Chapter 4: Zhuqi County Town

The donkey cart subsequently stopped near the city gate, and the city guards did not conduct any inspection, allowing them to enter the city

In the afternoon, it became slightly cooler, and the two continued on their journey

A donkey cart, pulled by two sturdy young donkeys, was trotting unsteadily towards the city gate. Seated in the cart was a gentleman in his sixties or seventies, dressed in a rather elegant cloth long gown, holding a cowhide whip in his hand, loudly scolding Ye Qin and his companion who were blocking the way.

Zhuqi County, located within the boundaries of Wuguo Pingzhou, is the most desolate and remote among the eight county towns. The population within the town exceeds one hundred thousand. Within a radius of one thousand miles, there are more than ten small towns, while the vast majority of the remaining areas consist of deep mountains, old ravines, perilous peaks, and streams.

A notice was posted at the entrance, but Ye Qin did not recognize a single character on it

The donkey cart was moving swiftly, nearly colliding with Ye Qin and the other person.

Ye Qin quickly pulled Da Niu aside to avoid danger

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

Most of them are individuals from the martial world, dressed in tight-fitting attire, wielding swords and riding horses, displaying agile movements and a robust, formidable presence. Just by observing their appearance and demeanor, one can tell they are not to be trifled with; any one of them could easily crush the two of them.

Fortunately, these individuals from the underworld are always in a hurry, seemingly preoccupied with significant matters. Unlike rogues and scoundrels who enjoy wasting time bullying beggars, they show no interest in beggars and do not spare them a glance.

Ye Qin, accompanied by Da Niu, carefully avoided those who appeared to be ruffians, not even glancing at the bustling streets, and hurriedly made his way towards the northwest district. Upon encountering some local beggars, he dared not stop at all and quickly jogged past to avoid being entangled or scolded.

The grain yield in this area is not high, but a large number of rare wild medicinal herbs grow in the deep mountains. The herbal medicine from Zhuqi County is well-known throughout the entire Pingzhou region. Naturally, the city of Zhuqi has also become one of the key sources of wild medicinal materials for the Medicine King Gang, which has specifically established a herbal gathering hall here to be responsible for the collection of herbs

In particular, the recruitment of a group of herbal medicine gatherers by the Herbal Medicine Hall has gradually spread to some nearby towns. Some rural families have brought their children and books to apply, hoping to secure a meal at the Herbal Medicine Hall

Due to the large number of individuals from the martial arts community, there are rarely any rogues or beggars appearing in the northwestern urban area

The big cow exclaimed excitedly

Ye Qin glared fiercely at the chubby boy, then quickly lowered his head, filled with anger yet unable to voice it, biting his lip in restraint. In the countryside, the gentry hold significant power, possessing the most fertile fields and the largest forests, maintaining numerous servants. All the tenants and hunters rely on them for their livelihood. Both he and Cheng Daniu were born as hunters and tenants in the countryside, and they dared not offend these gentry.

As evening approached, the weather gradually became cooler, and residents emerged from their homes to stroll and engage in business transactions, bringing life to the city. This place was bustling with activity, unlike the desolate outskirts where one could hardly see a soul throughout the day.

Faced with such unfortunate circumstances, Ye Qin lost interest in admiring the scenery of the city gate

The northeastern urban area is the county government, where some local gentry, wealthy landowners, big merchants, and affluent families reside. The northwestern urban area is the medicinal herb hall, along with some other powerful figures and small gangs. The remaining southeastern and southwestern urban areas are primarily civilian districts, where the ordinary residents of Zhuqi County live.

Ye Qin called out to Da Niu, who was still in a daze from sleep, and hurriedly made his way along the post road towards the direction of Zhuqi County while the morning sun was still not too harsh. Da Niu had eaten meat bones and drunk some water last night, and his spirits had noticeably improved; he was already able to walk on his own.

On this sweltering day, the city guards would at most question a few unfamiliar ruffians from the rivers and lakes, but they had no intention of paying any attention to the ragged children who sneaked into the city.

The grand main streets, both horizontal and vertical, traverse the entire county town, with shops and stores on both sides being the properties of affluent families, many of which are also from the medicinal herb collection hall. Restaurants, tea houses, inns, martial arts schools, academies, mansions, and gardens stand side by side.

Amidst the crowd, Ye Qin and Da Niu stealthily slipped into the city

Only Ye Qin had once followed his father up the mountain to hunt wolves, and his temperament was somewhat wild, daring even to glare at that little fatty. However, Cheng Daniu did not even dare to glare back; he kept his head down and only dared to wipe the drool from his face after the donkey cart entered the city

Ye Qin saw the low city wall overgrown with grass and vines, the dilapidated city gate, and a few languid, down-and-out city guards standing at the entrance, feeling a surge of excitement in his heart. He had returned to this place once again

On the way, Ye Qin told Da Niu that he wanted to go to the county town to see if he could be recruited by the Herbal Medicine Hall. Da Niu was very excited and readily agreed to go to the county town.

Although it is a remote area, there is a post road leading directly to Zhuqi County, and one can occasionally see some horse-drawn carriages, making the journey relatively easy.

Ye Qin and the other person arrived at the entrance of the Herb Gathering Hall. This is a vast estate, covering several hectares, and from the outside, one cannot discern the true extent of its interior. In front of the door stand two stone lions, each weighing a thousand pounds, exuding an imposing presence. The large door features a pair of extremely heavy bronze rings.

Before dusk on that day, two frail figures appeared outside the east gate of Zhuqi County.

Drive! Get out of the way, you blind thing!

Under the scorching midday sun, the two of them found a place to rest for a while and dug up some tree bark and grass roots to satisfy their hunger

Before entering the city, Ye Qin was also filled with excitement in his heart, much like Da Niu

In the northwest urban area, there are significantly fewer people, and it is rare to see ordinary citizens here along with the books.

On the road, he encountered several ruffians approaching him, which frightened him greatly. He quickly ran to the northwest district, where those ruffians dared not pursue him any further

In the carriage, a chubby boy in his teens suddenly poked his head out, his face displaying the slickness of a country gentleman's son. His eyes rolled around for a moment, and upon seeing Ye Qin and the other person, he immediately spat, "Pah!" and a mouthful of water landed on them. Then he grinned widely, clapped his hands, and laughed heartily, "Got it, got it! Father, did you see? I hit two mangy dogs!" The old country gentleman did not look at Ye Qin and the other person; he merely praised the chubby boy.

This year's severe drought has not diminished the influx of outsiders into Zhuqi County. Horse-drawn carts come and go through the city gates, carrying wandering swordsmen with their blades, merchants with their bundles, as well as performers of folk arts and juggling, farmers, and woodcutters, creating a lively scene.

However, after entering the city, Ye Qin did not feel excited; instead, he became increasingly cautious. A few months ago, they had offended a group of local ruffians here. Who knows if these ruffians are still harboring thoughts of revenge against the two of them

Qin Ge'er, it has been several months since I last came, and I did not expect the county town to remain the same; it is truly large and beautiful