Why do I have so many masters?-Chapter 603 - 226 Wanling Plum Blossoms (1/2)

Wang Anfeng and his companions spent half a month traveling to Wanling City, enjoying the journey's sights and playing in the water to their heart's content, although they were quite exhausted from the adventure.

Wang Anfeng and Gong Yu normally conversed only about the Sword Dao. A few days ago, while resting by Tai Ping Lake, Lin Qiaofu, who had never seen such a large river or lake, held the oars in the center of the lake, staring wide-eyed at the astonishing view of the lake water blending with the clouds. Meanwhile, the two of them simply sat in the pavilion at the lake's heart, discussing the Sword Dao.

Old Lu was the one rowing the boat.

An elderly man dressed in green with white hair, Uncle Ji, was kneeling beside them with Jue Que slung on his back, listening in rapt attention, utterly captivated.

The journey had been delightful until they reached Wanling City, where they encountered a thorny issue. The root of the problem could generally be traced to the overbearing nature of the noble clans. The Jiangnan Road was home to many such powerful families, with interconnected relationships, including in-laws, governing much of the affairs in collaboration, to the point that even the government office sometimes had to yield to them.

When they entered the inn to rest, Yuchi Jie, in a moment of high spirits, spoke too loudly, drawing the attention of several young nobles.

After such a long journey, everyone had changed their clothes several times. The cities along the way offered no fine cloth, and wearing elegant silks while traveling and playing was not comfortable. They dressed only for the convenience of movement.

The two noble family servants who had been sent over had lived in the Jiangnan Road long enough to judge people by their attire, and out of their inflated arrogance, they spoke rudely. Wang Anfeng held back the rising indignation of Yuchi Jie and, with a smile, assured them that their group would keep their voices down.

As Yuchi Jie raised his eyebrows and glared, those two servants trembled with fear internally, but seeing that Wang Anfeng and others appeared reluctant to confront them directly, they grew bolder.

Seeing how handsome Lin Qiaofu was, one of them thought of his own young master's fondness for fresh and tender girls. Cursing loudly, he reached out to grab Lin Qiaofu's arm.

Wang Anfeng's expression did not change in the least.

Uncle Ji, standing behind him, stepped forward and grabbed the offending servant by the collar. With a casual flick backwards, the servant rolled into a ball and crashed against a large red pillar in the inn, splitting the high-quality wood.

The servant fell to the ground, clutching his chest and groaning in pain, nearly half-dead.

Meanwhile, Old Lu had already grabbed the other servant, throwing him down and stepping directly onto his chest. There was a crisp crack, but it was unclear how many bones were broken. The actions were swift and efficient, evidently not his first time handling such matters.

The noble young men who were enjoying the spectacle turned pale, seeing their personal attendants groaning on the ground and feeling as if their own cheeks were burning painfully. Rage welled up inside them.

Looking at the unfamiliar faces at the table, they didn't seem like tough opponents, which only fueled their anger.

Someone at the table made a few teasing jokes, likely mocking how there were people in Wanling City who dared not give face to a certain young master, which was truly laughable, further darkening the young man's mood.

He had every reason to be upset. Though he lacked official achievements, he was born into a distinguished family; even common officials had to pay their respects with a polite greeting. His father was an important official controlling finances in Wanling City, wearing dark green robes with a silver belt, while his grandfather wore pale scarlet official garments with a gold belt in Danyang County, holding substantial power. Even though he was aware of his companions' provocations, he didn't care.

His face darkened. He slowly finished his wine, threw down the cup, and stood up to approach the other table.

Wang Anfeng remained calm, focused on the food on the table, with the broad sword he obtained in Qingfeng Edge lying horizontally on the table. Yuchi Jie smirked continuously, feeling that their leisurely travel had been tedious and that it was fortunate that some idiots had come along to vent his irritation on.

The young master had taken only a few steps when someone entered through the inn's door. His eyes were fixed on Wang Anfeng and the others. He noticed a hint of red at the edge of his vision and, upon recognizing the style of the clothing, his expression faltered slightly.

It was the uniform of a government official.

In Great Qin, with the Confucian Sect, Taoist, and various other scholars standing together, the influence of the Mo Family's students was less than that of the Confucian Sect. Therefore, Great Qin held rites in high esteem.

In the first year of Emperor Gaozong of Qin's reign, he had compiled the Chariot Attire System. Officials of Third Rank and above were to wear purple with gold and jade belts; Fourth Rank officers wore dark scarlet; Fifth Rank, light scarlet, both with gold belts. Sixth Rank wore dark green, Seventh Rank, light green, both with silver belts; Eighth Rank, dark cyan; Ninth Rank, light cyan, with copper or iron belts.

The uniforms were not to be misused. If no one paid attention, it was fine, but if reported, at the very least, one would be accused of not adhering to the rites. Ordinary people could not afford such a penalty. When he finally saw who the newcomer was, his attitude became entirely respectful.

He stopped in his tracks and bowed deeply with both hands clasped together, as a junior would respectfully greet a senior.

The three noble disciples who shared his table also did not dare to neglect their manners and rose to pay their respects.

The newcomer had an upright appearance with phoenix eyes, dressed in a scarlet, collared tunic, perfectly neat, with silver-threaded cloud geese embroidered on his clothing. His manner was silent, yet he exuded an intimidating dignity that made it hard to breathe.

The young man from the Wei Family became even more respectful.

Everyone said that in Wanling City, Mei flowers bloomed everywhere. Starting with his ancestors, each generation of the Mei Family had produced a leading figure of elegance in Danyang County, enjoying three hundred years of prosperity without decline. The previous generation was particularly outstanding, with a father and three sons all achieving greatness and evoking envy.

The patriarch was a high-ranking courtier who had served two emperors, awarded with a purple jade belt. The eldest son was known for his elegance; initially studying the Confucian Sect, then joining the Mo Family, and after his thirties, he roamed the world's mountains and waters like the Mysterious Sect's immortals. He was the most renowned conversationalist on Jiangnan Road, celebrated for his refined and scholarly demeanor.

The man before me, bearing a sword, should be Mei Wangsheng, the third son of the Mei Family in Wanling State, known as Mister Mei San among the local scholars.

It wasn't until Mei Wangsheng stepped forward that Wei Yangwen straightened up and said respectfully,

"Mister Mei San…"

Mei Wangsheng, however, had a cold expression and completely ignored the several scholars over there. He lifted his hand to flick his sleeve and, looking towards Wang Anfeng and the others, he bowed slightly and said softly,

"The youngsters of Wanling City are unruly, I've made you all witness a farce."

"You flatter us, sir."

Wang Anfeng set down his bowl and chopsticks, seemingly having anticipated this, stood up, and bowed to the gentleman with a square face and a now milder expression.

Mei Wangsheng took a step to the side and shook his head.

Wei Yangwen's pupils shrank suddenly.

Although Mei Wangsheng was no longer in office, he had once been a Fourth Rank official. In the distant Danyang County, far from the Heavenly Capital, he was indeed a man of real power. Later, due to certain reasons, he resigned from his post and lived a leisurely life of playing the qin and rearing cranes.

Yet the older generation of Jiangnan Road's noble clans held Mister Mei San in high esteem, claiming he was a rare talent fit for military command. Should he be willing to serve again, he would surely be placed in a position even higher than before. Such talent for governing a nation is rare, and Mister Mei San undoubtedly had the ability to govern an entire county or state.

Wei Yangwen took a deep breath, feeling a tremor in his heart, yet was also relieved that things hadn't escalated.

Mister Mei San raised his hand slightly, his expression reserved, and asked,

"If possible, would you care to join me upstairs for a chat?"

Wang Anfeng nodded and replied,

"I would be honored."

Yuchi Jie glanced at the noble clan disciples whose expressions were changing unpredictably, let out a disdainful sneer, and stood up to follow Wang Anfeng and the others upstairs. Lv Baiping also put down her bowl and chopsticks, wanting to follow, but Gong Yu simply looked up and said indifferently,

"Stay here..."

"But..."

Lv Baiping opened her mouth to protest, but Gong Yu had already looked away, forcing her to suppress her curiosity and sit back down.

Taishu Jian and Old Lu also did not follow the two men.

Wang Anfeng's expression was calm as he ascended, step by step, pushing open the door and entering the second-floor guest room.

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The room was quite simple and elegant, with the window directly facing the door, allowing one to see the scenery of Wanling.

Clad in maroon official attire, Mei Wangsheng's expression became respectful. He did not follow them in but stopped at the doorway, raising his hand to fix his jade hairpin, hair, collar, and lapel with meticulous care, ensuring not a single dust remained on his sleeve cuff.

Then, taking a deep breath, he steadied his expression with utmost solemnity and precision, walked forward five steps, then, with hands folded, bowed deeply, a gesture of extraordinary gravity. He nearly disregarded his own status and the three hundred-year reputation of the Wanling Mei Family, his palms almost touching the ground as he said solemnly,

"A foot soldier under the Divine Martial Mansion, Mei Wangsheng."

"Paying respect to the Young Marshal."

Yuchi Jie was taken aback.

Wang Anfeng observed Mei Wangsheng, silently recalling various places from the stories of Libai, and closed his eyes.

Indeed...

PS: Here's the first update of the day...

According to the announcement on the QiDian platform, it seems from June 2nd to June 6th, when might the chapter return tomorrow?