novelraw Chapter 27: Can't Bear to Watch
Chapter 27: Can't Bear to Watch
County Lieutenant Zhou had already asked several questions and had a general understanding of Feng County Town ahead. Wen Gu followed up with a few more detailed inquiries.
After County Magistrate Tan and his men left, what was the composition of the surviving personnel within the city? Those who remained were not necessarily ordinary civilians.
Also, if they wished to enter the city and stay, what would they need to pay? What were the current rules in the city?
He Da hesitated for a moment before replying to Wen Gu.
He told Wen Gu that several factions were vying for power, each controlling the personnel entering and exiting the four city gates. Leaving the city was fine, but returning individuals had to pay an "entrance fee."
For example, those who went out to cut firewood had to give a bundle of firewood upon re-entry. How much firewood that "bundle" amounted to depended on the mood of the gatekeepers and their relationship with the individual.
Even after entering the city, various streets and alleys had been divided up. If one resided in an unoccupied house, they still had to pay rent.
When the County Magistrate was present, constables maintained order. Now that the county yamen was empty, certain folk forces were in charge.
Tan County Magistrate's yamen had been occupied, and the several large residences left vacant in the city had also been divided up. The order in the county town was currently unstable.
It was not guaranteed that outsiders like them would fare well if they entered."Is there a blacksmith in the city?" Wen Gu asked again.
He Da recalled for a moment and nodded, "Blacksmith Yu should still be here."
Wen Gu thought to himself, it seems I still need to go into the city.
He whispered a few words to Little Liu. Little Liu walked towards the mule cart behind them.
He Da, who had been paying attention to the movements of all parties, was surprised to hear the voice of a child from the mule cart and had other ideas. Zhou Shan, on guard, stared at He Da, his brow furrowed even tighter.
Although He Da's posture was low and he was slightly hunched, his eyes darted around, and one didn't know what wicked ideas were brewing in his mind. He looked like a cunning fellow!
At this moment, Little Liu brought over two paper packets, one large and one small.
Inside were crushed grain bricks, made in two specifications for scattered packaging. This was a thank-you gift for answering their questions, handed to He Da.
Wen Gu said kindly, "Thank you, little brother."
"Ah, you're too kind!" He Da quickly took them. Although he didn't know exactly what was inside, he readily agreed, "If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I don't have any other abilities, but I'm good at inquiring for news."
He Da moved a couple of steps to the side, but he didn't distance himself from Wen Gu's group and didn't seem to care about the gazes of others.
He opened the small paper packet and looked at the powder inside. Wrapped in oil paper and sufficiently dry, He Da pulled down the cloth towel on his face, sniffed it, licked the grain powder in the packet, and his face showed joy.
He looked at Wen Gu's group again, then at their two carts, and asked, "Did you bring a lot of things on your carts?"
County Lieutenant Zhou looked over warily, but before he could speak, He Da continued, "If you brought a lot of things, it's best not to enter the city; your goods won't be safe. However, if you want to enter the city to find a blacksmith…" He Da held up two fingers, "Give me two more packets, and I'll take you into the city."
Pedestrians usually didn't carry much food.
Two packets of grain powder were already a bargain price, considering Wen Gu was a scholar and out of courtesy. Besides, if he asked for more, the County Lieutenant Zhou beside them would draw his sword.
Wen Gu glanced at Zhou Shan. Zhou Shan hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Although he looked down on them, these county town rascals did associate closely with certain folk forces and had their own connections. Daoist Master Qingyi and Little Liu had no objections, and Tietou had a "I listen to my younger brother" expression.
Wen Gu said with a gentle smile, "Then we'll trouble you, Brother He." He immediately had Little Liu take out two large paper packets.
Little Liu's face inevitably showed reluctance. He Da, however, smiled so wide his eyes narrowed, and greeted them enthusiastically, quickly taking the packets, "No problem, no problem!" He thought to himself: scholars are indeed easy to talk to, and they are generous!
From beside the mule cart behind them, Daoist Master Qingyi closed his eyes.
He couldn't bear to watch! Was it that easy to take things from that "dog scholar"? If he gave you small packets, it was a one-time transaction with no future consequences. But you dared to accept large packets from him! The last person who dared to accept his soup bowls was now the team's hard labor! The Daoist Master glanced at Zhou Shan again.
This man clearly hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation yet. Alas! Everyone else is drunk, but I alone am sober!
By this time, He Da had put on his back basket and asked Wen Gu's group to follow him to a nearby shed.
The shed was relatively hidden and still in good condition, showing signs of occasional upkeep. He Da said, "This place is not far from our old village.
I used to come here often, and the officials occasionally visited. But it's different now; fewer people are going out of the city.
There should be no one from the county town coming this way these past couple of days." He asked Wen Gu's group to leave their mule cart and donkey cart here, with some people staying behind to guard them.
He would take whoever wanted to enter the city inside.
Giving Wen Gu's group time to discuss, He Da walked to the side, licked the grain powder in the small paper packet again, and then took a big gulp, drank some water from the bamboo tube he carried, and savored the taste.
The taste of crushed grain bricks wasn't exactly good, but it was food nonetheless. Eating dry food powder like this directly gave a particularly solid sense of satisfaction.
He had been drinking porridge water for a long time and had almost forgotten what dry rations felt like in his mouth.
There were many survivors in the county town, which meant it was difficult to collect food from others' homes for themselves.
Before, when there were still government officials, food found in nearby villages and empty houses in the city was managed by the officials. His group could only work to exchange for food, ensuring they wouldn't starve to death.
Thinking this, He Da licked the grain powder again and again, then re-wrapped the slightly lighter small packet.
Zhou Shan subtly observed him.
"Rat-faced and oily-haired, he looks unreliable. Best not to get too involved."
At the shed, the group discussed who would stay and who would enter the city.
Wen Gu needed to go into the city to find a blacksmith. The Daoist Master was not interested in entering the city and would stay.
Tietou would definitely go with Wen Gu. Zhou Shan, having been a county lieutenant, had his professional experience and knowledge, so he would certainly accompany Wen Gu to investigate.
However, he didn't feel at ease leaving the three children. Little Liu said, "Then I'll stay with the Daoist Master.
Don't worry, County Lieutenant Zhou; we still have Ma Tuaner. If anything really happens, he'll alert us, and I'll have him go find you."
County Lieutenant Zhou went to the mule cart to speak with the three children for a while, then, along with Wen Gu and Tietou, headed towards Feng County Town.
He Da indeed had not lied to them.
He led Wen Gu and the other two to the west city gate, where the guards were more familiar to him. Feng County was more prosperous than Tang County, where County Lieutenant Zhou had served before, and its city walls were slightly higher.
As they approached, the guards who had been lazily leaning there straightened up, their eyes fixed on Wen Gu and his companions, scrutinizing them. Three unfamiliar faces.
He Da quickly walked ahead and spoke softly with the guards. During a few exchanges of glances, it seemed they conveyed unspoken understandings that "you know what I mean, others don't, but we inside understand," and so on.
County Lieutenant Zhou gripped his saber warily. However, Wen Gu guessed that He Da had probably exaggerated Zhou Shan's identity slightly, as the guards clearly showed a hint of apprehension.
But the guards were still unwilling to let it go and looked over again, their gazes meeting the fierce eyes of Zhou Shan, who stood at the forefront. The guards felt a flicker of fear and shifted their eyes back to He Da, reaching out to rummage through his back basket.
"What's in this packet?" A guard took a square paper-wrapped object from his basket and unwrapped it.
"I traded for a book with someone before leaving the city today.
It's a Confucian classic, for my younger brother." He Da snatched the book back and re-wrapped it.
Seeing it was a book, the guard lost interest and looked at He Da as if he were an idiot. In these chaotic times, even the Imperial Examinations had stopped.
What use was reading such books? And he actually traded supplies for it; how foolish could one be! The guard glanced at the back basket again. It seemed there was nothing else besides this book and a bundle of firewood.
He then sized up He Da again, his gaze fixed on a bulge under his clothes. He Da, with a pained expression, muttered, "My biggest gain today, a noble person bestowed it.
I haven't even been willing to eat it myself!" With great reluctance, he took out a small paper packet from beneath his clothes and handed it over, still pinching it tightly between his fingers. The guard's eyes lit up, he forcefully snatched it, opened the paper packet, looked at it, smelled it, and licked it.
It was food!
The gatekeepers finally wore smiles and tried to pull out a few more pieces of firewood from He Da's basket, but He Da slapped their hands away. They didn't get angry and simply nodded.
"You can all go in."
County Lieutenant Zhou, who had observed the entire process, was speechless.
Wen Gu knew he had given He Da two large paper packets, but he didn't know where He Da had hidden them. However, he clearly remembered that the small packet given to the guards was the one He Da had licked multiple times! This must have been prepared in advance, hadn't it? "Haven't been willing to eat it"? He had clearly already eaten a lot! This person was truly as cunning as his appearance suggested, and his mouth was full of lies!
(End of Chapter)