Before Jiang Cheng could say anything, an old voice came from inside. "Aren't you two young brothers? Come in, come in. Let's talk."
Only after hearing the old man speak did the middle-aged man reluctantly step aside. Once inside, Jiang Cheng saw an old man with a kind, benevolent face seated in the middle. Beside him sat a young woman, around seventeen or eighteen. Her clothes were nothing special, but they couldn't hide the spirited air about her.
Besides them, there was a child, a plainly dressed older woman, a maid, a tall, straight-backed young man, and, standing in the corner, a porter with a deeply troubled expression.
After looking around, Jiang Cheng fixed his gaze on the old man at the head of the group and cupped his hands politely. "Thank you for saving our lives, sir. I'll never forget your kindness."
"Heh heh, you're too kind, young brother. We merchants who spend all year on the road help out whenever we can when others are in danger. It's a custom passed down since ancient times." The old man stroked his beard, looking very amiable. "Besides, you two are from Bianzhou, so we're practically fellow townsmen."
Jiang Cheng and the Fatty didn't really understand why the other man had identified them as people from Bianzhou, but they figured it must be the identities the mission had given them. Jiang Cheng didn't dwell on it, instead replying with even greater courtesy. "Then it seems fate wasn't ready for our time to come. Thank you for saving us, sir."
"May I ask... where are you headed on this trading journey, sir?" Jiang Cheng asked.
"Trade is trade. We go wherever there are buyers. To be honest, we don't have a fixed destination this time. Once we've sold all our goods, we'll