You damned scoundrels, can’t you let people sleep at this late hour?
I’m so exhausted I could drop dead. We’ve been traveling all day, and we finally got a chance to rest tonight. If we can’t sleep, isn’t the money we paid completely wasted?
Inside the inn’s main hall, the people who had been woken up were complaining bitterly.
Shen Ying and her companions were also among the crowd, doing their best to keep a low profile and draw as little attention to themselves as possible.
Government soldiers were searching the rooms upstairs, and the sound of rummaging and crashing went on without stopping.
After what felt like a long time, one of the soldiers swaggered down the stairs, carrying several bundles in his hands.
Sir Official, this belongs to our whole family, everything here is ours.
That one is mine. It holds everything we need to survive.
When the common people saw their belongings being taken away, they all spoke up one after another.
The soldier let out a cold snort. How bold you are. Listen carefully, these are stolen goods. If you want them back, you’ll have to come with us to the government office first.
Stolen goods.
As soon as those two words were spoken, everyone who had just been shouting and protesting immediately fell silent.
Chunya bit her lower lip tightly, staring at their own bundle, her eyes burning with anger.
Wei Jinhu was even more straightforward in his reaction. He had never even worn a new set of clothes in his entire life. He had finally managed to buy two pieces, and even though they were made of coarse cloth, they were still new clothes.
His hands hidden beneath his sleeves slowly clenched into fists, the knuckles cracking softly with the force of his grip.
Tudou’s eyes were filled with tears. He wanted to rush forward and take the new clothes back, but he dared not make any move.
Shen Ying remained calm and composed, holding the Second Imperial Prince tightly in her arms. She quietly ran her hand over the small swaddling cloth without anyone noticing.
No one knew that all the truly valuable items had been sewn right into the layers of that cloth. What had been taken away was nothing more than a small amount of loose change.
At this moment, all they could do was hope that these soldiers would leave as quickly as possible.
Seeing that the people were furious but dared not speak out, the soldiers burst into loud laughter.
This is more like it. Everyone stay quiet and listen well. A homicide has occurred at the abandoned temple outside town. Several strong men had their heads cut off. Anyone who can provide useful information will receive a generous reward. All right, go back to sleep now.
It was obvious that the soldiers had only come through as a mere formality, and their real purpose was to seize money and valuables.
This was a run-down old inn, and most of the people staying there were ordinary commoners. The soldiers had taken their possessions right out in the open, yet no one dared to say a word against them.
As they watched the soldiers’ figures gradually disappear from sight, many people began to weep aloud.
There is no justice in this world. What are we going to do without any money?
Between natural disasters and man-made calamities, there is simply no way left for us to survive.
The sound of crying and lamentation echoed continuously all around.
Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Ying led her group back to their room immediately.
The moment the door was closed, Chunya pulled out a dagger she had hidden inside her shoe. Sister Ying, let me go and get our things back.
Though this young girl was small in stature, she possessed great determination and courage.
In the flickering glow of the candlelight, her youthful face was set with unwavering resolve. At first glance, she looked imposing and spirited, every bit as dignified and valiant as a female general.
Wei Jinhu raised his fist in a show of support. The little girl has the right idea and a brave heart. Let’s go together. Sister Ying, bring out that special medicine you have, and we’ll get everything back.
Shen Ying calmly laid the sleeping Second Imperial Prince down on the bed, then looked over at them with a cool expression. Have you both decided you’ve lived long enough?
The men who had died at the abandoned temple were bandits. Even though they had been killed, the government would never conduct a thorough or careful investigation into their deaths. But these soldiers are a completely different matter. If any trouble arises, the authorities will dig into every detail without stopping, and they may even seal off all the city gates to search for suspects.
She walked over and looked at Chunya, whose face was still twisted with indignation. Do you know what it means to try to topple a giant tree with the strength of an insect?
Chunya shook her head.
Wei Jinhu stepped forward to speak. I know what you mean. Are you saying we overestimate our own strength? But it’s just a handful of government officers. I could handle all of them on my own.
And then what would you do after that?
The worst that could happen is we just run away.
The world may seem vast, but where could you possibly go? Every inch of land under heaven belongs to the emperor, and every person living on it is his subject. If you leave even the smallest trace or clue behind, you will become a wanted criminal, hunted down everywhere you go.
Shen Ying’s tone grew sharper and colder. Furthermore, are you so certain that these soldiers have no real skill or ability? Never underestimate anyone. As the old saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself, and in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. How much do you actually know about these men?
Some people are far too arrogant and overconfident. Take Wei Jinhu and Chunya, for example. Having recently killed several burly and fierce men, their sense of confidence had swelled to an unreasonable degree. Now, they were so full of themselves that they did not even consider the government soldiers worthy of their attention.
What they failed to realize was that anyone who could serve as a government soldier had received training and possessed martial skills. Even if some of them were good-for-nothings who did nothing but eat and drink, they still carried weapons and acted in large groups, giving them a great advantage in any confrontation.
Meeting Shen Ying’s cold and steady gaze, Wei Jinhu broke out in a cold sweat all over his body. He rubbed his hands together nervously. Sister Ying, I realize now that I was wrong. From now on, I will listen to everything you say.
That is much more sensible.
Shen Ying turned her eyes away. Remember this: it is always better to avoid trouble than to seek it out. The reason we took action earlier was because those men were mountain bandits, whose status was already illegal and disreputable. No one would launch a thorough investigation or pursue anyone for their deaths. But government soldiers are a completely different story. Now go and get some rest.
It was destined to be a night when no one could sleep peacefully.
Using the homicide case as their excuse, the soldiers visited many other inns and even broke into the homes of ordinary families throughout the night. By the time morning came, they had reaped great gains, their purses stuffed full of money and valuables.
In stark contrast, the common people were filled with resentment and complaints, yet they could only keep their anger bottled up inside, too afraid to speak out or resist.
Dawn finally broke.
Shen Ying had not yet gotten out of bed when the sound of loud arguments drifted in from outside.
When people are driven to poverty, they will resort to all sorts of desperate measures to survive.
The travelers staying at this inn had never been wealthy to begin with, and after being robbed and stripped of their possessions by the soldiers, their lives had become even more difficult and desperate. With no other options left, people began to turn to underhanded and improper ways to get money. The most straightforward and common method among them was stealing.
These few copper coins belong to me. Look closely, this string has more than ten coins strung together. You still refuse to admit you took them? Give them back to me right now.
Who said they are yours? There’s no name written on them, so they belong to me. If you want to take them back, you’ll have to step over my dead body first.
The quarrel grew louder and more intense, making it impossible for anyone nearby to ignore or block out the noise.
Shen Ying’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Chunya, who had been gently rocking and soothing the child, hurried over quickly. Sister Ying, you’re awake. Did the noise outside disturb you? I’ll go out and tell them to quiet down.
Shen Ying shook her head. It’s nothing serious. Let’s find a private residence or courtyard to move into.
A courtyard?
Chunya was filled with confusion and questions, but Shen Ying did not explain her reasoning any further. After getting up and eating a simple breakfast, she asked Wei Jinhu to go out and look for a suitable place to rent or buy.
Having spent several days traveling and living together, Wei Jinhu knew very well that Shen Ying always meant what she said and never changed her mind once she had made a decision. He asked no questions at all, and set off immediately with Tudou following close behind him.
In less than half a day, Wei Jinhu returned, having already found a property.
Sister Ying, I found exactly what you asked for. It is located in a very remote and quiet area, but it is still convenient for buying daily necessities and supplies. Most importantly, the roads and paths around it lead in all directions, making it perfect for escaping quickly if we ever need to.
Shen Ying looked carefully at the surroundings. The house was situated deep within a network of narrow alleyways, standing right at the very end of one lane. If you turned the corner from there, you would step directly onto the main official road, while on the other side lay a vast stretch of mountains, making it an ideal place to live in seclusion and remain hidden from view.
Have you agreed on the price?
Wei Jinhu scratched his head in thought. It is a bit more expensive than I expected. In my opinion, we would be better off moving to a village in the countryside. Houses there are much cheaper, and buying goods and supplies also costs less.
There is a saying that the truly wise and capable people choose to live hidden among ordinary people in busy communities. While houses in the villages were indeed cheaper, they were not suitable for staying hidden or safe. At this moment, there were countless people searching for them, openly and secretly, all hoping to capture them and take them back. If they truly wanted to live a stable and peaceful life, staying within the county town was actually the safest and most reliable choice.