Chapter 27: Can't Bear to Look

Just now, County Lieutenant Zhou had already asked several questions and gained a rough understanding of the Feng County County Town ahead; Wen Gu asked a few more detailed questions on top of those.

After County Magistrate Tan left with his people, what was the composition of the survivors inside the city?

The people who stayed behind are not necessarily all ordinary civilians.

Also, if they want to enter the city to stay overnight, what do they need to pay? What are the rules in the city nowadays?

He Da hesitated for a moment, but still told Wen Gu.

He told Wen Gu that several groups of people are fighting for power, each controlling the entry and exit of personnel at the four city gates.

Going out of the city is fine, but those returning to enter the city must pay an "entry fee."

For example, people like them who go out of the city to cut firewood need to pay a bundle of firewood when entering the city.

As for exactly how much that bundle of firewood is, it depends on the mood of the person guarding the gate and what your relationship with them is like.

Even if you enter the city, several streets and alleys have been carved up; even if you live in an unoccupied house, you still have to pay a lodging fee.

When the County Magistrate was here, there were Yamen Runners to maintain order, but now that the government office is empty, it is managed by certain civilian forces.

County Magistrate Tan's county office has already been occupied by others, and the several large vacant mansions in the city have also been carved up.

Order in the county town is unstable now; if outsiders like them enter at this time, they might not necessarily get a good outcome.

"Is there a blacksmith in the city?" Wen Gu asked again.

He Da recalled for a moment and nodded: "Blacksmith Yu should still be there."

Wen Gu thought to himself, it seems he still has to make a trip into the city.

He whispered a few words to Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu walked to the mule cart in the back.

He Da, who had been keeping an eye on the movements of all parties, was surprised to hear the sound of a child on the mule cart, and other thoughts arose in his mind.

Zhou Shan stared at He Da with caution, his brows furrowing even tighter.

Although He Da kept a very low profile and was slightly hunched, his eyeballs were darting around, and one could not tell what kind of devious ideas he was thinking of again.

At a glance, he is a cunning person!

At this moment, Xiao Liu brought over two paper bags, one large and one small.

Inside were crushed grain bricks; when doing the loose packaging, they were made into two specifications.

This was a thank-you gift for answering the questions, and he handed it to He Da.

Wen Gu said in a friendly manner: "Many thanks, little brother."

"Hey, you're too kind!" He Da quickly took it.

Although he didn't know exactly what was inside, he had already skillfully agreed, "If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I don't have any other skills, but I am quite good at digging up information."

As He Da spoke, he moved two steps to the side, but he did not avoid Wen Gu and the others, nor did he care about other people's gazes. He opened the small paper bag and looked at the powder inside.

Wrapped in oil paper and sufficiently dry, He Da pulled down the cloth covering his face, leaned in to sniff it, and licked the Grain Powder in the paper bag, a look of joy appearing on his face.

He looked at Wen Gu and the others again, then looked at their two carts, and asked: "Do you have a lot of things on your carts?"

County Lieutenant Zhou looked over with caution, but before he could speak, He Da continued: "If you have a lot of things, it's best not to enter the city; you won't be able to keep them. However, if you want to enter the city to find a blacksmith..."

He Da held up two fingers: "Give me two more bags, and I'll take you into the city."

Passing travelers generally wouldn't carry too much grain; two bags of Grain Powder was already a bargain price he gave out of respect for Wen Gu, this scholar.

Moreover, if he asked for any more, that County Lieutenant Zhou next to him would be brandishing his blade.

Wen Gu looked at Zhou Shan. Zhou Shan hesitated for a moment, but still nodded. Although he looked down on them, these street urchins of the county town did indeed mingle closely with certain civilian forces and had their own ways.

Qingyi Daozhang and Xiao Liu also had no objections, and Tietou had an expression that said, "I listen to my brother."

Wen Gu smiled with scholarly grace and said: "Then I will trouble Brother He."

And he immediately had Xiao Liu take out two large paper bags.

Xiao Liu could not help but show reluctance on his face.

He Da, however, smiled until his eyes squinted, and he enthusiastically and quickly took them: "Easy, easy!"

He thought to himself: As expected, scholars are easier to talk to, and they are very sincere!

Qingyi Daozhang, by the donkey cart in the back, closed his eyes.

It's too painful to watch!

Is the stuff from that Gou Shusheng really that easy to take?!

It would have been fine if he gave you a small bag; a one-time transaction with no future trouble.

You even dare to accept the large bag he gives you!

The last person who dared to accept his soup bowl has already become a laborer in the team!

The Daoist Priest glanced at Zhou Shan again.

This one clearly hasn't realized the seriousness of the situation yet.

Sigh!

Everyone is drunk, but I alone am sober!

At this time, He Da had already put on his back basket and asked Wen Gu and the others to follow, saying he would take them to a nearby shed.

The shed was relatively hidden and well-preserved; it could be seen that someone came to tidy it up from time to time.

He Da said: "This place is not far from our old Village. I used to stay here a lot, and the officials would occasionally go there too. But it's different now; few people go out of the city, and in the last two days, no one in the county town should have come this way."

He asked Wen Gu and the others to leave the donkey cart and mule cart here, leave some people here to guard them, and he would take whoever wanted to enter the city into the city.

Giving Wen Gu and the others time to discuss, He Da walked to the side, licked the Grain Powder in the small paper bag again, then took another big lick, took out the Bamboo Tube he carried with him to drink water, and looked like he was savoring the aftertaste.

The taste of the grain brick powder was actually not good, but it was grain after all; eating grain powder directly like this gave a special, solid sense of satisfaction. He had been drinking porridge water for so long that he had almost forgotten what it felt like to have dry food in his mouth.

There were many people who survived in the county town, which meant it was very difficult to search for other people's grain to eat. When there were still government officials before, the grain found in nearby villages and empty houses in the city was all managed by the government; people like them could only work to trade for food, and could only ensure they didn't starve to death.

Thinking this way, He Da licked a big mouthful of Grain Powder again, and again, and again, then packed and bundled up the lightened small bag once more.

Zhou Shan used the corner of his eye to keep an eye on this person.

With a rat-like face and a slick, oily manner, he didn't look very reliable; it was better not to get too involved.

Over by the shed, a few people discussed who would stay behind and who would enter the city.

Wen Gu wanted to enter the city to find a blacksmith.

The Daoist Priest had no interest in entering the city and stayed behind.

Tietou was definitely going to follow Wen Gu.

Zhou Shan had served as a County Lieutenant and had his own professional experience and perspective, so he definitely had to follow Wen Gu into the city to investigate. But he was also uneasy about the three children.

Xiao Liu said, "Then the Daoist Priest and I will stay behind. Don't worry, County Lieutenant Zhou, we still have Matuan. If something really happens, he will warn us, and I will also have him go find you."

County Lieutenant Zhou went to the mule cart and spoke with the three children for a while, then headed toward the County Town of Feng County with Wen Gu and Tietou.

He Da truly hadn't lied to them; he led Wen Gu and the two others to the west city gate, where he was more familiar with the guards.

Feng County was wealthier than the Tang County where County Lieutenant Zhou had previously served, and the city walls were even a bit taller.

As they approached, the people who had been lazily leaning against the gate straightened up, their gazes fixed on Wen Gu and the two others, sizing them up from head to toe.

Three unfamiliar faces.

He Da took a few quick steps forward to exchange low-voiced words with the gate guards.

In the time it took for a few glances to be exchanged, they seemed to be communicating things that only they understood—things others wouldn't grasp, but which they understood perfectly well among themselves.

County Lieutenant Zhou gripped his blade vigilantly.

However, Wen Gu guessed that He Da might have simply exaggerated County Lieutenant Zhou's status a little, as the city guards clearly showed a hint of apprehension.

But the gate guards were still unwilling to let it go; they looked over here again, meeting the gaze of County Lieutenant Zhou, who stood at the front with murderous intent in his eyes.

The gate guard felt a surge of cowardice, withdrew his gaze to stare at He Da, and reached out to rummage through his back basket.

"What is this you've wrapped up?" The gate guard took a square, paper-wrapped object from his basket and peeled back the paper.

"I traded for a book before leaving the city today, a Confucian Classic, to take back for my younger brother." He Da snatched the book back and wrapped it up again.

Once the gate guard saw it was a book, he immediately lost interest and looked at He Da as if he were an idiot.

In these chaotic times, the imperial examinations had been suspended; what use was there in reading such books?

To actually trade supplies for it—he was stupid beyond measure!

The gate guard glanced at the back basket again; it seemed there was nothing else in it besides this book and a bundle of firewood.

He looked He Da up and down again, staring at a bulge under his clothes.

He Da wore a pained expression and muttered, "My biggest haul today, gifted by a noble person; I couldn't even bear to eat it myself!"

With a look of extreme reluctance, he took a small paper packet from under his clothes and handed it over, his fingers still gripping it tightly.

The gate guard was delighted; he snatched it away forcefully, opened the packet to look, sniffed it, and licked it.

It was food!

The gate guard finally wore a smile now. He tried to pull a few more sticks of firewood from He Da's basket, but was swatted away by He Da; he didn't get angry, just tilted his head.

"You all go on in."

County Lieutenant Zhou, who had been watching the whole time: "..."

Wen Gu didn't know where He Da had hidden the large paper packet he had given out, but he remembered clearly that the small packet given to the gate guard was one He Da had licked several times!

Had this been prepared in advance?

What "couldn't bear to eat"? He had clearly already eaten plenty!

This person was indeed as cunning as his face suggested, full of ghost stories!

(End of chapter)