Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 100: Prisoner in the Pool

The carriage left the ridge from which the capital’s outline could be seen, followed the official road, and merged into the stream of horses, carts, and people headed for the city gate.

The closer they drew, the more the gray-black colossal thing that squatted on the land looked fierce. The towering city walls cast shadows like tangible weight, pressing down on everyone’s hearts in advance.

The moment the carriage entered the city gate tunnel, the light abruptly dimmed.

Noise and sunlight were both cut off by the heavy walls. The sound of wheels rolling over the smooth stone road mixed with the crackle of torches on the wall, echoing back and forth through the deep passage.

Xu Qing instinctively sat up straight, breathing the capital’s air through the gap in the carriage window. That air carried a complex mix of dust, livestock, and food, but it also possessed an indescribable, substantial sense of prosperity.

Su Ming sat quietly. He could feel that vast, omnipresent pressure called Dragon Qi becoming denser here, like mercury, wrapping in from all directions and weighing heavily on his soul.

“Disciple, restrain your spirit.” Lin Yu’s voice sounded in his mind, unusually grave. “Don’t let your senses flail about. Here your meager cultivation is like a firefly in the night, far too conspicuous.”

Su Ming followed the advice, withdrawing his outward senses into his body, relying only on his eyes and ears to observe.

The carriage slowly emerged from the gate tunnel, and the view opened wide.

The capital’s prosperity unfolded like a painting suddenly spread out, striking with tremendous force.A broad street that could accommodate eight carriages abreast was paved with huge bluestone slabs, smooth as a mirror. Lining the avenue were three- to four-story wooden pavilions with upturned eaves and carved beams. Golden signboards glittered in the sunlight…

The street teemed with people and constant traffic.

There were young masters riding tall steeds and dressed in brocade, noble ladies in green-linen sedan chairs with heavy curtains, and more—hurrying merchants, shop assistants, and provincial newcomers like them, whose faces showed a mix of confusion and awe at their first arrival.

Gulp.

Xu Qing swallowed and clenched his blue cloth bundle tightly, as if that was the only way to anchor himself amid the flood of splendor.

Their carriage was forced to stop a few hundred steps from the inner city gate.

Ahead, the line of people waiting to enter stretched like a long dragon.

Several soldiers wearing uniform coats and swords at their waists were impatiently checking passersby.

They barely glanced at carriages with lavish escorts and waved them through; but ordinary folk with handcarts or shoulder poles were barked at and shoved roughly.

The light in Xu Qing’s eyes dimmed. He watched silently, lips pressed tighter.

Su Ming said nothing, only watched calmly.

At that moment, the rapid thud of hooves sounded from behind.

A wildly ornate carriage, drawn by two magnificent northern horses, rudely squeezed through the line, ignoring the startled shouts and dodging pedestrians.

The driver wore a haughty face and snapped his whip, which cracked loudly in the air.

“Get out of the way! All of you, move! Don’t you see this is the carriage of the Wei Duke’s house? If you delay the young master, can you answer for it?”

The crowd parted like butter cut by a hot knife, making a path.

When the soldiers saw the Wei family crest on the carriage, their faces immediately changed to servile smiles as they ran over.

“Your young master! I salute you!”

The luxurious carriage showed no sign of stopping; a knuckle-boned hand lifted the curtain a little, revealing a pale, almost sickly handsome young face.

The youth, around seventeen or eighteen, wore a moon-white brocade robe embroidered with intricate cloud patterns in gold thread at the collar and cuffs. He lazily glanced out, his gaze full of innate arrogance and indifference.

“Trash.”

He parted thin lips, spat out two words, then let the curtain fall.

The soldiers bowed, watched the carriage disappear in a cloud of dust, and didn’t even check the travel pass.

“Tsk, tsk, big official airs.” Lin Yu commented in Su Ming’s mind.

As their carriage inched forward, another carriage tried to imitate that young master and force its way in.

This carriage was finely made but looked petty beside the Wei Duke’s.

A squad leader-looking soldier frowned, stepped forward, and knocked impatiently on the carriage shaft with a scabbard.

carriage is this? Know the rules? Get

man pushed back the curtain, smiling with practiced

accommodating. My young master is from Minister Wang’s household in the Ministry of

“Minister Wang,” the squad leader’s expression softened a bit, but he still

Minister households must follow rules. Back to the end

face soured but he dared not cause a scene. He had the driver take their place at the

Yu laughed. “The capital’s circles are divided clearly. A duke’s house is top VIP; a minister’s household is a high-level member, treated much lower. People like us with no

was

out his hand for the

it ready and handed it over

soldier opened it and scanned

Qingshi County, a slight sneer

on the five characters

expression growing odd—an uneasy

immediately wave them through. Instead he took the pass over to the squad leader

looked up, his sharp gaze like a hawk’s, fixed straight on

on the carriage for three

with no particular warmth,

pass to Old

“Go on.”

The carriage slowly started.

Su Ming felt

not friendly scrutiny,

It was a mark.

an unfamiliar prey in the woods, perhaps linked to

“Master, he—”

recognized Zhou Wenhai’s name.” Lin Yu’s voice was very calm. “Your teacher made a big stir in the capital back in the day. Though it’s been over ten years, some still remember. The city’s low-ranking clerks have the keenest ears. We’ve been

that good

to say. But remember, disciple, from now on our every move might be

the inner gate, the atmosphere on the

order. People there were dressed more neatly, walked with more composure. Patrol soldiers in armor passed in

pulsed with the pressure of power as if it had

over

Chen steered the carriage deftly through several wide streets and

their signs hung densely

“Top Scholar Tower!”

“Promotion Inn!”

“Wenchang Guesthouse!”

The names were auspicious.

asked at three

“Full, guest.”

lower room for a night cost as much as three days in Qingshi

coming, rooms are

of an alley they finally

wooden building, small frontage, paint on

rooms?” Xu

man flicking an abacus lifted

human-grade rooms.”

“What’s the price?”

room, three hundred copper coins

price was still over three times that of comparable rooms in

Qing looked back at Su Ming,

Qing counted

shopkeeper took the money and tossed a rusty

fair warning: the shop runs on thin

accepted the key and

then bent over his

capital; living here

bed, a table, and a chair. The window looked out on the

musty smell hung in the

a small notebook, and began recording the day’s expenses and planning future

briefly and closed

Night deepened.

the faint sound