Chapter 7: Fish Caught in the Net
Chapter 7: Fish Caught in the Net
Xiao Xia knew that he had been discovered, so he went home to get some money, put the jade pendant in his pocket, and ran away from home towards the pier.
He had already chosen the time during the day. At daybreak, there would be a passenger ship to Luoyang. The fare was 500 coins, which included meals. He just had to give the money to the captain after boarding the ship.
It was still the middle of the night, so he found a corner, squatted down, and waited patiently for dawn.
After an unknown amount of time, he felt someone knock on his head. He opened his eyes dazedly and saw a giant standing in front of him. He was so scared that he stood up and tried to run.
Suddenly his neck felt tight, and his feet were suspended in the air. He heard Manager Zhang say coldly, "I've been looking for you all night, and sure enough, you're here!"
"Let go"
A piece of rag was stuffed into his mouth, making Xiao Xia unable to speak. Then his hands and feet were tied up. Manager Zhang put him into a cloth bag and carried him away on his back.
Xiao Xia knew that he was doomed, so he just waited for the next blow. Maybe he would travel back in time again. Thinking that he had only been there for a few days, he could be called the shortest-lived time traveler in history.
How would that old prisoner laugh at him? He smiled bitterly in his heart, wondering why he was so unlucky.
Xiao Xia felt groggy and didn't know how long he had been walking. He felt himself fall heavily to the ground, and then he heard the sound of a door opening and closing, and heavy footsteps fading away.
Judging from the time it took to walk, Zhang Zongguan did not send him to the county government office. That's right! He was from a family, so naturally the head of the family would make the decision for him.
Wu San is a slave warrior of the Xiao family. The right to dispose of him should be in the hands of the head of the family. What does it have to do with this steward Zhang?
Besides, I didn't beat him to death. At most, I would make him a vegetable. There is no way I could kill myself.
Xiao Xia's mind gradually brightened up. I'm not afraid of shit! Since I dare to do it, I'm not afraid of being caught.
After figuring out the whole cause and effect, Xiao Xia didn't care anymore. He yawned, closed his eyes and continued to sleep.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Xia was awakened by a gentle kick. He then discovered that he was no longer in the sack, the rag gag was gone, and the ropes on his hands and feet were gone.
"You slept so soundly that you even snored. You really are not afraid of death!"
Zhang, the chief steward, was sitting on the couch opposite him, looking at him with a mocking expression, "Your plan is quite thorough. You are planning to take the boat at 3:45 a.m. to escape to Luoyang, right?"
Xiao Xia gently moved her numb wrist without saying a word.
"Are these all your things?"
Xiao Xia took a quick glance and saw three things on the small table next to Manager Zhang: a jade pendant, a cloth bag and a brocade bag.
"The jade pendant and cloth bag are mine, and the brocade bag belongs to Wu San!"
Manager Zhang narrowed his eyes and looked at the brocade bag. There were a few words embroidered on the bottom of the bag. Manager Zhang said to himself, "So he is Chen Pan's nephew. This is going to be a big trouble."
Xiao Xia was confused, "Who is Chen Pan? What's the big trouble?"
"You're in big trouble!"
Manager Zhang glared at him, grabbed him by the collar, dragged him in front of him, and said viciously: "You ignorant fool, do you think you have the ability to kill Wu San? Wu San started practicing martial arts at the age of seven, and practiced for a full twelve years. If he hadn't stepped on empty air and sprained his ankle, you would have been the one who died last night!"
Xiao Xia's eyes widened suddenly, "It's you!"
When Wu San sprained his ankle, he thought it was God's will, but it turned out to be the work of Manager Zhang.
Manager Zhang snorted and threw him to the floor, "You are not stupid!"
Xiao Xia was confused. Why? Why did Manager Zhang want to help her?
Manager Zhang said coldly: "How do you think Lao Liu knew that Wu San had a mistress outside and came back at midnight every day? I arranged for someone to tell him. Lao Liu said you wanted to take revenge, so I wanted to see what you were trying to do.
I didn't expect you to be so cruel. One kick wasn't enough, so you hit me again. Your skull is broken. Just because he kicked you in the ass, you're going to repay him with a spring of hatred?"
"what?"
Xiao Xia's heart sank, his skull shattered, did Wu San already...
Manager Zhang said calmly, "Don't think about what happened last night. Get up! I want to do a test!"
"What test?"
"Test your speed. You ran so fast last night, faster than a rabbit. I couldn't believe it. I don't know if you were able to run fast because you were escaping, or if you are just a fast runner. So I want to do a test."
Zhang Zongguan poured out a silver ingot from Wu San's brocade bag, weighed it, and said, "Use it! Follow me."
Xiao Xia followed behind him and couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "How did you deal with what happened last night?" "The skull was shattered, he's dead. I told your family master that the body was sent back to Jiangning this morning."
Xiao Xia hesitated for a moment, "Dead?"
Manager Zhang turned around and sneered, "What? Are you regretting your harsh actions now?"
Xiao Xia was silent for a moment and said, "I don't know either. When he kicked me yesterday, I wanted to strangle him, but I didn't want to kill him last night. I..."
"okay!"
Manager Zhang was a little impatient. "It's fine if you die. There will be many more life and death games in the future. Don't be sentimental like a woman. It makes me sick!"
Xiao Xia lowered his head and said no more.
Walking out of the two-story wooden building, there was a large martial arts training ground outside, almost the size of a football field. This was where the students of the martial arts school practiced martial arts, but the training ground was empty, with only a young lady of about eleven or twelve sweeping leaves in the distance. Xiao Xia didn't recognize her.
"Where are those students?" Xiao Xia asked.
Manager Zhang snorted, "Today is a holiday. All martial artists have gone to the Xiao family's main residence for examination."
"Don't think about yesterday. Focus on me!"
Manager Zhang weighed the ten taels of silver in his hand and pointed to the east. "I will throw it far away. You must catch it before it hits the ground."
Xiao Xia's mind suddenly became active, "What good will it do if I catch it?"
"If you can catch it, this ingot of silver is yours."
Xiao Xia's eyes lit up. Of course he was short of money. Money is a man's dignity. With money, he can walk into heaven and earth with his head held high. Without money, he would feel guilty even looking at the menu in a noodle shop. Now he felt so guilty that he didn't even dare to enter the noodle shop.
"A word is settled!"
Manager Zhang said calmly: "You have to catch it, get ready!"
Manager Zhang threw the silver in his hand far away, but it was thrown very high, forming a very high parabola.
"Depend on!"
Xiao Xia didn't expect the other party to throw it away as soon as he said so. He ran as fast as he could and rushed to the end like a gust of wind. He looked back while running, and suddenly turned around and easily caught the silver ingot flying in the air.
It was not surprising that Xiao Xia could catch the silver easily. He was very good at playing basketball in his previous life and had very good hand-eye coordination.
But at this moment, he was also a little confused. He was in a hurry to escape last night and did not pay attention to his speed, but now... he was also shocked by his own speed.
In his previous life, he was always among the top three in the 100-meter race at the school sports meet, but he was definitely never as fast as he is today.
Xiao Xia scratched his head. Could it be because he traveled through time?
"Brother Xiao Qilang, you are so awesome!" The young lady clapped her hands in praise.
Probably she knew the former Xiao Xia, Xiao Xia was a little embarrassed and waved to her from a distance.
Manager Zhang was very satisfied with Xiao Xia's performance. He had both speed and agility and could be well trained.
"follow me!"
Manager Zhang turned around and walked back into the wooden building, and Xiao Xia hurriedly followed behind him.
Back in the room, Manager Zhang sat cross-legged. He pointed across the room and said, "Sit down!"
Xiao Xia also learned to sit cross-legged.
Manager Zhang glanced at him and said slowly: "You were not good at martial arts in the past. You were slow and clumsy, and your understanding of martial arts was also very slow. That's why you practiced martial arts in the martial arts hall for a year, and the Xiao family never considered training you.
But your running speed and agility today are far beyond any person of your age that I have ever seen. Even most adults cannot compare to you. Have you ever thought about the reason?"
(End of this chapter)