Chapter 65

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This chapter is edited by Geofem. Thank you for your contribution!

Chapter 65: On the Road

It was already mid-April, and the weather was noticeably hot. After walking for a while, Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua were drenched in sweat.

Initially, both of them were preoccupied with the thoughts of their family and didn’t talk much. They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

But after some time, their mood began to lighten. With the bright scenery around them, their spirits lifted, smiles appeared on their faces, and they started to converse more.

Watching the occasional horse pass by, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but ask Zhang Xiaohu, “Second Brother, it’s a long way from Guo Village to Pingyang City. How long will it take us to get there?”

Zhang Xiaohu looked at Zhang Xiaohua and smiled, saying, “It’s a journey of several hundred li. If we just rely on walking, it will probably take us seventy to eighty days.”

Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback and said, “Why so long? By the time we get to Pingyang City, it’ll be autumn.”

Zhang Xiaohu replied, “Of course, we can’t walk the whole way. Didn’t you hear Mr. Liu say there are carriages from Lu Town to Pingyang City? Once we get to Lu Town, we’ll find a carriage to Pingyang City and pay the fare. Otherwise, by the time we walk there, it will indeed be autumn. Our clothes won’t be sufficient, let alone our shoes. It’s obvious you didn’t listen carefully when Mr. Liu was talking.”

Zhang Xiaohua blushed and mumbled, “I don’t know when Mr. Liu said that. How come I didn’t hear it?”

As they talked and walked, they didn’t feel lonely. By noon, they had reached Lu Town.

Since the New Year, this was Zhang Xiaohua’s first time in Lu Town. Seeing the bustling streets, his mind was flooded with thoughts. He unexpectedly found himself daydreaming, his mind becoming clear and empty, and there was a little flicker in his eyes. The events of the past six months flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern, and his once naive heart gradually matured, shedding its youthful greenness.

After walking a few steps, Zhang Xiaohu noticed that Zhang Xiaohua hadn’t kept up. He turned back, patted Zhang Xiaohua on the shoulder, and said, “What are you standing there for? This isn’t your first time here. You can daydream when we get to Pingyang City.”

The pat woke Zhang Xiaohua from his reverie. He smiled self-deprecatingly and said, “It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I was just thinking. I don’t know what happened to those bullies; I hope we won’t bump into each other.”

Zhang Xiaohu cautiously looked around and said, “Hmm, you never know. Lu Town is a small place; it’s very possible we might run into them.”

Zhang Xiaohua looked at Zhang Xiaohu and said, “Don’t worry, Second Brother. Even if we do run into them, they might not recognize us. After all, their attention was mostly on Sister-in-law and Great Hero Wen that day.”

Zhang Xiaohu realized he might be overreacting a bit, but he still said, “Better safe than sorry. Let’s find the carriage company quickly. The sooner we leave, the safer we’ll be.”

After asking for directions, they hurried to the “Jichi” Carriage Company located on the west side of Lu Town. Upon inquiry, they learned that the morning carriage had already departed and that the last one for the day would leave in half an hour. Zhang Xiaohu quickly asked about the fare, reserved two seats, and finally felt at ease. Although the cost of a few silver pieces made his heart ache, he was relieved that they wouldn’t have to walk the entire way. He carefully took out his money pouch from his waist and paid.

[TL_Note: Jichi=Rapid Ride]

Not daring to wander too far, they sat under a nearby tree. They opened their bundles and took out some of the dry food their mother had prepared, ate quickly to fill their stomachs, and then asked for some water from the carriage company. They quietly sat under the tree, waiting for the departure time.

Soon enough, it was time to depart. The other passengers began to gather. Including the Zhang brothers, there were seven people in total: an elderly couple, a middle-aged woman with a young girl, and a young scholar.

When the carriage arrived, Zhang Xiaohu was astonished. Having never traveled far, he had never seen such a large carriage. It was about five or six times the size of the donkey carts commonly used in Guo Village and was pulled by two horses. As they lifted the curtain and entered the carriage, Zhang Xiaohua curiously looked around. Inside, there were eight small square tables arranged in an interlaced manner with small cushions beside them, presumably for sitting. The front and sides of the carriage had windows with curtains that could be opened. There was nothing particularly special about the other things, though the cushions were somewhat worn. But Zhang Xiaohua didn’t mind these details. He found a cushion by the window and sat down, with Xiaohu sitting beside him.

The others also found their seats. The scholar, however, frowned as he looked around. Carefully, he took a white cloth from his bag, laid it on his cushion, and then finally sat down, though he still seemed uncomfortable. He looked around, and when he saw the small table by the window where Xiaohua was sitting, his eyes lit up. He said to Zhang Xiaohua, “Little brother, when the carriage starts moving, I’d like to read a book. The light here is not good. Could you switch seats with me?”

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t mind. He wasn’t planning on reading and had chosen the window seat just to look outside. Seeing that the scholar had picked the outermost seat and lifted the curtain behind him, it seemed like he wouldn’t have enough light to read. So, he smiled and nodded, getting up to switch places. The scholar was delighted and thanked him with a cupped fist gesture before sitting down.

Once everyone was seated, a worker from the carriage company opened the curtain and invited a strong man with a knife hanging from his waist to take the last seat. The worker addressed everyone: “This gentleman is Master Wang, hired to ensure your safety during the journey. If you have any issues, just let him know.”

The burly man cupped his hands and said, “I am Wang Qisheng; please take care of me on this journey.”

Then, an elderly man with a slightly hunched back and a face full of wrinkles, holding a long whip, stepped out from behind the carriage worker. He smiled and said, “I’m the coachman. Wishing you all a safe trip.” With that, he walked away, flicking his whip.

The carriage worker laughed: “That’s just Coachman Wang’s personality. Don’t mind him. Have a pleasant journey.”

He lowered the curtain, and the carriage began to move slowly.

Zhang Xiaohua watched the receding ground through the curtain lifted by the wind, feeling the increasing speed of the carriage. He knew he was getting farther from home. The life he knew was now behind him; what would his future be? The morning journey from Guo Village to Lu Town had felt like it was still within his familiar world. But now, with the carriage moving forward, he was heading into the unknown, and his emotions were mixed. His eyes blurred with tears, but Zhang Xiaohua reminded himself of his promise to his mother that this was the last time he would cry. He couldn’t be a child forever; he had to stay strong.

Zhang Xiaohu seemed to see clearly the changes in his brother and reached out to hold his hand, smiling without speaking. However, Zhang Xiaohua could read the reassurance in his eyes, and he felt more at ease.

As the carriage sped along, the familiar comforts of home faded, replaced by anticipation of what lay ahead. Zhang Xiaohua also had some expectations; the newly mature state of mind was also becoming more and more perfect. What awaited them on this new journey?

Since they were all strangers, no one spoke much. Zhang Xiaohu, sitting next to Zhang Xiaohua, wasn’t sure what to say to his younger brother, as it was his first time traveling far from home as well. He just held Zhang Xiaohua’s hand. With the jostling of the carriage and the lack of sleep from the night before, Zhang Xiaohu eventually dozed off, resting his head on the small table in front of him.

Zhang Xiaohua pulled his hand out of his second brother’s grasp, wondering if he should cover him with something. However, considering the afternoon heat and the slight breeze coming in through the window, he decided against it.

The coachman seemed very skilled, handling the two horses with great coordination, allowing the carriage to speed along the road smoothly. Inside, there was little sense of jolting, and except for Zhang Xiaohua, the other passengers were also dozing off like Zhang Xiaohu.

Zhang Xiaohua wanted to sleep too; the monotonous journey made watching the passing scenery tedious. However, he found it odd that he almost never napped during the day, even though he used to enjoy midday naps after lunch in the fields. He remembered lying down under the trees or on a large rock on the hillside to cool off. When have I lost this habit? What a pity; he still wanted to sleep on the big rock on the slope to keep cool in the future. Sigh, what else could he think about? He won’t plant the land on the slope in the future, so he could leave it to his eldest brother to sleep.

Yet, Zhang Xiaohua was a bit confused; he heard his older brother say that he wouldn’t wake up until dawn, so what was going on? It’s really strange to think of it, but he hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night for a long time. He wondered if he had become a heavier sleeper and mused over the recurring dream he had been having every night. Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help shaking his head at the mystery.

Then there was the fact that his strength had noticeably increased. Although he hadn’t tested it against his eldest and second brother, he was sure it rivaled theirs. He was just thirteen; he imagined that by the time he was their age, he would be even stronger, able to help his father with work more effectively. Yet, he quickly reminded himself that his priority was to learn martial arts to protect his family. He wondered, had the bandits from West Cui Mountain truly given up on seeking revenge?

While Zhang Xiaohua was lost in his thoughts, the afternoon passed quickly. As dusk fell, the carriage began to slow down.

The other passengers started to wake up. Zhang Xiaohu rubbed his eyes, stretched, and glanced out the window. He asked Zhang Xiaohua, “Xiaohua, did you sleep? Where are we now?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied gloomily, “I didn’t sleep, but I don’t know where we are either.”

Zhang Xiaohu chuckled: “Of course, if you knew, you’d be a god.”

The scholar sitting next to Zhang Xiaohu chimed in: “We’re approaching Bao Town, a small town similar in size to Lu Town.”

[TL_Note: Bao=Treasure]

Zhang Xiaohu was surprised: “Bao Town, that’s a great name. Did they find some treasure here?”

The young scholar laughed: “This brother is quite humorous. I haven’t heard of any treasures in Bao Town. The town was named after a prominent figure with the surname Bao from long ago.”

Zhang Xiaohu couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.