Chapter 223: Chapter 222: The Small Post Station

Liu Li listened to the sound of reading coming from the carriage ahead, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Seriously, seriously, can’t a person get some rest?

Liu Ji, that guy, was already so intense in college, but now he’s reading while on the road?

Da Zhuang listened to the five father and sons reading their own books up front, only to feel his ears buzzing and an inexplicable sense of agitation rising within him.

So he tentatively suggested, “Second Young Master, how about you too take advantage of the good sunlight to read a bit?”

Liu Li’s mouth twitched slightly, and he resolutely said, “I won’t read!”

Actually, his mindset was quite stable. After all, he had been reading since he was young, for ten years now. If it weren’t for that accident two years ago when the bandits broke his leg, last year’s preliminary and governmental exams would have definitely been passed.

Now healed and passing the preliminary exam, Liu Li wasn’t even surprised.

As for the governmental exam, Liu Li was also confident.

The teacher had said that he should just maintain a good mindset and perform normally.

Besides, after studying for so many years, now that he could finally take a breath, Liu Li just wanted to relax along the way, appreciate different sceneries, and enter the governmental exam with a relaxed attitude.

However, amidst the rising and falling sounds of reading from the carriage ahead, Liu Li gradually wavered. It took less than two quarters of an hour before, under Da Zhuang’s helpless sighs of regret, he painfully picked up a book.

But funny enough, reading calmed him down, and even this bumpy journey seemed to pass quicker.

Before sunset, the carriages of both families successfully stopped next to a posthouse.

This posthouse was established for the court’s officials, and only people from the court could enjoy free accommodation, change horses, etc.

But passing merchants could spend some Silver Coins to stay overnight next to the guesthouse or order a meal in the hall, request hot water to freshen up.

However, this was based on the premise that the guesthouse still had the capacity to accommodate more or no court personnel were staying that night.

On significant roads, there were private inns run by the citizens next to the guesthouses, available for commoners to stop over and stay.

But the chances of encountering such were slim, only on the grand avenues leading to the Capital would you find one.

Qin Yao parked the carriage and called the four siblings to get off and stretch their legs.

After sitting all day on the carriage, their legs would surely numb if not moved a bit.

The four siblings who were vibrant at the start of the journey now found their energy worn thin by the trip’s fatigue. The older ones held the younger ones, jumped off the carriage, and surveyed this unfamiliar place.

Because of the unknown, they subconsciously felt a bit timid and stuck close to their parents, none of them speaking.

This was a very small posthouse, surrounded by dense bamboo forests, obstructing the already dwindling sunset, making it even darker.

An official road that could accommodate one carriage ran through the bamboo forest, the posthouse was built beside it, consisting of only two simple wooden houses.

The larger one was the posthouse’s main hall, one-third of it was the hall and counter, furnished with a set of old tables and chairs.

The remaining two-thirds were shielded by bamboo screens, likely serving as a communal bedspace for resting.

There was no one inside, but the door was wide open, perhaps the posthouse manager had to leave for some reason.

The smaller one was a semi-open-air stable, with a brown old horse tied within, its cloudy eyes watching the roadside people.

Sanlang timidly retreated behind his father, clutching his clothes tightly.

Liu Ji amusingly rubbed his son’s head in reverse, “Don’t be afraid, it’s tied up, it won’t bite you.”

Sanlang, with a crying face, became even more afraid, that horse might bite!

Da Zhuang guarded the carriage, as Liu Li went over to join Qin Yao’s family, looking at the two small houses ahead in the dim bamboo forest. It feels eerily gloomy, whether it’s because no one in the posthouse turned on lanterns or his own psychological effect.

They were not court officials, originally not eligible to stay in the posthouse, but if they wanted to stay next to it for a night, they at least needed to inform someone.

But now, Liu Li felt a little afraid to get close, murmuring quietly, “If I had known, I would’ve stopped at the small town we passed earlier to stay at an inn.”

When traveling, being unfamiliar with the land and occasionally making wrong judgments was normal.

Qin Yao wanted to complete today’s mileage, and at the time Liu Li also felt that the weather was nice, the night without rain, sleeping in the carriage or tent should be safe, and thought they could save on accommodation costs, so they both decided to move on to the posthouse.

But now, parked by the roadside, looking at that lonely, uninhabited posthouse, there was still a bit of regret.

Liu Ji glanced at the few people by the roadside, tentatively asked, “Shall we go over and take a look?”

Qin Yao nodded, indeed they should, to avoid scaring themselves.

Qin Yao arranged for Liu Ji and Da Zhuang to stay with the four kids, carried a quiver and bow that wouldn’t draw attention, signaled to Liu Li, and the two headed toward the eerily dim posthouse.

Before leaving, Qin Yao signaled Da Lang to stay alert.

The tacit understanding developed in the deep mountain forests made the young boy instantly understand, herding the siblings back onto the carriage, secretly holding the dagger hidden at his waist, standing by the carriage, keeping a close watch on the surrounding passable main road and bamboo forest path.

This calm and composed demeanor was somewhat similar to Qin Yao, making Da Zhuang secretly amazed, even if village people came, they might mistake him for her biological son.

Nightfall gradually descended, unknown bird cries occasionally came from the forest, Liu Ji raised an eyebrow, influenced by this strange atmosphere, subconsciously huddled closer to Da Zhuang, anxiously watching Qin Yao and Liu Li already at the posthouse’s entrance.

“Is anyone there?” Liu Li asked at the entrance.

No response from inside. He glanced at Qin Yao, raised his voice, and asked loudly again, “Is anyone there?!”

The only answer was a gust of wind blowing from the window at the back of the house to the front door, mixed with dust. Liu Li wrinkled his nose, feeling it was a bit irritating.

He couldn’t hold back a sneeze.

Qin Yao’s expression instantly changed, her nose twitching, indeed smelling a faint scent of blood.

Seeing Liu Li about to step in, she blocked him with her arm, “I’ll go, you wait outside.”

“Wha- what’s wrong?” Liu Ji only now noticed Qin Yao’s unusual expression, her eyes exceptionally sharp, like a hunting eagle in the sky, making him shudder.

Qin Yao didn’t explain, because she was also puzzled, leaving Liu Li outside, stepped into the dim old posthouse alone.

As soon as she entered, Qin Yao immediately saw a stain resembling blood on the empty tabletop.

It was the kind of stain someone tried to cover up by wiping with something, but due to panic and haste, didn’t clean it completely, leaving residual bloodstains.

Looking at the deliberately neatly arranged various furniture and objects inside the posthouse, along with the clean counter, it wasn’t hard to judge that this bloodstain was left not long ago.

Qin Yao listened for a while and could confirm that there was no one in the house.

She took a few steps forward and discovered a few more drops of dropped bloodstains.

Following the blood trail to the back door, Qin Yao raised her hand just about to open it to continue checking when the horse in the adjacent stable suddenly snorted loudly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep