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Published at 9th of January 2020 02:24:59 PM
Chapter 126

Nan Zhao had long been a barbarian place with customs distinctly different from those of Great Chu . It was heaven for numerous poisonous insects, herbs, birds and beasts . Its people warlike, so many of Great Chu would love to avoid it . More than a thousand years ago, when Nan Zhao was still called Kui Zhou, it was part of the central kingdom . Towards the end of the previous dynasty, the imperial family of Nan Zhao set up the nation of Nan Zhao . After that, the founding emperor established Great Chu and fought on many fronts during the war . When the founding emperor had time for Nan Zhao, it had already established itself in a good state . Great Chu, on the other hand, needed time to recuperate and multiply its population after decades of war . Thus, Nan Zhao was independent from Great Chu .

Scattered Snow Pass stood between Nan Zhao and Yong Zhou, the frontier of Great Chu . Though two countries would go to war from time to time, people on both sides of the pass exchanged and did business with each other from time to time . Ten miles from Scattered Snow Pass lay Yong Lin, a small town where people in strange dresses from Nan Zhao could be seen . Yong Lin wasn’t big . Besides, since it was 60 miles away from Yong Zhou, the capital of Prefecture of Yong Zhou, it wasn’t a very prosperous town either . It looked exactly like normal towns except those people on the streets who wore strange clothes, clearly from Nan Zhao . Standing on the not so wide street, Ye Li smiled inwardly seeing people come and go . It was rare that people were able to enjoy a life of peace and happiness in this frontier town during such a time . Or put it this way, Ye Li was surprised by the way ordinary people managed to adapt to their life and environment .

Holding a sword besides Ye Li, Secret Guard No . 3 looked curiously at his master who stopped at the gate to the inn wearing a strange smile, he said: “My Lord, there aren’t many inns in Yong Lin . This is one of the best . ”

Glancing at him, Ye Li shook her head with a smile and said: “Let's go inside . I like this place . ” Then she stepped inside this simple inn .

Secret Guard No . 3 raised his sword-like brows . He didn’t think she would hate it for its simplicity either . After all, they had slept in the middle of nowhere from time to time when they failed to reach the next town before sunset on their way here . Besides, back in the capital, the princess went to the training site under the Hidden Could Mountain without batting an eyelid, a place that secret guards like himself didn’t want to get near .

Inside the inn, it was nowhere near those lavishly decorated inns in the capital of Chu and Guangling . However, it was the best inn in this town . There were seven to eight tables in the hall, three of which were occupied with the old innkeeper handling account books behind the counter . Ye Li was dressed up in plain clothes but her age, appearance, demeanor and the fact that she was followed by Secret Guard No . 3, a man who was tall and imposing with a sword in his hands drew everyone’s attention . It wasn't a good time for tours or businesses so there weren’t many people in the inn . Ye Li walked up to the counter and knocked on it lightly . The old innkeeper looked up, faltering and asked Ye Li after he looked at her for a good while: “Young lord, are you staying here?”

Ye Li can’t help smiling: “What else?”

The old innkeeper smiled obsequiously: “My Lord, please give me your surname and tell me how many rooms you want . ”


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“Chu, two principal rooms . ”

The old innkeeper called a waiter to show them to the rooms upstairs . After sending away the waiter, Secret Guard No . 3 checked the rooms thoroughly in a skillful manner . A principal room of such a small inn wouldn't be very large nor lavish . There was only a bed, a cupboard and a screen which separated the bed from the table and chairs . Secret Guard No . 3 stood by the door as he watched Ye Li put away her stuff quickly and asked with a frown: “My Lord, when are we leaving for Nan Zhao?”

Ye Li had put everything in order when she walked out from behind the screen . Pointing at a seat and letting Secret Guard No . 3 sit, she said with a smile: “We can’t hurry that . I think . . . we need a guide . ”

She would be toying with her own life if she went there without adequate preparation . Ye Li wasn’t the type who would take risks unless necessary .

“A guide?” Secret Guard No . 3 was confused .

Ye Li smiled: “For us, Nan Zhao is too mysterious . We can't get our way around it since we aren't familiar with it . It’s a good idea if we can find a person of Nan Zhao or someone from Great Chu who is familiar with Nan Zhao to show us around . ”

Secret Guard No . 3 frowned and said: “Well . . . an outsider might be a drag on us . ”


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Ye Li knocked the table with her folding fan offhandedly and said: “Well, we’ll be waiting . I have someone found us a guide . Pitifully, he’ll arrive two days after we did . ” Seeing Secret Guard No . 3's confusion, Ye Li smiled without further explanation .

Receiving the signal that he could go back to his room for a rest, Secret Guard No . 3 withdrew frustratedly since he knew his mater well that he would get nothing from her no matter what he did as long as she didn't feel like speaking .

Smilingly, she watched Secret Guard No . 3 leave . After that, she took out the records sent by Tianyi Pavilion and continued reading . Han Ming Xi was quite reliable though he had already got his payment . She had received loads of information about Nan Zhao a few times on her way here . She was used to reading and memorizing all the records as soon as she got them and destroying them immediately afterwards . What she had now was probably the last copy she would receive before she leave for Nan Zhao . During this journey, she had gradually formed a general impression of the situation and events of Nan Zhao . However, she had to find out how much of her impression was true after she was in Nan Zhao . Having finished reading the heavy records in a short while, she burned them calmly .

In the morning, Ye Li woke up early as usual and went downstairs . Two tables were already taken, one of which was occupied by Secret Guard No . 3 who sat near the wall . Seeing Ye Li, he hurriedly stood up . “My Lord . ”

Ye Li nodded with a smile: “Up so early?”

Secret Guard No . 3 remained quiet . He didn’t have to get up so early when there were four of them . However, he can't help his worries even knowing his master could protect herself since he was the only one with her now .

Ye Li understood what he had on his mind . She smiled: “Don’t be so nervous . If you are like this all the time, I worry you’ll break down because of tiredness before we are in Nan Zhao . Do I put so much pressure on you by bringing you here with me?”


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Secret Guard No . 3 shook his head . “No . I want to thank you for your belief in me, My Lord . ” However, growing up with the other three, being a little younger than Secret Guard No . 4, he wasn’t as steady as No . 4 . normally he would listen to No . 1 and No . 2’s opinions . However, now that he was on his own which he wasn’t used to yet .

Ye Li nodded smilingly and asked the waiter to bring them breakfast .

“My Lords, are you going to Nan Zhao as well?” As Ye Li asked Secret Guard No . 3 to have breakfast, a man sitting on their opposite walked over and asked .

Hearing that, Ye Li watched him as she put down her chopsticks . This man was tall and strong with a plain look . Though he tried to be nice, he couldn’t hide that cruelty between his eyes . Secret Guard No . 3 reached for his sword which was lying on the table . Ye Li put her hand on it too and patted it casually . Secret Guard No . 3 glanced at that man with a frown, then withdrew his hands and turned back to his meal .

The man watched everything happen but didn’t mind . He said smilingly: “Brother, don't be nervous . My men and me are going to Nan Zhao as well which is why I want to ask if you guys want to team up . ” Said the man as he pointed at another three who were sitting by the table on their opposite .

Ye Li glanced over . One was a man fifty to sixty years old, dressed up as a wealthy merchant in a lavish robe, wearing a jade ring with a gold abacus, who might as well write “I’m rich . Come and rob me” on his forehead . Next to him sat a middle-aged man who looked like a steward and a young bookish man who seemed sick . That was indeed a showy combination . At first, Ye Li was worried that Secret Guard No . 3 and herself would be too eye-catching . However, after seeing them, she felt much better about No . 3 and herself . However, those who dare to go to Nan Zhao weren’t easy to deal with .

She looked at Secret Guard No . 3 then said with a smile: “I’m afraid we aren't good company . ”

The man smiled: “That’s not possible . I’ve seen what your friend is capable of . Besides, I've been to Nan Zhao several times which left me no good memories . With more people, we are more likely to remain safe, right?” He looked at Secret Guard No . 3 and turned back to Ye Li again . He knew Ye Li was the one that had the final word . However, he still couldn’t tell where this young man’s limit was, so he suspected he was only an ignorant young lord who sneaked out for fun with a guard .

“We are heading for the capital of Nan Zhao . I think it will be a safe journey . Where are you guys going?” Ye Li asked with an innocent and kind smile .

The man chuckled: “We are going to the capital of Nan Zhao as well . It used to be safe but things changed since last year . My Lord is going there for some medicine business . How about we travel together?”

The merchant on their opposite shot her an arrogant glance while the sickly-looking man nodded at her with a smile .

Ye Li lowered her head with a smile and declined politely: “I only want to see Nao Zhao since I’ve heard of its unique sceneries . I already have a guide who’ll be here in two days so I don’t want to hold you up . ”

Since Ye Li had refused him, the man didn’t insist and smiled: “I’ll leave you be, then . We may well meet again in the capital of Nan Zhao . ”

Ye Li nodded slightly and watched him go back to his table . She heard that merchant blame the man for doing unnecessary things and his disdain for Ye Li and No . 3 . She didn’t mind . With a smile, she continued her breakfast .

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