Chapter 559: Someone Inside

Everyone stared at each other, bewildered—had they rebelled? They'd still have to turn back; these two days were completely wasted.

Xiao Ningxun sighed: "Everyone, rest well for a day, then we'll set off after we get things clear."

The innkeeper looked at them and roughly guessed: "Stay here for now; I'll find someone who knows the way, and you can leave once you've figured things out."

Xiao Er hurriedly thanked: "Thank you, innkeeper."

The group settled in and took their seats.

The innkeeper brought up the food; after they had taken a few bites, he brought a white‑bearded old man to the table.

The innkeeper chattered away, and after listening, the old man began gesturing, gesturing even more energetically than the innkeeper's words.

Everyone looked utterly confused.

The two exchanged words and gestures, going back and forth for half a day; the innkeeper spread his hands: "No, I don't understand what he's saying either."

Everyone stared at each other.

Tuan Tuan said: "Why not just have the old man write it down?"

The innkeeper sighed: "He can't read or write."

Tuan Tuan felt deeply, nodded: "Oh, me too."

Everyone: "……"

Xiao Ningxun rubbed his forehead, laughing and crying at once; after great effort they'd found an old man who could ask for directions, only to discover he was mute!

The innkeeper scratched his head: "No choice; all the young people here have gone out to haul freight, and this old man used to do the same, so I called him over."

"However, the Shule Kingdom lies to our west; if you keep heading west and ask along the way, at least your direction won't be wrong."

Xiao Ningyuan let out a breath: "Fine, as long as the direction is right—at least we won't keep getting farther away."

The group rested for a day, then set out again at dawn the next day, heading west.

Not long after, a river stretched across before them, blocking the way.

The river wasn't wide, but the current was swift.

A few hide‑skinned rafts were moored at the bank, but only one ferryman sat there, holding a pole.

Lu Qi stepped forward, clasped his fists: "Excuse me, could we cross the river?"

The ferryman lifted his head, glanced at them, spoke stiff Zhongyuan Mandarin slowly: "Ten taels."

Xiao Ningyuan almost choked: "Ten taels? Again ten taels? Is everything here ten taels?"

"No," the ferryman glanced at the horse, "the horse is twelve taels."

Lu Qi patiently asked: "What about the cart?"

The ferryman finally stood, walked around the cart, shook his head: "The cart can't cross; it's too heavy."

Everyone was dumbfounded—surely they couldn't just abandon the cart here.

Xiao Er jumped off the cart, walked to the riverbank and stared for a while, then came back shaking his head: "The water's too swift; we can't force a crossing."

Xiao Ningxun frowned: "May I ask, is there another ferry nearby?"

The ferryman shook his head and sat back down.

Just as they were at a loss, a camel bell rang out in the distance.

A caravan approached from afar, a dozen or so camels linked in a long line, their backs laden with bulging goods, a few Hu people walking alongside.

Lu Qi spurred his horse forward, clasped his fists in greeting: "Gentlemen, may I ask for directions?"

The leader was a dark‑faced man, who reined in his camel, sized them up: "You're from Zhongyuan?"

"Yes, we want to cross the river, but the raft won't take the cart. May I ask if there's a larger ferry nearby?"

The dark‑faced man pointed ahead: "Go forward a few li and there's an old bridge; you can cross from there."

Everyone turned in unison to look at the ferryman.

A guard couldn't hold back, shouting angrily: "You surely knew there was a bridge—why didn't you say so?"

The ferryman lifted his head, righteous and firm: "You asked about a ferry, not a bridge!"

Everyone: "……"

Xiao Ningyuan gritted his molars and swallowed that breath back down.

The dark‑faced man looked at them and couldn't help laughing: "First time in the Western Regions?"

Xiao Ningyuan sighed: "Indeed, we've already been led around several times."

The dark‑faced man waved his hand: "No worries, it's like this for everyone the first time. Where are you headed?"

"The Shule Kingdom."

"What a coincidence," the dark‑faced man pointed ahead, "we're actually headed to Kucha Kingdom, passing through Shule Kingdom."

"Just follow us."

Xiao Ningyuan was delighted, clasped his fists: "Thank you, big brother!"

The group followed the caravan, walking upstream along the riverbank.

A little over three li out, sure enough, there stood an old bridge.

Made of wood, it looked a bit aged but was still sturdy.

At last, the cart crossed the river with a steady clatter.

Camel bells jingled all the way across the desolate road.

After traveling most of the day, the dark‑faced man reined in his camel and shouted back: "Gentlemen, just ahead lies the border of the Shule Kingdom."

"We still need to press on, so we'll part here."

Xiao Er clasped his fists in thanks: "Thank you, big brother! Until we meet again!"

The group kept asking along the way, walked another two days, and finally arrived at Kashgar, the capital of the Shule Kingdom.

Here it was considerably larger than the towns they'd passed before; people came and went in an endless stream, shops lined both sides of the road, selling everything imaginable.

Spices, furs, jade, silk, and all sorts of things that couldn't be named.

Tuan Tuan pressed against the carriage window, his eyes couldn't take it all in.

The group found an inn that looked fairly bright.

After everyone settled, Xiao Ningxun summoned the shopkeeper: "Shopkeeper, I'd like to ask—where in this city can I buy a genuine map?"

The shopkeeper raised a hand and pointed: "The shop across the way has them, printed by the government, one tael of silver per sheet."

Lu Qi said nothing, went out and crossed the street, and soon returned with a roll of sheepskin paper.

Everyone gathered around and unfolded the map to look.

The map clearly depicted mountains, rivers, cities and roads, with markings thick and dense.

Xiao Ningyuan stared at it for a long time, feeling a little uneasy: "Is this map real or fake?"

Everyone fell silent; having been tricked all along the way, they were now afraid of being cheated.

After thinking, Xiao Ningxun called the shopkeeper again: "We need to go to Baishi Valley; could you tell us how to get there?"

"Baishi Valley? It's still far from here; head out and go east first…"

Xiao Ningxun listened while searching the map, and indeed it matched exactly what was drawn on it.

"Thank you." He let out a breath, "This time we finally got it right."

The next morning, the group followed the map and walked for two full days before a mountain range finally came into view.

The mountains weren't tall, but they rolled on in continuous undulations.

Kang An leaned against the carriage window, staring unblinkingly at those mountains.

After walking a little farther, he suddenly shuddered, pointing at one peak: "Home!"

Tuan Tuan also poked his little head out, following his finger: "That's your home, Xiao An'an."

Kang An nodded, his eye rims red.

The carriage stopped at the mountain's base; Xiao Er looked around, the mountain path too narrow for the carriage to ascend.

"Let's stop here," he said, gesturing to the two guards: "You two stay and watch the carriage; we'll go up on horseback."

Yes!

Xue Tong, being old, stayed in the carriage without moving.

Xiao Er held Tuan Tuan as they mounted Red Cloud; Kang An sat in front of Lu Qi, and the guards left to watch the carriage handed their horses to Xiao Ningxun.

The group slowly went up the mountain path.

Upon reaching the mountainside, they could faintly see several low earthen huts ahead, with a small courtyard in front.

Kang An looked at the earthen huts, tears streaming down, struggling to jump off his horse.

Lu Qi's brows knit, he grabbed him: "No, there's someone inside!"