The five horses were galloping so fast that they could not rein in at once, charging far ahead. Hearing someone speak, Zhang Xiaohua frowned slightly but pretended not to have heard. He patted Four Unlike and continued onward.
After the five men pulled their fine horses to a stop by the roadside, they saw Zhang Xiaohua's carriage proceeding leisurely, unhurried and unflustered. They did not rush forward to block him. The leader asked, "Jiang Heshu, is that the shabby little carriage you mentioned?"
Jiang Heshu, with his thick eyebrows, nodded. "Yes, Hall Master Qiu. That is the very carriage."
Hall Master Qiu stared at the carriage for a while, then pondered aloud. "It does not seem any different. Could it be that you can see how many people are inside?"
"You jest, Hall Master Qiu. I do not have eyes that can see through things. How could I possibly see inside?"
"Then you..."
"It is like this, Hall Master Qiu. Yesterday, I led the brothers of my squad here to support you, and I saw this carriage by the roadside. At the time, I merely glanced at it and paid no attention. But seeing it again today, I noticed a few suspicious details."
"Oh? You are quite meticulous. No wonder I brought you in from the Outer Hall. Tell me, then. Is there any sense to your reasoning?"
"Hall Master Qiu, your judgment is wise. Look at this shabby carriage—it is already battered beyond repair. If it belonged to an ordinary household, they would surely leave it outside to rot, or simply chop it up with an axe for firewood. Yet this young man is having a mule pull it and has traveled two days with it. Is that not strange?"
Hall Master Qiu frowned deeply after hearing this. "Little