At the crossroads on the official highway, four parties met by chance, then departed in pairs.
Having run into the very person they sought, Wang Xiongdan, Ma Ping'er, and their companions naturally headed north with Dou Xiaoniang, straight toward Gaoji Lake. Zhang Shiniang, having encountered Su Jingfang and handed off her business on the other side, intended to return directly to Wuan Commandery with him, taking the reply and gifts... The only surprise was Feng Wuyi. After realizing certain things, he volunteered to visit Wuan Commandery and pay his respects to Governor Li.
Clearly, while this trusted confidant of the emperor had begun changing his view of the "bandits," he remained unmoved in other respects. He was still loyal to the Great Wei court-or rather, to the emperor personally... This encounter had given him some concerns about Li Ding, the governor of Wuan Commandery.
If the old man wanted to go, how could they stop him?
He was both the emperor's confidant and the head of a second- or third-rate local aristocratic clan in Hebei. He could not be treated lightly.
Still, while Zhang Shiniang was free and easy by nature, Su Jingfang was a careful sort. They proceeded slowly to Wucheng County that day, and that evening, citing the other man's difficulty riding, he detached a squad of cavalry to protect him while he himself escorted his teacher's wife swiftly back to Wuan on light mounts, so he could explain matters to his teacher beforehand.
Old Feng had no choice. He truly was no good at riding, so he could only accept the arrangement.
Yet after just two or three days traveling west by carriage, with Red Mountain dimly visible ahead, he entered Wuan Commandery and spent the night at Qiucheng Post Station beside the road-only to encounter both