
Jin could definitely leave early in the morning, and leave them all in the dust on the way to the city.
Instead, he helped stack some mushroom chests with his younger brother stuck to his back like a monkey. Meihua's father even gave her an ox to borrow for their trip to the city, instead of her carrying her own burden, as a thank you for her help speeding up the preparations.
And now her father looked at her sharply, and grinned when he caught her staring at Jin.
He could not believe that they had just found and chased after the wolf. She thought they were sneaking to do.. other things . Like kissing in the moonlight, or something just as silly. It didn't help that she had just completely ignored him when she told him her real name, and kept calling him Meimei.
He snorted, and buried his face back into the medical scroll. It was as if there was a man who wanted to do that thinly, Meiling mottled.
He saw, from the corner of his eye, a wagon began to tilt, as his wheels were stuck in the hole.
Jin lifted him up with one hand, without stopping his steps, and winked as he caught him.
He scowled and threw away his face, a red tinge blooming on his cheeks.
bajx*n.
///////
For two days the Great Master left, and for two days Bi De kept the Great Master's cage. So far no one had dared to challenge him, no longer would a Basi Bu Shi-like person sneak in the shadows. In his beak he held a twig that was split many times to form a feather, and swept away the dirt that threatened to invade to an unwanted place. Soon, he would be able to use his wings for this, but not yet. His Great Master's medicines were most potent, turning what should have been a life-ending wound into mere discomfort. Being reluctant to consume such a rare reagent, the kindness of his Great Master was impossible to resist.
He lurked among his master's plants, and tried to empower them just like his Great Lord did. His efforts were ludicrous compared to his Great Master, and only revealed an extremely wide gulf between them. On the first day, just taking care of the herbal pot sent him to the ground, gasping and dizzy from exertion, he said, with barely enough strength to eat the lower savage beasts that came to try and eat them. His master could work on the entirety of The Great Fa Ram without breaking a sweat. Really, the strength of his Great Master was beyond his current comprehension.
He walked back to his own pavilion, in a place with all the women. They ... disappointed him in some ways. They did not have the same spark as him, despite being in the presence of a Great Master, and occasionally consuming a little Heavenly Potion.
He wondered why, but could not find a satisfactory answer. It was beyond his current understanding.
He shook himself, and once again attended Great Fa Ram.
Verdant Hill reaches the horizon. It was a city of about two thousand people, on a hill. Unlike the small village of Meimei which has a population of about 50 people, Verdant Hill has some impressive walls, and an administrative building that looks like a palace in the middle.
The people from our small caravan were surprised that we made such a high speed. Usually they arrive late on the second day, but this time we arrive at Verdant Hill on the morning of the second day. The distance itself is not too far away, but, you have to traverse a very hilly part to really get here. Although calling them mere hills was an adverse act, they were very close to the mountains, and the carts had to travel one line.
The geography here is really strange. Lots of holes in the road, too. I might have to fix it, if only for my sake.
Our group is Meimei, his younger brother Xian, his father, who is also named Xian, The girl who is about to get married (Meihua), his father (Yao Che), and his wife, and two more youths (Gou Ren and Yun Ren), who were supposed to help dismantle the mushrooms, and other items.
The guards seemed to know Meimei's father, and thus invited us in without any difficulty, and I bowed to Yao Che as a thank you for allowing me to borrow the ox…even though I don't really need it.
It was a thought that counts, and I really appreciate his generosity. We all agreed to meet at the inn later. We'll stay bright at least, and maybe one more night as well. We all left after stabbing the animals, and locked our carts. Meimei was instructed to bring a bottle that I consider alcohol to “Bao” Brothers by his father, while the rest went to sell mushrooms on the exchange.
Well, first thing first. It's time (hopefully) to figure out what the strange root is. It was still on the farm, but I had drawn it pretty well.
I could feel Meimei's eyes staring at me, as I left. We're heading in the same direction.
“You also went to Archive?” I asked her, and after she looked at me suspiciously for a moment, nodded.
There was a pause, as we walked, until Meimei spoke.
“What are you looking for in the Archives? I might be able to help you find him.” he offers.
“Try out of making dumplings for me by doing something different, Meimei?” i tease. The girl rolled her eyes, but I knew she was amused, while I chuckled. “I guess you are familiar with the Archive then?”
“Father used to be a royal employee, before she had to return to the village and take grandfather's place when she died. I spent most of my childhood in Archive.” He replied, and once again “watch the cat see” on his face, measure my reaction.
“Big!” I replied, and he looked surprised by my statement, “I don't know exactly what I'm looking for, but I made the sketch. Roots of some kind, want to know what it is.”