Lu Chao had no idea his cheap father was going crazy searching for him. All he could think was how wonderfully rustic the meals cooked in this countryside earthen stove tasted—the glistening cured meat, the steaming hot meat broth! Ahhh! Pure comfort!
Crackle-pop! Fireworks exploded as the bridal sedan chair was lifted.
"Why aren't you all getting on the carriage yet?" Li Wenbin frowned at the dazed group as he prepared to sit down.
"Oh! Coming, coming!"
"Peach Blossom Village is eighty li from Yingchuan City. We can't miss the auspicious hour," Li Wenbin reminded them just as the driver gave a shout.
"Hold tight, young masters!"
By sheer coincidence, local customs required the bride's family to send escorts for the wedding procession. Li Wenbin became the natural choice since he was due to return to the academy the next day.
The Sun family, considering scholars too dignified to squeeze in, hired him a separate carriage—which gave Lu Chao and his friends the perfect opportunity to hitch a ride.
The Li family waved cheerfully as Lu Chao and the others boarded the carriage. The young men brought by their son-in-law had truly elevated their status—those wedding blessings they delivered were absolutely show-stopping.
The Sun family, seeing the Li family wave, followed suit. Weren’t only the bride’s younger brother supposed to escort her? Why were there extra young men? Could they all be students from Yunkai Academy? Well, no matter—more people meant more festivity, and the carriage could squeeze in a few more.
Once inside, Lu Chao couldn’t help but yawn, his eyes watering with exhaustion. He’d barely slept a wink last night in the wilderness, and now the fatigue hit him like a tidal wave.
"Rest awhile. I’ll wake you when we arrive," Zhou Youcheng said, knowing how drained Lu Chao was. They’d agreed to take turns keeping watch last night, but Lu Chao had stubbornly stayed up alone.
Lu Chao nodded and shut his eyes. Lu Yuanyi, suddenly embodying the role of an elder brother, generously patted his thigh, offering it as a pillow.
With Lu Chao silent, the carriage fell into a hush.
"Brother Wenbin, have you taken the imperial exams yet?" Zhou Youcheng asked the young scholar beside him.
"Not yet. My mentor advised me to solidify my foundations further. I believe I’ll be ready next year," Li Wenbin replied, lifting his chin with confidence.
"Impressive!"
"A true role model for us all!"
Even the usually brash Lu Yuanyi joined in the flattery—after all, one must be gracious to their benefactor. If they got kicked off the carriage, Lu Chao would surely thrash them awake. Those kicks he’d delivered to that scoundrel still carried weight.
Meanwhile, in the mountains—
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting half of Official Zhou’s face in shadow, his expression unreadable yet simmering with tension.
"Sir! We’ve combed the mountains but found no trace of the young masters. However, we discovered signs of descent. Scouts have been dispatched to follow the trail."
Zhou Sanwei exhaled in relief. No bodies meant hope remained.
"Search every nearby village. Five missing young boys would stand out."
"Yes, sir!" The guard saluted and hurried off.
Father Lu and Father Yang slumped to the ground, grateful their sons hadn’t been devoured by wild beasts. Starving and terrified, the boys must be enduring untold hardships, waiting desperately for their fathers to rescue them.
Father Lu’s mind conjured images of his sons sobbing, begging for help—Lu Yuanyi, so picky and afraid of the dark, surely famished by now, and Lu Chao, who’d once puffed out his little belly while talking back, now gaunt. The thought of his boys reduced to ragged beggars haunted him.
Damn those kidnappers!
He kicked the bound Liuzi on the ground again.
"Magistrate Lu, don’t act rashly. We still need this man," Zhou Sanwei cautioned, though he understood the man’s fury. The truth—whether this was mere coincidence or a conspiracy—had to be uncovered.
"Report! Villagers claim to have seen six young boys heading toward Peach Blossom Village!"
"Move out!"
Peach Blossom Village buzzed with festivity. Men drank and boasted at the tables, while women bustled about, clearing dishes and gossiping.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
Hoofbeats approached. Villagers turned to see armed riders emerge at the road’s end, their swords glinting ominously.
The timid among them scrambled to flee.
"Nobody move!" A guard’s bark froze the crowd, faces pale with terror.
"Magistrate Zhou is investigating! Where’s the Village Head?"
"I—I am he," stammered the Village Head, still tipsy from wine as his son helped him forward.
"Rise, everyone. We’re told several young boys visited your village today. Where are they?" Zhou Sanwei gestured for the kneeling man to stand.
"Young boys? Ah! The six who came with the Sun family’s wedding party? They left with the procession back to Yingchuan City!"
Six? Not five? Only five families had reported missing sons. Where’d the sixth come from?
"Explain in detail!" Zhou Sanwei stroked his beard urgently.
"What? Weren’t they Brother Wenbin’s classmates? They said their teacher sent them for the celebration and even gifted a piece of silver!" The elderly bookkeeper at the gate looked baffled.
"Wait—weren’t they hired by the Suns to sing blessings?" The Village Head gaped.
"Hold on—the Suns didn’t even question them boarding the carriage!" his wife interjected, eyes wide. No wonder the carriage was so cramped—the in-laws had skimped on space for her precious boy.
Zhou Sanwei: "..."
Father Lu: "..."
Father Yang: "..."
Lu Chao dozed fitfully the entire journey, waking only as the city gates came into view.
Heh heh heh. The return plan was 98% successful. The legendary Hu Han Three was back! No one would steal his lazy, salted-fish life now!
Pulling back the curtain, he spotted the bearded outlaw’s wanted poster on the gate. Grinning, he jabbed Lu Yuanyi’s shoulder and whispered,
"Second Brother! Told you I’d get us home. Am I good or what?"
Lu Yuanyi poked his little belly. "The best," he murmured.
Joy at returning home swelled in every heart. The once-dingy city gates now seemed grand, the usually grimy street stalls oddly tidy.
At the bustling gate, a man in a bamboo hat glanced their way—then abruptly lowered his head.
"Brother Wenbin, we’re deeply grateful for your help. We won’t trouble your brother-in-law’s family further. Please drop us at Fortune Inn once we enter the city," Zhou Youcheng said with a bow.
"Huh? Aren’t you singing blessings tonight?" Li Wenbin blinked.
"Nope. Your brother-in-law only paid for the morning session. Farewell!" Lu Yuanyi feigned sorrow.
Zhou Youcheng wasn’t sure if his uncle had revealed his identity to the prefect, but he knew guards would be stationed at the inn, ready to reconnect if he returned.
The others followed him out of the carriage and had the inn's servant deliver a message to their homes, waiting for their families to come fetch them. After all, in the city, he surely wouldn’t need Lu Chao to protect him anymore.
