I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 200: Chapter 83: Evening Gleanings (2)

This was just the first step. Much more planning was needed; he couldn’t just get up and leave on a whim.

It wasn’t as simple as he had imagined. But with money and power, it wasn’t as difficult as he had imagined, either.

’The Jiang Clan Trading Team is a lead. Following it should unearth a whole network of connections. Through them, I should be able to get a lot of help. I just hope it isn’t too much trouble...’ Fang Rui mused.

’Oh well. I’ll go look for Young Master Jiang later!’

He shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside to focus on the present. ”Come on, Mother, Third Sister, Nannan, Ling’Er. This batch is ready. Hurry and eat while it’s hot!”

...

After dinner, Fang Rui went straight to a nearby courtyard to find Jiang Yan.

After the incident with the map, he and Jiang Yan had become acquainted. Now, when they met, they no longer needed Steward Chen to act as an intermediary.

”Young Master Fang, you intend to leave the Three Southern States?”

Jiang Yan certainly didn’t have maps of other states, but a man like him still had a clear grasp of the general layout of the various states in the Great Yu. ”The Three Southern States affected by this drought, including our own Yunzhou, are all located in the Southwest of the Great Yu,” he said. ”If you don’t wish to stay in the Three States of Yun, Lin, or Yue, the neighboring states include Wu, Yi, and Kang. I wonder, which state are you thinking of traveling to?”

”That... I don’t have a plan for that yet. It depends on the trading team’s route. As long as I can get out of the Three Southern States, anywhere is fine.”

Fang Rui just wanted to leave the Three Southern States. He wasn’t yet certain of his exact destination. As long as it was a place free from drought and war, where his family could live in peace, it would be enough.

’If I’m truly not satisfied, I can just move again. The world is a vast place. I refuse to believe there isn’t a single, relatively stable place to be found,’ he thought to himself.

”That makes things a bit easier, then.”

Jiang Yan nodded slightly. ”By the way, Grand General Xuantong has sent his troops to the Prefecture City. Daze Prefecture is about to descend into chaos, so the trading team won’t be heading to Daze Prefecture City as originally planned. We’ll be going to the neighboring Lanyang Prefecture City instead.”

”Would you like to join us, Young Master Fang? Lanyang Prefecture City is more stable. Once we arrive, I can help you find a trading team heading to the State City, and you can change routes from there.”

”Excellent. Thank you for your help.”

This was precisely why Fang Rui had come to visit, so naturally, he wasn’t going to refuse.

”Then it’s settled.”

Jiang Yan was pleased as well. With a master like Fang Rui joining them, the trading team’s security would be significantly enhanced. ”Since we’re rerouting to Lanyang Prefecture, we’ll need to make some extra preparations and purchase supplies... which will take a few days. If you’re not in a hurry, Young Master Fang, we can leave in a couple of days.”

”Alright.”

Fang Rui also had some matters he needed to prepare for.

Besides, with the death of the Iron Butcher, the siege of Yunshan City had been lifted. There was indeed no need to rush.

...

「Over the next few days.」

Fang Rui made his own preparations. He purchased supplies, took Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, the Third Lady, Fang Ling, and Nannan to sweep Fang Baicao’s grave each day, and arranged for someone to burn paper offerings during the holidays...

He also entrusted another trading team with a letter for Jiang Ping’an in Changshan City.

If Fang Rui’s guess was correct and the Three Southern States were one giant death trap, then there would likely be further entanglements in the future. In his letter, he offered Jiang Ping’an a few ideas.

Of course, they were only ideas, not specific instructions, allowing the other man to choose his own path.

「Several days later.」

In the light of the rising sun, Fang Rui’s family left Yunshan City, following the Jiang Clan Trading Team.

CREAAAK!

Fang Rui looked back, watching the silhouette of Yunshan City recede in the golden morning light, and a sudden feeling of incompleteness washed over him. ’Li Xuantong, and that ruthless character from the Rebel Army... our scores have yet to be settled. I didn’t even get to meet them face-to-face!’

’But then again, disappointments make up the better part of life. There’s no need to chase after some perfect conclusion.’

He shook his head, a strange premonition suddenly surfacing in his mind. ’For some reason, I have a feeling that I’ll have a chance to meet those two again someday.’

...

Coincidentally, that very afternoon, on the same day that Fang Rui and the Jiang Clan Trading Team departed, news that Li Xuantong had breached Daze Prefecture City arrived, spreading throughout the city and causing a massive uproar.

”It’s only because the Mountain Collapse a few days ago wiped out the Iron Butcher’s army and crippled the prefecture’s elite forces. Otherwise, how could it have been so easy?” one person commented, seeing the situation clearly.

”Exactly. When a man’s luck turns, there’s no stopping it. And Grand General Xuantong’s luck is simply unbelievable!” another person nodded in deep agreement.

”Just you wait. With the Prefecture City fallen, the other counties will likely surrender without a fight.”

”It looks like Li Xuantong is actually going to pull it off.” This was a spy from the Great Yu, his voice hushed to a whisper.

”Sigh, we’ll see what our superiors say. These people aren’t wrong... it’s all because of that Mountain Collapse. How else could it have come to this?”

...

Fang Rui was long gone, but legends about him still circulated there.

...

「Tiger Leaping Gorge.」

”ROAR!”

Amidst a heaven-shaking roar.

A fierce tiger with two wings on its back and moon-white, cloud-like patterns on its fur pounced into the trading team. It opened its mouth and exhaled a foul gust of wind, making the guards’ eyes water. The horses at the very front were knocked down, their bellies torn open by a single swipe of its claws.

”Look out! It’s an Exotic Beast—a Winged Tiger!”

”Fire! Fire the arrows!”

”Everyone else, fall back! Entry Grade Guards, with me!”

...

A volley of arrows rained down, and the Entry Grade Guards charged in with their sabers, but they were all sent flying by the Winged Tiger.

”Hold the line! Just a little longer!”

Steward Chen shouted orders while turning his head to yell, ”Quick, get Young Master Fang!”

”No need. I’m here!”

Fang Rui’s figure flashed as he sped over, saber in hand. He was rather speechless. ’It’s a perfectly normal sentence, so why did it sound like he was crying ’Quick, go get the Tathagata Buddha!’ when he shouted it?’

SWISH!

He left a trail of afterimages as he zipped past the Winged Tiger. With a single slash of his saber, life and death were decided. The beast’s enormous head rolled to the ground with a dull THUD.

”We’ve troubled you again, Young Master Fang!”