Chapter 60: Chapter Twenty-Four [Never Enter a Forest When You Encounter One] (Part I)

Murong Feiyan's heart was inevitably shaken again by his words.

Hu Xiaotian had long discovered that girls of any era have a special fondness for artistic flair; in his view, the highest artistic flair is to return to simplicity and authenticity, but truly achieving that state would be somewhat overly introverted; to attract girls' attention, one still needs to be somewhat frivolous and outward, or occasionally show off some flirtatious phrases—these utterly nutritionally empty words and poems can easily stir girls' heartstrings; artistic flair? Hu Xiaotian despised himself from the bottom of his heart once, a pretentious fool!

Hu Xiaotian is now not just a pretentious fool but a habitual pretentious offender; he mouths fresh-and-light phrases, often plagiarizing Tang and Song poetry, mixed with his wanton, unrestrained dandyish temperament; the result is a distinctive style, truly unconventional in this era, and Hu Xiaotian thinks he barely qualifies as outstanding.

Murong Feiyan, after all, differs from the talented Huo Xiaoru; her first impression of Hu Xiaotian was that of a spoiled young master from an official household, only later did she gradually come to understand his artistic flair on him; although she now has to admit that Hu Xiaotian indeed has some talent, she still believes it is merely some petty talent unfit for the table; looking at Hu Xiaotian's smug appearance, she couldn't help but mutter, shallow, he just likes to show off in front of people.

After staying in the jolting carriage for over an hour, Hu Xiaotian could no longer bear the stuffiness inside, and returned to his snow-flake grey horse; riding felt better than being in the carriage, but maintaining this posture for long might easily make one bow-legged? Hu Xiaotian glanced at Murong Feiyan, thinking her gait was still spirited and upright, her legs straight and slender; it seems this saying is just a rumor passed on.

Liang Da Zhuang, belly protruding, rode up from behind on his horse: "Young Master, it's almost noon; should we stop to rest and eat something?"

Hu Xiaotian was about to agree when Murong Feiyan said: "No way! Anyway we have dry rations, just eat a bit; we must reach Looking Capital Yi Zhan tonight!"

Liang Da Zhuang looked pleadingly at Hu Xiaotian; Hu Xiaotian glanced at Murong Feiyan, and through the gauze outside her bamboo hat could still see her very solemn expression, so he dismissed the idea of opposing her, waved his hand and said: "Do as Constable Captain Murong says!"

Thus they could only nibble dry rations while pressing on; fortunately the dry rations tasted decent, Hu Xiaotian held the reins in one hand and a meat-filled flatbread in the other, taking big bites, it was especially fragrant and sweet; although they'd been riding and sitting in carriages all along, half a day had already drained considerable stamina. He had Liang Da Zhuang send a meat pastry to Murong Feiyan, but she refused, taking out a dry, hard steamed bun from her pack, needing no side dish. After eating the bun, she took out a pear, showing she still knows a bit about nutrition, knowing to supplement some vitamins—no wonder she looks so fresh and lively. But fresh and lively aside, lacking a bit of feminine tenderness and charm, allure is crucial for a woman; once lacking allure, she inevitably becomes a career woman, a tomboy.

Although these servants had just set out and already seen the signs, the Young Master is a pleasure-seeker plus an optimist; if they followed him, they'd surely be eating well and drinking spicy, counting as a nice assignment. But with this Constable Captain Murong added, it's completely different—Murong Feiyan handles affairs strictly, meticulously, and imposes strict discipline on these servants; superficially the Young Master is the boss inside, but in action they all obey Murong Feiyan's commands; several servants have already groaned from the heart, this Young Master really—bringing a female constable along to take office, isn't that asking for trouble? Not daring to touch, not allowed to touch; I thought he was after girls, but after all this he's found a housekeeper instead!

The sky gradually darkened; Murong Feiyan narrowed her eyes, observing the setting sun's position; she had walked this road more than once, the distance to the upcoming Looking Capital Yi Zhan was about thirty li, it seemed they wouldn't reach the place before nightfall. Since his rebirth, Hu Xiaotian had never endured such travel hardship, yet this fellow was like a bird freed from its cage, regaining freedom, his mood good; when a person's mood improves, they naturally feel no fatigue. His riding skills had also become noticeably adept, and that snow-flake grey horse had accepted his commands.

Hu Xiaotian came up to Murong Feiyan: "Feiyan! How far is the Yi Zhan?"

Murong Feiyan glanced at him, somewhat surprised, wondering when this guy started addressing her directly by name, and so familiarly it almost makes one's hair stand on end—surely we aren't that close yet? But a title is a trivial matter, not worth arguing with him. In fact Murong Feiyan also realizes that even if she argued with him, her eloquence couldn't match his; she said softly: "About thirty li or so, at most an hour and we'll get there." Then she added, not forgetting to complain: "If it weren't for you delaying en route, we would already have reached the Yi Zhan."

Hu Xiaotian coughed once, glanced around; those servants pretended not to have heard, deliberately slowing down. Actually they heard everything clearly, and grumbled inwardly—truly it's like brine solidifying tofu, one thing subdues another; Murong Feiyan seems to be the Young Master's bane, he treats her with utmost care everywhere, so polite.

Hu Xiaotian whispered: "Give me some face!"

Murong Feiyan glared at him and said: "Regretting it? After all your schemes to drag me along, do you now feel regret too late?" Her words clearly showed smugness; she just wanted this brat to taste what it means to invite a deity easily but send him away hard.

Flap-flap-flap! A flock of birds atop the treetops seemed startled, flapping their wings in unison and flying into the dark night sky; Murong Feiyan raised her right hand, made a gesture, signaling everyone to stop.

Hu Xiaotian looked around; they were in the middle of a dense forest, although the saying in the jianghu goes "never enter a forest when you encounter one," this official road runs right through the dense forest, being the nearest route to the Looking Capital Yi Zhan.

Murong Feiyan furrowed her brows, lightly patted the black mane of her mount, lips moving slightly as if whispering to it, then she leapt into the air, her right foot lightly tapping the nearby tree trunk, borrowing momentum to rise another two zhang or more, her delicate body executing a graceful turn, she landed steadily on an ancient pine, her body swaying with the branches.

Hu Xiaotian tilted his head back, looking with an intoxicated expression at Murong Feiyan's posture, light and graceful like a gymnast's; he couldn't help but admit, watching her fly and jump in the air truly is an aesthetic pleasure; this fellow suddenly thought of a question: in the past, aside from martial arts films, one could see such lightness skill level, but in reality he'd never seen anyone—could it be that the physiological structure of people here is completely different from that of the previous world? On the surface there seems no difference, but to figure this out, perhaps one day he'd have to perform a human dissection, thoroughly comparing the physiological similarities and differences.

At that very moment, more than twenty black-clad men surged from the right-side woods toward their position, swords and blades raised high, their cries of slaughter tearing the night air.

Murong Feiyan's face changed; this place isn't far from the capital, the official roads around here have always been peaceful, never heard of bandits waylaying and robbing travelers.

Murong Feiyan made a swift decision: "Retreat from the woods!"

Hu Xiaotian turned his horse's head; his riding skills were lacking after all, and since he was originally at the front of the group, turning around put him at the rear; by the time he swung the horse's head around, he found four servants already far ahead, having left this key protection target of his behind. Hu Xiaotian felt furious inside—I said, we haven't even started anything yet, and they're running off, one faster than the next, any work ethic? You're servants, you're assigned to escort me!

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