The stable master, initially seeing the little overlord, was somewhat stunned, thinking this second-generation scion wanted more than protection fees and was now planning to steal his horses.
The little overlord immediately understood the worry in his eyes, which only fueled his inner frustration. Just how many bad deeds had those brats committed to make everyone in Yong’an Town so afraid of him?
The little overlord directly stated he wanted to rent four horses. He could ride himself, but due to his build, he could only ride one horse alone; otherwise, the horse would be too heavy and couldn’t run fast.
Huo Qiyuan could ride, but Su Muqing wasn't very skilled, so they shared a horse. However, the stable master couldn’t ride, so the little overlord rented a horse groomer to carry and guide Manager Tu.
Therefore, they only ended up needing three horses plus a groomer.
Without waiting for the stable master to say anything, the little overlord tossed two ingots of silver over.
The entire horse rental process went smoothly, and the group galloped towards the west gate. Although these were ordinary horses, they were much faster than ox carts.
Manager Tu, needing to give directions, had to be held in the groomer’s arms. It was his first time riding a horse. When they first started running, his backside hurt, and then his thighs were chafed raw.
Finally, he felt his stomach lurching uncontrollably. When giving directions, he could only use his hands, and he didn’t dare to open his mouth the entire time, for fear of throwing up.
After about the time it takes for a cup of tea to brew, they finally saw the wooden sign for Li Family Village standing by the roadside, just before sunset.
The group didn't dismount and, after confirming they were in the right place, continued riding into the village.
By this time, the villagers had finished their dinner. With little other entertainment in ancient times, their favorite pastime was gathering in groups of three or five by the roadside at the village entrance, gossiping about everyone.
Old Man Li's incident had only happened less than a month ago, and no major events had occurred recently, so their topic of conversation was still the elderly couple who were ill in bed, and their unfortunate granddaughter.
Some said their family had been afflicted by disaster and should invite a Taoist priest to perform rites. Some lamented that their granddaughter, at thirteen or fourteen, like a blossoming flower, had been ruined. Others said the man on the other side was too heartless, having driven the girl to her death!
Also, because Old Man Li’s family was usually kind to others, and they had all lived in the same place for decades as old neighbors, their ancestors were more or less related. Therefore, their conversations were mostly filled with regret, not schadenfreude.
But what could regret do? As the saying goes, the yamen doors open on both sides; without money, you can't get justice! These common folk only sought a peaceful life.
They dared not even think about offending powerful figures in the city. Thus, when encountering such situations, Old Man Li’s family could only swallow their pride and accept their bad luck!
As the group was engrossed in their conversation, they suddenly heard quite a commotion. Upon seeing three horses galloping into the village, everyone's attention immediately shifted from Old Man Li’s family.
In a rural place like this, horses were a rare sight. Those who could afford to travel by horse were either powerful or wealthy. Usually, even one horse entering would draw a crowd, let alone so many at once.
"Whoa~"
"Whoa~"
"Whoa~"
Since the path ahead was almost completely blocked by gawking villagers, forcing their way through might cause a stampede. Therefore, the group had to rein in their horses promptly.
Manager Tu, held in the groomer’s arms, felt completely dizzy. When the horses suddenly stopped, he impatiently patted the groomer’s arm, his face turning a shade of liver.
The groomer, knowing it was his first time riding, guessed he was about to vomit from the jolting and quickly dismounted to help him down. As Manager Tu’s legs touched the ground, he was still unsteady and almost fell on his backside.
He managed to hold back from vomiting immediately and instead pushed past the onlookers, retching into a pile of dry grass nearby. Seeing Manager Tu looking utterly miserable, it seemed he wouldn't recover anytime soon.
The villagers’ attention was now completely captured by Huo Qiyuan. As the sun began to set, the sky was filled with a reddish glow. His silver hair seemed to shimmer in the evening glow.
Combined with his chiseled, sculpted face, his expensive clothes that seemed to gleam, and the noble aura he exuded, many young women blushed with admiration.
Su Muqing, having altered her face to conceal her true appearance, was completely overshadowed by Huo Qiyuan and thus appeared less stunning.
However, her clean and refreshing demeanor, her youthful and handsome face, coupled with the god-like man behind her, riding together on one horse, they looked like a painting, a truly pleasing sight.
Looking at the simple villagers before her, Su Muqing asked with a gentle smile, "Excuse us, everyone. We're looking for Old Man Li’s house. Does anyone know the way and can guide us?"wap.kanshu伍.net
Hearing her question, the villagers, who had been lost in their fantasies, all snapped back to reality. They looked at each other, but no one stepped forward to answer.
These people were looking for Old Man Li? Could they be looking for Old Man Li? But they looked like people of wealth and status; what business could they have with Old Man Li?
Just then, a young man dressed slightly more neatly stepped forward, his eyes full of wariness as he asked this group of uninvited guests, "Young master, this is Li Family Village. Many old men here are named Li. Which Old Man Li are you looking for?"
The young man was Li Hong, the son of the Li Family Village chief. He had initially been focused on Su Muqing and Huo Qiyuan, thus overlooking the others.
So, after scrutinizing them all, his gaze suddenly tightened. He didn't recognize the others, but how could he not recognize the fat man sitting on the red-brown horse?
The little overlord, Qi Xingjie, who made the entire Yong’an Town change color – how had he also come here? He had caused the death of someone's granddaughter; was he now here to cause more trouble for Old Man Li’s family?
Su Muqing saw the wariness in the young man's eyes and did not miss the change in his pupils when he saw the little overlord. "It's Old Man Li, who lost his granddaughter just over a month ago. We heard the old couple is ill, and we've come specifically to visit them."