Before me was the miserable-looking man and his son, kowtowing profusely before me in gratitude. Their stomachs were growling loudly. Their lips were so dry and parched that flakes of skin were showing with some bloodied cracks.
"Thank you, great noble, Thank you for saving us."
This is awkward as the crowd dispersed at a glacial pace. Some bystanders were still pretending to do something while gawking.
"Please get up." I gestured with my hand as they slowly got up.
"Xuanyi, get some meat buns from the rest stop, and some water."
"Oh sir, there is no need." the innkeeper hurried towards us, grasping a medium-sized package. "I packed a few meat buns and rice inside. It's on the house."
Tears were welling up in the man's eyes as he tottered slowly to the innkeeper while his son stared in hunger at the package.
"Please don't kneel," the innkeeper grabbed him before he commenced round two of bashing his already dirt smeared and bloodied forehead on the ground.
"Do you come from Waichun village?" Lianfeng asked.
The man shook his head and spoke, "We are from Beihou province. There is a famine from the long-term drought. Villages have too many mouths to feed and they chased us away."
The boy burst out crying and started coughing. Xuanjing offered him his leather water bottle, which the kid took gratefully and drank it down like there was no tomorrow in between sobs and chokes.
There was more to this story than what he is telling us.
"Xuanyi," I beckoned, "Did father send news about this?"
Xuanyi came closer and whispered in my ear, "the drought problem started last year. But the grain storage should have enough for two years. Relief was sent again after you arrived in Xuanlong. If you are in any danger, your father will order your return."
"Are the officials not distributing the grain? Um… how do I address you both?"
"Sir, I am Ah San and my boy here is Dalang… the officials have confiscated the grain for military use. There were…"
"I HATE THOSE BARBARIANS. *COUGH* THEY KILLED *COUGH* THE REST OF OUR FAMILY!" The boy burst out in anger. "M-mother…"
He started bawling in front of us when his father tried to calm him down.
"Dalang!"
"How many are on their way here?" Xuanyi asked with great concern.
"I think about a hundred or so when we went past. Some are travelling with the ox carts, so they may take a while to arrive. It is only us two, so we made it through the mountain passes on foot."
"When did this happen?"
The man stepped away from his son and beckon us to the sight.
"It started a week ago. But I don't think it is those barbarians. Usually the barbarians have a tone and they only want to rob food stores… these people sounded different and they don't ride horses like those tribes," the man whispered. "I think the other Kingdom is trying to invade. The officials are not telling us anything as they usually do."
And probably not father too. Whatever it is, I smell a big fish. That's when Xuanlong got attacked too. Coincidence, I think not.
"Xuanjing, find them a guest house…"
Lianfeng piped in quickly, "we can take these two in. Our sect owns a large mansion between Youdu and Mount Bei. I will need to let uncle know of the problem now. We do have security there."
"Ok, but first, we need to pay a visit to Governor Zhao." Xuanyi nudged me.
***
According to Xuanyi, Governor Zhao had offended my brothers by being blunt and forthright. Hence, this was his 'reward' for long term service in the career desert of the four large desolate northern provinces of Xuanlong, Beihou, Beibian and Beiqian.
The official whom we met earlier was just one of the many sour minions forced to man the outposts.
The meeting hall of a high ranking governor was sparse, with paint peeling off the walls. The wooden floors were clean but with scratches and a few blots of suspicious looking dark stains.
The dull looking chairs were antique with fading lacquer. Each time I moved, the chair would squeak along. The doors opened up to the grand view of a half dead garden.
You can almost imagine a tumbleweed running across the almost bare courtyard with a withering tree and drooping yellowing bushes. The small pond was dried and filled with dead brown leaves. This whole abode qualified as a potential haunted residence.
The servant girl's trembling hands rattled the tea cup on its saucer as she gingerly placed it on the table.
"I do beg your forgiveness. The Governor has a long illness and he will take some time to come," she mumbled
I nodded. The Governor was too sick to greet me at Xuanlong sect. Only the grumpy assistant governor turned up once to enquire about me. Even his residential abode resembled a haunted mansion, if not for the absence of cob webs and dust.
A polite cough from Xuanyi stopped my imagination from running wild. A tall, gaunt, sickly man in his 30s was walking towards us. A male servant supporting him by holding firmly onto his arm. His gait wasunsteady,y and he was as white as a sheet.
His hand clutched a handkerchief tightly as his chest heaved for a weak, raspy cough. In his healthier days, he would be better looking than this sight of a man with a foot in his grave.
"He really looks like he is dying," I mumbled to Xuanyi through my teeth while smiling.
"I know."
Before he could attempt to pay obeisance, his knees looked like they were about to buckle over.
"No need for formalities," I uttered. "Please seat down before you hurt yourself."
"I do… uh… a-apologise… uh, for my… Uh… condition," he rasped with difficulty as his servant helped him to the chair.
The squeak of the chair on touchdown almost made me jump. This Governor could barely string a simple short sentence in one breath. Who the hell was running the provinces? Somehow I am not surprised for the predicament Beihou is in?
"Y-you all… uh… can… go…," his hand waved his servant away. I nodded to Xuanyi, who also walked out of the room and promptly closed the doors.
Governor Zhao's eyes watched the doors for a while. His ears were pricking for something before finally looking at me.
"Now we are in private, I can speak freely," he said as he casually took a porcelain vial out of his belt pocket, popped off the cap and promptly dabbed it on his handkerchief.
A red stain grew bigger. Then he stopped to cap it back and tucked it away in the same pocket. So this bastard has been faking his illness like an expert.
"I do apologise for the deception, but this is precautionary," he went into a round of fake hacking cough while his eyes peered at the doors for a quick look.
Only speak what is necessary - that is the best policy in front of acquaintances. A smile, a nod while parroting keywords and commenting on the weather to show empathy is all done in the name of reducing the social chasm between the elite ruling class, administrators and its common citizens. What do I even say about this big act?
"Beihou seems to be under attack. I have met one of the first refugees arriving."
"Expected." he shrugged with a certain air of nonchalance. "They had refused to listen to me. The provincial administrator listens to the eldest prince whom I am sure that you are not very fond of."
"Then what is the plan of action?" I stared in disbelief.
"I have reported to your father weeks ago about certain infiltration party in the north, but the decisions come from the eldest prince. What can I do? Go to the second prince and watch them use my provinces as a pawn and I as a scapegoat?"
This is a hint. He is goading me to be the harbinger of bad news. That's why he had agreed to meet me.
"Pity, no-one wants to hear me speak."
"You would be surprised," he countered.
Heck, even I don't want to hear myself speak. Goodness knows how many gaffes could be gained at the expense of Ji Feng's good reputation. Even in my last life, my mouth had landed me in hot soup. A mistake that cannot be repeated in these perilous times.
Too many words will dig my awaiting grave into a giant sinkhole.
"Come on, wallowing in self pity as a prince? You are born with privilege."
Being constantly on a few persons' 'to kill' list is a privilege, which gives me the right to wallow in self pity.
Of course, it would be nice if my current transmigrated life follows the usual trope of Chinese movies, where power crazy character will make killing masses in the name of justice look so easy without consequences.
Nay, every action came with an equal and opposite reaction of someone else adding hiring potential assassins to kill me. Back to reality there.
"The more words spoken will assume me a position with a non-existent ally. Politically, it is best look open than stuck in a position," I replied while lounging back on the chair.
"You are too paranoid…," he laughed then his face became expressionless. "wait, you are not serious, are you?"
"How do you think my father came into power?"
If knowledge is power, then to take an unknown position is to be invincible.
"Not that naïve. Perhaps I underestimated you. That's a good thing," he said "How much do you want to be crown prince?"
He has handed me the metaphorically loaded gun. Either my answer will result in shooting myself in the foot or in the head.
"If there are no expectations, there will be no disappointments," came my swift answer.
He tilted his head slightly and rubbed his chin slowly. "Good answer."
Leaning forward, he said, "Beihou's provincial administrator has to fall on his own sword. That will eliminate your brother's pawns there. The big question is which methods should be used and there are several. As with any decision, there is a consequence."
"What type of consequences?" I narrowed my eyes at him. Was this a veiled threat?
"Either you can close your eyes and sleep at night with a clear conscience, or you don't."