Chapter 91: Unexpectedly, Wu and Yue Share the Same Boat (Part 2)

The door creaked softly, "Third Master, it's time to get up." Li Xiaoliu's voice followed immediately.

Han Gang woke from his sleep, and the rosy light of the rising sun, shining through the paper on the east-facing window, instantly caught his eye. A flock of crows and sparrows chirped noisily in the stable below.

"What time is it?" he asked, still a bit drowsy.

"It's past the fifth watch."

"Already this late!"

Startled, Han Gang fully woke up, threw off the quilt, and jumped out of bed. After a night's sleep, the alcohol in his head had vanished, leaving him feeling refreshed and invigorated. He casually stretched his limbs and threw a couple of punches into the air, making a whooshing sound. After just a few months of recuperation, the aftereffects of nearly half a year of bedridden life were no longer felt.

After all, he was still young! Han Gang thought with relief. Fortunately, he had been reborn into a good body; the recovery ability of a nineteen-year-old was indeed different.

In the simple but relatively clean room, the futon on the floor had been rolled up. Since it was on the second floor, Li Xiaoliu didn't have to worry about dampness from the ground even after sleeping on the floor all night. The outer room was empty, with no sign of Liu Zhongwu or his luggage.

"Where's Liu Zhongwu?" Han Gang pointed to the outer room and asked Li Xiaoliu.

"Liu Master left just after the fourth watch."

"…He really ran fast! Was a tiger chasing him?"

Han Gang found it amusing. Liu Zhongwu's reaction was like a dog fleeing from its home, or a fish escaping a net. He ran so fast, as if a tiger were chasing him. The sun rises late in winter, and he left at the fourth watch, so he would have to walk in the dark for a long time. If his luck was bad, he might even break his neck.

"Liu Master sees you like a tiger," Li Xiaoliu laughed along. Liu Zhongwu had been drunk by Han Gang last night and fled early this morning, which he found quite amusing.

Han Gang hadn't realized he had put so much pressure on Liu Zhongwu. It seemed that Xiang Bao's reputation was well-known to Liu Zhongwu. Since joining the military, Xiang Bao had had a smooth career, rising to the position of a regional commander in just over twenty years, a promotion speed that made old generals like Zhang Shouyue, who had spent many years on the frontier, want to cry.

Having never experienced any setbacks, Xiang Bao had a high spirit and a strong desire for power, tolerating no dissent from his subordinates. Wang Shao, who had divided his power, and Han Gang, who had embarrassed him, were seen as mortal enemies. Liu Zhongwu must have known this well, which is why he fled like a rabbit.

However, now that Liu Zhongwu and Han Gang were on the same road, both riding horses, their speeds would not differ much. Even if Liu Zhongwu wanted to avoid Han Gang, it would be impossible.

Although Han Gang's current status was far from that of a regional commander, it wasn't difficult for him to cause some trouble for Xiang Bao. Liu Zhongwu was a local of Qin Prefecture and had a good reputation in the military. Both Wang Shunmin and Zhao Long had heard of him. If he could be persuaded to join Xiang Bao's camp, it would be a good thing.

In fact, Han Gang hadn't noticed that since leaving Qin Prefecture, his mood had been much more relaxed than in the past few months. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had the urge to play pranks. Since his rebirth, he had been under the heavy pressure of reality, always fighting for survival. Although he had used strong measures to cut through all obstacles, his heart had always been heavy. Only after leaving Qin Prefecture did his mind become clear, and he had the mood to joke.

"Please get up and wash, Master. We have over a hundred miles to travel today..." Li Xiaoliu had already brought a basin of hot water to the table, along with a towel, green salt for rinsing the mouth, and a toothbrush, all prepared for Han Gang.

Han Gang responded and, with Li Xiaoliu's assistance, changed and washed up. Ordinary people used willow branches to brush their teeth, while the wealthy used toothbrushes, with horsehair bristles on a wooden handle, costing about sixty coins each. Using green salt to brush teeth felt better than using willow branches. It was said that in the capital, there were tooth powders made from herbs like Poria, which had even better effects.

Han Gang went to wash up, and Li Xiaoliu rolled up his sleeves, handed him clothes and towels, showing great competence for his young age. Han Gang, while brushing his teeth, watched Li Xiaoliu efficiently pack their belongings, his gaze slightly cold.

The Li family had been better off than the Han family in the past. Even though Li Laizi had many children, Li Xiaoliu, being a bastard son, was not favored. However, he could serve Han Gang with such precision and without any mistakes. But there were no naturally servile servants in this world!

To outsiders, Han Gang's leniency towards Li Laizi, the culprit, was seen as extraordinary magnanimity. Li Laizi was extremely grateful and seemed ready to turn over a new leaf. However, Han Gang, with his deep understanding of human nature and sharp eyes, could see the deep-seated hatred in Li Laizi's heart, as vast as the sea. People often fail to see their own faults and always blame others. Li Xiaoliu's willingness to serve humbly must have some ulterior motive.

In the households of high officials, servants could indeed be recommended for official positions. Both the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor had the right to recommend their servants for official posts. Even if they didn't become officials, servants in the households of officials could wield considerable influence. Han Gang had a bright future, and even if Li Laizi hated Han Gang for destroying his family's decades of accumulation, he would have to bet on Han Gang to revive his family's fortunes.

However, Han Gang wouldn't dwell on this too much. If Li Laizi hated him for destroying his family's fortune, it would be more natural than gratitude. He would let it be, as Li Laizi couldn't do much. Li Xiaoliu was a smart, hardworking young man, and it was clear he wasn't on the same page as his father. He could be cultivated.

After washing up, Han Gang and Li Xiaoliu went downstairs. Li Xiaoliu had already eaten in the kitchen, and the breakfast he served to Han Gang was the famous mutton soup of the northwest, known as "yang gen" at the time. The large bowl in front of Han Gang could be used as a basin, and eating all of it would be enough to make one feel full. This large portion was because most families at the time had only two meals a day, and this meal had to last until the next one. Han Gang, used to three meals a day, even on the road, would eat something at noon. Therefore, he only managed to eat about half of the mutton soup before putting down his chopsticks.

The innkeeper then approached cautiously and politely. The ledger he held was similar to the guest registration books of later times. Han Gang, with the travel voucher issued by the Qin-Feng Military Commission, had spent the night at the Qili Ping inn, and all the food and supplies he used needed to be signed and confirmed by him, to serve as proof for the annual audit of the inn.

In fact, the bureaucratic system of the Song Dynasty was already quite complete. The governance by civil officials represented a vast sea of documents, and any matter involving the government had to be recorded in writing.

Han Gang signed the ledger and flipped through a couple of pages. Apart from Liu Zhongwu, he didn't see any familiar names. After all, it was still before the New Year, and the officials of Qin Prefecture would start traveling on this road after the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month.

After finishing his meal, Han Gang continued his journey. The horse he had ridden the previous day had been replaced with two new ones, both well-rested and strong, capable of supporting Han Gang and Li Xiaoliu on their journey.

Traversing the mountains, after a day's travel, the horse was drenched in sweat, its light brown fur turning dark. Looking ahead, the Chen Cang Mountain was already in sight. Over a thousand years ago, Liu Bang, starting from Hanzhong, had burned the栈道 (zhandao, a mountain pass) and secretly crossed Chen Cang, marking the beginning of his campaign to regain control of the empire. Han Gang's next destination, Baoji (modern Baoji City), was also located here.

This place was already Fengxiang.

To reach the capital, Han Gang had to pass through Fengxiang. His uncle, Li Jian, served as a commander in the Fengxiang Prefecture army. However, the seat of Fengxiang Prefecture, Tianxing County (modern Fengxiang), was located on the upper reaches of the Yong River, a tributary of the Wei River, about a hundred miles away from the Wei River. His uncle's garrison was even farther north. Although Han Gang was passing through Fengxiang, there was no need to detour to greet him.

Starting late in the morning, by the time Han Gang reached Baoji, it was already evening. The sun had already set behind the western mountains. Looking up, Venus was twinkling on the horizon. He gave his horse another hard whip, knowing that if they were a moment late, the city gates would close, and they would have to find a place to stay outside the city.

The horse galloped, and in the distance, a queue of people was waiting at the west gate of Baoji. Han Gang felt relieved, at least they had made it in time. As he got closer, he saw a tall man leading a chestnut horse, waiting in line to enter the city.

Han Gang laughed heartily on his horse. Who else could it be but Liu Zhongwu?

"Brother Ziweng, what a coincidence!" Han Gang called out from a distance, using Liu Zhongwu's courtesy name, making the greeting seem even more intimate.

With a bit of mischief in his heart