Chapter 679: No Need to Make a Fuss

At that point, the household guard captain cut in: "Young master, if all two thousand are like that, they could intimidate ten thousand or even tens of thousands into joining them. Two thousand like these is no small number."

"... True. These can't be seen as ordinary soldiers — they're more like first-rate household guards..." Sun Chuanting murmured.

"Words are often exaggerated and can't be taken as fact. How could the overlord of a single prefecture possibly have two thousand men of this caliber, and not even the top tier at that? It's nothing but storytellers' tales!" Mister Tian remarked. Sun Chuanting and the others all nodded.

After that, no one spoke. They simply followed the crowd and kept moving forward. They did know that the core area of Xuzhou these days was not the prefectural city but He Family Village, and that was their destination.

They hadn't gone far when they saw another unit of militia standing guard at a crossroads. This unit numbered around two hundred men and even had a few mounted riders. They looked no different from the previous unit. Seeing this, Sun Chuanting and his party fell silent once more and began to believe what the passersby had said.

As dusk approached, they spotted another flagpole made of thick bamboo lashed together, bearing the four characters "Cloud Mountain Inn." The layout was the same as the one they'd stayed at near the boundary marker, but much larger — and far, far more crowded. In front and to the sides, everywhere was packed with carts, horses, and merchants. The inn staff shouted directions constantly, their voices growing hoarse.

With the previous day's experience, Sun Chuanting's party naturally intended to stay here. But when they went over to ask, they were told apologetically that there were no rooms left. Even paying a premium for a private courtyard was out of the question. The staff did say, however, that they could camp out near the inn. Firewood and the like could be provided by the inn, and food and water could be obtained here as well. At the inn, there was absolutely no need to worry about bandits or the like.

Sun Chuanting looked around. Quite a few merchant caravans and travelers had already staked out spots, apparently preparing to spend the night in the open. After saying this, the staff member lowered his voice and added that if they were willing to pay a few hundred extra wen, he could arrange for them to stay in a villager's home in a nearby hamlet. Everything would be clean, and there were even amusements to be found in the village.

This was nothing out of the ordinary. With business so good here, the nearby common folk naturally wanted a share of the profits. For the staff to pitch the inn's business first and then take on private side jobs was already considered fairly disciplined. Sun Chuanting and his men had no interest in these so-called amusements and didn't care to ask for details, but they didn't refuse. They wanted both — a spot in the village and a spot in the open ground.

"I want to see and hear more. Mister Tian, go back and rest. The rest of you, take shifts resting as well." Sun Chuanting had his own purpose.

It seemed people camped out here often. The inn was thoroughly attentive. After paying a modest fee, the staff drove over a large cart delivering firewood, straw mats, and the like. They also asked what food and drink they wanted and repeatedly instructed everyone to keep their fires spaced apart, be mindful of fire hazards, and so on. Men dressed as hunters also came by selling game — nothing more than wild rabbits, though sharp-eyed observers could tell they were actually domestic rabbits. No one really cared, though; they simply bought them and had the hunters dress them on the spot.

The sun had set, but the sky was still bright. Yet some had already lit their campfires, setting pots over them to cook. Others had bought wine from the inn and were drinking and laughing loudly. The surroundings were like a marketplace. Every so often, someone would call out their goods and prices, saying anyone interested in trading could come and ask. Interestingly, at regular intervals, inn staff would walk a circuit, striking a gong. Their message was simple: this area was not within a market; all transactions were voluntary; Cloud Mountain Company and the Sun Family Trading House provided no guarantees; trade at your own risk.

The scene was certainly noisy, but for many carefree merchants and travelers, it was more enjoyable than staying inside the inn. That was the case for Sun Chuanting's party. Several of them came out, bought a few jin of mutton and flatbread, and filled two gourds of strong liquor, then sat together on the straw mats to eat and drink.

"Such liveliness — even the border markets along the Datong border wall are no better than this!" Sun Chuanting remarked with emotion. Mister Tian nodded in agreement. A household guard beside them took a couple of drinks and shook his head, saying, "Young master, those border markets have no rules. The Tartars, the border troops, and those merchants — none of them ever settle down. Someone dies every day. This place may be lively, but it's orderly. There are eyes watching, both in the open and in the shadows."

Sun Chuanting nodded and said with feeling, "At the Datong border markets, the border generals have skimmed off who knows how much. With so many merchants gathering in Xuzhou to trade, this Zhao Jin takes his cut from the middle. He can certainly use that to buy people's hearts."

Mister Tian remained silent. He knew that what his young master had seen during the day had set his mind churning, and now he absolutely had to find some justification.

Just then, the expressions of the household guards sitting together all changed drastically. One man dropped to the ground, while the others tensely rose to their feet, startling the group next to them. The one with his ear to the ground listened for a moment, then said in a lowered voice, "At least eighty riders approaching."

"Could it be horse bandits?" Under the combined effects of alarm and alcohol, Mister Tian's voice came out louder than intended.

At his startled question, the surrounding area fell quiet for a moment, then erupted in laughter. Someone immediately asked the question they'd heard so often these past two days: "This is your first time in Xuzhou, isn't it?"

Without waiting for them to ask further, the man continued on his own: "It's just Master Jin's cavalry unit on night patrol. On Xuzhou soil, where would there still be bandits? Whoever dares cause trouble here was blind in their last life."

Despite these words, Sun Chuanting and his men dared not relax. A moment later, even without pressing an ear to the ground, they could hear the thunder of hooves approaching from one direction. Outside the inn, some guests began to panic, while others, seemingly accustomed to it, laughed.

When traveling abroad, no amount of caution was excessive. Sun Chuanting and Mister Tian had both risen. The household guards surrounded them, quietly discussing which way to flee — their escape route already chosen. At that moment, over a dozen staff members rushed out from the inn, holding torches and lanterns, peering out as they waited. By now, the sky had darkened. One household guard muttered under his breath, "Could this be a setup between the inn and horse bandits?"

"With so many people coming from north and south, and so many outsiders not worried, it probably isn't," Mister Tian said quietly. But they still had to be as cautious as necessary.

A while later, the cavalry unit arrived. Faintly, they could hear someone at the front shouting: "... Fourth Squad and Fifth Squad..."

Some of the inn staff also called out loudly in reply: "The dispatch has arrived here. Please report the final line of the dispatch."

"Autumn sky, high and clear!" came the cryptic reply. Torches and lanterns swayed as the cavalry unit gradually approached. Seeing this, those who had been uneasy now sat back down. Only Sun Chuanting's group remained standing. By now, it was no longer worry about collusion between inside and outside, but pure curiosity.

At this point, Sun Chuanting's household guards were no longer so tense. Looking around, they noticed a few things. One man said quietly, "Their rules here are strict. Turns out the inn was already prepared. There are men with weapons guarding several positions. Even if it really were horse bandits, they might not have the upper hand."

In front of the inn, the cavalry riders dismounted one after another. Guided by the staff, they led their horses toward the rear courtyard. The riders seemed relaxed; some talked and laughed loudly, while others casually eyed the merchants and travelers on the open ground.

"These aren't quite as good as I imagined, but they're not bad. It's rare to see their horse tack so complete..." one of Sun Chuanting's guards remarked.

At his words, someone immediately retorted: "You call this not good? You'd have to compare them to the personal retinues and elite soldiers of a Regional Commander or Vice General. Put them in Datong or Shanxi, and they'd be considered up to standard."

"... Have you noticed? Even though they ride horses, their equipment looks like that of infantry?" The household guards debated endlessly. Sun Chuanting listened intently. He knew these household guards sent by his family were all former border troops. Besides their martial skill, they were experienced and knowledgeable in all matters military.

Just then, they heard someone in the cavalry unit call out. But the words were not in Chinese. Another man immediately answered back in stiff, awkward Mandarin: "Have you forgotten the rules? Speak Mandarin!"

The one who had called out earlier ducked his head and hastily switched back to clearly unpracticed Chinese.

"Tartars, actually?" one household guard said grimly. Having served in the border armies and fought the Mongol tribes of the steppe, they could naturally understand those words. Tartars here in the interior, serving as household troops — what on earth was going on?

This time it was Mister Tian who spoke. Frowning, Mister Tian said, "What's there to make a fuss about? In Taiyuan Prefecture and Datong Prefecture, are households that keep Tartar servants really so few? Is a Tartar serving as the lady of the house really so rare?"

That household guard paused, then smacked his lips and said with a sheepish laugh, "That's true enough. In Datong and Xuanfu, there are no fewer than five Tartars serving as Battalion Commanders and Mobile Corps Commanders. What am I making a fuss about?"

The household guard captain, however, had picked up on something else. He said in a deep voice, "Young master, Mister Tian, this humble one now understands why the inn keeps horses. It's being used as a post station and a military depot. Horses rest and feed here, and can even be exchanged."

Sun Chuanting nodded, then froze. Lowering his voice, he asked, "In a mere Xuzhou, what does he intend to do with all this?"

"Young master!" Mister Tian cautioned. Sun Chuanting pressed on: "Just what is this Zhao Jin trying to do?"

Mister Tian nudged Sun Chuanting with his elbow and said, with slightly more emphasis, "Young master, there are too many eyes and ears here. Whatever needs to be said, say it on the road tomorrow."

Only then did Sun Chuanting come to his senses. He let out a long breath, nodded, and said, "It's getting late. We have to travel tomorrow. Everyone get some rest early."

When they rose early the next day to resume their journey, they could already feel the weather turning cooler. With the experience of the previous two days, one might have thought there would be nothing new today. Yet Sun Chuanting's party was still shocked by the official road, which was even more bustling than before. This time, they paid attention to the accents of the merchants on the road — they truly came from everywhere. Nor were they the only ones astonished; many others were equally shaken.

"... Ever since the Grand Canal fell into disuse, hasn't Xuzhou been in decline? How can it still be so prosperous?" They heard this question, or words to that effect, countless times along the way.

Although they had said last night that they would discuss it today, no one brought up the topic of what Zhao Jin was trying to do. They simply pressed onward.

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