Chapter 63

Yi Zhan are facilities that provide personnel for transmitting official documents and military intelligence, or places where officials on the road can eat, lodge, and change horses. Wangjing Yi Zhan is the first Yi Zhan west of Kangdu and also the nearest to Kangdu; its architectural scale and facilities are top‑notch among Dakang's Yi Zhan.

No matter the conditions of the Yi Zhan, lodging rooms are strictly divided by rank. Hu Xiaotian, a low‑rank ninth‑grade petty official, could only receive the same treatment as ordinary mail couriers. After showing his documents and seal, the Yi Zhan provided them two rooms: a single room and a large room. The single room could sleep two people, but the room was pitifully small—aside from the two bunks there was no space to stretch one's legs. In the large room, along the wall there was a continuous bunk that could sleep six people.

Hu Xiaotian originally thought the single room was for him, but Murong Feiyan is a woman; even if he were willing to share a room, she would not agree. After asking the Yi Zhan chief, he learned the single room was for Murong Feiyan, and he was assigned to the communal bunk. He couldn't help feeling depressed—sleeping together with these four servants, has there been a mistake? After all, I am at least a ninth‑grade official.

However, Hu Xiaotian did not get angry, after all the Yi Zhan chief's rank was higher than his; when away from home it's best to avoid trouble. He put on a smile and said, "We have a lady among us; could we get an extra room? Otherwise it's really inconvenient."

The Yi Zhan chief's attitude was terrible; he clearly didn't take this ninth‑grade petty official before him seriously, and said coldly, "Not letting you six sleep in the communal bunk is already looking after you—who do you think you are? A ninth‑grade official actually demanding a private room?"

Hu Xiaotian silently cursed, "Dog‑eyed bastard looking down on people; I'll remember you—someday if you fall into my hands I won't let you off." Murong Feiyan said, "Forget it, let's stay like this! I'm going back to my room!" She took down her luggage, handed her horse to Hu Fo to look after, turned and went to her own room.

Hu Xiaotian suppressed his anger and said to the Yi Zhan chief, "Sir, what if we add some silver and get another room?"

"Full? No, you can stay or not!" the Yi Zhan chief said and turned and left.

Hu Xiaotian's anger, however, wasn't worth turning against them over this matter; that's how government offices are—looking down on people, an attitude that exists in any era. Don't look down on these petty officials; the lower the rank, the more snobbish and realistic they are.

Once one grows accustomed to fine clothes and good food, a sudden change of environment makes one unaccustomed. Lying on the hard communal bunk, Hu Xiaotian tossed and turned; the large bunk meant for six people sleeping five was already fairly spacious, and several servants deliberately left space for him so he could sleep as comfortably as possible. But once asleep, a person's movements are no longer under conscious control.

Ninth-rank official (senior grade)

Hu Xiaotian, feeling depressed, covered his ears with both hands, finally blocking some of the snoring, but then someone started grinding their teeth, and on top of that several guys' feet were terribly smelly; Hu Xiaotian could bear it no longer, he sprang up, about to get out of bed, when Liang Da Zhuang's big fat leg slapped down onto him. He muttered, "**You damned old man, **... uh..."

Wangjing Station

Three Rivers

He named him directly, Hu Xiaotian looked at him with a helpless expression; he must be asleep, how much this guy must hate himself inside! Even in his dreams he doesn't forget to curse himself. According to his past way of handling things, Hu Xiaotian should have grabbed this guy's ear and rained old punches on his face until his face was bloody and swollen, until he was sprawled on the ground looking for his teeth. But Hu Xiaotian didn't do that; he wasn't that narrow-minded—after all, I am still an official appointed by the court, there's no need to quarrel with a servant like him. He gently moved this guy's big fat leg aside, then tiptoed off the bed, pulled open the door, and walked into the courtyard.

The bright moon hung high, the moonlight thick; a frost‑like pure radiance enveloped the Yi Zhan. Hu Xiaotian draped his outer robe, standing in the soft moonlight, feeling his mind much more tranquil. No one's life can be completely smooth sailing; this principle is simple and plain. People who wish to live simply and plainly in this world also find it not so easy. He glanced at the neighboring room—the light was still on; Murong Feiyan probably hadn't slept yet, but I don't know what this girl is doing at the moment. Hu Xiaotian couldn't help but think of peeking into her boudoir, but disturbing her now would hardly be proper. So he sat down on the blue‑stone steps; the late‑spring night was still a bit chilly, he pulled his robe tighter. At that moment he heard the door open behind him; the hinge creaked, and orange‑yellow light from inside streamed out through the crack, blending with the pure white moonlight.

Murong Feiyan walked out slowly in a deep‑blue long robe, having just washed her hair; her long black tresses hung over her shoulders, her skin white as jade and taking on a semi‑translucent quality in the moonlight, her arched brows heroic and striking, her clear limpid eyes deep yet bright. Standing on the stone steps looking down on Hu Xiaotian, although her gaze held no contempt, he still felt the illusion of being looked down upon. People look down on you because of your position; you sit on the ground, so you can only look up at others.

Fortunately, Murong Feiyan had no intention of maintaining this pose for long; she lifted her robe a little and sat down beside Hu Xiaotian. Murong Feiyan is the sort of open‑minded, generous girl who rarely concerns herself with the so‑called ladylike image, being simple and natural yet vigorous and healthy—she also lacks the self‑consciousness many women have: she can walk about in men's clothing with swagger, she can contend like a man, and she never minds her sitting posture—when seated in a master's chair she habitually spreads her legs wide. Now, sitting on the stone steps, she does not curl up like most girls hugging her knees to feign a fragile charm; instead, her beautiful legs stretch straight out, cross, and she props her hands behind her on the steps, lifts her head to gaze at the star‑sprinkled night sky and asks, 'Why aren't you asleep?'

Hu Xiaotian gave an answer completely unsuitable for this guy's temperament: 'Enjoying the moon!'

Although Murong Feiyan knew he had some learning, she absolutely did not believe he would have the refined interest of moon‑gazing; a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth: 'Can't sleep?'

'How do you know?'

Hu Xiaotian glanced at her, then wore an expression of sudden realization: 'Oh, I get it—you were spying on me!'

'Who was spying on you? Look at your virtue!'

Hu Xiaotian said: 'If I weren't spying on you, how would I know you can't sleep?'

Murong Feiyan said: 'My room is next door to yours; over there your snoring shakes the heavens, like mountains overturning seas—I hear it crystal clear.'

Hu Xiaotian said: 'Oh! So it was eavesdropping; if I happen to relieve myself at night, wouldn't you hear…'

Murong Feiyan's pretty face instantly turned icy cold; although their relationship had improved, they were not yet at the point where they could joke like this without restraint. Her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes sharp, and she said coldly: 'Do you believe I'll cut off your tongue?'

Hu Xiaotian grinned mischievously: 'Just joking—what's wrong with you? You have no sense of humor at all.'

'What?' Murong Feiyan truly does not understand what humor is; this word is originally a foreign import.

Hu Xiaotian sighed: 'In other words, you can't take a joke and lack charm.'

Murong Feiyan said: 'Treating vulgarity as fun—you are truly base!'

'How are you speaking? After all, I am your superior, aren't I? For the time ahead, our relationship is one of cooperation, and also that of leader and subordinate—you don't deny that, do you?'

Murong Feiyan blinked her eyes, not knowing what mischief he was plotting again, but what Hu Xiaotian said was indeed true; she nodded and said: 'So what then?'

Hu Xiaotian laughed: 'In private we can do whatever we like, but in public you ought to give me, your superior, at least a little respect.'

Murong Feiyan gave a hollow hehe laugh, and Hu Xiaotian joined in with his own hehehe; both laughs were quite insincere.

Murong Feiyan suddenly wiped the smile from her face: 'Do you think you have any quality that would earn my respect?'

Hu Xiaotian nodded without hesitation: 'Yes, you just haven't noticed!' This guy, saying that, inevitably became a bit more evil.

*********************************************************Among the Three Jiang, give me a Three Jiang Ticket!

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