3: Chapter 3 Leaving the Village

When he returned home, the firewood in the stove had long since burned out.

Accompanied by some pickles, Lin Qing finished a large bowl of cold congee in a few gulps and began tidying up the house.

Although he didn't plan on coming back, this was, after all, the place where his predecessor had lived for over a decade. Every plant and tree was tied to the original owner's memories of growing up; he couldn't just leave without a word, so he had to put the house in order.

He organized the scattered odds and ends, swept away the dust, and straightened the worn-out tables and chairs. He then gently placed the broken hunting knife his father had left behind on the table, serving as a farewell to his predecessor's past.

After being busy for half a day, the house gradually became neat. Looking at the orderly room before him, Lin Qing slowly let go of the last trace of attachment in his heart.

After all that exertion, hunger struck again, so Lin Qing simply prepared a rare feast for himself.

He found the last piece of cured meat and the two remaining eggs in the house. He carefully washed and sliced them, gave them a simple stir-fry, and cooked a full pot of dry white rice.

These foods were inconvenient to carry on a long journey and would easily spoil. Consuming them before leaving ensured his father's belongings wouldn't go to waste and allowed him to nourish his frail body, gathering some strength for the road ahead.

As the sky grew dark, twilight enveloped the entire Wuming Village, and faint lights flickered in every household.

Lin Qing sat in the room, and a faint sense of unease rose in his heart. The image of Lin Hu's family and their insatiable greed from earlier that day surfaced in his mind.

He guessed that since they had seized the three acres of fertile land, they might not be easily satisfied. It was highly likely they would target the few taels of silver he had received from selling the land during the night.

After much consideration, Lin Qing decided not to take any risks by staying in the house.

He carefully wrapped the dozen or so taels of silver and hid them inside his inner robe. Then, he simply packed his essential spare clothes into a small bundle and quietly slipped out the door.

Not far from the house was a massive haystack that villagers usually piled up to feed livestock; it was both hidden and safe. He crouched down and crawled into a gap in the haystack, planning to make do there for the night. This would allow him to avoid Lin Hu while resting enough to start his journey early in the morning.

Sure enough, just after the Hour of the Dog, when the night was as dark as spilled ink, a sneaky black shadow crept into his small courtyard. Although their face couldn't be seen by the one or two remaining distant lights, their silhouette was exceptionally clear—it had to be Lin Hu.

Perhaps after getting closer and realizing there were no lights or sounds of breathing inside, Lin Hu concluded no one was home. He stopped trying to hide his movements and pushed open the dilapidated door, rummaging through the house. The sounds of moving furniture and clattering objects were particularly jarring; even from a distance, Lin Qing, hiding in the haystack, could hear them clearly.

Lin Qing lay quietly in the haystack, watching everything. The warmth in his heart slowly turned cold.

He was already weak and alone, and he had already suffered a loss by selling the land during the day. He hadn't wanted to cause more trouble with Lin Hu, only hoping to leave Wuming Village peacefully to study martial arts in the county town. He had even planned not to pursue today's matters in the future.

But Lin Hu was insatiable. Not content with getting the land, he actually tried to steal all of Lin Qing's money overnight. It was practically an attempt to drive him to a dead end.

Rage surged in his heart, but Lin Qing clenched his fists tightly and forced it down.

His body was currently frail, and he lacked the strength to even truss a chicken. He was no match for the physically robust Lin Hu. Rushing out to argue would not only fail to retrieve anything but would also lead to being bullied by Lin Hu, and even the silver on his person might be stolen, completely destroying his hopes of going to the county town.

Lack of patience in small matters upsets great plans. At this moment, endurance was the wisest choice.

The sounds of rummaging continued for nearly an hour. Lin Hu left the house in a mess but never found a single copper coin. In the end, he only spat in frustration, cursed under his breath, and turned to leave, his figure quickly vanishing into the depths of the night.

Only after Lin Hu had completely disappeared and silence returned to the surroundings did Lin Qing breathe a sigh of relief. He still didn't return to the house.

The night chill grew heavier. He curled up in the haystack, listening to the chirping of insects. Exhaustion washed over him, and he unknowingly fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking and a sliver of light appeared on the horizon, the village was still shrouded in morning mist, and most villagers had not yet woken up.

Lin Qing rose from the haystack, brushed off the straw, shouldered his already packed bundle, took a deep look at the house where he had lived for over a decade, and turned to walk straight toward the village entrance.

He stood waiting under the old locust tree at the village entrance. Before long, he heard the sound of hooves and voices from within the village. A group was seen slowly approaching from the depths of the village.

This herb-gathering team had returned from Qingyang Mountain yesterday. Since it was too late to travel, they had stayed overnight at the Village Chief's house. The Village Chief's house had plenty of guest rooms and provided lodging for passing hunters and merchants year-round for a small fee, making it convenient for travelers.

This team was more organized than expected. At the front were two calmly composed herbalists dressed in plain cloth robes; they were clearly veterans of many years of gathering and identifying herbs.

Behind the herbalists followed four apprentices, aged sixteen or seventeen. Each carried a small herb basket and had a trowel and medicine pouch hanging from their waist. Though they looked youthful, their movements were efficient, clearly out for experience with their Master.

In the middle of the team were three sturdy horses, their backs loaded with tightly bound baskets of herbs. The baskets were filled with fresh herbs collected yesterday, wrapped in coarse cloth to protect them from moisture.

On both sides of the team were five guards. Four were burly and physically strong, ordinary men accustomed to hard labor and possessing brute strength, responsible for watching the packhorses and handling chores.

At the very back was a Martial Artist dressed in dark, form-fitting attire, with a short saber at his waist and sharp eyes. He exuded a faint sense of pressure and was the team's only Martial Artist guard.

Such a team could almost be said to move through the outskirts of Qingyang Mountain as if it were uninhabited. They could handle ordinary tigers, leopards, and wolves; they only needed to be wary of Vicious Beasts that might wander out from the depths of Qingyang Mountain.

Seeing this, Lin Qing immediately tidied his clothes and stepped forward to greet them. He bowed to the leading herbalist with a respectful and sincere attitude: "Seniors, this Junior is Lin Qing from this village. I am heading to Qingyang County and fear encountering danger alone. I wonder if you would allow me to travel with your team. I will certainly be well-behaved and won't cause any trouble. Additionally, I am willing to pay a small amount of silver for the travel expenses."

The leading herbalist stopped, and the apprentices beside him also looked over, sizing up the thin youth before them.

Seeing that he was polite and had clear eyes, not appearing to be a wicked person, and considering he was a local for whom traveling alone was indeed dangerous, the leading herbalist exchanged glances with the other herbalist and the guards. After receiving silent approval, he spoke gently.

"It's no matter. We are already setting off for the county town. If you can keep up, then come along. My Huichun Hall won't take money from a young lad for such a small thing."

"Thank you, Senior!" Lin Qing thanked him quickly and took his place at the end of the line, following behind the apprentices. He was quiet and well-behaved, not pushing or shoving.

The apprentices occasionally spoke in low voices about identifying herbs and organizing baskets. Lin Qing listened silently without interrupting. The Martial Artist guard scanned the surrounding woods from time to time, while the four burly guards were spread out on both sides of the team, watching the packhorses and herbs. The team progressed steadily and orderly.

Following the team, Lin Qing looked at the receding Wuming Village. Recalling the humiliation of last night, the determination in his eyes grew even stronger. On this trip to the county town, he had to enter a martial arts hall, practice the Dao of martial arts well, and never let anyone bully him again.

Walking out along the mountain path, the morning mist slowly dissipated, and the road leading to Qingyang County gradually unfolded before his eyes.