Chapter 3, Huo Bao (Part 1)

Tomorrow, the ship will arrive at the territory of the Li family, where we will resupply. You can go ashore to have some fun; there are quite a few shops where you can buy some things... By the way, last time you helped Guo Yiqing, this is your reward." Saying this, he handed Guo Twelve a small cloth bag, and added, "If you want to shop, find a talisman warrior to accompany you, haha, you are too young to go to the shops... Be careful of the shopkeepers trying to deceive you.

Guo Shier was followed by two talisman warriors as he went shopping.

He felt at ease only after hiding in the hatch; unless faced with a direct attack from the Thunder Eagle, the Thunder Eagle posed little threat to humans. According to the records in the book "Beast Examination," the Thunder Eagle rarely engages in close combat, mostly relying on lightning attacks.

Mei Xue exclaimed, "That is... top-tier treatment"

Surrounding the charcoal fire copper basin, four low wooden benches were assembled. The town mayor invited Chen Chunzai to sit on the bench and instructed his family to bring out the food. There was a towering pile of boiled meat, as well as large pieces of roasted meat. In front of each person was a wooden platter, which held two knives of different lengths: a long knife measuring one foot and a short knife measuring the length of a palm, specifically for cutting meat. There was also a pinch of fine salt for seasoning, and beside it were two small pieces of flatbread. There was a towering pile of boiled meat, as well as large pieces of roasted meat. In front of each person was a wooden platter, which held two knives of different lengths: a long knife measuring one foot and a short knife measuring the length of a palm, specifically for cutting meat. There was also a pinch of fine salt for seasoning, and beside it were two small pieces of flatbread.

Guo Shier walked into the courtyard. The mayor's house was constructed from large stone blocks; it appeared not very tall at first glance. However, upon entering, one would realize that the house was excavated about one zhang deep, revealing a height difference of nearly one zhang above ground level, which prevented the rooms from feeling oppressive. A large copper basin filled with charcoal fire was placed in the center of the room, and a warm, steamy atmosphere greeted him, with the air thick with the scent of burning charcoal.

He is unaware that this place is abundant in wild animals, making meat quite common; however, wheat products are extremely precious. This area does not produce grain and relies entirely on external transportation, especially in winter when there is little flour and books brought in, thus unleavened bread has become a luxury.

The voice of Chen Chunzai resounded, both authoritative and domineering, instilling a sense of fear that no one dared to defy his commands

On the wild riverbanks, large beasts frequently appear, some of which can leap over several meters and land directly on the deck of a ship. Once a beast boards the vessel, it can become quite troublesome, as during the struggle, the ship is easily damaged. Therefore, it is advisable to navigate primarily in the main channel.

Chen Chunzai said impatiently: "Go and take care of it, and do it quickly!"

The mayor's entire family stood at the door to greet them, warmly inviting Chen Chunzai and his party into their home

The fleet slowly docked at the pier. Guo Twelve noticed that the fleet was no longer on the Qingchang River, but had entered a tributary, having traveled along the river for three days before reaching the dock. This was a small town, just at dusk, with smoke rising from kitchens, and the ground and houses were covered with a thick layer of white snow, while sparse snowflakes drifted down.

The woman half-embraced and half-supported Guo Twelve as she led him off the boat, saying: "My surname is Lan, you can call me Aunt Lan, or Auntie is also fine. Guo Twelve... hmm, from now on I will just call you Twelve."

Guo Twelve once again experienced the excellence of this body; he himself could not have imagined running so fast, reaching the cabin door in just a few steps. He understood that the Thunder Eagle was best at lightning attacks, and as long as he was not exposed outside and had wooden cabin boards as a barrier, the Thunder Eagle's lightning attacks would pose no threat to him

There were no inns or similar accommodations in the town; these individuals were distributed among the local residences. Chen Chunzai and Guo Twelve stayed at the home of the town mayor

Mei Xue responded, "Yes, Mr. Chen, I will arrange it immediately"

It is very large ... ... and moves very quickly! Although I did not see it attack, I believe it must not be easy to deal with.

Chen Chunzai approached and called out: "Meixue! Has Meixue arrived?"

Chen Chunzai frowned and said, "Assign him two talisman warriors; one aunt is not enough, add another!" He pointed at Guo Twelve.

Chen Chunzai and Hong Changfeng went to visit the patriarch of the Li family to discuss supply issues, while the other children were taken by a dozen or so talisman warriors to go shopping and have fun

Many people were waiting at the dock, each dressed in thick leather cloaks, wrapped up like zongzi, and holding various items in their hands. As the fleet came to a stop and the gangplank was set up, these individuals surged onto the ship. Guo Twelve watched with curiosity, and when they approached, he realized that most of them were women.

The mayor was very enthusiastic towards Guo Twelve, which left Guo Twelve filled with doubts. He could not understand why the mayor was so warm towards him; he even detected a hint of flattery in the mayor's eyes. Guo Twelve pondered: "Strange, I have neither power, nor influence, nor money. Why is he so enthusiastic towards me?"

However, an answer soon emerged

Guo Shier was always puzzled about where Chen Chunzai was planning to take this group of children. He had asked Chen Chunzai, but the old man seemed reluctant to explain, merely stating that they would know when they arrived.

Aunt Lan happily said: "I understand, you have already told us the rules long ago. Rest assured, I will take care of everything." She quickly helped Guo Twelve adjust the leather robe on his body

Chen Chunzai said loudly, "Alright, don't stop at the dock, hurry into the town, we will rest in the town tonight." He addressed the woman beside Guo Twelve, saying, "Since you are assigned to take care of Twelve's daily needs, let me remind you to take good care of him with all your heart and effort; there will be benefits for you in the future. Another aunt will be arranged to come, yes, you and the library will be in charge. If, within three months, Twelve has no objections to you, you can stay, do you understand?"

Guo Shier did not immediately go to purchase daily necessities; he first found a bookstore and bought more than ten books. Then he purchased paper, ink, and an inkstone. Only after that did he buy some daily necessities, including bedding, a leather robe, leather boots, a copper basin, a copper bowl, and toiletries. According to Chen Chunzhai's introduction, the place they were going to is extremely cold in winter, and some winter supplies must be purchased.

Regardless of whether a child possesses the potential of a talisman practitioner or a spellcaster, each one has an aunt. However, children with the potential of talisman warriors do not enjoy such favorable treatment; among the twenty-six children, only five women are responsible for their care and daily needs

Chen Chunzai said: "The Thunder Eagle generally inhabits the grasslands and rarely comes above the forests. This should be an adult Thunder Eagle. I observed that its attack power can instantly kill a talisman warrior! Coupled with its incredible speed, avoiding provoking it is the wisest course of action"

Time passed swiftly, and two months of life aboard the ship left everyone utterly exhausted. During this period, the fleet docked twice to replenish supplies. Guo Twelve only went ashore to purchase some books, spending the rest of the time entirely on the ship, as he needed information about this world and sought knowledge from it

Guo Shier discovered that the value of the currency here was quite high. A thick leather robe only cost six black currency notes, and he even received two silver currency notes as change. A meal, consisting of a bowl of braised meat, only cost one silver currency note, which was extremely cheap. Therefore, he invited two currency warriors to dine with him.

A month ago, the first snowfall occurred, and the weather became extremely cold. This cold was even more severe than that of the northern regions in the previous era. Areas near the riverbank began to freeze, and only the main shipping channel remained navigable. Occasionally, wild beasts would attack the fleet by stepping onto the ice, but thanks to the protection of the talisman warriors and spellcasters, many beasts were killed, providing an additional meal for the entire fleet

An elderly woman responded, "Mr. Chen, I am here. What is the matter?"

All personnel must board the cabin; no lingering on the deck is permitted

It was not until evening that Chen Chunzai returned. After the supplies were loaded onto the ship, he immediately gathered the crew and set sail from the dock

The thunder eagle circled above the three large sailing ships until evening, before flying off into the distance

Guo Shier felt that he had underestimated the organization to which Chen Chunzai belonged. Although he was still unclear about what kind of organization it was, the fact that they assigned a nanny to each of the fourteen children indicated that this organization was not simple. Only with substantial human resources could such luxury be afforded. It is evident that this place certainly did not only accept children from the Guo family; there must be other children as well. If all received such treatment, it would require an enormous amount of human resources.

Chen Chunzai nodded in satisfaction and then ordered to enter the town

One middle-aged woman approached Guo Shier, wrapped him in her fur cloak, and said: "Child, what is your name? From now on, I will be your aunt, responsible for your well-being. Come! Be good! Put on the fur cloak; it is very cold outside. Children from the south are not used to it here"

Guo Shier felt grateful; he could see that Chen Chunzai truly cared for him. After Chen Chunzai left, he opened the cloth bag, which contained one hundred and sixty black talismans. He now understood that black talismans, also known as large talismans, were equivalent to ten silver talismans each. Silver talismans, also referred to as talismans, were worth ten green talismans each. Green talismans were the smallest unit of currency, referred to here as small talismans and book money. Silver talismans were also called talismans, with one silver talisman equaling ten green talismans. Green talismans were the smallest unit of currency, referred to here as small talismans and book money.

Upon returning to the cabin, Guo Twelve picked up a book and began to read.

Guo Shier appears to be a child, but his soul is not. He feels a bit awkward; however, he can tell that the woman's words are sincere. He can't help but wonder: could she be a private nanny? He smiles wryly and says, "My name is Guo Shier"

The thunder eagle circled in the sky, its target being the three large sailing ships. Unfortunately, as it approached, everyone on the deck ran into the cabin, leaving the entire ship devoid of any figures. Reluctantly, it continued to hover in the sky, trying to wait for the people in the cabin to come out

Guo Shier discovered that the meat was available for everyone to eat freely, but there was a restriction on the flatbreads. Only he and Chen Chunzai had some flatbreads in front of them, while the others had only two pieces each, including the mayor who was no exception

Wishing you a safe journey to your destination

Chen Chunzai was well aware of the habits of the thunder eagle. He shouted again, "Without my permission, no one is allowed to go out. Helmsman, pay attention to controlling the direction, and do not approach the riverbank!"

Guo Shier returned to his cabin. After a while, Chen Chunzai entered and asked, "Shier, have you seen the Thunder Eagle? What are your thoughts on it?"

Guo Shier wanted to say no, but the words were on the tip of his tongue, yet he swallowed them back. This was not an occasion for refusal; he could not decline Chen Chunzai's kindness and arrangements. Perhaps this was simply how things were done here. He thought to himself: "Let's settle down first and then see."

On the morning of the second day, three large sailing ships docked at the Li family’s pier. Many vessels, both large and small, were moored at the dock.

The territory of the Li family? Guo Shier carefully recalled that his mother was indeed a member of the Li family, but this held no significance for him; he did not even know where his mother's family home was. It seemed that the people here had no concept of maternal grandparents.