Chapter 552

"Not knowing goods!" Chen Luozi shook his head, taking a delighted sip, "You don't drink, I do—don't look at Lingnan being warm, but it's still deep winter; drinking this feels comfortable."

Chen Wuji found this hard to understand, "Drinking is drinking, eating raw ginger is eating raw ginger—what do you mean mixing raw ginger with alcohol? And it's warm! Although I haven't tried it, just imagining the combined taste I know it definitely won't be good."

Chen Luozi laughed, "So you don't know good stuff—this sip warms your whole body!"

"Then I won't drink either!" Chen Wuji still held his view, not even thinking of trying it, "Let's go out for a walk; arriving in an unfamiliar place, we need to get our bearings."

"Good!"

The two left the just‑set‑up Daying camp, heading down along the ridge.

Probably because it's close to Wenkou Town, a key trade route, the locals live quite densely; both sides of the ridge are filled with undulating houses, the scale seems about two or three times that of Xishan Village.

The villagers' houses are built on the mountainside; the flatter areas are large fields of farmland.

"The people here live better than in Yunan; surprisingly there are so many blue‑brick courtyards." Chen Wuji sighed, noting that in Xishan Village only a few households could afford such courtyards.

Chen Luozi nodded in agreement, "The land is flat and open, with a water source; if there were no disasters, the people's lives shouldn't be bad."

"In these two aspects Xishan Village could catch up, but before we raised troops its people still lived in utter misery; here perhaps there are other reasons." Chen Wuji held a different view.

"Maybe it's the local officials, or perhaps the clans here are stronger."

"Being in the same Nan Jun, the overall situation is basically the same."

"The differences likely lie only in the county‑level government and local powers."

"That herdboy is running toward us!" Chen Luozi suddenly said.

Chen Wuji glanced, then chuckled, "This kid is bold—seeing soldiers, he doesn't hide but rushes over to see what he's up to."

That herdboy riding backwards on the ox, Chen Wuji had noticed him since he came down from the beam.

Bare‑chested, wearing only a pair of calf‑nostril pants, he lay on the ox's back asleep, tending a few cows and a sheep; the livestock grazed while he slept, looking very content.

Soon, the herdboy slowly drove the cows over.

He sat on the ox's back, politely clasped his hands toward Chen Wuji and Chen Luozi, "Generals, where do you come from? My home is just at the mountain's base—would you like to come to my house for a cup of hot tea to warm your stomach?"

Chen Luozi laughed, "You little brat, aren't you afraid of us?"

"Why should I be afraid?" the herdboy with two little braids said, utterly puzzled, "You generals are from the Court; coming here you must be to fight the Qiang people—I should feel reassured, why would I need to fear?"

Chen Luozi burst out laughing, "You invite us to your home for tea just because of that?"

"Exactly, I heard the uncles say the Qiang people have already occupied our nearby Spirit Immortal County, and who knows when they'll attack Wenkou; the adults are worried sick, almost scared to death." The herdboy said in a childish voice.

"Just take my dad—he's terrified, spending all day polishing that gun he's had for who knows how many years, muttering to himself about who knows what, every couple of days he tells me and my mom his last words, my ears are about to grow calluses from listening."

"Now that the generals have arrived, the uncles in the village should feel reassured. Besides, if you generals need anything, the villagers will be happy to help—they've been longing day and night for the Court's great army to come."

Although he looks only about eleven or twelve, his speech is very mature.

"Generals, come to my home for a cup of hot tea—we make it ourselves, I like drinking it. Our village grows tea, see, on the opposite mountain—it's all tea trees." The herdboy pointed across.

Chen Wuji glanced over, smiling lightly, "Then let's go to your home for a sit; I'd like to taste the tea from below the tea mountain to see what it's like—you lead the way."

The herdboy's face lit up with delight, "Generals, follow me!"

He patted the ox's back; that very gentle old ox turned around, carrying the herdboy down the mountain, its steps steady and even, walking leisurely and peacefully.

Chen Wuji and Chen Luozi unconsciously matched their pace, keeping some distance from the herdboy.

"Something's off!"

"Not normal!"

They spoke at the same time, exchanged a glance, and Chen Wuji said, "This is an adult, at least around thirty."

"Huh?" Chen Luozi blinked, "Impossible!"

"Then what do you mean by 'not normal'?" Chen Wuji asked.

"This kid seems like a scout!" Chen Luozi said, "I really can't see anything wrong with his age; I just feel his behavior is a bit abnormal. But his looks and voice are those of a child—how could he be an adult?"

"I won't be mistaken!" Chen Wuji said firmly.

「Even if a child is unusually mature for his age, an eleven- or twelve-year-old could never have such a mature tone; moreover, most importantly, his eyes are too old, lacking any trace of childlike innocence. Besides, there are several other features such as his teeth and skin—this kid is a dwarf who never grows. 」

Chen Luozi secretly clicked his tongue and said, "It really is a vast world, full of wonders; such things actually exist."

"This kid is so abnormal; should we still go to his house for tea? This tea probably won't taste good!"

"Go, why not go!" Chen Wuji said.

"A village dares to harbor rebellious intentions against an army of several thousand; I'm truly curious what gives them the confidence—if I don't take a look, I'll feel even more uneasy."

Chen Luozi said, "If you go, I won't feel at ease—I think we should rather……"

"Stop, I know what you're going to say." Chen Wuji interrupted him, "We'll both go, the Personal Guard and the Sinful Army will all accompany us. If this little village hides several thousand Bīngmǎ, then you'd better resign yourself to fate—they have their own plans, and we have ours; we are indeed at a disadvantage."

Chen Luozi wearily glanced at Chen Wuji, "Resigning myself to fate is fine, but you can't!"

Chen Wuji laughed and patted Chen Luozi's shoulder, "Let's go, it's not that exaggerated."

Chen Luozi turned his head and glanced at Chen Li behind him, "Old Eleven, call out the people. You usually have more ideas than I do; why are you silent today? Could it be that, after serving as this kid's Personal Guard for so long, you've practiced a silent meditation on yourself?"

"I've also carefully observed this village; even if it hides troops, it can't hide many. I agree with the Family Head's judgment!" Chen Li said, the corner of his mouth twitching.