Ita Era

Chapter 147 Escort (Part 1)
Normally, it takes 5 hours to travel from the county seat to the prefectural capital. With advanced technology, Yu Yuan can teleport to Beimian Village, the northernmost village in Yong'an County, and then reach the prefectural capital in an hour by electric scooter. These electric scooters were, of course, purchased by Ding Dai, and every member of the Huozhong tribe has one.

The woman in red said, "Ding Shi, you still need to follow the King of Qi's side. Wang Meng, could you get a fake defense map so Ding Shi can exchange it for something?"

Only the garrison general had a defense map of Yong'an Pass provided by the system. Wang Meng said, "I'll draw one."

The woman in red nodded: "Last time we suffered because of the roster. Everyone should check their own people against the system's roster to avoid having spies among them." In the first round, they suffered because of the roster. All the maids, servants, and stewards were spies. Even a fart from them was relayed to the princess's ears.

Wang Meng refused, saying, "I have a thousand men on my side." He wouldn't have to do anything for the next two days; he could just focus on checking the roster.

The woman in red said, "You just need to confirm the identities of the decimator and the centurion."

Wang Meng: "It has been confirmed."

The woman in red took charge of the situation and looked at Ding Shi: "You will meet with the Prince of Qi tomorrow morning. Don't listen to his empty promises. He only wants money. With money, we can improve our seven evaluation criteria. How much you can ask for depends on your abilities."

Chu Yu encouraged, "Keep it up." The county government office was already out of rice.

Ding Shi makes an OK sign.

Hongyi continued, "After we finish our business, go to the north village and travel to the prefectural capital with Su Su's examination procession." Of these people, Hongyi was most worried about Su Su. She needed to protect the 20 candidates for a day and a night, and also find time to oversee the prefectural examination. Since Ding Shi had nothing else to do, she sent him over. With Ding Shi there, she felt at ease.

Hongyi looked at Chuyu: "Chuyu, you need to keep an eye on the princess. It's key to keep the princess calm. In our agreement with the princess, we used refugees to build barracks for the armored soldiers. I suspect the princess won't put all the armored soldiers in the barracks. If I'm right, we need to know the whereabouts of the other armored soldiers."

Ding Shi raised his hand: "I saw an open box in the secret room of the Vice Minister's house, and it was empty. I saw a similar wooden box in the Princess's mansion, and it was locked. Judging from the groove on the empty box, I suspect it is a tiger tally."

The woman in red asked, "Are you sure?"

Ding Shi: "Uncertain, it could be a dog talisman or a cat talisman."

The tiger tally was a token used to mobilize troops.

For example, if a princess is the commander of the armored troops, she will hand over the tiger tally to a general, who will then use the tally to mobilize the armored troops. The deputy commanders of the armored troops only recognize the tiger tally, not the general, because the general might betray them, but the tiger tally is controlled by the true commander.

If they could obtain the Tiger Tally, they would unlock a new world. However, in the first round, they were utterly defeated by the princess and realized they lacked the ability to infiltrate the princess's mansion and steal the Tiger Tally.

Ding Shi suggested, "Could we forge a tiger tally?"

"Forged?" the man in red said. "We've never even seen the tiger tally."

Ding Shi said, "Maybe the Ironclad Army has never seen anything like it. As long as we have enough momentum, we can shout: 'With the Tiger Tally in hand, follow me!'"

Everyone looked at Ding Shi like he was an idiot.

Ding Shi raised an eyebrow at Su Su: "Right?" Seeking support.

Su Su said helplessly, "It's not without reason." She had made friends poorly and was forced to lie against her conscience frequently.

The woman in red looked at Yu Yuan and Chu Yu: "You two have been in charge of dealing with the princess. Have you had a chance to take a look at the tiger tally?"

Ding Shi said, "The tiger tally is kept in the study, behind the book 'Da Xia Tong Jian' (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government), and it is secured with a brass lock."

Chu Yu looked at Yu Yuan and asked, "Can you pick locks?" The two went to the princess's mansion together, and she thought she had a chance to sneak into the study.

Yu Yuan shook his head. There were many different kinds of ancient brass locks. In addition to those with keys, there were also poetry locks similar to combination locks, and three-finger push locks without keys.

Ding Shi said, "Why do we need to unlock it? Why not just cut the bottom wooden board along the edge?"

Ding Shi explained, “Look, the box is here. I open the box, take out the tiger tally, and that’s it. I won’t pick up the box to check the bottom first.”

Chu Yu pondered, "With glue, even if the princess picks up the box, she might not notice. But it will take more time. My memory isn't very good; the tiger tally's pattern must be very complex."

Ding Shi said, "Use a knife to cut the dough to make the mold."

Chu Yu nodded: "Okay, I'll go buy a few wooden boxes to practice with later."

After dinner, everyone went about their respective duties.

While everyone else was busy, Ding Shi had a good night's sleep.

As dawn broke, Wang Meng, with dark circles under his eyes, knocked on the door and handed Ding Shi a piece of parchment containing a defense plan he had drawn overnight. Ding Shi was quite surprised: "Your drawing skills are quite good."

Wang Meng pulled at his left eyelid: "Sharingan." He turned and left. How frustrating! He got the Sharingan, but had nowhere to copy the handprint.

Ding Shi stood at the door, lost in thought. What was the connection between drawing and the Sharingan?
Ding Shi instructed the maid to cook noodles. This was no ordinary maid; she was a maid with a death contract, for one cannot fall into the same pit twice.

After washing up and eating noodles, Ding Shi went to Xia Xiang Lou to meet King Qi. He sat down and got straight to the point: "I've got the goods. Name your price."

The King of Qi made a grand promise: "Didn't I say that after this is accomplished, I'll guarantee you the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?"

Ding Shi said, "I don't think it's worth risking my head for such a minor official position. Let's talk about something practical and name your price."

The King of Qi did not understand: "What good are gold and silver compared to an official position?"

Ding Shi, without batting an eye, said, "I'm cheap, I want the bad stuff."

King Qi looked at the female guard: "Du Juan."

The female guard opened a box on the side table, took out a stack of silver notes and placed them in front of Ding Shi. King Qi said, "Here is fifty thousand taels of silver."

One thousand taels per note, exactly fifty notes. Ding Shi counted them while asking curiously, "How did you realize there were fifty notes at a glance?"

The King of Qi was both amused and exasperated, replying, "There are only fifty in that box. Is that enough?"

After counting the money, Ding put away the silver notes and said, "If you could give me a little more, I would accept it."

The King of Qi sighed, "That's all."

Ding Shi was not a businessman either. He reached into his inner pocket, took out a parchment, and placed it on the table. King Qi picked up the parchment, opened it, and examined it carefully for a while. He was very satisfied, but asked, "Is it reliable?"

Ding Shi said, "King Qi, isn't the reason you sought me out because I have reliable channels?"

The King of Qi asked, "What are your thoughts, General Wang?"

Ding asked in confusion, "Who is General Wang?"

King Qi was speechless: "Wang Meng, General Wang Shoubei."

"Oh, oh." Ding Shi chuckled twice, saying nonchalantly, "What does it have to do with me? He treats me like a brother, and I treat him like a sucker."

The King of Qi's question is difficult to answer. Ding Shi obtained the defense map from Wang Meng, but why would Wang Meng give it to him? Was he going to surrender to the King of Qi? If he didn't surrender, what reason would Wang Meng have to leak military intelligence? If he did surrender, he would have to meet with the King of Qi, which would put him in an enemy position with the princess.

The King of Qi pressed further, "How did you persuade him?"

Ding Shi said, "Wang Meng is impotent, but of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring. I reluctantly helped his wife get pregnant. If he doesn't give me any reward, I'll tell his son that I am his father."

King Qi froze for a few seconds: Is this what people say?
Ding Shi stood up: "You guys fight it out, I'll take the money and run away, becoming a carefree millionaire."

Du Juan stepped aside, and Ding Shi opened the door and left the private room. King Qi looked at Du Juan, who nodded, touched the windowsill with one foot, and flew out of the window.

Ding Shi took out the small electric stove and headed towards the county government teleportation array two miles away. Today, he still had to accompany the idiot Su to the prefectural government.

Suddenly, a tile shot down from above the shops on the right street. By the time Ding Shi noticed it, the tile was already right in front of him. He wanted to catch it, but he only had one hand. In a flash, Ding Shi channeled his Force to his head and then tilted his head. The tile struck his helmet, leaving a crack.

Wearing a helmet ensures safety.

Ding Shi looked to his right. Du Juan was scurrying across the rooftops when her foot hooked a tile. She grabbed it with her left hand and launched it at Ding Shi again. Ding Shi pulled out the blank book, knocked the tile away, threw the book upwards, grabbed the electric scooter's handlebars with his right hand, and steadied it. He then pressed his right elbow against the handlebars, opened his palm, and caught the falling book.

Damn, that's awesome! Du Juan kicked the third tile.

Ding Shi felt a sudden alarm bell ring in his mind: Could it be that the King of Qi was so poor that he couldn't even afford to buy darts?

The answer was definitely no. Ding Shi suddenly thought of something and looked ahead. Five meters ahead, a tripwire appeared, heading straight for his chest.

That damned woman, her feint was brilliant. Ding Shi threw down the Heavenly Book, applied the emergency brakes, activated the Heavenly Book, and extracted the bamboo slips.

The doors of the shops on both sides opened, and eight masked men in black, brandishing swords, charged towards Ding Shi.

White bamboo slips: The ocean is boundless.

A wave of blue energy surged out from the center of Ding Shi, and the eight men in black were sent flying backwards into the shop as if hit by a giant wave.

Ding Shi knocked down the electric scooter, drew his official knife, and burst into wild laughter: "Hahahaha, even a tiny ant dares to fight me."

Du Juan was momentarily intimidated by the imposing aura and did not immediately attack. Then, eight masked men charged out again.

What the heck? I want to complain! I hate these lottery-style moves the most. Not only do you not know the move before you draw it, but you might not even know what it is after you draw it.

This is the weakness of the white bamboo slip: its short cooldown time comes at the cost of 80% reduced power. If the Green Ocean of Boundless Power could be drawn out, the eight men in black would vomit at least a bowl of blood.

Ding Shi swung his sword with one hand, sending the scabbard flying, only to be deflected by a man in black. Using his inner strength, Ding Shi sprinted forward, breaking free like lightning before the encirclement closed in.

Ding stopped, turned around, and saw the stunned crowd. He said, "Didn't expect that, did you? Come and chase me."

The men in black began to give chase, and Ding Shi ran ahead, keeping a steady pace to keep up with those behind. If any of the men in black got too fast and broke away from the group, he would unleash a powerful blow with his saber, a simple strategy that resulted in one man in black being killed and another wounded.

Du Juan was also in pursuit, but not every rooftop was connected, and she quickly blended into the group of men in black. She was very skilled in light-footed martial arts and ran very fast, thus catching the enemy off guard.

Du Juan nimbly dodged, and Ding Shi didn't need to use his old move. After splitting half of Huashan, he followed up with a sweeping attack, which was essentially a horizontal sweeping motion with his sword. These two moves were like the wild, unrestrained fist technique in swordsmanship.

Du Juan rolled away to avoid the attack, then slashed at Ding Shi's legs. Ding Shi pushed off with both feet, leaping two meters into the air and stomping heavily on Du Juan's back.

Du Juan rolled to the side to dissipate the force, then drew a dart and shot it at Ding Shi. Ding Shi jumped two meters high to dodge, and his official knife flew down at an angle. Just as Du Juan stood up, the knife arrived, piercing her chest and knocking her down. The tip of the knife touched the ground, supporting Du Juan's body as she slowly fell to the ground.

When the yamen runners at the county government office saw this scene at the end of the street, they blew their whistles and called for help. Dozens of yamen runners ran towards Ding Shi.

Upon seeing this, the other men in black exchanged glances and then turned and ran.

Ding Shi strode up to Du Juan's corpse and began to touch it.

One thousand taels of silver notes, two poisoned darts, a pair of Emei daggers, and the skill book: Crossing the River on a Reed. Limited to Buddhist disciples specializing in True Qi.

Ding Shi looked at Du Juan's corpse with disdain: "You vulgar people dare to compete with the nun for the bald monk's skill book." Du Juan: vulgar person. Emei: nun. Skill book: bald monk.

The NPC constables arrived and greeted him, "Chief Judge Ding, are you alright?"

"It's alright, brothers, help me handle this." Ding Shi ran back to get the electric scooter. He hadn't had time to lift it up earlier, so he had to abandon it for the time being.

Then Ding Shi was on the verge of tears. These bastards had actually taken the time to burn his electric scooter. Damn system! All his misfortunes were the fault of the damn system; that would make him feel a little better.

Electric scooters and crossbows are items, not advanced technology. Advanced technology simply ensures that the appearance of electric scooters doesn't seem out of place. Otherwise, the crossbow bolt that the princess found in the palanquin would have been enough to destroy the entire technology tree.

Ding returned to the yamen to borrow a carriage.

Wang Meng: "No."

Yu Yuan: "I want to use it too."

Ding Shi: "I'll buy it for 50,000 taels."

Chu Yu: "Give me the money." She snatched it, clutching the silver note, feeling incredibly happy; there was hope for the future. What kind of scoundrel or young lady could be more appealing than a silver note? Quickly, she put it away.

Ding Shi: "Where's the car?"

Chu Yu: "What kind of car?"

Ding Shi: "Give me back my money."

Chu Yu: "What money?"

Ding Shi: "Dead fish."

Chu Yu: "Ding Shit".

Ding Shi: "Insolent!"

Chu Yu: "Bold!"

Ding Shi: "Give me your life!"

Chu Yu: "I don't have a car, but I can have a fish."

He was assassinated, his car was gone, he had no insurance, no workers' compensation, his performance was monopolized by his boss, no one sympathized with him, and to make matters worse, he lost an argument.

A cold and indifferent world.

Ding Shi had no choice but to go to the stables next to the yamen and fetch a mule. He rode the mule into the teleportation array and arrived at the village to the north. He waited for Su Su's chariot of students by the main road at the village entrance.

Even if the world is indifferent, even if the boss is not human, the workers still have to rush to work in the morning.

……

At nine o'clock in the morning, five horse-drawn carriages carrying students appeared on the road. Looking at Su Su riding her electric scooter and then at the smelly mule beside him, he sighed silently.

Su Su parked her car next to Ding Shi and smiled, revealing her teeth: "Four people per car, plus a driver."

Ding Shi asked, "Where is the bodyguard?"

Su Su replied, "Due to livelihood issues, the price of bodyguards in Yong'an County has skyrocketed." Because of these issues, bandits are rampant on the roads, making bodyguards highly sought after and commanding exorbitant prices. Yu Yuan approved two hundred taels for Su Su, which was barely enough to cover her travel expenses and lodging.

Ding Shi said, "Alright."

Ding Shi rode a mule ahead, leading the way, with the caravan following behind. Su Su chattered away beside Ding Shi, sharing the gossip of the past few days.

First bombshell news: During their wedding, Yu Yuan and Chu Yu were playing a game and ended up kissing. Several details follow…

The second bombshell: Chu Yu and Wang Meng are getting very close. Several details...

The third bombshell: Yu Yuan and the woman in red have had numerous secret meetings. Several details...

Ding Shining raised an eyebrow and asked, "You mean, the four of them are playing a game of 'You love me, I don't love you, I love you, I don't love him'?"

Su Su said, "I don't know, but I feel like they talk to each other a lot in private."

Ding Shi asked, "Like us?"

Su Su retorted: "We're being open about it, okay? There's heaven above, earth below, and a whole group of people behind us."

"This road is mine, these trees are mine..." Accompanied by the familiar road bully's words, more than a dozen men holding farm tools blocked the convoy.

(End of this chapter)