Chapter 508

March 22, the day for registering for the preliminary examination of the Daoist License in Guangxin Prefecture's Daoji Office.

When Pan Yun and the others entered the city, they happened to see a Daoist Priest holding a sheet of paper, slapping it loudly against the city gate, then striding in with sleeves swinging and chest puffed out.

As fellow Daoist Priests, Pan Yun and the others paid closer attention to Daoist Priests.

Seeing this, they abandoned the carriage and jumped down to run over and watch the commotion.

They were stunned: "Registration for the preliminary examination is on March 22 and 23; the exam itself is on the 25th. Latecomers will not be accepted."

Pan Yun shouted at Zhang Ziming: "Today is the 22nd—why is this notice posted only today? What if people received the news too late and miss registration?"

Zhang Ziming replied calmly: "Those with destiny will take the exam; those without, will not."

Li Wenying said: "If one cannot even ascertain the exam date, they have no destiny to begin with—such a person is better off not cultivating."

Pan Yun: …

She turned to look at Wang Cong.

Wang Cong immediately said: "When I descended the mountain to take the exam, I timed it precisely—I didn't use connections or receive advance notice."

Pan Yun pondered, and the more she thought, the more pleased she became: "Looks like we're the chosen Daoist Priests—how else could it be so coincidental? We just returned from Yunnan and landed right on registration day—not a day more, not a day less!"

Miao Zhen and Miao He strongly agreed.

Tao Yanbai asked: "Should we go register now?"

"Of course," Pan Yun waved her hand. "Go now."

Relying on the power of the Brocade Guard, they bypassed the queue and entered through a side gate.

As soon as they entered the city, Pan Yun intended to part ways with the Brocade Guard, but they refused outright. An Chen regarded her silently: "We are on imperial assignment—we may stay at the posthouse, with meals and lodging provided."

Pan Yun looked at Zhang Ziming and Li Wenying.

Zhang Ziming murmured: "We're here to protect you—surely you don't expect us to pay for our own meals and lodging?"

An Chen added: "These horses and carriages are ours."

Pan Yun turned and glared at Wang Cong.

On their journey to Yunnan, as the road grew increasingly difficult, Wang Cong sold their horses and carriages during relay station changes and hitched rides entirely on the Brocade Guard's transport.

As a result, everything they brought out of Yunnan is now loaded onto the Brocade Guard's carriages.

Pan Yun obediently followed An Chen and the others to the posthouse. "Have you even reported to the Emperor yet? How long are you planning to stick with us?"

An Chen said nothing, merely lowered his luggage and said to Wang Cong: "Once we reach Jiangnan, we'll add two more carriages—everyone will ride more comfortably."

Wang Cong readily agreed and bowed to An Chen in thanks.

He watched An Chen ascend the stairs with a smile.

Pan Yun, standing nearby, gritted her teeth: "No spine!"

Wang Cong continued smiling as An Chen's figure vanished, then stepped beside Pan Yun and whispered: "Little Master, they're paying us too much…"

Pan Yun glared at him: "Do we lack this much beast-power?"

Wang Cong began counting on his fingers: "From Yunnan to Jiangnan, hiring carriages would require two drivers—one won't run alone. One carriage to Guangxin costs eight taels, plus meals and lodging. Total cost? It's cheaper to just buy a carriage and horses—but Yunnan horses are expensive, and they're strategic goods; buying them requires bribes…"

"Enough, enough," Pan Yun cut him off, slumping her shoulders with a sigh. "Go unload the goods."

Wang Cong turned and left immediately.

"Wait," Pan Yun called after him. "You haven't sold anything along the way—where exactly are you planning to offload these goods?"

Wang Cong grinned: "I've done my homework. We won't sell in Guangxin. We'll go to Nanzhili—whether it's herbs, flowers, or silver ornaments from Yunnan, prices are highest in Nanjing."

Pan Yun waved her hand wearily: "Go, go."

Tao Yanbai silently went to help unload.

Mostly, he was unloading extremely valuable goods. Even with the Brocade Guard present, the posthouse was crowded and chaotic—precious items had to be moved indoors.

Zhang Ziming and Li Wenying had already dispersed to rest; Zhang Weiyi and Xue Hua stood nearby, swords in hand, watching the scene.

Pan Yun looked up at them: "Come with us to register at the Daoji Office?"

Zhang Weiyi: "We've already passed the preliminary exam."

Pan Yun: "You're idle anyway—might as well take a walk. Or do you have other plans?"

Zhang Weiyi remained silent.

Xue Hua: "If you want us to share our experience, just say so."

Pan Yun snapped: "My senior disciple has experience—he's even higher than you, already holds his license. If I need advice, why wouldn't I ask him?"

Xue Hua realized this was true. "Then why invite us?"

"It's camaraderie—I'm worried you'll be bored."

Zhang Weiyi said: "Because school's about to resume, right? You'll have to return to the Academy. Xue Hua and I do have connections there."

Pan Yun shook her head, looking disappointed: "You're so cynical—you think I'm that mercenary? Am I really that kind of person?"

She looked utterly sincere—so sincere that Zhang Weiyi and Xue Hua felt uneasy, beginning to doubt whether they'd misunderstood her, hesitating whether to apologize—when she asked: "So, can you, on account of our shared hardships, introduce me to your friends and siblings in the Academy?"

Zhang Weiyi and Xue Hua's faces darkened instantly. They turned and walked away.

They thought they were fools for ever considering staying to advise them on the exam.

As soon as Zhang Weiyi and Xue Hua left, Pan Yun dropped her smile and strolled over to Wang Cong, who was unloading.

"Leave this to us—go find someone."

Wang Cong glanced upstairs, then leaned close to Pan Yun and whispered: "They won't follow me, will they?"

Pan Yun glanced at him: "I'm right here—no one can follow you." Wang Cong relaxed, clapped his hands, and left.

Pan Yun yanked open the tarp on the carriage. Tao Yanbai, familiar with the routine, reached for two boxes. "Little Master, just move these two."

As she laboriously helped him carry the boxes, Pan Yun muttered: "Just stick a few talismans on them—I don't believe anyone could steal them. Why bother moving them indoors?"

Pan Yun and Tao Yanbai carried the boxes upstairs; Miao Zhen and Miao He followed behind, re-covering and tying the tarp.

Though Wang Cong took up two entire carriages for the goods, they're all just samples.

The real cargo was what he had stored in his spatial storage.

Preparing samples was only to throw people off the scent, so that every item he produced had a traceable origin. As for the quantity — who cared? He'd deal with it when someone came asking.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He tied the oilcloth secure, slapped two yellow talismans onto inconspicuous spots with a pair of cracks, then shook out their hands and followed Pan Yun.

After leaving Yunnan, the Embroidered Uniform Guard stopped dogging Pan Yun's every step.

Just as Pan Yun had said, their most important task was already done.

Protection?

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It basically didn't exist — there weren't even two people in the party who could beat Pan Yun in a fight.

Over the whole journey, An Chen had even started to wonder whether Zhang Ziming and Li Wenying could actually take Pan Yun.

So who was protecting whom?

So the Embroidered Uniform Guard were now very lenient about Pan Yun's movements. As long as she didn't run, they all turned a blind eye.

She couldn't run even if she wanted to — her father and brother were in Jingcheng, her sect was at Mount Sanqing, where could she run to?

And precisely because they were so lenient, it wasn't until evening that An Chen noticed Wang Cong was missing.

He frowned: "Where's the other one?"

Pan Yun sat down across from him and said casually: "He went to find a merchant."

An Chen raised an eyebrow: "Didn't we say we were taking it to Nanjing to sell?"

Pan Yun curled her lips at him: "Yes, so he went to find a Nanjing merchant. We can't really expect Captain An to spend the imperial court's money on a carriage for him, can we?"

An Chen said nothing. He'd caught Pan Yun's meaning — Wang Cong was probably going to part ways with them.

He had a vague feeling something was off, but couldn't pin down what.

Over the whole journey, Wang Cong had shown enormous interest in buying and selling goods.

When they were rushing toward Yunnan, time was so tight — they only stopped for the night — yet he could still squeeze in a trip into town to buy cloth and porcelain, to take to Yunnan and sell.

If it weren't that he hadn't brought much — just three boxes — An Chen would have kicked him out of the party.

He'd brought back two cartloads of goods from Yunnan, so leaving to sell them at a good price seemed perfectly reasonable.

Wang Cong didn't return until the sky was completely dark.

Reeking of alcohol.

The moment he got back, he ducked into Pan Yun's room and started whispering with her.

Pan Yun said in a low voice: "Since you've found the people, we leave tomorrow. Take Hu Jing with us."

Wang Cong said helplessly: "I can't keep an eye on Hero Hu by myself."

"No need to watch him," Pan Yun said. "If he wants to leave, let him leave. As long as he doesn't loiter in front of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, that's fine."

She glanced outside and said softly: "We've already come from Jingcheng to Jiangnan. This place is far from the coast, and with his skills, as long as he doesn't deliberately seek death, his identity won't be exposed."

Wang Cong frowned: "Just let him go like that?"

Pan Yun: "The goods are all in our hands, and our goal of bringing him out of the capital has been achieved. If you don't let him go, are you planning to hold him for the rest of his life?"

She said: "He is a man of his word, and so am I."

Wang Cong thought about it and agreed — knowing Hu Jing's character, even if he were flayed alive he wouldn't betray them.

Wang Cong said quietly: "His wounds have healed. Should I prepare some silver for him?"

Pan Yun nodded: "And give him a dose of wound medicine too, for emergencies."

Pan Yun felt this hero was also a handful — he looked steady, yet somehow kept causing trouble every now and then.

Wang Cong agreed at once.

The next day, three carts and a group of people arrived outside the relay station.

Wang Cong introduced them to everyone: "These are old partners from my former merchant caravan — lucky for us, they were in Guangxin Prefecture."

He mainly addressed Zhang Ziming and An Chen: "Little Uncle-Master and the others have exams to take, but the goods I brought back can't wait. So I plan to leave a day ahead and head to Nanjing to sell them. Little Uncle-Master's safety I leave to all of you."

Zhang Ziming smiled noncommittally: "You can rest easy on that score."

He openly tried to sow discord: "Pan Yun, it seems Mount Sanqing isn't all that special to you. Have you considered coming to our Long Hushan…"

"Yes, I'll go in a few days," Pan Yun cut him off directly. "When the time comes, Zhang Yuanzhu will have to look after me."

Seeing Miao Zhen looked up, face serious: "We're all going."

Zhang Ziming choked on his words.

Wang Cong laughed and led everyone to move the goods.

The two fully loaded carts of goods were split into three carts — not only to haul the cargo, but also to haul him.

Once everything was loaded, Wang Cong bade farewell to everyone. Hu Jing followed along, cradling Little Yellow.

He had always been very quiet, the least conspicuous person in the party, so much so that everyone often forgot about him.

But often forgetting wasn't the same as truly forgetting. The moment he moved, An Chen narrowed his eyes and pressed his hand to his blade: "Is Hero Gu leaving too?" (End of Chapter)