Chapter 14: Setting Out

Without noticing Qingyi Daozhang, Xiao Liu explained helplessly to Wen Gu, "I really didn't arrange for it to perform this!"

Wen Gu said kindly, "I can tell. It is just naturally valiant; it's quite good."

Xiao Liu Liehu still looked somewhat broken.

Things hadn't gone according to his plan! Our debut was far too undignified!

However, since it had happened, he still followed through with the original plan, showing Matuan's abilities to Wen Gu.

A trained falcon can distinguish colors, scout and find targets, and also deliver messages.

In the current world, it is indeed very helpful for traveling.

Wen Gu gave high praise to both the falcon and its owner, complimenting them for nearly the time it takes to brew a cup of tea with elegant words that did not lack warmth.

Xiao Liu Liehu was so praised that he felt like he was floating. He had never been complimented like this by a scholar, and he just felt that this "employer" was truly a good person; he now felt like that, what was it...

Xiao Liu Liehu struggled to recall that famous saying he had heard before.

Right, a thousand-li horse has met its Bo Le!

This talent of his would not be buried!

Just as he was feeling self-satisfied and bursting with confidence, he heard Wen Gu ask:

"Crows are clever, and I hear they are also vengeful. Will they cause you trouble?"

"Vengeful?"

A blank look appeared in Xiao Liu's eyes, and after he came to his senses, he said:

"Similar fights between falcons and crows have happened before, but we haven't encountered any revenge."

Wen Gu thought for a moment.

That's true, it's the falcon that hits the crow, so even if there were revenge, it should be directed at the falcon.

He wondered how these two groups fought in places where people couldn't see.

Regardless, it was good that it didn't involve people.

Matuan was indeed capable, but if it implicated people, it would undoubtedly bring more trouble to the journey.

The good thing was that, as it seemed now, the "Ma" in Matuan was not the "Ma" for trouble.

"Does it catch pigeons? You know, the flying messengers," Wen Gu asked again.

"My father said that since noble masters keep flying messengers, to avoid offending people, we have targeted training from the start to keep it from catching them. But... uh, they are like that by nature, and occasionally they can't help it."

Xiao Liu Liehu explained, "My father also said that if it is a very important message, the nobles will release several flying messengers at the same time to prevent one or two from meeting with accidents along the way."

In other words, the noble masters had already considered the losses during the delivery process of the flying messengers.

Even if Matuan caught one, the other flying messengers would always be able to deliver the letter to its destination... unless that group of flying messengers had such bad luck that they were all wiped out.

It shouldn't go so far as to ruin the noble masters' affairs.

Regarding this question, Xiao Liu Liehu explained again, "Actually, after training, their self-control is okay; as long as no command is given, they rarely go to catch flying messengers."

Wen Gu had a rough understanding.

Even if Matuan caught a flying messenger, that would be a headache to deal with only after arriving in Beidi.

At present, all in all, Xiao Liu Liehu and Matuan were both very good assets.

Subsequently, Wen Gu asked Xiao Liu about his preparations for leaving home and had him talk about his plans for what was to come.

In these last few days staying in the Village, the temperature had dropped again. The temperature difference between day and night was large, so more consideration was needed.

The personnel had already been gathered.

Originally, only the two Wen brothers were heading north, but now a Daoist priest and a hunter with a falcon had been added.

The two-person group had expanded into a team of four people and one bird.

However, in Wen Gu's view, there were still too few people; if they encountered suitable ones on the road, they should still recruit more people into the team.

Before leaving the Village, the supplies underwent a final inventory.

Wen Gu also traded for a pair of wooden clogs from the carpenter.

Wooden clogs were nothing rare; people in the Village had worn them before.

The carpenter had once seen the noble masters in the County Town wearing a type of wooden clog used for mountain climbing, and that was the kind he made for Wen Gu.

In the past, even if he understood how to make things the nobles used, he dared not imitate them privately; he could only secretly make them to wear for fun and then destroy them.

Later, as the wealthy families and nobles in the County Town either left or perished, there was no need to worry about such things anymore.

The pair of wooden clogs he made for Wen Gu were modeled after the style the nobles liked, which could be worn for climbing mountains or on rainy days or after the rain.

They were made large so one could step directly into the clogs while wearing one's own shoes or boots.

Especially after rain, to avoid getting mud on one's shoes, they could be put to use.

The carpenter even specially brushed them with lacquer, which could prevent insects and rot.

There wasn't much lacquer left, and not much could be found in the Town; half of it had been found in the coffin shop in the Town, which people considered taboo.

The lacquer used for Wen Gu's pair of clogs was the carpenter's own stock, which he had originally intended to keep for his own family's use, but this time he specially set aside some for Wen Gu to lacquer his clogs. The wheelbarrow was too big, but he was willing to spare some for this pair of clogs.

Wen Gu did indeed like them quite a bit; although he didn't know how practical they really were, this classical style was very much to his liking.

This was probably the legendary Xie-style clogs... perhaps.

There was indeed a need to bring the wooden clogs; on the road, much of it was dirt paths, and after it rained, the ground wouldn't dry for several days in a row. Walking on it, every step would pick up a pile of mud, and after walking a few more steps, one's feet would feel as heavy as if they were weighted down by iron weights.

In the past, one could ignore it, but now the situation was different, and there were concerns. If there was something that needed to be done, one could wear them temporarily.

The lacquer the carpenter used was raw lacquer collected from certain types of trees.

An ancient skill passed down for who knows how many years.

After finalizing the day of departure, the Village head specially sought out Wen Gu for a chat.

They just walked a circle around the Village.

"The defensive wall built in the Village before was made by tearing down our own courtyard walls and tearing down those vacant, dilapidated houses; it was only through patching it up that we barely managed to build it."

"However, it will get better soon. The things brought back from the Town can be used to heighten and reinforce the walls, and also to repair the villagers' houses."

"When it snows in winter, if you go out to find more bricks, tiles, stones, and wood to bring back to the village, the Wubao can be built quickly. If it can be built, the village will surely be safer; why risk going to Beidi? You had better reconsider."

The Village Chief truly hoped they would stay; whether it was Wen Gu or the Daoist Priest, they were both capable people.

He had already tried to persuade them several times, and today was the last time.

This time, Wen Gu did not mean to be perfunctory, but instead analyzed the current situation for the Village Chief seriously—

Under the infestation of the Gu-poison Evil Plague, how many people could survive? I fear not one in ten.

Among the unfortunate ninety percent, how many have turned into those monsters outside?

Building walls in the village can defend against ten or a hundred, but it cannot defend against a thousand, ten thousand, or even more.

Staying here can be safe for a while, but it is not a long-term plan.

What's more, resources are limited; even if you can sustain yourselves for two years, what about after two years?

Wen Gu gave the village a reminder not to be content with the status quo.

The Village Chief stood there alone, pondering for a long time, before going to consult with Liu Liehu again.

The next day, at the first light of dawn, Wen Gu and his party gathered at the village entrance, ready to set off.

The temperature is lower in the early morning; in this temperature environment, even the deeply mutated Evil Creatures outside cannot move quickly. As long as they are in an area with an open field of vision, there is enough reaction time to deal with them.

Wen Gu had already planned it all: they would travel in the morning and afternoon, and stop to rest and replenish food and water when the temperature was high at noon.

As for the night...

The temperature is low, but the road is hard to see, so it is better to choose a place to sleep.

Of course, winter places greater restrictions on Evil Creatures, but if they really wait until winter, it would actually be unfavorable for a long journey.

This season is just right.

The wheelbarrow piled high with goods was pushed out.

The three cloth backpacks were already full, and other miscellaneous items that had to be carried were also packed in large cloth bags and placed on the wheelbarrow. They tried their best to avoid exposing them.

Xiao Liu Liehu kowtowed at home before coming out.

Yesterday, the Village Chief came to his house and relayed Wen Gu's warning; Xiao Liu deeply felt that he shouldered a heavy responsibility.

This long journey to Beidi was not only to seek a future for himself but also to find a future for the whole village.

Walking out of the village entrance, Xiao Liu looked back at the village and then toward the other side of the mountain.

There was a patch of wild kudzu on that hillside, which is why their village was called Ge Village.

When he went to the schoolhouse as a child, he couldn't learn anything else, but he remembered a line of poetry the teacher had said very clearly.

"The kudzu vines spread, extending into the valley, their leaves lush and green."

On this trip to Beidi, he did not know if he would have the chance to return, or if he would have the chance to see that patch of wild kudzu spreading across the hillside again.

A strong sense of sadness and reluctance rose in his heart.

But once his emotions calmed down, he became high-spirited and full of drive again!

Xiao Liu's father, Liu Liehu, led a team of people to escort them for a distance and, while they were at it, drag some wood back to the village.

There were two villages near the route Wen Gu chose; previously, Liu Liehu had only led people to search for food, but this time they would take the opportunity to drag back some wooden furniture and objects so they wouldn't rot where they were.

After leaving the village, some villagers helped them push the wheelbarrow, demonstrating how to push it to make it easier, and also letting them save some energy for this stretch of the road.

The sun rose, the world brightened, and they arrived at the fork in the road where they would part ways.

Lao Liu pulled Xiao Liu aside, wanting to say something, but after holding it in for a long while, he couldn't get it out.

What needed to be said had already been said at home.

At this moment, both father and son had red eyes.

Lao Liu: "There were four of you when you left; I hope there will still be four of you when you reach Beidi, and that you can all arrive safe and sound!"

Xiao Liu's eyes filled with tears, and he nodded heavily.

Wen Gu's expression was solemn as he bid them farewell one by one.

He thought to himself: What are you thinking, how could there only be four people!

Apologies, I got home too late.

Starting tomorrow, I will post more updates!

I'm not going out anymore, staying home to write!