I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 201: Chapter 83: Gathering at Dusk (3)

Jiang Yan stepped forward personally to thank him and offer his assurance. ”As for this Exotic Beast Meat, just like before, the caravan will purchase it at a high price. Young Master Fang can also choose to exchange it for aged medicinal herbs...”

With war raging across the prefectures and troops on the move everywhere, startled Exotic Beasts were running rampant, making the roads increasingly dangerous. This was far from the first time something like this had happened.

”It’s nothing, Young Master Jiang. Just handle it as you normally would. I’m heading back now.” Fang Rui waved dismissively and turned to leave.

’The story was just getting to the good part when it was cut short. If I’m late getting back, those two little girls are going to have an opinion about it.’

Only after Fang Rui had left did a wave of reverent discussion ripple through the caravan.

”Did you see that? That was Young Master Fang, an absolute top-tier master!”

The man’s voice trembled with excitement and adoration. ”Of all the Exotic Beasts we’ve encountered so far—whether it was that Winged Tiger just now or any of the previous ones—not a single one has ever survived more than one of his moves...”

”That’s right. How many Exotic Beasts have died at his hands now? Didn’t he just slay a Clouded Leopard a few days ago?” another person muttered.

”That’s enough! That’s enough!”

An old guard scolded them, ”With a master like Young Master Fang traveling with us, you little rascals should be counting your lucky stars!”

”No kidding! In the past, whenever merchant caravans ran into an Exotic Beast, we’d lose at least a dozen men every time!”

...

Under Fang Rui’s protection, the Jiang Family arrived safely at Lanyang Prefecture City over half a month later.

Once there, Jiang Yan arranged passage for the Fang Family with a caravan heading to the State City, and Fang Rui and his family continued their journey.

Oh, and before they parted, Fang Rui gifted Jiang Yan a Jade Pendant as a memento, both to thank him for his earlier kindness with the map and for the hospitality he’d shown them over the past several days.

Jiang Yan accepted it but didn’t think much of the gesture.

’After all, once they parted ways, he would likely never see Fang Rui again in this lifetime.’

Back at his residence.

As Jiang Yan was toying with the Jade Pendant, one of his concubines saw it and asked what it was.

”A keepsake from a remarkable individual.”

He smiled and casually gave the Jade Pendant to her. ”Since you’ve seen it, it’s yours. Consider it a stroke of fate.”

”My lord...” The concubine started to speak again.

But Jiang Yan, with a magnanimous wave of his hand, cut her off. ”I said it’s yours, and so it is. There’s no need for more words.”

”Yes, my lord.”

The concubine was overjoyed. ”I’ll have our child wear it. My branch of the family will pass it down for generations to come...”

At that moment, neither Jiang Yan nor the concubine had any idea that this fated gift was more precious than all the wealth of the Jiang Family combined.

For this fated connection was a thing called ’Immortal Fate’.

...

「Changshan County.」

CAW! CAW! CAW!

Wild geese flew overhead. The autumn wind was bleak, scattering chrysanthemum petals across the ground.

Jiang Ping’an stood by the window and opened a letter from Fang Rui. ”It has been half a month since we parted. I wonder, is Brother Jiang well? I hope these words find you as if we were meeting face-to-face...”

In the letter, Fang Rui wrote about himself and his father, Fang Baicao; about his plans to leave the Three Southern States; and finally, offered some veiled warnings and advice...

”Brother Fang... he’s really gone for good!”

Jiang Ping’an stood motionless for a long while. Then, he poured a bowl of wine and spilled it onto the ground, a distant tribute in the direction of Yunshan City.

”Dad, why are you crying?”

”Yeah! Yeah!”

Just then, his two little ones, Niu Dun and Xiaodouya, came hopping over.

”The wind just got in my eyes.”

Jiang Ping’an just shook his head with a smile. He bent down, picked a few chrysanthemums, and tucked one into each child’s hair. Taking one by each hand, he turned back toward the house. ”In a couple of days, I’m going to take you and your mother to the countryside to live with your grandmother for a year or two. How does that sound?”

”Okay!”

The two little ones nodded their heads vigorously. Around each of their necks was a red cord, holding the Jade Pendants Fang Rui had given them before he left.

...

On the horizon, the red sun sank behind the mountains. The light faded, and the curtain of night began to fall, like a drape closing on a theater stage.

CAW! CAW! CAW!

In the distance, toward the ends of the earth where the wild geese flew, there were always mountains beyond mountains, towering and majestic, and rivers beyond rivers, flowing to the edge of the sky.

And there, of course, countless other stories were just beginning.

...