aircannonsinc Chapter 493 Tonight's Stay at the Inn
Chapter 493 Tonight's Stay at the Inn
Yunluan's gaze fell on the row of carriages, and she glanced at them, her voice cold and clear.
"It is indeed them."
Jiang Zhaoyue rode closer, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
"They're not slow at all. We took such a long detour through the mountains, and they still made it here."
Qin Mu smiled and said calmly.
"The official road is easy to travel, and although the carriage is slow, it doesn't have to go around the mountains."
Qin Mu spurred his horse and headed towards the post station.
"That's fine."
The post station was small, with its gate wide open, leading to a rectangular courtyard.
To the right of the courtyard is the stable, to the left is a row of guest rooms, and in the center is a large room that also serves as the dining hall.
A large pot was set up at the entrance, with something cooking inside, steaming upwards and emitting a savory aroma.
Qin Mu dismounted and tossed the reins to the courier who came to greet him.
The courier was a dark-skinned, thin middle-aged man with a beaming smile. He took the reins and bowed obsequiously.
"Please come in, sir. We have hot soup and hot rice."
Yunluan dismounted and stood beside Qin Mu, her hand still resting on the hilt of her sword.
Jiang Zhaoyue, Xu Fenghua, and Yun Suxin dismounted in turn, while Han Xiner was the last one to be carried down by Qin Mu.
She stood on the ground, her legs a little weak, and she held onto Qin Mu's arm until she was steady before letting go.
Qin Mu lifted his foot and walked towards the dining hall, his moon-white robe shining brightly in the midday sun.
There were five or six rough wooden tables and a few benches in the canteen. The floor was covered with blue bricks, which were a bit greasy to walk on.
A middle-aged guard sat at a table by the window.
It was the middle-aged guard from the caravan on the official road earlier.
There was a bowl of tea in front of him, the tea was cloudy, but he didn't drink it, he just stared blankly at the table.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw Qin Mu, his pupils suddenly contracting.
He suddenly stood up, causing the bench to tip backward and crash to the ground with a loud thud.
His lips trembled slightly, he clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, his voice trembling.
"Young...Young Master."
Qin Mu glanced at him, smiled, and nodded.
"What a coincidence."
Cold sweat instantly broke out on the middle-aged guard's back.
His Adam's apple bobbed up and down; he wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.
He had intended to step forward to thank the young man and perhaps even make his acquaintance. However, the woman beside the young master had such a cold gaze that he dared not approach her.
The middle-aged guard's gaze involuntarily drifted to a table in the corner of the dining hall.
Two young girls dressed as maids sat at the table, their heads bowed, with several small dishes in front of them.
Between the two girls was a woman wearing a veil.
The veil of her hat hung down, obscuring her face, revealing only a glimpse of her fair chin.
She sat upright, with a bowl of tea in front of her, untouched.
Hearing the noise, she turned her head slightly, and the veil of her hat swayed gently.
Qin Mu followed the middle-aged guard's gaze and glanced at the woman in the veil before looking away without giving her any more attention.
He walked to another empty table and sat down.
Yunluan stood behind him, without sitting down.
Jiang Zhaoyue sat down to his left, Xu Fenghua sat to his right, and Yun Suxin sat next to Jiang Zhaoyue.
Han Xin'er sat down next to Qin Mu, leaning slightly towards him, like a vine reaching for the sun.
The courier came over with a pot of tea, set out the teacups one by one, and poured the tea.
The tea soup was yellowish in color, with a few broken tea leaves floating on it, and wisps of steam rose up.
Qin Mu picked up the teacup, blew away the foam, and took a sip.
"What's there to eat?"
The courier smiled and rattled off a list of dishes, which were nothing more than coarse food such as beef, mutton, steamed buns, and flatbread.
Qin Mu ordered a few dishes, the courier responded, and turned to go to the kitchen.
The canteen fell silent.
The middle-aged guard had already picked up the bench and sat back down, but he was restless and kept stealing glances at Qin Mu.
The two maids also raised their heads, curiously looking in this direction, then quickly lowered their heads again, whispering amongst themselves.
The woman in the veil sat motionless, like a statue.
Before long, the courier came up with a tray.
A plate of braised beef, a plate of scrambled eggs, a plate of pickled vegetables, a basket of steamed buns, and a bowl of steaming hot multigrain porridge.
Qin Mu picked up a steamed bun, broke it in half, and handed one half to Han Xin'er.
Han Xin'er took it and ate it slowly, taking small bites.
Qin Mu picked up a piece of beef with his chopsticks, chewed it twice, and frowned slightly.
"The taste is just average."
Jiang Zhaoyue smiled, said nothing, picked up the bowl of porridge and took a sip.
Xu Fenghua ate silently, her expression calm, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the woman in the veil.
Yun Suxin lowered her head, picked up a piece of pickled vegetable with her chopsticks, and chewed it very slowly, as if she were counting grains of rice.
The only sounds in the canteen were the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the occasional chewing sounds.
The sound of spatulas stirring came from the kitchen, a courier was shouting something in the courtyard, and a horse snorted under the eaves.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the table and the plate of braised beef, making it gleam with oil.
Qin Mu ate very slowly, unhurriedly, as if he were savoring some delicacy.
He took a bite of the steamed bun, chewed it a few times, swallowed it, and then drank a mouthful of porridge.
His movements were casual, yet they carried an inherent composure.
Han Xin'er finished half a steamed bun and drank a few mouthfuls of porridge before putting down her bowl.
She has always had a small appetite.
Qin Mu glanced at her, said nothing, and pushed the bowl of porridge in front of him over.
"Have some more."
Han Xin'er shook her head, her voice very soft.
"I'm full."
Qin Mu did not insist, and took the bowl of porridge back and finished it in a few gulps.
These things tasted ordinary, but at this moment he wasn't eating the taste, but a feeling, a feeling of the martial arts world he envisioned.
Since the purpose of this trip is to experience the local customs and culture, we should naturally see it through to the end.
Just like now, an unknown post station, a caravan that happened to be traveling together, food that was so-so but enough to fill their stomachs—all of these things constituted the feeling of the martial arts world in his mind.
After finishing his meal, Qin Mu intended to continue his journey.
He put down his chopsticks, his gaze swept over the women, and landed on Han Xin'er's face, his expression slightly hardening.
Han Xin'er's face was even paler than in the morning, with faint dark circles under her eyes, and the heroic spirit between her brows was mostly washed away by fatigue.
She sat very upright, her back ramrod straight, but her hands were trembling slightly, and the porridge in the bowl rippled in circles.
Qin Mu looked at her but didn't say anything.
The girl had too little experience.
After all that commotion last night, the half-day horseback ride this morning, and the fright from the bandits, it's understandable that her body couldn't handle it, since she's not a martial artist.
Qin Mu shifted his gaze from her face to the sunlit courtyard outside the window.
The locust tree in the courtyard rustled in the wind, and a few withered leaves swirled and fell, landing on the row of crooked carriages.
He's not in a hurry.
Xu Longxiang's martial arts tournament took a long time to prepare, and it didn't start until seven days later.
They have plenty of time to get there now; there's no need to rush.
He picked up the teacup, finished the last sip of cold tea, put it down, and stood up.
"Go get a few rooms, let's rest here for a bit."
Yunluan nodded and turned to walk towards the counter of the post station.
The courier was squatting on the steps by the door, basking in the sun, his eyes half-closed and a blade of grass dangling from his mouth. When he saw Yunluan approaching, he quickly stood up, dusted off his backside, and beamed.
"Sir, would you like to stay at an inn?"
Yunluan looked at him, her voice cold. "One room. The best one."
The courier turned around, took a bunch of copper keys from the wall, rummaged through them, and took one out.
"The first room in the east wing, facing south, is the largest and brightest. The bedding has been newly changed, and the teapot and teacups are also new. Please take a look, sir..."
Yunluan took the key, turned around, and left.
After they left, the canteen was quiet for a moment.
The middle-aged guard let out a long sigh.
His back was soaked through, and his undershirt clung stickily to his skin, feeling icy cold.
Two maids peeked out from the corner, craning their necks and staring wide-eyed in the direction where the group had disappeared.
"Good heavens..." The maid in green spoke first, her voice extremely low, like a mosquito's buzz, but the surprise in her tone was impossible to hide.
"So many people, and only one room? How are they going to fit everyone?"
The maid in blue leaned closer, resting her chin on the shoulder of the maid in green, her eyes gleaming with gossip. "Are they going to sleep together?"
The maid in green opened her mouth wide, and a glint flashed in her eyes.
"It seems so. This young master is too much of a womanizer, one man and five women, isn't he afraid of not being able to handle it?"
The two maids exchanged a glance, then covered their mouths simultaneously, their shoulders trembling slightly, unsure whether they were laughing or shocked.
The woman in the veil sat upright at the table, her face obscured by the light veil of her hat, making her expression impossible to discern.
Her voice came from behind the light veil, soft and gentle, as melodious as a spring breeze rippling across a lake:
Do not discuss others, lest you cause trouble.
The smiles of the two maids froze simultaneously, and they quickly lowered their heads, concealing the gossipy expressions on their faces.
"Yes, Miss," the two replied in unison, their voices much more respectful than before.
The woman in the veil turned her head slightly, and a section of her fair chin could be vaguely seen under the light veil, its lines soft and delicate.
Her gaze fell on the empty courtyard gate, on the direction in which the group of people had disappeared, and paused for a moment.
"Everyone must be tired from the journey and the fierce fighting we just went through. Let's rest for the night before we leave."
The middle-aged guard clasped his hands and bowed. "Yes, Miss."
He turned and walked towards the courier. "Give me a few rooms."
The courier hurriedly came out from behind the counter, bowing and scraping. "Yes, yes, yes, the second, third, and fourth rooms in the east wing are all empty, and there are also a few rooms in the west wing. Sir, please take a look..."
The middle-aged guard frowned, glanced back at the woman in the veil, then turned back, his voice steady.
"The second room in the east wing is for Miss. We'll arrange the rest ourselves."
The courier nodded quickly, took the key from the wall, and handed it over with both hands.
"The second room in the east wing, facing south, is right next to the room of that young master. The bedding has also been newly changed and is very clean."
The middle-aged guard took the key without saying a word, turned and walked to the woman in the veil, bowing slightly. "Miss, the room is ready."
The woman in the veil stood up, her skirt slipping off the stool without making a sound.
She strode toward the door, and two maids quickly followed, one on her left and one on her right.
The middle-aged guard followed at the back, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his gaze sweeping over every corner of the courtyard.
The east wing's corridor was long, paved with blue bricks, and spotlessly clean. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the eaves, casting bright, dappled patterns on the ground.
The woman in the veil stopped in front of the second room, took the key from the middle-aged guard, opened the door, and went inside.
Two maids followed behind her, and the door slowly closed behind them.
The middle-aged guard stood at the door, his gaze falling on the tightly closed door next door. He stared at it for a few moments, then turned around to arrange rooms for the other people.
The room was small and simply furnished, with a bed, a table, two chairs, a clothes rack, and a washstand.
On the table sat a white porcelain teapot and several teacups, while sandalwood incense burned in the corner, its smoke curling gently, creating a serene atmosphere.
The woman in the veil walked to the table and slowly removed her veil.
The veil slipped off her face, revealing an unparalleled beauty.
His eyebrows, like distant mountains, were thin and curved, with the ends slightly upturned, carrying a hint of innate sharpness. His nose was high and straight, like a jade carving, with smooth and beautiful lines.
Her lips were full and pale, like peach blossoms washed with water, and slightly pursed.
At this moment, there was a hint of weariness in his eyes, as well as a faint, indescribable sorrow.
She placed the veil on the table, then took a jade hairpin from her hair, her black hair cascading down like a waterfall to her waist.
Her fingers were slender and fair. She gently placed the hairpin next to her veil, then took off the jade pendant and sachet from her waist and placed them one by one on the table.
Two maids, one to fetch water and the other to make the bed, were busy but quiet, without making any unnecessary noise.
She sat on the edge of the bed, gently rubbed her temples, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.
Just as she was about to get up to wash her face—
A sound came from next door.
The voice was very soft, and at first she thought she had misheard.
She turned her head, her gaze falling on the wall shared with the next room.
His brows furrowed slightly.
The sound then became clearer and clearer.
Her face flushed red instantly.