Abandoned City
When Huangfu Yuchen woke up, seven or eight wild chickens were tied to the backs of the two horses, clucking and flapping their wings, with feathers flying everywhere.
He stood by the horse, wearing an expression of speechlessness.
“Zirui, let’s go.” Yan Ge urged the black steed forward with a nudge, and it trotted briskly. He was leading Huangfu Yuchen’s horse along.
“You…” Huangfu Yuchen was left on the side of the road, helplessly smiling. He displayed his lightness skill and caught up. Since Yan Ge didn’t give him time to wash his face, he used refreshing technique to make himself feel refreshed.
After eighteen bends in the mountain road, the view suddenly opened up, and a county town appeared before them at the foot of the mountain. Judging from the total area of the houses and a population of over ten thousand, it was not a small county in this era.
“We finally arrived.”
The two horses descended along the rugged mountain path towards the foot of the mountain. On the mountain side, they saw a man in his thirties wearing an official robe helping an old man pull a cart. Yan Ge turned his head to look at Huangfu Yuchen.
Huangfu Yuchen’s face showed no surprise. “That should be Gong Chushan, the county magistrate of Rong County. He is the only person in Rong County who has truly left the mountains. This man is a rare good official, considerate of the people and just. The former emperor once wanted to transfer him elsewhere, but he refused and was willing to stay here as the county magistrate. He has been in office for six years, hoping to develop and strengthen Rong County. Unfortunately, he has yet to achieve it.”
Yan Ge shook his head. Although he was a good official, he was inevitably a bit narrow-minded. If he traveled and saw more of the outside, perhaps he would gain something.
In the fields beside the mountain road, the peasants doing farm work saw two white-clad figures that didn’t look like ordinary people appearing in the mountains. They looked at them curiously, pointing at the chickens on their horses and their clothes, whispering to each other.
After being reminded, Gong Chushan also looked over, brushed off the dirt from his hands, and walked over.
“Are the two young masters lost?”
Huangfu Yuchen sat on the horse, observing the distant fields and houses in the county.
Yan Ge dismounted. “Greetings, County Magistrate. We are not lost. We heard that the scenery around here is beautiful, so we came to visit.”
Gong Chushan smiled. “Indeed, especially in spring, there are peach blossoms, willows, and fragrant wildflowers, the scenery is picturesque. Welcome to Rong County. However, I’m afraid there is no place for the two of you to stay in the county.”
Yan Ge said, “Considering the size of this county, there should be an inn, right?”
Gong Chushan’s expression became complicated. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “No, very few outsiders come to Rong County, so there is no inn in the county.”
Yan Ge rubbed his head. Camping was not impossible, but after such a long journey, he still hoped to have a comfortable bed to lie on.
Gong Chushan’s mind quickly turned. These three outsiders were either wealthy or noble. If they could stay in the county for a few more days, it might bring some income to the local people.
Thinking of this, he said, “If the two young masters don’t mind, you can stay at the post station, but you will need to pay some silver.”
Yan Ge let out a sigh of relief. “It’s good to have a post station.”
Gong Chushan continued, “Occasionally, there are official messengers who come to deliver documents, so there is a post station.”
Yan Ge smiled apologetically, seeming to have underestimated Rong County.
It was only at this moment that Huangfu Yuchen dismounted and walked to the edge of the farmland. “What is being grown here?”
Gong Chushan found it strange that a noble young master would be interested in farming, but seeing his dignified appearance, he subconsciously felt that it was inappropriate not to answer. He replied, “These are sweet potatoes.”
An old woman smiled and handed a handful of fruits to Yan Jin, gesturing for him to take them without saying a word.
Yan Jin glanced at Yan Ge.
Yan Ge glanced at the strawberries in her hand and said, “So they are strawberries. Please accept this gift from Grandma.”
“Thank you, Grandma.” Yan Jin took the strawberries, grinned, and then picked up a chicken. “This chicken is a gift for Grandma as a token of gratitude.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly.” Grandma waved her hands repeatedly. Afraid that the boy would strain himself, she quickly supported the chicken with both hands.
Yan Jin acted cute and said, “Father and Papa always taught me to be polite. Grandma gave me a gift, so I want to give Grandma a gift too. Otherwise, it would be impolite.”
Grandma looked at Gong Chushan with a troubled expression.
Yan Ge nodded to Gong Chushan, and Gong Chushan reluctantly said, “Liu Po, since the young master said so, please accept it. Don’t hurt the child’s feelings.”
Liu Po had no choice but to accept.
Huangfu Yuchen walked over, leading the horse. “Madam, let’s settle down first.”
“Okay.”
“Father, Papa, I want to stay here and play for a while.” Yan Ge was curious about farming.
Yan Jin has been following them around recently and hasn’t had much time to play, so Yan Ge nodded, “Okay, but don’t disturb the adults while they work.”
“I understand.”
Yan Ge reassured Gong Chushan, “You don’t have to worry. Little Yan is sensible and won’t cause you any trouble. I’ll come back to pick him up in an hour.”
Gong Chushan and the others looked at each other as they saw the two men actually leave the child behind. However, seeing the well-behaved and adorable child sitting on a stone by the road, eating strawberries, they all smiled and continued with their tasks, occasionally glancing back to make sure Yan Jin was safe.
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen walked and chatted along the way.
“Did you find anything just now?”
Huangfu Yuchen asked, “Their crops are all ordinary varieties, so I don’t have any special ideas for now.”
Entering the county town, the two inquired about the location of the post station from passersby. A kind-hearted person named Auntie Ye led them there. When she said, “Here we are,” Yan Ge looked at the wooden door frame made of three wooden planks and the carved words “Post Station” on it, not knowing what to say for a moment. Well, since he already knew this place was called the “Abandoned City,” he shouldn’t be surprised by anything he saw.
Auntie Ye said, “Everyone takes turns cleaning up here every day, so it’s kept very clean. You two young masters can rest assured. However, because very few people come here, there is no dedicated staff to serve. If there are messengers delivering official documents, we temporarily hire someone to do the laundry and cooking.”
Yan Ge noticed an osmanthus tree planted in the courtyard, along with some wildflowers commonly seen on the mountain. Although simple, it was indeed tidy.
“Auntie, could we hire you to help us? We’ll be staying here for a few days, and we need someone to do our laundry, feed the horses, and clean the house. Also, could you find a good cook for us?”
“Yes.” Auntie Ye rubbed her hands together. “Those things are easy. But…”
Yan Ge understood and said, “We’ll provide the rice and vegetables for the cook to prepare. We’ll pay for that. As for meat dishes, we’ll prepare them ourselves. We’ll pay fifty coins per day to the cook for the extra work, and a hundred coins per day for your additional tasks. How does that sound?”
Auntie’s face lit up with joy. “Alright, alright. Let me first lock up these chickens for you, and then I’ll find someone for you.”
“Okay.”
After arranging these trivial matters, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen went out to investigate Rong County. Although the county wasn’t prosperous, it still had some basic amenities. There were shops selling commonly used medicinal herbs, grocery stores selling needles, thread, oil, salt, vinegar, and other supplies, as well as a pitiful variety of snacks. The fabric shop sold rough, durable fabrics, as most people couldn’t afford or didn’t want to buy expensive fabrics. There was a tea shop where one could buy a bowl of tea for a single coin, enough for four servings, to quench their thirst after working in the fields. People would come in groups to buy tea and take turns paying for it. The tea leaves used were large, inexpensive leaves picked from the mountains. The food establishments such as rice houses and noodle shops didn’t exist. If you were hungry, you would eat at home.
Huangfu Yuchen inquired and found out that there was a school in the county, a thatched cottage built by the villagers collectively. However, it only taught basic arithmetic to ensure that children could count money when they grew up, and it also taught some common characters. The schoolmaster didn’t know much else. The county magistrate would occasionally visit the school to teach some classes.
The people led a monotonous life every day, yet they seemed happy and content. But it only made Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen feel even more uncomfortable.
“Hey, I heard you’re from outside?” A young man of eighteen or nineteen years old blocked their way. He had a piece of old cloth tied around his hair, and his eyes were sharp as he curiously looked them up and down. There were two other people with him, one around sixteen or seventeen years old with a simple appearance, and the other of similar age but tall and strong.
Yan Ge nodded, “Yes.”
“Do people from outside the mountains dress like you?” the young man asked again.
Yan Ge replied, “Have you never been outside? Judging by your age, it’s the perfect time for you three to go out and explore.”
The young man chuckled, “Go out? I would love to. But I’ve heard that everything outside requires money. How can I go out without money?”
The other two nodded.
The tall one added, “And we can’t even read.”
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen fell silent for a moment.
Huangfu Yuchen thought for a moment, “We’re planning to go to the mountains this afternoon. If you’re willing to guide us, we can pay you.”
The youngest and the tall young man’s eyes lit up.
The first young man who spoke hesitated, “Go to the mountains? We shouldn’t go too deep. There are bears, monkeys, and tigers in there, many ferocious beasts.”
Yan Ge said, “We’ll just explore the outskirts.”
“How much money?” the young man asked.
Yan Ge replied, “50 coins per person.”
“Okay, you’re staying at the post station, right? After lunch, we’ll come find you. I’m Xiao Hu, he’s Xiao Shan, and he’s Niu Zi.”
Yan Ge nodded.
The two wandered around the city, met up with Yan Jin in the back mountains, and returned to the post station. The meal was already prepared. There was a pot of stewed wild chicken with mushrooms, a plate of spicy diced chicken, a plate of stir-fried vegetables, a plate of peanuts, and even a braised fish.
Auntie Ye stood beside a shy middle-aged woman in her early forties. Auntie Ye introduced her as Aunt Ma. It seemed that Aunt Ye had informed her that only three people would be eating, so the portion of the meal wasn’t large, but it smelled delicious. It seemed that the cook was indeed skilled.
Abandoned City
When Huangfu Yuchen woke up, seven or eight wild chickens were tied to the backs of the two horses, clucking and flapping their wings, with feathers flying everywhere.
He stood by the horse, wearing an expression of speechlessness.
“Zirui, let’s go.” Yan Ge urged the black steed forward with a nudge, and it trotted briskly. He was leading Huangfu Yuchen’s horse along.
“You…” Huangfu Yuchen was left on the side of the road, helplessly smiling. He displayed his lightness skill and caught up. Since Yan Ge didn’t give him time to wash his face, he used refreshing technique to make himself feel refreshed.
After eighteen bends in the mountain road, the view suddenly opened up, and a county town appeared before them at the foot of the mountain. Judging from the total area of the houses and a population of over ten thousand, it was not a small county in this era.
“We finally arrived.”
The two horses descended along the rugged mountain path towards the foot of the mountain. On the mountain side, they saw a man in his thirties wearing an official robe helping an old man pull a cart. Yan Ge turned his head to look at Huangfu Yuchen.
Huangfu Yuchen’s face showed no surprise. “That should be Gong Chushan, the county magistrate of Rong County. He is the only person in Rong County who has truly left the mountains. This man is a rare good official, considerate of the people and just. The former emperor once wanted to transfer him elsewhere, but he refused and was willing to stay here as the county magistrate. He has been in office for six years, hoping to develop and strengthen Rong County. Unfortunately, he has yet to achieve it.”
Yan Ge shook his head. Although he was a good official, he was inevitably a bit narrow-minded. If he traveled and saw more of the outside, perhaps he would gain something.
In the fields beside the mountain road, the peasants doing farm work saw two white-clad figures that didn’t look like ordinary people appearing in the mountains. They looked at them curiously, pointing at the chickens on their horses and their clothes, whispering to each other.
After being reminded, Gong Chushan also looked over, brushed off the dirt from his hands, and walked over.
“Are the two young masters lost?”
Huangfu Yuchen sat on the horse, observing the distant fields and houses in the county.
Yan Ge dismounted. “Greetings, County Magistrate. We are not lost. We heard that the scenery around here is beautiful, so we came to visit.”
Gong Chushan smiled. “Indeed, especially in spring, there are peach blossoms, willows, and fragrant wildflowers, the scenery is picturesque. Welcome to Rong County. However, I’m afraid there is no place for the two of you to stay in the county.”
Yan Ge said, “Considering the size of this county, there should be an inn, right?”
Gong Chushan’s expression became complicated. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “No, very few outsiders come to Rong County, so there is no inn in the county.”
Yan Ge rubbed his head. Camping was not impossible, but after such a long journey, he still hoped to have a comfortable bed to lie on.
Gong Chushan’s mind quickly turned. These three outsiders were either wealthy or noble. If they could stay in the county for a few more days, it might bring some income to the local people.
Thinking of this, he said, “If the two young masters don’t mind, you can stay at the post station, but you will need to pay some silver.”
Yan Ge let out a sigh of relief. “It’s good to have a post station.”
Gong Chushan continued, “Occasionally, there are official messengers who come to deliver documents, so there is a post station.”
Yan Ge smiled apologetically, seeming to have underestimated Rong County.
It was only at this moment that Huangfu Yuchen dismounted and walked to the edge of the farmland. “What is being grown here?”
Gong Chushan found it strange that a noble young master would be interested in farming, but seeing his dignified appearance, he subconsciously felt that it was inappropriate not to answer. He replied, “These are sweet potatoes.”
An old woman smiled and handed a handful of fruits to Yan Jin, gesturing for him to take them without saying a word.
Yan Jin glanced at Yan Ge.
Yan Ge glanced at the strawberries in her hand and said, “So they are strawberries. Please accept this gift from Grandma.”
“Thank you, Grandma.” Yan Jin took the strawberries, grinned, and then picked up a chicken. “This chicken is a gift for Grandma as a token of gratitude.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly.” Grandma waved her hands repeatedly. Afraid that the boy would strain himself, she quickly supported the chicken with both hands.
Yan Jin acted cute and said, “Father and Papa always taught me to be polite. Grandma gave me a gift, so I want to give Grandma a gift too. Otherwise, it would be impolite.”
Grandma looked at Gong Chushan with a troubled expression.
Yan Ge nodded to Gong Chushan, and Gong Chushan reluctantly said, “Liu Po, since the young master said so, please accept it. Don’t hurt the child’s feelings.”
Liu Po had no choice but to accept.
Huangfu Yuchen walked over, leading the horse. “Madam, let’s settle down first.”
“Okay.”
“Father, Papa, I want to stay here and play for a while.” Yan Ge was curious about farming.
Yan Jin has been following them around recently and hasn’t had much time to play, so Yan Ge nodded, “Okay, but don’t disturb the adults while they work.”
“I understand.”
Yan Ge reassured Gong Chushan, “You don’t have to worry. Little Yan is sensible and won’t cause you any trouble. I’ll come back to pick him up in an hour.”
Gong Chushan and the others looked at each other as they saw the two men actually leave the child behind. However, seeing the well-behaved and adorable child sitting on a stone by the road, eating strawberries, they all smiled and continued with their tasks, occasionally glancing back to make sure Yan Jin was safe.
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen walked and chatted along the way.
“Did you find anything just now?”
Huangfu Yuchen asked, “Their crops are all ordinary varieties, so I don’t have any special ideas for now.”
Entering the county town, the two inquired about the location of the post station from passersby. A kind-hearted person named Auntie Ye led them there. When she said, “Here we are,” Yan Ge looked at the wooden door frame made of three wooden planks and the carved words “Post Station” on it, not knowing what to say for a moment. Well, since he already knew this place was called the “Abandoned City,” he shouldn’t be surprised by anything he saw.
Auntie Ye said, “Everyone takes turns cleaning up here every day, so it’s kept very clean. You two young masters can rest assured. However, because very few people come here, there is no dedicated staff to serve. If there are messengers delivering official documents, we temporarily hire someone to do the laundry and cooking.”
Yan Ge noticed an osmanthus tree planted in the courtyard, along with some wildflowers commonly seen on the mountain. Although simple, it was indeed tidy.
“Auntie, could we hire you to help us? We’ll be staying here for a few days, and we need someone to do our laundry, feed the horses, and clean the house. Also, could you find a good cook for us?”
“Yes.” Auntie Ye rubbed her hands together. “Those things are easy. But…”
Yan Ge understood and said, “We’ll provide the rice and vegetables for the cook to prepare. We’ll pay for that. As for meat dishes, we’ll prepare them ourselves. We’ll pay fifty coins per day to the cook for the extra work, and a hundred coins per day for your additional tasks. How does that sound?”
Auntie’s face lit up with joy. “Alright, alright. Let me first lock up these chickens for you, and then I’ll find someone for you.”
“Okay.”
After arranging these trivial matters, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen went out to investigate Rong County. Although the county wasn’t prosperous, it still had some basic amenities. There were shops selling commonly used medicinal herbs, grocery stores selling needles, thread, oil, salt, vinegar, and other supplies, as well as a pitiful variety of snacks. The fabric shop sold rough, durable fabrics, as most people couldn’t afford or didn’t want to buy expensive fabrics. There was a tea shop where one could buy a bowl of tea for a single coin, enough for four servings, to quench their thirst after working in the fields. People would come in groups to buy tea and take turns paying for it. The tea leaves used were large, inexpensive leaves picked from the mountains. The food establishments such as rice houses and noodle shops didn’t exist. If you were hungry, you would eat at home.
Huangfu Yuchen inquired and found out that there was a school in the county, a thatched cottage built by the villagers collectively. However, it only taught basic arithmetic to ensure that children could count money when they grew up, and it also taught some common characters. The schoolmaster didn’t know much else. The county magistrate would occasionally visit the school to teach some classes.
The people led a monotonous life every day, yet they seemed happy and content. But it only made Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen feel even more uncomfortable.
“Hey, I heard you’re from outside?” A young man of eighteen or nineteen years old blocked their way. He had a piece of old cloth tied around his hair, and his eyes were sharp as he curiously looked them up and down. There were two other people with him, one around sixteen or seventeen years old with a simple appearance, and the other of similar age but tall and strong.
Yan Ge nodded, “Yes.”
“Do people from outside the mountains dress like you?” the young man asked again.
Yan Ge replied, “Have you never been outside? Judging by your age, it’s the perfect time for you three to go out and explore.”
The young man chuckled, “Go out? I would love to. But I’ve heard that everything outside requires money. How can I go out without money?”
The other two nodded.
The tall one added, “And we can’t even read.”
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen fell silent for a moment.
Huangfu Yuchen thought for a moment, “We’re planning to go to the mountains this afternoon. If you’re willing to guide us, we can pay you.”
The youngest and the tall young man’s eyes lit up.
The first young man who spoke hesitated, “Go to the mountains? We shouldn’t go too deep. There are bears, monkeys, and tigers in there, many ferocious beasts.”
Yan Ge said, “We’ll just explore the outskirts.”
“How much money?” the young man asked.
Yan Ge replied, “50 coins per person.”
“Okay, you’re staying at the post station, right? After lunch, we’ll come find you. I’m Xiao Hu, he’s Xiao Shan, and he’s Niu Zi.”
Yan Ge nodded.
The two wandered around the city, met up with Yan Jin in the back mountains, and returned to the post station. The meal was already prepared. There was a pot of stewed wild chicken with mushrooms, a plate of spicy diced chicken, a plate of stir-fried vegetables, a plate of peanuts, and even a braised fish.
Auntie Ye stood beside a shy middle-aged woman in her early forties. Auntie Ye introduced her as Aunt Ma. It seemed that Aunt Ye had informed her that only three people would be eating, so the portion of the meal wasn’t large, but it smelled delicious. It seemed that the cook was indeed skilled.
