The sky was gradually darkening, and it was less than an hour away from reaching the gate of Xiong City. Many people who ca from other cities quickened their pace, trying to enter the city before the last mont, so as not to be stuck outside at midnight.
However, amidst such a crowd, there was another carriage moving against the flow, heading toward the city gate, not at all slow in speed, until it halted at a distance not far from the gate.
Huangfu Qiuyang lifted the carriage curtain, and a pair of eyes looked out, scanning the sowhat dim street, and spotted a person on horseback at the city gate, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl.
She was dressed in riding and archery attire, astride a red horse, exuding radiance.
Although her eyebrows and eyes were not exceedingly beautiful, they possessed a heroism uncommon in ordinary won, especially with a long knife carried obliquely on her back, adding to her martial vigor, deterring any ordinary n from approaching her with pleasantries.
Huangfu Qiuyang's eyes brightened slightly, and he softly called out:
"A Jie..."
Xiahou Jie was waiting sowhat impatiently, heard the voice, and naturally followed it, seeing Huangfu Qiuyang standing charmingly there, showing a hint of joy, she urged her horse to step forward beside the carriage and laughed, saying:
"Finally, you ca. If you hadn't co, I wouldn't have been able to wait any longer."
Huangfu Qiuyang replied in a playful tone:
"It's because of you suddenly saying that you had arrived at the post station; it takes ti for to co over as well. Do you think I can fly like those martial arts experts?"
Xiahou Jie smiled slightly, turned her horse, controlled her speed, and followed alongside the carriage as it resud heading forward, saying:
"There was no other way, following my father and the others every day, they always have sothing to say about , never giving a mont of peace. You know my temperant, I can't stand these things, and I missed you a little, so I hurried over here."
Huangfu Qiuyang opened the curtain on one side, a hint of worry visible on his face as he glanced at the slightly crimson long knife behind Xiahou Jie, but he said nothing as the carriage and the red horse set off together, making their way back to the Huangfu family ho.
Xiahou Jie first paid respects to the head of the Huangfu family as a junior, then went straight to Huangfu Qiuyang's boudoir. Although the four major noble clans of Jianghu had considerable distance between them, their relationships were closer compared to other forces, especially between the Huangfu and Xiahou families.
One in the Northwest, the other in Jiangnan, standing apart in the north and south of Great Qin, their powers did not clash, and their relationship had always been extrely close. Xiahou Xuan and Huangfu Xiong had known each other since their youth and had once traveled from Jiangnan to Wangxian County in the Northern Lands to find Huangfu.
Huangfu Qiuyang and Xiahou Jie were the sa, having played and grown up together since childhood, but as they aged, one took a liking to books and music, while the other favored the way of the knife, each pursuing interests contrary to their family's expertise, resulting in less ti spent together.
"Not visiting for a year, your room hasn't changed a bit."
After entering, Xiahou Jie showed not a hint of reservation, her hands placed behind her back as she leisurely studied the surroundings, while Huangfu Qiuyang poured tea for her. His gaze once again fell on the crimson knife at the girl's back, pondering for a mont before saying:
"A Jie, next year, do you still plan on traveling all over the Jianghu?"
Xiahou Jie turned her head, smiling, and said:
"Naturally."
She strolled over, picked up a teacup, and sipped before saying:
"For us with such backgrounds, although we fare much better than ordinary people of the Jianghu, we also have too many rules. When the family grows, they emulate the noble clans of past dynasties. If the day cos when I marry into my husband's family, how could I possibly travel freely like now? Won't I be bound by responsibilities as a wife and mother, tied down by all those obligations?"
"It's because your second brother keeps his promise, staying far away until this girl reaches twenty-eight. If it were your elder brother, I might have already been married off, trapped in daily disputes. How could that compare to the vast world?"
There was a faint smile at the corner of her mouth.
This was sothing known only to her, Huangfu Qiuyang, and Huangfu Xiong.
No matter how complex things were, even though Huangfu Xiong did not practice wielding a knife, his martial arts talent and aptitude were among the best of the younger generation in the Huangfu family, being the son of the family head, it was unreasonable for him to fear and evade a girl to such an extent, wandering avoidantly around the world.
Truly, having promised, he had to keep his word.
Huangfu Qiuyang didn't quite understand the thoughts of her second brother and her friend before her. In her view, if one could live a stable life, that would be good. She thought of sothing and smiled, saying:
"Speaking of which, A Jie, although you hurried over early, you still arrived a bit late. Had you co an hour earlier, you could have witnessed quite a show..."
Xiahou Jie shook her head, saying: "I'm not interested in those matters."
Huangfu Qiuyang laughed: "This is sothing you would certainly be interested in. Our family's Third Grandfather has a total of five disciples. Among them, there is one with a different surna, Mr. Zhao Kuo. Do you still rember him?"
Xiahou Jie nodded, smiling: "The elder Huangfu only had two disciples with different surnas. Aside from the most arrogant and unruly one, there is Zhao Kuo. By the way, is Li Danxun still pestering you?"
Huangfu Qiuyang sighed and said:
"Him, ah yes, relying on his high martial arts skills and excellent talent, he's terribly arrogant, always causing trouble. If not for his rapid progress in knife techniques and having been apprenticed to the Third Grandfather since childhood, he would have long been driven out of our Huangfu family."
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