inspire-indiana Chapter 21 Escorting the Car
Chapter 21 Escorting the Car
"From this perspective, the first transformation involves adding strength to the existing physical condition, a metamorphosis of flesh and blood, and the rebirth of vitality."
"The second rebirth can increase lifespan, and the strength of the flesh and blood will be further enhanced."
Chen Ye carefully examined the changes within himself, and his heart surged with emotion as he looked at the extra four months of lifespan on the panel.
He still has 708 days of life remaining in his system that he hasn't redeemed, which translates to 177 taels of silver.
Working at a car dealership, it's impossible to save enough money in a short time.
But this transformation proved another way: breakthroughs in cultivation can also increase lifespan.
The capital city is home to numerous powerful families, and countless elixirs and cultivation techniques exist.
As long as one can continuously improve their cultivation, even if they lack money, they can still survive.
Chen Ye slowly opened his palm and looked down. The layer of golden-gray keratin slowly receded under the skin and disappeared.
The few drops of true sunlight near the dantian also subsided and returned to calm.
He exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling refreshed.
Just then, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, getting closer and closer.
Chen Ye straightened his clothes to cover the few specks of golden light that hadn't completely faded.
The person who came was Manager Shen.
He approached Chen Ye and said, "The Liu family is here. This is your first time escorting a cart, so I'll go with you. From now on, you'll have to handle these kinds of errands on your own."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "After doing this job for a while, guests often treat our people like bodyguards, which inevitably leads to some miscellaneous troubles. You should keep that in mind."
Chen Ye clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Manager. May I ask your name, Manager?"
"My surname is Shen, and I am the third son in my family. Everyone calls me Shen Chongsan. The head镖师 (bodyguard) of Xinglong镖局 (escort agency) is my uncle-in-law."
"I see, no wonder Chief Escort Sun said you were his nephew," Chen Ye said in realization.
As Shen Chongsan walked, he said, "My uncle was a good martial arts talent in his youth, with amazing strength. He had already undergone a second transformation at a young age. It's just a pity that he is now old, and with the many hidden injuries he suffered from traveling all over the country, his blood and qi have deteriorated significantly. Now, he has only retained one-tenth of his cultivation."
A few days ago, he insisted on going on a cargo convoy on a ship, and my aunt was worried sick at home every day.
Chen Ye didn't respond, but nodded almost imperceptibly.
As they spoke, the two had already reached the front hall.
Shen Chongsan walked towards a middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe.
"Steward Liu, thank you for keeping me waiting. I never expected you to come in person to collect the carriage today."
The middle-aged man in the brocade robe asked with a hint of arrogance, "Where is my master's carriage?"
Shen Chongsan's smile remained unchanged as he said, "Steward, please come with me. The carriage is already prepared."
After saying this, Shen Chongsan led the Liu family steward to a very simple-looking carriage.
The carriage was extremely unremarkable in appearance, with no extra brass ornaments or carvings, and even the paint was deliberately aged, making it look no different from a commoner's carriage at first glance.
However, Chen Ye noticed that the carriage walls were more than twice as thick as those of an ordinary carriage, and when knocked on, they produced a solid sound without any hollow echo.
"Please take a look, Steward. These are all made according to Young Master Liu's wishes. They look old and won't stand out on the streets of the capital."
Shen Chongsan walked around the carriage once, giving a long and eloquent introduction, and then led the Liu family steward into the carriage.
The interior of the car was covered with soft cushions, adorned with jade ornaments and jewels, and filled with the fragrance of incense, exuding extreme luxury.
The space is large enough for two people to lie down.
Chen Ye stood outside the carriage and glanced around. To his surprise, he found that the carriage had no windows and the back wall was completely sealed off.
He looked away without asking any further questions.
"As per Young Master Liu's instructions, no additional windows were opened inside the carriage. Only a layer of soft gauze was placed over the door openings. As long as the doors are locked from both inside and out, privacy will be guaranteed, and the lighting will not be affected at all," Shen Chongsan explained inside the carriage.
The head steward of the Liu family looked around, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
He pushed the mortise and tenon joints of the carriage with his hand and asked, "Is this carriage sturdy? I hope it doesn't fall apart on the road."
"Don't worry, Steward. It was personally crafted by my master craftsman, and the wood used is Zhenyue Shenmu (a type of wood used to break through mountains). Any martial artist below the Dragon Elephant Realm would need several thousand jin of strength to break it."
"Not bad, not bad." The Liu family steward was increasingly satisfied with what he saw, but then he suddenly remembered something and asked, "What if our young master gets locked inside? We can't possibly call in a Dragon Elephant Realm martial artist every time, can we?"
"Your concerns are valid," Shen Chongsan said, pointing to a hidden latch by the door. "You see, there's a mechanism here that connects the inside and outside. Press it and pull out this piece of wood, and the door will open naturally."
As he spoke, Shen Chongsan reached out and pressed down on a barely noticeable protrusion that was almost integrated with the car body.
A piece of wood that had been held in place then lifted up.
He pulled out the protruding piece of wood, and the car door opened immediately, unable to close.
"Good, this carriage is excellent." The head steward of the Liu family looked pleased. "Let's lead the carriage to the gate first, and test it out for a day today. If there are no problems, you can send someone to the manor to collect the silver."
"Alright!" Shen Chongsan said with a smile, just about to call on a few employees to help carry the car out.
The Zhenyue submerged wood is very heavy; it takes two or three people to pull a carriage made from it.
At this moment, Chen Ye, who had remained silent until now, raised his hand to stop him and said, "Let me give it a try."
He walked to the frame and gripped the front shaft with both hands.
After undergoing two transformations, his arms now possess the strength of 500 jin (250 kg).
He took a deep breath, channeling all his strength into his body, veins bulging on his arms, and steadily lifted the bicycle frame, walking towards the door as if on flat ground.
The head steward of the Liu family lingered on Chen Ye for a few moments, looking him up and down before saying, "Shuntong Carriage Company truly lives up to its reputation as the number one car company in the capital; even this escort is no ordinary person."
This was the first time Shen Chongsan had witnessed Chen Ye's abilities, and he was filled with pride, only saying modestly, "You flatter me, Steward."
When the carriage arrived at the gate, the Liu family had already brought two horses and harnessed them to the carriage shafts.
Shen Chongsan led Liu's head steward to the carriage, took the reins, and said to Chen Ye, "Will you drive?"
Chen Ye said calmly, "I have only ever driven a carriage with one horse. I have never tried a two-horse carriage before, and I am afraid that something might go wrong."
"There's not much difference between riding two horses and riding one horse. Watch how I do it." Shen Chongsan had no doubts and patiently explained.
"drive!"
Shen Chongsan shook the reins, and the heavy carriage slowly drove onto the long street.
Shuntong Carriage Company is located in the south of the city. As instructed by the Liu family steward, the carriages and horses were to travel north, heading straight out of the city and traversing the entire capital.
Passing by a mansion, the gate plaque reads "Zhenguo Mansion" in three gilded characters. The gate has three openings and is magnificent.
Chen Ye had never seen such a magnificent mansion before, and his gaze was immediately drawn to it.
"This is the Xie family, a high-ranking family of the second rank," Shen Chongsan said casually. "From this end to the next two streets, it all belongs to their family."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ye's eyes flickered slightly, and his hand unconsciously clenched into a fist.
He mentally surveyed the mansion from the inside out.
Then slowly loosen your fingers, look away, and continue watching the road.