Finest Servant-Chapter 644

Chapter 644 Birds of a Feather

On the steep slopes of Wulian Peak, it was a difficult climb, but Zhaguo and his companions moved swiftly, seemingly well-acquainted with the terrain. Halfway through their journey, they encountered a perilous stone path, narrow and guarded by two brawny men from the Miao ethnic group. Their clothing, adorned with white silk threads, identified them as members of the White Miao.

Zhaguo, the leader, halted before the guards and loudly declared, "Please inform the Holy Maiden that Zhaguo wishes to see her!"

The guards of the White Miao shook their heads gently, replying, "The sun has set, and the Holy Maiden has retired for the night. It's best that Leader Zhaguo returns."

Zhaguo humphed. A younger, robust man behind him, infuriated, exclaimed, "Every day we come and she's nowhere to be seen. What does she take my brother for? You gatekeeping dogs, go tell the Holy Maiden that the Miao village isn't what it used to be. She better be smart and serve my brother well!"

Suddenly, a stone, the size of a palm, flew from an angle and struck the man's mouth with precision. The man wailed in agony, his lips swollen and bleeding profusely, his cries akin to a slaughtered pig.

"Zhalong—" Zhaguo called out, rushing to support him. Drawing his hatchet, he scanned the surroundings and bellowed, "Who did this? Who dared to strike my brother? Show yourself!"

"Such audacity, Leader Zhaguo!" A cold snort resonated. From the narrow stone path emerged an elderly White Miao man, tall and lean, with white hair and a piercing gaze like an eagle, exuding an impressive aura.

Zhaguo's eyes flickered with a hint of fear at the sight of the elder. He quickly sheathed his hatchet, respectfully greeting, "It's Elder Hannong. My respects to you!"

Elder Hannong, shaking his head with a cold smirk, replied, "Leader Zhaguo is quite the figure now, dominating the Miao region. Who isn't afraid of you? You and your brother now dare to wreak havoc at Wulian Peak!"

Zhaguo's expression darkened, and he dared not retort, bowing his head, "You misunderstand, Elder. We only came to see the Holy Maiden. You're the most revered elder in the Miao community, and we grew up under your watchful eye. Wulian Peak is a sacred place for our people; we wouldn't dare to misbehave here."

"Hmph," Elder Hannong fumed, "You know better! When the former leader passed away, he appointed the Holy Maiden as his successor. Since she wasn't in the village, I, as the Grand Elder, along with other elders, recommended you for the interim position, hoping you'd bring glory and prosperity to our Miao village. But look at what you've done in the past decade. Our lands are in chaos, the people suffer. Have you lived up to the trust of the former leader, to our Miao community? Continue this way, and you'll be the eternal disgrace of our Miao people."

Zhaguo remained silent, his face flushed like a liver.

Lin Wanrong, listening from the side, was impressed by Elder Hannong's formidable presence, understanding why he held such authority, reprimanding Zhaguo as if he were a wayward grandson. The elder's white beard quivered, his own heart unsettled by his words.

"The Holy Maiden has retired for the night. You should leave the mountain and stop causing trouble here!" Elder Hannong uttered after a long pause.

Zhaguo's eyes glinted menacingly, but he remained silent, performing a Miao ritual gesture toward Elder Hannong. He then steadied his hatchet and turned to leave.

The Grand Elder watched his retreating figure, shaking his head and sighing deeply, his face etched with sorrow. After a moment of silence, he suddenly turned and called out loudly, "Who was the kind villager who stepped in to help just now? Please, come forward and meet me!"

After several calls, a young Miao man with a dark face emerged from behind a rock, grinning broadly and clasping his hands in greeting. "Grand Elder, Elder Hannong, hello, hello!" he said cheerfully.

This Miao man spoke in the language of the Hua people. The Grand Elder, surprised, examined him and asked, "Are you from the Red Miao? Which village?"

"I, oh, I'm from Yingyue Hamlet!" the young man from the Red Miao blinked, noticing Elder Hannong's skeptical look. He quickly added, "Yilian, Kunshan, they are all my good friends. We came here together!"

Elder Hannong hummed, smiling, "No wonder you looked familiar. That outfit you're wearing is exactly what Buyi wore on his wedding day!"

Lin Wanrong, who was listening, quickly nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes, this is the outfit Uncle Buyi wore on his wedding day. He only wore it once!"

Given these details, it was clear he had a close relationship with Yingyue Hamlet, but this Red Miao’s mi duo behaved peculiarly, hopping around and speaking the Hua language instead of Miao, which was quite astonishing. Elder Hannong hummed, "Was it you who threw the stone at Zhalong? Hmph, well done!"

"That's right! He dared to insult my Sister An—I mean, disrespect the Holy Maiden, so of course, I had to beat him, really beat him. I'd do it again if I saw him!" The mi duo exclaimed, waving his fists enthusiastically, clearly pleased with his actions.

The Grand Elder watched him for a moment, then nodded with a smile, "Mi duo, Zhaguo's men are guarding the base of the mountain. How did you get up here? And what brings you here?"

"I sneaked up with Zhaguo's group," the mi duo chuckled. "I came here to see the Holy Maiden—Elder, is she here? Can I see her?"

Elder Hannong frowned, "Are you also here to participate in the Flower Mountain Festival and court the Holy Maiden?"

"Yes, yes!" The mi duo nodded excitedly. "I came to court the Holy Maiden. Elder, in light of my helping you, could you let me go up? I really want to see her! Holy Maiden, Sister An, I'm here—"

As he spoke, that mi duo suddenly leaped past the Grand Elder, waving vigorously towards the mountain, his loud voice echoing far and wide.

"Get down, get down!" Elder Hannong suddenly grew angry, pushing him forcefully towards the mountain base. His expression was one of deep disgust.

"Ah, Elder, what's wrong? I haven't offended you, have I? Ah, Elder—" The mi duo staggered, pushed several steps back, and looked at the panting Elder Hannong with bewildered eyes, his rapid blinking betraying his confusion. ‘Even if you don't want me to see Sister An, there's no need to be so rough. After all, I did help you.’

"Hua boy," the Grand Elder snorted angrily, clearly having seen through this poor imitation of mi duo. "Yilian gave you that outfit, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did. What about it?"

"You dare to come for a courtship in such a manner? You... you've infuriated me!" Elder Hannong trembled with anger, his white beard quivering. Seizing a tree branch nearby, he began to lash at the young man.

"Hey, Elder, stop! I haven't done anything wrong!" the young man protested.

"You deserve this for your heartless actions, you Hua boy. Now get off this mountain!" Elder Hannong, unable to contain his rage, beat the man mercilessly, leaving him no chance to explain or retaliate, a picture of utter disarray.

Finding himself cornered with no other option, the young man took a couple of hard hits. Standing upright, he murmured, "Elder Hannong, I'll take a few lashes. But could you please deliver a message to the Holy Maiden? Tell her that a 'little brother' has come to see her, one who misses her dearly. Ah, stop hitting, I'm done talking, I'll leave right now!"

He trudged back the way he came, his spirits crushed. He was so close to seeing Sister An, yet thwarted by mere steps - it felt like a cruel joke by fate.

His ascent up the mountain had been easy, but his descent was a humiliating defeat, driven down by an old man of the White Miao. It was a unique experience, to say the least.

Gao Qiu followed him, noticing his drooping head and lackluster demeanor. Unable to resist, Gao Qiu spat out, "Brother Lin, since we've come this far, we can't leave empty-handed! Those guards are nothing. Why don't we fight our way up the mountain? We can see whoever we want, and who would dare to stop us?"

Lin Wanrong shook his head solemnly, "Brother Gao, there are things in life we can do and things we must not. The people on Wulian Peak truly care for Sister An; they are her family. No matter how bad I am, I can't raise a hand against family, right?"

Gao Qiu, impressed by Brother Lin's words, raised his thumb in admiration: My brother's principles are truly lofty!

As they descended the mountain, the sky had turned dark. Lin Wanrong lingered at the foot of the mountain, reluctant to leave. Just as he was about to return the same way, he noticed a faint light in the distant woods.

Gao Qiu, with his exceptional martial arts skills and sharp vision, noticed it too and exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, there's someone there!"

Who could be lurking in the forest at such a late hour? Exchanging glances, they signaled each other and cautiously approached the woods. Even from a distance, they could see over a dozen men from the Black Miao, scattered and vigilantly watching their surroundings, the light in the forest flickering, hard to discern clearly.

Recognizing the faces, Lin Wanrong realized they were the attendants of Zhaguo and Zhalong. What were they doing here, hidden away, instead of returning to their village?

Lin Wanrong frowned, giving Gao Qiu a slight nod. They moved in perfect unison, requiring no words. Gao Qiu, swift as a shadow, leaped behind two men, silencing them with quick strikes. They collapsed instantly.

Lin Wanrong, agile as a wildcat, quickly joined Gao Qiu, hiding the unconscious men in the underbrush, unnoticed by the others. They continued to advance through the grass, and after covering some distance, they heard an agitated voice, "The early bird catches the worm! Brother, why hesitate? Weren't you humiliated enough on Wulian Peak by that old dog? You're the leader of the Miao villages in a hundred-mile radius. How can you let him insult you like that? Look at Elder Hannong, that old dog, insulting you whenever he pleases. When has he ever respected you as a leader?"

The speaker was Zhalong, addressing his older brother and the de facto ruler of the Miao people within a hundred-mile radius, Zhaguo.

Lin Wanrong wondered why the brothers were not speaking in the Miao language. Peeking out, he saw the brothers standing side by side about four or five zhang away, accompanied by a middle-aged man who looked like a scholar.

"Brother, be patient," Zhaguo's deep voice carried over. "Elder Hannong, as the Grand Elder, holds significant influence in the Miao village. He's not someone to be taken lightly. Not only the White Miao are loyal to the Holy Maiden and him, but many villages of the Red Miao, Flower Miao, and Green Miao also support them. We need a well-thought-out plan to deal with him and the White Miao!"

"When do you plan to act, brother? That old dog actually had someone beat me. I can't stand it another day!" Zhalong, covering his bleeding mouth, spoke indignantly.

Lin Wanrong chuckled to himself, thinking that Zhalong deserved the beating, and promised himself to give a harsher lesson if Zhalong ever crossed paths with him again.

Zhaguo turned to the scholar, "Master Bao, has Lord Nie arrived in Yunlian today?"

Master Bao nodded, "Lord Nie arrived at the county seat this afternoon and is waiting for the leader's message."

Zhaguo clenched his teeth and waved his hand decisively, "Good! Tomorrow morning, I will personally visit the prefectural magistrate to ask for justice for our Miao people!"

Master Bao smirked, "As long as the leader pays the taxes on time and in full, I'm sure the magistrate will grant your wishes!"

Zhalong clapped his hands in delight, "With Lord Nie's support, brother, you will surely demonstrate your power, win over the Holy Maiden, and defeat those old White Miao dogs!"

"Holy Maiden, Holy Maiden—" Zhaguo muttered to himself, his eyes filled with obsession.

Watching the three men bask in their delight, Lin Wanrong gritted his teeth in hatred. These men, were they officials or bandits? They were nothing but a nest of vipers! With such individuals around, how could the lives of Uncle Buyi and Yilian be peaceful?

Seeing Lin Wanrong's grim expression, Gao Qiu, aware that he was on the brink of action, quickly pulled him away, and they retreated quietly.

On their way through the underbrush, they unblocked the acupoints of two Black Miao guards. The guards woke up, unaware of what had transpired, and Lin Wanrong and Gao Qiu silently departed.

The atmosphere was tense as they traveled. Gao Qiu, seeing Lin Wanrong's icy demeanor, wisely kept silent.

After some distance, Lin Wanrong suddenly huffed and turned to Gao Qiu, "Brother Gao, please make another trip. Go find Wu Yuan now and see where Zhaguo and Lord Nie are meeting tomorrow. I want to see what kind of tricks these scoundrels are up to!"

Relieved to hear Brother Lin speak, Gao Qiu exhaled deeply and nodded quickly. As they reached the outskirts of the city, they parted ways, with Gao Qiu heading off on his mission.

In the western part of Yunlian City, the Miao people had set up camps, mostly mi duo and mi cai. Whether they were from the Red Miao, White Miao, or Flower Miao, they had quickly bonded. They lit bonfires, dancing and singing around the flames, their laughter and songs merging into a symphony.

Seeing the youthful faces of the boys and girls, filled with vigor, and hearing their carefree laughter in the air, Lin Wanrong felt a mix of helplessness and comfort. These were the future of the Miao people!

Outside the city, amidst the bustling crowd and unceasing laughter, Lin Wanrong searched tirelessly. He was drenched in sweat, yet he couldn't locate where Yilian and her companions from Yingyue Hamlet were. Gazing at the sea of people, he felt bewildered. With nearly ten thousand people attending the matchmaking event at the Flower Mountain Festival, how was he to find Yilian among them?

"Sigh—

It's not that I have a net and refuse to cast,

Nor do I have seedlings and refuse to plant;

But casting a net without a boat to pair,

Planting seedlings without water to spare.

A sister pines for her brother, shedding tears aplenty,

Unaware of where her brother might be

—"

Like a melodious song of a lark, a clear mountain song suddenly burst forth from the crowd. On a distant hill, where a bright bonfire blazed fiercely, a lovely figure stood silently, her gaze full of anticipation. It was from her that this enchanting song originated.

"Yilian!" Lin Wanrong exclaimed excitedly, waving his hands and rushing towards her. He admired Yilian's intelligence; using a mountain song to find someone was indeed unique.

"Ah Lin Ge—" The young girl's eyes lit up with joy upon seeing him. She hurriedly pushed through the crowd of mi duo, who had gathered around her, and ran towards him happily.

Seeing Yilian so close, with her flushed cheeks, Lin Wanrong's suppressed emotions cleared significantly. He wiped his sweat and panted, "It's really hard to find you! Yilian, why are you hiding here?!"

Yilian shyly lowered her head, "We were late leaving the city, so we had to settle in a secluded spot. Ah Lin Ge, are you hungry?"

Indeed, he hadn't eaten all day. He eagerly nodded. Yilian giggled and unwrapped a package from her person, revealing the pastries given to her at noon, seemingly untouched.

She handed them all to him, and Lin Wanrong, truly famished, devoured several pieces, speaking with his mouth full, "Yilian, have you eaten?"

Watching him eat heartily, Yilian nodded happily, passing him a bamboo tube filled with water, "I've eaten, but I couldn't finish everything. These are for you!"

Just as he was about to relax after eating, he sensed something amiss. Looking up, he was startled to find himself surrounded by dozens of watchful mi duo, each brandishing a hatchet, their eyes fierce as if ready to pounce!

"What's this all about?" He was so frightened that he dared not drink, and the pastry in his mouth dropped to the ground.

A familiar mi duo from Yingyue Hamlet, standing beside Yilian, chuckled, "Don't you understand? These mi duo, from various villages, are here to sing with Yilian! Ah Lin Ge, for you, Yilian has been singing all night long, just so you could find us!"

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