From Hoarding to Time-Travel: My Supplies Saved Him

Chapter 452: Chapter 453: Didn’t Finish Speaking...

Zhou Shixiong had no desire to dignify that with a response. He turned to leave with his men, saying, "Remember, do whatever it takes to clear this land in the coming days. Even if the ground is frozen solid, give them sharpened stones to work with. As long as they can move, they work for me."

’This is only the beginning. Until their debt is paid in full, none of them will be leaving this land.’

Watching the Great General and his men depart, Li Ji stopped agonizing and quickly spurred his horse to follow.

"General Wang, where did the Great General suddenly get an idea like this? Didn’t we always just give the prisoners a good beating and send them on their way?

"If the officials in Shangjing find out, our Great General will surely be reprimanded again."

Vice General Wang replied, "General Li, year after year, we go through the same motions with these people. We capture them, release them, and they just come back to plunder again. Aren’t you tired of it?

"They keep attacking because they know we won’t kill them. That’s why they get more brazen every year.

"They used to just dare to steal a few things from the border villages, but look at the last couple of years! Murder, assault, violent plunder... it’s gotten completely out of hand. Our Lu City might not be rich and prosperous, but at least it was peaceful and stable, wasn’t it?

"Why are we in such dire straits now? It’s all because of them. If you’re this soft-hearted, General Li, you really shouldn’t have chosen the path of a military general."

Li Ji said, "...General Wang, there’s no need for such pointed remarks. I’m simply concerned for the Great General. I’m afraid someone has misled him, and he’ll end up ruining his own career."

Vice General Wang shot him a look. "As long as you keep your mouth shut and don’t stir up trouble, the Great General will be fine guarding this border."

"There’s no need to be so harsh," Li Ji said, looking embarrassed. "At the end of the day, I’m a subject of the Rong Dynasty too. Naturally, I have no love for these foreign invaders, but we have to be smart about it, we have to consider the proper methods, consider..."

Suddenly, Vice General Wang spurred his horse into a gallop, as if afraid that if he listened for one more second, he would kick Li Ji right off his horse.

Li Ji sighed. ’Why is everyone so hot-tempered? Can’t they even let me finish a sentence?’

***

That day, as usual, Ming Feng waited for Ancient Wen Heng to leave for the government office before taking a few people to the market to continue his shopping.

He had been at the market every day recently, constantly buying provisions, and many of the small merchants and vendors had gotten to know him.

Seeing him arrive, a vendor quickly waved him over. "Ming Feng, my friend! I just got a fresh batch of mustard greens. Want some? They’re perfect for making pickled vegetables."

Ming Feng examined them. The size and freshness were both good. "Alright, weigh them out for me. I’ll come back and haul them away when I’m done here."

With snow already on the roads, he could just use a wooden plank as a makeshift sled to haul everything back.

"You got it! Same price as the other day. I’ll keep an eye on it for you. Once you’ve finished your shopping, I’ll help you load up your sled." The vendor knew he was a big customer, so his attitude was especially enthusiastic.

Ming Feng continued on his way, picking and choosing, and soon the wooden plank he’d brought was piled high with goods.

The serving women who had come with him each steadied one side of the plank while Ming Feng pulled the rope from the front, and they followed carefully behind.

The vendor watched them go, then began to pack up his stall. To have sold all his vegetables so quickly on such a cold day meant he could go home and rest a little earlier.

"Friend..."

The vendor saw a shadow fall over him and heard a voice. He replied without looking up, "Today’s vegetables are all sold out. Come back tomorrow."

"You misunderstand, friend," the stranger said with a placating smile, pressing a meat bun into the vendor’s hand. "I’m a small merchant myself. I saw that man just now buying quite a lot. I was just wondering which household he’s from. I’d like to see if I can do some business with them too."

The vendor looked up, studying the stranger. Even though some time had passed, no one had forgotten how those bandits had infiltrated the city in disguise.

"You look unfamiliar. You’re not from around here, are you?" The vendor’s suspicion grew, but he kept his expression casual.

"We’re mountain folk from nearby," the stranger replied with a deferential smile. "We don’t get down from the mountain often. We were just hoping to trade some game and vegetables we grew for a bit of silver to get through the winter."

"Oh, so that’s it. No wonder you looked unfamiliar. Well, you’ve come to the right man." The vendor casually tossed the meat bun in his hand and grinned. "Around this market, nobody’s better informed than me.

"As for that fellow you were asking about, he’s only been in Lu City a short while. He doesn’t come to shop every day. After today, you’ll have to wait for the day after tomorrow to catch him again.

"Just pile your vegetables right here then, and if he likes what he sees, he’s a very generous buyer."

But the stranger didn’t seem satisfied with this answer. He frowned and said, "To be honest, friend, it’s not easy for us to make a trip down the mountain. We really can’t afford to be delayed.

"I was wondering if you could take us there, just so we know where to find it."

The vendor glanced at the meat bun in his hand, then pursed his lips. "Why didn’t you just approach him yourselves earlier? If your goods are decent, he would’ve bought them from you."

"Well..." The man hesitated before saying, "The thing is, we brought quite a lot with us. It’s all piled up by the city gate right now.

"Since I don’t have any goods on me, I didn’t dare approach him, for fear he’d mistake us for troublemakers."

The vendor lowered his head and hesitated for a moment. "Fine, I’ll take you there. But after that, you’re on your own."

"Of course! Thank you so much, friend." The man was delighted and quickly offered a respectful salute. He then fumbled at his waist and pulled out a few copper coins. "Here, this is for a bowl of hot soup."

The vendor happily accepted the coins. "Well, don’t mind if I do.

"Come on, I’ll take you. But if he doesn’t want to buy anything, you can’t blame me."

The man shook his head. "We wouldn’t dream of it. Thank you for your trouble."

The vendor asked a person nearby to watch his stall, then pulled his coat tighter around himself. "The weather’s gotten cold. Why come down from the mountain so late in the season?"

"We thought we could get a bit more hunting done and save ourselves a trip. We didn’t expect the weather to turn on us so suddenly. Just bad timing, I guess."

The vendor ducked his head, pulling his felt cap down to cover his mouth. ’The moment you open your mouth to talk, the wind rushes in. It’s freezing.’

He led the man through a winding maze of streets and alleys, and they soon arrived before an impressive gate.

Without giving the man time to think, the vendor grabbed the door knocker and rapped it firmly. KNOCK, KNOCK.

"What is it?" a burly man suddenly demanded from the doorway, startling the vendor so much that he stumbled back a few steps.

"I’m looking for Ming Feng. Is he back yet?"

The burly man looked him up and down. "So, that kid Ming Feng has already made new friends, has he? He just got back. I’ll go get him."

The vendor shot a glance at the man beside him, then said to the guard, "Much appreciated, brother."

Ming Feng arrived quickly. He recognized the vendor at a glance. "Is there something wrong with the payment I just made?"

’That can’t be right,’ he thought. ’Even if my math isn’t the best, there’s no way I could have messed up a bill that simple.’