Chapter 33

After this heart-stirring accident, it seemed that our bad luck and misfortune had been used up.

Although it took us two days to walk out of the wilderness, covered in wounds and mud, when we encountered the army on the road again, the threat posed by these soldiers was greatly reduced.

Most of them were more like civilian laborers driving livestock, part of a second-rate local force with disorganized banners. Although they held weapons, most were not armored, and they ranged in age from young to old. It seemed that, being in the rear, they were somewhat careless and lacked vigilance.

Then, behind the hills, we saw a city by a large river, and the suburban market outside the city walls, with its continuous flow of people and carriages, indicating the existence of some peace and order.

Although there were soldiers stationed on the road and on the high watchtowers, alertly watching the distance, for the continuous flow of people on the road, they were more of a reassuring presence.

I finally made the right bet, joining the least damaged of the five-state allied forces besieging Liangshan. Because they were the fastest to ransom back their captives, they showed a certain wealth and ease, which meant they were less likely to be directly affected by the war compared to the neighboring states.

Order also meant that, under relatively favorable conditions, the money and identity credentials I carried could play their due role. With a somewhat complicated mood, I left the crouching figure behind and slowly walked to the nearest roadside inn, where the smoke was curling and a few diners were scattered.

I then learned that this was Jiyang County, the southwesternmost part of Zizhou, and the large river was the famous Qing River, the mother river from which many ancient noble families originated.

A day later,

We crossed the last checkpoint before entering Qizhou, or Jinan Prefecture. The lazy soldiers didn't even bother to open their eyes to check us, just waved us through, a somewhat mismatched "father and daughter" on donkeys.

Our tattered clothes and dirty faces were our best cover, but our downcast eyes remained bright.

Our luggage and equipment were second-hand items bought from a pawnshop, the remnants of a sick merchant who had died halfway through his journey and whose belongings were pawned by the innkeeper. I spent only two and a half small silver coins on a nearly new set of travel gear.

As long as we spoke little, there was no sign of anything unusual. To conceal our identities, I even bought a basket of local dates and peaches for 800 coins. These could be sold as local specialties and provided enough sugar and other nutrients to serve as snacks to replenish our energy.

After passing this unnamed small checkpoint, which was near the modern city of Jinan, in the jurisdiction of Zhangqiu County, the Qing River merged with another tributary, becoming the wider Jishui River.

Compared to Jiyang County, where all the livestock had been requisitioned by the army, leaving only a few in the hands of wealthy families, this time we managed to buy new mounts at a high price in the desolate livestock market outside the county. A large blue donkey, whose owner was sick and unable to feed it, and a full set of saddles, cost me nearly a small gold coin.

But I was cautious and didn't use the valuable small gold coin to get change. Instead, I rummaged through my bag for a long time, "reluctantly" gathering a large handful of loose change, still short by a dozen coins, before reluctantly buying it. I also asked for a few extra items as a bonus.

To commemorate the red tiger that fell into the cliff to divert the pursuers and perhaps met its end in the wolves' bellies, I named it Red Tiger II.

The rest of the journey was somewhat uneventful. As long as we followed the main road, planned our journey according to the weather, avoided sleeping in the wild, and stayed in public inns near crowded towns, we could effectively avoid most risks.

Of course, I didn't lose my vigilance. I at least drove away or stopped two petty thefts, and the only loss was a clay chamber pot I threw as a weapon.

We gradually changed our appearance and identity, buying the necessary change of clothes from a ready-made clothing shop in the town, and buying some agricultural products from the market. We spent a little money to have the innkeepers process and cook them into portable and durable rations and dried meat.

By the time we crossed the Jishui River and reached Zhangqiu County, we were wearing old robes without patches and clean cotton jackets, staying in narrow but somewhat private rooms with small stoves.

Of course, to save money and for the convenience of heating, we still stayed together. For this small, flat-chested, flat-bottomed girl, who was so thin from hunger and fatigue that she was more concave than a washboard, I just treated her as a large, breathing, warm pillow and could sleep soundly.

Sometimes I would be woken up by her struggling in her nightmares, but she was no longer crying much. She was willing to talk to me a bit, no longer the silent, crouching figure she used to be.

With a slightly relaxed mood, I could pinch her sharp chin and tell her some stories I thought were interesting. When she finally understood, she would show some coquettish or shy expressions, like a normal girl.

...

Qizhou City, as a strategic location connecting the Jidong Plain and numerous salt fields to the north, the Huabei Canal to the south, the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River to the west, and the Jiaodong Peninsula to the east,

In the morning light that illuminated the Jishui River, a new day began, with the city gates wide open, and a large crowd of people seeking a living poured out.

Although the defeat at Liangshan before the New Year led to a power shift among the upper echelons of the state government, for the lower-class people and ordinary citizens, it was just that the streets were suddenly filled with patrolling soldiers, and the city gates were adorned with a pile of heads, said to be from officials or members of noble families.

As time passed, this became just another minor episode in the countless small incidents of this chaotic era, blending into the numb routine of daily life.

Although the defeat left many families in mourning, more people were just trying to maintain their livelihoods in this era of natural disasters and human calamities, and wouldn't pay much attention to the famine-stricken refugees from distant counties or the people who froze to death outside the city walls during the winter.

As the capital of a major prefecture in the Qilu region, the ruling families and numerous military clans had been in power for two or three generations, and the proportion and history of the noble families were relatively stable, so their accumulation and foundation were deeper than in other places.

With abundant springs and widespread rice cultivation, the local government had accumulated considerable reserves over the years.

They could rely on occasional relief efforts from both official and private channels to win the hearts of the people and maintain relative peace in the vicinity of the state capital. The presence of the Yellow River and the Jishui River, along with trade activities, provided more opportunities and livelihoods for the people of the state capital than in other places.

The Qingqiu Market outside the Guangyong Gate to the west of the state capital had become the main gathering place for people. Various shops and houses opened their doors and windows, and the calls of vendors began to echo. As the dew on the eaves and rooftops disappeared, these calls gradually merged into a loud and continuous chorus.

By noon, the place was filled with a bustling crowd and tireless livestock.

It was a relatively normal scene, although there were still occasional armored soldiers patrolling the streets or galloping horsemen, but as a strategic location, the flow of people in and out of the city still gathered a considerable amount of vitality.

Among them were two people, one large and one small, riding together.

Finally, I was back here, although it had only been a few years, I felt as if a lifetime had passed. Many familiar faces were no longer there.

We had a good meal at a cooked food shop, changed our clothes and appearance, and found a large inn to leave the crouching figure and Red Tiger. I instructed her to stay inside and not leave unless I appeared, then I slowly strolled to the target area.

I stood at the street corner, drinking a bowl of freshly scooped tofu, observing the crowd for a long time before finally deciding to go in.

This was a dilapidated southern goods store, with a small storefront and a business as bleak and desolate as the war-torn world. The door was almost deserted, and the animal skin hanging outside as a sign was riddled with holes and covered in thick dust.

But it gave me a sense of reassurance and familiarity.

Pushing the half-open door, the lack of lubrication made a creaking sound, and dust and debris fell. It looked like few people came here.

Behind the counter, a shriveled old man with a face like an orange peel was dozing with swollen, puffy eyes, oblivious to my entry.

He didn't fear theft or petty theft, as the items were all cheap, old, and miscellaneous.

I walked through the hanging goods and over the clutter on the ground, occasionally causing a tinkling sound.

I gently touched a string of wooden carvings hanging from the beam, and the hollow interior made a rustling sound. A flood of memories and emotions surged in my chest.

This temporary contact point, with its deceptive setup and condition, was arranged and suggested by me.

"Senior."

A voice brought me back to my senses.

"You're really alive, that's great..."

I was startled, quickly hiding behind a pillar and a thick cabinet, taking a deep breath and looking at the face illuminated by the fragmented sunlight in the darkness.

"Changsheng..."

I saw a familiar face from our escape from Luoyang. He was wearing a rough cloth cap and sleeve protectors, dressed like a shop assistant. I sighed in relief and relaxed the weapon hidden under my leather robe.

A moment later,

Sitting by the water trough in the courtyard, I washed off the makeup on my face, the yellowish water flowing down my arms into the dry, moss-covered ditch.

I listened, filled with excitement, as he eagerly recounted the events that had occurred since our separation.

...