novelhk Chapter 197 Arrival in Youzhou Prefecture
Chapter 197 Arrival in Youzhou Prefecture
Chapter 197 Arrival in Youzhou Prefecture
Suddenly everything went dark as the tall figure of the young man loomed over him. Before the young man could react, his chin was lifted by the other man's large hand. Accompanied by the cool scent of mint, Zheng Hao lowered his head and placed his warm lips on the young man's lips. Considering that there were people outside, Zheng Hao restrained himself and did not make any big movements. He kissed Gu Lin gently and carefully.
Gu Lin, his small Adam's apple bobbing up and down, was being held in Zheng Hao's arms. He was panting, his lips swollen and red. He pulled away slightly, and the young man lingered on the young man's lips for a long time before slowly backing away.
As fresh air rushed in, Gu Lin breathed in. As his consciousness gradually returned, he noticed that the young man in front of him was looking down at him.
No one spoke. Gu Lin looked up and gazed back, his light brown eyes and black eyes staring intently at each other. In the flow of their gazes, though no words were spoken, it seemed as if everything had been said.
Suddenly, a noise came from outside. If Da Yan hadn't called them, the two of them would have been embracing in the carriage for who knows how long.
Gu Lin spoke, his voice not as clear as usual, urging Zheng Hao in a low voice, "It seems something has happened outside, go out and take a look."
Zheng Hao reached out and tidied the young man's sideburns and slightly disheveled clothes before turning around and getting out of the car.
Seeing this, Gu Lin breathed a slight sigh of relief. If the other party hadn't gotten out of the car, it might have aroused suspicion from Zhao's wife and the others.
Sitting in the car, Gu Lin waited for the burning sensation on his face to gradually subside. Hearing the increasingly lively commotion outside, he opened the car door and got out.
Seeing Da Yan beside the carriage, he asked, "What happened? What's the situation up ahead?"
Looking up at the distance, surrounded by layers of people, Gu Lin couldn't see what was happening except for the sea of heads.
Da Yan replied, "We encountered a group of people carrying knives and transporting goods. They were covered in blood and seemed to have just been in a fierce fight. Young Master spoke with them, but they did not want us to stay overnight in the temple. Master is now going up to talk to them."
When he was out in public, everyone would address Zheng Hao as "Master".
As they were talking, the crowd parted to make way for Gu Lin, who saw the dilapidated temple behind them. Zheng Hao then walked over.
Gu Lin asked, "How did the negotiations go?"
Zheng Hao: "There was a misunderstanding just now, but it has been cleared up. The other party has agreed to let us stay overnight in the temple."
Upon hearing this, Gu Lin understood that the other party had not revealed their official status. He understood that they had only brought a dozen or so guards with them, while the other party had a dozen or so more. It would not be a good thing to rashly reveal their official status.
Youzhou Prefecture is remote and rife with bandits, which is why they concealed their identities—all to avoid attracting the attention of bandits and becoming a moving target.
Zheng Hao said to Gu Lin, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Uncle Gu."
Shaking his head slightly, Gu Lin followed Zheng Hao into the temple. It was quite large inside, and the group consciously headed to the deserted area on the right.
As he entered, Gu Lin glanced at the people on his left. Unlike their group, which included both men and women of all ages, the people on his left were all vigorous young men, and he could smell the stench of blood on them. Spending the night with such a group in the wilderness was not a wise move.
But soon after they entered, it began to snow heavily outside. Unlike the fine, downy snow in the capital, the snow near Youzhou Prefecture was like gravel and pebbles, which made a crisp or dull sound when it hit the temple. In such weather, ordinary people could not spend the night outdoors.
Zheng Hao said to everyone, "Let's use dry rations."
Without lighting a fire to cook, everyone tacitly took out their dry rations to eat. Before going to sleep, Zheng Hao arranged the people on night watch. Then, Gu Lin, Zhao's wife, and others slept in the middle, while Zheng Hao and Gu An were on the outside, and the guards were on the outermost edge.
From where Zhao's wife and the others couldn't see, Zheng Hao gently patted the young man's back: "I'm here, go to sleep."
Zheng Hao sat beside Gu Lin without leaving, and Gu Lin gradually fell asleep amidst the familiar scent of mint.
In the middle of the night, a commotion arose in the temple.
Already having a restless sleep, Gu Lin suddenly opened his eyes and heard Zhao's wife shout, "Brother Lin, wake up! There's a pack of wolves!"
Gu Lin turned to look at the temple gate, and saw through the cracks in the dilapidated gate that pairs of green eyes were gleaming in the snowy night.
Not far away, Zheng Hao calmly and collectedly gave orders to the guards: "Light the torches! Light them all!"
Gu An and Da Zhuo immediately led their men to light torches.
Although a chill ran down his spine, Gu Lin forced himself to calm down. He told Zhao's wife and Yu'er to hold the torches and stay together, and then he walked towards Zheng Hao.
Seeing the young man approaching him, Zheng Hao took off his cloak and draped it over the man's shoulders.
Gu Lin spoke up, reminding the other party: "Judging from the situation outside, there are at least forty wolves. It is definitely not a good strategy for us to fight alone."
Using the cloak for cover, Zheng Hao squeezed the young man's cold hand: "Uncle Gu, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Turning to the leader of the group of young men, Zheng Hao spoke in a cold voice: "Brother Deng, the wolves outside the temple are eyeing us covetously, and the temple gate is dilapidated. If we fight separately, we will surely be devoured by the wolves!"
It was Zheng Hao's guards who first spotted the wolf pack. Deng Ting replied, "If you can save the lives of a few of my brothers, we will obey your orders."
With the other party agreeing to cooperate, Zheng Hao felt even more confident in defeating the wolf pack.
He immediately organized his guards and the able-bodied men from the other side together, and then distributed them to various corners of the temple, saying, "Women, the elderly, and those with serious injuries, step back!"
Zheng Hao raised his cold blade, but Gu Lin didn't try to be brave. He led Zhao's wife and the others to retreat behind the crowd, while also taking care of the injured people on Deng Ting's side.
"—Awoo—"
The alpha wolf howled, giving the order to attack. In an instant, dozens of wolves charged toward the temple, intending to hunt the delicious prey hidden inside.
The people in the temple did not sit idly by and wait for their deaths. Zheng Hao, carrying a cold blade, passed through the wooden doors and windows and plunged it into the bodies of the wolves, killing them with each blow.
"—Crack"
The wooden doors and windows could no longer withstand the attack and collapsed, allowing the wolves to rush into the temple one by one.
In the cold night, the temple was ablaze with fire. Facing a pack of wolves, driven mad by hunger in the winter, the group dared not retreat a single step, for they knew that if they did, they would become food for the wolves.
As dawn broke, the temple grounds were littered with the corpses of wolves, some intact and some mangled. Zheng Hao and his group were covered in blood.
Gu Lin stepped forward to check if the other person was injured. Zheng Hao said, "Uncle Gu, don't worry, I'm fine."
Before Gu Lin could react, Deng Ting walked over and thanked Zheng Hao: "Thank you, Boss Zheng, for your bravery and fearlessness in leading us to fight against the wolf pack and ultimately saving our lives."
They were hunters from the same village, and the bloodstains on them weren't from a conflict with anyone, but from the wild animals they were transporting.
If they hadn't met Zheng Hao and his group, they might have perished in the temple last night.
Zheng Hao said, "When traveling, we should help each other."
He said, "Brother Deng and the others should cover up the smell of blood on their bodies and that of their prey when they camp out in the countryside in the future, otherwise they may attract the attention of wolves."
Deng Ting nodded in agreement.
As dawn broke, the area was littered with wolf carcasses and blood, making it unsuitable to linger. After dividing the wolf pack among themselves, the two sides bid each other farewell and departed.
Before leaving, Deng Ting said to Zheng Hao, "My home is in Youzhou Prefecture. If we have the chance to meet again in the future, I will definitely thank you for saving my life."
After the other party left, Zheng Hao did not linger and ordered his men to set off immediately.
The two entered the carriage, and Gu Lin asked him to take off his clothes so he could check him. Zheng Hao had explained that he was not injured, which made Gu Lin hold back.
Although the two had the closest contact, Zheng Hao, having studied for many years, possessed the pride and integrity of a scholar of his time. Even in broad daylight, when he was disheveled in front of his beloved, Zheng Hao could not remain unmoved.
Gu Lin urged, "Hurry up, your clothes are covered in blood, I can't even tell if you're injured."
With a sigh, Zheng Hao said, "Uncle Gu, don't be anxious."
He lowered his head and took off his clothes, which were covered in wolf blood. He placed the clothes on the floor of the carriage and then took off his inner shirt one by one, revealing his smooth, jade-like upper body with well-defined muscles. Seeing that the young man was indeed unharmed, Gu Lin was slightly relieved.
But there was still one place he hadn't looked at, so Gu Lin's gaze shifted downwards. Before it landed on anything, he heard the young man's voice, slightly heavy:
"Uncle Gu."
His tone wasn't angry, but it carried a hint of helplessness.
Seeing that his little actions had been noticed, Gu Lin said somewhat embarrassedly, "You change your clothes first, I'll go check on Gu An and the others."
After saying that, Gu Lin turned and got out of the car.
Seeing the other party flee quickly, a hint of helplessness flashed in Zheng Hao's eyes. In the past, Uncle Gu would avoid him like the plague, but now...
Even so, the young man's half-raised eyes were filled with love and contentment.
.
Upon arriving in Youzhou Prefecture, the new Prefect of Youzhou and the Military Supervisor of Zhenbei Army were greeted by the Vice Prefect of Youzhou and a general from Zhenbei Army.
Upon seeing the carriage procession, a middle-aged man in official robes stepped forward to greet them: "This humble official, Wanli, the Vice Prefect of Youzhou Prefecture, greets Lord Zheng!"
Not wanting to cause any further trouble, Gu Lin stayed in the carriage. Zheng Hao got off the carriage and came to Wan Li, saying, "Greetings, Lord Wan."
Then, he turned his gaze to the general in armor standing to the side.
The general took the initiative to introduce himself: "This humble general greets Lord Zheng!"
"Originally, the Marquis wanted to personally welcome Lord Zheng, but the Northern Barbarians have repeatedly invaded, and the Marquis and the generals are discussing countermeasures."
"The safety of the border is of utmost importance, and I understand that."
Zheng Hao said, "Thank you for your hard work, Marquis Zhenbei and your soldiers, in guarding the frontier and protecting our country."
As soon as the young prefect finished speaking, the general paused, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
The prefectural magistrate of Youzhou spoke to Zheng Hao, saying, "Lord Zheng, you must have had a long and arduous journey to take up your post. I have already ordered the yamen to be cleaned. Would you like to stay at an inn or come to the yamen to check in?"
After a slight pause, Zheng Hao spoke: "I'll trouble Lord Wan to take me to the government office for lodging."
The prefectural magistrate of Youzhou Prefecture smiled and said, "I also have to go to the prefectural office for my shift, so it's no trouble for me."
Turning to the general, Zheng Hao said, "It is not convenient to entertain the general now. I will personally visit the Marquis of Zhenbei at the military camp another day."
The general clasped his hands in salute, then mounted his horse and rode away.
The group arrived at the government office, and the Prefect of Youzhou ordered his servants to busy themselves with various tasks.
Zheng Hao said, "Thank you for welcoming me, Lord Wan. I will take care of the affairs from now on. Lord Wan, please go and attend to your work."
Wanli bowed to Zheng Hao and said, "Sir, you are new to Youzhou Prefecture and unfamiliar with the place. If you encounter anything you don't understand and need help, you can send someone to find me."
Zheng Hao nodded, and the Vice Prefect of Youzhou Prefecture left.
As Zheng Hao walked towards the backyard, he saw Gu Lin, Zhao's wife, and others gathered together.
Looking at the simple and dilapidated dwelling and the peeling paint on the table and chairs next to Uncle Gu, Zheng Hao frowned: "The government office has not been repaired for years and is very old and unsuitable for living. I asked Da Zhuo to find a few houses in advance. Uncle Gu will take a look later. If there is a suitable one, we will move there tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Gu Lin worried that moving house as soon as they arrived in Youzhou Prefecture would have a negative impact on Zheng Hao.
He said, "If you immediately show your dislike for the dilapidated government office and purchase a new one as soon as you take office, won't people have something to hold against you?"
Although he had not entered officialdom, Gu Lin felt that it was best for officials to keep a low profile in their words and deeds.
In response to Gu Lin's concerns, Zheng Hao explained, "The first thing the previous prefects did after taking office was to purchase a separate residence."
The implication is that he is not unconventional.