At the time of the turmoil at the entrance of Zhenyuan Escort Agency, on the second floor of the nearby Cloth House, a beautiful woman was aware of it. She stood up from behind the desk and came to the window to observe.
The woman was dressed in a waist-length ruqun, with a dark red cross-collar blouse on top, wrapping around her ample bosom. Her waist was perfectly cinched with a sash, adorned with emerald beads, and her skirt was a pale pleated skirt. Her almond-shaped eyes were adorned with vermilion rouge, complementing her intellectual temperament, radiating beauty without losing maturity.
Seeing the troublemaker Night Shock Hall at the door, the woman did not get angry. Instead, her almond eyes, naturally full of charm, brightened:
"The bones are heavy, and the spirits are cold, the temple's utensils are also wild, chivalrous, and refined... What a beautiful face."
Behind her, the maid tiptoed to take a look: "Yes, really handsome, but he seems to be lacking in brains, and he didn't even check the background before causing trouble. Should we say hello to prevent Chen Biao from getting too heavy-handed..."
Bang!
After a slight sound, Chen Biao was restrained, and the street fell silent, leaving the two women dumbfounded.
"Family father Pei Yuanfeng..."
A clear and melodious voice came, and the beautiful woman's gaze, initially frivolous as she looked at the handsome man, instantly turned serious, and then showed a passionate enthusiasm as if encountering a long-awaited opportunity.
However, this reaction did not indicate any malicious intentions towards Night Shock Hall by the beautiful woman.
The woman was known as "Pei Sanniang", her real name was Pei Xiangjun. She looked like an ordinary female member of a merchant family, but beneath this beautiful and gentle appearance, there was another identity—the current leader of the Red Flower Pavilion, a prominent figure in the martial world!
The Great Wei Dynasty was founded only a few decades ago, and now with a female emperor reigning, facing strong enemies to the north and treacherous princes within, the chaotic situation has given rise to an unprecedented prosperity in the "martial world".
In the martial world, those who can dominate a region can be called grandmasters. The "One Immortal, Two Saints, Eight Great Leaders" at the top of the grandmasters are the eleven strongest individuals in the world, whom even the court must treat with caution.
And Pei Cang, the leader of the Red Flower Pavilion, is the "Spear Leader" among the Eight Great Leaders, ranking "Seventh in the World". The status of the Red Flower Pavilion in the martial world can be seen from this.
Pei Cang, the Spear Leader, was the master of Pei Xiangjun and the biological father of Pei Yuanfeng. Considering Night Shock Hall as his godson, he did not teach Night Shock Hall real kung fu, not because he was unwilling, but because he did not want Night Shock Hall to repeat his mistakes.
After Pei Yuanfeng's death, Night Shock Hall was sent away from the family to the capital, not as a test of Night Shock Hall's character, but as a "calling card" for the family.
Normal people wouldn't be so "loyal and trustworthy" as to listen to a dead person's words and give up their family business to become a homeless wanderer.
But Pei Yuanfeng knew what Night Shock Hall was capable of. His actions were just to show the family that Night Shock Hall could enter the Red Flower Pavilion and become the next leader and "Spear Leader"—this was the true legacy Pei Yuanfeng left to his son.
However, Pei Yuanfeng probably didn't expect that the Pei family would be in such a bad situation now.
Pei Cang died many years ago, and his eldest son inherited his position but died at the hands of his enemies. The title of "Spear Leader" changed hands, and it could only be inherited by Pei Xiangjun, a junior disciple.
Pei Xiangjun was a woman, with decent martial arts skills, but far from the level of the "Eight Great Leaders". She couldn't bear the burden of the top martial arts family in the martial world, so "the main few are suspected", and the prestige of the Red Flower Pavilion plummeted.
Externally, martial forces were swallowing up trade routes, and internally, major hall masters were seizing power. Pei Xiangjun's position had long been unstable, and she even secretly searched for the whereabouts of the "Second Master", hoping he could come back and support the situation.
Pei Yuanfeng was now resting in peace, which was obviously a bad news for the Pei family, but Night Shock Hall's "return home" was already a lifeline for the faltering Pei family—what the Pei family needed now was a stunning "young master" who could stabilize the Red Flower Pavilion's internal and external troubles!
Therefore, when Pei Xiangjun found that Night Shock Hall had decent skills and learned of his identity, she showed such a "hungry and thirsty" expression.
Seeing Night Shock Hall preparing to leave without a word, passing by the window, Pei Xiangjun pushed up the street-side window support, lightly pushed it down.
Clang clang clang~
Night Shock Hall, who was passing by on the street with his horse, looked up, his eyes showing the reflection of the beautiful woman in the window, but he didn't show the usual astonishment of a man:
"How can the young lady be so careless?"
Pei Xiangjun had a pretty face, and very few men could remain unmoved when they saw her. Seeing this, Night Shock Hall nodded silently, pretending to be displeased:
"Being careless, I am Pei Xiangjun, your godfather's younger martial sister. Everyone in the family calls me Third Sister. You are the son of the Second Brother, back home, why don't you greet us before leaving?"
Godfather's younger martial sister...
Martial aunt?
From his godfather's letters, Night Shock Hall only knew that his godfather's family was in the capital, but nothing else.
His godfather asked him to give all the family property to the Pei family. As a seven-foot man, giving away the family business naturally meant he wouldn't be willing to live under someone else's roof anymore.
But it seemed like such a soft meal...
That's even more inedible!
After understanding Pei Xiangjun's identity, Night Shock Hall made a salute:
"Meet martial aunt. My godfather asked me to bring the things, finish the matter, and then go to the yamen to exchange for a token. After settling down in the capital, I will come to visit the house."
This was obviously a polite refusal, indicating that he didn't want to visit.
But the big white bird standing on Night Shock Hall's shoulder wasn't so polite.
Hearing that it was a relative, the bird flew up to the window on the second floor without hesitation, perching on Pei Xiangjun's well-proportioned chest, and opened its beak:
"Squawk~"
This snowy-white bird was Night Shock Hall's hunting bird, named "White Lord"—meaning "freeloader lord". In theory, it was a bird,
but it grew into a ball.
What specific breed it was, Night Shock Hall didn't know either. When he was young, he was drying grains at home, and this bird came to freeload on food and drink, so he kept it.
Originally thought to be some kind of "mountain and marsh auspicious beast", but after raising it for so many years, it was found that this fat bird, besides eating and sleeping and acting cute, had nothing special about it. Sometimes it even did silly things.
Just like now, it took the initiative to beg for food, landing on the woman's chest, and even stuck its small claws into the soft fabric, probably thinking the foot feeling was good, and even stepped on it a few times, its eyes shining brightly, looking back at Night Shock Hall:
"Squawk~"
It probably meant—so soft~
This act made Pei Xiangjun blush, and she quickly picked up the mischievous bird:
"Oh~ This bird is so clingy~"
Night Shock Hall's eyes were awkward, and he said sternly:
"Come back."
"Squawk..."
Only then did the bird obediently fly down from the second floor window and land on Night Shock Hall's shoulder.
Pei Xiangjun straightened her clothes and continued:
"Or you can just call me Third Sister directly, 'martial aunt' sounds too old. Second Brother is really something. He took you as his godson but also asked you to bring the family property. If the Pei family accepts it, we'll definitely be talked about by the neighbors. Since you're here, we're family, no need to be so formal. You should take the silver back. In the future, you'll be the young master of my Pei family. I'll assign the escort agency outside to you. How about it?"
Night Shock Hall sold the escort agency in the border town and got more than a thousand taels of silver. It seemed like not much, but according to the purchasing power calculation, it was roughly equivalent to over a million in his previous life, which was not a small amount for ordinary people. And opening an escort agency in the capital would at least increase the price tenfold.
A real man doesn't eat food given to him for nothing. For such a gift, Night Shock Hall directly refused:
"Thank you for your kindness, Third Sister, but my godfather's will is arranged like this, and I won't disobey it. My godfather's relatives are my relatives. If you have any needs in the future, you can let Yang, the head of the escorts, inform me. All the escort guards are old people from the family. I hope Third Sister will treat them kindly. I'll take my leave now."
Pei Xiangjun saw Night Shock Hall keep his word and not willing to take unearned benefits, and her favor towards him grew stronger, without insisting further, she bid farewell after a few polite words, and then watched Night Shock Hall leave.
Soon, the man, the horse, and the bird disappeared into the crowd and vanished at the street corner.
Pei Xiangjun didn't relax her smile until Night Shock Hall disappeared from her sight, and her smile turned into contemplation.
The maid Xiuhe stood behind her, and only then did she show her head and whispered:
"Madam, did Second Master bring us a precious treasure? Young Master Night is really handsome. Just now, when he looked at me, my legs went soft..."
Pei Xiangjun narrowed her eyes slightly, showing a hint of displeasure, but quickly nodded:
"I didn't expect that Second Brother could accept such a handsome godson. Even if we don't talk about his martial arts and character, just relying on his appearance, he could thrive in the capital."
Xiuhe giggled, "How about Night Young's talent? Did the madam see through it?"
Pei Xiangjun pondered seriously, "His aura is chaotic like tangled vines, but he has a mighty inner strength; his punches and kicks are completely unorganized, but his muscles and bones are not inferior to dragons and tigers. Second Brother should have only given him a foundation and not taught him real martial arts. At the age of just eighteen, he has such potential. As long as someone is willing to teach him real martial arts, it's not impossible for him to make a name for himself in the martial world in a few years."
There was a hint of solemnity in Xiuhe's eyes, "What should we do now? Should we find an opportunity to talk to Young Master Night about the matters in the pavilion and teach him spear techniques to cultivate him as the young master?"
Pei Xiangjun shook her head slightly, "Following the will to send the family property a thousand miles, it seems that his character is excellent, but knowing people's faces but not their hearts. Martial arts are a killer skill that cannot be lightly taught; the position of the future pavilion master cannot be decided by my word alone. We still need to observe for a while."
"But Young Master Night seems to have a very strong personality, unwilling to live under someone else's roof in the Pei family, how to observe?"
"Young people who are just entering the martial world are all stubborn. I'll go persuade him at night, and he'll soften..."
"Madam."
"Yeah?"
"That sounds weird..."