After that, he never saw her in that alley again.
The other beggars nearby said she had been taken away by some prominent figure. That person had asked if she wanted to go with him, promising she would never go hungry again.
I didn't ask if she had agreed; I already had my answer.
To this day, no matter how much time passed, whenever he thought about it, he still felt his disciple had been rather ungrateful.
She got to enjoy all the good fortune by herself, and she had even eaten most of the smoked meat.
In the end, she just patted her behind and walked away.
At the very least... she could have said goodbye to him.
...
Jiang Moran was still staring up at the sky, but the clouds there had already drifted away.
With a creak,
the oxcart lurched and came to a halt. Jiang Moran pulled his gaze back, finding that the distant city gates were already faintly visible. However, there were twice as many guards as usual, and everyone entering or leaving was being subjected to strict interrogation.
“Senior, we've arrived.”
“Mm.”
Jiang Moran climbed down from the oxcart, waved goodbye to the old farmer, and the two of them walked toward the city gates.
The strict inspections had created a long queue at the entrance. Just as Jiang Moran reached the very end of the line, he noticed Fengqingzi staring at him in a daze.
“Senior?”
Jiang Moran turned to look at him. Seeing his hesitant expression, he said impatiently, “If you have something to say, spit it out. Stop dawdling.”
“Ahem.” Fengqingzi let out a strategic cough before saying, “Senior, we don't need to line up to enter.”
?
Seeing his bewildered expression, Fengqingzi explained, “Only the commoners are interrogated when entering the city. We only need to greet the guards.”
“People of the martial world only need to show their faces so the authorities know they're here. Only those who sneak into the city will be suspected.”
Jiang Moran filtered out most of his explanation.
But he caught the most crucial detail.
Privilege!
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Privilege isn't something you loudly denounce with righteous indignation when others use it; rather, when you are the one using it, your back straightens, your legs don't bend, and your mouth shuts tight.
Jiang Moran and Fengqingzi walked straight past the side of the queue, while the commoners waiting in line behind them didn't dare to utter a word.
The moment they stepped into the city, both of them keenly sensed a tense atmosphere hanging heavy in the air.
There were very few pedestrians on the streets, and most of the shops were tightly shuttered. Only a handful remained open, but even so, the streets felt exceptionally desolate.
Jiang Moran frowned. Anyone with eyes could see that there was something off about this eerie atmosphere.
It seemed a major event was about to unfold in the city.
“Senior...”
“Ignore it. Go buy a carriage so we can leave the city tomorrow.”
He had never been one to poke his nose into other people's business. He was merely passing through Fengcheng to buy a carriage and had no desire to get involved in whatever trouble was brewing here.
Fengqingzi nodded, immediately setting off to search for a carriage shop that might still be open in the city.
Right after he left, Jiang Moran stretched comfortably and began strolling around the city.
The passersby all kept their heads down, walking in a rushed manner. This stood in contrast to his leisurely pace, making him stand out even more on the street.
More and more soldiers were patrolling the streets. He stepped aside slightly, making way for the passing troop.
The taverns and teahouses, which used to be bustling with life, were now devoid of cheerful chatter and laughter. Even the clinking of wine cups sounded pitifully faint. Lifting his gaze, the vast city was fully in sight, yet every corner exuded a suffocating, stagnant tension.
Jiang Moran walked down the main road, then turned a corner into a side alley where a small wooden window was located.
Coming back here after two years, the place was exactly as it had been, though the wooden window had grown a bit old and weathered. He raised his hand and knocked on the wood, the crisp sound echoing through the quiet alley.
Before long, the wooden window creaked open.
The one who appeared was the same shop assistant, though his face now bore a prominent look of exhaustion.
“Guest, we haven't had any wine these past few days,” the assistant said in a low voice, casting a quick glance over him.
“No wine, but surely you have other things?”
The assistant's eyes shifted. He re-examined the visitor, realizing the man did not match any of the regular patrons in his memory.
“We do. What is it you wish to buy, guest?”
Jiang Moran drew a piece of silver from his robes and placed it gently on the windowsill. “I want to know what is happening in the city.”
...
Fengqingzi walked several rounds around the city, but not a single carriage shop was open. There wasn't even a place selling horses.
It was highly unusual. Fengqingzi frowned in contemplation. Suddenly, it occurred to him that things had felt a bit off when he entered Fengcheng a few days ago, though the feeling hadn't been nearly this intense.
The atmosphere of the entire city was stifling, as if it could erupt at any moment.
He stopped a hurried pedestrian. “What is going on in the city? Why is it so bizarre?”
Startled by the sudden grab, the person turned and saw a handsome man dressed in white, possessing a particularly proud, aloof bearing.
“Young Master, you must have just arrived in the city,” the passerby said, lowering his voice and glancing left and right, terrified of being overheard.
“The atmosphere in the city is very strange right now. We common folk often see the nobility looking anxious, so we more or less know that some major event is brewing.”
Fengqingzi nodded slightly. It seemed there were indeed matters brewing in the city that he was unaware of.
Leaving behind a final warning of “Be careful, Young Master,” the pedestrian hurried away.
While Fengqingzi was still trying to piece things together, Jiang Moran had already emerged from the alleyway.
His gaze was profound as he stared at the majestic imperial palace looming in the distance. His nose could almost scent the faint, lingering smell of medicinal herbs, and in his mind's eye, he saw the figure seated at the pinnacle of power lying weak upon the dragon bed, clinging to life by a mere thread.
No wonder the inspections at the city gates were so severe, and a chilling aura of death and execution brewed within the streets.
As it turned out, the Son of Heaven himself was ill, and critically so. Every wolf, jackal, tiger, and leopard in Fengcheng was watching intently, taking their sides and waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
Jiang Moran's dark eyes narrowed slightly, the corners of his lips curving upward into an amused smile.
“But... could the person who managed to sit on that throne truly be so simple?”
...
Rate on N.U.
