Chapter Thirty: Hiding One's Name and Identity

  "Sir, Xu Da Tou is coming with a mighty force and many people. Although you are a demon, you also have something to fear for your life. Why not retreat a little to ensure complete safety?" Cui Shi Alan said sincerely.

  Other hunters also deeply agree with this.

  Dongshan Township and Xishan Township, although neighbors, have been deeply resentful of each other for a long time. The people of South Vietnam are known for their strong and fierce folk customs, and the result of such deep-seated resentment is often that they will take drastic action. However, Lin Bei, although considered an evil spirit by them, was thought to be extremely kind in nature. Moreover, these few transactions allowed the hunters to taste the sweetness, so as a result, their emotions actually leaned towards Lin Bei.

  It was precisely because of his emotional bias that Cui Shi Alan would let Lin Bei yield a little, after all, those were over a hundred wandering warriors, each one fierce and brave. Although Lin Bei was a demon, Cui Shi Alan didn't think he had any chance of winning, of course, this also had to do with the fact that Lin Bei hadn't displayed his own 'demon magic'.

  Lin Bei blinked his eyes, and Xu Da Tou was actually not worried at all. Who is this guy? He hasn't even made a splash in the history books, he's definitely just a dead-end extra. Would Lin Bei be afraid of someone like that? If it were Zhuge Liang or Guo Fengxiao, then Lin Bei would be intimidated for a moment. What about a hundred or so people? This isn't a plain, nor is it cavalry charging in formation. The forest is Lin Bei's home turf, and a hundred or so people think they can kill him? Dream on.

  "Sir, don't think it's nothing." Jiulang saw Lin Bei's indifference and said: "The hunters in Dongshan Village are not lacking in good hands, among them Wang Qiaozi is the most skilled at tracking. Wang Qiaozi has boasted that even if he is separated by a hundred feet, he can still smell the scent of rabbits. Sir has left footprints in Dongshan Village, and Wang Qiaozi will definitely know where you are. Although you are formidable, you are outnumbered. It's better for you to hide in the deep mountains. The road to Wushan is treacherous, maybe after a few days they will give up."

  Can you smell the scent of a rabbit from hundreds of feet away? Lin Bei was somewhat surprised, thinking that these hunters were indeed capable, and Cui Shi Alan had a keen sense of danger. Now, another hunter with a keen nose has emerged, and it seems that ancient people should not be underestimated.

  If Wang Qiaozi's words are true, then it's indeed a bit of a headache. Lin Bei isn't afraid of being surrounded because he can hide and attack unexpectedly in the forest, but if others know where Lin Bei is, this advantage disappears. Lin Bei's physique may intimidate ordinary people, but for these fierce and brave wanderers, his intimidation factor is small; they came to kill him, so why would they be afraid of his size?

  Lin Bei nodded, indicating that he understood. He wasn't stupid; if something couldn't be done, then he would definitely hide in the deep mountains. It was unlikely that someone more capable of living in the forest than him would appear among the common people. If such a person really existed, Lin Bei would have to consider digging a hole and hiding inside for the rest of his life.

  When Lin Bei answered, Cui Shi Alan looked very happy and smiled: "Thank you, sir." Lin Bei was confused, what kind of thing is this that needs to be thanked for?

  Seeing Lin Bei's confusion, Cui Shi Alan picked up the lingzhi beside him and said with a flourish: "Sir, what I'm talking about is this. This lingzhi is at least three years old and is worth hundreds of gold coins. Now we have enough money to dig a well."

  The Han Dynasty did not have silver, and the currency in circulation was one jin equal to 1,500 qian. However, the value of five qian plummeted later on. After Dong Zhuo entered Luoyang, he also cast small coins, making copper coins even more worthless. However, that was in the Central Plains. In Nanyue, although the price of five qian had also shrunk, it was still the most circulating currency, and so was gold.

  When Cui Shi Alan said that there was money to dig a well, the hunters' faces were also full of joy. For three years, the drought had been severe, and the Spring Water River had almost dried up. The harvest of crops was extremely low, and although the hunters relied on the mountains for food, sometimes the things they brought back were not enough to supplement their household expenses. If they got injured, it would be a loss. Usually, a hunter's trip into the mountains took five or six days, and if they obtained ten or so jin of goods, it was already considered a good harvest. Hundreds of jin were just a myth. Even in the previous two trips, the wild boar and wolf that Lin Bei gave them added up to less than twenty jin. After all, relying on the mountains, game was not very valuable. However, the black bear sold well, and it was said that the shopkeeper of Zhen Shi's merchant house was very satisfied.

  Nowadays, a natural disaster can lead to a wealthy family falling into the streets, and from the hunters' encounter with Lin Bei, good things have been happening one after another. With these hundreds of gold, these hunters will surely spend this winter much more comfortably than previous years.

  Choi Ah-ran had noticed since the last time Lin Bei sent them home that the Dragon Lord in front of him liked to listen to some strange and unusual things. The two things they came here for were also successfully completed. As they ate the called flower chicken, they talked about the news they heard, and Lin Bei heard again about the Taiping Teachings.

  "Good fellow, that stranger recited a few incantations, then pointed at the talisman paper, and it suddenly caught fire without any wind, falling into the water. After drinking the talisman water, the person who was originally lying there straightened up, and to everyone's surprise, they jumped up immediately, their belly also shrinking down, it was incredibly wonderful."

  This trick could only deceive the common people of ancient times, and the patient was probably a stooge. However, the propaganda effect of the Taiping Teachings was indeed impressive, and when Zhang Jiao rebelled, he called out loudly, and all eight states of the Han Dynasty responded, with hundreds of thousands of followers.

  While Lin Bei was listening to the hunters' stories, in a dilapidated wooden pavilion outside Yingchuan Yangdi County, two people were saying their goodbyes. In the distance, on the official road, a procession of carriages slowly approached, with a large flag at the front fluttering in the wind, bearing the character 'Zhen', which was the carriage team of the Zhen family business.

  "Take care and cherish yourself."

  Xu Fu, also known as Yuan Zhi, later changed his name to Xu Shu. This famous strategist of the future had just been rescued from a large prison and was forced to flee at this moment. His good friend Zhang Zi Chuan arranged for someone to buy a position in the Zhen family business, allowing Xu Shu to pretend to be a merchant and take advantage of the opportunity to leave Yingchuan. Whether he would travel or roam as a knight-errant, it was clear that Xu Yuan Zhi could not return to Yingchuan again. The two had been friends for ten years and were extremely close, but they both knew that this parting would be a long one, and they couldn't help feeling a little melancholy.

  "Zi Jiang, my elderly mother at home is still looking forward to Zi Jiang taking good care of me. I, Xu Yuandu, am unfilial." At this time, Xu Shou was only twenty years old and should have been in his youth, but he had to change his name and flee to a distant land. Thinking back on the past, Xu Yuandu felt that his decision to practice martial arts and become a hero since childhood might be wrong. The young Xu Shou already wanted to change his situation.

  "Originally straightforward, Yuan Zhi's mother is also my son Chuan's mother. I don't dare to be the slightest bit lazy. Yuan Zhi, the Zhen family business will go south from here, after leaving Yingchuan, it's up to you whether to stay or leave, we'll have another chance to meet again someday."

  Seeing the convoy approaching, Xu Shu cupped his hands and stepped onto the official road, then blended into the Zhēn family's merchant caravan, the convoy advancing slowly.

  PS: Haha, I've actually updated twice, it's really unbelievable. Also, I'd like to reiterate that this is a serious historical book. If there are any mistakes, just assume the author was having a brain fart. If the mistake is severe enough to turn the serious tone into a lighthearted one, then the author's brain fart must be quite severe too. Please don't blame me, fellow book lovers.