Chapter 16: Method

Pan Yun drew five talismans in succession, until she felt her brush grow sluggish, then stopped.

She stacked the drawn talismans, placed two on him, and folded the rest to keep on herself.

With triple reinforcement, she refused to believe she could still meet misfortune.

Pan Yun glanced at the child—he could at least survive two tribulations; his fate was hard to change, but his fortune could be altered; alter it enough, and fate would change too.

Heaven meant for him to die, yet she insisted on challenging it; after all, she was already saving her father and brother, restoring the Pan family, opposing heavenly destiny—adding one more act made no difference.

Pan Yun did not wish to linger here; she told the child to sleep, then took out all her money to count it.

One five-tael silver ingot, a handful of silver coins taken from the traffickers—by her unprofessional estimation, they amounted to seven or eight taels.

Her own copper coins in the money box totaled two thousand three hundred, while the traffickers’ copper coins were fewer—only six strings plus a few, each string one hundred cash; she hadn’t counted them carefully then, but now that she was spending, she counted the remainder and found the sum still insufficient.

After deducting today’s expenses for food, buns, and lodging, she had two thousand five hundred seventy-nine copper coins left—oh, not counting the one tael silver she spent today, which was also taken from the traffickers.

Though the two traffickers were poorer than she expected, after conversion, she realized the money she seized from them exceeded her savings from eight years.

She didn’t know if this money could rent a carriage; lacking household registration was also a problem—everything now required household registration or a travel permit.

Carriage and stable operators did not rent simply for money.

The imperial court strictly controlled population movement; people could not migrate or travel freely.

Of course, wild folk and refugees who never entered cities were exempt.

But she could not become a wild folk or refugee—she had to pass through towns to reach Datong.

Pan Yun glanced back at the child sleeping soundly, picked up the black cat, and leapt lightly out the window.

Night had just fallen, the streets were empty; the alley where she landed was desolate. She looked up at the room’s location, memorized its position, then left.

She needed to obtain a travel permit and a household registration page; if not forced to produce a permit, the registration page could substitute, and in desperation, the permit could still serve a purpose.

Her plan was sound, but standing at the street corner, she realized she knew nothing about Shexian—naturally, she had no idea where to obtain such documents.

Pan Yun thought simply: night was the perfect cover for black markets; even if Shexian was small, surely such a place existed?

Pan Yun walked along the wall’s edge, her entire figure hidden in its shadow; passersby hurrying home passed her without noticing the person walking beneath the wall.

Pan Yun circled Shexian with the black cat in her arms, and when she returned to the inn’s street, she was bewildered: “Shexian’s security is this good? At this hour, not a single criminal to be found—not even a black market?”

The black cat silently mocked her.

Pan Yun pinched its neck. “Why are you grinning?”

The black cat stiffened, silent.

Pan Yun stroked its fur, suppressed her anger, returned to the room through the window, and felt deeply displeased.

Too bad—the city’s beggars had mostly been driven out, and the rest had hidden away; she couldn’t find any to buy information from.

Beggars wandered the streets begging; they were the most well-informed.

Pan Yun glanced at the child sprawled on the bed, sighed—there was a ready beggar right here, but he was too young.

Pan Yun decided to visit the carriage and stable yard tomorrow; she stopped dwelling on it, sat cross-legged, and cultivated two minor heavenly cycles before retiring to bed.

When she woke, the child’s face was flushed; he beamed: “That was the best sleep I’ve ever had.”

Finding him adorable, Pan Yun smiled, rose, and said: “Come, let’s eat. After we’re full, we’ll head to the carriage yard.”

Child: “I know the carriage yard—no food to beg for there; this street is best for begging.”

“Then you lead the way.”

Shexian was small—how large could a county be if Pan Yun could walk its alleys in half an hour?

The carriage yard was only a quarter-hour’s walk from this street.

Pan Yun led the child inside to inquire about prices.

The carriage yard had few patrons; many gathered at the entrance, but fewer inside, and the goods grew increasingly valuable the deeper one went.

At the entrance stood many ox carts, mule carts, and donkey carts; further in were single-rented vehicles and animals; deeper still were chartered carriages; at the very rear, horses were sold.

Pan Yun asked out of curiosity and lost interest immediately—the prices were too high; her money didn’t even cover the deposit.

She turned to inquire about renting a carriage.

“To Datong?” The manager sized up Pan Yun and the child. “Will you return?”

Pan Yun lowered her gaze, thought briefly, then asked: “What’s the price if we return? What if we don’t?”

“Forty taels if you return—the owner must cover the driver’s food and lodging the whole trip; thirty taels if you don’t return—you must cover food and lodging for the outbound journey.” The manager asked: “How many in your party? How many carriages?”

Good—her total money didn’t even reach twenty taels; Pan Yun gave up. “Are there shared rides?”

Manager: “Short-distance ones exist, long-distance ones don’t. Datong is too far. There’s one going to the capital—if you’re heading there, I can give you fifteen taels.”

Pan Yun: … How idle was she, to go back to the capital?

But the manager’s words gave her an idea. She asked: “From here to Datong, what’s the next town?”

Manager: “Qingfeng in Great Ming Prefecture.”

Pan Yun: “How much to get to Qingfeng?”

She didn’t mind returning to Great Ming Prefecture—the two men were surely no longer there; going back would let her avoid them. The manager held up five fingers: “Fifty cash per person.”

She could afford that. Pan Yun smiled. “When do we depart? We’re two people.”

The manager pointed outside to the entrance. “See that row of ox carts, mule carts, and horse carts? Ask who’s going to Qingfeng—usually one trip per day.”

Pan Yun immediately dragged the child over and quickly found a horse cart; six people were already seated.

The cart had no roof—a flatbed. Everyone placed their luggage in the center and sat facing outward, legs dangling. Three could sit in front, four on each side, two more in back.

Hearing Pan Yun’s question, the driver called out: “Call your family over quickly—we’re leaving. Pay first, then board.”

Pan Yun asked: “Can the child get a discount?”

The driver frowned at her frame. “You’re not eligible. Your brother gets ten cash off.”

Pan Yun counted out ninety cash and handed it over.

The driver blinked. “Where are your parents? Why are two children traveling alone? I’m not responsible for watching them.”

Please... Your Majesty... Collect_(!)

“I’m going to Qingfeng to find my father—he’ll meet us there.”

The driver, satisfied, allowed them to board.

Pan Yun lifted the child onto the cart, then jumped up herself; they chose the back, sitting apart from the others, quietly.

Indeed, they departed immediately after boarding.

Outside the city, soldiers checked only the luggage and waved them through.

To Pan Yun’s surprise, when they entered Qingfeng at dusk, the gate guards inspected others’ travel permits—but for this cart, they checked only the luggage, glanced once at the driver’s permit, and let them pass.

Pan Yun’s gaze flickered; she understood immediately. These drivers traveled fixed routes, constantly shuttling between two places; the guards saw them daily and knew them well—no need for detailed checks.

This was perfect—perfect! Even without a household registration page or travel permit, she could reach Datong by hopping on short-distance carts.

It was far from here to Datong, but the next county north from this one was not far.

Finding a viable path, Pan Yun grinned, delighted.

She couldn’t help telling the child: “These protective talismans really work—our luck’s come at last!”

Pan Yun carefully calculated her remaining money and realized that if she stayed at inns in every county, it wouldn’t last until Datong.

But if she skipped inns and only ate, the carriage fares would suffice—after all, short-distance shared rides were far cheaper than long-distance chartered ones.

So when entering the next town, Pan Yun no longer stayed at inns; she and the child hid in an alley near the city gate, ate, then found a quiet spot to sleep.

The child was accustomed to this life; he made no complaints, ate, then lay down leaning against Pan Yun to sleep.

Pan Yun covered his eyes. “Wait—I’ll perform a trick for you.”

The child shut his eyes tight. Pan Yun chanted: “Heavenly spirit, earthly spirit, Dao Lord, pity me and send a blanket!”

She released his eyes—he saw a blanket suddenly appear in their laps. He gasped in delight, shouting: “It’s divine! It’s divine! Truly divine!”

Pan Yun laughed, spread the blanket on the ground, let him lie inside, half-covered, half-beneath—warm enough. “Sleep now. We ride again tomorrow.”

The child happily agreed, slid into the blanket with a soft hiss.

Pan Yun sat cross-legged, as usual, meditating.

Only at midnight did she finish, then crawled into the blanket beside him, sleeping close together.

The black cat lay beside her head. “Keep watch.”

Pan Xiaohei was used to it, eyes like glass orbs fixed on the alley mouth.

Pan Yun had found a suitable way to travel; the next day, she again found a carriage yard and boarded another shared cart heading north to the next county.

Thus, changing carts daily, by the fourth day, they were nearly approaching the capital region.

The stricter the northern checkpoints became; on the fourth evening, as they neared the city gate, the driver called: “Everyone, take out your travel permits and household registration pages—we’ll need them soon.”

Pan Yun immediately demanded to get off. “My second uncle doesn’t live in the city—he’s in that village over there. I’ll get off here.”

The driver agreed, stopped, and let her off.

Pan Yun carried the child down, shook out her numb legs, and stared at the long queue for entry. “Come on, let’s get closer—see if there’s a cheaper way in.”

She pulled the child forward. Near the gate, many others waited—some families queued for them, others stood by waiting for those inside; on the city wall, notices were posted; literate people stood reading the latest announcements.

Pan Yun also pulled the child forward, looked up—and instantly recognized a face on the wall.

Isn’t that me?

Pan Yun widened her eyes, glanced quickly left and right—no one noticed her—then swiftly scanned the wanted poster.

It didn’t name her, only said she was connected to an imperial case; anyone who spotted her must report to the government office for a ten-tael reward.

If captured and delivered to authorities, the reward was twenty taels.

Run a campaign: screenshot your chapter follow for each chapter. Ten followers per chapter will receive ten Love Points. For this chapter, followers #1, 11, 21, and 31–91—join the group (548122862) to claim your red packet. Screenshot required.

This campaign continues until the novel is officially published.

(End of Chapter)