Heroes of the Fantasy World

Chapter 604: The Lonely Person

(10)

——Two men walked out of the woods.

——The bearded man looked rough, but his gait was dignified and his clothes were neat; another monk-like man came over leading a horse, his eyes were intimidating without anger.

——They are like clouds and water that are used to traveling everywhere.

"Practice Zen and gain enlightenment. Walking, sitting and lying are all Zen."

"I never thought that this was the first time Zhu Dian saw someone gain enlightenment from the way of the sword."

"Sir, is this the master you are looking for?"

The monk tied the horse beside him and put his hands together as usual, but one of his hands was missing several fingers.

The bearded man walked towards Bai Feng and bowed, saying, "I didn't expect it to be you! You have been missing from the martial arts world for five years. How are you, General Bai Feng?"

"Are you really Yuwen Xuan?" Murong Yan asked, "Why do I feel like you don't... So, why is Master Yuwen here?"

Bai Feng echoed, "Because Zoucheng is the fief of Master Yuwen, right? I haven't investigated it carefully, but I occasionally heard someone say, 'The Ninth Prince is kind-hearted, he will definitely uphold justice for everyone!' I think this Ninth Prince must be Master Yuwen. His Highness must have a good governance, so he has won the trust of the people just now, right?"

Yuwen Xuan said, "General Bai Feng, I haven't seen you for five years. Why don't you come to my humble abode and take a rest for a while? It's not far from here. It's near here. It's the bamboo hut where I stay temporarily when I have free time to go outing."

Bai Feng said: "I am no longer a general, just call me by my name."

"Brother, it was this person who tried to snatch Sister Murong away from us five years ago. Please be careful!" Yu Ke raised her sword to protect Bai Feng. She was barefoot, her clothes were torn and exposed, and she was soaked all over. She looked disheveled.

Yu Wenxuan, however, looked at Yu Ke with new eyes and said, "It's you?! I never thought that in just five years, you would grow up to be such a heroic woman! However, a beauty also needs good clothes to match, otherwise it will only make people laugh."

"What did you say!" Yu Ke's eyes widened and he bared his teeth as he said, "I don't want you to discipline me!"

"Ake, please don't be like this." Murong Yan stepped forward to stop him, "Have you forgotten that it was Master Yuwen who saved us five years ago? Your Highness, please forgive Ake for her rudeness."

Before Murong Yan could salute, Yuwen Xuan supported her and replied, "You don't have to call me Your Highness the Prince. We are all friends. Friends, I admit that I made that decision completely out of selfishness, and I have learned my lesson." As he said that, he looked at his bodyguard Zhu Dian.

"It's just that I can't lift heavy objects." Zhu Dian tried to hold on to his stump, but with little success: "I've gotten used to it after so many years."

Yu Ke looked at his former defeated opponent Zhu Dian, but he did not feel happy at all.

"Lead the way. This is a good opportunity to wash off the dirt on your body." Bai Feng patted Yu Ke's shoulder and asked her to put on her shoes.

The bamboo hut was inside the woods. It was built very simply, with just a piece of land enclosed by a fence. It was ventilated on all sides and had no doors. There was a servant specially hired by Yu Wenxuan who was responsible for taking care of the owner's daily life.

Because usually only Yu Wenxuan comes here alone, here even the hot spring for bathing is open-air. Yu Wenxuan is very enthusiastic and specially invites everyone to come and enjoy the spring water.

"The spring is located in the deep mountains thirty miles away from here, which means that we need to prepare at least three days in advance to get such a hot spring." Yu Wenxuan stood next to the hot spring and said, "It is said that this spring water also has a special healing effect on wounds and scars..."

"I..." Murong Yan was a little stunned. Yu Ke immediately asked suspiciously, "We need to wash together?! What kind of rule is this? You princes and nobles are too weird. Moreover, it is very offensive!"

Yu Wenxuan explained: "This is the highest courtesy we offer to our guests. Bathing in the same spring with friends. If you find it offensive, forget it. I'll wait for you in the house."

Bai Feng said: "Brother Yuwen values ​​me so much, how can I refuse?"

"Well, since it's Mr. Yuwen's good intention, let's go together." Murong Yan pulled Yu Ke to the compartment in the house to prepare to bathe in the pool, while Bai Feng and Yuwen Xuan were preparing in another compartment.

After a while, the four of them walked into the hot spring one after another.

Bai Feng and Yu Wenxuan sat together leaning against the rock wall, with servants constantly bringing them fruits and wine. They looked at the two frightened women not far away and were amused to burst into laughter from time to time.

"My most respected friend, it feels like a dream to meet you again." Yu Wenxuan said with emotion: "The situation has been turbulent in the past five years. I wonder if Brother Bai knows the current situation of the world?"

Bai Feng replied coldly: "To be honest, I am not interested in the general situation of the world. It is you...Brother Yuwen, didn't you say that your ideal is to become a real king? You can't do that by staying in a place like this." Yuwen Xuan took a sip of wine and said self-deprecatingly: "Now I am in the same predicament as you, Brother Bai, when you were in Jinyang. Because I helped the Central Plains coalition forces to successfully suppress the rebellion, the king granted me a fiefdom of one city and thirty villages. I thought this would be the beginning of my entry into politics. I didn't expect that in order to support the prince, the ministers in the court conspired to deprive me of my official position in the Shangshutai. From then on, I was not allowed to go on diplomatic missions to foreign vassal states, so I could only be idle here."

Bai Feng echoed, "In order to become a king, you must establish merit and prestige, but in the process you will be feared by others. What a contradiction."

Yu Wenxuan said: "So, Brother Bai, please help me. Now is the chance!"

"I am just an ordinary person now, and I can't do anything."

"No, this is something only you can do, and it's a matter of great importance, and it's closely related to Brother Bai's fate!"

Bai Feng asked: "Could it be related to the current situation in the world?"

Yuwen Xuan replied: "That's true. Now half of the world has fallen into the hands of the Taiping Dao. The people of Qi regard the Taiping Dao as their state religion. Everyone seeks immortality, does not engage in farming, and neglects government affairs. The entire Qi state has become a pool of mud. Among them, the official group headed by King Gao Huan of Qi can only increase taxes in various places in order to maintain the daily expenditure of the treasury, and the Beizhen is the most severe among them!"

——In Beizhen, another rebellion is about to happen.

Bai Feng was puzzled and asked, "How could it become like this? Logically speaking, Gao Gao should be the leader of Beizhen now. He can't possibly rebel against King Qi, right?"

Yuwen Xuan said: "Gao Gao really doesn't want to go to war. He is a staunch peacemaker. He has been petitioning the King of Qi to cancel the increased taxes and corvée, and even opened the Gao family army's granary to provide disaster relief many times. However, these measures can only solve the problem temporarily and do not solve any problems at all."

Bai Feng nodded. He had always admired Yu Wenxuan's analysis of political views and current affairs.

"I feel that my chance is coming..." Yu Wenxuan looked at Bai Feng sincerely: "By then, I hope Brother Bai can stand by my side. With Brother Bai's ability and reputation in Beizhen, we can definitely make a name for ourselves again! We can even take this opportunity to wipe out Taiping Dao. Isn't this Brother Bai's greatest wish?"

Bai Feng said, "I'm sorry, but I can't obey your order. I will listen to Brother Yuwen's advice and go to Beizhen to have a look, but I don't want to work for anyone. You know my temper."

Yu Wenxuan sighed to show his understanding, and then asked: "Brother Bai, where have you been for the past five years?"

Bai Feng replied: "It's a long story. Actually, Yan'er and I just got reunited."

"Then I won't disturb you." After saying that, Yu Wenxuan asked the servant to clean his body for him and put on a bathrobe. He continued, "I'll wait in the house first. There will be a royal meal to entertain you later."

Bai Feng suddenly stopped him and asked, "Brother Yuwen, even if I don't stand on your side, can we still be friends?"

"Yes, you are my friends for life."

Bai Feng watched Yu Wenxuan leave.

Murong Yan saw that the servants had all followed Yuwen Xuan, so she carefully approached Bai Feng and asked in a whisper, "What did you say just now? Is Master Yuwen interested in our A Ke? I can see that there is something fishy in his eyes. If he is interested, let him say it directly. I am afraid that A Ke will not be able to control herself then."

Bai Feng laughed and splashed a bucket of water on Murong Yan: "What are you doing! You are so annoying."

"Nothing."

"Really?"

"You know what's true and what's false. You always know, don't you?"

Murong Yan seemed to have seen everything at this moment. She pursed her lips and said sadly, "Let's go home first."

The two leaned against each other gently, and the mist in front of them made it difficult to see what was ahead. Yu Ke stood up from the spring, looked serious, put on his bathrobe in a hurry and walked out.

——Okay, I’ll do whatever you say.

As the sun set, it fell into the ventilated courtyard. Everyone seemed to enjoy their dinner happily, and then returned to the city to rest under the cover of night.

That’s all for the rumors about the cliff carvings.

(End of this chapter)