Chapter 55

"You think I look like an idiot?" Chen Bushi rolled his eyes. "I just mean to help out occasionally—who asked you to raise them? Yuan Jinshi that brat is as clever as a monkey; I'm afraid you'll get tangled up with these two brothers, and then you'll have to suffer."

Chen Wuji understood, he smiled. "If this brat is clever, he should know how his second uncle lost his ears and nose."

"Just keep it in mind."

"Isn't that brat called Wild Kid? When did he get a proper name?" Chen Wuji asked.

In his memory, the older brother was called Wild Kid, the younger Chick Kid.

They never had a proper name.

Chen Bushi snorted. "The Yuan family's good deed: to seize Yuan Jinshi's father's inheritance, Yuan Laoer's several branches united and labeled these two children as bastards, claiming they weren't Yuan stock, using that as an excuse to seize the land and tear down the houses."

"The Village Chief called them bastards—how old were they then? No one believed their excuses. Shouting 'bastard' turned into 'Wild Kid'; Chick Kid got that name from being so malnourished he grew a chicken‑bone frame. In this godforsaken Xishan Village, people's hearts are dirtier than demons'."

"Damned scum!" Chen Wuji cursed.

"They deserve to die." Chen Bushi nodded. "They treat their own nephews like this, so think about the consequences of provoking them—don't be fooled by the temporary calm; behind the scenes they're surely figuring out how to eat you."

"I've shown them my knife; they can try it." Chen Wuji said calmly.

"Those Yuan family branches are clever, but they only do shady underhanded deeds—bullying the weak they can do, but if it came to a fight to the death, I think they're still lacking; whatever tricks they have, I'll take them on."

"Just giving you a heads‑up; the rest, wait for my word." Chen Bushi said.

Chen Wuji nodded. "The older is Yuan Jinshi; what's the younger called?"

After learning the origin of their names, calling them Wild Kid and Chick Kid feels insulting.

Chen Wuji is someone who has been caught in the rain in the dark and is still being rained on.

He doesn't want to become one of those evil people himself; even if he can't do anything else, at least he should show them some respect in how he addresses them. He also wants others to call him Chen Wuji, not constantly "Chen the idiot."

"Licentiate Yuan." Chen Bushi said.

"Their old father had the hope of seeing his son become a dragon." Chen Wuji said, picking up the scattered things on the ground, then called out, "Let's go home to eat."

"No, I still have business today." Chen Bushi declined Chen Wuji's kindness.

Chen Luozi smiled. "Me too."

"Going to split the loot?" Chen Wuji joked quietly.

Chen Bushi glared at him. "Watch out, or the wind'll blow your tongue off—today a caravan came to Yinping Road; we're to be their guides and will meet them shortly."

Yinping Road is a mountain path skirting the edge of Shenxian Ridge, also one of the major routes linking Shu Di and the north; at one time troops were even stationed there.

But that was in the past.

Nowadays Yinping Road is folk‑nicknamed Yanwang Road.

South of Shenxian Ridge, including the area Chen Wuji enters the mountains daily, the terrain is complex and steep, with many snakes, insects and beasts; the danger level is high.

To the north, bandits run rampant, with several gangs hidden in almost every hill, making it even more dangerous.

Yunan City once relied on this mountain trail to become one of Shu Di's most prosperous cities, but because northern banditry is too rampant, caravans on Yanwang Road have dwindled to almost none year‑round.

Consequently Yunan City has gradually declined, losing its former glory.

Chen Wuji reckoned in his mind and suddenly realized some people seem to take money without doing the work.

They've all gone off to be guides—what is he waiting for news about?

Chen Bushi glanced at Chen Wuji, then drawled, "I took care of your matter this morning, but after eating and drinking I can't guarantee how well it turned out—I'll have to wait for word."

"That fast?"

"Just a meal—how long do I have to eat?" Chen Bushi waved his hand. "But let me lay it out: Village Chief Yuan Jinbao surely can't keep his post, and the brothers' labor service this year is eighty percent unavoidable."

"The remaining twenty percent isn't because my people can't do it—it depends on whom they hire and how much they spend. Got it?"

"Understood, San Shu really works fast—I estimate this will still take a few days." Chen Wuji really thought that; entrusting others with tasks isn't simple.

Chen Bushi's lunch, and by afternoon he was already thinking about guiding people; his connection with the person he found is obviously not ordinary, otherwise he wouldn't be able to get a meal just by going there and settle the matter.

Although in the Dayu Dynasty Chen Wuji doesn't know the officials, he has also dealt with them.

Chen Bushi got all proud, lifted his head and said, "As your third uncle, aside from bedroom matters I'm not happy about, everything else is fast."

Chen Wuji expressed agreement.

For now he only doubts that bedroom matter.

As they were talking, two figures carrying lanterns suddenly appeared in the distance.

"Chen Xiao‑you, you really made me search high and low!" the newcomer panted before even getting close.

By now it was basically dark, only a faint glimmer; Chen Wuji couldn't see who it was, but the voice sounded familiar, especially the term "Xiao‑you."

When the person drew near, Chen Wuji realized why the voice was familiar.

It was someone he'd seen just yesterday—of course it sounded familiar.

The newcomer was none other than Shopkeeper She of She Ji.

"Shopkeeper She, why are you wandering around our Xishan Village in the middle of the night? Aren't you afraid the wolves will drag you off?" Chen Wuji asked in surprise—seeing a merchant in the village at night is extremely rare.

Shopkeeper She hurried forward, cupping his hands at Chen Wuji and the others. "It's a long story; I went around the vicinity today, gathering mountain produce and pelts, and on the way stopped by your Xishan Village to see if you'd gone into the mountains."

"Just that your household has only womenfolk; I asked and learned you'd surely be home by evening, so I didn't dare disturb you, and waited in the village until now."

"If I hadn't heard someone in the village say you were selling meat at the edge, I'd have turned back. Quick, wolf skin—bring it over; the road's dark and slick, let's make a swift deal: you take the money, I take the goods, then I'll run."

He eagerly reached out to Chen Wuji, but Chen Luozi slapped his hand away: "You think you can run? At worst I'll sleep with you tonight. Wuji's wolf skin in his hand is mine; there's another unskinned one—you can look at it later."

Shopkeeper She shouted, "The skinned one's mine, the unskinned yours—doesn't that work?"

"Hiss, that sounds fine—give me the lantern, I'll look at the other end." Chen Luozi said, already snatching the lantern from Shopkeeper She's hand to examine the other wolf head Chen Wuji had just hoisted onto his shoulder.