Chapter 178 – Turmoil in Northriver Prefecture, A Plump Lamb Enters Ghost Street, Forced Buying and Selling - Part 1
The sky was a clear blue, marked by sparse gray clouds. A winding road stretched into the distance, where a carriage moved at a steady, unhurried pace. Its curtains were drawn back just enough to reveal the suggestive posture of the passengers inside and the playful laughter between them.
“Have another drink, my lord,” a teasing voice came.
“Drink? Ha, sure, drink up!” the young man answered with a hearty chuckle.
“You’re so entertaining. Most people wait until spring is in full bloom to take us traveling. You’ve taken us out before spring has even begun.”
“That’s exactly why I wanted to get an early start! Once the season truly arrives, it’d be much harder to sneak away for a private excursion,” he said, laughing.
“Maybe others can’t, but you can. And you must come find us again,” one of the women teased with a giggle.
“Oh my, you’re terribly wicked!” another chimed in coquettishly.
High above them soared a white finch. Though merely a bird in appearance, its keen gaze actually belonged to Li Yuan, who was using the finch as his conduit. From its vantage point, he could clearly survey everything below.
Li Yuan wasn’t here in person; Fang Jianlong was. Yet through Fang Jianlong’s eyes and actions, Li Yuan could swiftly gather information about this unfamiliar land. He was here not only to purchase rank six demonic beast meat, which required blood gold, but also to glimpse how undying husks clashed with martial artists. From these observations, he intended to figure out the safest way to survive on the border.
Fang Jianlong was no fool. To avoid attracting suspicion within the territory ruled by the Farmstead Sect, he deliberately hired two companions—one a songstress, the other a dancer—to pose as a frivolous young noble indulging in a leisurely trip. Having once been a star disciple in the inner sect, Fang Jianlong knew all too well how to play the part. At the moment, with two alluring women in tow, he certainly looked every bit the debauched son of a wealthy family.
Traveling with female entertainers was quite normal in this era, especially for merchants or refined scholars. In fact, by those standards, Fang Jianlong was being restrained; he had only brought two. Inside the jolting carriage, he was tangled up with the two women, but despite appearances, his eyes kept flicking outside. The outer disciples and attendants riding alongside the carriage also maintained a wary vigilance, each playing the part of a bodyguard.
Suddenly, one of the attendants rode closer and called out, “My lord!”