Chapter 417: Something to Brag About for a Lifetime

Chapter 417: Something to Brag About for a Lifetime

"You!"

The family of scammers, flustered and angry, rolled up their sleeves, ready to fight.

But before they could get close, the young man threw himself to the ground, wailing, "Help! Help! Someone is beating me! There's no justice! No law! Someone, please save me!"

"..."

Shu Mo watched in stunned silence as the young man turned the tables, his false accusation leaving the family momentarily speechless and at a loss. To Shu Mo's surprise, he felt a secret sense of satisfaction well up in his heart.

"You brat, just you wait! Don't let yourself be alone anytime soon!" the family cursed before slinking away in a hurry.

If they attracted the authorities, it would be trouble. Just who was this brat? He ruined their scheme and didn't follow any rules!

As the family left, Chu Xiaozi rolled her eyes and turned back to press the banknotes onto the carriage. "I'm telling you, you're really a bunch of foolish rich people. You actually fell for such a clumsy act..."

Halfway through her sentence, she stopped abruptly, her eyes widening as she found herself face-to-face with Hua Qingyun's handsome features. Her eyes, blacker and brighter than most, seemed to gleam with a new light. "What a handsome young master!"

Her gaze held no hint of impropriety, only pure admiration, and it didn't feel offensive at all. Especially with her mischievous and memorable eyes, Hua Qingyun was slightly taken aback before he cupped his fists and said, "Thank you, young brother, for your help just now."

Although Shu Mo was grateful to the young man in front of him, he didn't like that he called his young master foolish. His young master was just too kind and upright, a true gentleman, which was why he immediately told him to pay up.

Chu Xiaozi snapped out of her daze and, seeing that the young master was polite, humphed before slapping the banknotes onto the carriage. "You should be thanking me. If it weren't for me, those 350 taels would have gone to those shameless people. Also, remember this: Liao Dong is not like other places. The closer you get to the border, the more dangerous it becomes. Don't flaunt your wealth; if you don't want to die, hide your money and act poor!"

With that, she clapped her hands and prepared to leave.

Shu Mo was half-furious at the brat's words. What he said was true, but why did it sound so infuriating? Was he advising them or cursing them?

As the young woman was about to leave, Hua Qingyun spoke up. "Thank you for your advice, young brother. May I ask for your name?"

Chu Xiaozi pouted, her back still turned to him as she lazily waved her hand. "I go by the name 'Brat' and I never change it, no matter where I am!"

With that, she quickly disappeared around the corner.

"Young Master, this brat is definitely fooling you. Who would actually call themselves 'Brat'?" Shu Mo, clearly displeased, remarked.

Hua Qingyun turned back, shaking his head. "Shu Mo, it's their right to choose whether or not to reveal their real name. Besides, this person has done us a favor. We shouldn't speak of them like that."

Shu Mo, always obedient to his young master, immediately quieted down. After a moment, he suggested, "Young Master, let's find an inn to rest. In the afternoon, we can head out of town. I've heard that this town has beautiful mountains and rivers. You'll definitely be able to capture the splendid scenery of Jiuyuan Pass."

Shu Mo couldn't have anticipated that his usually reclusive young master, who preferred to document the landscapes in remote and scenic places, would shake his head this time.

"Although the scenery is beautiful, the customs and culture of the people are also an integral part of the Great Shen's landscape. Today, we'll stay in Jiuyuan Town and record the scenes of the local marketplace."

"Yes, Young Master..." Shu Mo agreed, though his face fell at the thought of the rude commoners they had encountered in Jiuyuan Town.

What was so interesting about local customs and culture? Who were these people they met in Jiuyuan Town?

The master and servant settled down temporarily in Jiuyuan Town.

When they arrived at the inn, they were slightly surprised to find it packed with guests. Jiuyuan Town didn't seem to have many people, but the inn was surprisingly full.

Soon, they realized that everyone in the inn looked tense, their eyes glued to the old storyteller on stage.

"With a flash of the sword, the so-called number one warrior of the Dongrong, General Tuoba, was defeated by Lord Xie in less than three moves. By the time the Dongrong people realized what had happened, their general was already trying to weasel his way out of defeat..."

"Young Master, the news here in Jiuyuan Pass is outdated. The martial competition happened ages ago, and it wasn't like that. Lord Xie actually exchanged many moves with General Tuoba of the Dongrong." Shu Mo, who had been listening intently, couldn't help but interject.

What you hear is never as satisfying as what you see. Shu Mo had witnessed Lord Xie's battle with General Tuoba in person!

Comparing the outdated information in front of him, Shu Mo couldn't help but feel a secret sense of amusement.

But his amusement didn't last long.

After finishing that segment, the storyteller began to recount the tale of Lord Xie's slaughter of the Dongrong invaders in Jiuyuan Pass.

Shu Mo was dumbfounded. "Is this made up? Why would Lord Xie be in Jiuyuan Pass?"

Someone nearby overheard him and immediately scoffed, "Are you new here? Everyone in Jiuyuan knows about Lord Xie. He's been here for over a month, killing Dongrong people who sneaked into the pass. Now, just hearing Lord Xie's name is enough to scare the Dongrong people half to death. They wouldn't dare come near!"

Shu Mo was still in shock when Hua Qingyun smiled gently and said, "Indeed, we are ignorant of local matters. May I ask this brother to tell us about Lord Xie's arrival in Jiuyuan Pass?"

The man, who had been about to impatiently point to the stage, turned around and, seeing Hua Qingyun's refined and noble appearance, was momentarily stunned before changing his tone and explaining in detail. "You see, Lord Xie seemed to appear out of nowhere in Jiuyuan Pass..."

In one fell swoop, Lord Xie wiped out two Dongrong teams that had sneaked into Jiuyuan Pass to plunder. The heads of the Dongrong leaders were displayed on flagpoles along the border as a warning. The Dongrong, who had been arrogant in Liao Dong, couldn't accept this. They secretly dispatched an elite force to ambush Lord Xie's camp in Jiuyuan Pass, but in the end, they were completely wiped out, with not a single survivor.

As soon as the news spread, the people of Jiuyuan Pass were ecstatic.

If Great Shen and Dongrong could be considered sworn enemies, then the people of Liao Dong and the Dongrong were mortal enemies. They had endured the Dongrong's arrogance and cruelty for decades, harboring immense resentment.

Finally, someone had dealt the Dongrong a devastating blow. Although only a few teams had been annihilated, it was enough to give the long-suffering people a sense of satisfaction.

Moreover, Lord Xie had already become a hero in the hearts of the people due to his performance in the martial competition. Now, their admiration and respect for him reached new heights.

Soon after, one Dongrong team after another was wiped out. Within just over a month, seven Dongrong teams vanished forever from the land of Jiuyuan Pass.

The Dongrong presence in Jiuyuan Pass was completely eradicated, and even the nearby Ning City was affected. The once frequent Dongrong invasions became fewer and fewer, allowing the people to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Now, all the people of Jiuyuan wish they could see Lord Xie in person!" The man patted his chest and, unable to resist, also patted Hua Qingyun's shoulder. "If I could see Lord Xie, I'd have something to brag about for a lifetime!"