At first glance, he doesn't look like a businessman, but rather like a bandit leader who robs and plunders.
Xue Shen laughed and said, "Those who can make a fortune by traveling between the two countries are not easy to mess with. Since we are here, we should naturally follow the local customs."
He even deliberately changed his voice, making it rough and gruff, with a faint, unfamiliar Tibetan accent, which made him seem more like a bandit.
"Zhaozhao doesn't like it?" Xue Shen asked, leaning over to look at the small mirror in Shen Youying's hand.
Shen Youying sized him up for a long time, bit her lip, and finally couldn't bring herself to say anything against her conscience. She snorted and said, "He's not bad looking."
Xue Shen laughed heartily and signaled the driver to set off.
The driver was very familiar with the roads in the northwest. He bypassed the cities and towns where people gathered, and chose deserted trails. After traveling for three days, they crossed the border of the Great Wei. Further ahead was the buffer zone between the Great Wei and Tibet, commonly known as the "three-no-man's-land".
This area was originally a desolate wilderness, but as people gradually gathered, many outlaws and people doing shady business gathered and stayed here to gather information, and it gradually developed into a sizable village.
"This is Wuming Village." Xue Shen lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside.
"Nameless Village?"
Shen Youying followed his gaze and looked ahead. The village was nothing special, looking no different from the Fangjia Village and other villages they had passed before. The only difference was that the village had more towers and was surrounded by a ring of small hills.
"Why is he called that?" Shen Youying asked curiously.
"This village originally had no name. It was a gathering place for vicious and ruthless people. When they gathered information or made business, they didn't use their real names; they all used aliases. Over time, the name 'Nameless Village' came to be."
Shen Youying looked at the pedestrians passing by the carriage. Apart from being more rugged, these people looked no different from ordinary people. If Xue Shen hadn't mentioned it, no one would have associated them with vicious criminals.
Seeing the puzzled look in her eyes, Xue Shen pointed to the small hills not far away and explained, "Look at those hills, they weren't there originally, but were formed by burying corpses over the years."
"Wuming Village is located at the border of two countries, and there are often merchants coming and going for trade. If the people in the village don't have some skills, they simply can't survive in such a place."
"These small hills are where the villagers buried the bodies of the enemy after they were killed, whenever they encountered Tibetans or other bandits. The reason for choosing the burial site around the village was to deter the enemy."
"Here, even a young child or a kind woman should never be underestimated or taken lightly."
Upon hearing this, Shen Youying was slightly taken aback. Looking at the villagers in the village again, she felt that they were not so kind, and she understood even more why Xue Shen had disguised himself as a bandit.
She nodded and said, "I understand."
As they were talking, the carriage stopped in front of an inn. The driver jumped off and shouted, "Manager, one superior room and five medium rooms available!"
Hearing the commotion, the innkeeper came out to greet the guests. Seeing the guards following behind the carriage, he knew that a big customer had arrived, and he quickly put on a smiling face and said, "May I ask which distinguished guest you are? Please come in."
Xue Shen lifted the carriage curtain, leaped down nimbly, and warned in a gruff voice, "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."
The innkeeper had been operating in this village for many years and had seen all sorts of people, including many outstanding individuals, but none had possessed the imposing presence of the man before him. He sized up the man, secretly trying to guess his identity. Seeing that Xue Shen wore a rough robe, had a rugged face, and behaved in a rough and unrestrained manner, initially appearing like a bandit, yet possessing a certain air of authority, he knew that the man was no ordinary bandit.
Before they could finish exclaiming in amazement, they saw the other party help a pregnant woman down from the carriage. Although the woman looked haggard, she was still young and beautiful, with an extraordinary appearance.
The shopkeeper quickly bowed even lower, not daring to ask another question, and respectfully invited the person inside.
You see, this village is never short of lone travelers on their desperate journeys, but those who dare to bring their families like this customer are extremely rare, especially since his wife is a beautiful pregnant woman.
In this lawless region, there is no shortage of men, but a shortage of women.
The women who appear here are either more ruthless than men or unfortunate women who are promiscuous; beautiful and delicate women cannot survive here.
Just by the fact that the other party had the audacity to bring his wife here, you can tell he's a highly skilled and daring individual.
The shopkeeper invited the people inside, and glancing around, he noticed that some people were already keeping a close eye on the new family.
In the village, the law of the jungle and the thieves eating each other are common occurrences. He didn't remind them, just chuckled and went inside to prepare the guest rooms.
Xue Shen naturally did not ignore the gazes from all directions. He casually glanced back, gave the head guard a look, and ordered in a low voice, "Clean up the surroundings a bit, so that snakes, insects, and rodents do not disturb the lady."
The guard commander understood and replied "Yes," then led his men to disperse and clear away the snakes, insects, and rodents in the surrounding area.
Shen Youying noticed the change in his expression, but didn't know why, so she asked, "What's wrong?"
Xue Shen shook his head. He smiled at her and said, "It's nothing. Didn't you say you were tired and wanted to eat lunch in the room?"
After several days of travel, Shen Youying was indeed tired, so she nodded in agreement.
"I'd like something appetizing, preferably spicy."
Although Xue Shen tried his best not to make her feel uncomfortable on the way, the food on the road was no match for what she ate at home. Shen Youying ate mostly light meat porridge every day, and her mouth felt a bit bland.
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