UCTOOT CH72.3

Shi Shu settled down in this seaside village. The village was secluded from the rest of the world, bordered by endless stretches of soft sand. Every morning, Shi Shu walked barefoot across the damp, cool beach, watching seawater lap against the pale limestone reefs. The surf rose and fell in steady rhythms as he watched the sun rise from the far edge of the world.

This world was peaceful and quiet, like a dream of an idyllic paradise.

Was this the end of the world?

Shi Shu walked along the shoreline. Sea spray kissed his toes while Laifu trotted behind, pressing a trail of little paw prints into the sand. Peace and security rested over the seaside village; this place seemed entirely removed from the political reach of Dajing.

The villagers were kindhearted. They rested after tending to their crops, though most of the time, living off the sea was more than enough to get by. Every day at low tide, they combed the beaches, carrying back buckets of crabs, fish, and shrimp to cook. There were abandoned houses damaged by old tides, which were quickly patched up so Shi Shu and Du Zihan could move in.

Life by the sea was carefree, and Shi Shu rarely thought of Xie Wuchi. After three days, Du Zihan asked him, “Isn’t it time we took a break? Let’s leave our inquiries into this world at that for now.”

Leave inquiries into the world at that?

Shi Shu replied, “Sure. Winter is coming anyway. Once winter hits, everything becomes exhausting. Let’s just make it through the winter first.”

A voice called out from behind him: “Xiao Shu, time to eat.”

The village that took them in was called Qin Village, named because everyone shared the surname Qin. Shi Shu stayed with the family of Qin Liu, the village elder. Qin Liu had three children. The eldest dage, around twenty-four or twenty-five, already had a child of his own and was named A-Bu. The other two were the gege and meimei he had met on the beach that first day: the gege was A-Kan, and the meimei was Xiao Bei.

Xiao Bei was only ten years old and loved spending time with Shi Shu, often tilting her head to inspect him. “Xiao Shu, you’re so pale.”

“Huh? Let me ask you, why don’t you call me gege?”

Xiao Bei asked, “Xiao Shu, why are you so pale? Everyone in our village is dark.”

“Because you live by the sea and get lots of sun. Come on, call me gege.”

Xiao Bei said, “We’re having steamed crabs tonight. I’ll tell my gege to pick out a big one for you.”

“…”

A-Kan glanced at her and said, “Xiao Bei, come over here and wash the clams. You clean them better.”

The family lived in warm harmony. In this village, there was only easygoing peace, none of the scheming and intrigue that had surrounded Xie Wuchi. Shi Shu walked over to inspect the wooden bucket filled with seafood that would be considered delicacies elsewhere, yet was readily gathered here. Qin Village was fortunate. Those near the mountains lived off the mountains, and those by the water lived off the water. The sea happened to provide an endless feast, allowing them to live without grinding hardship, and even to generously shelter two complete strangers.

Shi Shu helped rinse the clams. Finding it amusing, he happily washed over half a basin, which resulted in the entire family eating clams for dinner and breakfast the next day until their mouths turned dry. Even so, they couldn’t help laughing, remarking that they had never seen a boy from the mainland quite like Shi Shu.

Surrounded by this warmth, Shi Shu spent his second winter since arriving in this ancient world along the sunny coast.

In Qin Village, Shi Shu got to know everyone, and everyone grew fond of him. Du Zihan even opened a small classroom, teaching the local children mathematics every day.

Shi Shu was thoroughly bewildered by this, so he spent his days foraging on the beach instead.

Over time, Shi Shu befriended the village youths, rowing out to sea with them to distant markets to buy salt, tea, and wine. It was then that Shi Shu discovered Qin Village was not entirely cut off from the world; it still fell under the jurisdiction of Dajing, complete with magistrates and official yamens.

Learning this disturbed Shi Shu’s peace of mind. Or rather, he knew that any superficial tranquility would be shattered sooner or later.

Before he knew it, spring arrived.

With nothing to do lately, he sat idly watching the sea.

Sitting on a wooden bench, Shi Shu played cat’s cradle with Xiao Bei. He held his hands apart to act as anchors while Xiao Bei looped and pulled the strings into changing shapes. Losing focus for a split second, the string slipped from his fingertips.

Xiao Bei shrieked, “Ahhhhhhhh!!!!”

“…”

Shi Shu said, “Don’t panic! Watch your gege fix it!”

He examined the tangled string for a long time, unable to restore it. Xiao Bei bared her teeth. “Start over! You aren’t allowed to move around this time.”

“Fine, fine. How much longer do I have to play with you? I want to stretch my legs.”

Looking up, Shi Shu saw Qin Liu’s stout, sturdy frame trudging back across the sand, sighing heavily. A-Bu stepped forward to ask, “Father, what did they say? Do you still have to go?”

Qin Liu looked helpless. “Yes. We leave in a few days. Our village must deliver grain to Changping Prefecture. They say Dajing and Beimin are at war, so a new war tax has been levied. The village elder has to escort the rations directly to the front line.”

Leaning against the doorframe, Shi Shu watched them. A-Bu spoke with deep resentment: “Walking from Qin Village to Changping Prefecture takes two full months, and with escorting grain, a round trip will take over half a year! I don’t want to go!”

Qin Liu’s wife had red eyes. “My son, there is so much work to do at home, I don’t want you to go either. But in this village, your father is the elder. He has to take responsibility for everyone. Someone must go!”

A-Bu snapped angrily, “I don’t want to go!”

Watching this, Shi Shu understood that even the quiet life at the edge of the world had been fractured by the war between Dajing and Beimin. He handed the string back to Xiao Bei and walked up to Qin Liu. “How serious is it?”

Qin Liu sighed, “Every household is assessed a quota: thirty catties of grain per adult male. Our family alone must provide two to three hundred catties, and adding up the entire village, it’s an enormous amount!”

“Do you have to escort it yourselves?”

“Yes. This tax hasn’t been collected in years, but now it’s back. At my age, it seems I have to make the journey.”

A chaotic era had arrived. Shi Shu knew that peace was truly gone.

Shi Shu patted his shoulder with a light grin. “How about I escort it for you? I’ve stayed here for half a year, eating and drinking for free without helping out or repaying your kindness. Your family has chores to run, while I have nothing pressing to do. I’ll make the trip on your behalf.”

Qin Liu’s expression was torn. After a moment, he gripped Shi Shu’s hand with deep gratitude.

“Xiao Shu, I don’t even know what to say.”

Shi Shu took Qin Liu’s place escorting the grain to Changping Prefecture, shouldering the duties of a village elder, much like a grassroots community leader. Shi Shu actually enjoyed the work. Every day, he helped pitch tents, set up camp kitchens, verify routes, count heads, and resolve everyday problems. The villagers had spent their lives in a fishing community and were unfamiliar with city ways and regulations, so Shi Shu proved indispensable.

However, with twenty to thirty people traveling together, disputes were inevitable. They argued over an egg, a piece of clothing, which road to take, or whose beast ate whose feed and left a mule hungry:

“Good grief! Every time we stop, you rush to feed your horse! It eats for nearly an hour, and when my little mule gets there, it can only chew on grass roots!”

“My horse is valuable, worth more than my own son!”

“Your horse is valuable, but my mule isn’t?!”

“You!”

Shi Shu looked back and forth, raising his hands daily to mediate.

“Uncle, uncle, hear me out…”

“Dage, dage, hear me out…”

“Didi! Listen to me for a second!”

“…”

Day after day, their wagons rumbled through shaded mountain passes. After traveling by boat, an endless stretch of mountain roads lay ahead.

Shi Shu lay back on the wagon. With spring well underway, the weather turned pleasantly warm. Sunlight dappled through the leaves and warmed his face, prompting him to shade his eyes with an arm.

Du Zihan was driving the wagon. “Aren’t we getting further and further from Qin Village? Are we really heading back after delivering the grain?”

“Of course we are, why wouldn’t we? I really like Qin Village.”

“I like it too.”

Shi Shu said, “Let’s keep going. A round trip will take over half a year, so we’ll get back to Qin Village just in time for winter.”

Du Zihan kept the horse steady, trailing the convoy ahead so they wouldn’t bump into anyone. He said, “Still, ever since leaving Qin Village, I can’t help thinking about that ex-boyfriend of yours. Wonder how he’s doing.”

Xie Wuchi…

Shi Shu rolled over and sat up, laughing spontaneously. “Time really flies!”

“Yeah. Was Sen Prefecture a dream, or was Qin Village a dream? It all feels a bit unreal.”

The mention of Xie Wuchi’s name still stirred ripples in Shi Shu’s chest, though they mostly carried the quiet ache of his escape. Even so, after so long, Shi Shu recalled that snowy, bitter night in Dasheng Prefecture.

Xie Wuchi’s wrist had bled as he dragged the heavy bed, taking step after step toward him like an agonized specter, speaking those desperate words.

Did he really love me that much? Shi Shu had been terrified and startled back then. Even now, the memory shook him. Yet Xie Wuchi felt like a faded, yellowed photograph; Shi Shu had no idea how to even picture being around him anymore.

“He’s definitely made it big by now: rich, prestigious, with a glorious future, soaring straight to the heights of power. He’s probably forgotten all about the two of us,” Shi Shu said with a smile. “We were never on the same path anyway.”

“You’re up? Good, my turn to lie down for a bit. You take the reins!” Du Zihan shifted backward.

Shi Shu took his seat, patted the sleeping Laifu’s head, took the ropes, and drove the wagon onward.

Creak, creak. The wagon rolled forward.

Along the way, Shi Shu noticed that during their half-year stay at Qin Village, massive shifts had altered the realm of Dajing. The war with Beimin had expanded, leaving its mark across the entire dynasty. Village elders and county clerks from countless regions converged toward the border, carting or carrying rations to fulfill their tax burdens.

This levy had been absent for years. It was only revived after last year’s surprise snowy attack on Dasheng Prefecture set the northern frontier ablaze.

People came from all four corners of the land. After a brief twenty years of peace, they were once again caught in the gears of war. Nearly every family had to provide wartime grain, hauling it from their hometowns to the borderlands thousands of miles away.

Traveling this road, Shi Shu saw the grinding misery of the people. He never deliberately asked about Xie Wuchi, afraid he was thriving, yet equally afraid he was suffering. But as their wagon crossed into Xingu and Changping Prefectures, even without trying to listen, more and more chatter filled the roads.

“Haha! Refuse to deliver the grain? Then ask if our General Commander’s Crane-Control Army agrees first!”

“Get lost, hand it over!”

Shi Shu sat in a roadside tea stall gulping water, wiping sweat from his brow. Ahead of him, a rowdy soldier was shaking down a passing grain convoy. Tyrannical governance was fiercer than a tiger, and rogue soldiers were indistinguishable from bandits. Changping Prefecture bordered Taiyin Prefecture, both serving as military strongholds, and alongside Xingu Prefecture, they formed the central granary supplying military rations. This grain delivery was bound for the border between the two prefectures.

Border zones teemed with soldier-bandits who resorted to every form of swindling and extortion. Troops from multiple garrisons operated here under complicated chains of command, making it hard to tell who was an officer and who was a crook.

Naturally, they all waved the banners of the most terrifying, formidable commanders.

The man swiftly snatched another traveler’s pouch, weighing it in his hand. “Fine, consider it tribute. I’ll put in a good word for you with Lord General Commander.”

Someone nearby scoffed under their breath, “Lord General Commander? As if a fly like you could ever reach him! Filthy swindler acting righteous.”

A group of travelers asked blankly, “In years past along the frontier, we only ever heard of Lord Feng Zhongshan, Lord Zhao Shirui, and Lord Chen Rulian. Who is this Lord General Commander?”

“You don’t know yet? When the new Emperor took the throne, this General Commander skyrocketed to power! Even if you haven’t heard of him, you must have heard of the feats that reclaimed Dasheng Prefecture, right? Even if you haven’t heard of Dasheng Prefecture, you must have heard of Lord Xie, the one who toured the realm during the New Policies, forced officials and commoners alike to pay grain taxes, and cleared false charges for the people!”

Shi Shu’s hand shook slightly.

Xie Wuchi, aren’t you doing a little too well for yourself?!

What kind of post is a General Commander, anyway?

Thinking of Xie Wuchi’s meteoric rise, it was impossible not to recall the bloodbath in Dasheng Prefecture. Shi Shu’s heart was a tangled knot. Du Zihan drank his tea in quick, nervous gulps, his hands shaking violently. “I’m terrified. If we run into him now, I don’t even know how many pieces he’d chop me into. My flesh would probably be ground into dust to feed the pigs and dogs.”

Shi Shu laughed dryly. “I’m in awe too, totally floored. But then again, that really is just like you, Xie Wuchi.”

Du Zihan asked, “We’re both transmigrators, so how is this fair?”

How? Through his staggering methods, bottomless scheming, ruthless calculations, and demonic heart. A cold dread crept over Shi Shu. He knew that if Xie Wuchi wanted him dead now, there wouldn’t even be ashes left of him.

Did I leave too heartlessly back then?

As the two revisited the past, bystanders continued boasting: “Our Lord General Commander holds supreme authority on the border right now! He knows how to lead armies, slaughtering Beimin troops by the thousands to wipe out old disgraces. He cuts down enemies like grass. Understand? You bunch of ignorant fools, names like Feng Zhongshan and Zhao Shirui are ancient history! The master of hundreds of thousands of border troops has long since changed.”

“Is the General Commander ruthless?”

“That’s called absolute authority and daring, you hear me! Daring!”

“…”

Shi Shu could not swallow another sip. He stood up and paced back and forth. May heaven protect me, never let me cross paths with Xie Wuchi again. Qin Village is wonderful, and I want to stay alive.

Once the tavern talk died down, their group continued their march. That night, Du Zihan woke from a nightmare and sought out Shi Shu. “Holy crap, so a tyrant’s name really can stop a child from crying in the night!”

Shi Shu admitted, “…To tell you the truth, I can’t sleep either.”

A few days later, the grain was finally transported to Yanzhou, the northernmost part of Xingu Prefecture. Shi Shu let out a sigh of relief. Once they delivered the rations to the military’s designated depot, ordinary civilians like them could turn around and head home. Shi Shu picked up his pace on horseback. However, on that day, the endless line of civilian carts was suddenly blocked at a wooden plank bridge.

Shi Shu jumped down from the wagon. It was early summer. Long lines of grain carts were jammed against the wooden bridge, erupting into a chaotic uproar as people pushed their carts aside.

“What is the meaning of this? Why won’t you let us cross?!”

“There is a strict deadline for military provisions! Delaying military affairs is a beheading offense!”

“We walked for more than three months to deliver this grain! Why won’t you let us through?”

“Don’t push us too far!”

A hotheaded man in the crowd shouted, “Get out of the way!”

A group of men guarded the bridge, led by a short, plump, round middle-aged official who looked down his nose at everyone. “If you want to cross this bridge, you must pay.”

Shi Shu muttered a curse and walked forward to inspect the commotion.

Someone in the crowd immediately objected, “We traveled thousands of miles specifically to pay our taxes, and we’ve given everything required. We’re on the doorstep of Yanzhou, and you want another toll? Are you trying to force us to death?! We don’t have a single copper left!”

The official replied, “I don’t care whether you have money or not. If you want to cross this bridge, you pay up. And by the way, this wasn’t my idea. It came directly from the Yanzhou prefectural yamen. If you want to argue, go take it up with them!”

The crowd clamored angrily:

“We truly don’t have a single coin left!”

“The food we ate along the way was dry sourdough from home! All the good grain was brought here for you!”

“We have no money left to give!”

The official rolled his eyes. “Then don’t cross! If you miss the military deadline, it’s not my neck on the block.”

Shi Shu: “…”

Shi Shu couldn’t take it anymore. He pushed forward. “Why should we pay? You claim it was ordered by the government, so where is the official seal? Or are you just trying to suck marrow from our bones through extortion? Without official documents, we will not pay a single copper.”

“Insolent rebel!”

Shi Shu countered, “We won’t pay! Commoners walked thousands of miles to deliver food, and you demand a toll? You call yourself an official? You’re worse than bandits! Can’t you see we have nothing left? We’re not paying. If you have the guts, kill us all.”

A-Kan, who had come along from Qin Village, backed him up fiercely: “Damn your ancestors, we even brought the seed grain from our fields to you, and you still want money! If you’ve got the guts, arrest us all!”

“Right! Arrest us!”

“No money! We’re not paying!”

“Corrupt dogs! Beasts!”

The crowd surged in fury. Shi Shu’s heart thumped against his ribs, burning with anger. The official flushed crimson, his neck swelling as he bellowed, “Block the bridge completely! Let us see whether it’s your heads or mine that roll when the military rations arrive late!”

“You beast!”

Right as the confrontation spiraled into chaos, the thunderous rhythm of galloping hooves sounded from nearby. Thud, thud, thud. Like heavy drumbeats striking the earth, a force swept forward, kicking up clouds of dust and sand along the road.

Facing the highway, the official’s expression abruptly changed. He shoved people aside, shouting, “Out of the way! Clear out! Scram!”

“His Lordship has returned from the hunt! Clear the road immediately! And shove all these unruly peasants to the side!”

“Guards, maintain order! Clear the bridge now!”

“This subordinate, Zhou Changde, pays respects to…”

Shi Shu, caught in the shoving crowd, turned his head. Over a dozen swift steeds were galloping down the broad highway. The horses were tall, muscular, and fast as lightning, carrying an oppressive presence.

Behind this vanguard rode dozens, even hundreds of armored guards. The riders moved at breakneck speed. Leading the pack was a man clad in striking pitch-black hunting gear. His figure was tall, upright, and handsome. In one hand he held a riding crop, while his wrist was bound in clean white gauze.

His mount charged directly forward, barely acknowledging the crowd, forcing people to scatter in terror. The cold wind whipped his long black hair back. Beneath sharp, prominent brows sat a pair of glassy, ice-black eyes, chilling and flat, devoid of the slightest emotion.

The horses rushed past. Strapped to the mounts behind were the bloody carcasses of hunted game, dark blood dripping steadily onto the ground. Guards shoved onlookers aside, but the clutter on the wooden bridge was clearing too slowly.

With a sharp whinny, the lead horse halted, impatiently pacing in place.

Shi Shu backed away, but there was nowhere left to retreat. Right before his eyes was the body of a young deer, its neck pierced clean through by an arrow, mangled and bloody.

It was Xie Wuchi.

Shi Shu caught the scent of raw blood, his mind spinning with turmoil. Looking down, he couldn’t spot Du Zihan at first; the man was trembling behind the wagon with his head buried in his hands, clinging desperately to Laifu while trying to clamp down on the dog’s madly wagging tail!

Shi Shu froze for a heartbeat. His first instinct was to run, but in the next second, he thought: I don’t owe him anything.

Shi Shu remained where he stood, watching quietly.

Shivering with terror, the official Zhou Changde scrambled forward to take the reins, stammering, “Lord General Commander, this subordinate was collecting bridge tolls and temporarily closed the bridge. Obstructing Your Lordship’s mount is a crime worthy of ten thousand deaths!”

Arrogant before, groveling now; typical for men of officialdom.

Shi Shu watched the official with quiet, detached amusement.

A crisp snap echoed across the wooden bridge. The wrist wrapped in white gauze reached out, tossing the riding crop to an attendant nearby.

Xie Wuchi stepped onto the bridge. His glassy, piercing eyes swept across the crowd, inch by inch.