Chapter 033 – A Follower!

Early the next morning, Yan Yu lay curled against Li Yuan, refusing to let him go. It had been a while since they’d shared a moment of quiet in bed at dawn, and the two of them began chatting idly.

Li Yuan asked, “Yan Yu, have you heard of the Blood Blade Sect, or the Wei and Sun families?”

She tightened her arms around his waist. “I’ve heard that the Wei and Sun families are powerful families in the county. As for the Blood Blade Sect...yes, I’ve come across the name before. They seem pretty influential in town.”

Li Yuan continued, “Last month, when I was out, did any tax collectors show up here in Little Ink Village?”

“They did,” she said with a sigh. “One family couldn’t pay, so they took the daughter away. The parents cried and pleaded, but the collectors ignored them.”

Hearing that, Li Yuan pieced some things together. Most common folk had no idea how complicated the local power structure really was. It occurred to him that these so-called tax collectors were likely working for those same families or the sect. They just happened to wear official uniforms. It was a lot like how Cai Ze was simultaneously a Blood Blade Sect disciple and a county bailiff.

He felt a heaviness settle over him. Cai Ze’s words kept echoing in his mind.

Even if the Red Lotus Rebels break through Gemhill County, they still won’t touch Silver Creek... This empire is really just the largest martial force under the heavens, and it was only the largest in the early days of its founding... When the Red Lotus Rebels sack the county, they’ll loot and burn everything in sight.

A growing sense of urgency pressed down on him, as though the true chaos hadn’t even begun. In his previous world’s history, even in eras of low warfare technology, there had been times of brutal disorder, like the period of the Five Barbarians or the Five Dynasties & Ten Kingdoms.

Here, the imperial court openly tolerated entire nations within the nation—powerful sects and clans—while remote mountains housed terrifying dangers of their own. If everything fell apart, what would it look like?

Li Yuan didn’t dare imagine.

I have to pull together enough silver taels fast and move us to Silver Creek,

he thought. Still, he couldn’t just take Cai Ze’s word at face value. He planned to visit the Ginger Tavern in Silver Creek soon to do some investigation himself. If it was still bustling, they’d surely be needing meat, which meant a good chance to sell his game.

With that in mind, Li Yuan rose. As soon as he moved, Yan Yu let her long leg slide off him. “Getting up already?”

He nodded, flipping the blanket off and tugging on his pants. Under the covers, Yan Yu, her eyes bright, lifted the blanket too, briefly revealing her pale skin. “I’ll get up too,” she said with a playful grin. “Oh, by the way, the clothes that smelled like cheap perfume yesterday? I went ahead and washed them. I hope you’re not upset.”

Li Yuan shook his head. “You’re really bringing that up again?”

She rolled her eyes with amused exasperation. “I’m a woman, aren’t I?”

He had to admit she wasn’t wrong. They bantered a bit more as they got dressed. Once ready, Li Yuan headed out to wash up, while Yan Yu stoked the fire to heat some millet porridge and salt-cured meat for breakfast. She’d preserved quite a bit of salted meat thanks to their supply of salt and pork.

They ate quickly, and Li Yuan picked up his bow, ready to leave. Meanwhile, Yan Yu tossed his worn clothes into a wooden basin, grabbed a laundry paddle, and called out to Auntie Wang to join her in the washing.

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Stepping outside, Li Yuan noticed a tall, lanky figure hovering nearby—Tian Bao. The moment Tian Bao saw him, he jogged over.

“Good morning, Li Yuan.”

“What’s the matter?” Li Yuan asked.

“I...I want to follow you,” Tian Bao blurted, head lowered.

His older brother had been conscripted and was almost certainly dead by now. That left only Tian Bao and his ailing father—hardly much of a life. Surrounded by despair, he felt the coming chaos pressing down. Rather than wait to die, he wanted to find something or someone to stake his life on.

“I really mean it,” Tian Bao said. “I know how things work in the jianghu! if I pledge myself to you, my life is yours. Whatever you say, I’ll do. If anyone tries to hurt you, I’ll fight them to the death.”

Li Yuan patted the boy on the shoulder. “Kid, I’m not really part of any gang. What good is following me?”

Tian Bao took a few deep breaths, then spoke softly, “I was the one who went out at night and killed Ma Liu. I knew you were still in Silver Creek, so nobody would suspect you. It couldn’t be pinned on you at all.”

“...” Li Yuan stared at him.

“Please!” Tian Bao suddenly dropped to his knees.

In truth, Li Yuan had planned to kill Ma Liu himself; no matter how discreetly he did it, though, it would still come back to him eventually. Tian Bao’s action had quietly removed that problem. The young man clearly had guts and enough wits to see the bigger picture—qualities useful in a lawless world.

“Was that your first time taking a life?” Li Yuan asked.

Tian Bao nodded. “Yes...”

“How did you feel afterward?”

“Nervous and restless... I couldn’t sleep all night.” His eyes were red, shot through with sleeplessness.

Li Yuan considered for a moment. “I’ll teach you archery. How well you learn is up to you, but once you grasp the skill, you’ll at least have a way to make a living.”

Tian Bao blinked in confusion. “Archery? I don’t even have a bow...and no valid hunting permit.”

“Come with me.”

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

A short while later, Li Yuan led Tian Bao to the home of a local hooligan nicknamed Ah Fei, who used to have a proper hunting permit.

If Li Yuan recalled correctly, that permit originally belonged to Caihua's husband, until Qian San orchestrated his death and stole the permit for Ah Fei.

Afterward, Ah Fei followed the Qian Family around, causing no end of trouble. But since he’d been conscripted, only his family remained in the house. His weapons and permit should still be there.

Li Yuan knocked on the door. No one answered. When he raised his hand to knock again, Tian Bao stepped forward and said, “Let me do it. No need to dirty your hands.”

Taken aback, Li Yuan stepped aside. Tian Bao rushed the door and kicked it hard. The flimsy latch snapped open. Then, pulling a hatchet from behind his back, he stormed inside, hollering, “Hey! My boss knocked, didn’t you hear?”

Li Yuan could only stand there, speechless.

Inside, a middle-aged woman cowered in fear. Moments later, trembling all over, she handed over the hunting permit, a makeshift bow, and some arrows.

Li Yuan tossed two large coins to her. “We’re buying these from your family.”

She hadn’t expected any payment at all. Holding the coins, she stammered her thanks. “Thank you, Li Yuan, thank you...”

Word of yesterday’s events had spread fast. Everyone knew Li Yuan was backed by the local authority. Any attempt to report Ma Liu’s murder had gone nowhere. That said it all. Nobody dared cross him now.

Tian Bao hugged the permit to his chest, beaming as he ran a hand along the rough wooden bow. Li Yuan glanced over at him. Though Tian Bao had never been a thug, he now seemed fired up, determined to change his fate in these troubled times, no matter the cost. Many more people were likely to end up just like him.

“Tian Bao,” Li Yuan said.

“Yes, Boss?”

“When you learn archery from me, remember these words. Stay low-key. Whether you’re still training or already able to use a bow, don’t throw my name around. If you keep acting the way you just did, I won’t teach you anymore. Understood?”

Realizing he’d overstepped, Tian Bao hung his head, mumbling, “I-I’m sorry."

Li Yuan patted him on the shoulder. “All right. Come hunting with me.”

If chaos was coming, Li Yuan needed to earn money as fast as possible. Another pair of hands might help, and with Tian Bao around, Li Yuan wouldn’t have to do everything himself.

The boy also had potential. Li Yuan could keep an eye on him, gauge his reliability. Even if he only served as Li Yuan’s eyes and ears back in Little Ink Town after the move to Silver Creek, it would be worth it.

As for whether Tian Bao might become hard to handle... Li Yuan didn’t think so. He himself was already a ranked martial artist and had more potential to draw on; Tian Bao was just an ordinary kid, not ranked at all. If Li Yuan couldn’t keep someone like him in check, he might as well run headfirst into a brick wall and be done with it.