Chapter 22
Part 1
Wen Heng’s expression remained unchanged, while Gouzi turned pale with fright. Seeing trouble brewing, Constable Zhu hurried forward. “Your Honor Jin, this won’t do! This is a beggar boy from Xiaoyan Town who spoke disrespectfully to you. I’ll have him apologize at once! Hey, you little beggar, get down on your knees now!”
Wen Heng’s smile remained fixed as he slowly raised his begging staff, pointing it at a crooked tree by the roadside with a trunk half a meter thick. “Your Honor, which do you think is sturdier—yourself or this tree?”
Justice Jin’s face darkened, his waist sword nearly thrusting into Wen Heng’s chest.
With a casual flick of his wrist, Wen Heng sent the half-meter-thick tree crashing to the ground. Lord Jin’s pupils contracted sharply. He was merely an ordinary man with a bit of authority. This gaunt, sallow-faced beggar before him was clearly a master of some hidden art—he had misjudged him completely. Had that staff struck him, he would already be a pile of minced meat.
Wen Heng still wore a smile, his eyes narrowed into two slanted slits. When Magistrate Jin looked at him again, it was as if he saw a green-faced, fanged monster glaring at him with sinister intent.
Magistrate Jin decisively sheathed his dagger and climbed nimbly onto his horse. He glanced at the unmoved Lian Wushang, then waved his hand. “Let’s go.” The group took off at a gallop, kicking up clouds of dust as they fled.
Gouzi patted his chest. Ah Heng, do you always smash trees when threatening people? What if there’s no tree nearby next time?”
Wen Heng straightened the hemp rope and replied unscrupulously, “Then I’ll have to smash people instead.”
Constable Zhu wiped the sweat from his face and pointed at Wen Heng. “You’ve got some nerve. You’ve even offended Lord Jin Hu. It’s a good thing you’re leaving, or you wouldn’t be able to stay in Xiaoyan Town.”
Wen Heng remained silent, but Gouzi looked puzzled at Zhu. “Officer Zhu, what’s wrong with you?”
Zhu sighed, rubbing his sore back with his uninjured left hand. “Don’t even ask. Last night I went drinking, and when I came down the stairs, I tripped and rolled all the way down. If it weren’t for picking up Lord Jin Hu today, I’d still be in bed. I should’ve listened to you and skipped the brothel. Where are you headed?”
Zhu looked toward Wen Heng, who was quietly questioning Lian Wushang. With a weary wave, Zhu urged, “Go on, go. Hurry up and get far away. Lord Jin Hu and his men are investigating a case in the nearby town. You’d be wise to avoid running into him. Hey…”
Zhu’s hand shot out toward Lian Wushang, who had his back turned. The moment Lian turned around, Zhu’s hand snapped back. His eyes went wide. Now he understood why Lord Jin Hu had taken issue with a beggar earlier. Seeing Lian Wushang, Zhu felt he dared not even speak loudly, for fear of disturbing him.
Wen Heng bowed his hands to Zhu: “Farewell.”
Then he pulled his cart with a creak and clatter onto the main road. Long after they had departed, Constable Zhu remained standing dumbstruck on the road.
“Ah Heng, Master Lian’s appearance is too conspicuous. It might attract trouble,” Gouzi murmured with concern. They hadn’t even left Xiaoyan Town yet, and already trouble had found them.
Lian Wushang smiled faintly. “It’s fine. I can handle myself.” Baozi twitched his ears disdainfully. Keep pretending.
“Many ants can kill an elephant. We should play it safe,” Wen Heng suggested after consulting with Lian Wushang. “Wushang, your kindness doesn’t mean others share it.”
Lian Wushang nodded at the suggestion. “Very well. I’ll follow your lead.”
Under the stunned gazes of Gouzi and Wen Heng, Lian Wushang’s solemn blue robe transformed into coarse, dusty gray cloth garments. The jade hairpin atop his head became a simple wooden stick. His exquisite features lost their radiance, and he became an ordinary, bookish-looking young man.
“Just a little illusion,” Lian Wushang explained. “Is this acceptable?”
Wen Heng and Gouzi nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes! That’s amazing!” Immortal techniques truly were extraordinary. Gouzi dropped the gray grass he’d been clutching in his palm—he’d been planning to smear Lian Wushang’s face with its sticky juice.
Much safer now, Wen Heng dragged the cart forward with satisfaction. They had set out near noon, and despite his best efforts, they hadn’t covered much ground by evening.
As dusk fell, Wen Heng pulled the cart into a grove beside the official road. With no villages nearby, it seemed they’d have to make do with the cart for the night. The dense forest felt eerily gloomy, and the autumn evening breeze carried a chill. Glancing around, Wen Heng apologized to Lian Wushang and Gouzi: “We’ll just have to make do tonight.”
Gouzi had already hopped off the cart. He’d spent the entire afternoon gathering wood suitable for building a frame. Now he was eager to get started, ready to construct a canopy and support structure that could be mounted on the cart.
Old Zhang’s cart was quite wide—three people could lie down in it with a bit of squeezing. Gouzi spotted four holes at the cart’s corners, likely left by Old Zhang for support beams. He spent the afternoon whittling wood with a wooden knife, and four pieces fit perfectly into the holes.
Four equally sized sticks, each about two fingers thick, were propped up. Gouzi then tied several pieces of wood horizontally and vertically between the four sticks. Before long, a frame took shape.
Lian Wushang stood nearby, hands in his pockets, watching. “Gouzi’s pretty handy, huh?”
Gouzi chuckled, scratching his head. “We don’t have magical powers. This is just stuff we used to build for fun. In our line of work, roughing it is normal. If you can do it yourself, you do it yourself. Mr. Lian, you’re used to fine clothes and delicious food. You’ve never seen a shelter like this, have you?”
Lian Wushang smiled faintly. “No, it’s my first time seeing one.”
Born of the heavens and earth, nourished by spiritual energy, his ethereal demeanor was utterly natural. He’d never witnessed mortal ways of survival.
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://novels.space/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")
