Green Ox Town
This was a small city. In fact, it was really just a somewhat larger town, and its name was Green Ox Town. Only the ignorant country folk who lived in the nearby mountain gullies called it "Green Ox City" over and over. That was what Zhang Er, who had worked as a gatekeeper for more than ten years, thought to himself.
Green Ox Town really was not large. Its only main street was Green Ox Street, which ran east to west, and it had only one inn, the Green Ox Inn. The inn stood at the western end of the long, narrow town, so traveling merchants who did not want to sleep out in the open had no choice but to stay there.
A carriage that had clearly traveled a long way now entered Green Ox Town from the west. It sped past the gates of the Green Ox Inn without stopping and raced all the way to the other end of town before coming to a halt in front of the Spring Fragrance Restaurant.
The Spring Fragrance Restaurant was not large, and it was even a little shabby, but it had an antique charm. It was lunchtime, and the restaurant was still full of diners, with hardly an empty seat to be found.
A fat, round-faced man with a small mustache and a dark-skinned child of ten or so climbed down from the carriage. The man swaggered straight into the restaurant with the child. Some regulars recognized the fat man and knew he was the restaurant's proprietor, "Fatty Han," but none of them knew who the child was.
"Old Han, this dark-skinned boy looks a lot like you. He couldn't be a son you had behind your wife's back, could he?" someone suddenly teased.
At that, the people nearby burst into laughter.
"Pah! He's my own nephew, whom I brought from my family home. Of course he looks a bit like me." Not only was the fat man unruffled, he was even a little pleased with himself.
The two were none other than Han Li and his third uncle, whom others called "Fatty Han." They had just arrived in town after three days on the road.
Fatty Han greeted a few regulars, then took Han Li behind the restaurant to a secluded little courtyard.
"Little Li, get some good rest in this room and build up your strength. When the inner sect steward arrives, I'll call you over. I need to go out for a bit and see to a few regulars first," Fatty Han said kindly, pointing to a side room in the courtyard.
With that, he turned and hurried outside.
When he reached the door, he still seemed a little worried, so he gave Han Li another reminder.
"Don't go running around. There are too many people in town, and you might get lost. It's best if you don't leave the courtyard."
"Mm!"
Only after Han Li obediently agreed did he feel truly reassured and leave.
After seeing his third uncle leave the room, Han Li felt very tired. He threw himself onto the bed and slept soundly, showing none of a child's usual shyness around strangers.
That evening, a servant brought him a meal. Though it was no lavish spread of fish and meat, it was tasty enough. After he finished eating, a servant came in and carried away the bowls and leftovers. Only then did his third uncle stroll in.
"How was it? The food suited your taste, I hope? You're missing home a little, aren't you?"
"Mm, a little." Han Li seemed very well-behaved.
His third uncle looked quite pleased with Han Li's answer. He then chatted with him about everyday matters and boasted about some of the interesting people and events he had encountered. Gradually, Han Li stopped feeling so awkward and began talking and laughing with him.
Two days passed like this.
On the third day, after Han Li had finished dinner and was waiting for his third uncle to come tell him stories of the jianghu, another carriage stopped in front of the restaurant.
The carriage was painted glossy black all over, and the horse pulling it was an uncommon yellow steed, one in a hundred. Most striking of all was a small triangular black flag mounted on the carriage's frame. It bore the embroidered character "Mysteries" in silver, with a red border, and naturally gave off an indescribable air of mystery.
At the sight of that little flag, any veteran of the jianghu who traveled within several hundred li of here would know that an important figure from the Seven Mysteries Sect, one of the area's two great overlords, had arrived.
The Seven Mysteries Sect was also called the Seven Ultimates Sect. It had been founded by High Person Seven Ultimates, who had been renowned two hundred years ago. For several decades, it had reigned supreme over Jing Province, and had even extended its influence into several neighboring provinces. It had once been famous throughout Yue State as well. But after High Person Seven Ultimates died of illness, the Seven Mysteries Sect's power plummeted, and the combined efforts of other sects drove it out of Jing Province City, the provincial capital. A century ago, the sect was forced to move to the most remote part of Jing Province-Immortal Rosy Clouds Mountain. From then on, it put down roots there and fell to the status of a minor, third-rate local power.
As the saying went, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. The Seven Mysteries Sect had once been a major sect, after all, and its remaining potential was considerable. Upon arriving at Rosy Cloud Mountain, it had immediately seized control of more than a dozen small cities and towns, including Green Ox Town. With three to four thousand disciples, it was one of the two great local overlords in both name and fact.
The only other local power capable of standing against the Seven Mysteries Sect was the Wild Wolf Gang.
The Wild Wolf Gang had originally been a band of mounted bandits in Jing Province who burned, killed, and plundered. After repeated campaigns against them by the authorities, some accepted the government's offer of amnesty, while the rest became the Wild Wolf Gang. But the bandits' vicious, bloodthirsty nature and their ferocious willingness to kill and fight had been passed down with them. As a result, the Seven Mysteries Sect had repeatedly come off worse in its clashes with the Wild Wolf Gang.
Although the Wild Wolf Gang controlled more villages and towns, it did not know how to manage them, and they were far less prosperous than the towns under the Seven Mysteries Sect. The Wild Wolf Gang coveted several of the Seven Mysteries Sect's wealthier territories and had recently stirred up frequent clashes between the two sides. This gave the current sect master of the Seven Mysteries Sect no end of headaches, and was also the main reason the sect had repeatedly expanded its recruitment of disciples in recent years.
A lean man in his forties jumped down from the carriage. He moved nimbly and was clearly quite capable. He also seemed very familiar with the place and strode straight toward the room where Han Li was staying.
The moment Han Li's third uncle saw him, he immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Protector Wang, why have you come in person to escort them?"
"Hmph!" Protector Wang snorted coldly, his face full of arrogance.
"The roads have been unsafe lately, so we need stronger protection. The elder ordered me to come and collect them personally. Enough nonsense-is this child the one you're recommending?"
"Yes, yes. He's my own nephew from my family home. I hope Protector Wang will look after him on the road."
Seeing that the man looked somewhat impatient, Fatty Han swiftly took a heavy pouch from his person and discreetly handed it over.
Protector Wang weighed the pouch in his hand, and his expression softened somewhat.
"Fatty Han, you know how to conduct yourself! I'll naturally look after your nephew a little on the road. It's getting late, so we'd better be on our way."