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27: Seeking A Path

Evening. Qiu Xing and Dong Chen were pacing back and forth. A well rested Ye Yin was inspecting a map on a table. "What have you two discovered?"

Dong Chen responded, "Young master's conjecture was correct. In a few days, Xihua county's road inspections will become very severe, especially to outsiders. Unless they have a special identity, such as a merchant, there is no way to enter. I and Qiu Xing asked around inquiring for ways to Yue city without passing through Xihua county. If we are to make a detour, there are two choices. One is passing through Yun mountain, but passing through in two days is practically impossible because there are large numbers of troops stationed there, approximately ten thousand soldiers, and all roads are guarded carefully. Whether it be day or night, no one can pass. Even the nearby hunters are not allowed to go on the mountain to hunt. The second way is through the Scarlet Sand ravine that enters Xili and circumvents Yun mountain, but this path will also not work. It is too long and we don't have enough time. Furthermore, there are massive numbers of soldiers on either side, so we are completely unable to pass through."

After Dong Chen finished, Qiu Xing spoke. "Young master, what do we do now? There are still other ways, but they are all too long. There is no way to arrive on the sixth day of the sixth month. The fastest way to is pass through Xihua county, but it is sealed shut."

"Who said it is sealed shut?"

Qiu Xing and Dong Chen shared a glance. Ye Yin laughed. "Since the two detours are dead ends, then we'll just enter the county and pass right through."

"Pass through? But young master, the county itself is also under thorough investigation. To outsiders with dialects..." Suddenly, Qiu Xing stopped. "Young master, are you able to speak in the local dialect?"

Ye Yin rolled his eyes. "I grew up in Dongling, how can I speak in the West Zhi dialect? And I've only been in West Zhi for less than a month. How could I learn to speak the local dialect in such a short time? It's not like I'm gifted in languages."

Qiu Xing pouted. "Then young master, how are we going to pass through? Even if we enter, we cannot leave!"

"Who says? Dong Chen already said that those with special identities can enter."

Dong Chen frowned. "Young master, only merchants can pass through, and not just small merchants. Young master, you..."

Ye Yin smiled. "Am I not a merchant?"

"Ah! Right, young master, you are the master of "Fusheng"*, of course are you a merchant!" Qiu Xing suddenly realized. Suddenly, she thought of something. "But young master, why did you not decide to use your identity at the start? Otherwise we wouldn't have had to travel such a hurry."

*Fusheng was briefly mentioned in

"What, are you angry?" Ye Yin took a sip from tea Qiu Xing handed over. His glanced at her heedlessly.

Qiu Xing paused, then bit her lip and said in a low voice, "No, I** only felt sympathy for young master. You have been too tired these past few days."

Sighing, Ye Yin set the tea onto the table. "If possible, I did not want to. Fusheng has been established for seven years. It has only been successful due to brother Du and brother Jianli's assistance. Of course, it is understandable to use this power to help brother Jianli, but I did not want to reveal this card so early."

"Why? Young master, what are you worried about?"

Although faced with Dong Chen's question, Ye Yin did not respond. The idiom "accompanying one's sovereign can be like accompanying a tiger" was one he understood well. He was well aware what happened to those who accomplished great merits and threatened the emperor's throne. Perhaps Wen Yuanbo would be a wise ruler, but people's hearts are the hardest the fathom. He could not help but be on guard. Being abandoned after helping the nation reunite was a possibility, so he had to leave a trump card. He did not want to end up wasting his years in Wen Yuanbo's harem. It seems it was time to let Chun Ri gradually hide Fusheng's main power!