HUS Chapter 77: The Transparent Master Bao
HUS Chapter 77: The Transparent Master Bao
January 9
Master Bao felt he had waited too long, yet Yang Can still hadn't arrived.
Master Bao was displeased. A mere steward daring to act so arrogant before me?
At the very least, I'm still the Clan Head's younger brother!
Master Bao was angry, but if he took the initiative to get off the carriage himself, that would be even more beneath his dignity.
He could only suppress his anger and continue waiting in the carriage.
Yang Can truly had no intention of slighting this Third Master Yu. It was simply because Feng'an Fortress was quite large.
Finally, a loud shout came from outside the carriage.
"Third Master honors us with his presence. Yang failed to welcome you from afar. Forgive me! Please forgive me!"
Yu Xiaobao gave a cold snort, then slowly rose. With a lift of the carriage curtain, he stepped out.
Yang Can, leading Leopard Head, was quickly walking out across the drawbridge, cupping his hands as he walked, his face full of warm smiles.
Seeing him putting on such an act, Yu Xiaobao stood rigidly upright on the carriage, curling his lips and wiping his eyelids.
That demeanor was the spitting image of Zhao Lidong's disdainful expression at the banquet when Gao Qiqiang hadn't come out to greet him.
Yang Can walked forward with a smile, saying repeatedly, "I didn't expect Master Bao to honor us with his presence. Quickly, quickly, quickly, please help our Master Bao down from the carriage."
Wangcai acknowledged and eagerly went to fetch the "footstool."
At this moment, hoofbeats suddenly sounded urgently in the distance, rumbling like thunder.
Everyone looked up in surprise to see a group of angry horses galloping toward them, kicking up clouds of dust in the village.
The leisurely walking chickens and ducks on the road were frightened into flapping their wings and scattering in panic.
Even the village dogs began barking one after another.
Yu Xiaobao, who was about to descend from the carriage, and Yang Can, who was about to step forward to assist, both froze simultaneously.
Yu Xiaobao thought: Who has come? Such grand airs! Even more arrogant than me, Master Bao?
Yang Can narrowed his eyes slightly. From their "suo tou" hairstyle and clothing, he could tell this was a group of Xianbei people.
They were sturdily built with defiant appearances. Only when the horses drew near did they suddenly pull hard on the reins.
The steeds abruptly reared up on their hind legs, neighing loudly with intimidating momentum.
The two horses pulling Yu Xiaobao's carriage were startled and involuntarily retreated several steps.
Standing on the carriage, Master Bao was caught off guard and nearly shaken off.
This made Yu Xiaobao even more unable to save face. His expression darkened as he roared sternly.
"Outrageous! Where did these Xianbei people come from, so ignorant of etiquette? Don't they know Master Bao is here?"
That group numbered about thirty riders.
They reined in their steeds, immediately looking toward Yang Can and Yu Xiaobao.
Among the crowd before the fortress, these two clearly had the bearing and demeanor most befitting leaders. However, one stood before the fortress and one stood on the carriage, making it obvious who was host and who was guest.
Thus, Tufa Sunxie pointed his riding crop at Yang Can and demanded sternly, "Which of you is the Estate Head of Feng'an Estate?"
Master Bao discovered he had once again become invisible, so angry his face turned purple.
Looking at their manner, Yang Can's heart already had an expectation. It must be people from Bali Mo's tribe.
Yang has been waiting for you for quite some time!
Yang Can stepped forward two paces, cupping his hands with a puzzled expression.
"This humble one is Yang Can, currently serving unworthily as Estate Head of Feng'an Estate. But I don't know who you might be..."
Bali Mo pulled on the horse's reins, circling in place.
He stared intently at Yang Can and said in a heavy voice, "This area for a hundred li around is all Feng'an Estate's territory. I've come to ask you, many people died at the Canglang Gorge entrance. Does the Estate Head of Feng'an know about this matter?"
Yang Can's expression slowly grew grave. "But I don't know who you are?"
Bali Mo said proudly, "I am Bali Mo, Great Chieftain of the Bali tribe."
Yang Can furrowed his brow slightly. "Then Chieftain Bali Mo, why do you inquire about people being killed at the Canglang Gorge entrance?"
Hearing his tone, Bali Mo couldn't help but show delight on his face.
He asked impatiently, "You really do know about this matter? Quickly tell me the details."
Bali Mo was very anxious now.
Some herdsmen from his tribe had run to report to him that some herdsmen had disappeared without cause.
This matter involved five tents of herdsmen in total. Other herdsmen who had caught wind of this were now very nervous, already affecting their herding.
Bali Mo was quite surprised hearing this news.
The herdsmen were lost, but the cattle and sheep weren't?
What kind of operation was this?
Only capturing people but not cattle and sheep, since when were herdsmen more valuable than cattle and sheep?
Tufa Sunxie, hearing that the five tents of people who had the incident were herding near Canglang Gorge, couldn't help but be greatly alarmed.
The incident location was right where he and Mountain Lord were trading. Could these herdsmen's disappearance be related to that shipment of his?
That shipment was key to their Tufa tribe's desire to reunify the Xianbei.
The Great Chieftain had exhausted the Tufa tribe's entire accumulated savings over many years for this.
If something went wrong in his hands, he feared his elder brother would hack him to death with a blade.
Immediately, Tufa Sunxie could no longer care about concealment and immediately demanded that Bali Mo rush to Canglang Gorge with him at once.
Seeing Tufa Sunxie so nervous, though Bali Mo wasn't clear what exactly the Tufa tribe was transporting, he understood it absolutely couldn't be just some silk and porcelain goods.
The two hastily led their men to the vicinity of Canglang Gorge and immediately spread out, beginning a carpet search.
After a round of searching still yielded nothing, Bali Mo had no choice but to have people explore inside Canglang Valley.
He had to search because Tufa Sunxie wouldn't leave.
Tufa Sunxie remained there in a daze, refusing to leave no matter what.
The ones missing were clearly from his Bali tribe, so why was Tufa Sunxie so concerned?
Full of doubts, Bali Mo sent people into Canglang Gorge, thinking that if they still found nothing, Tufa Sunxie would have nothing to say.
Unexpectedly, when the scouts investigated, they actually discovered dozens of corpses in the gorge, including their tribesmen.
I only lost a dozen or so tribesmen, but there are dozens of corpses in the valley?
Who were those extra corpses?
This time even Bali Mo couldn't remain calm and entered the valley together with Tufa Sunxie.
Here, Bali Mo's subordinates recognized those missing herdsmen from their tribe.
Tufa Sunxie also discovered among other corpses two mountain goods smugglers he had contacted.
Tufa Sunxie went mad on the spot.
He immediately drew his blade, about to fight Bali Mo to the death.
He was currently on Bali Mo's territory, so naturally Bali Mo wouldn't fear him but Bali Mo didn't want to needlessly offend the Tufa tribe either.
Bali Mo explained in every way, finally moving Tufa Sunxie with one sentence.
"Lord Sunxie, these dead from my tribe were all ordinary herdsmen. I ask you, how could more than ten ordinary herdsmen deal with more than twenty mountain goods smuggling experts? If this were my arrangement, would I leave corpses here as evidence of my crime?"
These words made great sense. Tufa Sunxie regained his rationality!
What he needed was the whereabouts of that shipment, not to rashly establish an enemy for the tribe.
Thus the panic-stricken Tufa Sunxie left Canglang Mountain together with Bali Mo to seek information.
Canglang Gorge was the boundary line between the Yu family's power and Bali Mo's tribe.
If Han people or merchants rashly entered the valley, the herdsmen on that side, once discovering the other party was few in number, might very well suddenly strike fatally and commit murder and robbery.
After all, in such a place where not a wisp of cooking smoke could be seen for dozens of li around, it was very suitable for doing business without capital but the herdsmen rarely crossed Canglang Gorge to plunder people on this side.
Because the Yu family's power was much greater than Bali Mo's tribe.
Cross-border plundering had a different nature and could easily provoke war between the two major powers.
Actually, Bali Mo entering without notice was already very sensitive.
To avoid provoking the Yu family, he dared not bring many people. Together with Tufa Sunxie, they only brought thirty men in total.
That day when Yang Can and Kang Zhengyang led over three hundred corps soldiers in a roundabout, circuitous march, cutting diagonally into Canglang Gorge...
That entire march created quite a commotion that couldn't be concealed.
In this area, the most concentrated population was naturally at Feng'an Estate but not everyone in this area lived at Feng'an Estate.
Around Feng'an Estate were some satellite-like small villages.
Near the mountain range, some mountain folk and hunters lived scattered about.
Tufa Sunxie and Bali Mo made inquiries along the way. From those people, they learned that Feng'an Estate had made a major move a few days ago, so they rushed over.
Hearing his question, Yang Can didn't answer but instead asked back, "Chieftain Bali Mo, you still haven't told me why you're inquiring about this matter?"
Bali Mo said, "Because those herdsmen in the valley are people from my tribe."
Upon hearing this, Yang Can immediately flew into a rage. "Good! So it was you! Come, surround them for me!"
Hearing this, Wangcai was dumbfounded.
Me?
Surround thirty Xianbei warriors?
Though he felt this was a bit absurd, his master's face couldn't be lost.
Wangcai raised the "footstool" and stepped forward to take a stand.
Leopard Head also drew his waist blade with a "clang."
Seeing this, those thirty-plus warriors immediately drew their blades with clanging sounds one after another.
The onlooking common people before the fortress, seeing a fight was about to break out, immediately transformed into dandelion seeds.
Some floated into the fortress to report, some floated into the village to call for people. The atmosphere immediately grew tense.
...
At Xiaomi's residence, Young Madam Chen's boudoir.
Zhang Yunyi now almost stayed here every night. No one in the Zhang household dared interfere with him, all pretending not to see.
He stood on the ground while the beautiful woman Wan'er, wearing only undergarments, was serving him in dressing.
At this moment, her expression was gentle and obedient, as if she had originally been Zhang Yunyi's little wife.
Regarding Zhang Yunyi's forcible possession, she seemed to have grown accustomed to it.
In a situation where calling to heaven brought no response and calling to earth brought no salvation, what else could she, a weak woman, do but submit to adversity?
"Alright, don't keep that long face. If you continue being this obedient, how could this master not cherish you?"
Zhang Yunyi groped in her fragrant, deep, smooth cleavage and smiled as he lifted her chin with his hand.
"Come, give your master a smile."
Chen Wan'er tugged at the corners of her lips, barely managing to pull up a smile.
Zhang Yunyi laughed heartily, planted a kiss on her lips with a smack, then patted her plump buttocks. "Be a good girl and wait for master to return."
Zhang Yunyi walked out of the bedroom. Steward Wan Tai was waiting outside.
Zhang Yunyi walked outward while Wan Tai smoothly turned to follow.
"Master, word has come from 'Mountain Lord's' people."
Zhang Yunyi's steps didn't stop, his eyes full of cold intent. "What did they say?"
"'Mountain Lord's' people said Mountain Lord will personally come to investigate the case of the missing mountain goods."
"Excellent."
Zhang Yunyi suddenly stopped, turned to look at Wan Tai, his spirits high.
"Wan Tai, tell me, when the eight estate heads and pasture heads gather at Feng'an Fortress that day, and this old man tramples on Yang Can's head to reclaim the position of Estate Head, won't that be especially glorious?"
Without waiting for Wan Tai to answer, he burst into loud laughter. "Come, let's go watch the show!"
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