"There's such a thing!" Yuan Ming exclaimed in surprise.
Seeing this, Hu Tu gave a knowing smile, very satisfied with Yuan Ming's reaction.
"When I return to the Central Plains in the future, I will surely repay you handsomely. However, if we don't go back to the Qingmu Clan, how shall we enlist in the military? Surely we aren't considering other tribes?" Yuan Ming asked.
"Apart from our Qingmu Clan, both the Kasi Clan and the Mengning Clan border Da Jin Country, and their borderlines are even longer, which means more loopholes. Next, we will go to the Kasi Clan's territory to enlist there," Hu Tu explained.
"Why not go to the Mengning Clan? Is it because they're too far away?" Yuan Ming inquired.
"The Mengning Clan's army doesn't recruit people from other tribes. In fact, besides the Kasi Clan, the other major tribes don't recruit outsiders either," Hu Tu clarified.
"Why is that?" Yuan Ming wondered.
"The Mengning Clan doesn't recruit outsiders because they are already quite powerful and do not trust other tribes. As for our Qingmu Clan and the Black Water Clan, it's because we are poor; even if one wants to join the army, it requires money, which we don't have," Hu Tu elaborated.
"So, the Kasi Clan is quite wealthy then?" Yuan Ming asked.
"The Kasi Clan isn't wealthy, they have mines. Their ancestors were lucky to have occupied the richest mineral veins in the Southern Border, making them the wealthiest. Everyone wants to become a profiteer. Compared to other tribes, they have significantly fewer people enlisting. However, with their wealth, they have recruited a mercenary force composed of soldiers from other tribes. That's the force we're going to join," Hu Tu added.
"I see," Yuan Ming nodded.
"Among the tribes of the Southern Border, the Kasi Clan most resembles your Central Plains people. There are even many Central Plains people who remain within Kasi territory, conducting business there, and some are in their army," Hu Tu continued.
"You really are well-informed. In that case, it won't be so conspicuous for me to enlist there," Yuan Ming acknowledged, nodding.
"All right, let's head over to Kasi territory," Hu Tu stood up, patted his buttocks, tightened the bag that never left his side, and said.
Yuan Ming hurriedly got up and followed.
...
Their journey took over a month, and by this time, Yuan Ming's injuries had fully healed. Along the way, they encountered fierce wild beasts several times, and Yuan Ming took care of them, enjoying plenty of game in the process.
Witnessing the huge gap between their strengths, Hu Tu increasingly realized he was no match and became even more cautious in his dealings with Yuan Ming.
One day, the two came upon a dilapidated wooden hut. Although furnished with a bed, a desk, and chairs, it seemed to have been abandoned for a long time.
"We've reached the Kasi Clan's territory. I need to scout ahead first," Hu Tu said as he stood up and shook out a grey, tattered cloak, draping it over himself.
"I'll go with you," Yuan Ming offered.
During these days, he had been trekking through mountains and rivers with Hu Tu and had yet to visit a place inhabited by Southern Border people.
"As a Central Plains person, it's not suitable for you to go where there are many people; better for you to wait here for me," Hu Tu declined.
After Hu Tu left, Yuan Ming stretched lazily, so comfortably that he couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.
After days of sleeping under the open sky, they finally came upon this abandoned wooden hut that offered shelter from the wind and rain.
Yuan Ming walked around outside once more and, seeing the desolation, with occasional bird calls from the forest, sat back on the wooden bed inside. He waited patiently for Hu Tu while thinking about his next moves, contemplating his experiences entering the Southern Border, and how he would return to Da Jin.
He would find the truth and seek revenge; his memory would not fade so easily.
As he pondered, dusk fell, and overtaken by fatigue, Yuan Ming collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
In the dim light, a mark shaped like an incense burner on Yuan Ming's right arm flickered, then slowly dimmed again.
After some time, a series of soft footsteps echoed in the wooden hut.
In a haze, Yuan Ming saw Hu Tu enter the room, take off his cloak, stand beside the wooden table, gazing at him, then he retrieved grease-soaked paper packets from the satchel slung across his body.
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After setting everything up, he opened the paper wrappers one by one, revealing a whole chicken roasted to a crisp amber color, a pack of peanuts, and a pack of meat slices from an unknown beast.
Hu Tu looked at the delicacies on the table and reached into his cloth bag to take out two bamboo bowls, placing one on each side of the table. Then he took out a bamboo jar, removed the wooden cork, and poured some soup into both bamboo bowls.
At this moment, Hu Tu put down the bamboo jar and looked at Yuan Ming for a while.
Just as Yuan Ming was about to speak, he noticed something off about Hu Tu`s expression. His brows were furrowed, and there seemed to be a hint of hesitation on his face.
Suddenly, Hu Tu pulled out a small paper packet from his waist and quickly emptied it into the bowl closest to Yuan Ming's side. He stirred it with his finger, then wiped his finger on the edge of his clothing.
While Yuan Ming was still puzzled, his thoughts abruptly felt as if they had been struck by something. The images in his mind vanished instantly, and he became completely awake.
When he regained his clear vision, he found himself lying on his side facing the wall, having just experienced a dream that felt so real.
At that moment, his shoulder was nudged again, and he heard Hu Tu's voice from behind.
"Get up."
Yuan Ming turned around and saw Hu Tu with a simple smile on his face, calling him to eat.
Yuan Ming gave Hu Tu a once-over and noticed that he wasn`t wearing his cloak and that his clothing was still wet at the hem.
"Wake up, we`ve got chicken and horse meat. It cost a fair bit of money, so hurry up. If I eat it all, don`t blame me," Hu Tu patted him again, urging him on.
Yuan Ming flipped over and sat up to see the roast chicken, peanuts, beast meat, and the two bowls of meat soup. Even their placement was exactly the same as he had seen in his dream.
The dream was real.
"That packet probably wasn`t salt, was it?" Yuan Ming's heart tightened, an idea he didn't want to believe surfacing in his mind.
"Roast chicken?"
Feigning surprise, Yuan Ming immediately sat down and reached for a chicken leg.
"Don`t grab it." Hu Tu cried out as he gripped another chicken leg.
In no time, the nicely roasted chicken was torn apart by the two of them.
"With that starving ghost`s appetite of yours, I`d never believe you came from a noble family. Even if you regain your memory, you`re probably just a beggar who goes from feast to famine," Hu Tu pointed at Yuan Ming's nose and said.
"You're not much better," Yuan Ming chuckled in response.
Hu Tu bit into the chicken meat and sat down, looking too lazy to argue with Yuan Ming.
"What's gotten into you today? Suddenly being so generous?" Yuan Ming asked with a smile.
"Saw a conscription notice from the Kasi Clan in town today. The military pay is more than before. This time, we've come to the right place. No need to skimp on this meal, eat and drink well, keep your spirits up, and strive to get into Jingwei Camp," Hu Tu replied with a laugh.
"More military pay might not be a good thing. Could it mean there's going to be a war?" Yuan Ming said, frowning.
Upon hearing this, Hu Tu paused for a moment before replying, "Well, we're already here, so whatever. We'll talk after getting the pay."
"That's true," Yuan Ming smiled and took another bite of the chicken, chewing thoughtfully.
"Heh, you're lucky today. I also bought two bottles of Beast Milk Wine. I'll let you have a taste too," Hu Tu said, setting down the chicken leg and pulling out a fist-sized black bamboo bottle from his bosom and handing it to Yuan Ming.
Being cautious and unable to avoid it, Yuan Ming could only smell the wine bottle.
"What's this smell? It's way too bitter, isn't it?" he complained.
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