Chapter 154
Chapter 154
“Daddy, is it far to the Lushan Qi Family?”
“Not far. They’re in Lushan. We can reach them in a day.”
As he spoke, Xiao Che dressed Jin Bao in a hooded cloak. The winds of the Northern Frontier were strong, and her skin was delicate. After a full day in the wind, her little face would become dry and chapped.
“Lushan? Does that mean there are lots of deer?”
Jin Bao tilted her little head and grinned.
“We’ll find out whether there are deer when we get there.”
Xiao Che lightly tapped the tip of her nose, then hooked both hands beneath her arms and lifted her high.
“Daddy will take you to get some food first.”
Jin Bao suddenly flew upward with a cheer before dropping into Xiao Che’s strong embrace.
He carried her into the outer room, where breakfast had just been laid on the table.
There was plain congee, eggs, and a mild vegetable dish.
Xiao Che set Jin Bao on a stool, picked up an ox-horn comb, and began fixing her braids.
“Drink your congee, Daughter. Daddy will do your hair.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Jin Bao obediently lifted the white porcelain bowl and finished the congee in small sips.
Then she reached for two eggs. Instead of eating them, she put them into the little satchel she always carried.
Two did not feel like enough. In the end, she simply picked up the plate, held her satchel open, and poured every egg inside.
Her experiences in two lifetimes had given Jin Bao the habit of hoarding food.
Xiao Che silently watched her little movements. He said nothing and merely smiled indulgently.
Only after Jin Bao patted her bulging satchel in satisfaction and hopped off the stool did he speak.
“Are you full?”
Jin Bao patted her satchel. “Full, full! Let’s go.”
Xiao Che laughed soundlessly, uncertain whether Jin Bao was full or her satchel was.
He bent down, fished an egg out of the bag, swiftly peeled it, and placed the clean white egg in her little hand.
“A bowl of congee isn’t enough. Eat the egg, and then we’ll leave.”
Jin Bao obediently brought the egg to her mouth and took one enormous bite, devouring half of it at once.
The Lushan Qi Family was located one hundred li west of the Xie Family estate.
The journey would take only half a day in a straight line, but travelers had to detour around a mountain.
After the sun crossed the sky from east to west, Xiao Che and Jin Bao finally reached the foot of Lushan.
Qi Family Fort stood halfway up the mountain.
Its terrain was easy to defend and difficult to attack.
The entire fort had been built from stone. Its walls were not especially tall, but they were tremendously thick, with sentries and guard posts spaced closely along the top.
The fort gate was a massive wooden barrier made from whole logs lashed and pinned together.
The gate was currently shut tight. A guard tower stood above it, with bow-wielding sentries patrolling the top.
The moment Xiao Che and Jin Bao appeared, the patrolling guards spotted them and immediately sent word to the family head.
By the time Xiao Che’s horse followed the dirt road to the gate, the guards above had already nocked arrows and drawn their bows at him.
“Who goes there? Do you have an invitation?”
Xiao Che immediately took out the jade pendant.
“I am the Valley Master of Black Pine Valley. My surname is Xiao. I have come to visit your family head and deliver an important message.”
The guard’s expression changed the instant he saw the pendant in Xiao Che’s hand. He hurriedly lowered his bow.
“Please wait, honored guest. I will report to the family head at once.”
Xiao Che put the pendant away. He did not wait long before the tightly closed gate slowly opened.
More than a dozen strong young men streamed out. They wore matching short tunics and carried long spears, forming two rows on either side.
A middle-aged man in brocade strode out to greet him.
“May I ask the honored guest’s name and the purpose of your visit to Qi Family Fort?”
The middle-aged man looked Xiao Che up and down. He did not recognize him, but the guard had reported that this visitor carried the jade pendant of the Lushan Qi Family’s former head.
The pendant was a token of the Lushan Qi Family. Whoever possessed it could command the entire family.
Xiao Che dismounted and lifted Jin Bao into his arms.
He took out the jade pendant again.
“I am Xiao Che, Valley Master of Black Pine Valley, and a member of the Xiao Family from the Capital. While traveling, I happened upon a skeleton and found this pendant among the remains. The emblem appeared to be unique to the Lushan Qi Family, so I made time to visit and return it to its rightful owners.”
The Lushan Qi Family head’s heart lurched. Could those remains belong to his elder brother?
No wonder the men they had sent out had failed to find the slightest trace of him after searching for so long. He had been killed.
The family head hurriedly accepted the pendant with both hands and invited Xiao Che into the fort to talk.
Xiao Che nodded and followed him through the gates of Qi Family Fort.
The fort occupied the entire mountaintop and covered an impressive area. A little over ten thousand residents and guards lived inside.
It even had a marketplace.
Beyond the outer gate stood a second, much taller stone wall. Its entrance was a stone gate operated by machinery and could not be opened by human strength alone.
Nestled in Daddy’s arms, Jin Bao looked around with curious eyes. Every building here seemed strange and unfamiliar.
Past the second stone gate, they found neat streets lined with simply dressed residents. Each person had set up a small stall selling a dazzling variety of goods.
There were mountain products, eggs, wild game, trinkets, jewelry, and cloth. Most of all, there were furs and hides.
The street was three zhang wide, broad enough for two carriages to pass abreast.
Another stone wall stood at the far end, though its gate was made of wood.
Beyond that final gate lay the family head’s residence.
At last, they reached the Lushan Qi Family’s main hall.
A complete tiger skin hung in the center at the head of the room. Beneath it stood two grand armchairs with a tall side table between them.
More than a dozen matching chairs lined either side of the lower hall. The family likely used this room for meetings whenever important matters arose.
As soon as Xiao Che sat down, servants brought tea.
Jin Bao remained quietly seated in his arms. She did not know this place, so she could not run around carelessly.
“Valley Master Xiao, thank you for returning my elder brother’s jade pendant. But could you please tell me precisely where his remains are? I need to send people to recover his body.”
The Lushan Qi Family head, Qi Sihai, choked up several times. His eyes reddened as he visibly fought back his grief.
Xiao Che did not know whether the sorrow was genuine or an act. But since Qi Sihai had asked, doing him this favor cost nothing. Whether the man truly sent anyone to retrieve the remains or not, both sides would preserve appearances.
Xiao Che gave Qi Sihai a detailed account of where they had found the former family head’s remains.
Once Qi Sihai had steadied himself, he spoke again.
“Valley Master Xiao, forgive my shameful display. My elder brother and I were very close. I never believed he was dead, but after so long without any news, the Lushan Qi Family could not remain without a leader. I only assumed the position temporarily and always intended to return it when he came home. Instead, I have received word of his death. Please forgive my loss of composure.”
Xiao Che waved a hand. “There is nothing to forgive. Your grief is only natural. Please accept my condolences.”
Qi Sihai suddenly rose and cupped his fists to Xiao Che.
“Valley Master Xiao, I must announce the death to the clan. You have had a tiring journey, so please rest in the fort tonight. I will have a guest room prepared and modest wine served…”
Xiao Che understood that he was unlikely to discuss anything else today. He could only wait until tomorrow.
“Please accept my condolences, Family Head Qi.”
Holding Jin Bao, Xiao Che stood. A servant immediately entered to escort them away.
Jin Bao glanced curiously back at the uncle they had just met and saw a smile hanging at the corner of his mouth.
She scratched her head, puzzled.
“Daddy, that uncle was crying so sadly just now. Why did he smile happily as soon as we left? Does he not want us here?”
Xiao Che did not turn around, but Jin Bao’s observation confirmed one thing. The waters within the Lushan Qi Family ran deep. Nothing was as simple as it appeared. He would have to remain fully alert.