Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Arrival
"I wouldn’t say we came here for nothing."
"You can help me search this stronghold and save me some time."
Han Yuan smiled.
Soon.
Everyone began to search the stronghold.
With the bandits’ corpses lying all around, the men from Zheng Family Village didn’t dare to pocket anything for themselves, afraid Han Yuan would cut them down with a single strike.
As was his custom, Han Yuan began searching the bodies of Cao Liang and his men.
Perhaps because they’d been roused in the middle of the night, he didn’t find a single valuable item on them.
Han Yuan could only shake his head in resignation and headed straight for Cao Liang’s room.
The chieftain’s room was, of course, the most spacious one.
There, Han Yuan found several silver notes and a box filled with gold and silver jewelry.
Each of the silver notes was for three hundred taels.
’Looks like tonight really wasn’t a waste after all.’
Han Yuan chuckled to himself.
By the time he returned to the stronghold’s main hall,
the villagers from Zheng Family Village had already brought in several heavy wooden chests.
They were all filled with strings of copper coins.
Han Yuan lost interest after one glance.
’I wonder if all these chests combined are even worth one hundred taels of silver.’
In addition to the chests, Zheng He handed over some other valuables.
After Han Yuan tallied everything up, the total haul came to just over two thousand taels of silver.
As for the copper coins, he simply told the villagers of Zheng Family Village to divide them amongst themselves.
To the villagers, this was a fortune. Hearing his words, their faces lit up with joy.
As he left,
Han Yuan set a fire, burning the entire Black Wind Stronghold to the ground.
...
「The next day.」
Han Yuan bid farewell to Zheng He early in the morning and left Zheng Family Village.
Zhang Cang was leaving as well. He was heading to the next village to continue diagnosing and treating the sick.
"Daoist Zhang, why do you look so preoccupied?"
Han Yuan asked, puzzled.
"I just feel... in these troubled times... that healing the sick and saving people seems... useless."
"If you hadn’t been there last night... the old village chief would be dead, the girl would have lost her virtue, and Black Wind Stronghold would still be terrorizing the area..."
"And yet I couldn’t do anything."
Zhang Cang said, shaking his head.
"Daoist Zhang... you’re overthinking it."
Han Yuan smiled.
"I’m not overthinking things. I’ve realized that practicing medicine cannot save the world."
"Perhaps... my path is the wrong one."
Zhang Cang said with conviction.
"Then what kind of path do you want to walk?"
Han Yuan asked.
"I don’t know... Perhaps I just haven’t seen enough of the world."
"I want to travel more... When I’ve seen more, perhaps I’ll find my answer."
Zhang Cang said softly.
"Mm."
"I believe you will find it."
Han Yuan nodded.
"Brother Han, until we meet again."
Zhang Cang gave Han Yuan a salute in the tradition of the Taoist School, then turned and departed.
Watching his retreating figure, Han Yuan’s eyes flickered with thought.
’Someone with Zhang Cang’s compassionate nature is bound to become more lost and conflicted in these troubled times.’
’But everyone has their own path to walk.’
Han Yuan didn’t dwell on it. He swung himself onto his horse and rode toward Cangshui County.
...
The days that followed were a blur of dusty travel for Han Yuan, with little rest.
What he saw along the way grew increasingly alarming.
Everywhere he went, bandits ran rampant, and the people lived in misery.
Occasionally, he would see corpses left to rot in the wilderness along the main road.
’I thought things were only bad because Qingshui County is so remote, but it seems it’s the same everywhere.’
One day, he came across several corpses hanging from trees. Some were even skinned, dripping blood.
’Clearly the brutal handiwork of bandits.’
He shook his head and urged his horse onward.
「Several days later.」
As he neared the County Town, the situation improved slightly.
There weren’t as many bandits running rampant. Large tracts of fertile farmland flanked the main road, where many farmers toiled under the scorching sun, harvesting their crops.
Han Yuan gave it only a passing glance, not paying it much mind.
’If it were this chaotic even near the County Town, then things would be truly hopeless.’
By afternoon,
a massive city appeared before Han Yuan’s eyes.
The great city was built along the Cangjiang River, resembling a colossal beast crouching at the water’s edge to drink.
The stream of people before the city gates was endless, forcing everyone to line up to enter.
The crowd was a motley mix of all sorts of people.
You could see people from every walk of life.
"No riding horses in the city, no drawing weapons."
"Are the rules clear?"
The Captain guarding the gate eyed Han Yuan’s long saber, his horse, and his travel-worn appearance, and called out a warning.
Right now, Han Yuan looked no different from one of those Rangers.
In the eyes of the Government Office, Rangers were the most difficult people to manage.
They were wild and unruly, prone to impulsive violence. They’d draw their blades at the slightest provocation, often causing bloodshed.
And they were difficult to apprehend afterward.
"I understand the rules."
Han Yuan nodded lightly.
"HYA!"
Just then,
a young master came riding up on a snow-white stallion.
The stallion was large and powerful, its hooves flying at incredible speed.
The next moment,
the young master galloped straight into the County Town.
None of the city guards, not even the Captain, made any move to stop him.
"Why can he ride his horse into the city?"
Han Yuan asked with a frown.
"Kid, that’s the Third Young Master of the Huang Family."
"According to the laws of the County Government Office... members of the Five Great Noble Families are permitted to ride their horses in the city."
"And another thing... I advise you not to pick a fight with anyone from the Five Great Noble Families."
"They’re allowed to draw their weapons inside the city, too."
The Captain sneered.
"Is that so..."
Han Yuan looked thoughtful.
’It seems that in Cangshui County, the members of the Noble Families have far more privileges than ordinary people.’
’And these privileges are flaunted openly, with no attempt at concealment.’
Leading his horse into Cangshui County, Han Yuan found himself on a vast street, wide enough for several large carriages to travel abreast.
The street was flanked by all sorts of multi-story buildings and shops, each radiating an old-world charm.
The pedestrians moving to and fro were as dense as a tide.
Many people were dressed in fine silks and brocades.
The bustling, prosperous atmosphere was palpable.
Han Yuan had never felt anything like this in Qingshui County.
’So this is the County Town.’
’It’s truly magnificent.’
Han Yuan took in the sights with great interest.
"Sir, are you looking for lodging?"
Seeing Han Yuan’s dusty appearance, a middle-aged man with a beard, dressed in simple cloth, sidled up to him.
"Yes."
"I’m looking for the Longsheng Inn."
"Do you know the way?"
Han Yuan asked.
"Longsheng Inn?"
"Just turn right on the next street."
"Sir, you should consider our Changchang Inn instead. I guarantee it’s better than the Longsheng Inn,"
the middle-aged man pitched zealously.
"No, thank you."
Han Yuan casually tossed him a piece of broken silver and led his horse away.
Soon,
he arrived in front of a three-story inn.
It wasn’t mealtime, so only a few patrons were scattered about the inn’s lobby, chatting over tea and snacks.
A portly Shopkeeper was slumped over the counter, fast asleep and muttering in his dreams.
"Shopkeeper."
Han Yuan called out softly.
The portly Shopkeeper didn’t hear him at all; in fact, his snores grew even louder.
