Hidden Sentry

Uncle Rong Kui lowered his head, hiding his shocked eyes.

He had just tested the waters with that sentence and confirmed another thing: Qiao Zi'ang was also killed by this kid!

"Hey—" Xu Yuan had already reached the staircase. Uncle Rong Kui hurriedly called out to him again, "The Monster Extermination Army, are you going or not? Give me a definite answer."

Xu Yuan replied without hesitation: "No!"

"Not going?" Uncle Rong Kui was taken aback. Giving up such a great opportunity?

"Don't listen to those rumors outside. It's hard to get by in the Monster Extermination Army, but it's a different story if you have someone looking out for you. Your second uncle now holds an official position. He doesn't have a son, so he'll definitely be grooming you as his successor. In the future, you'll at least be able to become a Commander like your second uncle..."

Xu Yuan still shook his head: "No."

"A Commander is granted five hundred mu of upper-grade land, fifteen hundred mu of middle-grade land, and an annual salary of three hundred taels of silver!" Uncle Rong Kui played his trump card. In his life, he had never met someone who truly didn't care about money.

Xu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then sighed, "I really can't go. Please thank my second uncle for his kindness for me, Uncle Rong Kui."

Xu Yuan went upstairs and slept in Zhao Yong's room as usual. He lay on his back on the bed, hands tucked under his head, staring at the ceiling and thinking to himself:

What will happen to Stepmother after I leave?

Xu Yuan didn't know the details of what was happening at home. His father had never told him about these things since he was a child.

But Xu Yuan could always sense that those matters were not trivial.

For example, on certain specific holidays, his father would always be very nervous.

He would secretly make many preparations in advance.

If nothing happened, his father would be very happy for the next few days. If Xu Yuan wanted any toys or snacks, his father would happily buy them for him as long as he asked.

But Xu Yuan vaguely remembered that when he was seven years old, his father lay in bed for a full three months.

Thick cotton cloth curtains tightly blocked the doors and windows, not daring to let in any sunlight.

What Xu Yuan remembered most vividly was that the smell of medicine filling the room couldn't mask the scent of blood from his father's body. At night, his father's cough often woke up the neighbors.

Uncle Rong Kui couldn't persuade Xu Yuan. He drank a few cups of wine alone downstairs, then decided not to eat. He got up, peeked out the back door, then opened a crack and slipped into the darkness.

Xu Yuan, watching from upstairs, saw Uncle Rong Kui heading towards the southern end of the street and couldn't help but chuckle: "What a lustful old ghost."

It was rare for Forbidden Night Travel not to be in effect today, but going out at night still carried great risks.

Uncle Rong Kui fumbled his way in and heard a joyful laugh. Then a pair of soft, warm hands reached into his clothes, slid down skillfully, and took control.

Uncle Rong Kui suppressed his arousal and said, "I have important business."

"Use your channels, the ones that risk your life, to help me send a letter back."

Widow Yang lit a lamp, and Uncle Rong Kui wrote the letter and handed it to her.

Widow Yang then smiled, "The business is done, now it's time for some fun."

Uncle Rong Kui naturally put in a great effort. He would be leaving tomorrow morning, and he might never see her again.

Outside the window, Xu Yuan quietly retreated.

Uncle Rong Kui was very lecherous, but when Xu Yuan had a small knife pressed against his throat during the day, he could tell that Uncle Rong Kui feared death more.

If it wasn't necessary, he wouldn't have come out in the middle of the night to see Widow Yang.

Widow Yang was a scout for the Monster Extermination Army.

The Monster Extermination Army had many of these lowest-level scouts.

They were especially effective in areas like Qihetan Town, where government power could not reach directly.

The Monster Extermination Army used them to collect and transmit information.

Normally, they had no specific tasks and lived their own lives. The Monster Extermination Army provided a certain level of protection and a small amount of money.

Even if these scouts were exposed and eliminated, it wouldn't be a significant loss for the Monster Extermination Army.

They formed a vast grassroots network that could provide the Monster Extermination Army with a large amount of intelligence.

And the network they formed allowed for very convenient message transmission.

Xu Yuan returned to Zhao's Furs Shop and truly fell asleep.

Uncle Rong Kui was so eager to send a message to his second uncle, not even waiting until tomorrow to reach the county town. Xu Yuan guessed that his second uncle's "recruitment" of him this time might not have a simple purpose.

"Oh oh oh—"

Ah Hua flapped its wings and jumped onto the roof, letting out the first loud rooster crow of the day.

Uncle Rong Kui, with two large bags under his eyes and a shaky gait, emerged from Widow Yang's room, tying his belt and fastening the frog buttons on his collar as he walked.

As he reached the entrance of Zhao's Furs Shop, Xu Yuan happened to be opening the door.

"I'm leaving now," Xu Yuan said. "I'm going to the west end of the street to buy something to eat."

There was a breakfast stall at the west end of the street. A father and son pushed a cart with a large stove. They baked flatbreads in the stove, selling them for two wen each. They also offered free hot water and pickled vegetables. Many merchant caravans passing through the town ate there in the morning.

The two bought four flatbreads and ate them. Then, they negotiated with a merchant caravan, agreeing to pay ten coins for both of them to ride along to the county town.

The merchant caravan's wagons were laden with goods, and the two climbed up to sit on top of the cargo.

There was no comfort to speak of, and they had to be careful not to fall off. But the cheap price was better than walking all the way back themselves.

The old horse pulling the wagon wasn't fast, and the carriage swayed. The two of them simply lay down on the roof of the wagon. Uncle Rong Kui chatted with Xu Yuan intermittently.

This fatty's mouth never knew when to stop.

"Being a soldier and eating the emperor's food is indeed not a good path. Hundreds of years ago, ordinary soldiers couldn't even get enough pay. Those military leaders who bled soldiers dry were heartless; it was a good result if only two-tenths of the silver reached their hands."

"Actually, our Monster Extermination Army is the same, but we're not regular soldiers. We're legitimate Imperial Guards! Our treatment is much better than those common soldiers.

If you become a Minor Banner Officer, you get twenty taels; a General Banner Officer gets fifty taels; a Centurion gets one hundred and fifty taels, and from Centurion onwards, you get land grants."

"Here in Jiaozhi, it's all actual appointments. Newly acquired territory, a large number of the original gentry and local tribes were killed, and what fell were all excellent irrigated fields."

Xu Yuan, with a blade of grass in his mouth, paid no attention to anything Uncle Rong Kui was saying. After the sun rose, the sunlight was so bright it made his eyes water. Xu Yuan covered his face with his thick felt hat.

Uncle Rong Kui was still chattering on about the various benefits of the "Monster Extermination Army," but he suddenly heard a snore and was left with a face full of helplessness.

The official road was forty li long. The carriage was only slightly faster than a person walking. In the middle of the afternoon, Xu Yuan finally saw the low, dilapidated city walls of Shanhe County.

This was not a "strategically important location." The city walls were only meant to defend against bandits. Let alone the county magistrate, even the current Emperor wouldn't bother to repair them.

When they reached the city gates, Xu Yuan and Uncle Rong Kui jumped off the wagon and parted ways with the merchant caravan.

The two lined up on one side. After paying the head tax, they could enter the city. The merchant caravan, however, needed to have their commercial taxes meticulously calculated.

Just looking at the merchant caravan's proprietor's dejected expression, one could tell the tax rate wasn't low.

Xu Yuan paid his money and then saw the caravan's drivers shouting at their livestock, driving the caravan towards the left side of the city wall. They were clearing the area at the city entrance, and it was clear they wouldn't be able to enter the city today.

Slightly risqué chapters get blocked...

Sigh, I'll keep asking for monthly votes.