Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 168: An encounter

ZHANG LIAO BAO, TAIGUO REGION, TAIJIAN

After the battle in the hills there is nothing noteworthy that happens so Liao Bao is now traveling in relative peace. No bandits or martial artist are searching for them.

It seems Lishan sect did adhere to their promise. They made a few stops here and there, camping and rest at night in some forest or caves.

After a few weeks finally they have arrived at Taiguo region.

They stop at Taijian a small but lively city, where the trade of the region of Taiguo is centered, especially the trade product from the South.

Liao Boa look behind him and smile at the lady as the lady blushes smiling back.

'I am always the charmer' Liao Bao thought to himself

Behind him is Zhengping and Zhao Lu. He holds his horse by its reins as he glanced left and right scanning the city environment.

It is bustling and full of people of walks of life, indicating an active city and full of life with performers and trader selling their wares outside the city wall.

Their shout attracts those who were coming here to buy things.

It has been a long journey from the Tiger Gorge, a very long journey, passing Yuan and now here finally at Taiguo.

A few days more of riding and they will reach Shanhai Pass.

Liao Bao heard that they need to have certain level of influence to pass the Shanhai Pass but thankfully he has the Princess as his companions.

Surely a person of her birth can get them safely through the customs.

Liao Bao eyes is still glancing right and left looking at the vibrant city.

He is in awe of the city but Liao Boa once heard from the traders that he met during his years in the Imperial Court, that you have never seen a city unless you have seen Acro.

Liao Bao have living most of his adolescent life in the capital but he never has travelled far from his home.

Even when he was a child the fact that he need to always stay around the Pleasure House is a fact he couldn't forget.

A fact he begrudges. Now that he mastered some martial arts, enough for him to bluff some experts of martial arts, he wanted to see and explore the world.

He wanted to be free and sails the seas, eat the most delicious food and flirt with beautiful woman from all four corners of the land

As he was indulging in his dreams, the voice of a lady brings him out of his delusion.

'Senior Brother, let us rest and eat' Zhengping said from the back to her senior Brother, Zhao Lu

She seems wide eyed looking at the people trading all around the city.

Liao Bao imagine she must have live a very sheltered life. Which begs the question why did she were let out from her residence in the first place?

This world is not for such a lady. Other than the fact she knows some martial arts; the lady is woefully ignorant of many common sense.

To be more accurate she is too nave. As she was speaking with her senior brother, Liao Bao check his belonging

'Shit' he cursed silently. He looks at his purse and there is only one gold coins.

It might be enough for them to eat but this would not help them for long. Usually in the forest and caves or the forest they only need to hunt

As they hunted he also took the opportunity to train his technique. But life in the forest is not as bad as he thought especially when he thought of Zhengping Senior Bother.

Zhao Lu for some reason have talents in cooking.

Zhao Lu always cook even the unappetizing game to look like a royal cuisine and the Princess eat it gracefully while Liao Bao usually ate in other places mostly because he would like to avoid the Princess looking at how he eats.

As he thinks of this Zhao Lu realizes that he is looking at his purse and he said

'Do not worry about the gold, Liao Bao. The Chu household will pay for the Princess and you as repayment.'

Liao Bao raise his eyebrows and asked.

'You would do that?'

'You are our savior.' He said and then Liao Bao nodded smiling all the while.

In this few couple of weeks his relationships with Zhao Lu has been getting better.  Mostly because they always hunt together looking for food.

Different from his initial assumption this Zhao Lu is not in love with the Princess. I could almost swear that he likes her but that is mostly because of his protective side.

Maybe Liao Bao had read to many romance novels in the Imperial Court that he had think of such dramatic relationship between Zhao Lu and Zhengping.

Zhao Lu told him this information in one of their campfire talk, that he has a sweetheart in the Chu residence.

He is in love with his younger martial sister Lian Yi. He said that she has quite the temper. But a beauty all the same. Well, when you think about it, stubborn girl is usually pretty.

But Zhao Lu still dodges Liao Bao question on why they are running away from the Lishan sect. Then his stomach growled.

The Princess chuckled.

'It seems even Hero Zhang is hungry.'

Liao Bao smiled sheepishly.

As they looked around the city he found this one large restaurant and they decided that they will replenish their belly and quench their thirst at the establishment.

They tied up their horse in front of the door and went inside.

'What will you eat Hero Zhang?' The Princess asked him as she takes her seat. she already bringing out her pouch of gold.

'It is not gentlemanly to let the lady pay' Liao Bao said.

'It is the least I could do and it would be an honour' she said.

The inn boys come to their table and ask for their order. Liao Bao immediately licked his lips

And then he began looking at the menu with assortments of beef and food, fruits and vegetable dishes.

'I would have Taijian Beef, Zicheng pancake, and wrapped meat' he ordered.

'And give us some good wine.' Zhao Lu retorted.

Liao Bao nodded.

'I would like some vegetables dish' the Princess said as she pointed to the menu picking her dishes.

The inn boys nodded and went to the kitchen. A few moments later their orders are being served.

Usually Liao Bao would have attacked the food but since there is a lady here, he restrained himself and eat with great civility copying the noble emissaries that used to frequent the Imperial Palace.

Liao Bao could see that the Princess is impressed with his civility. But truth be told it is kind of annoying to eat like that but he has no choice.

He doesn't want her to think badly of him

They all enjoyed their dish when suddenly they heard a disturbance at the door of the inn.

Zhao Lu quickly holds the hilt of his sword. He is always on alert. Always on the edge. Liao Bao commend his vigilance but he is a bit stiff.

'I'll check it out.' he said to Zhao Lu

'Stay here' he said to the Princess and she nodded in understanding.

Liao Bao fear that maybe the ruffians from Lishan Sect are here again and at the same time. He also fearing for their mounts being let out.

Liao Bao rushed to the doorway jumping from the second floor where their table is and landed on the first floor with ease.

His robe floated for a few seconds before it returned back to its original position.

Some of the restaurant customers look in awe at him.

There must not be many martial artists around here and even if thy se many martial artist, they are not many martial artists with that kind of ability to jump that high and landed almost with no sound like Liao Bao had just done.

Liao Bao glance around their mounts and he could see that the horses are quietly eating its fodder while three inn boys are trying to deter a slender old man, clothed in patches of stitched rags.

On his head he wore an old leather hat with holes and he appear to be fifty years old or around sixty of age

His white beard is long and his face and hands are dirty. There is even some mud in his left cheek.

He held a chicken wing in his left hand and laughed like he has no care in the world revealing his out of place teeth and he has black eyes.

But for some reason Liao Bao could feel something from him. It is faint but it is there. And the old man is also an Eastian like him.

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I think you all could guess who this person is. Anyway. See you all tomorrow and leave some comments and don't forget to vote. Hope you enjoy the story