Yun Yin looked surprised.
“Mr. Fu, what are you doing here?”
Fu Wang glanced outside, then pulled her into the house.
“Miss Yun, didn’t I warn you before? Why did you still come here?”
Yun Yin pointed to the basket on her back.
“I came to collect mushrooms.”
Fu Wang glanced at her basket, clearly disapproving.
“You could collect mushrooms in Linjiang Village or Pingjiang Village. If not, even Pingxi Village across the river would do. There’s no need to walk two hours all the way out here.”
Yun Yin smiled sheepishly.
“Well… it’s been several days and no caravans have come by. I wanted to check the situation—and pick up some mushrooms along the way.”
Hearing this, Fu Wang frowned even more and sighed.
“You shouldn’t take risks like this. If you had come a couple of days earlier, you wouldn’t have met villagers—you would have run into bandits.”
Yun Yin raised her hands in surrender.
“Alright, I understand. I won’t take risks like this again.”
She then asked,
“Did you deliver your goods? Why are you here? Are you working with the authorities?”
She had heard from Song Shi that Fu Wang used to be a soldier and now worked as an escort, and since he knew the county lieutenant, she wondered if he had ties to the government.
Fu Wang shook his head.
“My men delivered the goods. I came here to guide Zhou Chang. I have no official ties.”
“At the time, we were carrying cargo and couldn’t engage the bandits. After rescuing people, we informed Zhou Chang. I know him, so he asked me for help.”
After speaking, he looked at Yun Yin.
“Since you’re here to collect mushrooms, I’ll call the village head so you can discuss it. This place is dangerous—leave as soon as you’re done.”
They stepped outside together.
Yun Yin asked,
“You said earlier the bandits were staying in this village?”
Fu Wang nodded.
“Yes. The group that attacked us was only a small unit. The rest were hiding here. The villagers didn’t dare resist. Only when Zhou Chang brought troops did the bandits retreat into the mountains.”
They stopped in front of a house. Fu Wang knocked, and an elderly man came out, his face still bearing injuries. He looked nervous until he recognized Fu Wang.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Fu?”
Fu Wang gestured to Yun Yin.
“This young lady is here to buy wild mushrooms. If you have dried ones, you can sell them to her.”
Yun Yin stepped forward.
“I’ll take as many mushrooms as you have.”
The village head glanced at Fu Wang, who nodded. Smiling, he said,
“Please wait, I’ll gather the villagers.”
As he hurried off, Yun Yin turned to Fu Wang.
“Aren’t you going after the bandits?”
Fu Wang shook his head.
“I’m only here to guide Zhou Chang. This is official business—I shouldn’t overstep.”
Sensing the moment, Yun Yin asked,
“Do you often travel the route between the Western Regions and Mianzhou?”
Fu Wang sat down casually.
“We go wherever clients hire us. We’ve even delivered goods to the coast. But we travel the Western Regions route often—it’s busy and well-traveled.”
“Are you looking to buy something from there?”
Yun Yin widened her eyes.
“Was it that obvious? I do want some things, but I don’t know if it’s convenient for you.”
Fu Wang smiled.
“If it’s not bulky, I can help bring something back.”
Yun Yin thought for a moment.
“I don’t need much—if you see any seeds that aren’t found here, I’d really appreciate it.”
She reached for her money pouch, but he stopped her.
“No need. I don’t even know if I’ll find them yet.”
Then he added seriously,
“You trust people too easily. Don’t show your money so casually. Even if someone is helping you, pay only after you see the goods. Otherwise, your money might be wasted.”
Yun Yin paused, realizing he was right. She smiled awkwardly.
“Thank you for the reminder. I’ll be more careful.”
Fu Wang nodded.
“You’re running a business alone—you need to be cautious. If you plan to stay near the official road, you should hire more people. Two of you aren’t enough.”
“We discovered the bandits first, and I had many men with me. If no one had known, it would only be a matter of time before they found you. You’re… noticeable. You should be especially careful.”
Yun Yin understood his sincerity and nodded gratefully.
“Thank you. I’ll consider it.”
Fu Wang pressed his lips together.
“As long as you don’t think I’m meddling.”
“Not at all,” she replied. “I know you mean well.”
At that moment, the village head returned with several villagers carrying sacks of dried mushrooms.
Yun Yin stepped forward to inspect them. The quality was excellent.
“I’ll take all of these.”
She opened a smaller sack and found dried termite mushrooms. Picking some up, she asked,
“Do you have more of these?”
A villager replied,
“That’s all we have. They’re rare. We used to sell them in the next county, but they stopped buying, so we kept them for ourselves.”
Yun Yin said,
“I’m always buying mushrooms. If you gather fresh ones in the future, you can bring them to me.”
She gave them her address and bought everything—mixed mushrooms at thirty coins per jin, and termite mushrooms at forty.
After finishing, she learned the bandits would likely be cleared out within two days, so she decided to head back.
Seeing how much she had, Fu Wang said,
“I’ll walk you back. I have a horse—it can carry the load.”
Yun Yin hesitated but eventually agreed.
They traveled together, chatting along the way—she asked about Da Zhao, and he shared stories from his escort journeys.
When they arrived, Yun Yin smiled.
“Listening to you makes me want to visit the Western Regions—and the sea as well.”
Fu Wang thought for a moment.
“That’s possible. You could travel with us someday. We’d keep you safe.”
She nodded.
“If there’s a chance, I will.”
Then she said,
“Come have some water—and stay for a meal. Last time you only had noodles. This time, try my cooking.”
Fu Wang tied his horse and helped carry the mushrooms inside.
“I haven’t forgotten your mushroom sauce—it was excellent. My brothers praised it highly.”
Yun Yin laughed.
“Then you can taste more today.”
She had him rest, then went to the river, caught fish, and collected shrimp from the traps.
Back home, she quickly prepared everything—steamed rice, cooked sauerkraut fish, stir-fried bamboo shoots, shrimp, and egg soup.
“Time to eat,” she called.
Fu Wang served rice and waited for her to sit before picking up his chopsticks.
After one bite, he said,
“As expected—your cooking is outstanding.”
The sour, spicy, numbing fish was incredibly appetizing. The bones had been carefully removed, making it easy to eat.
After several bites, he praised,
“This is better than anything in the prefectural city.”
Yun Yin waved her hand.
“You’re exaggerating—it’s just home cooking.”
Fu Wang shook his head.
“I love fish. Most places just steam or braise it. Some serve raw fish, but I don’t eat raw food. Your dish is different—sour, numbing, slightly spicy. The fish is tender, the sides are flavorful, and even the broth is delicious enough to eat with rice alone.”
He helped himself to another bowl.
“Even if you call it home cooking, I’d say it rivals a master chef’s signature dish.”
Yun Yin smiled.
“I know many ways to cook fish. If you pass by again, come eat here. And don’t worry—I can make plenty of dishes besides raw fish.”