Ye Wen’s descent from the mountain this time felt akin to a bird finally soaring in an endless sky. Though he carried a mission, these matters seemed to him trivial tasks easily dealt with in passing.

Since arriving in this world, he had been relentlessly driven by the voice in his head to revitalize the sect, all while contending with a junior sister who openly disliked him, constantly striving to suppress him, even eyeing the position of Sect Leader. Compounding this was his own desperately unimpressive strength, resulting in a suffocating half-year for Ye Wen, spent every waking moment frantically practicing martial arts just to escape this predicament.

To this end, he hadn't once taken the time to properly observe his surroundings, or even the world he now inhabited. Even when descending the mountain for essential supplies, it was Ning Ruxue or Aunt Zhao who handled the errands while he seized every available second to boost his power.

Now, having finally achieved a measure of success, his mood was utterly ecstatic. More importantly, he had decisively defeated his junior sister, the one who had always looked down on him, finally showing her his true capabilities. He imagined that, going forward, she would never cast those contemptuous glances his way again.

Unfortunately, he was completely unaware that the moment he left the mountain, Ning Ruxue had resolved to enter a period of savage training herself, even mentally vowing, “If I could surpass him before, I can certainly do it again,” using the slogan to steel her resolve, never abandoning the thought of seizing the Sect Leader position from her ‘incompetent senior brother.’ If Ye Wen knew this, would his mood remain so bright?

But he wouldn’t know it now. Carried along by his buoyant spirits down the mountain, Ye Wen’s first decision was to visit the county town of Shushan, specifically making a stop at Head Constable Li’s office.

However, by the time he reached the county town, the day was already growing late. He surmised that Head Constable Li would no longer be at the patrol office but would have returned home to rest.

Therefore, Ye Wen decided to find an inn to stay the night and pay his respects to Head Constable Li first thing the following morning.

Relying on his memory from more than half a year prior, Ye Wen managed, just barely, to locate the same inn he had stayed in before around dinnertime. He chose this place because it was relatively cheap; for someone currently short on funds, saving money before any substantial income arrived was the best policy.

Stepping inside, the common hall, which was by no means small, was already packed. Everyone was seated, either eating with their heads bowed or drinking while chatting with their neighbors. Inns at this time generally doubled as eateries. The front hall was the dining area; lodging required passing through the main hall to the rear courtyard, which housed the rooms for overnight guests.

Ye Wen scanned the room quickly and saw no available seats in the large hall. If the server hadn't approached him, he might have wondered if he should try another establishment.

“Guest, are you dining or lodging?” The server was exceedingly cheerful, his face seemingly split in a perpetual smile.

“Lodging and dining.”

Ye Wen hadn't eaten since leaving the mountain, and the walk down, followed by the trek to the county town, while not exhausting him, had certainly left him feeling hollow.

“Will you eat in the hall, or would you prefer your meal taken to your room?” The server didn't even ask if there were vacancies; Ye Wen didn't ask either. He assumed that since the waiter was inquiring about eating arrangements in a room, a room must indeed be available for him.

Seeing so many people inside, he had initially worried there were no rooms left. He had been mentally preparing himself: “I might have to settle for a dilapidated temple or something similar for the night.”

It seemed he wasn’t quite that unlucky; while the hall was crowded, there were apparently still rooms free. He figured many patrons were likely there just for the meal and not staying over.

Glancing around, Ye Wen noted the excessive crowd and was about to ask the server to bring his food up to his room. But a sudden thought struck him: inns and taverns were prime spots for gathering intelligence. Moreover, with so many people here, he might overhear news useful to his situation. How could he miss such an opportunity?

With that in mind, he immediately asked, “Are there any empty tables left in this hall?”

Hearing Ye Wen’s question, the server answered without even looking. “There’s one empty table right in the corner over there. The patrons just settled their bill. If you don’t mind the somewhat secluded spot, would that suit you?”

Ye Wen followed the server’s gesture and indeed spotted an empty table. Because it was tucked away in the corner, it was inconspicuous, which is why he hadn't noticed it earlier. However, such a location was perfectly suited for his current objective.

“That one will do. Just bring a couple of small dishes—one meat and one vegetable.”

“Would you like any wine?” the server cheerfully inquired again. For him, selling more items was always better. Judging by the young man’s attire, he was clearly a martial artist. These patrons were the easiest to serve: they always ordered meat and wine, and they were usually generous tippers. If he served him well, there might be extra reward money.

Ye Wen considered that he might need to sit there listening for some time; ordering wine to sip slowly would make him appear less conspicuous.

“Yes, bring a pot.” He glanced around; many tables had small wine pots, looking like they held about three or four liang (a small measure), not a large quantity.

He was cautious about the alcohol content of the local brew and thus didn't order much. Although, given the general state of this world, highly distilled liquor was unlikely, he couldn't rule out the possibility that this particular establishment might possess some potent vintage.

“Right away, sir.”

Leading Ye Wen to the table, the server quickly relayed the order to the kitchen. Soon after, the two dishes, the pot of wine, and two coarse steamed buns were laid out before Ye Wen.

The service was remarkably fast, explaining why so many people were eating here. Ye Wen smiled faintly and pulled some copper coins from his pouch, handing them to the server. He knew how much to give based on the payment he’d observed at the adjacent table when they settled up, learning that small tips required copper, not the large silver ingots he had initially anticipated.

He could easily afford this small tip. More importantly, he had overheard something interesting from the conversation at the neighboring table—a table occupied by other martial artists—which prompted him to offer the gratuity to facilitate further inquiries.

“Do you know what has happened at the Yueshan Escort Agency in this county?”

He had only vaguely heard that the Yueshan Agency was currently hiring people to help with something, but he couldn’t make out the specifics. He hoped to glean more from the server, believing that those who frequented the establishment daily would know much of what he needed.

The server carefully weighed the copper coins in his hand, estimated the value, then glanced at Ye Wen’s undeniably young face, finally resting his gaze on the long sword resting by the table. He smiled and said, “My apologies if I speak too freely, honored guest, but you might not appreciate what I have to say.”

“Oh?”

“You must be from out of town? Everyone in the county knows about the Yueshan Escort Agency’s troubles these days. But the situation is terribly complicated right now; it would be best if you didn't get involved.” The server’s tone was neutral, lacking any scorn or condescension, so Ye Wen didn't take offense, only growing curious as to why the waiter offered this warning.

“What exactly is going on? Tell me the details.”

Seeing Ye Wen press further, with his expression now suggesting even greater interest, the server continued.

“The Yueshan Agency accepted an escort mission a month ago.”

“Accepted an escort?” Being sharp, Ye Wen immediately suspected this delivery was problematic, likely causing the great stir and endless neighborhood chatter. “What exactly was the consignment?”

At this question, the server’s expression shifted oddly. He replied, “They were tasked with protecting a person traveling south to Jiang Prefecture.”

Ye Wen had been in this world for half a year. While much remained unknown, he knew they were in Ping Prefecture, and Shushan County was in the eastern part. Jiang Prefecture lay directly south, separated by Dong Prefecture.

This meant the escort required someone to travel south from Ping Prefecture to Jiang Prefecture, passing entirely through Dong Prefecture—a region historically notorious for its fierce populace and countless mountain bandits. Most escort agencies traveling that route faced numerous encounters with highway robbers.

Even so, that only made the journey more difficult, manageable by simply assigning more guards. Ye Wen couldn't fathom why the Yueshan Agency was making such a fuss.

The server seemed to sense his confusion and immediately elaborated on the issue.

“If it were only that, the Yueshan Agency wouldn't be so vexed. The trouble is that the person they must escort has already been explicitly named by someone who intends to seize them. What’s worse, this demand was issued only after the Agency accepted the job. Furthermore, the person making the threat has considerable influence and has even mobilized numerous bandits across Dong Prefecture, which is why the Yueshan Agency is so troubled.”

“Ah…” Ye Wen hadn’t anticipated this scenario. The consignment was targeted before it even set off, and the contender had openly declared their intent to intercept it, backed by significant power. It was no wonder the situation had escalated so dramatically.

Next, as Ye Wen predicted, the Yueshan Agency would likely invite martial artists from the Jianghu, either through connections or by offering substantial sums of gold and silver, to ensure the escort succeeded. If the consignment was lost, the agency risked being blacklisted from the trade—competition among agencies was fierce.

Having grasped the general outline, Ye Wen inquired about details that interested him, such as the price the Yueshan Agency was offering to hire outside assistance.

The final piece of information he extracted from the server was: “It seems they decide the payment based on the martial skill of the individual who applies.”

Ye Wen nodded. Payment commensurate with ability—that seemed fair. He estimated that, now possessing internal energy, his skills shouldn't be entirely lacking. If the Yueshan Agency hired him, he could certainly earn some silver.

Moreover, it would allow him a chance to gauge the general level of martial artists surrounding Shushan. It was a mutually beneficial opportunity he couldn't pass up.

Making up his mind, and thinking about the escort that had already been marked for interception, Ye Wen found the situation amusing. He suspected the mission was to protect some wealthy young lady, coveted for her beauty by a powerful figure who intended to take her as a mountain stronghold bride. Thus, he casually asked, “Who is the young mistress being escorted on this journey?”

To his surprise, the server paused before replying, “A young mistress? The person the Yueshan Agency is escorting is Master Xu Xian, from the Xu family in the east of the city.”

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