Soon after Su Yi and Huang Qianjun left, Zhou Zhili, Qing Qinh, and Zhang Duo among the guards also disembarked from the ship.
"Sixth Prince," a elderly man wearing a straw hat approached, respectfully bowing with a smile on his face, "I have been waiting here for some time."
Zhou Zhili's face brightened with joy as he quickly returned the gesture, "To have Mu Lao personally come here is truly an honor for me."
Qing Qinh's eyebrows raised slightly as she recognized the man's identity—Mu Zhongting. He was the governor of Yonghe County, one of the six counties under the jurisdiction of Gunzhou. With great power in his hands, he was a renowned martial arts master.
Yonghe County was adjacent to Yunhe County, and with fast horses, one could reach Yunhe County in a day's journey.
Appearing like an old fisherman, Mu Zhongting swept his gaze around and said, "Sixth Prince, this place is not suitable for a long stay. Let us enter the city and discuss further."
Zhou Zhili readily agreed.
On the ship:
As Zhou Zhili and Mu Zhongting departed, Zhang Yiren fell into contemplation. What could be the purpose of the Sixth Prince's visit? Furthermore, Chen Zheng had mentioned that he would also come to Yunhe County soon. Could it be just a coincidence?
After a long while, Zhang Yiren shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. He no longer dwelled on them.
Inside Yunhe County:
The streets and alleys resembled a spider's web, bustling with people, creating a vibrant and prosperous scene of the mundane world. In comparison to Su Yi's memories, Yunhe County hadn't undergone significant changes. After all, it had only been a little over a year since he was expelled from Qinghe Sword Sect, which later became known as Qinghe Sword Manor.
If there were any changes, it was that he himself had transformed.
Casually strolling through the streets, Su Yi asked casually, "Are you planning to go and register at Qinghe Sword Manor now, or do you have other plans?"
Huang Qianjun quickly replied, "I will first settle down with you, Brother Su, and then I can go and register at Qinghe Sword Manor. There's no rush."
As Su Yi didn't say much more, he led the way towards the southwestern part of the city, based on his recollection.
However, before they could reach their destination, a beautifully adorned carriage stopped next to Su Yi.
The curtains lifted, revealing a face that expressed both slight annoyance and joy.
Her hair was intricately styled, adorned with a phoenix hairpin. Her eyebrows resembled a crescent moon, her eyes dark and alluring, with skin as delicate as sheep fat that could be broken with a gentle touch. When her gaze flickered, it seemed to exude endless tenderness and charm.
Huang Qianjun was momentarily stunned. Wasn't this young lady a bit too captivating?
"May I ask if you are Su Yi, Su Gongzi?" The woman's lips parted, her voice melodic and pleasant, resembling the soft tune of a flute.
Su Yi nodded, seemingly deep in thought. "You must be Tea Jin, the courtesan from Manting Fang."
The woman's beautiful eyes showed a hint of surprise, but she quickly smiled gently. "I am truly fortunate to be recognized by Su Gongzi."
If it were anyone else, they would have already been infatuated with the woman's infinite charm. However, Su Yi remained calm and asked, "Do you have something to discuss with me?"
Tea Jin lightly bit her red lips, her gaze like water as she earnestly said, "Please don't misunderstand, Su Gongzi. I heard that the night before on the ship, it was you who took action to avert a danger that threatened everyone on board. So, when I recognized your identity as we passed by here, I couldn't help but personally express my gratitude."
Despite her young age, Tea Jin exuded a gentle and charming aura with every move and smile. Huang Qianjun, who was by her side, was already captivated by her.
Su Yi, however, nodded and looked deeply at Tea Jin. He replied, "No thanks are necessary. As long as you don't think I'm associated with that Sixth Prince, it's enough."
Tea Jin's jade-like face momentarily froze, her pupils subtly contracting, but then she pursed her lips and smiled, "I won't disturb you any longer. Please excuse me."
With that, she let down the curtain, and the exquisite carriage drove off into the distance.
While keeping his eyes on the carriage until it stopped in front of an ancient and elegant building, Huang Qianjun's eyes lit up. "Is Tea Jin going to 'Langtaosha' for her livelihood? Su Ge... eh?"
When he turned his head, he realized that Su Yi had already walked far away and hurriedly caught up with him.
"Su Ge, Tea Jin went to Langtaosha. It's the most famous brothel in Yunhe County, known as the place where 'beauties are like clouds, a dream worth a thousand gold'!"
Huang Qianjun was very excited, as if he was rubbing his fists in anticipation.
Then, he cautiously tested the waters, "Su Ge, why don't we find some time to experience it as well?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to slap himself.
How foolish! How could he suggest such a thing to Su Ge, someone like an immortal? What if Su Ge misunderstood?
But Su Yi seemed indifferent as he replied, "Why would we go to such a place? It's pointless."
"Uh..."
Huang Qianjun breathed a sigh of relief but suddenly froze, sensing a different taste in Su Yi's words.
Pointless?
In a brothel, besides those courtesans, it's true that there are hardly any virtuous individuals.
So, it seemed that Su Ge also understood!
With this thought, a suggestive smile appeared on Huang Qianjun's face.
Little did Su Yi know the extent of Huang Qianjun's wild imagination. If he knew, he might have slapped him hard enough to crush his head.
What kind of thoughts does he always have in his mind!
...
To the southwest of the city.
Yangliu Lane was filled with short, dilapidated mud-brick houses. The ground was uneven and pockmarked, indicating recent rainfall with muddy patches everywhere.
This was indeed the slum area that Cheng Wuyong mentioned, inhabited by the poorest and most destitute people.
As far as the eye could see, it was desolate.
Compared to other parts of Yunhe County, it seemed like two different worlds.
As Su Yi confidently led Huang Qianjun through the area, perhaps due to their tidy and clean attire, they attracted quite a bit of attention.
"Sir, please give us some money, my children haven't eaten for days."
A gaunt woman knelt down in front, crying and pleading, her whole body covered in mud and dirty water.
Huang Qianjun felt a bit sympathetic and was about to take out some silver coins when he was stopped by Su Yi.
Su Yi's expression remained calm as he said, "If you take out money now, within moments, a large group of beggars will surround you on this street. If you don't give them all the money you have, you won't be able to leave this place."
Huang Qianjun opened his mouth and said, "With our strength, can't we fight off these beggars?"
Su Yi countered, "With your status, can you bear to harm them? If they are injured, it means they won't have money for medical treatment, and their only option is a path towards death."
"Well..."
Huang Qianjun hesitated.
"We are friends of Feng Xiaofeng."
Su Yi looked at the woman kneeling on the ground, "If your children are hungry and desperate, you can take them to Feng Xiaofeng's house."
The woman was stunned for a moment but quickly got up and cursed as she walked away, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Now I'm covered in mud from kneeling."
"Is that it?"
Huang Qianjun could hardly believe his eyes.
"These people at the lowest level can only survive by sticking together, relying on each other. As long as you recognize one of them, the others won't see you as an intruding 'fat sheep.'"
While speaking, Su Yi had already walked ahead.
Huang Qianjun hurriedly followed and asked, "Su Ge, who is Feng Xiaofeng?"
"A friend."
Su Yi uttered these two words, and a hint of nostalgia appeared in his eyes.
For his pre-memory awakening self, the word "friend" was undoubtedly more important than any treasure in the world.
Feng Xiaofeng was one of the few friends he had before. They were scarce in his life.
They continued walking until they reached a dilapidated courtyard deep in the alley, where Su Yi finally halted.
The courtyard was surrounded by low mud walls that were severely damaged. The gate was also rusty and worn. Standing here, one could see the scene inside the courtyard.
With a sweep of the eyes, there were three mud-brick houses, a vegetable patch, a willow tree, and six or seven chickens and ducks in the courtyard.
A thin figure sat in a wooden wheelchair, wearing old coarse clothes, cooking in front of a bonfire.
The smoke billowed, engulfing his figure, occasionally accompanied by a violent cough.
Upon seeing this scene, Su Yi's eyes slightly narrowed, and he said, "Wait here."
He pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard.
"Is Xiaoran back? Study your lessons first, Brother will finish cooking soon."
The thin figure in the wheelchair spoke.
But soon, he realized that something was wrong. He looked up and saw a tall figure standing beside him.
As he recognized the other person's appearance, the thin figure was momentarily stunned, then a look of excitement and joy appeared on his face. "Senior Brother Su Yi, why have you come?"
He tried to stand up with the crutch by his side, but Su Yi held him down and said, "I just arrived in Yunhe County, but I didn't expect that in just over a year, you would become like this."
Su Yi's eyes showed a complex expression.
The thin figure before him was indeed Feng Xiaofeng, but he was completely different from the resolute and vigorous young man in his memory.
Messy hair, worn-out and tattered clothes, emaciated and haggard, with dull skin. His face, which should have been full of vitality, was now tainted with the colors of wind and frost.
His legs were obviously crippled, and he could only move around in a wheelchair.
The joy on Feng Xiaofeng's face gradually faded. After a moment of silence, he suddenly forced a smile and said, "It's not so bad."
"It's not good at all."
Su Yi's gaze swept over the dilapidated courtyard and finally landed on a black pot hanging over the bonfire.
In the boiling soup, there was only a pitiful amount of rice husks floating.
Su Yi's mood also became heavy.
"Senior Brother Su Yi, the past is in the past. Now, I am disabled, and though my life is impoverished, I can still manage to survive."
Feng Xiaofeng raised his face and said earnestly, "I don't need your sympathy, and I don't need your help. I'm already happy that you've come to see me."
"But I'm not happy."
Su Yi patted Feng Xiaofeng's shoulder. "I know what you're worried about. You're afraid that I'll seek revenge for you, and you're afraid that once I appear, those who bullied us in the past will retaliate."
Speaking of this, Su Yi smiled, his eyes deep and indifferent. "But you probably didn't expect that I've come back this time to settle the old grievances and break through all obstacles in my heart!"
Feng Xiaofeng exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Brother, you want revenge? Does that mean..."
"Yes, my cultivation has been restored."
Su Yi nodded, and added in his heart, "And I've changed since then. I not only want revenge, but I also want to help you recover your crippled legs!"
Feng Xiaofeng shouted in joy, "This is truly fantastic news! Hahaha..."
He laughed, but tears welled up in the corners of his eyes as he laughed.
He took a few deep breaths in succession, suppressing the tears that were about to fall, evaporating them silently.
A real man doesn't shed tears easily.