From the fake emperor to the concubine

Upon hearing this, Xu Laoshuan finally showed a genuine smile: "That's right. I also go to see this gray-eared mule. Don't let its appearance fool you, it's a master at walking on winter roads. Back when my eldest son was alive, he was the one who chose this mule, saying that its big hooves would make it stable in the snow."

He paused for a moment at this point.

There was a moment of silence around the fire.

Xu Ahe lowered her head and gently poked the fire with a wooden stick, as if she was used to it, or as if she didn't know how to respond.

Zheng Yi took a sip of hot water and asked calmly, "Both of your sons died in battle?"

Old Xu held the pancake and only hummed in response after a long while.

“The eldest brother died three years ago, during the war against the jackal cavalry in the north. The second brother died last year; they said he was caught in an avalanche while escorting grain, and they never even found his body.” He twitched his lips, as if he wanted to laugh, but didn’t. “The imperial court gave us compensation money, and the villagers all said I was unlucky, but I also thought, hardship is hardship, but people have to keep going. If I just cried while holding onto the money, two years would fly by, the money would be gone, and I’d be ruined.”

Zheng Yi looked at him: "So you're going to use it for business?"

“Yes.” Old Xu nodded. “I don’t know many words and can’t do big business. I’ll have Ahe help with the bookkeeping, and I’ll go catch the trains. I’ll buy some cheap needles and thread and coarse medicine in the south, and exchange them for some leather goods and mountain products in the north. If I run around frequently, I can save some money in a year.”

Zhou Xiaoliu couldn't help but ask, "Your daughter can keep accounts?"

Xu Ahe raised her eyes and said calmly, "Knowing a little won't cause us to lose all our capital."

Zhou Xiaoliu was taken aback by her retort and gave an awkward smile: "I didn't mean it that way when I went. I just thought it was rare to see a young lady like you who knows these things."

“Rare, but not unheard of.” Xu Ahe stirred the fire a little more, her tone flat. “Besides, these days, most of the men in the family are dead. Whether or not a woman can do accounting has little to do with whether she is a girl or not.”

These words were spoken softly, yet they silenced the people around them.

Zhou Xiaoliu touched his nose, no longer daring to make any more noise.

Zheng Yi glanced at Xu Ahe, a faint interest flickering in his eyes.

He has met many people.

Men in chaotic times die quickly; women in chaotic times, if they survive, often learn how to endure life faster than men. It's just that some endure it with resentment, some become numb, and some, through endurance, develop their own backbone.

Xu Ahe is clearly the last type.

After finishing the bread, the group continued on their journey.

The sky grew even more overcast in the afternoon, and the wind picked up a whistling sound. Fewer and fewer people were on the official road. After walking for half a day, they only occasionally encountered one or two carts carrying firewood, all of them hurrying along in silence, not exchanging a word with each other.

When Xu Laoshuan was driving the cart, he bent his back even lower.

He kept his eyes on the road ahead and muttered, "This road isn't safe."

Zhou Xiaoliu, with his sharp ears, immediately asked, "A bandit?"

"Yes," Xu Laoshuan nodded. "Before the Lunar New Year, I heard that there were several gangs of short-lived thieves lurking in the woods between Baishi Town and Yundu River, specifically targeting small vendors. I was lucky the first two times I went there and didn't run into them. This time, with the heavy snow and fewer people, we have to be even more careful."

Xu Ahe pulled the small wooden box containing needles and thread in the car closer to her feet and whispered, "Dad, when we get to the rocky slope ahead, let's not walk too far in the middle."

Xu Laoshuan replied, "I'll go find out too."

Zheng Yi leaned against the carriage without saying a word.

This little disturbance is nothing to him.

However, since he had decided to keep a low profile, he couldn't do everything himself. The difference between a cultivator and an ordinary person is not just strength and methods, but also something that, once revealed, is hard to hide.

The man who can shatter rocks with a single palm strike can ride in the same carriage as ordinary people and eat a pot of mixed grain cakes soaked in hot water.

But the premise is that others don't know he can smash rocks.

Once they find out, their eyes will change.

Awe, alienation, appeasement, or simply fear.

By then, it will be impossible to hear Xu Laoshuan talk about everyday things and watch Xu Ahe keep accounts, just like it is now.

Therefore, he doesn't want to move unless absolutely necessary.

The car traveled for another half an hour, and it was almost dark.

Sure enough, we arrived at the rocky slope that Xu Laoshuan had mentioned.

The official road suddenly narrows here, with a snow-covered steep slope on one side and a half-dried forest on the other. The forest is full of stones and dense shrubs, making it very suitable for Tibetans.

When the wind blew, the snow on the branches fell down in a rustling sound.

Old Xu's hands tightened noticeably; he stopped cracking the whip and gently urged the mule forward. Xu Ahe also hugged the wooden box tighter, her lips pressed into a straight line.

Zhou Xiaoliu followed at a distance, his playful smile gone, his hand now resting on the hilt of his knife.

Zheng Yi lifted the carriage curtain slightly and glanced into the woods.

someone.

At least seven or eight.

His breathing was very low, and he was well-prepared to hide. It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was more like he had been lurking in this place for a long time.

The next instant, sure enough, a sound exploded out.

"parking!"

A wooden stake was suddenly pushed from the woods onto the main road, blocking the way. Immediately afterwards, seven or eight dark figures darted out from both sides, each wrapped in a tattered cotton-padded coat, carrying knives and sticks, their faces covered with old cloth, revealing only pairs of red eyes.

The leader was a tall, thin man with a chipped machete in his hand. He stood in the middle of the road and yelled, "Stop your cars! Leave your money and goods, and get out of here!"

Xu Laoshuan's face turned pale instantly, and his hand trembled, almost causing him to drop the reins.

The mule was startled and snorted on the spot.

Xu Ahe's expression changed, but she didn't scream. She just subconsciously took half a step closer to Zheng Yi, then forced herself to hold back and gritted her teeth to stay calm.

Zhou Xiaoliu had already spurred his horse forward from behind, shouting sternly, "Get out of the way! Robbing on the official road, you're asking for trouble!"

When the tall, thin man saw that there were only a few of them, he grinned maliciously: "Official road? Who cares about official roads in this hellish weather! Enough nonsense, unload the wooden boxes and silver from the cart, or I'll bury you all in the snow today!"

The people behind him also laughed, and two of them had already circled around to the back of the car.

Xu Chuan's eyes turned cold. He placed his hand on the hilt of his knife and took a half-step forward.

Inside the carriage, Zheng Yi's hand was already resting on the edge of the dagger.

If he were to make a move, let alone these seven or eight bandits, even seventy or eighty more would be a piece of cake. But the problem isn't whether he can kill them or not, it's how to explain it afterward.

You can't just say you're naturally strong and chop someone in two, bone and all, with one stroke.

That would be too unlike an ordinary person.

Xu Ahe clearly realized something was wrong, and her voice tightened, but she still held back: "Father, if we really can't stop them in a while, give them some goods first. Saving our lives is the most important thing."

Old Xu's lips turned white, but he still nodded: "I'll go find out too, I'll go find out too..."

The tall, thin man was already pressing forward with a knife in hand: "What are you dawdling for! Get out of the car!"

Zheng Yi's fingertips twitched slightly, intending to subtly cripple the leader's leg and throw the situation into chaos, when suddenly a series of rapid hoofbeats came from behind the official road in the distance.

Step, step, step, step!

The sound came very quickly, accompanied by a loud shout.

"Thieves ahead! Don't move!"

Everyone was stunned.

The bandits whirled around, only to see a dozen or so riders charging straight towards them at the end of the official road, their snow and mist swirling. The leader, dressed in worn chainmail under a red-trimmed military robe, carried a long spear, while several cavalrymen behind him had already drawn their bows. The tall, thin man's face paled instantly: "Government troops?!"

The arrow arrived in the next instant.

"Whoosh-!"

An arrow grazed the tall, thin man's ear and embedded itself firmly in the tree trunk, its fletching still buzzing and trembling.

"Run!" someone shouted first.

The seven or eight bandits immediately scattered and turned to disappear into the woods.

"Fire arrows!"

Another bowstring twanged.

Two of the slower runners were hit by arrows on the spot, screaming as they rolled into the snow. The remaining few desperately darted into the depths of the forest, but the dozen or so mounted soldiers had already rushed up to them. The leading officer flicked his spear and stabbed a man who had just climbed over a wooden stake right through his back.

Blood was splashed onto the snow, its red color glaringly bright.

Xu Laoshuan and Xu Ahe were both stunned.

Zhou Xiaoliu was taken aback at first, then secretly breathed a sigh of relief and muttered under his breath, "Damn it, these soldiers came at just the right time."

Inside the carriage, Zheng Yi slowly withdrew his hand from beside the knife.

He looked at the chaotic scene on the snow, his eyes showing little emotion, but he did breathe a genuine sigh of relief.

巧。

What a coincidence!

But whether it was a coincidence or not, it at least saved him a layer of trouble.

The officers and soldiers did not all pursue them into the woods.

In this snowy weather, the forest paths were treacherous, and further pursuit would easily lead to disaster. The leading officer made a decisive decision, allowing only two riders to pursue for a few dozen steps before reining in his horses and turning back to count the fallen bandits.

A moment later, he rode his horse to the mule cart, glanced at the people on it, and seeing that they were all dressed as ordinary merchants, his expression softened slightly.

Are you alright?

Old Xu seemed to come to his senses at this moment, and he jumped off the car, almost tumbling and crawling as he bowed: "It's alright, it's alright! Thank you, sir, thank you for saving my life!"

The officer was not old, around thirty, with high cheekbones and a face blackened by the north wind. He looked at the old wooden box on the cart, then at Xu Laoshuan and Xu Ahe, and nodded: "This road has been unsafe lately. You two, an old man and a girl, dared to walk on the rocky slope before dark. You've got some nerve."

Old Xu smiled bitterly: "I didn't want to either, but as a small business owner, how could I dare to be late..."

The officer didn't make things difficult for you, and said, "There's a patrol post thirty miles ahead. Don't rush any further tonight. Go to the guesthouse outside the post and rest for the night. If you're leaving tomorrow, join another caravan."

"Yes, yes, I've got it."

The officer then looked at Zheng Yi, Zhou Xiaoliu, and Xu Chuan, his eyes filled with scrutiny: "Are you all in the same line of work?"

Zheng Yi nodded calmly: "He hitch a ride north."

The officer's gaze lingered on him for a moment.

He probably thought Zheng Yi looked too composed, unlike a typical frightened traveler. But with nightfall approaching, he didn't bother to investigate further. He simply withdrew his gaze, ordered his men to remove the wooden stakes from the road, and then ordered them to tie up the two bandits who weren't quite dead.

After finishing all that, he shook the reins and said to the crowd, "Hurry up and go. If we dawdle any longer, there will be other troubles after dark."

After saying that, he led his men forward.

Only when the sound of the cavalry's hooves faded into the distance did the official road truly quiet down.

The wind is still blowing, and the snow is still falling.

But the air that had been so tense just moments before, as if it were about to snap, finally relaxed.

Xu Laoshuan let out a long breath, plopped down on the cart shaft, his hands still trembling: "God bless me... God bless me... I thought I was really going to die here today."

Xu Ahe slowly loosened her grip on the wooden box, her knuckles turning white. She looked down and realized that a splinter had pricked her palm, drawing blood.

Zhou Xiaoliu came over, laughing with a hint of lingering fear: "Uncle Xu, let me say something unpleasant, you really need to find more travel companions on this road in the future. You're lucky to have run into the soldiers this time."

Xu Laoshuan nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, I'll remember this lesson from now on."

Xu Ahe suddenly looked up and glanced at Zheng Yi.

She looked at it very carefully.

Zheng Yi's expression remained unchanged: "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." She paused before saying, "It's just that... I thought you would be scared."

Zheng Yi said calmly, "What's the use of being afraid?"

Xu Ahe was taken aback.

"The more afraid you are, the more chaotic things become." Zheng Yi looked at the wooden stakes that had been dragged away in front of him. "When things are chaotic, it's easier to die."

Xu Ahe was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly: "That's true."

Before it got completely dark, the group finally arrived at the patrol fort.

The fort wasn't large; it was more of a low wall made of earth and stone, with about twenty rooms inside and a few dozen patrolmen stationed there. Outside the fort, there were several rows of simple huts built for travelers to rest. The huts had charcoal braziers and hot water, and cost very little.

This time, Xu Laoshuan dared not be stubborn again and obediently drove the car inside.

After unloading the cart, he first fed the mules, then paid the shed fee. Xu Ahe carried the wooden boxes into the shed one by one, placing them against the wall. His movements were still nimble, but he was much quieter than during the day.

Zhou Xiaoliu ran around outside and returned, lowering his voice to say, "Master, I found out. That group of soldiers we just saw was from the patrol battalion under Ningyuan Prefecture. They've been cracking down on bandits on this road lately. No wonder they arrived so quickly."

Zheng Yi hummed in agreement.

Zhou Xiaoliu chuckled softly, "I was just worried for those bandits; it was almost your turn to make a move."

Zheng Yi glanced at him: "You really want to see me make a move?"

Zhou Xiaoliu shrank back and quickly smiled apologetically: "How dare I go? I'm going because I think it'll save me trouble this time, really save me trouble."

Zheng Yi didn't say anything more.

After the brazier in the shed was lit, the warmth slowly spread out.

Xu Laoshuan sat down opposite Zheng Yi with a pot of freshly boiled water. His face still showed signs of exhaustion from surviving the ordeal, but he forced a smile.

"Master Zheng, I'm sorry to have troubled you with me today."

By the end of the day, he had unconsciously changed "this gentleman" to "Master Zheng," which sounded more intimate and easier to say.

Zheng Yi took the hot water and said, "Being able to get here alive is not considered suffering."

Old Xu sighed, "That's true."

He sat for a while, then suddenly said in a low voice, "Mr. Zheng, let me add something, please don't take offense. You... don't seem like someone who runs a small business."

Zheng Yi looked up at him.

The firelight reflected on Xu Laoshuan's weathered face, revealing both caution and sincerity.

"I didn't go to pry into your background," he quickly added. "I just felt that you were too calm. As calm as if... as if this wasn't your first time seeing something like this." (End of Chapter)