3 Chapter 3: Secret intel

How can one look so flawless? The handsome Yutao looks even more alluring in his attire. It's like God himself has come down to earth. He wore a loosely cut light blue robe, worn with the left front panel lapped over the right panel, the whole garment fastened closed with a sash.

On top of it was a royal blue coat with sleeves. His face was as smooth as jade and as clear and fine as morning dew with a sharp jawline making him look rather captivating.

His deep, dark eyebrows makes him look handsome yet stern and his long smooth, silky, black hair was neatly half tied.

No wonder everyone in Shanjin was left awestruck by his looks.

As Yutao came down from his horse carriage everyone was eyeing him.

People started gossiping from afar,

"Omg! Who is that fellow?"

"He is Yutao"

"The chief son"

"Omg!The chief son!"

"He is so handsome"

"Yes indeed!"

Yutao looks became a hot topic in the town. His looks are no joke!

"Master I shall open the gate" ,the servant inquired.

"yes" ,Yutao replied.

Yutao then went inside the Lin family gate.

Mrs Lin upon hearing the sound of someone opening the gate she informed her husband, "Seems like Yutao has arrived"

They both went out to receive him.

Mr Lin upon seeing Yutao, greeted him warmly, "Mr Yutao you have arrived!"

Yutao speaks up in composure, "Greetings to both Mr.&Mrs.Lin"

Mrs Lin warmly welcomed him, "Please come inside"

Yutao(nodded), "yes !"

The three of them went inside.

As Yutao didn't see his childhood friend, he inquired in curiosity, "Where is Xulan?"

Mrs Lin responded, "ahh....! He is at the cultivation hall "

Yutao replied to it, "Then I shall meet him myself"

Yutao went on his way towards the cultivation hall. Along the way to the cultivation hall was the entrance made up of wooden pavement. Tall bamboos were growing on both sides.

The wind blows swiftly making Yutao's hair dance, the atmosphere was so green, calm and serene. After strolling for a while Yutao found himself in the cultivation hall. It was a big open-air wooden hall.

The top of the hall was covered with a beautifully crafted ceiling. He saw his beloved friend Xulan there, meditating in the middle of the hall. He was focused on cultivating energy.

Not wanting to disturb him, Yutao strolled around the meditation hall. The wind blows swiftly making him feel the calmness of living with nature.

There was nothing but the sound of the wind blowing swiftly and the creaking sound of the bamboos.

Shortly after a while, Xulan gently open his eyes concluding the meditation. He then speaks up calmly, "Yutao you are here"

Yutao turns back and proclaimed, "Ah! You finished already!"

Xulan asked him in curiosity, "So what's the big deal? The famous high and mighty Yutao coming to our humble place?"

Yutao makes himself seated near to Xulan and spoke up in a serious tone, "The famous eagle bandit has made their appearance in Shanjin. I got secret intel that they will be exercising illegal auction at the Black market today. We have to catch them while they are in action"

Xulan replied to it with a concerned look on his face, "Hmm. The Eagle bandit. I heard their Crime Lord is an evil bloodthirsty person. He has several criminal records of killing, stealing, illicit drug trafficking in several places"

Yutao solemnly replied to it, "They are skilled. We need to be wise in handling them"

While Xulan and Yutao were busy discussing Mrs Lin appeared.

She then spoke up excitedly, "Erzi, Yutao, the meal is ready. Come for dining"

Xulan nodded, "Yes mom"

He then turn to Yutao and noted charmingly, "Let's go, my friend"

Yutao shooked his head at it.

With it, they both came to the dining hall.

A grandiose meal was lay before them. It includes various delicacies of duck meat, pork meat, fruits, vegetables and of course Lin's family signature homemade peach wine.

Mr Lin graciously welcome Yutao, "Please be seated Mr Yutao"

Yutao greeted back gently, "Thank you, Mr Lin"

With it, he makes himself seated there comfortably. Xulan too seated next to his friend and heartily enjoyed the food.

While they were in the middle of the meal, Mrs Lin inquired in hopefulness, "Yutao how's the food? I hope it is to your liking?"

Yutao nobly replied, "It tastes good. Thankyou Mrs Lin for this delicious meal"

Mrs Lin feeling satisfied over Yutao's words responded, "I'm glad that you like it"

Xulan interfere in between, "I told you mom Yutao will like whatever you cooked"

And they laughed.

After finishing the grandiose meal. Both Xulan and Yutao gets ready to head out.

As the word goes nothing can escape the eagle's eye. It was the same with Yutao's. Yutao's sharp eyes caught on the beautifully decorated red box lying on the corner. As enchanting as it looks the red box became more and more irresistible.

He went near to see it. Seeing his friend's conduct, Xulan immediately showed up.

"Why? What are you doing? Don't touch it!", he stated strictly.

Amused by it, Yutao picks up the box and teases him, "Ohh...! Why? Is something precious here!?"

Xulan immediately grabs Yutao's hand and speaks up in sternness, "Nothing is there!"

Entertained by his reaction Yutao immediately pulled back Xulan's hand and declared in fun, "Now...! I really want to know!"

He then snatched back the red box and opened it to see.

To his surprised, the mysterious box was filled with delicious looking rice cakes.

Yutao jokily speaks up amusing himself, "So you were resisting for this?!"

While stating those words he pick a rice cake and tries to grab a bite. Xulan immediately grabbed his hands and spoke with a stern expression, "No you can't have it. That's mine"

Yutao couldn't believe his eyes that he retorted unbelievably, "What??!! Seriously?! Are you kidding? Common Xulan don't be stingy!"

Xulan glanced furiously at Yutao with fire beaming out from his eyes and warned clearly, "I said no"

Yutao couldn't believe at his friend's conduct that his jawed drop.

Bewildered by it he questioned Xulan in doubt, "Woah! Seriously!?? You gonna fight me for this one piece of rice cake?!"

Mrs Lin upon seeing them inquired naively, "What happened?!"

Xulan replied with a pretended smile, "ahh! Nothing mother!"

He then immediately snatched the rice cake from Yutao's hands and put it back in the red box.

Yutao was left so dumbstruck by it.

Xulan is one which is hard to read. He acts as if he didn't notice Lihua giving him the rice cakes now he doesn't want anyone to have it. What's behind a person's heart?! No one knows!

After a while later, Xulan and Yutao took their fastest horse and left for the auction hall.

On the other side of the story...

Bingbing, Lihua and Xialin finally reached the Black market.

Arriving there Xialin proclaimed in amusement, "Woah! Looks like we made it to the Black market!".

Bingbing replied to it excitingly, "Come on let's go".

The three of them rushed towards it.

As they continued walking down the streets of the Black market, they started to see bizarre stuff. The black market is a market filled with strange peoples selling strange stuff. Along the way there were people selling animals skin. There were leopard skin, tiger skin, snakeskin, zebra skin. Some stalls were even filled with hunted animals like wild boar, the white wolf, rabbits, deers and some stalls consists of ornaments made from animal skulls, elephant tusks, horns, antlers. It was crazy!

As they continued walking down the streets there was a section where all the jade items, teacups and plates, ornaments made from precious fine jade were sold.

The three continued to stroll for a while and finally found themselves on a big flower stall. Varieties of flowers were sold in it. Blue orchids, the lavender, the wild daisies, sunflower, tulips, roses, the wisteria, the forget me not, cornflower, the chamomile and so on..

The three of them mesmerised by the flowers went near them.

The Florist, an elderly woman dressed in an all dark brown worn out robe and trousers with messy untidy hair came out and asked, "Which flower shall I wrap up for you? Young ladies?"

Xialin pointed to a bamboo basket filled with wild daisies and inquired, "Well this daisies how much is it?"

The florist looked at the daisies and replied her, "Aahh...the daisies...? Five taels of silver?"

Provoked by it, Bingbing pushed Xialin on the side and spoke up alarmed, "Woah five taels of silver?! Are you kidding?! It's only a basketful of flowers! With that much money, I can eat pork bun for more than ten days!"

The florist upon hearing Bingbing words replied pitifully, "Oh dear! Young missy, these flowers are wild, cannot be found in the lower regions. I have to climb up to the top of the Mountain to pick it. It cost me a lot of work"

Bingbing retorted unwaveringly, "Anyway it's too costly we cannot afford it"

Before Xialin could say a word Bingbing tightly grabbed Xialin's hand and moved out from there.

With it, they continue moving on...

Lihua spoke up along the way, "That florist charge too much!"

Xialin reacted to it bemusedly, "She looks kind of weird too"

In between their talk Bingbing exclaimed troubledly, "Ahhh ....you guys I cannot move further on. I feel so hungry"

Hearing Bingbing's word, Xialin suggested concernedly, "Well..let's see if there is any inn nearby"

The three of them agreed to it.

They stroll from shop to shop in search of an inn and at last, finally finding one, they scrambled inside it hastily.

While they were seated, Bingbing gave the order, "Mister three bowls of noodle soup please"

The shopkeeper replied enthusiastically, "Yes coming right away, young lady"

After a short while, the shopkeeper brought three cups of hot brimming tasty looking noodle soup. He kept it on the table and soon left.

The three of them gobble up the noodle soup in rush.

Bingbing feeling satisfied at the food clamoured, "mmmm....it's so good"

Xialin reacted to it, "Yes. It tastes like heaven!"

Just as Xialin was about to take another slurp, she found a slightly long Piece of meat that has irregular dark spots on it making it look like a frog leg. As she closely examines the meat....., she was left on the mused, 'This meat kinda looks...like.....!!???'

'Oh noo!! It's the frog leg!' , she got choked at realising it.

Upon seeing her, Bingbing questioned alarmed, "Why?? What's wrong?"

Lihua observes Xialin's bowl and speaks up in astonishment, "Is that? Is that a frog??!!"

Bingbing stared at the meat in wonderment, "Looks like it!"

Bingbing and Lihua quickly checked their bowls and to their surprise found the same frog and theirs is an even bigger version of it that they both puked up the food.