The few attendants behind exchanged glances but remained silent. Although they had been silent throughout the journey, now that they were near Wanggang Village, they couldn’t help but feel a bit tense.
On the contrary, Xiao Yuansui showed no signs of nervousness. A hint of a smile appeared on his handso face as he said, "Since that’s the case, let’s not keep them waiting."
After speaking, he spurred his horse and prepared to move forward.
At that mont, the sound of hoofbeats echoed from not far ahead, resonating like a drum. The group looked up to see a team of riders slowly descending from the mountain path. Leading them was none other than Wang Quren, the third leader of Wanggang Village and the brother of Wang Quyi.
He was near forty, but his naturally worried face, with its age-old wrinkles at the brow, made him look older than his years. Dressed in a tight-fitting blue cloth attire, he appeared quite tall, but his troubled expression diminished any sense of intimidation, making him resemble a traveler who unwittingly stumbled upon the place, rather than a local tyrant, even with a team following him.
Upon seeing Xiao Yuansui, he imdiately waved and rode forward, smiling.
"Second Brother Xiao."
Upon seeing him, Xiao Yuansui broke into a smile and rode forward to greet him, "Old Third, why have you co?"
Wang Quren rode up to him and stopped, politely cupping his hands, "Upon hearing your return, Big Brother specifically sent to welco you."
Hearing this, Xiao Yuansui laughed heartily and said, "Big Brother is too courteous."
"..."
"I’ve traveled this mountain path countless tis. How could I not rember it?"
Wang Quren rely smiled.
Although he was gentle by nature and didn’t involve himself in the village’s conflicts or power struggles, he sowhat understood his brother’s concerns, given how worried Wang Quyi was day and night. Hence, he knew sowhat the reason for urgently summoning Xiao Yuansui back to the village. Wang Quyi had specifically asked him to welco Xiao Yuansui to assess how many people he brought back and to prevent Xiao Yuansui from discovering anything and fleeing on the spot.
Seeing only a few attendants and no major weapons, Wang Quren was relieved.
He then said, "Be that as it may, you are still the second leader of the village, and your return is a major event. Big Brother is already waiting for you at the village gate—"
After speaking, he turned to an attendant following closely behind and said, "Hurry back to report, and say the Second Leader is at the foot of the mountain and should ascend imdiately."
The attendant acknowledged, turned his horse, and galloped up the mountain.
Wang Quren again smiled at Xiao Yuansui, "Second Brother, let’s go."
Xiao Yuansui looked at him, then at the disappearing trail of dust left by the attendant, smiled, and brushed off his sleeve. Though his cuffs were tightly fastened for horseback riding, making the gesture sowhat redundant, after completing the action, he raised his arm, "Let’s go. I miss Big Brother as well."
Thus, the group rged and proceeded up the mountain.
Though the people beside Xiao Yuansui wore apprehensive expressions, they found no opportunity to speak and could only vigilantly follow up the mountain.
However, upon leaving the pavilion, Xiao Yuansui, whether intentionally or not, glanced back at the stone stele outside the pavilion with the blood-red characters "Wanggang" deeply etched in his eyes.
Xiao Yuansui slightly pursed his lips and turned his head toward the mountain.
Although Wanggang Village was surrounded by mountains, the mountain road was neither treacherous nor narrow but wide and smooth enough for several horse-drawn carriages to pass at once. Thus, their journey was seamless. Before long, after rounding a gigantic rock, Xiao Yuansui looked up to see a flat road ahead, with two watchtowers coming into view.
These were constructed upon his suggestion to Wang Quyi after entering Wanggang Village, aid at overseeing the mountain paths near the village to prevent enemy ambushes and monitor patrols along the paths. Flanking the watchtowers were tall wooden barricade walls, sharpened at the top, deterring intruders, and even birds found it challenging to perch atop, a testant to his supervision during construction.
With these, Wanggang Village transford from a re mountain settlent into a formidable fortress as seen today.
Between the two watchtowers stood the grand gate of Wanggang Village!
At this mont, people crowded the gate, with the central figure being the thickset, bearded man, the chief leader of Wanggang Village—Wang Quyi!
Although he bore a resemblance to Wang Quren, the brothers were easily distinguishable. While Wang Quren looked sorrowful, Wang Quyi appeared astute, akin to a man in a desert suddenly spotting an oasis. His full beard nearly obscured his features, and his deeply set eyes were not large but radiated sharpness, especially as he spotted Xiao Yuansui’s group approaching; his gaze fixed on Xiao Yuansui like a nail.
His eyes then shifted behind Xiao Yuansui.
Wang Quren had clearly reported that Xiao Yuansui returned with only a few people, even without Hua Ziyang. Seeing with his own eyes that Xiao Yuansui brought no more followers than Wang Quren did, Wang Quyi’s heart leapt with joy.
He then laughed heartily, addressing those around him as he did so, "You’re finally back!"
Though still at a distance from the village gate, Xiao Yuansui had already dismounted. He straightened his attire, especially dusting his cuffs, then, with a broad smile, walked briskly toward the gate.
Seeing this, Wang Quren and the others dismounted as well, following his lead, leading their horses up the mountain path.
In no ti, Xiao Yuansui had quickly walked to the front gate alone.
When he was still several dozen steps away from the gate, he clasped his hands towards Wang Quyi and shouted, "Elder Brother!"
After speaking, he knelt down on one knee.
Seeing this, Wang Quyi couldn’t just stand there unmoving. He hurriedly took large strides forward, grabbed his arm to prevent him from kneeling, and forcibly pulled him up, chiding, "We’re brothers; what need is there for such formalities?"
Xiao Yuansui said, "Elder Brother, why did you trouble yourself to co in person?"
Wang Quyi let out two loud laughs, his laughter like thunder, resonating so close to Xiao Yuansui’s ears that his eardrums buzzed. While laughing, he slapped Xiao Yuansui’s shoulder forcefully with his palm and said, "Brother, you have been fighting hard battles outside, achieving great rits. Now that you’ve finally co back, if I didn’t personally co to greet you, should I let you sneak back into the village unnoticed? What sense would that make!"
"Elder Brother..."
Xiao Yuansui looked at him, full of emotion, and said in a deep voice, "Fighting outside, although blood and sweat were shed, the thought of conquering realms for you, Elder Brother, made it all feel worthwhile. Now, Eastern Capital is in our hands. If we unite our efforts and march towards Daxing to seize the city, won’t this whole empire be yours in the future?!"
"Good! Good brother!"
Wang Quyi spoke with excitent, reaching out to embrace Xiao Yuansui, slapping him heartily on the back.
Xiao Yuansui embraced him in return, patting his back while looking at the people lined up behind him to welco him—
Among them, the only one he cared about was the tallest and stoutest man in the crowd. Appearing like a third sentry tower at the entrance of the village, this man was in his early thirties and had a dense, bristly beard like needles, yet neatly trimd to clearly reveal his distinct, rugged features, his deep-set eyes casting an arrogant gaze.
He was the world-renowned Shen Tu Tai.
Though he ca with Wang Quyi to greet them, he was obviously indifferent to Xiao Yuansui. Even upon seeing his return, he stood at the gate with a slightly impatient expression on his face.
Yet Wang Quyi remained extraordinarily enthusiastic, patting Xiao Yuansui’s back and then said, "Co, Second Brother, let’s enter the village!"
Xiao Yuansui did not move, only looking at the people at the gate, then said, "Elder Brother, where are Fourth Brother and them?"
Seeing him unmoving, Wang Quyi’s eyebrows furrowed slightly but quickly were replaced with a beaming smile. He said, "Fourth has so business and hasn’t returned yet."
"I see,"
Xiao Yuansui nodded slightly, asking again, "Then, where are Sixth and Eighth Brothers? Why aren’t they here?"
"Well—"
Wang Quyi’s face showed a strange expression. He said, "Second Brother, actually, your return this ti is concerning them."
"Oh? What’s the matter?"
"Let’s not stand here and talk, co in with into the village, and I’ll explain. I’ve also prepared good wine for you."
As he spoke, Wang Quyi pulled him towards the inside again.
But Xiao Yuansui continued his slow pace, stopping again a dozen steps away from the village gate, saying, "By the way, where is Ninth Brother?"
Wang Quyi’s eyes flashed a hint of impatience and panic.
But he quickly said, "He, no one knows where he wandered off to this ti."
"Didn’t you send soone to look for him?"
"Yes, but there’s no news yet."
As Wang Quyi spoke, he continued to beckon him, "Co on inside, the food and wine will get cold if we wait any longer."
Xiao Yuansui nodded but then said, "Oh, Elder Brother, actually, I have sothing to hand over to you this ti."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, although Wang Quyi was eager for him to enter the village, he couldn’t help but stop and turn back, saying, "Wh—"
Before he could finish, Xiao Yuansui’s tightly bound sleeve suddenly ca undone without any reason.
Wang Quyi was startled but hadn’t yet reacted, nor had those who stood at the gate seen clearly what happened. Xiao Yuansui’s hand had already plunged into his sleeve, swiftly drawing out a cold gleam. At the mont Wang Quyi turned his head, Xiao Yuansui drew it lightly across his neck—
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