Chapter 55: Huangniwa Village!

The right bank of the Yi River—that is, the eastern bank—was difficult to traverse. Moreover, Liu Gang and Wang Liu-shi were unfamiliar with the terrain on this side. Although Li Yuanjing and his group crossed the river just after dawn, it was not until nearly nine o’clock the next morning, after winding and detouring for hours, that they finally found the road to Yellow Mud Hollow and reached the outskirts of the village.

Upon arrival, Li Yuanjing immediately understood why the remnants of the Fragrant Faith had chosen to establish their base here. Despite its name, Yellow Mud Hollow was actually a hollow situated atop a mountain ridge. The surrounding peaks were not particularly tall, but each was steeper than the last. There was only one treacherous mountain path leading into the village—a true stronghold where a single defender could hold off thousands.

Liu Gang had been to Yellow Mud Hollow before, but never ventured up, and knew nothing of the village’s inner workings. Still, he understood the local customs and procedures, his sharp eyes quickly spotting the key details. He hurried over and quietly reported to Li Yuanjing, “Master, their people are here. I’ll go negotiate with them first…”

Li Yuanjing nodded, replying in a low voice, “Don’t panic. Why panic? We’ve come on behalf of others to deliver grain—it’s a good thing for them.”

“But!” he added, “Old Liu, tell them that the grain from Zhang’s Rice Shop will be delivered only here. Once they’ve counted and received it, we won’t help them carry it up the mountain!”

Liu Gang instantly grasped Li Yuanjing’s intent, nodded vigorously, and strode forward to negotiate with the villagers emerging from the nearby checkpoint.

While keeping an eye on Liu Gang, Li Yuanjing also checked on Wang Liu-shi’s condition. He found that, since she’d stayed close to him, she seemed much more settled, behaving properly with no sign of trouble.

With Wang Liu-shi calm and not causing any issues, Li Yuanjing turned his attention to Liu Gang’s negotiations.

The deal was quickly struck. A middle-aged man, his head wrapped in a scholar’s square scarf, a furry scarf around his neck, clad in a fine sheepskin coat with only his eyes visible, came over swiftly, escorted by a dozen armed men.

Liu Gang hurriedly addressed Li Yuanjing, “Master, this is Mr. Xun. We’ll hand over the goods to Mr. Xun.”

Li Yuanjing had already wrapped his face with a coarse cloth scarf, revealing only his eyes. He smiled and saluted Mr. Xun, saying, “Mr. Xun, everything is here. Zhang’s Rice Shop, under orders from Mr. Wang Youdao, has delivered this batch to you.”

Mr. Xun’s men began inspecting the grain, opening the sacks. Seeing the bright, quality white rice and fine wheat inside, excitement shone in his aged eyes. Clearly, this batch was invaluable to them—like a timely lifeline.

He saluted Li Yuanjing, saying, “Master, thank you. The kindness of Mr. Wang to Yellow Mud Hollow, I, Xun, and all the villagers will remember forever! Unfortunately, our resources are limited, and we can’t invite you up for a drink.”

Li Yuanjing smiled, “You’re too kind, Mr. Xun. If you visit Feng County someday, we’ll share a drink then. By the way, Mr. Xun,” he continued, “as you know, I’m acting on behalf of others. Could you ask the person in charge of your village to issue a receipt for this delivery?”

“Receipt?” Mr. Xun was momentarily puzzled, then realized what Li Yuanjing meant. He laughed, “Of course. Please wait here for a moment, I’ll have someone write it up.”

…

As the saying goes, “One doesn’t strike the man with a smiling face.” Li Yuanjing was clearly acting as a helpful intermediary, and with the reputation of Zhang’s Rice Shop and Wang Youdao, Mr. Xun quickly arranged for Li Yuanjing and his group to rest in a shelter in a nearby grove. He directed his men to start carrying the grain up the mountain and to have a receipt prepared.

The shelter was modest—the roof was not tightly sealed, letting in drafts everywhere. However, there was plenty of dry firewood, woven straw mats for seating, and a thick heap of embers in the center—a sign the place was regularly used for warmth.

It was a tight fit for the forty-odd men Li Yuanjing had brought, but as they were all from the same village, squeezing together was manageable, and the crowd made the place lively.

Li Yuanjing called for everyone to take out their rations and eat a little to stave off hunger.

By the time they finished, the grain had been carried up the mountain, though the handcarts had not yet returned. Mr. Xun came back, smiling, and said to Li Yuanjing, “Master, the receipt is ready, written by our village chief’s brother. Show it to Mr. Wang Youdao and he’ll understand. Please wait here a bit longer—the handcarts should be down soon.”

Li Yuanjing accepted the receipt and examined it carefully. The handwriting was good, clearly written by someone of status, and it bore a signature and a seal. Both were marked “Master Yi Shui,” suggesting the person was of high rank and should satisfy Wang Youdao.

He smiled, “Mr. Xun, the handcarts aren’t worth much—I’ll gift them to you. But last night, my brothers and I traveled through the night. Might we rest here until nightfall before departing?”

Mr. Xun was momentarily surprised, then laughed, “It’s our honor that you’d rest here, Master. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“However…” He hesitated, then leaned close to Li Yuanjing, lowering his voice, “Master, things have been unsettled here lately. If anything happens, I’ll trouble you and your men to take refuge in the mountains.”

He whispered a few words in Li Yuanjing’s ear, pointing out a route for emergency escape.

Li Yuanjing thanked him profusely and saw him off. Once Mr. Xun left, Li Yuanjing narrowed his eyes in thought.

At this point, Li Yuanjing was nearly certain: Yellow Mud Hollow was indeed a key base of the Fragrant Faith’s remnants. Though he did not yet fully grasp the broader situation, after much consideration, he decided to let his men rest here until nightfall before departing.

After all, the strenuous work had worn out the robust men, not to mention the old village chief. Moreover, though Li Yuanjing had not seen the government troops, he was sure the King of Qi’s elite would be watching Yellow Mud Hollow closely. If they left during the day, they’d be easy targets.

He was also relieved that the heavy snow had not stopped and looked likely to continue until the next day. All factors considered, traveling by night was safest.

Beside him, Wang Liu-shi grew ever more subdued, but Li Yuanjing noticed her furtive glances toward the ridge and the village, as if lost in thought…

With tasks assigned and everyone taking turns on watch to ensure adequate rest, the group relaxed and began to sleep in shifts.

Li Yuanjing, who’d fallen asleep at midday, awoke to find night had fully descended. As he’d expected, the snow still hadn’t stopped—if anything, it had grown heavier, which eased his mind. Heaven had blessed them; nothing untoward had happened.

He sent Liu Gang to inform Mr. Xun and invite him over for a farewell. Then, Li Yuanjing led his men through the night toward the Yi River, preparing to return to Spring Village.

But Li Yuanjing and his companions failed to notice—just after leaving Yellow Mud Hollow, before they’d even wound their way out of the mountain path, several pairs of eyes in the woods were watching them intently.

With a silent exchange of glances, those watchers vanished into the depths of the night.