The moment Wu Ma Nan Sheng heard Qilin casually blurt out “Wang Cang Hai”, his eyes widened in shock. He immediately scolded him sternly, “How dare you speak Lord Xiao Wang’s name so carelessly? You insolent commoner, such disrespect is outrageous!”
Qilin looked utterly bewildered. “A name is meant to be spoken, isn’t it? You officials are so strange.”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng found himself momentarily at a loss for words. The boy’s innocent and guileless expression made him look like a simple country bumpkin, completely ignorant of etiquette and decorum. For a moment, Wu Ma Nan Sheng couldn't even think of how to refute him.
Qilin pressed on, “Then… Lord Wu Ma, do you know where Lord Xiao Wang is now?”
Wang Cang Hai was, in fact, not far away, seated inside his carriage. But Wu Ma Nan Sheng had no intention of revealing this to a complete stranger whose intentions were unknown. For all he knew, this boy could pose a threat to Lord Xiao Wang or cause an embarrassing scene.
Besides—Wu Ma Nan Sheng thought sourly—I haven’t even seen Lord Xiao Wang’s face yet, so why should this kid get to meet him just because he wants to?
Qilin continued talking, seemingly to himself. “I left Mount Wangbai over three months ago. The journey was long, the mountains were high, and the roads were difficult. When I finally arrived in Yingjing, I had spent every last coin I had. Then, I found out from the Wang family’s gatekeeper that Wang Cang Hai had already left on an imperial mission to Wu County. I had no money left for the journey, so I had no choice but to sell Juedi [likely his previous mount or an important possession] in exchange for a hundred taels of silver. I spent six taels buying this little donkey. But this donkey is a hundred times slower than Juedi, so I couldn’t afford to waste a single moment. I traveled day and night, and even then, it still took me twenty-nine days just to get here. Wu County is still far away.
“The heat is unbearable, and both the donkey and I are exhausted and starving. I finally found a place to rest by this lake, only to have the worst luck—running into a black shop [a business that drugs or robs its customers]. You wouldn’t believe it! They put knockout drugs in the tea. If I weren’t highly skilled in martial arts, I would’ve lost my life!”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng felt a headache coming on from all the chatter. He waved a hand to silence Qilin and asked, “Why are you looking for Lord Xiao Wang?”
At this, Qilin abruptly shut his mouth and shook his head. “I can’t tell you. I can only tell Wang Cang Hai—Lord Xiao Wang.”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng’s patience wore thin. Deciding to ignore him, he turned toward the tea shop to deal with more pressing matters.
Inside, two workers lay on the ground, bound with thick ropes, their faces covered in blood and bruises. Dirty rags had been stuffed into their mouths. Despite their battered state, both men were muscular, their temples high and pronounced—a clear sign of powerful internal martial arts training.
So these were no ordinary tea shop workers, Wu Ma Nan Sheng realized. They were highly skilled fighters. And yet, this seemingly frail and delicate boy subdued them single-handedly. When he said he was “highly skilled in martial arts,” he wasn’t exaggerating.
A strange feeling welled up in Wu Ma Nan Sheng’s chest. Looking at Qilin, who appeared no older than sixteen or seventeen, he thought back to his own training. He had begun practicing martial arts at eight years old, yet at sixteen, he would never have had the confidence to take down two internal energy masters in a bare-handed fight.
And then there was Qilin’s face—so stunning it hardly seemed human. It’s unfair, Wu Ma Nan Sheng thought sourly. Some people are born to be envied.
Behind the two captives was a tea stove. On the cutting board lay a sheet of paper, pinned down by a teapot. Written in bold characters at the top: Confession Statement. Next to it were several bottles of medicinal powder—likely the knockout drugs Qilin had mentioned.
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