“Yu’er Kingdom?” Yang Xiaohai was confused. He had never heard of the place when he was traveling with Senior Li.
Sun Baolu was confused too. “You never heard of it before? The Dharma Sect destroyed Si Qi. The Dharma Sect attacked different nations and absorbed them into their own land. They called it the Yu’er Kingdom, and their official religion is, naturally, the Dharma Sect’s. I’ve heard that the war was very intense, to the point that even Immortals descended from the Heavens. You will die if you go to Hou Shu right now.”
Yang Xiaohai frowned when he heard the news. He had finally made it to Qing Qiu and was about to reach Hou Shu, then sothing unfortunate like this happened.
He could've waited a few years if he had caught wind of these events while he was in Cowheart Village, but now he was already halfway through his journey. It was too dangerous to continue, but it would be a waste of ti if he returned now. He didn’t know what to do.
“Also, I’ve heard from the refugees from Hou Shu that Hou Shu could not win against the Yu’er Kingdom. Hou Shu forcefully conscripted any male taller than a carriage wheel. Xiaohai, you can’t go there now.”
Yang Xiaohai was worried, “They’ll be forced to fight in the war as long as they’re male…?? Then doesn’t that an my father and brother will have to fight?”
“Are they from Hou Shu? If so, then I’m afraid they won’t be able to avoid being sent to war.”
Yang Xiaohai beca even more anxious. I finally received news about my family, and now they are going to be gone?
He hesitated and looked at Zhao Xiui for reassurance. He then looked at Sun Baolu. “Baolu, can you help ? Let my wife stay here for the mont. I want to go and check out Hou Shu myself.”
“No!”
“No!”
Both Sun Baolu and Zhao Xiui refused at the sa ti.
“I will follow you wherever you go. I’m your wife, so don’t you dare try to leave !”
“Xiaohai, I’m not trying to scare you, but you really can’t go to Hou Shu. Even rchants with escorts were done in!”
“Listen to !” Yang Xiaohai's eyes were red when he shouted over them. “Do you know how much I envied other children with caring parents back when I was a beggar?
“Their parents would buy them candy and goods from peddlers while I was stuck scrounging for rainwater to drink with the other beggars! Their parents would buy them new clothes while I could only go to unmarked graves and take the clothes of the dead just to have sothing to wear!”
Yang Xiaohai sobbed, “Do you know just how much I wanted to see my parents at least once? I just want to let those who insulted and called a mongrel know that I still have my parents!”
Sun Baolu’s mother walked in and heard their conversation.
Yang Xiaohai slowly cald down and tried to reason with them. “Since my family is in danger, I must go and rescue them. Even if my brother and father have gone to war, I could go save my mother. She could live at Cowheart Village so she won’t have to go hungry anymore. I was once a beggar. I know that the easiest targets to bully among the beggars are the old ladies.”
Zhao Xiui looked at Yang Xiaohai with a pained expression. Even though her husband had grown a little, he was still young, and he still missed his parents.
“Xiaohai, I know you are worried about your parents, but—” Sun Baolu was trying to persuade him when his mother whispered to him. “Alright, let go and start the fire then.”
Sun Baolu got up.
His mother consoled Yang Xiaohai by hugging him. “Don’t worry. We’ll think of a way to solve this.”
Yang Xiaohai soon saw a bizarre scene. Sun Baolu lit a bonfire, and his fellow tribe mbers gathered around them. Sun Baolu pointed at Yang Xiaohai while explaining the situation in Qing Qiu's native language. Everyone discussed and talked in the sa native language. Yang Xiaohai didn’t understand what they were talking about.
“This is a tradition of Qing Qiu. The gist is that if soone has a problem, they can start a fire to signal the others to co to help figure out a solution using the wisdom from the Immortal Heaven,” Sun Baolu explained to Yang Xiaohai.
“Will it work?” Yang Xiaohai asked.
He was anxious. He didn’t want to risk his life by going to Hou Shu, but if there was a way for him to et his parents, he wasn’t going to give up so easily.
“We have many elders in the group. As they say, an elder is a treasure to the family. They have a lot of experience, so this thod usually works well.”
The smoke from the bonfire slowly floated upwards. Since there wasn’t any wind, so of the smoke enveloped them.
“Cough, cough!” Yang Xiaohai coughed from inhaling the smoke, feeling dizzy.
He felt weird. He had never had this feeling when he inhaled smoke before. Borrowing the wisdom of the Heavenly Immortal seed to be a unique experience.
The tribe mbers carried on with their discussion, their voices slowly quieting down as Yang Xiaohai listened to them.
“Hei!” They shouted in unison and clapped.
The smoke dispersed instantly.
Sun Baolu listened to so elders talking before explaining to Yang Xiaohai. “They have a thod. You said your parents are boat people living on the sea, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then the elders have a plan for that. Rather than traveling on land, travel through the sea instead. The elderly rembered there was a boatman who operated on the border between Hou Shu and Qing Qiu. If you pay him money, he can send you to where your parents are. That way, you won’t encounter the soldiers.”
“Really?!” Yang Xiaohai said excitedly.
“Yeah. Their mory is probably accurate since they rode it ten years ago. Wait here. I will ask them to draw a map and write a letter. Make sure to give it to the captain so that he doesn’t try to rob you.”
Sun Baolu set to work.
Yang Xiaohai had finally found a way to return ho. He looked at the map that showed the border between Qing Qiu and Hou Shu.
He looked at how close they were and he got excited. Soon, he could finally see his family.
“Thank you Sun Baolu. You’ve helped greatly!” Yang Xiaohai gave him a dense gold bar.
“What are you trying to do? Are you looking down at ?” Sun Baolu refused the gold bar but then whispered to Yang Xiaohai, “Xiaohai, do you have empty rooms at Cowheart Village?”
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