Chapter 54 - A Small Town in Northern Qiang

As Ye Beizhi started his journey to Luzhou, two people crossed the border and stepped into Northern Qiang.

Xue Qiming took off his hat and scarf, sloughing off layers of sand and dust. He crouched down, brushed the sand from Xue Niang’s collar, and complained, "If I had known there would be so much wind and sand here, I wouldn’t have come... Aren't we just torturing ourselves?"

Xue Niang glanced at him, allowing him to pat her down without saying anything.

"Well, at least we’ve crossed the Gobi Desert..."

Xue Qiming looked around. They seemed to be near a small Northern Qiang town on the border.

There weren’t many people, but the town didn’t seem to be abandoned either. In fact, there were many merchant carts waiting around.

"Let’s find a place to eat first..."

Xue Qiming covered Xue Niang’s head with a hat and casually pulled over a stranger.

"Hey brother, where can we get something to eat?"

Based on his clothing, the man seemed to be from the Central Plains as well, so he was not annoyed when a dusty traveler stopped him.

He looked Xue Qiming up and down and asked, "Are you from the Ruen Dynasty?"

Xue Qiming nodded and cupped his hands in greeting.

The stranger returned the greeting. He pointed in a direction and said, "This is just a small town with limited options for eating. If you go that way, there’s an inn where you can get something to fill your stomach."

Xue Qiming thanked him with a smile and moved to leave. Suddenly, the stranger grabbed his arm, with a conflicted look on his face.

Xue Qiming looked at him in confusion, and asked, "Brother, is there something else?"

The person looked Xue Qiming up and down and asked, "From your appearance, you’re not a merchant, are you?"

"Of course not." Xue Qiming spread his hands in surprise. "What’s the matter?"

The person sighed. "As we’re both from the Ruen Dynasty, let me give you some friendly advice. If you don’t have an imperial merchant certificate, it’s best to not go to Northern Qiang at this time."

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Xue Qiming still didn't understand. "Why can’t we go to Northern Qiang at this time?"

The person looked around to ensure there were no others nearby and then leaned closer to Xue Qiming, speaking in a low voice.

"At this time every year, there are constant skirmishes on the border. Only merchants with certificates stamped by both courts can move freely between the two countries. Those without such certificates are treated as spies and can be executed on the spot!" His eyes widened in emphasis as he spoke.

"Is that so?" Xue Qiming smirked and said, "Then what if I don’t have one?"

"What are you going to Northern Qiang for?" the person asked. "If it’s not urgent, come back next spring."

"Well." Xue Qiming scratched his head, looked down at Xue Niang, and said, "No, I need to go to Northern Qiang."

"Very well, pretend I didn't say anything." The person bowed again to Xue Qiming. "Take care of yourself." With that, he walked away.

Xue Qiming ruffled Xue Niang’s hair and asked, "Hungry?"

Xue Niang shook her head to shake off Xue Qiming’s hand. She pointed to the person they had just spoken with and suggested, "Actually, we could go with him."

Xue Qiming looked in the direction the person had left and saw him get into a merchant’s cart.

Xue Niang said, "He’s a merchant. We could travel safely with him."

"Mm..." Xue Qiming thoughtfully watched the cart disappear into the distance. "You're right... whatever, forget about him."

Xue Qiming noticed Xue Niang pouting at him and smiled.

"It’s fine. Anyway, it's not like anyone can stop us."

Grrr—

Xue Niang looked down at her stomach and then at Xue Qiming.

"Uh... Hungry?"

"Mm..."

"Let’s go," Xue Qiming said as he took Xue Niang’s hand. "Let’s find a place to eat."

The two of them meandered around the town until they found the inn the merchant mentioned. It was really just a thatched hut with a stable where a few thin horses leisurely ate fodder.

Xue Qiming and Xue Niang found a table outside the hut. He knocked on the table and shouted, "Shopkeeper, shopkeeper! Is anyone running this rundown place?"

"What are you screaming for!" someone shouted from inside the thatched hut, "Just eat your meal and stop making a fuss!"

A skinny man came out of the hut, wiped the table with a rag, and looked at Xue Qiming. "Just tell me what you want to eat."

Xue Qiming rapped the table and decided, "First, cook us half a pound of beef."

"We're out."

"What about lamb?"

"Also out."

"Surely you have pork!"

"Hmph, if we had meat to eat, would I be this skinny?"

"Then just stir-fry some vegetables."

"Sorry to break it to you, but we're out."

Xue Qiming slammed the table and shouted, "Damn it, are you kidding me?" He stood up, and glared at the thin man.

The storekeeper idly stuffed his finger in his ear and cleaned it out. He unhurriedly replied, "I told you we're out, so we're out. Feel free to leave if you don't want to eat. This is the only place around for miles."

Xue Qiming was stunned. He looked down at Xue Niang, who was looking up at him. He swallowed what he was about to say and instead asked, "So what do you have then?"

The man draped the rag over his shoulder and said, "Porridge, pickles, and boiled eggs. Take it or leave it."

"Then we'll have that," Xue Qiming said as he sat down.

The man went back into the hut to prepare the food.

Xue Niang removed her hat and placed it on the table. Then she suddenly asked Xue Qiming, "What if we’re mistaken for spies and captured?"

"Hey, how could that happen?" Xue Qiming rubbed some warmth into Xue Niang’s cold and red hand. He grinned and said, "With me around, nobody can capture us."

Xue Niang tilted her head and asked, "But what if a lot of people come?"

"Then I’ll knock them out." Xue Qiming held the girl’s hand to his mouth and breathed on it.

"Are you really that strong?" Xue Niang allowed him to warm up her hand. "Is there no one who can defeat you?"

Xue Qiming paused. A head of snow-white hair flashed through his mind. "Maybe... there is."

No one dared to claim they could defeat him, if that person were willing to draw his sword.

"Hmm... Is it that person from that night?" Xue Niang continued to ask.

"That night?" Xue Qiming was puzzled but soon realized who she was talking about. "Oh... You mean Mute Ye. Uh... he doesn’t count."

"Why not?" Xue Niang tilted her head.

"He doesn’t fight... he only kills."

Xue Niang nodded and silently took note.

"Is there anyone in Northern Qiang who can defeat you?" Xue Niang asked again.

"I’ve never been here before, so how would I know?" Xue Qiming shrugged disdainfully and continued, "But I doubt it..."

Tsk—

The thin shopkeeper came out with two bowls of thin porridge and looked at him scornfully.

"You’re just talking big. Your bragging won't fool anyone other than this little girl."

Xue Qiming turned his head, not wanting to argue with him.

The shopkeeper scoffed, "Anyone from the Qihuang Society could easily crush a nobody like you."

"The Qihuang Society?"