but he remained unmoved. He blinked hard at her, signaling her to open the door.

Murong Feiyan bit her lip. With no other choice, she had to go with the flow. She went to the door and unlatched it. Outside stood over a dozen guards from the inn, shouting, "Come out, all of you!"

Murong Feiyan said, "Why are you disturbing our sleep in the middle of the night?"

A guard replied, "There's a thief in the inn. Everyone must come out for a thorough search!"

Hu Xiaotian also walked out. He and Murong Feiyan came out one after the other into the courtyard. Murong Feiyan was now wearing a dark red cloak, likely to cover the tear in her robe.

The four servants also came out, still half-asleep. At first, they were panicked when they didn't see Hu Xiaotian, but when they saw him with Murong Feiyan, they immediately understood. After all, the young master was the young master, and his skills in charming women were truly impressive. He had managed to win her over on the first day. Liang Dazhuang grinned at Murong Feiyan, thinking to himself that she usually acted so virtuous, but it turned out she had already been intimate with their young master. No wonder he obeyed her so obediently. It was strange that he hadn't heard anything; he must have been sleeping like a log.

The guards searched the room and then began to pat them down. When they reached Murong Feiyan, they asked her to raise her hands. Murong Feiyan angrily said, "What are you doing? We have official seals from the Ministry of Works. Do you want us to report your disrespect to the court?"

A voice with a strange tone said, "What a big mouth. I'd like to see how you'll report my disrespect." It was the inn's chief.

Hu Xiaotian looked at the chief with a sharp face and felt an urge to punch him, but he was on the chief's turf and his rank was too low. He coughed and said, "Men and women should not be too close. If you need to search, you should find a woman to do it."

One of the guards couldn't stand it. He had just seen Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan come out of the same room and now they were talking about propriety. He mocked, "What were you two doing in the room?"

Murong Feiyan blushed, but it was understandable for others to think the worst about a man and a woman being alone together. She raised her hand to strike the guard, but Hu Xiaotian, standing beside her, quickly grabbed her arm. It wasn't that she shouldn't hit him, but that she couldn't. Causing a commotion would only bring trouble to themselves.

Sure enough, the chief's face changed, and he waved his hand. "Arrest them." He didn't take Hu Xiaotian, a ninth-rank official, seriously at all.

Murong Feiyan said, "Sir, let's talk this over."

The chief frowned, wondering what they were up to, but decided to listen. He followed Murong Feiyan to the side. She whispered a few words to him, and his expression changed dramatically. His cold face instantly turned warm, and he chuckled, "Why didn't you say so earlier? It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!" He waved his hand, signaling the guards to back off. They had already searched the two rooms and found nothing.

After the chief and the guards left, Hu Xiaotian came to Murong Feiyan and whispered, "What did you tell him?"

Murong Feiyan smiled mysteriously. "Secret!"

Hu Xiaotian laughed. "I can guess. You must have mentioned the name of the Jingzhao Prefecture to scare them."

Murong Feiyan gave him a cold glance and didn't say another word, walking back to her room and slamming the door shut.

Hu Xiaotian looked at the closed door and shook his head. He waved to the four servants, who had strange expressions. "Go back to sleep. We have a long journey tomorrow."

The next morning, Hu Xiaotian woke up early. The four servants were still asleep, except for Hu Fo, who had already gotten up to take care of the horses. Hu Xiaotian opened the door and walked out.

He saw that Murong Feiyan was already up, practicing her kicks in the courtyard.

Hu Xiaotian yawned lazily and walked over. "You're really diligent!"

"How else can I protect you?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed. "I'm a grown man; I don't need your protection." He was being tough, but he had to admit that without Murong Feiyan, he might have been dead by now.

Murong Feiyan stopped and said to Hu Xiaotian, "Do you know what happened last night?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head.

Murong Feiyan said, "There was a theft in the top room. They say a lot of things were stolen, including an urgent letter from Yumen Pass."

Hu Xiaotian finally understood why there was such a commotion last night. It seemed that the black-clothed man who escaped from their roof was the thief. They had seen the thief's shadow, but they couldn't stop him.

Hu Xiaotian said, "This inn is a place of trouble. We shouldn't stay here long. Let's check if Hu Fo has prepared the carriage and leave as soon as possible."

Murong Feiyan agreed. "It's best to leave as soon as possible."

The group had a simple breakfast at the inn, prepared the carriage, and continued their journey southwest.

The rest of the journey was much smoother. The weather was clear and sunny, and with Murong Feiyan's protection, their safety was assured. The four servants, though timid, were not the useless ones Hu Xiaotian had described. Hu Fo was particularly skilled in taking care of the horses, and with his care, their mounts remained in good condition throughout the two-week journey.

Li Jinhao and Shao Yijiao were responsible for arranging their accommodations along the way. They were experienced and hardworking, taking on the heavy tasks. As for Liang Dazhuang, he was more talk than action, but he was good at flattery and making jokes, which helped to lighten the mood.

Hu Xiaotian's riding skills improved significantly over the two weeks. Though not as skilled as Murong Feiyan, he was now at a decent level. In his free time, Murong Feiyan taught him a few moves. The world was not peaceful, and if they encountered trouble, even if Hu Xiaotian couldn't help, he could at least use the martial arts and sword techniques he learned to protect himself. It was a good precaution.

However, everything changed when they entered Xichuan. As they approached the border, they encountered the longest rainy season of the year. The continuous rain made the roads muddy and difficult to travel. In Pingdong, their carriage's axle broke, forcing them to abandon it and continue on foot.

Ahead was Pengyin Mountain. Climbing this mountain would mean truly entering Xichuan. Along the way, they stayed at inns when available, and at inns when not, they chose inns. Although Hu Xiaotian had the detailed map of the Spring Search given to him by Shi Xuedong, he never used it. The further southwest they went, the more desolate it became. Sometimes, they wouldn't see a single person for two or three days, and they had to camp in the wilderness.

The rain continued, the clouds so low they seemed to press down on their heads. The sky was dark and oppressive, making it hard to breathe. Hu Xiaotian wore a bamboo hat and a raincoat, looking like an old fisherman who had weathered many storms. There was no other choice; this was the most common rain gear of the time. Murong Feiyan was dressed the same. They had already abandoned their carriage, and the horses struggled through the rain and wind. The wind was strong, and raindrops the size of soybeans pelted their bodies and faces, making it hard for everyone to keep their eyes open.

The horses couldn't keep their eyes open either. Both humans and horses kept their heads down, moving slowly through the rain and wind, making progress extremely difficult.

A bolt of lightning split the dark sky, tearing a long gash in the clouds. Then, the rain poured down in torrents, as if the clouds had suddenly burst open.