The Unreliable Dong Zhongshu

"Young Master Zhang, where are your friends?"

The benefits of bringing a groundhog into the city were obvious; the guards at the city gate only glanced at it before giving up on asking any questions.

It's quite common for urban residents to travel in and out of the city, and these people can't possibly carry a piece of paper with them for checkups every day.

The guards mostly check strangers, outsiders, or those who don't fit in with the locals of Fuping County.

Zhang Xuezhou and Zhufu Yan, covered in dust and carrying ground squirrels, were clearly not among the targets.

This made it extremely easy for the two to enter Fuping County.

After walking for more than ten minutes, a row of inns, hotels, and restaurants passed by one after another, Zhufu Yan couldn't help but feel that his plan to have a big meal with them had fallen through.

He couldn't help but ask, which prompted Zhang Xuezhou to point ahead.

"We'll be there soon," Zhang Xuezhou said. "They were locked up in jail yesterday by a bunch of clueless soldiers. We need to go see them!"

"Locked up in jail?" Zhufu Yan asked in surprise. "Are you going to break him out of prison?"

"What kind of prison break is this? Do you think people like us are the ones breaking into prison?" Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and said, "We're reasonable people. They've locked up the wrong people, so they'll have to release us obediently!"

"These soldiers are wicked; once they're locked up, they're not going to let you out willingly," said Zhufu Yan. "Without preparing dozens or even hundreds of half-ounce coins, you probably won't even see them!"

"We're not short of money!"

Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand.

Despite being penniless, having lost his four strings of cash almost immediately after taking them out, Zhang Xuezhou remained defiant.

He was extremely generous, indicating that money was not a problem for him.

This filled Zhufu Yan with envy, jealousy, and resentment.

What was nothing to Zhang Xuezhou was a major life event for him.

Mastering swordsmanship requires time, physical strength, and even more so, a robust physique, not something he could do by spending his days digging for moles to avoid starvation and having no time for anything else in order to survive.

Zhufu Yan didn't ask for much; even a single string of cash would have been enough for him to eat meat and practice swordsmanship for half a year, making him even stronger.

His eyes darted back and forth as he slowly followed Zhang Xuezhou with more than ten ground squirrels.

Only when Zhang Xuezhou moved to the back of a prison on the left side of the Fuping County government office did his expression change slightly.

"You still say this isn't a prison break?"

He spoke in a low voice, his face filled with horror as he watched a large chunk of the sturdy stone wall being removed, and then a head popped out.

"If you can walk out on your own, it doesn't count as a prison break!"

Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand, then pointed the mark of the Technique Method on himself toward Dong Zhongshu.

"Please remove the mark," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"You... you know I'm kind of useless now!"

Looking at the dark blue Technique Method mark on Zhang Xuezhou's buttocks, Dong Zhongshu gasped slightly.

What does that mean?

"I can't solve it!"

Dong Zhongshu responded in a low voice.

He almost vomited blood when he cast a fossil spell, so breaking this kind of stubborn, fixed Technique Method mark was simply impossible.

Although his opponent's cultivation level seemed to be slightly lower than his, Dong Zhongshu currently lacked the ability to cast spells normally, making it almost impossible for him to completely remove the Technique Method mark.

"I've gone to so much trouble and effort to help you, and you're so unreliable!"

Just thinking about the sharpness he sensed made Zhang Xuezhou gasp.

"I told you to shout a couple of lines in the air, but you definitely didn't listen," Dong Zhongshu said. "Ning Cheng, the registrar of Shanggu County, is especially skilled at tracking marks. Once he catches a trace of your spell, he can relentlessly pursue you to the ends of the earth!"

"But you didn't mention this matter either," Zhang Xuezhou said angrily.

"The Northern Border Military Region has hundreds, even thousands, of capable people; how could I possibly manage them all?" Dong Zhongshu said. "While it's still early, you should leave the Northern Border as soon as possible to avoid them sending people to track you down. Once I've recovered, I'll come back to you to get rid of this thing!"

"Can I go to jail with you and then explain this matter?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"Those people in the military region aren't very reasonable," Dong Zhongshu said after a few seconds of thought. "If they find a suspect, they usually just take action, either killing or crippling him, and they basically won't waste any words with you!"

"I've taken the horse from the inn. Goodbye!"

Zhang Xuezhou stood up and then mentioned that his cousin was coming to Fuping County, and that if Dong Zhongshu saw him, he must intervene.

"Don't worry, I've got your back!"

"And my parents!"

"Once I'm healed, I'll take care of everything!"

Zhang Xuezhou was already in such a predicament that Dong Zhongshu knew, without even asking, that the young man was doing a good job.

The only problem was that Zhang Xuezhou himself suffered a major setback.

Have a safe journey!

Dong Zhongshu whispered a blessing, but when the prison warden came over and started cursing, he quickly blocked the way with stones and remained silent.

"What, you're not going to break me out of prison, you're going to run for your life?"

Following Zhang Xuezhou, Zhufu Yan felt that the changes he had experienced in such a short time were quite significant.

"This isn't about running for your life; it's just that we need to keep a certain distance temporarily after a misunderstanding!"

Zhang Xuezhou offered an explanation, and then started jogging.

His Demon Power hadn't recovered, so the fastest way to escape now was on horseback.

I'll treat you to a big meal next time!

Zhang Xuezhou called out to Zhufu Yan.

He had previously thought that Zhufu Yan possessed some martial arts skills and might be able to serve as a bodyguard.

Zhang Xuezhou had even figured out how the other party would escort Zhao Liang back to Shu County.

However, Zhang Xuezhou is currently preoccupied with his own problems and finds it difficult to make arrangements for Zhufu Yan.

He hurried back to the inn, and once he found the yellow horse used by the merchant caravan, Zhang Xuezhou mounted it and rode off towards the outskirts of the city.

"Can't you treat me to a big meal now?"

"If you have something urgent, you can just give the restaurant some money and have them serve you the food!"

When is the next time?

Where do you usually live?

"I'll go there to find you!"

As he hurried along on his yellow horse, Zhufu Yan Fu Yan galloped alongside him.

It was rare to meet someone as wealthy and generous as Zhang Xuezhou, Zhufu Yan felt he couldn't miss the opportunity.

Whether the other person is in the wind or in the rain, he has to follow them.

If he could learn the secret to the other person's wealth, Zhufu Yan felt he could replicate it and reach the pinnacle of life.

"Someone has forced their way out of the city!"

"Didn't that kid just bring a gopher into town? Why is he going out again?"

"Is that his horse, or did he steal it? It doesn't even have a cushion; his backside must be all bruised and battered!"

"It's obviously a merchant horse; military horses aren't this thin."

"What did he call you?"

"Check the records!"

What's the name of the one in the back?

"I've seen that beggar before. He's been digging for moles in that millet field for the past two months. I'm afraid those two conspired to steal the horse!"

The local natives are registered by the county government, while outsiders are checked for their 'traces' and their origins can be clearly traced. Only wanderers like Zhufu Yan, who have no fixed abode, are more troublesome.

The soldiers guarding the city gate raised their bows and arrows several times, but ultimately did not shoot. Then, someone quickly brought over military horses.

Chasing a yellow horse with military horses would obviously be a piece of cake.

Several soldiers mounted their horses, cursed a few times, and then spurred their mounts to give chase.

Few people entered or left the city gate during the chilly spring. This small disturbance came and went quickly, and the few guards soon returned to their daily duties, occasionally whispering and laughing together.

As several riders galloped towards Fuping County in the distance, a large red flag fluttered behind the leading general, instantly straightening the backs of all the soldiers.