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墨書 Inktalez
The elders often say that when the door is closed, it will rain all night. This means that if it starts to rain in the evening, it can last throughout the night. The humid air in the mountains made Luzi feel sluggish, and the chaotic atmosphere in the room only added to his frustration. However, cooking takes time, so he simply picked up a cup of tea that seemed to be brewed with leaves and began to inspect how many cracks were on the bowl.
Why is it taking so long to cook in this kitchen? What time is it!? Are they really growing vegetables in the field? The Captain of the Guards glanced at the door at the side of the counter, just about to get up and urge them when he was stopped by a look from Luzi. Thirteen was still busy feeding horses in the backyard and hadn't come over yet; it was better for the dishes to be served slowly so they wouldn't get cold. According to their old custom, everyone had to be present before they could eat.
A deafening thunderclap sounded outside again, causing ripples in the murky tea he was holding. The tremor of the earth was surprisingly strong! Lu Zizheng wondered if there would be an earthquake but suddenly realized that everything around him had fallen silent. Noticing that everyone's gaze was directed toward the same spot, he turned around to find that a dozen soldiers from the State of Chu were standing at the entrance.
Oh no! The pursuers have arrived! The Captain of the Guards also saw these Soldiers and instinctively reached for the weapon hidden in his bundle. It seemed they might have to fight right here; where on earth was that troublesome Thirteen!? Were they really surrounded?
In these times of chaos and disorder, going out meant living with a constant threat. This led to a situation that was more tragic than humorous, leaving people both amused and exasperated. It wasn't a big deal to encounter bandits while traveling; what one must absolutely avoid is running into government troops who are supposed to protect the common people. Why is that? Because those so-called bandits are often just poor folks who can't make ends meet. After all, they are all impoverished individuals, and instances of robbing from the rich to give to the poor are rare. When encountering such illegal organizations, as long as one identifies themselves as a commoner, they can usually avoid trouble. Even if a fight breaks out, there’s still a chance for a safe escape.
However, encountering government soldiers is different; they are well-equipped and act swiftly. Although they may lose more than they win against regular armies, when it comes to dealing with civilians, they are guaranteed victories. Moreover, there are rumors of soldiers killing civilians for credit; their social image is easy to imagine. If one were to resist during a robbery by them, it’s best to be mentally prepared for a life on the run from then on. To dare confront government troops is tantamount to treason; there’s no place to seek justice! However, this group of Officials seemed to be on official business; otherwise, they wouldn’t be acting this way. As long as they weren’t here to conscript men or collect tolls, it would be best not to provoke them. The group of Wanderers at the table naturally understood this and fell silent once more.
Locally, martial customs allow individuals to carry weapons openly. Even if someone walks through a bustling market with a spear or sword on their back, as long as there’s no fighting or brawling, no one will intervene. The Officer among the Soldiers, standing in the middle of them, glanced coldly at the weapons leaning against several tables but merely snorted heavily without further comment. Noticing two empty tables against the wall in the hall nearby and sizing up Luzi, he waved his hand at his subordinate Soldiers. Seeing that Waiter stood frozen in place with a trembling demeanor blocking their path, he raised his hand and slapped him away.
“Get out of the way! Bring all the good food and drink over here! Damn it! This cursed weather has forced me out here on duty; I’ll make sure you’re chopped into pieces!”
The table chosen by the soldiers happened to be right next to where Luzi was sitting; if another table filled up next door, they would almost be back-to-back. The Captain of the Guards wanted to switch places with his master but saw Luzi merely shake his head slightly. Trouble often comes uninvited; how could one possibly avoid it!? This was on enemy territory in Chu; even if they escaped now, there would be no way out.
The Innkeeper, seeing that a group of soldiers had arrived, simply hid behind the counter and didn’t dare come out. From their tone, these gentlemen were clearly angry; it would be best not to go over and provoke them unnecessarily. He quietly urged Waiter to move quickly and then pretended to go to the restroom before disappearing.
With these soldiers present in the hall, even those few tables of Wanderers across from them dared not shout or gamble anymore. The already oppressive atmosphere felt even heavier now, making everyone afraid to breathe too loudly. Observing this scene, Luzi couldn’t help but shake his head with a light sigh. The purpose of maintaining an army is supposed to be for protecting civilians; who would have thought it would come to this? Without support from Public Sentiment, an army composed solely of conscripts would have little combat effectiveness.
The number of intruding soldiers was considerable; sitting at two tables made things feel cramped. Several Soldiers raised large teacups for a hearty drink and felt their hunger pangs when they spotted Waiter carrying dishes intending to pass by them. They were nearly starving—where do you think you’re running off to!? A few exchanged glances and stood up to block Waiter’s path.
The waiter, realizing he couldn't avoid the situation any longer, explained that the dish belonged to the two at the neighboring table. "You'll have to wait a bit longer; it will be ready soon."
Wow! What a bold guy!
Everyone present was astonished that the waiter dared to speak to an official in such a manner, and they couldn't help but feel nervous for him. He was so young and seemingly unaware of the danger he was in, likely still dazed from the slap he had received earlier. It was none of their business, and besides, they were dealing with soldiers! So, while they admired his courage, they chose to ignore the expected consequences.
"Hey! Is it raining today or something?" one soldier said as he reached out and placed his weapon on the waiter's shoulder, asking, "I didn't quite catch what you just said. Could you repeat that for me?"
Lu Zi realized this situation was getting out of hand and quickly stood up to mediate. "This waiter! We're not in a hurry; just serve these officials first."
Seeing someone daring to act so recklessly, several soldiers at the neighboring table stood up and shouted loudly, "Sit down! This is none of your business! If you keep talking back, you'll regret it!"
Lu Zi was used to being surrounded by attendants and had never encountered such a situation before. He found himself momentarily stunned, unsure of how to handle it.
The waiter clearly didn't care about the threatening weapon hovering nearby; he bit his lip to hold back tears. The room was filled with rough characters, but there was only one good person—himself, a frail scholar. His bright eyes suddenly became moist as he made up his mind. "This is clearly the dish they ordered! You're hungry, but so are they!"
Seeing their companion falter, several soldiers began to shout loudly. "Kill him! Kill him!"
The soldier holding the sword felt even more pressured and without hesitation drew his sword to strike.
With a loud clang, just as blood seemed imminent, something deflected the blade away. The sword missed its target and knocked off the waiter's hat, revealing a head full of long hair.
The soldier who had lost control didn’t even care whether the person in front of him was male or female; he shouted loudly, "Brothers! There's a thief! Grab your weapons and attack!"
In fact, this matter did not require his reminder; more than a dozen soldiers had already drawn their weapons and were ready to fight. In broad daylight, how dare they attack the imperial troops!? This was simply the prelude to rebellion!
"Hmph! Is this what my esteemed State of Chu's soldiers are like!? Each one of you is unambitious, not worrying for the country or the people, and now you come here to bully the common folk?" As another group of soldiers appeared at the entrance, parting left and right, a plump man emerged from among them. Seeing this scene, he shouted, "The person across from you is just a frail woman! Merely a scholar! You over a dozen soldiers wielding the nation's weapons—who do you intend to kill?!"
"Stop with the nonsense!" shouted one of the soldiers who was ready to strike. "Who are you? If you have the guts, come over and try it!"
"Impudent!" The soldier standing at the door rebuked. "Daring to speak to our lord like that? You all must be seeking death!"
This plump man clearly did not want to escalate matters further. He waved his hand for everyone to be quiet and shot a glare at his subordinate who had just spoken. He already despised bullying the weak! How did he end up in such a situation while trying to mediate!? Stepping down from the platform, he walked towards the two individuals sitting by the wall.
The officer from the earlier arriving troops had also seen much of the world and felt a sense of shock at the imposing presence of the newcomer. Usually, they were arrogant in their local area because they had never encountered high-ranking officials. Just by observing the soldiers guarding the entrance, who were all in excellent shape, it was clear that this individual must have come from the capital. That was a place that commanded respect; anyone pulled from there would not be insignificant. Seeing him approach, they quickly signaled their subordinates to put away their weapons. They parted to either side and bowed respectfully, saying, "Scoundrel Yang Tianci did not know that you came on official business in such inclement weather; I failed to welcome you properly and deserve severe punishment. Forgive my ignorance; I hope you will overlook it."
The soldiers here were not under the jurisdiction of the capital's military command, so directly punishing them could cause trouble for those responsible for local security. The relationships involved were complex and tangled. Who knew that acting rashly could offend someone's relatives? Maintaining harmony was essential for long-term stability in officialdom; besides, nothing serious had happened here! The plump official nodded and reassured them, "Since it was just a misunderstanding earlier, there’s no need for concern. You may withdraw for now; I still have some matters to attend to."
Having such a high-ranking official explain himself was quite an honor! Usually, even a centurion would be quite imposing; just a glance could send one reeling back. As for being polite? It would be fortunate if they didn’t scold you! Yang Tianci sighed inwardly at how refined officials from the capital were while feeling tears welling up. After hastily expressing sincere apologies once more, he led his subordinates away quickly.
Seeing this exchange unfold harmoniously, Luzi finally couldn't help but laugh heartily after those local soldiers left. Noticing that the plump man had taken a seat across from him, he quietly remarked, "Chunshen Jun truly is an experienced politician! With just a little finger, he can turn major issues into minor ones and minor ones into nothing! I am thoroughly impressed; if you have time, please do share more insights with me."
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