Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Chapter 496: Chapter 503: Important News
 

The Innkeeper shivered, nearly losing half his life from Han Yu’s intimidating speech. Initially, he had been contemplating how to ensure his own safe escape, but now, frightened by these people and realizing their malicious intent, he had no choice but to tell the truth, hoping they would keep their word and spare him, lest he be left at their mercy.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk! Please, noble gentlemen, spare my life…” The Shopkeeper no longer dared to hesitate and explained everything candidly, including his guesses about the Jianghu People’s actions and behavior, hoping that his sincerity would earn their leniency.

Upon hearing the Shopkeeper’s words, Han Yu frowned. These people seemed cautious, their actions too discreet, forcing him to consider the worst.

With his life in the hands of the young man before him, who exuded a fearsome aura, the Shopkeeper cautiously stole glances at Han Yu’s expressions. Seeing Han Yu’s frown, he feared dissatisfaction with his answers and hurriedly added, “It’s all true, I haven’t lied, I swear it! If there’s even a hint of omission or falsehood in what I’ve said today, may I be struck by lightning!”

In this era, people revered gods and buddhas, and taking oaths was generally taboo, but the Shopkeeper had no choice. Comparing an oath to his life seemed trivial, and since he hadn’t lied, the vow wouldn’t come to pass.

Han Yu did not suspect the Shopkeeper of lying. He had been closely watching the man’s demeanor, ready to catch any discrepancies, and could tell that the Shopkeeper was too timid to lie without necessity.

“Stand up, and think again. Take note of any habits or preferences those Jianghu People might have shown, or any small details they unwittingly revealed. Call over the little waiter who served them that day; I have questions for him too.”

The information from the Shopkeeper proved limited in its usefulness. Recalling the waiter who had more interaction with those people than the Shopkeeper did, Han Yu hoped he might have noticed something overlooked by the Shopkeeper.

The Shopkeeper didn’t argue and immediately called for the waiter: “Little Tiger, this esteemed guest has some questions for you. Just answer truthfully, with no omissions.”

Without waiting for Han Yu to speak, the Shopkeeper preemptively instructed the waiter, worried his performance might displease Han Yu and bring misfortune upon them both. Having run the Inn for years and seen many types of people, he knew that not only were these individuals intimidating, but they also carried a deadly aura, clearly not innocent of bloodshed—the swords at their waists were certainly no mere ornaments.

Han Yu was satisfied with the Shopkeeper’s discernment. He had only come to ask questions and had no intention of taking lives, unless the Shopkeeper was indeed complicit in evil deeds.

“Yes, Shopkeeper, I understand. Whatever the honored guest wishes to ask, I will answer with complete honesty,” the little waiter was quick to say, noting his employer’s caution and fully aware that these people were not to be trifed with.

Han Yu repeated to the little waiter the same questions he had asked the Innkeeper, probing even more meticulously.

“What did they look like, and did you see the woman they brought back? Does she match the description I gave?”

The waiter’s response was similar to the Shopkeeper’s: “I didn’t see clearly; they all wore Bamboo Hats, obscuring their faces, and among them, there were no women.”

“How is that possible? Our lady surely left a secret sign here; she must have been here,” said the secret guard, becoming slightly agitated, but only upon Han Yu’s consent.

The Innkeeper and the waiter exchanged glances, unsure how to explain this issue: “We truly haven’t seen anyone,” they insisted, refusing to fabricate stories.

As the Shopkeeper spoke, the waiter quickly nodded in agreement but then suddenly had an epiphany, his eyes lighting up: “While I didn’t see the lady described by the honored guest, all those people were dressed as men, and they wore Bamboo Hats. However…”

“However what? Speak quickly!” urged Han Yu, seeing the waiter’s sudden realization and prompting him to continue.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I found two in the group quite petite, especially one who seemed to be injured and was being supported by another. At the time, it simply appeared odd to me. Those details are the private matters of guests, so I dared not pry further, but in hindsight, not only were those two shorter than the others, their gait and posture were also peculiar, distinctly feminine.”

“That’s right, the injured one being supported must be the Madam!”

Han Yu clearly shared this belief, which seemed to clear up the mystery. Yet, the thought that his Daughter-in-law had been injured and needed support indicated her wounds must be severe, and he felt a fresh wave of distress.

Having remembered this detail, the waiter’s mind seemed to light up, revealing several more noteworthy points, including one critical piece of information: one of the Jianghu People was left-handed, a fairly distinctive characteristic.

“Can you recall anything else?”

The waiter thought carefully once more before shaking his head: “Nothing more, sir. That’s all I can remember; there’s nothing else,” he admitted.

Seeing the waiter’s resolve, Han Yu understood that pressing further would yield no new information. Considering the Jianghu People’s obvious caution and discreet behavior, he appreciated that the waiter was astute enough to notice these details.

Since no further information could be gleaned and the individuals in question were from the Jianghu, rather than persevering here, it would be better to inquire with Feng Jianling. He might know of people matching these descriptions, especially the left-handed trait, which was rare, and perhaps these details could help trace their whereabouts.

As he stood to leave, Han Yu dropped two ingots of silver as a reward for the Innkeeper and the waiter’s provided clues.

The Shopkeeper picked up the two silver ingots left on the table, not even bothering to wipe the sweat from his brow as he grinned with relief. He had thought his life hung by a thread today, yet not only had he escaped unscathed, but he also gained an unexpected fortune. The little waiter was delighted as well; although the Shopkeeper would not likely share half the silver with him, a reward of some kind seemed assured, which was satisfactory enough.

Feng Jianling, leading a separate search for Su Wenyue, received Han Yu’s message, delegated the search task to his subordinates, and quickly joined up with Han Yu.

“Are you Han Yu?” Feng Jianling scrutinized Han Yu with interest. This was their first meeting, and although he had heard about Han Yu’s various achievements and found the young man extraordinary, seeing him in person confirmed his belief. Miss Yue had indeed found a worthy husband, yet…