Chapter 999: Chapter 835: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity
The leader immediately looked up, glanced around, and found that the waiter and the shopkeeper were some distance away from them. He then gave the opposite party a warning glance.
The man cleared his throat, saying that the adults were just too cautious. Arenât there only four of them here?
The waiter and the shopkeeper are still busy over there! How could they possibly hear what they are saying?
"Master! I think these three donât look like scholars; rather, they resemble noble sons from the Capital. If theyâre heading to Jiangnan at this time, I fear..."
Another person couldnât help but speak up; he wanted to say something earlier. Since Gu Chengyu and the others have left, he felt no need to hold back.
The leader frowned, looking somewhat helplessly at the other three, then began to ponder.
He suddenly remembered his master saying, among the most capable in the court, who was it? Naturally, it was Gu Jinyu, the Champion Scholar from two years ago!
Gu Jinyu was not only exceptionally talented but also handsome, surpassing Pan An. In the workshop, his appearance was said to rival his literary talent.
That young man indeed looked good. When he first saw him, he sighed inwardly. Could that person be Gu Jinyu?
But Gu Jinyu is an official in the Hanlin Academy; would the Emperor send him to handle the flood in Changtian Prefecture? He found it hard to believe.
Since they set off a few days earlier, they werenât aware of Gu Chengyuâs reassignment to the Dali Temple and his promotion by three ranks.
Nor did they know the Emperor had ordered and appointed Gu Chengyu as the imperial envoy to go to Jiangnan for this affair.
Gu Chengyu and Ming Mo rode ahead for a while, then slowed their pace.
"Sir! I wonder if those two will lay an ambush ahead. Would it be better if Ming Yan and I went to scout the path?" Ming Mo suggested as he rode up to Gu Chengyu.
Gu Chengyu abruptly pulled on the reins and gazed ahead.
All he could see was a verdant forest; the lush foliage ahead made Gu Chengyu think it would be an ideal place for an ambush.
"No need! I couldnât see through that old man; we must remain cautious!" Gu Chengyu frowned; that old man was not ordinary.
Whether the opponent had a hidden cultivation technique or their inner strength surpassed his, this was what made Gu Chengyu wary.
This was the first time Gu Chengyu felt so apprehensive about someone; he sighed somewhat. Indeed, as they say, thereâs always someone better!
In the grass patch ahead, the man and the old man who should have gone far were crouching there, watching Gu Chengyu and his companions intently.
The man waited for a while, seeing that Gu Chengyu and the others actually stopped as if they were talking midway.
"Whatâs happening? Why arenât they coming over? Did they discover us?"
The manâs hoarse voice echoed, with a strange official dialect that sounded quite awkward to others.
The old man squinted slightly, gazing at the three fixed figures, then sighed slightly.
"Letâs go! Theyâre difficult to deal with; we shouldnât create complications. Itâs better to first complete the masterâs task, and find a chance to remove these people later."
The old man spoke in fluent official language, with a hint of the Capitalâs accent.
"What? Not taking action despite such a great opportunity this time would be too wasteful. There might not be such a good chance next time. No, letâs wait a bit more!"
The man objected; he felt this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Finding these people again would take effort.
Theyâre just three young lads; how strong can they be? People said the opponent is smart, but could their martial arts be better than his?
At only a few years of age, prepping for the imperial exams, where would they find the time for martial arts training?
The man was quite confident about his martial arts; those three looked like weaklings that he could handle alone.
The old man glanced sideways at the man, internally despising this simple-minded fellow.
If it werenât for the manâs decent martial arts and the dangerous nature of this task, would the master have entrusted him?
Fortunately, the master sent him along; otherwise, this man would surely be nothing but trouble.
"Donât overestimate yourself; these three possess unusual martial arts. The boyâs inner strength even surpasses mine. If it werenât for my cultivation techniqueâs concealment, wouldnât the other side have discovered us long ago? Against this person, we must be on high alert; not only are they skilled in martial arts, but also highly strategic in planning."
The man puckered his lips, not believing the old manâs words. The old man only exaggerated things. Since meeting the old man, he continually bossed him around.
If it werenât for the masterâs order to heed the old manâs command, he wouldâve long been impatient with him.
"Stop boosting othersâ spirits and demoralizing yourself. How powerful can they be? Did they start cultivating in the womb?"
"Come on! Maybe theyâre tired of waiting; letâs go meet them!"
Gu Chengyu smiled slightly; better to resolve it sooner than later; otherwise, theyâll have to stay on guard.
Havenât you heard, there are only a thousand days to be a thief, but not a thousand days to guard against one?
Gu Chengyu and his companions rode their horses leisurely forward; if there was an ambush, it would likely focus more on the horses.
"We must withdraw; these three already noticed us. Without the element of surprise, we canât fight them head-on; with our abilities, weâre no match."
The old man grew anxious, pulling the man along, hoping to leave. Somehow, he had a gut feelingâif they engaged, it wouldnât go well.
The man, however, procrastinated, unwilling to leave. "If you want to go, go ahead; I plan to take advantage of this opportunity and capture them."
He recalled the masterâs instruction; if successful in handling these people, the master would surely grant substantial rewards.
If he could capture them alive, there would be immense benefits waiting for him! How could he not be tempted?
Gu Chengyu and his companions had already sped up, galloping quickly towards them.
The manâs eyes lit up; this is the perfect opportunity! He threw off the old manâs hand and tightened the knot in his hand.
The old man knew this man wouldnât heed his advice, whereas Gu Chengyu was already approaching rapidly; leaving would expose him just the same.
Besides, his heart harbored a glimmer of hope; thinking maybe itâs worth tryingâwhat if they succeeded?
Gu Chengyu was keenly aware of his surroundings; noticing a particularly dense grass patch, he figured if there was an ambush, itâd be there.
The man watched Gu Chengyu charging forward without hesitation, feeling exhilarated. The old man warned him about this youthâs strategy. Didnât he still fall for his trick?
To him, he and the opponent were strangers; how could the opponent know he planned to kill him? Can the opponent calculate predictably?
It was just the old manâs exaggeration; letâs see how he captures these three.
The manâs expression tensed, heart pounding. The moment was here! The moment arrived!
He suddenly pulled the knot tightly; from the seemingly flat ground, a long rope suddenly emerged.