The Musafir

Killed Two Cooks

“You don't see that look? Hair rolled up, black-and-black clothes like men, wearing a dancer's mask too. What is her name if not a wayang girl?”

“Ah, maybe it was his appearance that made the four warriors dare to take him overnight! Which puppet girl does not want to be invited to spend the night if they are offered a piece of money?”

“Indeed the female base, always looks seductive but angry if alluded to her honor. Bother men only!”

“I think the swordsman who helped him should not act in such a way, just let the puppet girl eat the impact herself.”

“Ya, right! He should have let the female eat the impact alone. Because early this morning I heard that the underground network began to search for the young swordsman who killed the four members secretly and secrecy. But looking at the bodies of the four warriors who were killed here, let them know that the person who did the art only used bare-handed science even though it was not his mainstay! In fact, the four swords they carried had been broken in two just because they were fighting with their bare hands!”

“Really the incident was actually very hard to believe. If the swordsmen of the underground network did not come, I would think of the event as a charade of warriors who want to seek attention.”

“There is even more surprising, the sword used by four troublemaker swords is actually a sword made of diamond gem..”

“That means ...”

“Yes, they are from the Sword Intan Group!”

The mantle suddenly widened his eyes. Not because the two swordsmen's words were shocking, but because his hearing captured two great sounds of metal whirling at extremely high speeds!

“You better lower your voice, because if you arrive ... AKHHH!”

After the sound of shouting, what was then heard was the thumping sound repeated twice. The conversation between the two cooks stopped instantly. Meningan knew, clearly he knew, that two flying knives stuck to the necks of two cooks who were holding the conversation!

However, the Mantang shuddered only. He should still be silent. The distance from the place is quite far from the cooking room. It was impossible if the ears of a layman were able to hear those sounds. While clearly he is currently disguised as a layman who is not good at playing silat at all.

So the Mantingan remained silent in place and indeed forced the body not to let out any reaction. If the gelagatnya until known by the swordsman who attacked the two cooks, then it may be finished already history here.

The mantan again sipped the tea before leaning his back against the back of the bench.

It was then that the entire kitchen began to be crowded by terrified screams.

***

A DRINK of tea had passed, a man who looked like a shopkeeper approached Mantingan.

“Master, we were worried about not being able to provide breakfast for Mister this morning. There is an unexpected event that makes all ingredients in the kitchen so it can not be cooked. We advise you to pay a visit to the shop on the east side of the harbor there. Since Master has been waiting here for a long time, we will indemnify with the dishes in the tavern worth four gold pieces.”

Mantingan shook his head and said that he did not want to receive compensation because there was nothing to harm him here.

However, Mantingan understood why the inn was compensating for affairs that felt too trivial. For some, especially among merchants, time is gold. If their time is wasted due to waiting too long for food to be ordered, then they feel entitled to receive compensation.

Mantingan is not a merchant. He was just a wandering swordsman who actually hardly needed any money to survive. He was not too pursued by time. And for him, time was more precious than just gold pieces. Isn't time something that can't be bought with any resources in this world?

But Mantingan slightly regretted his decision not to accept the compensation money even though he could no longer change his decision. Even in his disguise, he could not resist being humble.

The waiter still offered him money for compensation several times, but of course everything was rejected by Mantingan. Before deciding to leave, the maid smiled and thanked Mantingan.

When Mantingan had just gotten up from his stool, his eyes caught the figure of the person he had been waiting for.

Apart from the steps, the young lady turned towards the tavern in the corner of the hall. Two people who looked like his bodyguards followed behind. The girl's eyes only glanced at Mantingan a glance before returning to throw a glance.

Seeing that, Mantingan could only smile awkwardly while scratching his non-itchy cheeks. But Dara's behavior actually makes him happy, because it means that his disguise is very good.

Dara glanced at him for the second time. And without stopping the step, he replies, “Wahai, stranger.”

The mantel coughed softly. Is it true that Dara really does not know even with her voice?

“It's been three months we haven't met, Nyai.” Mantingan again said, at once Dara stopped her steps and looked at her after goal.

“Who is it?”

The mantle smiled and nodded his head. “Say, this store can not provide dishes caused by an event. If Nyai is pleased, let me take you to another store.”

Dara was silent for a moment before finally being able to understand the situation. “I'm pleased with your invitation. If it doesn't bother you, I'll accept.”

“Sama is absolutely no hassle, Nyai.” The mantel widens the smile.

***

MANTINGAN brought Dara into the old shop after giving her a mask of a puppet player that she bought by the side of the road. The girl certainly became astonished and even put a little thought that Mantingan had become a lover of wine and dancing girls. But after they reached the tavern, he realized that Mantingan's action was very appropriate.

“Is the private room you rented here?” Mantingan took out a few pieces of gold on the booking table.

The waiter standing behind the table looked at Mantingan from top to bottom before turning his gaze towards Dara. Unable to see Dara's mask-covered face, that person simply raised his eyebrows without putting a sense of care.

“We still have some private rooms. One room is valued at ten gold pieces for one night, only four people can fill. You four, if you want to add others must pay fifty pieces of silver.”

Mantingan glanced at Dara next to him. The girl nodded her head, saying, “Only the two of us came in.”

The mantel took some gold pieces on the table, so that what was left there were ten pieces of gold.

“You want to order what kind of wine to deliver there?”

“Tuak cheap from the Land of the Roof of the Sky, do you have?” The mantel answered quickly.

The man nodded without putting on any facial features. “We have the famous white wine throughout the Land of the Roof of the Sky. It can be said, the drink is the wine of the people of the House of Jin. The price of one cup is ten pieces of silver, while for one pitcher it costs a piece of gold—can be for fifteen cups if not spilled. How much do you want to buy?”

“One jug only.” The mantel pulled out a piece of gold. “Take both of us and the wine to the room we ordered.”

The servant received Mantingan's money before nodding his head.

___

note:

White wine has another name, Bai Jiu, which refers to the name of the person who introduced the wine. However, that person lived in the '600s, while our story setting was the year 400.

White wine was still under development during the Jin Dynasty.

The author supposes that the wine has been quite popular in the Land of the Roof of Heaven, in particular the Jin Dynasty.