Chapter 55: Zhou An

At dusk the following day, Duan Rong carried a gift box wrapped in red silk; on the silk surface, dense, meticulous stitches embroidered the words "Yuanshun Escort Agency," and a ribbon was tied at the gathered opening of the silk.

Such a precious gift box is generally not given away lightly.

Duan Rong himself was also wearing a brand-new escort uniform; as the saying goes, a person relies on clothes just as a horse relies on a saddle, and once he put it on, Duan Rong's entire demeanor immediately became much more spirited.

Logically speaking, he was only an Apprentice Escort and had no qualifications to wear an escort uniform, but this set of clothes was something Zhou An had personally gone to the storeroom to collect for him this morning.

Going to the County Government Office for a banquet, one certainly couldn't wear short-sleeved work clothes.

Zhou An led Duan Rong out of a secluded side gate in the Inner Courtyard and entered an alley.

At the mouth of the alley, a small green-cloth sedan chair was actually parked, as if it had been waiting there for a long time.

Duan Rong carried the gift box and ducked into the sedan chair; Zhou An signaled the sedan bearers to lift it, then carried a lantern and led the way toward the County Government Office.

Whether it was the gift, the escort uniform, or this small sedan chair, everything had been arranged by Zhou An.

After all, Duan Rong was an escort of the Yuanshun Escort Agency; if he lost face while attending a banquet at the County Government Office, it would be the Yuanshun Escort Agency's reputation that suffered, so how could Zhou An dare not be attentive?

Although Zhou An had arranged everything flawlessly, he felt very bitter inside!

He was Ruan Fengshan's personal attendant, and usually, even when Luan Jingfu saw him, he had to give him a modicum of respect.

He also frequently moved among the major powers of Xiangu County, and in his daily interactions, everyone treated him with a degree of deference.

But to be invited to a banquet by the County Magistrate—such prestige was something he didn't even dare to imagine.

Unexpectedly, Duan Rong, a mere Apprentice Escort, actually had such a grand reception, while he could only walk in front of the sedan, carrying a lantern to lead the way.

This made him feel very bitter inside!

Zhou An not only came from a lowly background but also suffered from a physical deficiency that prevented him from practicing martial arts; fortunately, he was quick-witted and meticulous, earning the appreciation of Ruan Fengshan, and only in these last few years had he finally lived like a proper person.

However, the more someone like him was, the more he would haggle over every ounce regarding such matters of prestige, caring deeply about them to the point of being almost psychologically twisted!

Sitting in the sedan, Duan Rong only felt the small chair swaying gently and rhythmically with the steady footsteps of the bearers.

He had stayed up until the second half of the night before finally falling into a groggy sleep, so there were still faint dark circles under his eyes.

This couldn't be blamed on him; anyone who encountered such a thing would suffer from insomnia!

However, after a day of mental preparation, Duan Rong had already made up his mind.

So what if it was the County Magistrate's daughter? He hadn't taken advantage of her on purpose!

Wasn't that to save a life?

Even if he argued until the end of time, he was not in the wrong!

If he showed weakness, it would only make it easier for others to use it against him!

Therefore, he would grit his teeth and deny it to the death; he was only saving a life!

It was just saving a life, it was originally just saving a life!

As Duan Rong thought about it, he actually became somewhat righteous, feeling that the County Magistrate should indeed treat him to a meal!

To show some gratitude!

He noticed this thought of his and couldn't help but smile unconsciously.

That's it! This is the spirit he needed!

The County Government Office and the Yuanshun Escort Agency were both on West Street, a distance of no more than two li; with the steady pace of four experienced sedan bearers, it took less than half a stick of incense to arrive at the destination.

Duan Rong got out of the sedan, and Zhou An, carrying the lantern, led him to the entrance of the County Government Office.

He saw two stone lions, each taller than a man, standing majestically; under the eaves, a large plaque, illuminated brightly by the lantern, bore the four large characters for "Xiangu County Office."

Two yamen runners stood at the entrance, and Zhou An led Duan Rong directly over.

Zhou An had frequent dealings with this County Government Office and was already a familiar face both inside and out.

Zhou An smiled, slipped two banknotes into the sleeve of one of the runners, and whispered a few words; without needing to announce them, he led Duan Rong into the main gate of the County Government Office.

Just after passing the main gate, before they had walked many steps, they suddenly saw Clerk Qin holding a document, walking toward the main hall.

Zhou An immediately called out and bowed.

Clerk Qin returned the bow, tucked the document into his wide sleeve, and said, "The Magistrate and his wife have already prepared a banquet in the flower hall of the rear office! I will lead Escort Duan over."

Hearing this, Duan Rong bowed gratefully and gave an honest, simple smile.

Clerk Qin led Duan Rong along a small path beside the main hall, bypassing the rear office.

Seeing the two leave, Zhou An carried the lantern out of the County Government Office and walked to the small green-cloth sedan chair.

The four sedan bearers had stopped the chair and were chatting together; seeing Zhou An walk over, one of the older bearers stepped forward a few paces and asked, "Master An, are we waiting for Escort Duan, or are we heading back now?"

Zhou An glared at the bearer, seemingly blaming him for talking too much, and snapped, "Wait for what? He's not exactly an important person!"

As he spoke, Zhou An flicked his sleeve, slipped into the sedan, and snapped, "Go! Take me back!"

The older bearer's expression changed slightly; he gestured backward, and the men lifted the sedan.

This bearer had dealt with Zhou An for years and knew well that this man was temperamental; he didn't know what had offended this plague god today, causing him to vent his anger on him.

But as low-level sedan bearers, they earned their living by swallowing such insults, so they had to endure it!

Clerk Qin led Duan Rong around the screen wall behind the main hall and arrived in the courtyard of the rear office.

Under the eaves throughout the courtyard hung lanterns inscribed with the words "Xiangu County Office"; the courtyard was far from luxurious, but it was quite elegant and archaic.

It was a mansion hundreds of years old, and after several renovations and the erosion of time, it appeared all the more serene and profound.

Duan Rong's eyes flickered; he had long heard that the current County Magistrate was frugal, and it seemed the rumors were true!

As the magistrate of a county, it wouldn't have been difficult to set up another residence within the city, but Shen Yanliu had lived in the rear office for several years.

Duan Rong knew that the rules in the government office were strict, so he followed Clerk Qin step by step, neither wandering nor looking around.

Clerk Qin led Duan Rong toward a quiet room with carved doors and windows!

Clerk Qin stepped into the room, stood before the threshold, and said in a clear voice, "Master, Madam, Escort Duan has arrived!"

Standing behind Clerk Qin, Duan Rong saw that inside the room, bright candles were hung high, making it as bright as day; beside a tea table in the hall, a middle-aged couple seemed to be drinking tea and chatting.

"Escort Duan is here! Please, come in quickly, let me have a look!" a sweet, crisp female voice suddenly rang out.

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong immediately quickened his pace and entered the hall.

Seeing Duan Rong enter, Clerk Qin silently withdrew and headed to the front office to attend to his duties.

Once inside the hall, Duan Rong, carrying his gift, bowed deeply from the waist and said in a clear voice, "Greetings to the Magistrate. May the Magistrate be blessed with both fortune and rank, may you have long life and great happiness, and may you guard our Xiangu and ensure the peace of this region!"

"Greetings to the Madam. May the Madam remain forever young, and may every year and every age bring you everything you desire!"

Both of them were amused by Duan Rong's words; the woman nudged the person beside her and said, "Listen! He is wishing for me to remain forever young?"

As she spoke, the woman turned her head, looked at Duan Rong with a smile, and said, "This child, are you an Escort? Or an actor? How are your words so practiced and eloquent!"

Duan Rong straightened his back and replied with a smile, "Seeing the Magistrate and the Madam brings joy to my heart, and these words are just like bubbles in boiling water—they keep rising, and I cannot stop them even if I try!"

Seeing that Duan Rong spoke in such an interesting way and had such a charming, naive smile, the woman laughed again and said, "This is truly a clever child!"

"Since the guest has arrived, let us take our seats! We can chat at the table." Shen Yanliu stood up, gestured with his hand, and said, "Escort Duan, please take your seat!"

Duan Rong bowed once more and said, "After you, Magistrate!"

Only then did a Personal Attendant come forward to take the gift box from Duan Rong's hands.

(End of this chapter)