"I have here a White Jade paperweight."
"My dear, the return gift from the River God's Mansion is a golden hairpin, it's really beautiful!"
Some people took their gifts back to their rooms to check, while others opened them right in the inn lobby, taking the opportunity to show off a bit.
Suddenly, exclamations of amazement erupted.
What Wang Changxiong held in his hand was a pearl emitting a faint blue light, it turned out to be a Water-Repelling Pearl.
It wasn't that Wang Changxiong wanted to flaunt it, but all his brothers in the escort agency were extremely curious. He didn't expect the River God's Mansion to send a Water-Repelling Pearl, so he accidentally ended up showing it off.
"It really is a Water-Repelling Pearl!" Huang Qing was also extremely surprised, "The Lu River God is truly generous."
Don't look down on how it seems that many Water-Repelling Pearls hang in the Lu River God's Mansion, as if they're not worth much; in reality, these items are quite rare. Only shell demons that have cultivated for many years can nurture and produce them, and it consumes their Dao practice. Unless they are aquatic nobles, it's extremely difficult to acquire them.
It's just that the Lu River God's Mansion has a long lineage and ample stock, enabling them to give them away.
Lu Zheng carried his luggage and pushed the door open, seeing that the people of the escort agency were gathered around their chief, exclaiming in amazement, and many inn guests had also gathered around.
"Young Master Lu, please wait for a moment, we're almost done packing, the ship will be arriving soon, and we shall depart together."
"Sure, I'm not in a hurry."
They had arranged to travel together at the water mansion feast last night, and Lu Zheng just happened to hitch a ride on the ship.
Wang Changxiong sent his porters to tidy up the carriages and organize the luggage, while the innkeeper prepared porridge and steamed buns for everyone's breakfast.
The value of last night's return gifts far exceeded the gifts they had given, so the innkeeper was uncharacteristically generous, offering the breakfast for free!
"Sigh—" A scholar sipping porridge and eating a bun couldn't help but sigh.
"It's really unexpected, Zhu Yushan, who was unlucky as rain, has turned his luck around. When will it be my turn?" Another scholar complained while eating his bun, sighing as well.
"Perhaps it's because he exhausted all his bad luck before he could finally turn his luck around in a single day?"
"If I could marry the River God's daughter, I would also be willing to endure ten years of bad luck."
"But you would have to marry into their family."
"Marrying in is marrying in, that's the Lu River God's Mansion we're talking about, plus, their second son could also carry on the family name."
The innkeeper couldn't help but ask, "You've all been saying that the groom is as unlucky as rain, just how unlucky is he?"
When it came to this topic, the scholars brightened up again.
"This Zhu Yushan lost both parents at a young age and lived off the rent from a few acres of thin land. Actually, he's quite talented in literature, having studied various classics, and might have hoped to succeed in the autumn exams if luck was on his side, but he's almost thirty and still hasn't gained even the scholar's title."
"The first provincial exam, on his way there, he got hit on the head by a falling pole from a building, bleeding profusely, and had to seek medical attention.
The second provincial exam, he encountered a sick man on the road, helped send him to the clinic, and ended up being late himself.
The third was on the day before the exam, when he caught a cold and couldn't even get out of bed on the exam day.
The fourth was running into a fight between two vendors on the way to the exam, he got caught in the crossfire, his writing tools scattered, and he ended up drenched.
Twelve years, twelve exams, and Zhu Yushan hadn't managed to participate in a single one!
Not just the innkeeper was dumbfounded hearing this, even Lu Zheng was taken aback. Imagine if someone faced this every year with their college entrance exams in modern times, wouldn't they go insane?
To think he persevered through twelve attempts, he's a tough one!
No wonder he's nicknamed "as unlucky as rain." For a scholar, not being able to attend exams truly means unending bad luck, like the roof leaking!
"With someone this extraordinarily unlucky, how did he end up winning the favor of the River God's daughter?"
"Can't figure it out, can't figure it out!"
The scholars' spirits fell again...
With a shout, the ferry became busy again.
Lu Zheng led his horse and joined the escort agency at the ferry dock.
Xiong Feng Escort Agency had rented a large ship for their five carriages, leaving plenty of space to accommodate Lu Zheng and his horse effortlessly.
At the bow of the ship, Wang Changxiong and Lu Zheng stood against the wind, with Wang Changxiong toying with the Water-Repelling Pearl in his hand, "Who would've thought the groom was so unlucky, yet in one fell swoop, he gained both wealth and beauty."
Such luck; even Wang Changxiong felt a bit envious.
Lu Zheng laughed, "It's possible that his last bouts of bad luck were even related to the Water Mansion's daughter."
"Hmm?" Wang Changxiong's eyes flickered as he nodded in understanding, "That's indeed possible."
Crossing the river was calm and steady, taking just over half an hour to reach the other side, though unloading the ship took quite a while.
After pausing to rest at the ferry, the group set off again, with Huang Qing leading the way on horseback, and Wang Changxiong and Lu Zheng riding in the middle of the team. Lu Zheng asked about the ways of the martial world as they chatted about all kinds of fascinating stories from different places.
It was then Lu Zheng learned that Wang Changxiong's Xiong Feng Escort Agency wasn't an Yizhou escort agency but came from faraway Yu State.
"That's quite a distance."
"That's how we earn our living," Wang Changxiong laughed, "But I mostly travel in Lingbei Dao and Yinan Dao, I haven't been to the other regions."
Lu Zheng nodded. Yu State also belonged to Lingbei Dao, whereas Yangzhou was in Yinan Dao, located in the southern part of the Great Jing Dynasty.
"I see Young Master Lu is quite interested in the martial world. Haven't you met any escort people before?" Wang Changxiong asked.
"I should have, but I rarely leave the city, nor do I roam around much, so I haven't really encountered any," Lu Zheng replied.
Wang Changxiong nodded; Lu Zheng seemed like he came from a wealthy family, and it was rare for someone so talented in cultivation to not venture out more.
"Life in the martial world isn't easy; it looks free and easy, but it's actually quite dangerous. One thing is bandits and outlaws, since martial artists are not many. But the real fear is encountering those who come prepared—Netherworld Ghosts, unruly demons, heterodox sects—running into any one of them can be life-threatening. Hence, we only take official roads and familiar paths to ensure safety."
Lu Zheng nodded, accepting the lesson; these were seasoned words from Wang Changxiong.
"Chief Wang is indeed well-traveled and knowledgeable." Lu Zheng praised.
"You're too kind, Young Master Lu. Some are from my experience, while others I remembered from hearing them," Wang Changxiong smiled, "In this business, being prudent is paramount."
By now, the convoy had moved far from the ferry, leaving the main road, traversing through a sparse forest with no one in sight before or behind them.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle sounded, growing from weak to strong, from distant to nearby, causing the ten or so drivers and porters of the escort agency to freeze, all showing expressions of pain.