Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Is it really him?

“Brother Shen, please wait for me a moment,” Yu Meng suddenly stopped as he passed a small alley, speaking to Shen Luo.

“Please do as you wish, Brother Yu,” Shen Luo said.

Yu Meng quickly walked into the alley, his figure soon disappearing within.

Standing and examining his surroundings, Shen Luo pondered over the various things he had observed so far, considering how to bring up his queries once they arrived at Yu Meng’s house.

“Big brother, could you spare me some food? I haven’t eaten for two days,” A crisp voice broke Shen Luo’s reverie, coming from beside him.

Upon hearing the voice, Shen Luo turned to see a little girl of around seven or eight shyly standing not far away.

The girl was dressed in a dirty hemp short shirt full of patches. As the shirt was oversized, her arms and legs were exposed. She held out a broken bowl with both hands, her gaze filled with desperation as she looked up.

“I don’t have any food or silver on me…” Shen Luo felt a softness in his heart under the little girl’s gaze. He reached into his clothes, pretending to fumble around, indicating that he didn’t have anything.

“What happened, Brother Shen?” Yu Meng’s voice came as he briskly emerged from the alley.

There were two black long knives added to his waist, narrower in the spine and longer in the blade than the horse-chopping saber he was using before. Placed obliquely on his back waist, and his bosom bulging with something he was carrying.

Seeing Yu Meng, especially the weapons in his hand, a hint of panic flashed across the little girl’s face and she quickly turned and fled.

“Ah, the world is cold, the people are suffering… let’s go,” Seeing this, Yu Meng sighed.

Watching the frail figure flee into the distance, Shen Luo felt a lump in his throat, a sensation that he couldn’t quite describe.

They continued their journey, quickly leaving the neighborhood.

Ahead, the roadside was lined with an appreciable number of trees and the path became narrower. Residential courtyards started appearing on either side of the road.

There were fewer pedestrians here, every household was locked tight. The road was scattered with fallen leaves due to lack of cleaning and they rolled about with the wind.

Before long, Shen Luo arrived with Yu Meng at the front of a grand mansion. The plaque hanging over the main gate read “Yu Residence”.

This mansion was built north-facing south, with a wide main gate, large enough for four or five people to walk through side by side. Although most of the gold lacquer on the two gate doors had peeled off, there was still an imposing majestic aura emanating. In front of the entrance were a pair of two-meter-tall red lacquered stone-carved lions. In comparison with other households, it stood out as a crane among chickens.

“So you’re of a wealthy family, Brother Yu,” Shen Luo commented lightly, with a slight smile on seeing this.

“These are all my father’s eccentricities. Nowadays, with evil rampant and the world in chaos, what’s the point of keeping up such grand appearances?” Yu Meng replied. Just as he was about to push the gate open, some footsteps sounded from the side. It turned out to be the three escorts coming back in strides.

Yu Meng withdrew his hand and went up to them.

“Young Master, We’ve sent Tian Chong home and also delivered the consolation silver,” the dark-faced escort reported with a salute.

“Good, Thank you all for your hard work. Go and rest first,” Yu Meng replied with a nod, his eyes filled with solemn respect.

The three escorts gave their acknowledgments, nodded at Shen Luo as their form of greeting, and went their separate ways back home.

“Brother Shen, I’ll be back shortly,” After the group left, Yu Meng hesitated briefly before speaking to Shen Luo.

“Feel free to attend to your affairs, Brother Yu,” Knowing that Yu Meng wanted to go to Tian Chong’s home, Shen Luo would naturally not hold him back.

Yu Meng gave a slight bow, then hurriedly left in the direction that the escorts had come from.

Shen Luo watched as Yu Meng’s figure disappeared in the distance, sighing inwardly. He waited outside the gates of the Yu Residence, meanwhile carefully observing the surrounding environment, which kept him from getting bored.

A moment later, Yu Meng hurried back from the direction he had gone, his eyes slightly puffed up.

“Apologies for making Brother Shen wait, let’s head inside,” he said a bit remorsefully.

Then, he moved a few steps ahead and knocked on the big gate.

“Young Master, you’re back.”

The heavy gate creaked open, and a chubby teenager of about fifteen or sixteen came out greeting with a pleasant smile. However, when he saw Shen Luo behind, a hint of surprise crossed his agile eyes, but he wisely refrained from asking further.

“Is Father home?” Yu Meng, who had now regained his calm, asked.

“Master has come home. He’s in the study.” The chubby boy brought his gaze back and replied.

“This is my new acquaintance, Brother Shen Luo. Little Shunzi, get a room ready for him,” Yu Meng instructed the chubby lad, and then led Shen Luo through the gate, heading towards the inner courtyard.

The courtyard was a three-compartment structure, with a rigorous layout, towering eaves, and large courtyards, quite magnificent indeed.

However, what surprised Shen Luo was the absence of any servant about, given the vastness of the courtyard, which resulted in a rather quiet atmosphere. He had seen only Little Shunzi since he had come in.

Compared to this, his own residence in Chunhua County, although of a similar scale, was bustling with servants and maids.

They passed through two courtyards and arrived at a spacious hall. The floor was paved with large blue stones as polished and smooth as a mirror, tough as iron. The furniture was all made of deep rosewood, and some antique ornaments were placed beside the walls on both sides, the whole arrangement being quite luxurious.

However, at the far end of the hall, in front of a sculpted screen, stood an imposing statue, which was not of the Three Purities or the Six Imperials, but of a middle-aged scholar holding a writing brush. With three tufts of long beard hanging down to his chest, he looked quite refined.

In front of the statue was an altar covered in incense and a variety of other offerings, with spirals of incense smoke curling upward.

The statue, the altar, and the rest of the sumptuous arrangement did seem oddly mismatched and rather out of place, making the whole setting appear somewhat comical.

Seeing the decorations in the hall, Shen Luo couldn’t help but show an unusual expression.

As someone who belonged to a wealthy family in the county, he understood the love people of affluence had for grandeur and keeping up appearances. Everything in the main reception hall where guests were entertained was usually arranged carefully down to the last detail. So how could it be in such a mess?

“Forgive the disorder, my father is a man of Dao and does things according to his own whims, hence the somewhat chaotic arrangement at home,” Yu Meng smiled and explained upon seeing Shen Luo’s reaction. Obviously, Shen Luo wasn’t the only one who found the layout here strange.

“Not at all. Uncle Yu’s unorthodox ways show his stature amongst scholars. Is he available now for me to pay my respects?” Shen Luo laughed and became somewhat interested in the man who had turned the hall into a Daoist temple.

“Actually, you have met him already,” said Yu Meng, winking and continuing in a mysterious tone.

Shen Luo was taken aback, about to press for details.

“Meng Er, you little devil, where have you been messing about again? You’re late, and I’ve been waiting for you for half the day! Did you buy the things I asked for?” An aging, slightly hoarse voice sounded from outside, followed by a short, plump figure entering the room.

Shen Luo turned around at the sound of the voice and was stunned when he saw the man’s face.

It was him?

The man who walked in was none other than the short plump old man amongst the Immortal Masters on the city wall earlier, the one dressed in a golden silk dress who had rescued Yu Meng.

The old man was then holding a vermilion wine gourd with rosiness on his face and a bleary look in his eyes, already somewhat tipsy. He looked like an ordinary old tippler, bearing no resemblance at all to the high and aloof Immortal Master he had appeared to be on the city wall.