12dz Chapter 5: After being tricked into going up the mountain, they tried to leave but were instead tied
Chapter 5: After being tricked into going up the mountain, they tried to leave but were instead tied
"Father, please release them! I promise to go to Azure Phoenix Peak, okay?"
"No problem, you just go back to sleep now, and I'll pretend nothing happened tonight."
The old prince immediately expressed his opinion after achieving his goal.
To save his two sons' lives, the dignified young master had no choice but to follow the old man surnamed Zhang back to his room.
Old ginger is spicier; he was clearly no match for that old fox.
Han Yi turned and went back to his room. The old prince looked at Han San with a smile, and the two remained silent.
The next morning, on the rugged mountain path, Han Yi dragged his heavy steps and reluctantly began to climb slowly.
"Han Yunfan, you old bastard, you lied to me! Didn't you say that the roads on Qingluan Peak were wide and flat? Under this clear blue sky, I, the young master, should be listening to music and picking up girls in the Inviting Moon Pavilion!" He complained as he walked with difficulty.
The pale white brocade robe accentuated his disheveled state. Sweat clung to his handsome cheeks, tinged with a slight flush, giving him a unique charm.
A jade belt inlaid with gemstones was tied around her waist, and the snow fox fur cloak she wore to show off was nowhere to be found.
Her long, jet-black hair was casually tied up with a jade hairpin, with a few strands falling across her forehead, but her carefree and unrestrained spirit was gone.
Her eyes were absolutely stunning, no less so than those of a socialite from an art gallery.
He held a folding fan in his right hand, the fan surface painted with a famous artist's work. At first, it could be used to fan himself, but now, due to exhaustion, he clenched it tightly in his hands with his palms together.
"What kind of mess have I made? Is there anyone who can help me?" Looking up, he realized he was still more than halfway to the summit but couldn't climb any further. A plan suddenly came to him.
He lay down on the mountain path with remarkable ease and began to stage an accident, completely ignoring the uncomfortable stones on the ground, and started shouting "Help!"
Upon seeing this, the guards behind him turned their backs in perfect unison, avoiding looking at him.
Seeing that the guards remained unmoved, he began to shout angrily, "Old Zhang, get over here and carry me! You old fool, don't you have any sense at all? Is this how you serve your father?"
Zhang Shen stared at him calmly, bowing slightly. "Master, even if you shout until the sky breaks and smash a hole in the ground, you'll still have to climb up the mountain yourself."
"Old man, you're so dull-witted. Come and help me up!" Zhang Shen remained unmoved, only shaking his head slightly to indicate that he should get up on his own.
Before leaving, Han Yunfan specifically dismissed the guards around Han Yi and arranged for Zhang Shen to watch him go up the mountain, wanting his precious son to get used to life without anyone to serve him. He understood that his father was the one who was interfering, that his father wanted to make him unhappy, and that Zhang Shen, as his father's number one lackey, would definitely carry it out resolutely.
At this moment, inside the Prince's Mansion in Qingfeng Village, the old prince sat quietly in the courtyard of the main hall, sneezing several times in succession. "That brat, he's definitely cursing me!" A slight upturn to his lips revealed a smug smile, far from his anger. His gaze was deep and distant, fixed on the distant sacred mountain, as he murmured softly, "That brat! He's probably arrived..."
Prince Zhenbei, Han Yunfan, was in his forties when he had this only son, whom he cherished dearly, treating him like a precious gem from a young age.
In the mountains, the two sides were deadlocked. "You damned lackeys, if you're unwilling to carry me up the mountain, what are you doing following me? Get out of here, I'll go myself."
He looked impatient and waved his hand.
Hearing this, no one showed any intention of leaving. They were all old servants of the Prince's Mansion and knew this young master too well. Given his nature, he would not obediently go up the mountain.
“Your Highness, if you are not in a hurry, we will have to spend the night here. There are many mosquitoes in the mountains, which is fine for us rough men, but your precious body will suffer.”
"You win!" Han Yi glared at him, then got up unwillingly and continued climbing.
The golden sun leans against the edge of colorful clouds, its afterglow lingering on the mountains and rivers.
Finally, we reached the summit. The summit was surprisingly flat, stretching as far as the eye could see. After walking for quite some time, we finally saw a Taoist temple.
As you get closer, you can see that the wall is mottled and peeling, with the old bricks and stones inside completely exposed.
Most of the blue tiles on the roof are broken and incomplete, and they leak constantly whenever it rains.
The vermilion lacquer on the gate has almost completely faded, and the carvings on the gate have become barely recognizable due to the erosion of time.
"This is supposed to be a Taoist immortal abode? That old bastard tricked me again. I'll settle the score with you when we get back!"
He couldn't help but feel disdain. What was this place? A gathering place for the Beggars' Sect?
As you get closer, look at the entrance and you'll see a worn-out plaque hanging high above.
The large characters above are written in a flamboyant, blurry style.
“One, person, head, show…”
His gaze was fixed on the plaque, and he read it aloud, word by word.
"It's the Xuantian Dao Sect! Junior Brother, Master sent me to welcome you."
The sudden voice in my ear abruptly pulled me back to reality; it was a chubby Taoist priest.
"You've mistaken me for someone else, I'm just passing by!"
He replied to the enthusiastic Taoist priest and then prepared to make his escape.
The conditions on this mountain are too harsh. My body, which has been pampered since childhood, can't possibly withstand such conditions.
He had only taken a few steps when his legs inexplicably gave way, and he fell face-first into the mud. As he tried to get up, spitting out mud and sand, he discovered that his right foot was tethered to a long rope.
The other end of the rope was tightly gripped by several chubby fingers. The owner of the hands was none other than the Taoist priest who had just warmly addressed him as his junior brother.
The Taoist priest looked older than Han Yi. He had a round, rosy face, was not tall, and was quite fat. His Taoist robe looked tight on him, and his thick earlobes gave him an auspicious appearance.
"Junior brother, since you're here, you might as well make the best of it. You'd better come in with me obediently." The fat Taoist priest smiled and spoke with sincerity.
"Shut up, you fatso! Let me go right now, or I'll..." Han Yi was furious as he struggled to break free of the ropes.
Before he could finish speaking, the fat Taoist priest flicked his wrist and pulled him right in front of him.
“It’s exactly the same as the portrait, and you still dare to say it’s not you.” A portrait was handed to Han Yi, and when he glanced at it, his mind went completely blank.
The portrait was drawn with only a few strokes, barely enough to make out that it depicted a person. The poor style and hasty strokes showed a drawing skill comparable to that of a three-year-old child.
"Hehe! The painting is so lifelike!" Han Yi's lips twitched, and he couldn't help but complain.
"Wait a minute, young Taoist priest. Let's talk this out. Can you release me first? My followers are carrying a lot of money. If you're willing to let me go, everything is negotiable."
They say money makes the world go round, and the young master decisively offered his terms, hoping to negotiate a settlement. Han Yi looked at the fat Taoist priest with anticipation.
"Impossible! If you run away, I won't be able to explain myself when I get back! I have some healing pills on me. Junior brother, prepare some before you enter the sect; you might need them. I won't charge you much, just one gold ingot per pill!"
"One gold ingot? Do you think you're selling a magic pill? You should keep it for yourself!" Han Yi said with disdain.
The fat Taoist priest didn't waste any words, he just tied him up and carried him into the mountain gate.