Chapter 95

Tomorrow, "The Deer and the Cauldron" will conclude.

In the blink of an eye, half a year has passed, and it is once again the late spring when flowers bloom profusely. ＋◆

Lin Sha was so content in Chuxiong that he would have been reluctant to see Wu Yingxiong's sullen face if not for Old Wu's personal order to return to Kunming.

Fortunately, this time it coincided with Wu Yingxiong's marriage to the princess. The main character of the dimension, Wei Xiaobao, as the imperial envoy, was already escorting Princess Jianning on her way to Yunnan Province.

To be on the safe side, he mobilized a full regiment to accompany him, and also requested that Fang Yi and Mu Jianping join, along with over a dozen martial artists who had joined in the past half year.

With Lin Sha's reputation as a 'martial fanatic,' how could he have remained inactive while stationed in Chuxiong?

Over the past half year, he set up several arenas, specifically inviting martial artists from all over to 'exchange skills and make friends.'

Lin Sha even personally participated to boost the arenas' reputation, defeating several small and medium-sized sects in Chuxiong, leaving their resident experts in disarray.

Then, he officially invited these sects to send their best to participate in the martial arts competitions, gradually attracting a large number of martial artists from the surrounding areas to either spectate or join in.

Among them, those with decent skills and good character naturally caught Lin Sha's attention and were recruited. Although some were unwilling, many became Lin Sha's subordinates.

Returning to Kunming with a large entourage, re-entering the long-abandoned mansion felt like stepping into another world.

The formalities with his superiors were lively. Hu Guozhu treated him with the same enthusiasm and importance as always, and soon Old Wu ordered Lin Sha to be part of the Yunnan Province's welcoming party, heading to the border between Guizhou and Yunnan to await the princess's arrival.

Without hesitation, he led his regiment and the 'professionals' dispatched by the Pingxi Wang's mansion, and set off for Qujing on the border between Guizhou and Yunnan without delay.

One day, a scout reported that the bridal party had left Guizhou and was heading towards Qujing, only a few dozen miles away!

After a brief discussion, the advance party decided to go ahead and welcome the princess to avoid any mishaps that might make them the scapegoats. Thus, the group quickly left Qujing and headed towards the bridal party.

From a distance, they saw a large group of people slowly approaching. Lin Sha and the other advance party members greeted Prince Wu Yingxiong first, then met the famous Wei Xiaobao.

Lin Sha glanced at Wei Xiaobao, who, though dressed in a second-rank official's attire and looked imposing, was just a young teenager. His face was full of cunning, and he was adept at dealing with people, quickly becoming close with the Yunnan Province's welcoming party as if they were long-lost brothers.

Lin Sha was impatient with such formalities and did not actively approach the emperor's favorite. His gaze swept over the group of palace ladies and eunuchs, and he suddenly felt a shock, sensing the presence of several experts.

Among the palace ladies, there was an absolute expert. The mere hint of their aura made him feel a surge of excitement, eager to challenge them.

There were also several experts among the eunuchs and guards, whose auras, though not as strong as the 'Iron-Backed Azure Dragon' of the Mu Mansion, were still on par with the Qian elder of the Cangshan Sect!

Lin Sha's attention immediately caught the notice of these experts. In particular, Master Jiunan's sharp eyes suddenly turned towards Lin Sha, and their gazes met in the air, both sensing the other's extraordinary presence.

Lin Sha smiled slightly and nodded in acknowledgment, then blended into the bustling crowd of the welcoming party and disappeared.

"What's wrong, Master?"

Ake, who was by Master Jiunan's side, noticed her master's unusual expression and asked with concern.

"Nothing, just ran into an expert!"

Master Jiunan replied with a serious face and warned, "Be careful once we reach the camp, don't wander around recklessly!"

"I understand, Master!"

Ake nodded solemnly, but couldn't help but wonder which famous expert her master had seen that made her so serious.

...

In Qujing, the bridal party rested for three days, receiving warm welcomes from local officials and the advance party, including Wu Yingxiong. As the emperor's favorite and the imperial envoy for the bridal party, Wei Xiaobao was naturally the center of attention.

Lin Sha had no interest in the festivities and always sat quietly in a corner, carefully observing Wei Xiaobao's every move, especially the way he looked at Wu Yingxiong, which was the focus of his attention.

Sure enough, despite his years of experience in the marketplace and the bureaucracy, the young man's age betrayed him. His subtle expressions revealed his true feelings towards Wu Yingxiong: far from the seemingly harmless and kind demeanor.

Lin Sha didn't realize that while he was observing others, he himself was also being observed.

Among the advance party, besides Wu Yingxiong, Lin Sha, being the youngest, stood out.

Although Master Jiunan didn't specifically instruct Wei Xiaobao to pay attention to Lin Sha, Wei Xiaobao, through his interactions with Yunnan officials, still developed an interest in Lin Sha.

Of course, these were all secret actions, and the parties involved were unaware...

After resting in Qujing, the group continued their journey to Kunming.

One day, as they approached Kunming, the sound of trumpets was heard, and an officer reported, "The Pingxi Wang is here to welcome the princess's entourage."

Wei Xiaobao, along with the advance party, rode forward. They saw rows of soldiers in bright armor on tall horses. As they approached, they dismounted and lined up on both sides. Amid the sound of string and bamboo instruments, hundreds of young boys in red robes held banners, leading a general to the front of the troops. A master of ceremonies called out, "Your humble servant, the Pingxi Wang Wu Sangui, pays respects to Princess Jianning."

Lin Sha felt an urge to cover his face and run away, thinking that Old Wu was really going downhill, giving up his position as a general of the Ming Dynasty to become a slave of the Qing, and at his age, still calling himself a slave, how embarrassing!

Wei Xiaobao, however, felt nothing. He was already used to it in Beijing, where the Manchu nobles often referred to themselves as slaves. It didn't bother him at all.

He carefully observed Wu Sangui, noting his imposing figure, ruddy complexion, and mostly white hair and beard. Despite his age, he still moved with vigor and confidence.

Wei Xiaobao saw him kneel before the princess's carriage, bow, and stand aside. After he finished his bow, Wei Xiaobao said, "Prince Pingxi, you may rise."

Wu Sangui stood up and walked to Wei Xiaobao's side, smiling, "This must be the brave and famous Duke Wei, who captured Ao Bai?"

Wei Xiaobao bowed and said, "I dare not. Your humble servant, Wei Xiaobao, pays respects to Your Highness."

Wu Sangui laughed heartily, grasped his hand, and said, "Duke Wei, your righteousness is well-known. I have long admired your name. Let's dispense with these formalities. My son and I will rely on you in the future. If you don't mind, we can treat each other like family."

Hypocrisy!

Lin Sha, standing at the edge of the welcoming party, couldn't help but roll his eyes at the mutual flattery between Old Wu and Wei Xiaobao...

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