Chapter 536 – The World in Turmoil (Part 6)
Old Ma leisurely pulled the cart along, step by step, step by step, at a pace slow enough to make one drowsy.
Even after half a day’s journey, they hadn’t strayed far from Zhaiyang County, with the Book Boy sitting outside the cart, mumbling under his breath.
“Master, what if the person in charge of Cheng’an County isn’t Zixiao?” he worriedly asked.
Yang Si lifted the curtains on either side, rolling up one side of a book. The writing was elegant and powerful; while it wasn’t a masterpiece, it clearly displayed a good foundation, with a unique charm, quite different from the Book Boy’s conventional writing style.
Hearing the Book Boy’s complaint, he replied, “You’ve got a flair for the dramatic! If it weren’t for my good temper, who knows how much you would suffer. It was you who insisted on coming to Zhaiyang County, and it’s again you who doesn’t want to go to Cheng’an County…”
The Book Boy grumbled, “I’m just worried! We hit a snag in Zhaiyang County, what if we hit another snag in Cheng’an County?”
Traveling outside was perilous, especially with the unstable situation in the North, where the Green Garment Army and the Red Lotus Sect clashed frequently, and the bandits outnumbered the good folks. Their safety in Zhaiyang County didn’t guarantee their safety in Cheng’an County!
Yang Si said, “You’re overthinking! Instead of worrying yourself to death, why not think about what you’ll have for lunch? Your master refuses to eat dry rations.”
The Book Boy grimaced, “It’s already this time, and the master is still picky, he’s hard to please.”
The two of them chatted back and forth, and after about half an hour, they heard the sound of horse hooves approaching from behind.
Yang Si frowned slightly, moving closer to the window to take a look. A young man in clean clothes was galloping towards them on horseback, looking as if he came from a wealthy family, but right now, he seemed to be burning with urgency.
Huang Song saw the slow-moving cart ahead and abruptly pulled on the reins. He peeked through the window and saw a thin man sitting inside, his cheeks slightly plump with a soft expression, and his starry eyes like dark pools. His lips naturally curved upward.
From any angle, this was a warm and amiable man, miles away from the Yang Si Huang Song had imagined.
Then he noticed the half-grown Book Boy outside, dressed in worn clothes patched from various fabrics, wide-eyed as he stared.
“Hey, you… what do you want?” the Book Boy panicked, tightening his grip on the reins.
Seeing the Book Boy, Huang Song recalled what the Doorkeeper had said, his eyes lit up as he looked towards Yang Si.
He clasped his fists and steadied himself, asking, “Could you be Yang Si from Jiangding County, Mr. Yang?”
The Book Boy showed a hint of surprise, but unfortunately, Huang Song’s attention was entirely on Yang Si, missing this small detail.
Yang Si lowered his gaze, putting down the book, and replied calmly, “My surname is Zhao; you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
Huang Song felt a wave of disappointment but apologized to Yang Si before whipping the horse and moving on.
Once the young man was out of sight, the Book Boy whispered, “Master, that was…”
Yang Si confidently interjected, “Huang Song.”
The Book Boy perked up but soon deflated, “Then why did the master deny it?”
Yang Si explained, “He’s still too young and impulsive. Your master is an old bone and can’t tolerate such antics.”
The Book Boy decided not to pry further; if his master wasn’t satisfied, it must be for good reason.
In fact, Yang Si was quite pleased with Huang Song chasing after them. If a few more years passed and Huang Song matured, he believed the young man might be worth considering.
To be able to overlook past grudges and pursue them like that was worth more than a dozen Changshou Wangs.
Yang Si said, “Let’s wait a few more years. He might just be a potential dragon. For now… we head to Cheng’an County to find Zixiao and reclaim what’s owed. We can stay for a couple of years; if Huang Song doesn’t go off track, we’ll come back to Zhaiyang County.”
Even finding a wise master required timing.
Yang Si was indeed satisfied with Huang Song, but the timing wasn’t right, so he wouldn’t return.
The Book Boy was left reeling by his master’s deductions but knew he just had to follow orders.
Huang Song searched on horseback for an entire afternoon but did not come across Yang Si and his Book Boy amidst the crowd.
When he finally realized, he kicked himself—those two must have been Yang Si and his companion!
Feng Jue noticed Huang Song returning dejectedly and, upon inquiring what happened, learned why Huang Song hadn’t stopped them.
He sighed, “That Yang Si will probably be irritated now.”
Huang Song felt unpleasant, critiquing Yang Si’s way of toying with people.
He said, “Their cart couldn’t travel fast; if we sent soldiers, we could have intercepted them.”
Feng Jue furrowed his brows, feeling exhausted, “Just let it go. If their hearts aren’t in it, what’s the use in stopping them?”
Had it not been for the Doorkeeper’s meddling, Yang Si would have surely ended up under their banner. But alas, such a blunder had occurred.
Truly talented individuals tend to be prideful and independent.
After being kept at bay for three days, Feng Jue found himself fuming, especially considering his earlier issues with Huang Song.
With Feng Jue saying this, Huang Song could only dejectedly give up.
Traveling north, the number of refugees they saw multiplied several times, yet their faces bore no signs of despair or numbness.
This left the Book Boy and Yang Si astonished.
Upon questioning, they learned that these refugees were heading to Cheng’an County, Maolin County, and Jiao Ping County.
“They’re hiring over there, providing three meals a day. At least you won’t starve… I’ve heard if you perform well, you might even get promoted and rewarded. If you settle in the county town, you can get your own land and rent a house…”
Many refugees spoke about this, and aside from a bit of skepticism, there was a renewed hope for their future.
Yang Si and his Book Boy gradually approached Cheng’an County, where they could see people working on the city wall from a distance. Despite over a month having passed, the scars of the previous siege were still evident. The Book Boy couldn’t grasp it, but Yang Si understood the implications.
Outside the city, many refugees waited, and entering it provided two separate paths: one for the residents, and the other for the refugees.
Cheng’an County had become a place where one had to tread cautiously, every step filled with danger. The guards within the city weren’t as powerful as outsiders believed. If a troublesome person mixed in among the refugees, it could spark chaos. Thus, strict scrutiny was applied to the refugee entry.
Even among the refugees, the officials inspecting were split into two groups.
One group was men, and the other women. Refugees had to line up, divided by gender, for examination, registration, and verification.
The Book Boy didn’t join the crowd of refugees; instead, he headed for the open, tall city gate.
As expected, they were stopped.
The Book Boy said, “My master and I are not refugees; we are here looking for someone.”
The City Gate Guard asked, “Looking for someone?”
The Book Boy replied politely, “We seek the person in charge of Cheng’an County, Wei Ci, or Mr. Zixiao.”
He felt a bit anxious—what if they couldn’t even get through the city gate this time?
