Returning Home

Two carriages rolled slowly along the official road. The scenery around them gradually shifted from unfamiliar to familiar; when dense forests gave way to patch after patch of farmland, it meant Fenghua County was not far away.

"At most, there's half a day left, so don't be anxious," the driver said in a thick country accent. "So long as it doesn't suddenly rain, I guarantee I'll get you home before nightfall."

"Thank you for your trouble." Wei Wushuang cupped his hands, then ducked back into the carriage. This was already the fourth time that day he had asked the same question: how much longer until they reached Fenghua County?

"We've already been traveling five or six days. Why rush over these last few hours?" Xia Fan rubbed his forehead and said weakly, "Since you don't get carriage-sick, why not use this time to practice Qi Guidance properly?"

Though they had hired two carriages, he generally squeezed in with his fellow townsman during the day—not because he did not want to travel with the Fox Demon, but because he was worried that Wei Wushuang might come looking for him to chat when bored and stumble upon something suspicious.

Long-distance travel in this era was absolutely an exhausting ordeal. Even with a carriage, the experience was hardly pleasant—the only buffer between the cabin and the rutted road was the passengers' backsides. If they went even slightly faster, the carriage would shake as though it were about to fall apart. If not for a Fangshi's exceptional physique, he figured he would have vomited several times already.

"Please don't laugh at me, Brother Xia. I'm just a little nervous." Wei Wushuang rubbed his hands together.

"Nervous about what?" Xia Fan straightened up and shifted into a more comfortable position. "You're already a properly registered Fangshi of the Bureau of Military Affairs. At the very least, you'll be an eighth-rank official. Your father must be over the moon."

"You don't understand, Brother Xia." Wei Wushuang gave a bitter smile. "I have a group of friends... no, that's not right. A group of people I know—the sort of peers one often runs into while doing business."

"I understand. Fenghua County's business circle." Xia Fan immediately caught on. Those who hung around with Wei Wushuang were surely people his age. What merchant household did not have a few young masters?

"Business circle? That does sound about right. No, that isn't the point." Wei Wushuang shook his head. "In most people's eyes, my father's grain shop may count as a major business, but to them, it's really nothing special."

Xia Fan nodded silently. This was probably the same as calling a man plain and unremarkable in appearance.

"On top of that, my talent is limited. I'm more than capable of maintaining what I have, but not enough to make it flourish. My accomplishments fall far short of theirs, so they've mocked me quite a bit over the years. As for my taking the Scholar Examination this time, they all agreed I could never pass..."

"But you did pass." Xia Fan found this strange. "Isn't this the perfect chance to take the wind out of their sails?"

"That's exactly the problem." Wei Wushuang scratched the back of his head in distress. "We were only registered by the Bureau of Military Affairs. We don't have anything that can serve as proof. The official Appointment Decree won't arrive for another half month. If I say I was selected, they definitely won't believe me. I've been thinking about how to convince them. If I don't explain it well, will they mock me even more..." He looked up as he spoke. "Brother Xia... if they host a banquet, could you come with me and testify for me?"

Xia Fan rolled his eyes inwardly. "So what you're nervous about is—you want to show off, but you're afraid no one will believe you?"

"Cough, cough. Brother Xia, you're too blunt."

"I'm not going." He refused decisively. "You're at least part of their circle. What about me? Why would they believe the words of some stranger with an unknown background?"

Wei Wushuang's expression immediately fell.

"And I suggest you don't waste your effort thinking about how to explain it," Xia Fan continued. "Just state the result. Don't answer anything else, and let them guess as they please."

"Wouldn't that make me their laughingstock..."

"Laughingstocks spread fast. Only if they want to make you a laughingstock will they work hard to spread it around. I'd say within a week, all of Fenghua County will know the news." Xia Fan gave a cold laugh. "But they can only laugh for half a month at most. The louder the mockery, the fiercer the backlash. So long as you can endure it and handle it properly, they won't be able to hold their heads up in front of you for the rest of their lives."

Wei Wushuang froze. "You're sure?"

"Very sure." Xia Fan folded his arms. "I have experience with this."

"Teach me, Brother Xia!" Wei Wushuang hurriedly leaned closer. "What should I do to handle it properly?"

"Simple. The Appointment Decree will be delivered to the government office first, right? First, quietly let the office know that when it arrives, they shouldn't send it out immediately. Arrange a time instead, then set up a little scene..." Xia Fan coaxed him along. "In short, when everyone is mocking you over the Scholar Examination again, the door suddenly opens, an official arrives carrying the Appointment Decree, and hands it to you in front of everyone. Wouldn't that reversal leave a deep impression?"

Wei Wushuang had never received such systematic instruction in showing off before. His eyes lit up as he listened.

"From that moment on, every barb will turn back onto the mockers themselves. At the same time, the whole affair will be entertaining enough to spread even faster and farther than before. You only need to remember one thing: don't kick someone when they're down." Xia Fan concluded, "The more calm and detached you remain throughout, the more it will highlight the difference in standing between you and them. Then turn and leave, showing them only your back. That will be enough."

"Brother Xia..." Wei Wushuang drew a deep breath. "You truly know everything!"

"Ah, this is only the most basic stuff."

"There's something even more impressive? How does that work?"

"This is the 'never bully the poor young man' version. The other is the 'war god returns from retirement' version... not really suited to you. But I can tell you about it."

"Please do, Brother Xia!" Wei Wushuang nodded again and again.

"Da Qi has a war god. After returning home many years later, he discovers his family has changed beyond recognition. With a single command, a hundred thousand soldiers come rushing over..." Since he had nothing better to do, Xia Fan simply began poisoning his fellow townsman with stories.

Amid solemn yet lively lessons in showing off, the carriage slowly entered Fenghua County.

"Brother Xia... you truly won't come stay at my place?" At the street corner, Wei Wushuang tried to keep him back reluctantly. "My family has plenty of empty rooms."

Xia Fan returned to his own carriage and cupped his hands toward him. "I'm used to wandering and don't like being tied down. Besides, you'll probably face endless gossip during this period, so I won't add to your troubles." Free food and lodging would naturally have been ideal, but there was still a Fox Demon in the carriage who needed settling in. He could only refuse through gritted teeth.

"Since Brother Xia is so free-spirited by nature, I won't force you. Once this turmoil dies down, I will certainly treat you to a meal," Wei Wushuang said solemnly.

"Easy enough. I'll be on my way first."

"Until we meet again!"

After parting with his fellow townsman, Xia Fan had the driver take him directly to Yingsong Inn—it had moderately priced rooms and was not located in the center of the county, making it ideal for quietly hiding someone away.

With the relocation funds reissued by the Bureau of Military Affairs, he directly booked a large room with a separate courtyard. There were three rooms within the suite, and outside the courtyard lay a bamboo grove. Even if the Fox Demon were discovered, she could easily use the courtyard wall to escape.

"Until I take up my post, this will be our temporary residence." After dismissing the innkeeper, Xia Fan found an opening to bring Li inside. "You can choose whichever of the three rooms you like. If you need anything else, just tell me."

Li removed the layers of cotton cloth wrapped around her head, braced herself with one hand, and let out a soft hum as she stretched lazily. Clearly, the long journey had not been easy on her either. Lying in the carriage, she had to remain as still as possible to prevent the driver from noticing anything strange about his "luggage," while the cloth around her head could not be removed either, lest an accident leave her without any room to maneuver around Zhou Huan. One could imagine how it felt to be trapped in that cramped space, jostled and overheated.

Yet the Fox Demon's recovery ability was equally astonishing. Her wounds had not fully healed, but she could already walk, and her prognosis was exceptionally good. There was not the slightest sign of inflammation or infection. In the era Xia Fan had come from, it would have been nothing short of a one-hundred-percent medical miracle.

Li looked around the room. "I usually dine on wind and drink dew. Having somewhere to shelter from the rain is already good enough, so I have nothing to complain about."

No... at the very least, you need a new set of clothes, Xia Fan thought despite himself.

Before, she had always been lying down and covered in blood, so he had not paid much attention. Only now did he realize that the Fox Demon's figure was truly striking. She was tall and slender when standing, and the arms, shoulders, and back exposed by her clothes were not soft and boneless like those of ordinary women; instead, they bore natural muscular contours, balanced with a thread of resilient beauty.

Then there were those bare feet, each toe distinct and the arches smoothly rounded. Simply looking at them was pleasing to the eye.

Women of this era covered their feet more tightly than their bodies, wrapping them in coarse cloth socks at all times. Those who, like the Fox Demon, did not mind going barefoot were already few enough to count on one's fingers.

If she kept wandering around the room in those tattered clothes, he feared he would be iron-deficient within days.

"What are you looking at?" Li suddenly asked.

"Cough, nothing..." Xia Fan hurriedly looked away. "I was thinking about what we should eat tonight."

"Hmph. That doesn't sound like the truth."

Could the truth possibly be said aloud? Just as he was about to change the subject, Li spoke first. "Enough. Don't worry about me. Go take care of your proper business first—I remember you said one reason you took the Fangshi examination was to redeem your master?"

Xia Fan nodded.

"You've completed the first step. You must be impatient to rescue him now, right? Compared to that, dinner can wait."

That was true... Going to Qingshan Town for the examination had taken nearly a month. His master had probably suffered quite a bit by now. Though he was a bargain master picked up by the roadside, he had at least introduced Xia Fan to a completely new world. On that merit alone, they had the reality of a master-disciple bond. He could not simply leave him alone. Better to free him from the clutches of those dark forces as soon as possible.

Hopefully, after this lesson, his master would no longer be such a gambler as before.

"I understand. Then wait here until I return."

Li gave an "Mm."

When he reached the door, Xia Fan stopped again and turned back with some hesitation. "About what I said before, about going to the Capital Region..."

"Isn't that perfectly normal? Given your abilities, I never held out much hope to begin with." Li shrugged. "Don't worry. So long as you remain a Fangshi, there will always be chances to learn the information I want."

Sure enough, it was the familiar flavor... Since she was in the mood to mock him, she clearly had not taken the matter too much to heart.

Xia Fan was reassured as well. He slung his money pouch over his back and left the room.