Chapter 42 - The Cannon Fodder Little Fulang [Quick Transmigration]

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Chapter 42

 

 

Playfully bickering, the two finally arrived in the provincial capital. Xiao Zimo led Wu Bai to a bookstore.

 

The shopkeeper, upon seeing Xiao Zimo enter with only a young ger in tow, couldn't hide his curiosity. He wasn't sure what kind of relationship the two shared.

 

The last time Xiao Zimo had come, he had been with a larger group, so the shopkeeper hadn't paid much attention. But this time was different—only Wu Bai was with him, which made things stand out more.

 

The moment the shopkeeper prepared to escort Xiao Zimo upstairs to that special private room, Xiao Zimo, without hesitation, beckoned Wu Bai to follow. He showed no intention to conceal anything from him.

 

"Master*, who is this?" The shopkeeper hesitated briefly before asking.

 

[T/N: 主子 (zhǔzi) is a term used to refer to a master or lord, often in the context of a servant addressing their superior in ancient or imperial China.]

 

Rather than making assumptions, he decided it was best to ask directly. If he misjudged the relationship and treated the young ger inappropriately, displeasing the master, it could spell trouble.

 

Concerned that Wu Bai might not be treated with due respect, Xiao Zimo took his hand and answered, "This is your future madam*. From now on, you are to show him the same deference you show me."

 

[T/N: 主君 (zhǔ jūn) is a term that means "lord" or "master." Here, it is a title specific for ger. I chose to translate it to "Madam" to differentiate it from 主子 (zhǔzi), and avoid any future confusion.]

 

"Yes, Master," the shopkeeper responded swiftly before leading them upstairs, guiding the way.

 

Upon entering the private room, they found four or five people already waiting inside.

 

"Greetings, Master," they all saluted Xiao Zimo in unison.

 

"Be seated," Xiao Zimo commanded.

 

"Yes." The men obeyed, though their gazes were filled with curiosity as they scrutinized Wu Bai.

 

Irritated by their stares, Xiao Zimo tapped the table lightly, drawing their attention back to himself before formally introducing Wu Bai once again. "This is your future madam. Disrespect will not be tolerated."

 

The men exchanged glances before lowering their heads. "Understood."

 

"Why are there only a few of you here?" Xiao Zimo inquired.

 

"Master, the others have gone to continue gathering intelligence. We remained here to await your arrival, lest you come and find no one to receive you," answered one of the men dressed in brown.

 

"And the matters I tasked you with investigating—how have they progressed?" Xiao Zimo asked.

 

"Well…" The subordinate hesitated, briefly glancing at Wu Bai. But then he remembered that Xiao Zimo had brought him here, which meant there was no need for secrecy. So he continued, "We've uncovered some leads, but nothing conclusive yet. However, we did discover that in the past few days, the target has been secretly purchasing large quantities of fire oil."

 

"Fire oil?" Xiao Zimo's brows furrowed. "Have you determined its intended use?"

 

"Not yet. The target claims it's for preparing fire arrows in case of an enemy attack, but we are still verifying whether that is the true reason."

 

Xiao Zimo nodded. "Good. Look into it thoroughly. If it were for legitimate military use, there would be no need for such secrecy."

 

Yangjiang Province, situated near the sea, thrived on maritime trade, with countless ships arriving and departing daily. While this economic prosperity benefited the South Sea region, it also fostered rampant piracy. To combat these pirates and prevent bloodshed and plundering, the province had established a naval force of ten thousand men under the command of Admiral Tang Maode, tasked with safeguarding maritime routes.

 

Since the navy's formation, the threat to merchant vessels had significantly diminished. Though piracy had not been entirely eradicated, this was the most effective deterrent available. However, in recent years, the pirates had grown bolder. Not long ago, they had even attacked the ship carrying the Imperial Princess's consort on his journey home for ancestral rites, resulting in his tragic death. Enraged, the princess sought an audience with the emperor, demanding he deploy troops to suppress the pirates. But the emperor, well aware of the deep and murky waters of corruption, knew that eliminating them would not be so simple. Instead, he discreetly sent his trusted aide—Xiao Zimo—to investigate the matter.

 

Collusion between officials and merchants, and even between officials and bandits, was hardly unheard of. The rampant piracy in Yangjiang Province was undoubtedly linked to Admiral Tang Maode. Yet Xiao Zimo could not condemn him based on mere suspicion—he needed concrete proof.

 

So when his subordinates reported that Tang Maode had been secretly purchasing fire oil, Xiao Zimo immediately recognized this as a potential breakthrough. He ordered them to investigate further.

 

Then, recalling a name Wu Bai had mentioned before—'Yan Shaoyuan'—he beckoned one of his men over and whispered instructions to look into the person.

 

Seeing this, Wu Bai remained silent. He had complete trust in Xiao Zimo, believing that no harm would come to him. Even as Xiao Zimo spoke in hushed tones to his subordinates, Wu Bai had no reason to doubt him.

 

Once all the necessary orders had been given, Xiao Zimo led Wu Bai back downstairs. He instructed the shopkeeper to prepare a carriage for him. Since he would be traveling frequently between Yangjiang Province and Haining Village, having a carriage would be far more convenient.

 

The shopkeeper immediately ordered a servant to fetch the carriage from the backyard.

 

"No need," Xiao Zimo interjected. "We'll take a stroll first and return for it later."

 

"Yes, Master." The shopkeeper waved off the servant, allowing him to resume his duties.

 

As Xiao Zimo and Wu Bai stepped out of the bookstore and strolled along the street, they had not walked far before Wu Bai suddenly heard someone calling his name. He turned around and saw that it was Yin Yun.

 

"Bai-ger, what a coincidence to run into you here!" Yin Yun beamed, grabbing Wu Bai's hand excitedly.

 

Wu Bai smiled in return. "Indeed, what a pleasant surprise." Then, noticing the two people beside Yin Yun, he turned to them and asked, "And these gentlemen are?"

 

Letting go of Wu Bai's hand, Yin Yun instead took hold of the one dressed in elegant, ice-blue brocade and introduced him with a smile. "Wu Bai, this is Wen Ke, the ger of the wealthiest family in Yangjiang Province—the Wen family. He's also a dear friend of mine."

 

Then, he gestured to the tall man beside Wen Ke, clad in a dark embroidered robe. "And this is Ke-ger's fiancé, Xue Yushu. They just got engaged recently and will be marrying at the end of the year."

 

"That's wonderful news! Congratulations to both of you—I wish you an early union filled with joy and happiness," Wu Bai said sincerely.

 

Hearing this, Wen Ke lowered his head shyly, while his fiancé looked at him with a gaze brimming with affection, a rare smile gracing his lips.

 

Observing their tender interaction, Wu Bai couldn't help but feel puzzled. If Wen Ke and Xue Yushu were engaged and seemed to share genuine feelings, then why, in the story he had read, did Wen Ke later fall for Yan Shaoyuan? Not only that, but he even went so far as to provoke Tang Ling for his sake, ultimately leading to the downfall of his own family.

 

More importantly, Wu Bai distinctly remembered that Xue Yushu never appeared in the novel at all. Did something happen to him? Had he met an untimely end? Was that why Wen Ke later turned his affections toward Yan Shaoyuan?

 

A series of unanswered questions swirled in his mind, making him increasingly uneasy.

 

Just then, Yin Yun chimed in, "An early marriage might not be possible, though. Brother Xue is heading to the capital in two days to take part in the autumn imperial examinations. He'll only be able to return and marry Wen Ke after the results are out. By then, our Wen Ke will be an official's fulang, hehehe…"

 

Upon hearing this, a knowing look flashed across Wu Bai's eyes. That's it. Something must have happened to Xue Yushu during his journey to the capital, which was why he was erased from the story entirely. If that was the case, then Wen Ke's tragic fate later on wasn't entirely surprising.

 

Even though this was only their first meeting, Wu Bai found himself liking Wen Ke and Xue Yushu. He didn't want them to end up with the same tragic fate as in the book. So, after a moment of thought, he offered a piece of advice. "Yangjiang Province is far from the capital. The journey will be long and arduous, with no shortage of dangers along the way. Brother Xue, you should consider bringing more people with you for safety's sake. After all, I'm hoping to join you both for a celebratory wedding feast at the end of the year."

 

Wu Bai had spoken out of goodwill, but to Wen Ke and Xue Yushu, his words carried an ominous undertone, as though he was predicting disaster. They couldn't shake the feeling that there was something unsettling in his remark. However, since both came from influential families, they maintained their composure, merely furrowing their brows briefly before regaining their calm.

 

Even so, neither of them felt inclined to linger any longer. Sharing a glance, an unspoken understanding passed between them. Taking the initiative, Xue Yushu spoke, "Apologies, everyone, but I'd like to take Ke-ger for a stroll alone. If you'll excuse us."

 

"Oh, of course, of course! You two should enjoy your time together," Yin Yun responded enthusiastically, oblivious to the awkwardness in the air. To him, it seemed perfectly natural that an engaged couple would want some time alone.

 

Then, a sudden thought struck him, and he realized—with dismay—that he had been the third wheel all along, unwittingly intruding on their time together. He turned to tell Wu Bai of his revelation, only to catch sight of the silent exchange between Wu Bai and Xiao Zimo—a single glance filled with perfect understanding.

 

Yin Yun froze, his words catching in his throat.

 

Right. He had forgotten that these two were also a couple.

 

As that thought settled in, his mind wandered to Hai Zan—that wooden-headed fool—and his mood plummeted even further.

 

Meanwhile, Wu Bai and Xiao Zimo had both noticed Wen Ke and Xue Yushu's subtle withdrawal. Wu Bai sighed inwardly. He had meant well, but since the future had yet to unfold, his warning had sounded unwarranted and ominous. If he were a Daoist priest or a Buddhist monk, perhaps they would have taken his words more seriously—after all, the saying went that saving a life was more meritorious than building a seven-tiered pagoda. Had that been the case, Xue Yushu and Wen Ke wouldn't have taken offense.

 

As that realization hit him, Wu Bai smacked his forehead. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of this earlier? He should have arranged for someone to disguise themselves as a Daoist priest to deliver the warning instead. That way, Wen Ke and Xue Yushu, at the very least, would have heeded the advice with a mindset of "better safe than sorry."

 

But was it too late to find a Daoist now?

 

"Find a Daoist? Why do you need a Daoist?" Yin Yun asked, puzzled.

 

Only then did Wu Bai realize he had spoken his thoughts aloud. Hastily waving his hand, he covered up, "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking that since we're already in Yangjiang Province, it'd be nice to visit a temple or Daoist shrine while we're here."

 

"There is one! A famous temple nearby," Yin Yun replied readily. "But if we go today, it'll be too late."

 

"That's fine," Wu Bai said with a grin. "We can always go another day."

 

"Alright then, it's settled! I'll make sure to finish my bookkeeping early today so I'll have plenty of time to enjoy myself later," Yin Yun said enthusiastically.

 

Seeing Yin Yun's bright energy, Wu Bai couldn't quite reconcile him with the version of Yin Yun in the original owner's memories. Though both carried a shrewd air about them, the Yin Yun from before had never exuded this much liveliness.

 

As they strolled through the bustling streets, Xiao Zimo suddenly pulled Wu Bai aside. "I think I just saw Hai Zhu and Hai Shi."

 

"What? Hai Zhu and Hai Shi? Are you sure?" Wu Bai asked in surprise. "What are they doing here?"

 

"I know why. They came to see Hai Zan," Yin Yun interjected. "I happened to be at the shop checking the books when they visited earlier."

 

Hearing this, Xiao Zimo fell into thoughtful silence, his gaze fixed on the corner where Hai Zhu and Hai Shi had just disappeared.

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