It turns out that what she wanted to change was the entire martial arts world.
Shangguan Yi put away the small note sent by carrier pigeon and closed his eyes slightly. After a while, he called out, "Prepare the horses, let's go to Tianjin."
"Tianjin?" Although Yu Luo guessed that the young master's decision was related to Steward Chen's quick report, she couldn't help but be surprised.
“But the capital…” she hesitated slightly.
Shangguan Yi gently lifted her eyelids, and her bright black eyes made her lower her head involuntarily.
"How long have you been in the Shangguan family?"
"Yu Luo became a slave at the age of ten, and it has been thirty years since then."
"My eldest sister left a letter before she passed away, in which she removed you from the status of a slave. Yu Luo, you are no longer a slave."
Seeing her body tremble uncontrollably, Shangguan lowered his eyes and said, "You chose to remain single and refuse to marry, yet you claim to have a child. Yuluo, do you really think I know that?"
She looked up in a panic, her eyes brimming with tears. "Young Master..."
“What are you afraid of? With your care for A-Kuang, don’t you deserve the title of ‘mother’? Back then, you volunteered to become the head of the Shuntian Prefecture in the capital, just to keep an eye on A-Kuang and cut off his contact with Ji Junze. The fact that this went so smoothly is also thanks to the connections you’ve cultivated over the years. If my elder sister knew how good you are to A-Kuang, she would be deeply moved.”
Looking at her trembling shoulders, Shangguan Yi's dark eyes narrowed.
“I dislike Ji Junze, partly because of A Kuang, and partly because of my own likes and dislikes, but you are different. You uphold my eldest sister’s last will, treat me like a younger brother, and regard A Kuang as your own son. When it comes to getting rid of Ji Junze, you are more determined than I am.”
Yu Luo's beautiful eyes, with their fine lines, suddenly widened in surprise, then narrowed again.
"Are you worried that if I leave the capital now, and Ji Junze makes a comeback, the Shangguan family will be doomed?" Shangguan Yi chuckled.
“Young Master, Yu Luo has been in the capital for so many years and has seen many such things. Besides, Ji Jun has suffered such a calamity this time. If he were to be reinstated…”
"So what?" Shangguan Yi interrupted before Yu Luo could finish speaking.
Young Master...
Yu Luo stood frozen in place, watching him with the same nonchalant yet arrogant demeanor he had in his youth. He picked up the prepared cloak and casually tied it around his neck. His handsome eyes slightly lifted, like a deep, unfathomable pool. A faint smile played on his lips.
“Even if he holds the highest position of power, he still has to come to me for help. She sees this much better than any of you.”
In mid-November, the Hailong entered port in Hwanghae Province, Korea. Historically, Korea was known as Dongyi, and its territory was unified by the Joseon Dynasty in the tenth year of the Jianning era of the Great Wei Dynasty. It faced the Great Wei across the river and bordered the northern Di Lianshan Mountains. Hwanghae Province was one of the eight provinces of Korea. Due to its proximity to the Great Wei capital, Gaegyeong, and its proximity to the capital, it was a prosperous region with many residents fluent in Chinese.
"I really can't tell this is North Korea." Cong Luan exclaimed, looking at the banner with the character "衣" (clothing) fluttering in the shop.
“The Dongyi people have been a vassal state of the Central Plains since the Goryeo period. It is only natural for them to write Chinese characters and wear Hanfu.” As he spoke, Wei Zhuofeng raised his eyes and walked into the clothing shop as if no one else was there.
"What an annoying personality." Cong Luan glared fiercely at his back, then took out her history book as if venting her anger, and began to write ten lines at a time with a fierce look in her eyes.
Unfazed by her travel notes, Yu Zigui strolled into the clothing shop. The walls were covered with garments, slightly modified from those of the Great Wei and bearing a hint of Korean style. The colors were so vibrant that they far exceeded the usual standards of the Great Wei. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but frown.
"Boss, do you have anything vegetarian?" Xiao Kuang asked.
Yu Zigui stared at him until he felt a chill run down his spine.
"Speak your mind." He secretly wiped away cold sweat; that gaze was even more intimidating than his uncle's.
"It's nothing." Her gaze swept over him, then suddenly looked up. "I just understand why you have so many female confidantes all over the world now."
In terms of appearance, Wei Zhuofeng fit the standards of a handsome man in the Great Wei Dynasty better than Xiao Kuang. However, the Third Young Master Wei was a bit too aloof and not as considerate and understanding as Xiao Kuang. She only frowned slightly, and he guessed her thoughts. No wonder women were infatuated with him—whether they were chivalrous heroines or daughters of officials. Just the fact that she had personally witnessed him climbing over the wall of the Yangzhou governor's favorite concubine's room, disheveled, was enough for her to reminisce about for a long time.
Little did she know that it was just a simple "rustic dish," but what truly impressed her was the "foreign meat"...
They had just disembarked from the large ship and were still figuring out how to navigate when they saw Xiao Kuang skillfully blend into the marketplace and arrive at the back gate of a residence. Korean houses were generally low, and the walls weren't as towering as those of the Great Wei, seemingly enclosing people in a small world. She estimated that she could easily cross by simply using a handhold, but Xiao Kuang wasn't used to climbing walls.
After a few light knocks, the door slowly opened. A woman with a slightly swollen face yawned, a heavy-looking wig hanging behind her head. Although she didn't understand Korean, she knew the woman was probably not saying anything nice. Then, Xiao Kuang called out "Gui Lan" with a smile, and a miracle occurred.
The woman cried out in surprise, her exposed chest trembling slightly as she moved, making her blush. Looking at Wei Zhuofeng, she saw only utter disgust. After the cry, the woman, holding her swaying wig, ran back inside. Only when a dozen or so beautiful women, dressed in their finest attire, rushed in did she realize that this was not a private residence but a brothel.
Not only was he the object of the Great Wei Dynasty, but he was also the object of the dreams of women in Joseon.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but glance at Xiao Kuang again.
"A breeding boar." With a disdainful snort, Cong Luan put away her paper and pen, and walked past him without even glancing at him.
“Ah Luan, I didn’t.” Xiao Kuang chased after him and retorted, “You know that two years ago I left Jiangdu and went to Korea by ship. You know how upset I was at that time.”
"Yes, yes, I was feeling upset, so I went to relax my body."
"No, no, I just went to drink. Guilan and the others are pitiful people too."
"A pitiful person?" Cong Luan raised an eyebrow and turned to ask the boss, "Do you have any private rooms?"
"A cubicle?" The shop owner spoke fluent Chinese. After thinking for a moment, he pointed to the fitting room curtain. "Would that work..."
Before the last word could be uttered, a gust of cold wind swept by, and the boss's sideburns were pulled at an odd angle against her cheeks. She was alone...
The rhythmic pounding of flesh echoed behind the curtain, revealing just how brutal the blows were. The sounds were both ruthless and rapid, thrilling and incredibly satisfying to listeners.
"Future aunt-in-law!"
She turned around, and her ears automatically went deaf.
"Help!"
The shrill male voice and the suggestive, wicked laugh caused the curtain to tremble violently, reminding her of a similar scene that had played out two years ago in the carriage behind her on the streets of Jiangdu.
"Boss, let me see that one." She said calmly, pointing to a dress.
The portly boss stiffened his neck and slowly twisted it around. "Is this the new trend in Great Wei?"
Looking at the plain clothes that seemed more pleasing to the eye, she nodded: "Yes."
"This is...so exciting..."
Stimulate?
Yu Zigui stole a glance at Xiao Kuang's greenish-blue cheek and couldn't help but chuckle. He'd seen the tailor shop owner's expression just now—it was more than just "spectacular"!
She secretly rejoiced and gave Cong Luan a wink. No longer as fierce as before, Cong Luan dodged slightly, then suddenly nudged the person whose face was "sunshine in the east and rain in the west".
"Again?" Xiao Kuang took three steps back, his eyes wide open.
"What do you mean, 'again'?!" Cong Luan glared back, hands on her hips. "Go get your clearance document from your old flame!"
The Great Wei strictly forbids civilians from leaving the pass. In addition, it is currently wartime. If they do not change their identities, they will probably be closely watched as soon as they enter the Northern Barbarian lands.
Being low-key is a virtue.
Yu Zigui touched the newly bought Korean women's clothing, and when she looked up, she saw Wei Zhuofeng's fleeting gaze.
“This is a document.” Through the back door of the brothel, a courtesan named Guilan secretly slipped a book into Xiao Kuang’s clothes. “Starting from here, passing through Sanjiangli, it will take about ten days on horseback to reach the Northern Di.”
"Ten days?" Yu Zigui asked, leaning closer. "Is there a shorter route?"
Guilan withdrew her lingering gaze and looked at her: "Yes, there are, but the borders were closed a few days ago. The only way to get to the Great Wei is through the seaport and Yizhou in the north, and the only way to get to the Northern Di is through Sanjiangli. Because these passes are strictly controlled, ordinary people often have to stay for several days before they can pass."
Just as the group was feeling distressed, they heard Guilan whisper, "There's another way."
"What road?" At this moment, Cong Luan forgot his personal grudges and hurriedly asked, pulling her along.
"If we cross General Peak, we can reach Zhongdu in just two days. However, the mountain is high and steep, and it is now the dead of winter. As the saying goes, 'The eagle has broken its wings on General Peak,' even birds cannot pass through."
The group exchanged glances and instantly reached a tacit understanding.
"Let's give it a try," Wei Zhuofeng said proudly.
Guilan anxiously grabbed Xiao Kuang, wanting to persuade him again, when she heard a shouting male voice coming from the street.
"Lower your head," Guilan reminded him, pulling Xiao Kuang aside.
Seeing this, Yu Zigui wisely did as he was told, and Gao Dashan habitually lowered his head. Only Cong Luan and Wei Zhuofeng were still confused and craned their necks to watch.
"Please bow your heads, both of you," Guilan said again.
A group of warriors approached from afar. Unlike the soldiers I had seen before, these men were dressed in blue silk robes, with pheasant feathers adorning their crowns. They moved with lightning speed and great haste.
“It’s Hwarang, the king’s royal guard,” Guilan said incredulously.
"King? You mean the King of Joseon?" Cong Luan's eyes widened.
“They are the king’s guards, but not the king. In Joseon, the Hwarang are the king’s sword. Gye-ran was born in Gaegyeong (the capital of Joseon), and I would never mistake his uniform. If he were the king, there would be many more Hwarang, and the one on horseback is probably an important official.”
As the group drew closer, Guilan bent down even lower, almost touching the ground.
"Please bow your head," she said.
The five men did as instructed, and the group quickly passed by in a short while.
"Is there something you need, Third Young Master?" Yu Zigui asked, glancing at Wei Zhuofeng, whose handsome brows were furrowed beside him.
Wei Zhuofeng gazed at the figure on horseback and wondered, "I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."
“It’s Lord Park An-jin,” Gui Lan said, looking up.
“Park An-jin?” Xiao Kuang seemed to remember something.
Wei Zhuofeng's eyes lit up: "He is an envoy from Korea stationed in the capital. I saw him from afar during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year."
“This young master is right. Lord Park An-jin is indeed the envoy sent by my king to Great Wei. Three years ago, Lord Park set off for Great Wei from here. At that time, Gui Lan was still a high-ranking official and had the honor of receiving the king's envoy along with the Daotai. I just didn't expect Lord Park to return so soon,” Gui Lan said.
Knowing that this man was the Korean official who had secretly fled the capital, Yu Zigui lowered her eyes for a moment, then smiled. Pointing in the direction the group of people had gone, she casually asked, "Miss Guilan, is that road leading to the capital of Korea?"
Just as she asked out of curiosity, Guilan covered her mouth and laughed: "This road goes north, while Kaijing is in the south. In the words of the Great Wei, it's going south while heading north."
"I see." Yu Zigui pondered softly for a moment, then looked at her understanding companions, her crescent-shaped eyes gleaming softly.
"I think we don't need to climb General Peak."
One day later.
As dawn broke, just as the midnight revelry at Chunxiang Pavilion ended and the courtesans had just fallen asleep, a knocking sound came from the back door.
Who is it?
Guilan cursed angrily, then hastily adjusted her wig and rushed towards the small door.
Her beauty had faded; back then, she lived in magnificent mansions, never reduced to living in the outer courtyard and becoming a mere gatekeeper.
Thinking of this, she felt both resentful and angry. She flung open the wooden door and blurted out in her local accent, "Whose dog is this, barking like that!"
The person outside the door was clearly taken aback for a moment, and then a polite female voice rang out: "I'm sorry to bother you."
Is it Chinese?
Having sobered up considerably, Guilan blinked her swollen eyes and saw a woman knocking on the door. She had wrinkles around her eyes and her weariness was undeniable, like a flower past its prime standing faintly in the morning light.
Guilan subconsciously thought that she was probably looking for her husband, and she pulled up her clothes and said shrewishly, "Madam, the time for welcoming guests has passed, and your master is not here."
Yu Luo was taken aback. "Miss, you've misunderstood."