Chapter 86: Trapped Carriage
“Master……you can find these herbs?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t let you keep searching alone. I will look out for them while hunting Yuan beasts.”
The Demon Lord left Chu Mo ten barrels of Yuan beast blood. It was enough for the next three months. Then the Demon Lord floated away.
Chu Mo stored the Yuan beast blood barrels in the jade space, then he started to prepare arrangements for the new year’s banquet. This includes clothing and other miscellaneous things that Chu Mo needed to do himself.
There was no other way. Apart from some old veteran wives that helped cook and clean, there wasn’t a single maid in the Fan household!
This was quite a marvel among the noble households of Da Xia.
The only two people that could be called master in the General’s household, they were the old man and Chu Mo. Chu Mo’s grandfather was often away from home, so Chu Mo learned to take care of himself as a boy. He has never thought of needing a servant.
But now Chu Mo felt the household needed a few young maids.
“Looks like I need to find some maids when I have time.” Chu Mo mumbled, and he left the entrance, heading towards the Gluttonous Ogre.
There were still a few things he needed to communicate with Miao Yiniang before the year ended.
He didn’t see Miao Yiniang when he arrived at the Gluttonous Ogre, but he first saw one-armed uncle.
“Young master, why have you come? I heard you’ve been staying at the Prince Mansion? Is everything okay?” The middle-aged man’s face showed deep concern for Chu Mo.
“Of course there’s no problem.” Chu Mo’s smile made one-armed uncle be at ease: “How is that thing going?”
The one-armed middle-aged man said: “Right now there are already one hundred and fifty men! They are already in place. I personally tested them, everyone has kept their basic skills! They are all awesome. There should be more than five hundred that can join after the new year. These are all the former elites in the military, and there is nothing to worry about. They are all extremely loyal to the old General. But I haven’t raised the old General’s flag, I’ve been using the young master’s name.”
“What did they say?” Chu Mo asked.
“It doesn’t need to be said. When young master does something, they will fully cooperate.” The one-armed man said.
“That’s good.” Chu Mo’s eyes showed excitement: “I might have to join the army after the new year!”
“Join the army? Good!” The one-armed man smiled: “The military is really good!”
Chu Mo could see a trace of admiration as well as loneliness in the eyes of uncle. This iron-like man obviously missed life in the military.
“One-armed uncle, don’t worry. Perhaps you will have a chance to return to the military!” Chu Mo comforted.
“Forget it. There is no meaning if I go back like this. But I am very motivated to help young master with this job!” The middle-aged man seriously looked at Chu Mo: “Thank you very much young master, for giving me this chance!”
Chu Mo smiled and waved his hand: “Please don’t ever speak like this uncle. You are my senior. You have watched me grow up.”
“Yes, grown up in a flash. You will soon start to accomplish goals!” The one-armed middle-aged man said with a tinge of emotion.
Miao Yiniang walked in from outside at this time. She saw Chu Mo, and her eyes revealed joy: “How goes things at the Prince Mansion?”
Chu Mo nodded: “Halfway done, basically going smooth.”
“That’s good, I was somewhat worried.” Miao Yiniang said, then she made someone bring over several sets of clothes: “You are joining the new year’s banquet right? You don’t have a single servant girl in your household, and no one serves upon you. The new year’s banquet isn’t an ordinary event. You will be made a joke if you wear normal clothes.”
Chu Mo laughed: “I came to seek big sister’s help, but big sister is already considerate.”
Miao Yiniang smiled: “You ah……wait a moment. Big sister will send several maids over. Your household really needs a few maids to help.”
“I don’t wish to be impolite.” Chu Mo smiled.
“Is it impolite to big sister?” Miao Yiniang looked at Chu Mo.
One-armed uncle sat there, suspiciously looking at the two. He knew young master was very familiar with Miao Yiniang, but he never thought the two would be this close. Seeing young master doing well, he became very happy inside. The uncle said: “Right, the Yuan beast skin, meat, and bones won’t be auctioned all at once. The market will flood, and the price will be much lower. The auctioneers will make momentum on the first auction after the new year. Then they will sell the rest bit by bit. We can get the best price this way. What does young master think?”
“This way is the best of course. Anyway, don’t let them swindle us.” Chu Mo said.
They wouldn’t dare. They have the backing of a sect, but they still wish to do business in Yellow Flame City.” Miao Yiniang added from the side.
One-armed uncle nodded: “Right, they treat me like an ancestor. They don’t dare offend.”
Chu Mo talked with the other two for a moment. They discussed the problems related to organizing their power, and then Chu Mo departed.
The whole Fan household was decorated with lanterns and colored banners on the day of the new year. The atmosphere was extremely joyful.
Miao Yiniang sent over ten maids. They made the cold and empty household much more warm. These maids were all the daughters of kind people. They were hardworking, and they knew when to withdraw at a glance.
They all liked the Fan household right away. There weren’t many strict rules, and they quickly fit in. They got along very well with the people in the household.
At evening, an extremely low-profile carriage stopped at the Fan household. There were no markings or indicators at all.
The people inside carried a talisman at the waist. The Fan household guards were startled. They immediately entered inside and reported.
[TL: Ancient officials used to hang a royal talisman from their waist. This would allow access to the palace or their place of work inside.]
“People from the palace?” Chu Mo was slightly startled. He immediately remembered what Xu Zhongliang told him. There will be an award ceremony before the new year’s banquet!
“They must have come to take me.” Chu Mo changed into his formal attire for the evening. His whole manner appeared tall and straight.
Chu Mo left soon after. He saw the talisman, and he didn’t ask anything. He immediately entered the carriage. The outside appearance was plain and low-key, but Chu Mo discovered the inside was amazing after entering.
There was a small tea table in the middle with fruits and pastries arranged on top. The table was encircled by a soft couch. It was wide enough for a person to lay down without any problem. All of the ornamentation was extremely detailed inside.
The carriage traveled very smoothly. Chu Mo couldn’t even feel a slight bump.
Chu Mo laid on the soft couch, and he slightly closed his eyes. He thought of meeting the emperor and the marshal at the awards ceremony, how he should speak and act. Chu Mo studied etiquette a long time ago as a child, but this was his first time meeting large figures like the emperor and the marshal.
“Probably about the same as grandfather Xu……” Chu Mo thought.
Chu Mo seemed to feel the carriage turn at this time, and that turn……felt like it wasn’t towards the royal city!
The new year’s feast is in the royal city banquet hall every year. That hall can accommodate over two thousand guests for dinner. It is the largest banquet hall in Yellow Flame City.
“Don’t tell me it changed locations?” The carriage had no windows, so there was no way to see outside.
Chu mo wrinkled his brow, and he immediately thought of something. He used the jade to inspect the carriage driver.
“Yellow rank three, physique rank two, no sickness.” The jade gave a very simple list of information, but it made Chu Mo feel something was strange. Because not even the royal family would use a Yuan Closure warrior as a coachman!
“Big brother, what is your position in the palace?” Chu Mo thought, then asked from inside the carriage.
“Noble son Chu, I am merely a small guard in the palace.” The coachman answered with extreme respect from outside.
Chu Mo then asked: “Why have you come to pick me up? If I remember, normally I shouldn’t be treated this way.”
“Noble son Chu is too modest. You are representing your grandfather for the palace banquet. The old General is working hard on the front lines. The palace ought to send a carriage for you!” The coachman’s words became more and more respectful: “We all deeply respect the old General!”
Chu Mo made an ‘ah’ noise, not saying anything else, but he became extremely alert!
He originally believed the emperor sent this carriage for him. The award ceremony was small, but the emperor, Fang Mingtong, and Xu Zhongliang were personally presiding over it. The ceremony should be of the highest level. So, sending a carriage to pick him up is reasonable.
But Chu Mo just discovered……a big problem!
First, nine times out of ten, the coachman wouldn’t be a palace guard! And would a rank three Yuan Closure warrior be a mere ordinary guard? This is a problem in itself! Second, the coachman doesn’t know he is attending a ceremony. This isn’t strange, but he didn’t say he came from the emperor, the Grand Secretary, or Marshal Fang……this, is a problem.
Most importantly, the carriage was making several turns. Chu Mo already could come to a conclusion: This road does not lead to the royal palace!
Chu Mo didn’t know another carriage arrived at the Fan household after he left, but it left empty.
“Noble son Chu, we might not make it in time. I must go a little faster, sit tight!” The coachman saw Chu Mo’s silence, and he suddenly said from outside.
Chu Mo became intensely alert inside. He struck at the inside of the carriage without any hesitation!
Boom!
Bang!
An enormous sound!
The whole carriage violently shook.
Chu Mo didn’t hold back in the slightest. With Chu Mo’s dragon-like power, and his incredible martial skills, a house would break apart, let alone a small carriage.
But……the inside of the carriage didn’t show any serious damage. The decorative furs broke apart, revealing black painted stainless steel!
This horse-drawn carriage was actually forged from stainless steel!
Boom boom!
Chu Mo used his fists to hit two other places.
The two horses pulling the carriage couldn’t endure the enormous energy. They neighed and collapsed to the ground. At the same time, the noise from the carriage spread to the surroundings, shocking the people on the street.
Chu Mo discovered the entire carriage was cast from one piece of stainless steel……entirely seamless, like a steel cage!