"Young master, I hope you won't speak like this once we are inside the Demonic Cult."
Mei-Mei, the coach woman, said cutting off Xiao's ramblings.
Xiao Mo paused, then responded.
"I wouldn't dare utter such words if we weren't alone, much less while in the Demonic Cult territory. I'm not that foolish, it's just that I can't accept the fact that I'm being forced to marry a girl, who is even a year older than me."
Xiao Mo sat up on the carriage rooftop and added.
"Do you know how frustrating that is Mei-Mei?"
After getting up and flipping onto the front of the carriage, Xiao Mo sat behind Mei-Mei and said with discontent.
"I mean, what's so good about you that men lose all reasoning when they see you?"
Xiao Mo pursed his lips and with his head looking over Mei-Mei's shoulder, he grabbed her chest over her leather vest and said again.
"Isn't this all just a sack of flesh that gets in the way when you're drawing your sword? You even have to wrap it in bandages because of this."
Mei-Mei didn't show a reaction despite Xiao Mo's lewd actions. Rather she nodded in agreement.
"It does get in the way; it would have been a bigger problem if they were bigger."
"*Sigh*… I thought the saying being with a woman would make drawing your sword slower was accurate, but I never thought that just being a woman would also make it hard to draw your sword. Perhaps it would have been better if the world only consisted of people with the physique of men, not only would learning Martial Arts be smoother for everyone, but I also wouldn't have been played around with by those female servants in the bath when I was little."
A slightly strange expression appeared on Mei-Mei's stoic face, but she didn't refute her young master's words. She was already used to his strange sense of logic.
Suddenly, Mei-Mei's expression flickered before she said.
"Young master, they've caught up."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Mo's expression shifted. With a skillful flip backward, he landed on the roof carriage and then slipped in through the small window on the side.
After avoiding the small table near the window, Xiao Mo's white robes spun along with him as he gracefully sat on one of the long cushion seats against the carriage walls. He then picked up the teacup that was on the table and channeled his Inner Qi into his palm to heat up the lukewarm tea inside.
As steam rose from the cup, a gentle force spread out from Xiao Mo and calmed the flapping curtain at the window as well as the airflow inside the carriage. He then took a sip from the steaming cup, his once lackadaisical and carefree demeanor from before was now replaced by a calm and refined appearance.
No sooner Xiao Mo quickly retracted that gentle force back into his body the window on the opposite side of the carriage flapped wildly. A figure wearing a black robe that covered his head appeared sitting in the corner on the long seat across from the calm Xiao Mo.
Not looking up at the figure in black, Xiao Mo finished sipping his tea and then asked with slightly furrowed brows.
"Grampa Ten Mo, why did you follow me?"
The figure in black pulled the hood from his head revealing the face of an old man in his early sixties that had gray hair at his temples. With a bitter smile, this old man known as Grampa Ten Mo said.
"Third Young Master, you've caused the Family Head a deal of trouble when you suddenly snuck out of the manor."
Xiao Mo sighed when he heard that, and after placing the teacup on the small table, he said.
"Father is too old-fashioned. There's no reason for me to lead a large procession across Jianghu to the Demonic Cult to propose a marriage everyone already knows about."
Grampa Ten Mo shook his head and explained.
"It's deeper than that Third Young Master, the Family Head wanted to make a show of it to send a message to those who agree and disagree with this marriage alliance."
Xiao Mo decisively made a dismissive gesture to stop Grampa Ten Mo from speaking any further before saying.
"Making a show of it will only give those who disagree a chance to disturb the hearts of those who agree."
After saying that, Xiao Mo folded his legs and rested his elbow on the windowsill. Using his hand to prop up his chin he calmly looked at the outside world that would show each time the curtains shifted.
Grampa Ten Mo thought about Xiao Mo's words for a moment then said with a nod and a hint of praise in his voice.
"Perhaps the Third Young Master is correct, if such an event were to be disrupted it would surely paint a bad picture of the marriage alliance in the hearts of the people. By then those who oppose could use it as leverage to cause problems for the Family Head."
Xiao Mo acted like he hadn't heard Grampa Ten Mo's words, silently looking out the window with a serene expression.
But suddenly, Xiao Mo spoke up.
"As same as that plan is useless, your presence here is not needed. You can go back to the manor and tell Father I don't like being treated like a helpless child."
Grampa Ten Mo once again smiled bitterly and said.
"Third Young Master, as it is your first time leaving the manor it's only natural to ensure your safety."
Xiao Mo snorted.
"I thought that father trusted the Demonic Cult, I didn't think he still held a bit of caution towards them."
"Third Young Master, the Demonic Cult is not the one the Family Head is cautious of."
Upon hearing that, Xiao Mo's eyes flickered and he slightly sat up. Looking over at Grampa Ten Mo, he asked with a serious expression.
"Is the Royal Family truly preparing to interfere with the Jianghu's matters?"
Grampa Ten Mo's expression became equally serious as he answered.
"The spies have not discovered anything but considering that the Royal Family always sparked conflict between us and the Demonic Cult in the past, not hearing anything from them for these past twenty years is concerning."
Xiao Mo understood the meaning behind Grampa Ten Mo's words. Since the Royal Family feared them getting stronger and threatening their authority in the Central Plains, it was uncharacteristic for them not to have made a move to interfere with the peace treaty between them and the Demonic Cult within the past two decades.
It could only mean they were biding their time to strike at a critical moment.
All of a sudden, Xiao Mo realized something and couldn't help but laugh at himself before saying.
"It seems I've ruined Father's plans."