The carriage, constructed from fine stones of Mt. Wu, was sturdy and abnormal. Ordinary swords would not be able to penetrate it or harm it at all.
The inside was simple and unadorned, except a few soft stools and a tiger skin mat, there was no other decor. It really did not match the Master of the carriage, an important person of West Wind Kingdom.
Yan Xiangma got into the carriage, bowed respectfully to the slightly plump man sitting upright inside, smiled and said: âUncle, you just came back from work?â
Yan Batao has the back of a tiger, waist of a bear, stern-looking eyes, and very imposing facial features. He fixed his stare at Yan Xiangma, carefully inspecting him for a while, before he said angrily: âAll day long, you only know how to play and cause trouble, when will you stop?â
âUncle, did someone upset you? If youâre angry, you can yell at me. Donât be polite to me. I know I canât help my family with other things, itâs my pleasure to help my elders to calm down.â Yan Xiangma grinned sheepishly, as he said in a sincere tone.
âYouâââ Yan Batao pointed at his nephew for a long while, before he simply sighed helplessly: âXiangma, when your father sent you to escort Xiaoxin back, that was just one of the purposes. The most important thing for you is to help get you a job in Tiandu. Youâre not young, youâve been playing around in Jiangnan, that prosperous and leisurely land, for too long. You should come to help us do something. Itâs a troubled time and your family needs your help.â
Yan Xiangmaâs face grew solemn. âUncle, itâs not that I donât want to help my family, but thereâs nothing for me to do. You also know my temper, I canât sit still at home, so itâs better for me to walk around or I would be bored to death at home.â
âWell, now there is one thing. Would you help relieve your familyâs worries?â
âOf course.â Yan Xiangma repeatedly nodded. âI have long hoped to do something for my family, to share and lessen uncleâs troubles?â
Yan Batao smiled and nodded. âAbout Zhoaren, how much do you know?â
âAbout Cousin Zhoaren, what I should know, I know everything. What I shouldnât know, I know nothing.â Yan Xiangma chuckled. â
He had no idea that things were going to involve Cui Zhaoren. Cui Zhaorenâs death is closely related to Li Muyang, and there are rumours across the entire Tiandu that Li Muyang killed Cui Zhaoren while he was on his way to his new school. They also said heâs a monster, can display demon techniques, and a whole river of fish and shrimp and water monsters all obeyed his commands.
Because the rumors were too much, too exaggerated, and the truth mingled with the falsity, it was unclear which side of the story was true.
However, Yan Xiangma secretly got in touch with scholars who came to the capital to study and contacted some businessmen. They unanimously confirmed it to be true, causing Yan Xiangma to be completely puzzled.
The monster that they described, was it really Li Muyang?
He can soar to the sky, escape underground, call water soldiers, summon storm and thunder, and command fish and shrimps to collide into the boatââIf Li Muyang had such abilities, just what was there for him to learn at Starry Sky Academy? If he had these abilities, why was he and his family almost killed by Assassin Crow?
Although Yan Xiangma and Li Muyang have not known each other for too long, but deep down, he did like this dark-skinned, pure and also very ambitious boy. Yan Xiangma felt that, underneath his worry-free appearance, he was hiding a lot of secrets that others canât see. But these things are not hateful; instead it made others feel sympathy for him.
The most important thing is that he has a beautiful and cute sister.
Yan Xiangma did not wish to be pulled into this pool of muddy water, which would destroy his friendship with Li Muyang, and as for Li Shinianââeven if they run into each other in the future they would only see each other as passer-bys.
Of course, this was the best ending he could imagine. Family conflicts, can it really be settled peacefully?
Without killing a few people, without a few splashes of blood, things canât be settled so easily.
âSlippery fellow.â Yan baitao pointed at Yan Xiangmaâs head with his finger. âXiangma, I know you and that Li Muyang are friends, and you have a crush on his little sisterâââ
âUncle, I have a little insignificant personal friendship with Li Muyang, but about I having a crush on his sisterââwho did you listen to?â
âDo I need to listen to others? Since you came back, you waited at that girlâs school gate everyday, and then shamelessly followed her home. This matter has spread throughout Tiandu, our Yan familyâs faces have been lostââWhat is there to say? The Yan familyâs young master Yan Xiangma likes a daughter of a servant of the Lu family. Yan Xiangma, would you say that is shameful? Are you not embarrassed?â
Yan Xiangmaâs face reddened slightly, seeming somewhat embarrassed, as he replied: âUncle, donât listen to nonsense, thereâs no such thing. The reason I waited at the school gate was because Iâm afraid someone would hurt ShinianââYou also know that, because of the rumours, the entire Tiandu is watching her and her family. That Muyang boy is smart; he knows to hide in a place where no one can find him. There is nothing others could do. Li Yan and Luo Qi do not come out of the house if there isnât anything important, and if they hide in the Lu familyâs mansion, no one dares to find trouble. But think about it, what about Li Shinian? Sheâs just a girl, she needs to go to school every day, if those greedy little people wanted to please the Cui family and did something to herââI would feel apologetic.â
âNonsense.â Yan Batao yelled angrily. âYan Xiangma, listen to what you just said. Those who want to please the Cui family are greedy little people? What is your stance? What is your relationship with the Cui family?â
âUncleâââ
âXiangma, youâre not young anymore, you should be sensible. As you just said, why do people please the Cui family? Is it not for benefit. Donât you have to impress Cui family? That Li Muyang killed a descendant of the Cui family, yet you go find that murdererâs sister all day long and even went to the trouble of walking her home. How do you think the Cui family will look at you? How do you think the entire Tiandu will look at you?â
âUncle, I know what you mean. I just think that for every debt there is a debtor and third parties should not be involved. If Li Muyang really killed someone, then they should find Li Muyang, why bully a woman? Such a big family, such a powerful group of great masters, why plot against a girl?â
Paâ
Yan Baitao slapped Yan Xiangma loudly across the face.