Chapter 734

The village was lively half the night; even diluted, Peach Blossom Drunk still had a strong aftereffect, and many adults ended up drunk.

They pulled Wang Xiaojing's hand and wept: "This isn't your fault—your second uncle is gone, and we're heartbroken too. You were locked in the silver mine, forced by circumstance—but don't ever do something like this again."

Then they grabbed Pan Yun's hand and wailed: "Xiao Yun, thanks to you and the Mountain Spirit—we'd all be rotting in prison now! That old Wu bastard wanted to sell my daughter as a concubine—dream on! My Wang family's daughters would rather die than be a concubine!"

Then he pulled Wang Feiyin, crying and laughing: "Feiyin, you're no match for Xiao Yun. There's an old saying—'The front wave of the Yangtze pushes the back wave, crushing it…'"

Wang Feiyin: "... It's 'The back wave of the Yangtze pushes the front wave.' But I'm not the front wave, and my junior sister can't crush me—you're just drunk. If you don't sober up, your wife's going to crush you."

"I'm afraid of her?" The man glared, straightened his body, and shouted loudly: "Come on! I'm from Fen Shui Village, Mount Sanqing—"

His wife marched up with half-finished shoe sole in hand and slapped him across the face, then grabbed his ear and dragged him home: "You're still drinking? You're still drinking? Are you going to work in the fields tomorrow? Get home!"

Pan Yun and Wang Xiaojing stood under the eaves' shadow, talking; they turned their heads at the noise, then continued: "... Some have already slipped away quietly; others must return home first to see their families and leave them money before leaving."

Pan Yun nodded softly: "I've already notified the Zhang Guanshi in Guangxin Prefecture—he'll meet you there. If the authorities ask, say you've formed a merchant caravan."

Wang Xiaojing worried deeply: "Will we even get our travel permits?"

All of them were considered sensitive individuals.

Pan Yun said: "Don't worry—I've enlisted the Wu Lin Alliance's help. When you reach Guangxin Prefecture, the permits will be delivered."

Wang Xiaojing: "Do we go straight to Quanzhou?"

"Yes," Pan Yun said. "The Zhang Guanshi will supply you with goods—you're to escort them all the way to Quanzhou Port. I have three ships there. When you arrive, load directly onto the ships and leave with the crew."

Wang Xiaojing grew nervous: "Aren't you coming?"

Pan Yun said: "I'll arrive before you set out."

Wang Xiaojing sighed in relief.

"What's to fear? Even if I don't board the ship, Wang Cong will be there to meet you when you arrive."

Wang Xiaojing: "But from Quanzhou Port to Waiguo..."

"With favorable winds and currents, it takes only ten days—very close. Shorter than the land journey from here to Quanzhou," Pan Yun said. "You have six hundred people—spread across three ships, over two hundred per vessel. If you stand united, only others will fear you."

Wang Xiaojing nodded thoughtfully.

Pan Yun patted his shoulder: "Take this chance to speak more with your family. Once you leave, it may be years before you return."

Wang Xiaojing agreed.

Five young men from the village chose to follow Wang Xiaojing to Waiguo.

First, their names were on the government office Runner's list—if they stayed, the runners would keep coming to their homes, making life unbearable for their parents and kin.

Second, they followed not just because of Wang Xiaojing, but mostly because of Pan Yun and Wang Cong.

They trusted Pan Yun and Wang Cong's ability and character—going with them meant no hardship, perhaps even a chance to carve out a future.

When their families heard they were leaving with Wang Xiaojing, they erupted in curses—but when they learned it was with Pan Yun and Wang Cong, they fell silent, then said: "Go, then. Since you're with Pan Yun, do well—don't cause trouble again."

They dared not speak much, only nodded repeatedly.

Only then did their families let them go to sleep.

The next day, everyone on Mount Sanqing and in Fen Shui Village woke late.

Pan Yun woke earliest—she hadn't drunk, and beside her slept Xiao Shiyi, who also hadn't drunk but had woken early.

Pan Yun took her to the kitchen to cook porridge. When Wang Feiyin stumbled in, bleary-eyed, to rinse his mouth and brush his teeth, she had Xiao Shiyi pour him water.

Wang Feiyin patted her head and said to Pan Yun: "Last night I made arrangements with Old Wang—he'll raise Xiao Shiyi alongside your little sister. We'll just supply the grain—twenty catties a month."

Pan Yun: "What about vegetables? And money for clothes and socks?"

Wang Feiyin waved his hand: "None of that matters. How much vegetable can she eat? Send down two every few days. The Wang family won't mind. As for clothes and socks..."

Wang Feiyin looked down at Xiao Shiyi, barely reaching his knees, and smiled gently as he stroked her head: "Xiao Shiyi, you can already pour water—you can learn to hold a needle now. Shall I teach you to sew clothes?"

Pan Yun stared at him in silence, then turned and walked back to the kitchen to keep cooking porridge.

Indeed, without Second Master here, leaving the child with the villagers below was the right choice.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He, upon hearing Xiao Shiyi would have to make her own clothes, immediately began rummaging through chests: "Our childhood clothes were given away, but last year's short robes are still here—we can alter them to make three outfits for her. That'll be enough for changes."

They wore nothing but Daoist robes—identical in style.

Pan Yun held Xiao Shiyi up against her own frame: "Another little Daoist Priest."

As she measured, she sighed.

Seeing Miao Zhen: "Is Little Master thinking of her older siblings?"

Pan Yun: "So many children—I don't know where they went. Even Old Yu's son and his family have vanished."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "I cast a divination for them—they're scattered across the land. I singled out Little Six—she's in the north."

Pan Yun: "North of Yushan County? That's half of Great Ming. Where do we even begin?"

She frowned tightly: "It was just bad luck—right when the rebels stormed the city, chaos everywhere. No one saw who took them."

Someone must have forcibly taken them—otherwise, given Little Six's nature, they'd never have abandoned Xiao Shiyi.

Seeing Miao Zhen: "In times of chaos, everyone is powerless."

Pan Yun's heart stirred: "Yushan County's news doesn't reach Long Hushan. I don't know how Xue Shao is faring. With Jiangnan in such turmoil, won't the Waiguo silver mine matter be delayed?"

Pan Yun grew anxious at once: "After we send off Wang Xiaojing and the others, we return to the Academy."

Beneath the Academy lies the Zhang Zhang Tian Shi's Mansion—their intelligence network is vast.

Wang Feiyin hadn't expected them to leave so soon after returning to the mountain; he murmured sadly: "I'm old now—I'm a nuisance..."

Pan Yun: "Your son is alone in Waiguo now."

Wang Feiyin immediately swallowed his words.

Pan Yun: "I'll see Song Dalin and Wang Xiaojing off tomorrow. After I return, I'll prepare—we leave for the Academy the day after."

Wang Feiyin sighed: "Go, go..."

"Second Master, make us some more medicine."

Wang Feiyin's melancholy instantly scattered.

He waved his hand irritably: "I know, I know, hurry up and go."

He wished they would leave right now. (End of chapter)