In the past
Earlier, when the boy left with the troupe leader, the leader gave him a lecture, saying that the men with the girl were not ordinary people, but rather soldiers who had undergone rigorous training and were disguised as civilians. He said that there might be some high-ranking officials or nobles traveling incognito with their children in this area, and that they should not offend them.
Hearing the girl say that she shouldn't tell her name to outsiders, the boy secretly thought that it might be true; girls from good families don't let outsiders know their names.
He ate the white sugar cake in two bites, treating his stomach, which was used to hunger, and then patted the remaining cake crumbs on his hands before speaking again with a scheming mind.
"Why can't I tell outsiders who your daughter is?"
The sullen tone successfully made the girl feel guilty.
Her eyes darted around for a moment, then she turned to the youngest man behind her and asked, "Uncle Huai, am I... the young lady?"
"Of course." The refined young man smiled and pointed to a yarn shop by the roadside. "Does Miss still remember to pick out some pretty yarn for Granny?"
The girl nodded, abandoned her interest in the boy, and ran towards the yarn shop.
The boy was stunned. He stared at her back, wanting to speak, but the refined young man gave him a cold glance, the warning obvious. Two other men stood directly in front of him.
A direct confrontation would surely result in a loss, so the boy asked to convey his gratitude before chasing after the troupe leader who had already walked away.
Before he could catch up, he turned around and saw the men heading towards the yarn shop. He hid behind a street stall and waited for them to leave the shop before secretly following them.
The girl was indeed treated like a young lady, with several men following her around until she showed signs of fatigue. She sat down in a teahouse, where the refined young man sat with her, while the other middle-aged men went elsewhere.
The boy hid at the street corner, keeping track of the time. About an hour later, the men reappeared, each carrying two sacks on their shoulders, which appeared to contain rice and flour.
What kind of high-ranking officials and dignitaries are behind them?
After some speculation, the young man concluded that the person should at least be a military officer, and a general would be even better.
Seeing the group leave the teahouse, the boy's mind started to wander. There was a decent-looking inn in town, and he knew where it was. Maybe he could go there in advance and wait for them, hoping to bump into them by chance.
However, the little girl skipped and hopped, not towards the inn, but towards leaving the town.
The boy was full of questions. This area was remote, and the surrounding area for miles around the town was all barren mountains and wilderness.
He hesitated for a moment, then decided to take a gamble. Going back now would surely get him a beating, so he might as well try his luck.
Following along, they entered the mountains and saw a few wooden houses halfway up the mountain where they would stay. The boy became dejected.
The few wooden houses were indeed large and sturdy, but they were far from the manor he had imagined.
The people living here live like they live in a large estate. There are guards on the stone walls, and when they see someone in the distance, they whistle to signal the people below to open the gate.
A burly figure appeared at the gate. Upon seeing him, the little girl happily called out "Dad!" and ran over.
The boy walked quietly, following closely behind the man carrying rice and flour. Because of his slender build, he was only seen when he reached the doorway.
"Who is he?" the gatekeeper asked.
The man carrying rice and flour turned around and saw him following behind; his expression immediately changed.
“His name is Monkey,” the little girl said in a clear voice.
Standing next to the leading man, her words carried weight, and the other men remained still.
The boy looked up and saw that the man in the lead had a high nose and deep-set eyes and looked like a barbarian. A picture of him flashed through his mind, and he immediately knelt on the ground, begging to be taken in.
Performing on the streets will expose you to all sorts of people and faces. By paying attention to the images on wanted posters, you may have the opportunity to spot those on the wanted list. Providing clues to the authorities will earn you a reward.
The middle-aged man, with a high nose and deep-set eyes like a Hu person, was burly and led soldiers. Based on these features, the boy quickly thought of a traitorous general who had been wanted for several years, named Mu Kui.
It is said that when the country was founded, Mu Kui accompanied the emperor on a personal expedition. He was a brave and skilled young general, but because his mother was a Hu (non-Han) person, he was often suspected. His military rank fluctuated. When the war in the country subsided, he became a mid-level military officer. Dissatisfied with his rewards, he launched a rebellion, which failed. He escaped by chance and his whereabouts are unknown.
His personal guards were also deemed to have committed treason and were wanted along with him, forced into exile.
Their hands were stained with countless drop of blood, and the boy dared not joke around. He recognized them and, of course, had no other choice but to beg for shelter.
In front of the girl, Mu Kui didn't say much. He asked about her background and then had someone invite the monkey to rest. In reality, he was to take her to the cellar for torture and interrogation.
He endured several days before gaining their trust.
The wound was on the skin and flesh, and it could be covered up by clothes. The girl thought he had done some kind of mission to enter the village, and kept asking him what he had done.
The boy looked at her with a sullen expression. When he followed her up the mountain, the men and Mu Kui all called her Qingqing. But when he came out of the cellar, everyone laughed and called her Miss, while he was called Monkey.
"Monkey, why aren't you saying anything?"
"I remember the young lady initially called me 'big brother'."
"Your name is Monkey. If I still call you Big Brother, wouldn't I become Little Monkey?"
"..."
The young man thought that since he was new to the place, he should borrow the young lady's face and use this name temporarily, and then change it back to his real name after a while.
But after using the name for a long time, it was settled.
The monkeys in the mountain village were well-fed and clothed, and took care of their children every day.
Originally, it was the refined young man Zhang Huai's job to spend time with the little girl, but now it was his turn.
Seven- or eight-year-old children are disliked by cats and dogs, and those with the title of "princess" are even more difficult to deal with.
"Monkey, climb up to that roof again and show me."
"Young Miss, I've climbed almost fifty times today."
"I just want to see you climb."
"Wouldn't you like to sit on the roof and take a look, Miss?"
"I can't climb up."
"I can teach you."
The monkey thought, "Let her try it, and she'll see that climbing up and down isn't so fun."
But this young lady was very enthusiastic and genuinely wanted to learn from him. She studied from morning till night, learning slowly and tiringly, but she never complained.
He essentially gave himself an extra job, working from dawn till dusk.
The old woman sewed clothes nearby, acting like a supervisor, reminding her from time to time to be careful and not to hurt the young lady.
The monkey patiently taught him slowly, but sometimes he couldn't hold back and shifted the blame: "Young Miss, I just saw Zhang Huai come back."
"oh."
The child in front of him casually responded and earnestly performed the same action that he had been corrected countless times but still couldn't get right.
The monkey looked miserable. "Isn't Miss Huai her favorite guy? Why don't you go play with him?"
She wrinkled her nose and said disdainfully, "Uncle Huai is just like everyone else now; he always waits until he smells bad before taking a bath."
"..."
The monkey finally understood why everyone was urging him to take a bath; he had thought they were worried he had a disease.
As dusk turns to dawn, seven years have passed in the blink of an eye.
After several relocations, the mountain stronghold went from occasionally robbing wealthy merchants and corrupt officials to annexing other strongholds and becoming a large stronghold with several times more people. Because of its swift actions, it was named Jinglei Village (Thunderclap Stronghold).
The monkey joined early and possesses unparalleled stealth skills, enjoying a certain status in the village. However, he prefers spending time with the young lady more than before.
The little girl from back then has long since grown into a graceful young woman, with a fuller chest and a radiant complexion. Because she never participates in important village affairs and has little contact with the rough men in the village, she retains an almost ignorant innocence.
Chief Mu Kui often said in private that he would take her to live a secluded life sooner or later, but it was always just empty talk.
The monkey felt confident in his abilities and had a good relationship with the chieftain, believing he could fulfill the chieftain's wish in the future. He became even more enthusiastic about accompanying the young lady. Occasionally, he harbored wicked thoughts and, when teaching her how to stealthily climb, he was clumsy and not afraid of being discovered. Anyway, the young lady trusted him, and if she had any questions, he could simply say that he was teaching her.
Until the girl named Ayu saw him and pointed out his ill intentions, his clever excuses were useless.
The young lady trusted Ayu more than him, frowned at him, and then turned on him.
"Monkey, you don't need to teach me anymore. You'd better stay away from me, or I'll tell Dad and he'll break your legs."
After saying that, Mu Qing ignored him completely.
She grew up in a mountain village, where she witnessed how betrayers were severely punished. Everyone valued loyalty and honor, so she couldn't tolerate those she trusted wholeheartedly being secretly deceived by her.
The monkey betrayed her trust, but it was very useful to the mountain stronghold. Mu Qing thought she didn't need to expose it.
However, a year later, she was filled with regret.
Mu Qing dared not recall it, because every time she did, she felt that if she hadn't provoked the monkey, or had said earlier that the monkey was not credible, her father might not have had his head chopped off.
When dealing with government troops, it's always necessary to send spies to gather information, and monkeys have always been the best choice.
According to the information provided by the monkey, the government intends to offer amnesty and forgive past transgressions. The terms offered are open to negotiation. The monkey assured him that, thanks to his constant surveillance, the high-ranking officials he negotiates with always keep their word, and that other high-ranking officials are also acting as guarantors.
Many people in the village were interested, and the village chief decided to first confirm with the monkey, and then discuss everything upon their return.
Mu Qing was worried and quietly followed them out, not daring to get close. He watched as they followed the high-ranking official into the courtyard and house, the lights came on, and loud laughter could be heard. He thought he was just overthinking it and slept in the tree all night. The next morning, he was wondering whether to wait for them to go back together when he happened to see the monkey carrying a vermilion box coming out of the house.
Seeing her emerge from the corner of the wall, the monkey showed no surprise and laughed, "Young Miss has surpassed her master; she followed us here without the chieftain noticing."
Mu Qing had long since ignored him, and the monkey didn't expect her to respond either, continuing to talk to himself.
"The chieftain and one of the officials inside are old acquaintances. They had a pleasant conversation and got drunk last night. Don't look at me like that. When the chieftain starts drinking, I can't stop him even if I want to. But he should be fine. Everything has been decided. Of the hundred or so people in the village, some can be incorporated into the military camp, and the rest can be classified as law-abiding citizens. The young lady can also find a good family to marry into."
Mu Qing's eyes flickered upon hearing this, but her expression remained displeased. "You've been drinking too."
The monkey's face showed signs of hangover fatigue, but when he heard her speak, his eyes lit up, and he laughed, "In that situation, it's hard not to drink."
Mu Qing could roughly guess what it was, and couldn't bring herself to scold him. Instead, she asked, "What did you take? And why did you sneak out like that?"
The vermilion box held by the monkey is inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gold flowers, and the clasp seems to be made of gold, making it very exquisite and beautiful.
He handed it over with both hands, saying, "This is a gift from that lord to the mountain stronghold, mostly gold and silver. The strategist asked me to keep it safe. I thought since you have nothing to do here, you might as well take it back and tell everyone the good news."
Mu Qing reluctantly accepted the box and returned to Jinglei Village first. He gathered the villagers in the hall, told them the news, and then found someone skilled in lock picking to open the intricately designed latches on the box.
Hearing that there was treasure, everyone in the room watched with delight until the box was opened, revealing a bloody head.
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