Chapter 3: The Border Town is Not a Pure Land

Song's mother did not understand what Song Nan meant by wanting to retrieve his money, but after listening to Song Nan's words, she felt relieved. She did not believe that her son could recover any wealth, but as long as he was happy, it was fine for him to go out for a walk. Moreover, with the company of the neighbor Daniu, nothing serious would happen.

Song Nan thought to himself, but jokingly said, "What do you want to do? Are you planning to take it up the mountain to chop firewood?"

The oil lamp in Song Nan's east wing burned all night. Xiao Ping woke up in the middle of the night, feeling a bit curious. She peeked through the crack in the door to see what the young master was doing, only to find Song Nan taking out a large pile of ancient books and stacking them on the table, flipping through them and picking them up, busy and sweating profusely.

Song Nan stepped forward, while Li Daniu followed behind in a state of confusion, not understanding where this seemingly frail Nan Ge had found such confidence today

Song Nan smiled and said, "I have my own methods. You just need to follow my lead. Let us hurry to get things done, so that we can return in the evening and have my mother make us dumplings with chives and lamb."

Song Nan felt a chill in his heart. The terms "Embroidered Spring Blade," "Flying Fish Suit," and "Jinyiwei" are not unfamiliar in later generations. In Song Nan's impression, the Jinyiwei of the Ming Dynasty were ruthless spies, demons who killed without blinking. He never expected to witness a Jinyiwei on the streets of Weizhou today. Indeed, the presence of Jinyiwei throughout the world during the Ming Dynasty is not an empty claim; even this small city of Weizhou has Jinyiwei appearing.

After finishing breakfast, Li Daniu from next door was already knocking at the door. Yesterday evening, Song Nan had greeted Daniu and asked him to accompany her to take care of a matter early today. It was not that Song Nan was afraid to handle the matter alone; rather, she was completely unfamiliar with Weizhou City and could not distinguish between the directions, thus needing Daniu to act as her guide

"Nange'er, where are we going? Didn't you say you had something to take care of?" Daniu asked as he snapped back to reality from his reverie.

Do not worry, I haven't been out for a long time and am not very familiar with the roads. Just guide me along the way, and once we reach the Song residence, you can leave.

Li Daniu turned his head to look around, but there were no sticks or similar objects on the street. There was plenty of cow dung and horse manure, but after searching for a long time, he finally found a piece of blue brick behind the beggar at the street corner. He hurried over to grab it, immediately earning a disdainful glance from the beggar.

The big man glanced around and said softly: "You naturally wouldn't know them if you never go out. Did you see the knives at their waists? Those are the Embroidered Spring Knives. Now you understand who they are, right"

Li Daniu blushed and said: "Nan Ge'er, do you look down on me, Li Daniu? Am I someone who is afraid of trouble? Every time you have been bullied, hasn't Daniu stood up for you? How can you look at me like this? I only regret not bringing my hatchet; if you had told me earlier, I would have strapped it to my waist. Forget it, just find someone who can weigh and measure things."

Are you out of your mind? How could they possibly agree to give you that? The old lady Yan is notoriously fierce and ruthless. I heard my mother say that if it weren't for that wicked woman causing trouble back then, you and Madam Song wouldn't have ended up in such a predicament...

Xiao Ping was puzzled. It seemed that the young master wanted to study hard, but distant water cannot quench a near thirst. Even if it is clear that he could pass the imperial examination, how would he overcome the current difficulties? The words spoken by Song Nan during the day about going to get money early the next morning to solve livelihood issues were merely childish jokes in the eyes of Song's mother and Xiao Ping. What means does the young master have to acquire wealth?

Song Nan frowned and said: "Who are these people? How can they be so arrogant"

"Song Mansion, are you referring to your original home?" Daniu exclaimed with wide eyes

Song Nan coldly laughed and said: "That was when I was young and unable to reason with them. Now, I am not afraid of them. What is rightfully mine, I will reclaim in full, and she has no right to act willfully."

Weizhou City is not very large, with only four main streets running north-south and east-west; the rest are small alleys and lanes. The most prosperous area is a major street that runs through the city from north to south. The layout of the city is somewhat peculiar, as most cities typically have four city gates, while Weizhou only has three: southeast and west. At the northernmost point are temples and Taoist monasteries such as the Yuhuang Temple and the Sanyuan Palace, where the local government office is also located. This layout is designed to facilitate the defense against the remnants of the Mongol Yuan forces. Although the Ming Dynasty destroyed the Yuan, much of the northern region, while nominally under the Ming's control, is still practically governed by the Mongols. Incidents of cavalry disturbances along the borders are also quite common.

Song Nan chuckled in disbelief. Li Daniu was a person of strong character, and it turned out he had misjudged him. He hurriedly took the blue brick from Li Daniu's hand and threw it on the ground, saying: "We are not going to fight, what do we need this for?"

"Where is the Song residence? I want to retrieve what belongs to me," Song Nan said.

Song's mother, in doubt, said: "Where can my son go to make money? It is not permissible to engage in criminal activities or acquire ill-gotten gains. Although our family is poor, we shall not partake in actions that are contemptible to others"

Daniu said: "Indeed, in our Ming Dynasty, only one type of person is qualified to wield such a knife, and that is the Jinyiwei. It is said to be forged from fine steel, with a blade as thin as a wing and incredibly sharp, capable of both cutting and stabbing. Hehe, I hope that one day I can have one as well." Daniu licked his lips, his eyes filled with envy

Song's mother let out a sigh and patted her chest, saying: "So that's how it is. I thought my son was possessed. Those postures of yours just now were quite strange; I have never seen anything like them before."

The two individuals exited the narrow alley and headed east, crossing a small stone bridge before turning onto a main street after walking several hundred steps; as the sun rose, the crowd on the street gradually became bustling, with the sounds of vendors shouting filling the air; occasionally, a small group of soldiers marched by with their heads held high, or officials in grand palanquins accompanied by the clanging of gongs and loud announcements passed through, and even more striking were the knights in splendid attire, riding spirited horses, wearing tall crowns and dressed in red and yellow cloaks along with armor adorned with intricate designs, galloping past with an imposing presence, causing pedestrians to scurry away in fright.

Li Daniu looked at Song Nan with some surprise, as if he were meeting him for the first time. It was the first time he had encountered Song Nan speaking in such a tone. In the past, Song Nan had always been timid and unable to articulate his thoughts clearly. Having played with him for five years, he sometimes regarded Song Nan as a little sister, yet he had never seen him behave like this today

Yes, that is my original home, where my belongings are. I want to reclaim everything, so that my mother will no longer have to worry about making ends meet

Song Nan smiled and said, "I am fine. I am just exercising. My body is too weak, and I often fall ill. Exercising can help me become less sick, so you need not worry."

Li Daniu said: "It seems that avoiding a fight may not be feasible, as the Song residence has quite a few bodyguards. We might end up at a disadvantage."

The big fellow chuckled while scratching his head, merely contemplating. The embroidered spring knife is not something easily obtained. It is said that each member of the Jinyiwei has one knife, each with its own serial number. As long as the knife exists, the person exists; if the knife is lost, the person is lost. Even if someone were to gift one to him, he would not dare to accept it, as it would bring about a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. He certainly does not have the courage for that.

Song Nan truly saw the ancient street scene for the first time, feeling somewhat dazed and confused. A few swift horses galloped towards him, and if it weren't for Daniu's quick reflexes pulling him back, he would have almost been knocked over by the horses. The riders on the horses showed no intention of slowing down, instead hurling a harsh curse and a scornful remark as they sped away.

Song Nan opened his eyes and exhaled, concluding the morning yoga practice cultivated in his later years. This body was somewhat uncooperative; the ligaments and muscles were nothing like the flexible and graceful form he had in his later life. He could only perform the most basic postures and breathing exercises.

Song Nan frowned and said, "Embroidered Spring Knife?"

The rooster crowed at dawn, and the sky was dimly bright. As Xiao Ping helped Song Mu get dressed, the two were startled by the scene in the courtyard when they stepped out of the main room. They saw Song Nan in the center of the courtyard, wearing pajamas, twisting his body into various strange positions on a large stone mill, making odd sounds with each breath, as if he were possessed.

Song Nan was at a loss for words and could not explain what yoga was. He smiled and said: "Let's talk about it later. I'm hungry now; I can smell the aroma of millet porridge. I feel like I have a good appetite today, so I want to have three large bowls. After that, I will go get some money."

Song's mother was taken aback; her son seemed as if he were possessed, having wandered around the gates of the underworld. Could it be that he has been possessed by something unclean?

"My son, what is the matter with you? What are you doing in the yard so early? Please do not scare your mother." Mother Song anxiously stepped forward and took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Song Nan's forehead

Song Nan said: "Rest assured, I am merely reclaiming the money that belongs to me; I would never engage in criminal activities. Besides, with my frail appearance, how could I possibly steal or rob?"

The big bull spat and cursed as he watched the cavalry's retreating figures: "Bah, a bunch of dogs relying on the power of others"