Zhouque City

Chapter 38: Zhouque City

In his past life, he'd heard of a remarkable woman named Situ Yunqing, but Xu Zimo hadn't met her then, only hearing her name mentioned in casual conversations.

Speaking of which, Xu Zimo's past life was quite dramatic. In the early days, as the crown prince of the entire True Martial Sacred Sect, he was someone everyone wanted to fawn over.

But after being cast into the Youlong Ravine by Chu Yang, and his father's hair turning white overnight before he retired to the mountains...

Without the support of the True Martial Sacred Sect, Xu Zimo's status plummeted from the heavens. Those people he never cared about suddenly became unreachable.

Xu Zimo had wanted to establish his own influence before, but Shili Changkong was a bit overwhelmed handling it alone.

Furthermore, the form his influence would take was something Xu Zimo needed to consider.

If the influence was hidden in the shadows, he couldn't possibly keep funding everyone's daily expenses forever.

Xu Zimo envisioned establishing his influence in the open, in the form of a restaurant.

This way, the influence could be self-sufficient, and a restaurant would be one of the best channels for acquiring information.

Many people would discuss major recent events while eating and drinking.

Xu Zimo didn't need his established influence to provide him with top-secret intel, but he did want to be among the first to know about events in more remote regions.

If the Situ Yunqing before him was the same person he'd heard of in his past life, then she had the capability to manage his influence for him.

Xu Zimo pondered how he could lure her over, and make her do so willingly.

"We're almost at Zhouque City. Let's rest there for the night," Xu Zimo suggested.

Everyone nodded. Then, Xu Zimo climbed onto the carriage and entered the passenger compartment, leaving the others momentarily stunned.

Xiao Guizi, standing nearby, immediately reacted and said to Situ Yunqing, "What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and go keep our senior brother company."

Situ Yunqing glanced at the group before silently entering the carriage.

The maid beside her wanted to say something, but seeing Lin Ruhu's fierce glare, she quickly retreated to the side.

The carriage moved slowly. A faint fragrance filled the carriage. Xu Zimo rested his head on Situ Yunqing's lap and closed his eyes, falling asleep.

Zhouque City appeared faintly in the distance, like a colossal beast of steel, resting on the land.

Situ Yunqing quietly watched the sleeping Xu Zimo, her long eyelashes fluttering.

Xu Zimo wasn't the type with sharp, captivating eyes that made one's heart flutter at first sight.

But he was the type who grew more appealing the longer you looked, with a roguish smile that gave off a bad-boy vibe.

Situ Yunqing pursed her lips, extended her right hand, and gently poked Xu Zimo's cheek with her index finger. Then, for some reason, she suddenly smiled knowingly.

"Do you want me to have a deep conversation with you?" Xu Zimo suddenly opened his eyes and asked calmly.

Situ Yunqing was startled, her face instantly flushing crimson. She lowered her head, speechless.

"If you ask me, you shouldn't go back to the Situ Family. I happen to need a bed-warming maid by my side," Xu Zimo said casually.

"Thank you for your regard, young master, but unfortunately, Yunqing doesn't have the fortune for that," Situ Yunqing replied calmly after composing herself.

"You don't need to refuse so quickly," Xu Zimo chuckled. "Do you think the Situ Family will welcome you?"

"What do you mean, young master?" Situ Yunqing asked hesitantly.

"You don't actually think this robbery was just an accident, do you?" Xu Zimo asked cryptically.

Situ Yunqing's expression changed. Being naturally intelligent, she naturally considered the worst possible outcome.

The power struggles within great families were extremely brutal. If the Situ Family acknowledged Situ Yunqing's identity as an illegitimate daughter, she would naturally have a claim to the family's assets.

She could even contend for the position of family head in the future.

No one wanted an unexpected competitor to appear, so many people in the Situ Family would certainly not want Situ Yunqing's arrival.

"If you don't believe me, let's make a bet," Xu Zimo said with a smile.

"Bet on what?" Situ Yunqing asked curiously.

"Once we enter Zhouque City, someone will definitely come looking for trouble," Xu Zimo said. "Because I disrupted their plans, and we're likely being monitored right now."

"I won't bet," Situ Yunqing shook her head, as she herself agreed with Xu Zimo's assessment.

"Boring," Xu Zimo yawned, stretched, then snuggled his head into Situ Yunqing's embrace and started sleeping again.

As they drew closer to Zhouque City, the surrounding people gradually increased. The carriage slowly entered the city.

The central street paved with bluestone was bustling with activity. People came and went, and the aroma of steaming snacks wafted from both sides of the street, accompanied by the cries of vendors.

"My father sent someone to pick me up. I should go now," Situ Yunqing said softly, waking the sleeping Xu Zimo.

At the front of the carriage stood a group of soldiers clad in green leather armor, led by a rosy-cheeked old man.

"Miss Yunqing, my surname is Tian. I am one of the master's guards. The master sent me to fetch you," the old man said kindly.

"Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Tian," Situ Yunqing nodded.

Noticing Xu Zimo emerging from the carriage, Uncle Tian's gaze sharpened slightly. He asked, "Is this Miss Yunqing's friend?"

"You guys chat amongst yourselves, I'm just here to tag along," Xu Zimo waved his hand at Lin Ruhu and the other person. "Let's find an inn first."

Situ Yunqing had initially wanted to invite Xu Zimo to stay at the Situ Family's residence, but after some thought, she decided against it.

After all, she was in a precarious situation herself and didn't know how the Situ Family would react to her arrival.

"Linjiang Restaurant," Xu Zimo said, looking at the plaque in front of him. "Let's go with this one."

The three of them walked into the restaurant. Xiao Guizi threw the silver pouch at his waist onto the table with a clang and yelled, "Innkeeper, do you still have rooms?"

The innkeeper, wearing a hat and sporting a handlebar mustache, quickly came forward with a smile. "We have plenty of guest rooms. What kind would you gentlemen prefer?"

"I want three rooms facing the street, with good ventilation from north to south, and rooms where we can see both sunrise and sunset," Xiao Guizi said, holding up three fingers.

"Certainly. And will you be dining in your rooms, or down here?" the innkeeper asked solicitously.

"Down here is fine, it'll be easier to clean up if things get messy later," Xu Zimo said, making a cryptic remark.

The innkeeper looked confused but didn't ask any further questions and went to prepare their meal.

Xu Zimo and the others ordered a pot of wine. As they were drinking, they saw three men walk out.