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Chapter 339: A Chance Encounter with the Four Wives
Chapter 339: A Chance Encounter with the Four Wives
September 12th, Zhangjiakou.
"Something is puzzling me," Ma Xiuzhen said.
"What's puzzling you?" Su Shaoying inquired.
"Tang Tianyi's martial arts skills are indeed formidable, but those monks from Daxue Shan Temple are no weaklings either. Among them are several experts. How could they possibly be unaware of Tang Tianyi's tailing them?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
"True," Su Shaoying nodded.
"If that's the case, why are they neither hurrying nor changing their route? They don't seem concerned about being followed, nor do they intend to take pre-emptive action. I can't shake the feeling that they're toying with Tang Tianyi," Ma Xiuzhen said.
"Makes sense," Su Shaoying nodded again.
"Aren't you the clever one? Care to speculate on their motives?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
"What's there to think about?" Su Shaoying replied, "It has nothing to do with us. Why not just tag along and enjoy the show?"
Ma Xiuzhen was left speechless.
"You mean we traveled all the way from Huabei to Yanbei just to be spectators?" she asked incredulously.
"The intrigue involving the Tang Clan and Daxue Shan Temple isn't something we get to witness every day. Besides, Tang Tianyi himself wants us to observe his clan's capabilities," Su Shaoying explained.
"Why?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
"Because he's already tried to shake me off several times in front of you, and each time he failed to live up to his boasts. Naturally, he wants me to see the true might of the Tang Clan," Su Shaoying said.
Among the various influential factions in Shu, the most renowned were the Emei Sect and the Tang Clan. The Emei Sect, as one of the seven great sword sects, acted with grandeur and righteousness, giving them a slight edge in reputation over the Tang Clan.
However, the members of the Tang Clan were exceedingly proud, considering themselves the best in Sichuan and Shu. Though there was no open conflict with the Emei Sect, they harbored a desire to surpass them.
Now that Tang Tianyi, the eldest son of the Tang Clan, had lost face several times before Su Shaoying, the heir apparent of the Emei Sect, he was naturally seeking an opportunity to regain his prestige.
And what better chance than the pursuit of the Daxue Shan Temple monks within the Guanei region?
Thus, Su Shaoying and Ma Xiuzhen hadn't been particularly discreet in their tailing, but Tang Tianyi showed no signs of acknowledging their presence, sometimes even ensuring they didn't lose track of him and deliberately leaving a trail.
And so, they had all arrived in Zhangjiakou.
"If the monks of Daxue Shan Temple intend to enter Shanxi and then pass through Gansu and Long, they wouldn't come to Zhangjiakou. Does their presence here mean they plan to leave through Datong?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
A gleam flashed in Su Shaoying's eyes as she shook her head and smiled, "These monks are shrouded in mystery. I suspect they have other plans."
"What kind of plans?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
"How would I know?" Su Shaoying laughed, "We'll find out by keeping a close eye on them."
"Should we follow the monks or Tang Tianyi?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
"If my suspicions are correct and those monks do have something else up their sleeves, we might not be able to keep up with Tang Tianyi," Su Shaoying hinted.
Throughout their journey, they had been following Tang Tianyi, so the monks of Daxue Shan Temple were unaware of their presence.
Ma Xiuzhen paused, realization dawning on her, "This is Yanbei, where the influence of the Tang Clan is weakest. Could they be planning to make their move against Tang Tianyi here?"
"With their skills, taking down Tang Tianyi won't be an easy task, will it?" Ma Xiuzhen asked.
Indeed, while the monks of Daxue Shan Temple included several experts, Tang Tianyi was no pushover either. He had a bag full of Tang Clan hidden weapons, so if the monks wanted to kill him, they would likely suffer significant casualties themselves.
"Makes sense," Su Shaoying nodded, and just then, a horse-drawn carriage pulled up in front of the inn, having traveled a long distance from the west.
As the carriage came to a stop, the curtain was drawn aside, and four women emerged, followed by the coachman who removed his hat, revealing a simpleton's smile as he trailed behind them.
The four women entered the inn and immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the lobby.
The woman in the lead was no longer young and not particularly attractive. She had a square face with high cheekbones and full lips, and though her expression was serious, her eyes held a captivating allure.
The other three women followed her lead. The second woman had a gentle and soft demeanor and was the most beautiful of the four. On her side were a flirtatious young lady and a thin, aloof woman.
As the coachman entered the inn, he unbuttoned his leather jacket, revealing a colorful shirt underneath.
If Su Shaoying and Ma Xiuzhen didn't recognize them by now, they would have missed out on the original story by Gu Long.
There was Lee Xia, the earth-sitting succubus; Chen Jingjing, the master of disguise; Tang Keqing, who loved women; Leng Hong'er, innocent and naive; and Li Shentong, the feigned fool.
They were characters from "Silver Hook Gambling House," including Blue Beard's wife, his wife's younger brother, and three concubines.
How did they end up in Zhangjiakou?
From their dusty appearance, it seemed they had traveled a great distance. Could it be that...
Lee Xia had already stolen the Rakshasa token from Blue Beard of the Silver Hook Gambling House?
Indeed, they needed to reach the Songhua River before it froze over to hide the token beneath the icy river. In those times, there were no highways or railways, so getting to the river's edge was no easy feat.
Su Shaoying and Ma Xiuzhen's gazes toward the group were no different from the other patrons in the lobby. However, their refined attire and aura stood out, immediately drawing attention back to them.
"Are they the ones?" Li Xia asked.
"No," Chen Jingjing shook her head. "The message mentioned only one woman."
"We don't have time to wait. We agreed it would be today. Tomorrow morning, we head north," Li Xia said, her tone somber.
"She said she would make it," Chen Jingjing assured.
Just then, the sound of footsteps came from the stairs, and a flash of purple skirt caught everyone's attention. A beautiful woman descended the stairs.
"Chuchu?" Ma Xiuzhen was surprised to see the newcomer. "How did she end up here too?"
At that moment, Chuchu spotted not only Li Xia's group but also Su Shaoying and Ma Xiuzhen. She was equally puzzled as to why they were in Zhangjiakou.
"I thought you were going to Beijing to witness Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue's duel?" Chuchu asked, her eyes narrowing. "Why did you bypass Beijing and come here instead?"
However, with the plan already set in motion, Chuchu had no choice but to proceed. Moreover, she wagered that Su Shaoying was unaware of her involvement in this matter, as it had only recently occurred, and very few people knew about it. Chen Jingjing had informed her via carrier pigeon.
So, Chuchu merely greeted Su Shaoying and then proceeded to join Li Xia's group.
(End of Chapter)
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