Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 46 Station
Xu Wen, courtesy name Wenhe, was more than twenty years younger than Master Xu. He was raised by Master Xu and the affection he showed was no less than that for his own son.

This is a long story.

Xu Wen lost both his parents in an accident when he was young. Although they left behind some meager wealth, it was maliciously seized by a rogue.

Later, out of gratitude for their kinship, the old master ordered Master Xu to bring him to the Xu Family Manor, where he studied and learned to read with the Xu family members from the main branch and was raised slowly.

In his early years, Master Xu cared more about Xu Wen's education than his own son. Xu Wen lived up to expectations, passing the imperial examination at the age of fifteen and marrying a daughter of an official, whom he had grown up with. The two were a harmonious couple and their story was quite a beautiful one.

Unfortunately, his good fortune didn't last long. A few years later, Xu Wen's wife passed away. From then on, he became a different person. He refused to take the imperial examinations again and devoted himself to nature, seeking out immortals everywhere. He wasted his life until he was over thirty.

Everyone in the clan said he had gone mad. Master Xu thought about his cousin, who had lost his beloved and was written as a cousin but read as an adopted son, sighed, and let him be.

The Xu family estate is so large and powerful, surely they can afford to support him!
In the past few years, Xu Wen had been staying at the Xu Family Manor to recuperate due to poor health and had not traveled far. But who would have thought that a letter from his youngest son would lure him away this time!
"The traitor! The traitor! What a traitor!"

Master Xu was so angry that he stomped his feet. He didn't care about going to the Huiyou Escort Agency with Madam Ye anymore. He grabbed the messenger's horse and galloped back to the manor.

As soon as he stepped inside, he was met by the steward who was rushing over. The steward smiled bitterly and apologized, "Sir, I really couldn't stop him, alas!"

Master Xu wiped the sweat from his brow and waved his hand, saying, "Don't worry about that. First, have someone gather some valuables and chase after them. If you can persuade them to come back..."

What if we can't persuade them to come back?

“I can’t persuade him to come back…” Master Xu sighed, thinking of his cousin who had been like a walking corpse for years. He then ordered, “Take a hundred taels of silver to get him a travel permit. Make the necessary arrangements. We can’t let him be detained… Alas, how am I going to explain this to the old master…”

……

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xu Wen, wrapped up like a rice dumpling, rode his horse northward.

Having traveled extensively in the past, Xu Wen naturally knew that the Xiao Kingdom was relatively cold and harsh, and that snow could occasionally fall at certain times of the year.

But to travel light, he simply draped all his thick clothes over himself. His fox fur cloak swayed in the wind, and although the early spring wind was still chilly, Xu Wen was covered in sweat.

Baozhou is two thousand li away from Pingjiang Prefecture, and even traveling day and night, it would take half a month. Xu Wen's departure from Xu Family Manor without any preparation was just an impulsive act. When it got dark, he calmed down, calculated the location of the nearby official post station, and only entered the post station, weary from his journey, when the moon was high in the sky.

In theory, official post stations are not allowed to be used by ordinary people. However, due to the rise of martial arts forces in the previous dynasty, the court declined and opened up the "authorities" of official post stations. They even claimed that they could operate the post stations themselves and share the profits. This is why the Great Chu is now following suit.

Of course, if there are military matters or government needs, the official post station will still give priority to serving them, and even has the right to let the lodging passengers leave. The Great Chu Law also clearly stipulates that anyone who obstructs the official business of the post station shall be flogged forty times.

This official post station was a small one with only three rooms, and it was already full. Xu Wen had no choice but to stay in the firewood shed of the post station and asked for a bowl of soup noodles to fill his stomach.

After eating and drinking his fill, he lit an oil lamp and began to look again at the letter he kept close to his body.

Xu Wen still remembered Xu Ying. When he was a child, he was a carefree child who seemed straightforward, but in fact he was very clear about all the intricacies of the situation.

At the time, Xu Wen thought that the other party would enter officialdom step by step, after all, his personality was really suitable for the officialdom of the Great Chu. But he never expected that when he grew up, he would insist on learning martial arts, and even ran away from home for this reason, and stayed away for five years!
Xu Wen stroked his somewhat messy goatee, looking rather sentimental.

Who knew this kid could actually make a name for himself! I just wonder if that "immortal" thing is really true...

Come to think of it, I even held him when I was a child!

Lost in thought, Xu Wen gradually drifted off to sleep.

Around midnight, a large number of people suddenly arrived at the post station. Before long, the courtyard was filled with noise, and the postmaster could even be heard shouting for the guests to leave.

Xu Wen sat up groggily, frowning.

Which official is traveling this time?
Just then, there was a knock on the door of the woodshed. Xu Wen sighed inwardly, slipped on his boots, picked up his headscarf, and opened the door.

Looks like I won't be able to sleep tonight.

Unexpectedly, when I opened the door, I saw a very familiar face.

"Young Master Wen, we've been looking for you everywhere!"

It turned out to be Li Qi, a guest of Master Xu in the Xu Family Manor. He was a highly skilled cultivator, at the sixth rank, and was an expert in hidden weapons.

Li Qi's appearance here was clearly a deliberate attempt to catch up with him, and Xu Wen couldn't help but say helplessly, "Brother Li, what brings you here!"

"If I hadn't come, how could the master have let you go!"

Li Qi picked Xu Wen up from inside the door like a chick and said, "Don't worry, the master didn't say I had to take you back. I came here to bring you something!"

As Li Qi spoke, he took out several documents from his pocket and handed them over.

"The travel permit, recommendation letter, and even a personal letter from the master were all provided. The pretext was to go to the Sword Casting Manor to offer congratulations."

Xu Wen was taken aback: "Going to the Sword Forging Manor to offer congratulations?"

"I just received the news yesterday. The old master of the Sword Forging Manor has broken through to the Grandmaster realm and is distributing invitations everywhere to hold a martial arts tournament." Li Qi explained, "Although the Xu Family Manor rarely participates in the affairs of the martial arts world, it has had dealings with the Sword Forging Manor after all, so it is only natural that we should go and offer our congratulations."

Xu Wen knew about the Sword Forging Manor, but he had only just heard about it and couldn't help but exclaim, "I never imagined that the old manor lord Wanqi could still break through to the Grandmaster realm at his age!"

Li Qi, however, had a good attitude, saying only: "It all comes down to timing and luck. Below the fourth rank, it only depends on a little talent and diligence. Above the fourth rank, it depends on temperament and luck. You can't force it."

After saying that, he added, "The gifts are still being selected. The master has hired people from the Huiyou Escort Agency to escort them, and they will arrive in about two days. We can go to Nanjing Prefecture (not present-day Nanjing) to wait for them."

As long as Xu Wen wasn't forced to return home, he had no objection to Li Qi's arrangement and nodded, asking, "Alright, but how many people did you bring?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qi grinned, revealing two neat rows of white teeth: "One hundred and twelve!"

(End of this chapter)