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| The Paternity Guard (PATERNITY) |
Outside, the rain poured down heavily and the attendant at Qianlai Inn finally found a moment of rest while sitting behind the counter with a vacant stare and watching the rain drip from the eaves outside. It was deep autumn and the hot season had long passed.
The sudden downpour brought a sudden chilliness. Earlier, they had replaced the bedding in the rooms with thicker blankets and autumn quilts, which came in handy now.
Inside the inn was bustling with noise.
Those who came in to eat or take shelter from the rain, ordered large chunks of meat and wine while conversing loudly about the latest happenings in the Martial Arts World. Their excitement was evident as they slammed the tables in enthusiasm and pounding hard enough to break the newly purchased tableware.
The attendant sneered.
“Hey, have you heard? The Blood Demon Sect, which once caused chaos in the Martial Arts World has resurfaced?” A middle-aged man sitting at a table by the wall whispered but his voice was enough for nearby tables to overhear.
“What? Really? Doesn’t that mean another period of unrest…” Some who already knew gave him a disdainful glance while most who didn’t, asked eagerly with older ones showing fear and younger ones displaying a mix of ignorance and fearlessness.
“Yeah, I heard that many people have died up north and drained of blood to death. The sight of their deaths is terrifying…” The middle-aged man vividly described it as if he had seen it firsthand. “Have you not noticed the restlessness across the land? Even the Martial Arts Leaders are gathering forces to combat the Blood Demon Sect. It’s said that even the Government has been alarmed!”
The man used “heard” repeatedly but nobody questioned him. People held a half-believing attitude toward such gossip, either frightening themselves with it or sharing it as a joke.
“You know, I remembered a friend who guards the city. He saw the Alliance Leader Lin rushing in and out of Yueming City recently. I guess he’s trying to rally the local Martial Forces, right?” Someone who had been drawn into the conversation hurriedly spoke and eagerly shared a gossip.
“That must be it because who lives in Yueming City? It’s the World’s Supreme Fortress! Even the Alliance Leader treads carefully there. If the Lord of Yueming City is willing to step forward then along with various forces, it might be possible to replicate the feat of those three great masters from over a decade ago. Oh, that battle…” The more the middle-aged man spoke, the more excited he became with his eyes gleaming with passion.
Meanwhile, unnoticed by the crowd, a commotion was heard outside as a carriage arrived at the inn.
On this rainy day, most people were stuck indoors, so when someone entered, everyone subconsciously looked. The first to enter was a well-dressed young man who greeted the attendant, “Excuse me, can you help me with the horses and carriage?”
The attendant nodded and went to fulfill the request, saying, “Certainly, Xiānshēng [1]. Please wait a moment.”
[1] roughly equivalent to "Mr." or "Sir."
After a while, the attendant returned with the young man and was followed by two people. The first was elegantly dressed and exuding an air of nobility while the second was simpler in attire, perhaps an attendant or servant.
“Three gentlemen, we only have two rooms left. Will that be sufficient?” The attendant inquired as they walked.
“No problem, two rooms will do,” the young man replied while waving his hand dismissively. He accompanied the attendant to the counter to pay the deposit, then led upstairs.
“I say, those three are definitely rich Young Masters. But what are they doing in this rural place?” The quiet inn suddenly became lively again but this time the conversation revolved around the three individuals who had just entered.
“It’s just some Young Masters who are used to luxury and always wanting to flaunt their wealth in remote areas to show off their gold and silver.” A rugged-looking man with simple clothes muttered sourly.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I think these people are not ordinary. With the current unrest in the Martial Arts World, it’s possible that seemingly ordinary people are actually ruthless killers. Be careful what you say!” A middle-aged man, well-informed about rumors, cautioned them mysteriously.
“Don’t scare us.” Though not entirely convinced but they still broke out in a cold sweat and fell silent and no longer chatting.
Meanwhile, the attendant led the three upstairs and after opening the door, he asked, “Gentlemen, do you have any other requests?”
The young man pondered for a moment and said, “Could you please bring two tubs of bathwater, one for each room and then some of the inn’s signature dishes.” He slipped some silver coins into the attendant’s hand, who happily went downstairs while exuding a cheerful air. “Of course! Please wait, Xiānshēng. I’ll be right back.”
Once the attendant left, the young man entered the room and bowed to the person sitting at the table, “Master.”
It turned out that these three were Xing Beiming and the Shadow Guards Shi Qi and Ying Qi, who were searching for Gu Weijing.
Maintaining their previous roles, one was the Master, one as attendant and the last was the Physician.
Because due to Shi Qi’s condition, they were not rushing their journey.
They traveled on spacious and smooth roads and if it got late, they would stay in a town or city for a day to rest and avoid having to camp in the wilderness.
Shi Qi always felt that Master and Ying Qi were overly cautious. He thought that he was robust enough to handle a journey without much difficulty but his thought was quickly suppressed by them. Xing Beiming and Ying Qi were afraid of taking even a slight risk, though Xing Beiming, on the surface, didn’t seem too worried.
Several attendants helped bring in the bathwater and a few buckets of hot water were placed nearby. They gratefully accepted the tips and left. Ying Qi didn’t say anything extra and directly excused himself to his own room. He was already accustomed to the practice of having only two rooms and one tub for bathing.
As for Shi Qi, who is left alone with his Master, felt awkward and did not know what he should do.
Were they going to take a bath together? The thought made Shi Qi’s face flush…
Unexpectedly, Xing Beiming pointed to the screen, “You go wash first. I’ll take care of something first.”
Shi Qi paused for a moment, then replied, “Yes, Master.”
Taking off his clothes and hanging them on the screen, Shi Qi’s eyes revealed a complex emotion as he entered the water.
Xing Beiming waited until he heard the sound of water before opening the window. Shi Er appeared out of nowhere to hand him a note. “Master, this is the message sent by Shi Si [2].”
[2] Shadow Guard Fourteen
Xing Beiming took the note to open it then furrowed his brows. “He’s in Shuchuan?”
He didn’t doubt the information from his own Shadow Guards. Even if Gu Weijing wasn’t hiding in Shuchuan, he must have appeared there.
Xing Beiming always had his Shadow Guards inquire about Gu Weijing’s whereabouts because he wanted to avoid going down the wrong path and risk complications along the way.
What if something happened? He couldn’t afford to let anything happen to Shi Qi and their child.
Just the mere thought of it, sent a chill down Xing Beiming’s spine.
Shi Er disappeared quietly again and Xing Beiming closed the window. He walked to the screen and waited until he heard the sound of water before peering over. To his surprise, Shi Qi had already fallen asleep with a content expression on his face…
Is he that tired that he fell asleep so quickly just after entering?
Xing Beiming hesitated for a moment but then decided not to disturb his peaceful slumber. Despite his loose sleeves, he gently lifted Shi Qi out of the water. He wrapped him in a blanket and placed him on the bed.
It wouldn’t be good if he caught a cold.
Then, he went alone to bathe in the tub.
And bathing alone was indeed boring.
Dinner was brought to the room later. Since Ying Qi was downstairs gathering information, then they can have their dinner in their room. Xing Beiming looked at the table with the specially prepared plain congee and side dishes and decided it was time to wake up a certain someone.
It wasn’t good to skip meals.
Having just woken up, Shi Qi still looked a bit sleepy but after a few seconds, his eyes had returned to their usual alertness and were no longer the same as when he was sleeping soundly. If it weren’t for the child in his belly, he would never have let himself fall asleep so deeply in such an environment.
Shi Qi picked up the bowl of congee. The aroma of corn and vegetables immediately stimulated his growling stomach.
Although uncomfortable, he quickly finished the congee in three or four bites. Xing Beiming thought the dish was passable and couldn’t help but recommend the fish slice congee to Shi Qi, “It’s not good to eat only vegetables. Why don’t you try some fish slice congee?”
Shi Qi mechanically scooped a bowl of fish slice congee, which looked delicious. However, as soon as he brought it to his mouth, a strong fishy smell hit him, causing his face to change. He tried to endure it but couldn’t, and eventually, he couldn’t hold back and vomited.
The author has something to say:
This story is fictional. This Shuchuan is not the same as that Shuchuan; I’m just too lazy to think of a name. ╮(╯﹏╰）╭