Chapter 230 - 164: Leaving Again (Part 2)
"In any case, we owe you our thanks this time," said Bai Li.
Just then, a voice rang out.
"Bai Li, my dear, have you made up your mind? I can have someone escort you out of here. If you wait a few more days, leaving will be much more difficult."
Hearing this voice, Fang Yue couldn’t help but frown slightly.
The voice was very familiar. As expected, it was Hui Hengli, a man he had met before.
"Ah, Bai Li, you have a guest."
Hui Hengli pushed the door open and entered, his eyes falling on Fang Yue. The longer he looked, the more familiar the young man seemed, until he finally blurted out, "It’s you?"
「A moment later, in the living room.」
Hui Hengli sipped his tea, but his gaze was fixed on Fang Yue, filled with a probing curiosity. It was as if he wanted to scrutinize him from head to toe, inside and out.
"Unbelievable... simply unbelievable. Your Talent is this strong? How long has it been, and you’ve already reached this stage? Your Primordial Qi is overflowing—you’re on the verge of a breakthrough," Hui Hengli muttered to himself, finding it hard to believe.
He had previously thought Fang Yue had clearly gone astray in his cultivation. Without the backing of a Noble Family, it would be difficult to continue on the path of a Qi Refiner; he feared Fang Yue might never break through in his entire lifetime.
But now, here he was, on the verge of a breakthrough.
And on the path of a Qi Refiner, no less.
Looking at him now, he could see the young man’s Talent was truly outstanding. He could even be called a top-tier genius.
’Perhaps I misjudged him before.’
That was the only explanation Hui Hengli could come up with.
"Just a stroke of luck, that’s all. I just kept practicing, and this is how it turned out," Fang Yue said humbly with a small smile.
"Enough about that. If I remember correctly, you were supposed to be taking up a post in Wenxi County. Did you flee to the Prefecture City?"
Hui Hengli said slowly, "Don’t be nervous. I’m not from the Government Office. I don’t care if you’re a deserter or something else."
Fang Yue remained noncommittal, simply lifting his teacup and taking a sip.
"From what you said just now, do you have a way to get people out of Shanyang Prefecture?" Fang Yue asked.
Right now, arranging for his family to leave Shanyang Prefecture was his top priority.
He always felt unsafe here in Shanyang Prefecture; a faint sense of crisis lingered in his heart.
"What? You want to run away too?" Hui Hengli chuckled. "You have an official position. If you just leave, I’m afraid that position will be gone. Besides, the imperial court will punish anyone who leaves Shanyang Prefecture without authorization."
Hui Hengli let out a cold laugh, his gaze turning serious as he looked at Fang Yue.
The imperial court was now planning to lock down Shanyang Prefecture and two others. They had already issued strict orders for the garrisons within Shanyang and even for titled Martial Artists to heed the call to arms.
The goal was to gather their forces and defeat Prince Wucheng’s army before the blockade was broken.
It would save them the trouble of dealing with those people later.
"Besides," Hui Hengli said, his tone shifting abruptly, "even if I had a way, we’re not family or friends. Why should I help you?"
In reality, it wasn’t difficult for him to get a few people out.
"Mr. Hui, please help him. If you don’t help him, I’m not leaving either." Just as Fang Yue was about to make his case, Bai Li spoke up, addressing Hui Hengli directly.
Hearing this, a helpless expression appeared on Hui Hengli’s face.
’Alright, of all the things I planned for, I never expected this little lady to plead for the young man in front of her like this.’
’Don’t tell me Bai Li has taken a liking to this boy.’
At this thought, Hui Hengli felt a pang of frustration, the kind a farmer feels when his prize cabbage has been ravaged by a wild pig.
"Alright, alright. I’ll take care of it."
Hui Hengli stood up abruptly and said irritably to Fang Yue, "Come find me at the Observatory tomorrow."
With that, Hui Hengli turned and left.
He was swamped with work, so it hadn’t been easy to find time to come here in the first place.
In any case, the matter was settled. The process had been a bit convoluted, but the outcome was what mattered.
There was no reason to stay any longer; he had to hurry back.
Fang Yue had originally planned to ask the Bai Family for help; he never expected things to turn out this way.
But for this man to sit on equal footing with the Prefect, his status couldn’t be low. Since he’d promised to help, there shouldn’t be a problem.
This way, he wouldn’t need to trouble the Bai Family.
After bidding farewell to Bai Li, Fang Yue returned to the tea house.
"Zhi... I heard someone say today that the Rebel Army is only a few hundred li from Shanyang Prefecture. Do you think it’s not safe here either?"
He had just returned to the tea house when he ran into his older brother, Fang Cheng.
Fang Cheng had also been out, purchasing grain and other supplies. It was expensive, but they had no choice. Given the circumstances, he was certain these things would be in short supply later.
So, they had to stock up while they could.
In the process, Fang Cheng had also heard people saying the Rebel Army was already approaching the Prefecture City.
"Yes. We’ll leave in the next day or two," Fang Yue said, nodding.
"You have a plan, Zhi? Leaving Shanyang Prefecture is one thing, but we don’t have Road Guides. If we get to another prefecture, I’m afraid we’ll be arrested as vagrants," Fang Cheng said, worried.
That’s how it was in this era. If you traveled on the official roads without a Road Guide to prove your identity and were caught by an Official, you’d be treated as a vagrant.
The policy regarding vagrants was the same everywhere and brutally simple: they were arrested and either conscripted into the army or sold as slaves to wealthy households.
"Don’t worry, it’s all being taken care of," said Fang Yue.
He was about to go inside with his older brother, Fang Cheng, to discuss the matter with their parents.
Just then, however, an attendant from the tea house announced a visitor: Madam Bai of the Bai Family.
"Brother, I’ll go see what’s happening."
Although Fang Yue didn’t know why Bai Xingqiu’s mother would come here, he had no choice but to go and find out.
He quickly made his way to the front of the tea shop.
"I was just planning to visit you tomorrow, Auntie. I wouldn’t have dreamed of troubling you to come here," Fang Yue said with a smile.
He and Bai Xingqiu were very good friends, and Madam Bai had always been kind to him, never looking down on his humble origins as some from the Noble Families did.
Therefore, he made sure to show her the proper respect.
"It’s nothing important. I just came to let you know that the Bai Family will be leaving Shanyang Prefecture the day after tomorrow. If you wish to travel with us, you are welcome to come along," said Madam Bai, looking at Fang Yue.
"Oh?" Fang Yue was taken aback. He hadn’t expected her to come here just to say this.
And to come to his door to say it, no less.
"Before long, Shanyang Prefecture will descend into utter chaos. When that time comes, not even the Prefecture City will be safe," Madam Bai explained, assuming from his expression that he was completely unaware.
If not for his close friendship with Bai Xingqiu and his own ambition, she wouldn’t have bothered herself with Fang Yue’s affairs.
The Bai Family had been making preparations for the past two days. When Fang Yue’s family moved into the tea house, she was naturally informed.
That was why she had taken the time to pay him a visit.
"However, I can only take your family. You hold a title. The imperial court has already issued an edict: all titled Martial Artists native to Shanyang Prefecture are to gather in the Prefecture City and await deployment."
Madam Bai continued, "Of course, there is one other way. You would have to renounce your Martial Records."
This wasn’t surprising; Fang Yue had just heard much the same from Hui Hengli.
He just hadn’t expected Bai Xingqiu’s mother to say it as well.
Renouncing his Martial Records and official status was indeed one option.
But if he did so, he would never be able to participate in the Military Examination again.
Fang Yue considered this. If not for his earlier conversation with Hui Hengli, he might have accepted Madam Bai’s offer.
But now that he had another option, he wasn’t in a hurry to accept.
After a moment’s thought, Fang Yue said, "Thank you, Auntie. Please allow me to go back and discuss it with my parents."
"Mm, very well."
Madam Bai nodded. She didn’t press him, but said gently, "Just remember, we leave the day after tomorrow at the latest, so..."
Fang Yue nodded and thanked her again.
He knew exactly what Madam Bai left unsaid. It was already a great kindness for her to offer him this chance.
But to ask her to risk waiting for several more days was surely out of the question.