Chapter 88: The Bandits (Please Vote!)

The man, hearing this, hastily wiped the dust from the chair with a rag.
“Come, sit down, no rush. I’ll explain everything in detail soon. It’s not easy being away from home—losing the goods is nothing, as long as you’re alive. Here, let me pour you some water, it’s on the house!”

As he spoke, he placed several chipped porcelain bowls on the table and poured water from a large kettle. Water was a precious commodity here, with the Gobi not far off, and Zhou Yi felt touched by the gesture, taking a seat first.

Sophia sat beside Zhou Yi. After all, it wasn’t convenient for a woman to speak up here. The other two also sat down.

After bustling about, the young proprietor came over as well.

“You must be new here, right?”

Zhou Yi nodded.
“It’s our first time. We nearly got lost on the Gobi out there.”

The proprietor sighed.
“This is Wanzhou City. Bandits are rampant around here. We’re just trying to make a living; otherwise, who would come out here? In Liang, only this border city is so chaotic. Further south, it’s all fertile, peaceful land.”

“Brother, haven’t you considered heading south?”
The young man shook his head with a wry smile, helplessness written on his face.

“We’re a military household; we can’t leave. I could tell as soon as you spoke—you’re not from Liang, you must be from Wei, northeast of here. Times are tough in Wei these days, so plenty of traders come over. The bandits have their eyes on them too.”

Zhou Yi smiled to cover his embarrassment, glancing at Sophia.

“Yes, we left home to make a living—and so I could stay with her. We hoped to trade some medicinal herbs, earn a bit of silver, but… well, we never expected to run into bandits!”

At these words, a few others at the tea stall looked over and soon gathered around.

“Listen, boy, never mind anything else—surviving a run-in with bandits is blessing enough, and your wife’s safe too. What more can you ask for? Go into the city, buy some cheap goods, try your luck again, and you might turn things around. Don’t lose hope!”

Zhou Yi stood and cupped his hands in thanks to the middle-aged man who spoke.

“Thank you for your advice and hospitality. We still have a little silver left—we’ll find a way to recover. We won’t disturb you any longer. We’re heading into the city.”

The proprietor smiled, clearing away the empty bowls, and said to the middle-aged man,
“Uncle Peng, you should take them with you. The city guards here aren’t easy to deal with; it’ll go smoother if you’re with them.”

The fat man stepped forward to thank the proprietor, his words flowing easily—he knew just how to speak to people, so Zhou Yi didn’t need to worry about dealing with outsiders.

“Thank you, brother. You’re truly a good man. When we turn our fortunes around, we’ll be sure to return and patronize your tea stall. To meet such a kind soul after disaster—that’s our greatest luck!”

The proprietor seemed a bit embarrassed, but clearly appreciated the words. The four of them followed Uncle Peng toward Wanzhou City, the fat man occasionally turning back to wave at the young proprietor.

The road seemed short, but took a while to walk. Uncle Peng’s carrying pole was slung over the fat man’s shoulder; Cheng Zhi carried the basket. When they reached the city gate, the guards scrutinized Zhou Yi and his companions from head to toe.

Sophia was composed, standing behind Zhou Yi, playing the part of a demure woman. Uncle Peng kept up his act of lameness and gave the guards a smile.

“Good sirs, would you be so kind? I went out to get some goods and injured my leg. These are just my workshop hands, please let us through.”

The guard grunted discontentedly, clearly annoyed at not having received a bribe, but seeing their threadbare appearance, he simply waved them on.

Uncle Peng bowed and hurried them inside, Zhou Yi supporting him as they walked slowly.

Before they entered the city, the sound of hoofbeats rose behind them, followed by shouting.

“Make way! Clear the road for the young lord!”

Uncle Peng gave Zhou Yi a look, and the four of them quickly lowered their heads, pressing themselves to the side of the gate as a troop of horsemen and a luxurious carriage swept past, raising clouds of dust. Zhou Yi grabbed a cloth to shield his face. The carriage and riders sped into the city along the main road, with a group of people jogging after them, all wearing anxious expressions.

The captain of the guards called out curiously,
“What’s happened with the young lord? Why the rush?”

Among the pedestrians, one who seemed familiar with the guard captain lowered his voice,
“Best not ask. We ran into bandits while hunting—young lord was wounded, took an arrow to the leg. It’s serious!”

The guard captain quickly covered his mouth and nodded, as the group hurried after the carriage and vanished from sight.

Zhou Yi and his companions followed Uncle Peng to a corner.

“Thank you for your help, uncle. I’m forever grateful,” Zhou Yi said.

Uncle Peng waved it off, pointing to a mountain goods shop not far away.

“If you run into trouble, come find me at the shop. I seldom leave it. Whatever you do, don’t tangle with the city lord’s men. The Wu family is not to be trifled with—they abuse their power, and that young lord is a notorious lecher. Any woman with a bit of beauty catches his eye.”

He glanced at Sophia as he spoke.

Zhou Yi bowed deeply. Uncle Peng would not have offered such a warning unless he considered it crucial—Sophia’s striking features likely prompted it.

“Thank you, Uncle Peng. We’ll take our leave. Until we meet again.”

Uncle Peng didn’t stand on ceremony, and Zhou Yi led his group down a small lane to the left.

Once out of sight, Zhou Yi spoke in a low voice,

“We need to find a tailor’s shop and buy some clothes—at least enough to look like locals. Then find a place to stay. We’ll discuss everything else after we’ve eaten tonight.”

He glanced at Sophia, who had remained silent, and added six words, as if to ask her opinion.

“Does this plan work for you?”

Sophia nodded.

“This is an ancient era; we don’t know the details. We’ll need to gather information tonight. Disguising ourselves is wise. Let’s pick an inconspicuous spot—the main road might be too crowded and draw attention.”

Zhou Yi agreed. The ragged clothes he wore itched unbearably; perhaps infested with lice or worse, and the longer he wore them, the more uncomfortable he felt.

Not far ahead, they spotted a tailor’s shop and went inside. Only the fat man’s clothes were hard to fit, so they settled for a set of brocade robes—apparently a custom order that could be picked up in a few days. They negotiated and managed to buy it.

A gold leaf paid for new outfits and shoes for all four, with a silver ingot in change, which gave Zhou Yi some confidence.

Sophia donned a blue dress and veil; though the fabric was ordinary, her figure brought out its grace and elegance. Zhou Yi scratched his head, but said nothing.

They found an inn nearby. Only three rooms were left, but Zhou Yi preferred not to roam about, so they took what was available and settled in.

The attendant led them to their rooms. The fat man and Cheng Zhi inspected each one, then returned to Zhou Yi’s room, shaking their heads.

“Nothing suspicious—just a normal inn. This room is on the easternmost side, pretty secluded.”

Zhou Yi tossed the silver to the fat man, trusting him to handle errands and purchases.

“Get some food—maybe have it sent up. Best if we keep out of sight; our hair is too short, and even with headscarves, it stands out.”

The fat man patted his belly and grinned.

“Will do. Actually, I saw plenty of oddly dressed folks on the street—some with short hair, some with braids, some with topknots. We’re not that unusual. Seems this border town is a crossroads of sorts.”

Zhou Yi had noticed as much, but caution was still wise, given how little they knew of this world.

“Even so, you two should be careful.”

The fat man put away his smile and quickly dragged Cheng Zhi away.

Sophia glanced at Zhou Yi, puzzled. He was certainly cautious, but his arrangements seemed almost overly so.

“Did you notice something?”