Chapter 128: Letter Escort

Around the hour of Shen, the Escort Team began to quicken their pace, and it was only at dusk that they finally arrived at a small town to rest for the night...

This town, named Chang'an Town, was a small place; there were only two streets crossing in a cross shape, and one could finish touring it in the time it took to sneeze twice.

There was only one inn in town, named Penglai; the Second Escort Team often traveled this Escort Route and would always stop here on the first day of an escort mission.

Upon reaching the crossroads, Xiao Yu and Duan Rong suddenly spurred their horses forward together!

Xiao Yu said to Sun Huang, "Escort Head, I am taking Duan Rong to the town's martial arts school to deliver a Letter Escort."

"Go ahead! Do not dawdle. Once you have finished, come to the inn to meet up with us," Sun Huang instructed in a modest tone.

"Understood!" Xiao Yu cupped her hands in a salute, responded respectfully, and then took Duan Rong toward the martial arts school at the south end of town.

The two arrived at the entrance of the martial arts school, handed the letter to the gatekeeper, and after Xiao Yu collected the payment for the receipt, she took Duan Rong back.

"A Letter Escort requires collecting payment from both ends," Xiao Yu explained to Duan Rong. "You must never forget this!"

Duan Rong nodded.

"The general rule for an Escort Team is that after an Intern Escort joins, they must be solely responsible for three Letter Escorts; this is to let you familiarize yourself with the territory. For example, in this Chang'an Town, the place is not large, and there is only one martial arts school and one Weapon Shop that frequently exchange letters! The situation in prefectures and counties is more complex; you must pay more attention along the way."

"For this first escort mission, someone will take you, but from the second one on, you will be delivering them yourself." Xiao Yu gave earnest instructions; since they were not in the Escort Team at this moment, she wished she could tell Duan Rong everything she knew.

Duan Rong naturally understood Xiao Yu's attitude and the warmth in her eyes, and he could not help but feel a faint surge of gratitude in his heart.

When Xiao Yu and Duan Rong arrived at the inn, the group of Escorts and Escort Runners were already seated in the main hall.

The Escort Carts had all been unhitched and parked in the Back Courtyard, and the horses had been put into the stables and fed fodder; the two also led their own horses to the Back Courtyard and handed them over to an old man in charge of the horses.

Afterward, Xiao Yu and Duan Rong came to the main hall to take their seats, and Xiao Yu pointed to a table and said to Duan Rong, "Go sit at that table."

Within the Escort Team, there were also ranks and rules; Duan Rong was merely an Intern Escort and was not qualified to sit at the table with Escort Head Sun Huang.

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong walked over and sat down, while Xiao Yu sat at another table; Sun Huang and Liu Ao were both seated at this table.

Before long, the food and dishes were all served, and there were several hearty dishes among them...

Two Escort Runners stood up and used Silver Needles to test the dishes and soup; seeing that there was no problem with the food, Sun Huang picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of meat into his mouth...

As soon as Sun Huang moved his chopsticks, both tables instantly became boisterous, and they began to wolf down their food...

Duan Rong had always felt that he had some talent when it came to wolfing down food, as he had never missed out on any advantages while with Yang Zhen, but now he had to sigh at his own inferiority...

They were professionals, after all!

Although the meal was quite sumptuous, there was no wine!

Drinking alcohol is forbidden while on an escort mission; this is one of the ironclad rules of the Yuanshun Escort Agency!

The jar of wine that someone had given them back at the Black Tiger Stronghold could only be left on the Escort Cart; they would have to wait until the goods were delivered and they were on the return trip to drink it to their heart's content.

After they were full of food and drink, Escort Head Sun Huang said, "Everyone, after eating, get some rest early. We must set out and hit the road at the hour of Mao tomorrow morning! The rooms have already been booked: four rooms at the east end of the second floor, and two rooms near the door on the first floor. Two people to a room; pair yourselves up!"

As soon as Sun Huang finished speaking, Li Yuliang, who was sitting beside Duan Rong, suddenly stood up, pointed at Xiao Yu next to Sun Huang, and shouted, "I want to share a room with him! I have a mysophobia, and among you people, I see that he is the only one who is still clean!"

Li Yuliang was not intentionally teasing Xiao Yu; after all, with Xiao Yu's appearance and that dash of spirited energy, who could tell she was a woman?

However, a girl is a girl after all, and that fastidious nature was ingrained in her bones; although they had been covered in dust along the way, as soon as Xiao Yu entered the inn, she brushed the dust off her body and washed her face by the well.

But the moment Li Yuliang's words left his mouth, everyone was stunned. Xiao Yu's face was clearly filled with indignation; had there not been a complete lack of teasing or mockery in Li Yuliang's expression, she likely would have erupted right then and there!

Just at this moment, Duan Rong suddenly grabbed Li Yuliang by the lapels and said, "I just joined the Escort Team and am looking for a companion; I think we should share a room."

"What are you doing? Let go of me! Look at the dust on your neck; who would want to share a room with you!" Li Yuliang struggled and shouted.

But he had never practiced martial arts, so how could he break free from Duan Rong's grip?

"If you shout again, I'll stuff this dirty, oily rag into your mouth!" Duan Rong glared at Li Yuliang and reached out to grab a dirty rag from the adjacent table.

That rag had not been washed in who knows how long; it was tattered and covered in oil stains!

When Li Yuliang saw the rag in Duan Rong's hand, his face instantly turned green.

Seeing that he had quieted down, Duan Rong turned to look at Sun Huang and smiled, "Escort Head, I'm taking the guest to the room to rest."

"Go ahead. Take good care of the customer!" Sun Huang smiled.

Duan Rong grabbed Li Yuliang by the lapels, took him up to the second floor of the inn, and pushed him into a room.

In the main hall, Sun Huang turned his head to look at Xiao Yu and smiled, "This apprentice is capable! It wasn't a waste to teach him!"

Xiao Yu smiled slightly and glanced at the second floor, at the room Duan Rong had entered. Duan Rong was quick-witted and slick; he had helped her resolve the awkwardness.

At this time, Liu Ao walked over, looked at Xiao Yu, and said, "Girl Yu, the same old rules: I'll take the first half of the night, and you take the second half!"

"Alright!" Xiao Yu replied, casting a complex look at Liu Ao.

In the Escort Team, besides Escort Head Sun Huang, Xiao Yu and Liu Ao had the best martial arts, so they took turns guarding the Goods Escort parked in the Back Courtyard!

Although Liu Ao was supposed to take the first half of the night, he often let Xiao Yu take an hour; although Xiao Yu had instructed Liu Ao several times not to do so, Liu Ao always insisted on it.

Inside the room on the second floor of the inn, Duan Rong closed the door, pushed Li Yuliang to the floor, and then walked straight to the bed, lying down spread-eagled and occupying the entire large bed by himself...

Li Yuliang climbed up from the floor, looked at Duan Rong, and said angrily, "Get up! With you like this, how am I supposed to sleep?"

Duan Rong grabbed a folded quilt from the head of the bed, threw it at Li Yuliang, and said, "You sleep on the floor!"

Li Yuliang grabbed a corner of the quilt and said indignantly, "Why don't you sleep on the floor? I am a customer, do you understand? What is wrong with your Yuanshun Escort Agency?"

Duan Rong lay there with his hands behind his head and said, "We are only responsible for your safety, not for making sure you are comfortable throughout the journey. Understand?"

"You..." Li Yuliang was momentarily choked with anger and said, "I'm going to find your Escort Head; I'm going to report you!"

As Li Yuliang spoke, he threw the quilt in his hand at Duan Rong and turned to leave.

Just then, Li Yuliang saw a flash of a figure before his eyes, and Duan Rong suddenly hoisted Li Yuliang onto his shoulder by the waist!

Before Li Yuliang could react, he felt the scenery before his eyes blur, and the next moment he found himself on the rafters!

Duan Rong's movements were so fast that Li Yuliang had no idea what had happened before he suddenly realized he had been carried up to the rafters by Duan Rong!

"What are you doing?"

Duan Rong set Li Yuliang down from his shoulder. Li Yuliang stood on the rounded rafter, looked down, and was so frightened that his legs went weak; he nearly stumbled and fell. Terrified, Li Yuliang hugged the pillar beside him and trembled, "Quick! Quick, let me down! You little thief... quick, let me down!"

Duan Rong looked at Li Yuliang's comical appearance and asked, "Are you going to sleep on the floor?"

Li Yuliang was already so scared he was about to cry and said, "I will! I'll sleep there!"

"Are you still going to report me behind my back?"

"I won't report you anymore!"

Seeing that Li Yuliang had softened, Duan Rong flashed his figure, grabbed Li Yuliang by the collar, and leaped down.

Li Yuliang only felt a blur before his eyes, and the next moment he suddenly realized his feet were already on the floor; his legs immediately went weak, he collapsed to the ground, and he glared at Duan Rong with a deathly pale face.

Although Li Yuliang was resentful in his heart, he had also been scared by Duan Rong, so he had no choice but to pick up the quilt on the bed and obediently go to sleep on the floor by the wall.

(End of chapter)