“Don’t panic yet. Brother Yi and the others are at Wenshan. Perhaps Constable Zhang and his men simply lost their way for the moment and rested near Wen County.”
Seeing the family looking as if they had lost their backbone, Nan Zhi immediately spoke up:
“Wen County is a half-day round trip from here. Please don't worry yet, Father, Mother. Perhaps the messenger is already on the road.”
The moment she received the news, Nan Zhi opened the mini-map in the top-right corner.
The small green dot representing Nan Yi was not in the county seat.
Zooming in and examining the map closely, she indeed spotted Nan Yi's figure near Wenshan.
The small yellow dots representing the yamen runners were scattered across the mountain, wandering around aimlessly like headless flies.
The map had not yet explored the area near Wen County, so Nan Zhi could only catch glimpses of the terrain.
Fortunately, Nan Yi was not in any mortal danger for now.
“How could that be? Brother Yi has always been the most prudent. Even if he were held up by something outside, he would surely send a message back.”
The joy on Chen Jingui’s face receded like the tide, gradually draining of color.
Though she trusted Nan Zhi, suddenly hearing that her son had gone into the mountains to hunt a tiger left her terrified and overwhelmed with anxiety:
“He didn't come home all night yesterday. Why, why hasn't the yamen given any explanation?”
“I don't know, but a whole crowd has gathered at the county yamen, all looking for news of their kin.
I thought I'd come back and let you know first before going back to find out what's really happening.
Since Sister Zhi says so, then put your mind at ease.”
Nan Dazhuang caught his breath and glanced at Nan Zhi. Seeing her confident expression, he finally felt somewhat reassured.
He comforted Chen Jingui once more:
“Perhaps it's just as Sister Zhi said—Brother Yi and the others were merely delayed in the mountains.
Besides, Brother Yi is with Constable Zhang!
Constable Zhang used to learn martial arts from wanderers of the jianghu. He’s skilled. Forget fighting a single tiger, even if he ran into a pack of wolves, he’d—”
“Phooey, phooey, phooey! That mouth of yours—I truly wish someone would take a needle and thread and sew it shut!”
Chen Jingui snapped angrily:
“A man-eating tiger appears in Wen County, and they order the runners from our Dingyuan County to go slay it! What motherless bastard came up with that?
That damned Registrar Hu said last month that our eldest daughter slew an evil ghost, so the imperial Demon Suppression Division would bestow rewards and maybe find a chance to clear Brother Yi from the registry.
Yet he kept stalling and putting it off, and still hasn't given us an answer!
Our Brother Yi is sharp-witted and built for scholarly pursuits. Making him go along to kill a tiger is clearly tormenting him!
Just wait until Brother Yi returns—I'm definitely going to spit right in that Registrar Hu’s face!”
That was a tiger!
Word had it that in places further away, there were tigers that had grown formidable. One had blocked a village entrance, devoured over a dozen people in succession, and fled back into the mountain forests.
Many brave men went up the mountain to hunt the tiger, only for more than half to be mauled to death.
One survivor had half of his face licked by the tiger; the barbs on its tongue tore away all the flesh and skin, leaving only ghastly white bone.
It was said that when he spoke to people, one side of his mouth moved while the other half of his face was nothing but a skull!
Anyone who heard this tale was left dumbfounded and chilled to the bone.
After all, it was far too horrifying.
“Mother, we can talk about spitting on people later. Right now, Brother Yi’s safety is what matters most.
I just used a spell to investigate. Brother Yi and the others have likely lost their bearings in the woods of Wenshan and can't find their way out.
Night is about to fall, the mountain is cold and gloomy, and evil creatures may be causing trouble. Without a local who knows the mountain paths to guide them, it’s extremely easy to get trapped in the forest.”
Nan Zhi’s brain worked at top speed, and in moments, she made up her mind:
“Father and I will set out immediately for Wen County.
When we get there, we’ll gather more people, light torches along the road, bring some food, wine, and meat, and head out to meet them along their return path.
Perhaps if they see the torchlight, they’ll be able to find their way out of the woods.”
The moment she finished speaking, Nan Dazhuang strode out of the courtyard gate and ran outside to go door-to-door borrowing a cart and beast.
“Good, good, good.”
Chen Jingui hurriedly grasped Nan Zhi’s hand, uttering three “good”s in a row, before saying urgently:
“Sister Ye, hurry and bake a few more pancakes so your father and eldest sister can take them to eat on the road.”
Nan Ye hastily agreed, rushing to knead dough and bake pancakes.
As she baked, she craned her neck, watching to see if Nan Dazhuang had managed to borrow a cart and beast.
Waiting was always the most agonizing ordeal.
Chen Jingui lit a candle, found the winter knee pads at home, and slipped them onto Nan Zhi’s legs:
“The woods have heavy miasma, thick dew, and deep dampness. Wearing these to protect yourself will keep you warm, Eldest Daughter.
You're a young girl and don't understand yet. If you catch a chill now, you'll find out just how many nagging ailments you'll suffer after giving birth in the future—it's utterly miserable!”
Though Nan Zhi wanted very much to explain that this item was actually useless to her—since it couldn't boost any stats—
seeing Chen Jingui’s expression made her swallow her unspoken words.
This sincere warmth was something she had never experienced in reality.
...
Nearly half a shichen later, Nan Dazhuang, panting heavily, pulled up in front of the house driving a beast.
Before he could even catch his breath, he called out to Nan Zhi:
“Sister Zhi, I borrowed a cart! Let's go!”
Nan Dazhuang had asked every family he knew in the neighborhood and finally managed to borrow a donkey cart.
—Horses were something only wealthy families could afford to keep. For ordinary folk, owning a donkey or an ox was already considered a tremendous luxury.
Seeing that there was yet another spectacle to watch at the Nan family's home, the neighboring onlookers poked their heads out one after another.
Unexpectedly, Chen Jingui didn't scold anyone this time.
With a wooden expression, she simply loaded the travel supplies onto the cart.
“Mother, take Sister Ye back inside quickly, lock the door, and just wait for our return.”
Nan Zhi jumped onto the cart and turned to shout loudly:
“I've already spoken with the ghosts in this city and asked them to keep watch over our home. Sleep soundly tonight. If you hear any commotion, just shout at the top of your lungs.
Anyone who isn't afraid of ghosts is welcome to come knocking!”
More than half of the surrounding onlookers immediately shrank back inside.
For some reason, Chen Jingui remembered something else, rushed back inside to rummage through chests and cupboards, and pulled out a rabbit fur vest from the bottom of a chest.
Nan Dazhuang usually slaughtered pigs for people, but occasionally hunters would bring in game to sell.
He would save the rabbit pelts and sell the rabbit meat to the city’s taverns.
Quite a few people in Dingyuan County ate wild game, so rabbit meat sold very well.
Accumulated over the years, Chen Jingui had quite a few fine pelts in her possession.
Chen Jingui draped the rabbit fur vest over Nan Zhi, breathing a sigh of relief as if she had completed some momentous task, and waved to the father and daughter:
“Go on. Don't worry—if any blind fool dares come knocking, this old lady will make sure to castrate him.
Hurry and go meet Brother Yi and the others. Sister Ye and I will wait for you to come home and have a drink.”
Staring at the fine wrinkles at the corners of Chen Jingui’s eyes, Nan Zhi somehow found herself saying:
“Mother, don't worry. I will definitely bring Brother Yi back safe and sound.”
Chen Jingui sniffled and muttered:
“Safe together—it's only good if everyone comes back safe. All right, go quickly! If you don't leave now, the city gates will be closed.”
Sitting on the donkey cart, Nan Zhi watched Lingbai Alley recede further and further away, a faint sense of reluctance stirring in her heart.
Driving the cart, Nan Dazhuang positioned himself as much as possible in front of Nan Zhi, shielding her completely from the wind.
Tucked in her bosom were warm pancakes, around her neck and shoulders was the fur vest, and on her knees were the knee pads Nan Ye had sewn with her own hands.
Though the night wind was biting, Nan Zhi’s eyes curved with a smile.
She seemed to be growing more and more fond of this “game.”
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