Chapter 004 in progress

Yes, Master Yang, rest assured

The little person has seen Fifth Brother!

It is said to be a thoroughfare, yet the official road is covered in yellow dust, with fields on both sides crisscrossing in all directions. Some of the land is unsuitable for cultivation, consisting of vast stretches of wasteland, sparsely populated. At this time, as darkness falls, it is indeed an ideal place for robbery.

Zhang Weigong's curiosity was piqued as he leaned against the car window to look ahead. He saw several youths wearing tall hats, their faces painted with powder, dressed in a very peculiar manner. They varied in height, riding on yellow horses or green mules, whistling back and forth, and it was clear at a glance that they were not of good character

One day later, Yang Da and his companions arrived at the borders of Qian'an County. In the county town, they rented a large cart from a mule and horse dealer. Yang Da and Zhang Weigong sat in the cart, while two young servants rode mules alongside them. The journey was quite arduous; the mule cart was extremely bumpy. During the spring and summer, the dry official road, wide enough for four or five large carts to travel side by side, had dust that was half a leg deep. When a gust of wind blew, everyone in the cart was covered in dust.

In the prime of youth, Chun Ge Er was fond of causing trouble. Seeing that the other party seemed to be of a similar age, his competitive spirit was further ignited. However, as he flipped his hand in front of his chest, a finely crafted slingshot was already in his grasp. With his left arm extended, he held the slingshot in his left hand and drew back the projectile with his right hand. In the blink of an eye, a projectile shot forth with a "buzz" sound, flying straight towards the wicked youth opposite him

"Yes, yes!" Yang Da was sweating profusely, not daring to argue back. It was only then that he realized they were not here to rob him, but rather to stand up for someone else.

Seeing this, Zhang Weigong sensed something unusual, so he feigned ignorance and played with the clay figurine in his hand.

Then listen carefully, we are the British Gongzhang Mansion

Zhang Weigong was somewhat stunned, aware that his mother was not an ordinary person, but... this is just too dramatic!

This village resembles the one found at https://www.hetushu.com. Yang Da was originally in despair, but encountering Zhang Weigong, who had survived a calamity, was truly a stroke of luck from the heavens

Zhang Weigong observed all of this with a cold gaze, indeed gaining considerable insight.

The unruly youth across from me, after displaying a remarkable skill, did not pursue the advantage. Instead, he toyed with the slingshot in his hand, smiled faintly, and asked, "Which family are you from in the capital? You must have learned that slingshot technique at home, right?"

Thank you. Zhang Weigong recognized that the person before him was extraordinary, not just an ordinary rogue or a scoundrel robbing the streets. Despite his young age, he respectfully cupped his hands in greeting, and he did not pay much attention to the gold that was tossed his way.

Yang Da blinked his eyelids, staring fixedly at the wicked young man across from him, feeling genuinely puzzled about where this young master had emerged from as a strange creature

The two young servants were both around seventeen or eighteen years old, an age when they were most inclined to stir up trouble. They had been running back and forth along the way, which had become quite tiresome. As soon as Yang Da spoke, both of them showed expressions of excitement and immediately urged their mules forward

But Brother Chun is quick, while the wicked youth across is even quicker

This... Fifth Brother holds a noble status and is certainly not from an ordinary family. Once we return and meet with the Old Master, the Young Master, and the Second Young Master, there will naturally be an explanation. But please rest assured

"Master Yang, it seems there is a group of thieves ahead who are cutting corners."

Today's events are but a jest. Were you in a bad mood at the post station? This steward struck a postman with a whip?" As they were about to depart, the leading ruffian halted the large blue mule beside the mule cart, frowning as he said: "The postman is a suffering soul; do not act this way next time.

Seeing that this place was not suitable for staying long, Yang Da brought out his large black mule, secured Zhang Weigong on the mule along with the books, and then the two young servants led the mule one in front and one behind. The four of them set off towards the outskirts of the village.

No matter how many times I have seen it, I cannot be mistaken

After observing for a while, just like Zhang Weigong, Yang Da felt reassured, leaned back against the carriage wall, and instructed, "Chun Ge and Qiu Ge, go together and scare them away."

Such a small difference is not easily discernible to those who are not experts

Upon getting closer, I noticed that this thief was quite young, wearing a tall hat and painted face, dressed in an unusual manner, with garments that fluttered in the wind, made of fine silk

... ...

The man known as Yang Da, with a face like a trowel, came to the capital. He was a shrewd individual under the feet of the Emperor, serving as an external steward in a large mansion. It is highly unlikely for someone of his stature to appear in this small mountain village, not far from the Great Wall defense line, unless there was something of great importance. His sole purpose for this journey was to seek out Zhang Weigong.

Yang Dachang performed a deep bow, and the two young attendants who accompanied him hurried over and bowed their heads in reverence

Yang Da was taken aback by the words and said to the speaking servant in a low voice: "Chun Ge'er, pay close attention."

"I am leaving, this child is quite amusing, not afraid of us at all." As we got closer, the boy with the painted face became clearer; he appeared to be quite young, around thirteen or fourteen years old, but with long arms and a slim waist, clearly indicating that he was an exceptional skilled individual. He praised Weigong and took out a small gold ingot from his pocket, tossing it over with a smile, saying: "Take this and play with it."

Chun Ge's technique was both elegant and precise, surpassing even the best hunters Wei Gong had ever seen in terms of reaction and movement by a significant margin. Coupled with the sharp sound of the projectile slicing through the air, it was evident that considerable strength was behind it. Such a display of skill truly opened Wei Gong's eyes.

With a whistle behind him, five or six similarly dressed strange and bookish youths rushed over, amidst laughter and scolding, they all leaped over the mule cart and turned back along the path they had come from

"Today was quite a close call," Yang Da wiped the sweat from his forehead, glanced at his two rather unamused companions, and then looked at Zhang Weigong, feeling a wave of disinterest. He waved his hand and said, "Let’s go, we must hurry on our journey"

From Qian'an, passing through Fengrun and Yutian, and continuing forward for less than one hundred miles, one arrives at Jizhou

In order to make progress on his journey, Yang Da inevitably forwent enjoyment, adhering to the schedule of the relay stations each day. Throughout the country, there are over 1,500 relay stations, with those leading to Liaodong scattered like stars. Along the way, there is a relay station every thirty miles, supplemented by mule and horse inns and express delivery shops. As long as one wishes to travel, one can advance swiftly as if riding the wind and racing the lightning.

The mischievous youth seemed to see through Yang Da's thoughts, chuckling softly as he put away the slingshot

History took a slight turn here, yet all the parties involved remained oblivious and unaware

Yang Da's Beijing accent differs somewhat from that of later generations of Beijingers; the vocabulary is significantly different, and the pronunciation is somewhat harsher. Upon closer listening, one can also detect some accents from the southern part of Zhili, along with a hint of Henan accent. This made Zhang Weigong feel quite strange

Who are you, and why have you come to pay your respects to me

Unexpectedly, this young man seemed quite knowledgeable when he spoke... Yang Da and a few others were somewhat taken aback

As Zhang Weigong stepped onto the stone bridge leading out of the village, he quietly looked back. This time, behind him, he would only be able to see it again in his dreams for a considerable time to come

Do not stare at me, nor inquire about who I am. Let today's matter pass as if it never happened.

Several hundred years later, it is unlikely that there will be hunters skilled in crafting excellent hunting bows. As for spending ten to twenty days on meticulous efforts—from locating the site to digging the pit, and then waiting for the game—such detailed consideration is even less probable. Just like the exquisite specialties and scenic spots of Nanjing during the Ming Dynasty, the industrial products produced several hundred years later may not be as good. This illustrates the distinction of human effort taken to its utmost.

The young rascals in the neighborhood are not yet considered proper bandits

Good archery technique

After passing the last post station in Yutian, Yang Da visibly let out a sigh of relief: "Once we pass Jizhou, we will reach Tongzhou, just a few dozen miles from the capital, and we will be home."

This skill is something that even an old hunter who has used a slingshot in the mountain village for twenty years cannot match

Yang Da regarded Zhang Weigong as an ordinary child, assuming that living in a mountain village, he would have little knowledge. At that moment, he did not offer a price but instead deceived him with sweet talk, not uttering a single honest word. After a few flattering remarks, he instructed his attendant to bring out the prepared clay figurines and other items to amuse Zhang Weigong.

Zhang Weigong was left dumbfounded; the boy across from him, whose face was painted in a ghostly clown-like manner, actually executed such a beautiful slingshot technique!

Goodness. Yang Da frowned and said: "The thoroughfare, they are indeed bold."

Over the past few years, he has been living in a small mountain village, where the most formidable sight has been the village's top hunters. This era, in many respects, cannot be compared to later generations, but in certain tasks that require skill, hard work, patience, and time, it possesses advantages that the industrialized era of later generations cannot match

"Interesting, haha, interesting." The young man chuckled, glanced at Zhang Weigong again, and said with a smile: "I remember you. We shall meet again if fate allows."

The typical starting move, the ordinary slingshot, the usual method of use; here, the projectile has already broken through the air, while there, it has just begun to react. However, everyone present only heard a "bang" as two projectiles met in mid-air. With great force, they collided and shattered in the air

The nimble young servant surprised Zhang Weigong once again

Having spoken, he rode off swiftly on the mule, which was remarkably spirited, its four hooves flying, and in no time at all, it had gone quite far away

Whenever Yang Da arrived at a post station, he would take out the travel authorization issued by the Ministry of War that he kept hidden in his bosom. Whether for meals or lodging, he was treated the same as the official couriers or officials on duty. Although he was neither an official nor on a mission, as long as he had the authorization, he could stay without issue. Each time he stayed, he also needed to replenish fresh water and dry rations, or some miscellaneous supplies, all of which the post station readily provided, making it very convenient

Chun Ge was taken aback; he was quite confident in his skills. However, during this outing, he had not had the opportunity to use his slingshot. Who would have thought that the first time he used it, he would run into a solid wall.

Oh, it is coming out from the Silver Ingots Bridge New Park

Even so, there was a sense of unease in his heart. How could these ruffians who committed robbery know anything about the British gentleman? If they were to come at him recklessly, or simply resort to murder to silence him... Thinking of this, Yang Da's face turned ashen.

Yang Da was aware of the perilous situation before him. There were five or six people on the other side, and there might even be others hiding in the shadows. Initially, he relied on the considerable skills of Chun Ge and Qiu Ge, but it was evident that Chun Ge was not up to par. If he did not reveal his trump card soon, today would be fraught with danger

You rascal, not studying properly, take this bullet from me

The British Duke's residence is one of the top noble families of the national dynasty, and only a few families can be ranked as dukes and share the same status as the nation. The original British Duke's residence was located next to the Wen Chancellor's Shrine in the eastern part of the city, in a large garden granted by the emperor, known as the British Duke's Garden. Later, as most of the noble families settled in the western part of the city, a new residence was built near the Silver Ingot Bridge's Guanyin Temple, referred to as the British Duke's New Garden