Nan Feng couldn’t help but reassure the boatman, “Don’t worry, it’ll get better slowly. The imperial court won’t just stand by and do nothing.”
The boatman took the opportunity to curse the officials, “Yeah, right! The mountain’s high and the Emperor’s far away. He can’t manage our affairs here. The governor is said to be old, his subordinates can handle us alright, but take on the bandits? They don’t have the ability to do so.”
Nan Feng sighed and chose to say no more.
She thought, perhaps this is the struggle for imperial power. In the end, the mon folk are always the ones to suffer.
When they had reached County, Nan Feng disembarked from the ship, only to find this place even more desolate.
The usual bustling docks were almost deserted now; even the place usually dotted with carriages did not have a single one to hire.
As Long San had said, County was the most afflicted.
Nan Feng had no choice but to walk to Spikenard Square.
Halfway through her journey, she noticed two men walking towards her. One of them even called out to her: “Lady Nan?”
Nan Feng asked in confusion, “Who are you?”
The man was quite robust, his demeanor serious and strict, his speech and manner upright. “I am Tang Rui, a Hall Master from the Gang. This is the Deputy Hall Master, Li Shaoqing. Our gang leader ordered us to protect you if we came across a lady with a Jade Card of the Gang on her waist belt.”
“I see,” Nan Feng glanced at her waist belt where hung the Jade Card.
When Long San first gave her this Jade Card, he told her to present it whenever she took a boat. No one in this area would dare offend her then. Consequently, she had developed a habit of wearing it whenever she embarked on a ship.
When Long San had warned her about the presence of mountain bandits, he had anticipated that she would return. So, he had instructed her to carry it whenever she left. He would arrange for his people to protect these places subtly.
They could not guarantee plete safety, but they would safeguard as many as they could.
Nan Feng glanced at Tang Rui and Li Shaoqing’s Jade Cards, acknowledging they indeed belonged to the Gang. She asked, “Are you two here to protect Xue Ling?”
Tang Rui replied, “Not entirely, we are here on patrol. But rest assured, Lady Nan, Xue Ling is safe for now. She has been helping out at the refugee house these past few days.”
“The refugee house?”
Tang Rui nodded, “I’m afraid Lady Nan isn’t aware. The refugee house was originally for acmodating refugees from the northern region. However, the County is severely oppressed by mountain bandits. Several villages have been burned down, and the surviving inhabitants have been temporarily placed there.”
“Okay, I’ll go take a look.”
Tang Rui wanted to lend Nan Feng a horse, but since she couldn’t ride, she decided to jog there instead.
She didn’t head to the refugee house that Tang Rui had mentioned, but went to Spikenard Square first.
The Spikenard Square at County was usually bustling with people. Yet as Nan Feng jogged from the dock to here, it was unusually desolate. Several shops had even closed their doors. Even Spikenard Square had its doors shut, with a notice hanging outside: Knock if you wish to make a purchase.
One could tell it was Xue Ling’s handwriting.
Nan Feng knocked on the door. After a while, a cautious voice came from inside, “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Nan Feng!”
The young girl in the shop didn’t recognize Nan Feng’s voice. But hearing a woman’s voice, she opened the door.
Seeing Nan Feng, the girl remembered, “So it’s Lady Nan. County is in such chaos right now, why did you e here?”
While speaking, she gestured for Nan Feng to e in. Once Nan Feng was inside, she closed the door. The room was poorly lit, so even in the daytime, a candle was burning.
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