parentshiftbook Chapter 27 Peril on the Return Journey: Bandits Block the Way
Chapter 27 Peril on the Return Journey: Bandits Block the Way
After noon, the sun was at its zenith.
Chen Yu walked along the mountain road for more than half an hour before finally seeing the outline of Sunset City.
By the time he arrived at the city gate, it was already 3:45 PM.
The soldiers guarding the city were dozing off against the wall, their spears propped up askew to one side.
Chen Yu walked quietly through the city gate, and the clamor of voices surged in like a tide.
The market had mostly dispersed by the afternoon, with only a few scattered vendors remaining.
An old locust tree by the street spreads its dense green shade, and several children are chasing and playing under it.
The incessant chirping of cicadas stirred up a sense of unease in people.
Chen Yu was in a hurry to get on his way and hadn't eaten lunch. His stomach was already empty, so he found a noodle stall set up in a shady spot and sat down.
This noodle stall is tucked away at the corner of a narrow alley, with a few wooden tables set up against the earthen walls, making it a bit cooler than other places.
The stall owner, a man in his forties, was dozing off by the counter when he heard footsteps and was suddenly awakened. He hurriedly wiped his mouth with his apron.
"Sir/Madam...would you like a bowl of knife-cut noodles?"
The man rubbed his eyes, his voice still sounding like he was half asleep.
"Give me a bowl, with extra chili."
Chen Yu took out seven copper coins from his pocket and placed them on the table.
The copper coin struck the table, making a crisp sound.
The man's eyes lit up at the sight of money, and he immediately perked up, his hands moving swiftly as he shaved noodles.
A few "thump-thump" sounds.
The snow-white dough pieces leaped into the boiling water like silver fish.
In no time at all, a steaming bowl of knife-cut noodles was served.
A thin layer of oil floats on the red oil noodles, and scallions and fried garlic tremble slightly in the heat, their aroma rising with the summer heat.
Chen Yu was already starving, so he picked up his chopsticks and started eating heartily.
The noodles were chewy and smooth, with a rich wheat aroma. The spicy fragrance of the chili peppers made him sweat, which dispelled some of the fatigue from the journey.
Finally, they even drank the milky white bone broth clean, leaving the bowl empty.
Only then did he put down his chopsticks with satisfaction and wipe his mouth with his sleeve.
An elderly man at the next table was leisurely sipping a pot of cold tea. Seeing how he was eating, I couldn't help but look up and glance at him a few more times.
"Manager," Chen Yu lowered his voice, "do you know where Danxin Pharmacy is located?"
The man put away his bowl and chopsticks, glanced out of the alley, and pointed the way for Chen Yu.
"It's right on Tongyi Street in the east of the city."
"However, Danxin Pharmacy will probably be closed for lunch at this hour. They have strict rules and don't reopen until late afternoon."
"But the owner of Baicaoxuan in the west of the city is a diligent man, and it is open for business as usual in the afternoon."
"If you are in a hurry, you can also go to the south of the city. There are a few small shops there that specialize in wild medicinal herbs collected by the mountain people. The afternoon is the time for delivery, and sometimes you can find some rare items."
Chen Yu bowed and thanked him, then memorized all the information he had gathered.
He didn't rush to get up, but sat at the table for a while longer. After the feeling of fullness in his stomach subsided, he asked the man for a bowl of cool tea and slowly drank it down.
As the sun began to set slightly westward, the shadows on the streets and alleys stretched out longer.
Chen Yu stood up, dusted off his robes, and strode towards the east of the city.
Soon, they arrived at Tongyi Street and found Danxin Pharmacy.
Danxin Pharmacy has a three-bay facade with three distinct passageways.
The VIP path on the east side is covered with red felt and leads directly to the inner private room.
The main road in the middle was paved with bluestone, and seven or eight people were queuing up in a long line, their backs soaked with sweat.
The wooden gate to the west side of Jipo Road was tightly closed, with a note on the door saying "Temporarily Closed".
Chen Yu looked at the red carpet on the VIP path for a long time, then at the long queue on the regular path, and finally started walking towards the regular path.
"Please wait a moment, sir!"
The gatekeeper suddenly called out to him, looked him up and down, and thought he looked like a strong man who practiced martial arts, not an ordinary person.
"Where does this guest come from?"
The waiter wore a tentative smile, but his voice unconsciously rose a little, drawing the attention of the people in line.
Chen Yu was taken aback, not expecting to be stopped.
He looked down at his clothes: coarse blue cloth with frayed cuffs, which looked quite shabby compared to the fine silks and satins on the VIPs' path.
But he answered truthfully, "Sword Casting Manor."
The moment the words "Sword Casting Manor" were uttered, the entire room fell silent.
Whispers could be heard from the people in line.
"Sword Forging Manor? Is that the weapon-forging place in Qinglan Mountain?"
"I've heard that all the disciples in the manor carry famous swords, so why is this one...?"
"Shh, look at those muscles, only a formal disciple of the manor could develop that..."
The waiter's smile changed instantly, from tentative to confident, and then from confident to solicitous.
He actually bent down and reached out to guide the red carpet on the VIP path.
"Distinguished guest, you should use the VIP channel! Please come in, there's some herbal tea inside!"
Seeing this scene, Chen Yu couldn't help but wonder, was the Sword Forging Manor really that powerful?
Even as an assistant craftsman, he could still command the attention and admiration of many.
"Young man, tell me, what kind of people are allowed to use this VIP lane?"
The waiter bowed and scraped, enthusiastically telling Chen Yu the story.
"Mainly the major powers in our Sunset City."
"First and foremost are the three major families, the city guard, and the garrison troops, who are the most distinguished guests."
"Secondly, there are the Three Manors and Five Sects. The Three Manors include the Sword Casting Manor, the White Iron Manor, and the Brocade Lake Manor. The Five Sects refer to the Qingfeng Temple, the Vajra Temple, the Iron Anchor Society, the Ancient Sword Sect, and the Quick Blade Sect."
"Finally, there are the various gangs and forces outside the city, such as the Rice Gang, the Fishing Gang, the Green Bamboo Gang, the Hong Family Manor, the Black Stone Fortress, and so on."
After listening, Chen Yu had a basic understanding of the major forces in Sunset City.
The government was the most powerful, followed by a few prestigious sects, and finally various gangs and fortified villages, a mixed bag of forces.
Sword Forging Manor holds a relatively high position in Sunset City.
Moreover, many people in the manor brew medicinal soups to aid in martial arts training, so the consumption of the Sword Forging Manor at the Danxin Pharmacy is bound to be substantial.
Therefore, Danxin Pharmacy considers the people of Zhujian Manor to be VIPs who can afford to spend money.
After buying the medicine, I put it in a medicine basket and carried it on my back.
Chen Yu didn't linger for a moment and immediately rushed back.
It is now 5:45 PM, and the sky is gradually getting dark.
Traveling at night might be dangerous, so we should hurry on our way and return to the Sword Forging Manor before it gets completely dark.
Chen Yu knew the way well and walked along the tree-lined path on his way home.
He wasn't physically tired, but he was constantly on edge, never daring to let his guard down.
"Um?"
Suddenly, Chen Yu stopped in his tracks.
There's a smell in the wind.
It tastes like rust, is fishy and sweet, and is sticky.
Oh no, could it be blood?
Chen Yu gripped the butcher knife tightly and moved with light steps.
As he turned past a clump of bushes, the sight before him chilled him to the bone.
Three corpses lay across the middle of the road.
A peddler lay face up in a pool of blood, a deep cut on his neck that exposed bone.
The cargo boxes were smashed, and the silk was soaked in mud.
A woman in fine clothes leaned against a tree trunk, with three stab wounds to her chest.
She was still clutching half of an unfinished embroidered mandarin duck handkerchief in her hand, and the blood beneath her had already turned black.
Another burly man lay on the ground, his back crisscrossed with knife wounds, as if he had been chased from behind and hacked to death.
The bundle was torn open, and loose silver coins were scattered all over the ground, but they hadn't been taken away yet.
Killing these three people was not only for financial gain, but also a deterrent to others.
Beside the three corpses, several men and women knelt on the ground, trembling.
Chen Yu slowly raised his head.
Three burly men stood in the shadow of a locust tree ahead of the road.
The tall, scarred man in the middle was wiping the blood off his knife with the hem of his shirt.
Seeing Chen Yu looking at him, he grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.
"Another one sent to their death."