Chapter 21 Enemy Country

  The caravan spared no horse power, almost full speed ahead, with very short rest time each day, often traveling at night and resting during the day.

  Di Zhe led over a hundred bandits in pursuit, the golden mask covering his face adding to his mystery. He had now gained some notoriety and acquired his own bandit nickname - Wild Wolf. However, E Ruo Zhuo did not take him seriously. In fact, even without Di Zhe, E Ruo Zhuo would still be able to safely escort the merchant caravan to Liaodong.

  The merchant caravan needs ten days to cross the Doyan grassland. Calculating this way, these people will have to spend New Year's Eve on the grassland.

  For the Jin people who went out of the pass, these are nothing. Going out of the pass is a road of nine deaths and one life, thousands of people set out at dawn and return in the evening, only a few people can return home with honor, entering the business is already a great luck, 99% of people become slaves of the Tumet people. As long as they can survive in the Ming Dynasty, no one will choose this path of going out of the pass to do business.

  Di Zhe followed for eight days, and the border of Liao Dong Female Jin's Da Jin was not far away. Seeing that there would be no more danger, he ordered someone to inform Eru Zhuo and led his troops back.

  Outside Zhangjiakou, Xiao Zhiyan ambushed and killed three batches of messengers, a total of thirteen people, within eight days, before returning to the mountain stronghold.

  The year of the snake.

  Starting from the first month, the market in Zhangjiakou has a different atmosphere than previous years. Changing the bleak and quiet situation, Fan Yongdou and other eight business households began to expand, recruiting capable partners and guards who were laid off by various families into their ranks.

  The weather is still very cold, but the water bottle that has been cooling for a year finally started boiling again. In the spring, each business has to go to the mainland of Ming to book goods in advance. It takes at least two or three months for grains and tea from Jiangnan, Huguang, and Fujian to arrive at Xuanda Town in the north, and sometimes even longer. If they don't book in advance, the cost of temporary procurement will increase a lot. Compared to the busyness of the Fan family, the Lu family is much quieter. If they can't get rid of their goods, no business dare to book in advance.

  After escorting the merchant group, Di Zhe returned to Jizhong again. The grassland was temporarily peaceful, and Xiao Zhisheng was left there.

  On Lantern Festival, Di Zhe followed his brother's instructions and prepared some gifts to go to the Dashi Kuifan family.

  After the engagement and before the wedding, according to custom, Zhai Zhe had to visit the Fan family on every important holiday. He spent New Year's Eve on the grasslands, so he was exempt from that one, but he couldn't escape the Lantern Festival.

  Fan Yongdou was very enthusiastic, and his enthusiasm made Zhai Zhe a little surprised. If only from the appearance, Zhai Zhe even thought that Fan Yongdou was the person who appreciated him the most. In the eyes of his fellow guards, he was dressed in brocade and ate fine food, but in the eyes of the masters, he was just an illegitimate son with no power or influence.

  After receiving the gift, Fan Yongdou invited Zhai Zhe into the study.

  Inside the study, a stove was lit, and Di Zhe took off his outer fur coat without feeling cold.

  In the center of the study, a purple sandalwood root carving tea table was placed, about three feet high and four feet long. The right end was smooth and flat, like warm jade, while the left end forked into two ends, resembling a fake mountain rock. On the flat surface, a set of tea utensils was arranged, including the base, water pot, and four small tea cups and four smelling cups, all made of Xinjiang white jade, crystal clear and translucent. The tea cups were as small as walnuts, with walls as thin as copper coins. In the middle of the tea table, a square bamboo draining tray was placed, on which sat a purple sand teapot about the size of a persimmon.

  Sit!

  Fan Yongdou took out a white porcelain teapot from the cabinet, scooped out a spoonful of tea leaves and put them in a cup, then fetched boiling water from the stove in the corner.

  Na Shui, washing tea, pouring tea, Fan Yongdou's movements were very slow, his expression focused, and he swung freely.

  "This is tea from Fujian province transported here last winter, have a taste!"

  Di Zhe sat respectfully opposite Fan Yongdou, picked up a small cup, smelled it first, then used his lips to sip out a little taste, the fragrance hit his nose, "Good tea!"

  Fan Yongdou leaned on the chair and pointed at the tea seat, saying: "This is a custom of Fujian people. I have been doing this for over ten years, and slowly I've gotten used to it."

  Di Zhe drained his cup in one gulp and laughed, saying: "This tea is good, but for someone like me who likes to drink in big gulps, it's a bit unsuitable."

  Fan Yongdou smiled and didn't respond, instead straightening his waist, waving his wrist, and slowly filling the four small teacups on the table with tea. In the floating mist, his serious expression inadvertently made Zhai Zhe, who was sitting across from him, feel a thread of respect.

  "Is this enough?" Fan Yongdou asked with a smile, pointing at the four white porcelain tea cups in front of him.

  Di Zhe felt somewhat embarrassed.

  Fan Yongdou leaned back in his chair and said: "I really like brewing tea, it can make me focus and also relax!"

  Di Zhe suddenly remembered the rumors in the village, saying that Fan Yongdou was young because his father's business was not good, and he had been a farmer for a living. The person in front of him has come to this point today, and outsiders can't feel the sourness, sweetness, bitterness, and spiciness in between.

  "You're so young and great!" Fan Yongdou didn't hide his admiration for Di Zhe at all.

  "Great, brother, you're absolutely right!"

  "These merchants, these masters in the collection, are all clear in my mind! They're all too bound by convention. If you had the guts to be a lone bandit beyond the Great Wall, I wouldn't have had this opportunity!" Although Fan Yongdou's words were praising Zhi Zhe, they also contained a hint of self-satisfaction.

  Years ago, the merchant team successfully arrived in Liaodong, and the dominance of Zhangjiakou's business has basically been declared to have changed hands. The Lu family is in a difficult situation, eating away their assets, if they don't admit defeat, they might not be able to escape the outcome of their family being destroyed and their people dying.

  "Young people are reckless and daring!" Zhai Zhe self-deprecatingly said a few words.

  Fan Yongdou coughed lightly, after all these years, he never spoke much in front of people, no matter what happened, he could always face it calmly. Now that success is in sight, facing this young man, he suddenly burst out with a desire to pour out his heart. If one's own success has no one to appreciate, wouldn't that be a regret?

  "Well said! How bold you are! Do you think anyone in this gathering has never been bold? In the old days when we went out to battle, we all tucked our heads into our waistbands. But once they've achieved a bit of success, some people's courage shrinks. If one doesn't take risks in life, how can there be achievements?"

  The words can't hide the triumphant smile!

  "Great brother is brilliant!" Di Zhe picked up a small white porcelain tea cup and drank it all in one gulp, his heart was like an overturned river.

  "Liaodong is an enemy country!" He had been holding this sentence in his heart and couldn't help but blurt it out.

  Fan Yongdou's face first turned red and then white, finally slowly returning to normal, feeling as if he had drunk a cup of fine wine with a fly in it.

  Di Zhe felt embarrassed and remained silent.

  "What country is there for those who have left the pass?" Fan Yongdou smiled bitterly and also raised his head to drink a cup of tea. After so long, the tea had already cooled down a bit, and the cold liquid flowed from his throat all the way to his chest and abdomen, making him feel uncomfortable.

  The atmosphere in the room became somewhat awkward.

  At this moment, a gentle female voice came from outside the house: "Grandpa! Lunch is ready."

  Fan Yong stood up and raised his hand: "Let's go!" In an instant, everything returned to normal.

  The one who came out to greet them was Fan Yi's maid, Wen Yun. Seeing the two of them come out, she lowered her head and bowed, then curtsied and said: "Miss asked me to invite Master!"

  Two people followed Wen Yun behind her and turned over a corridor to go to the inner house.

  When they arrived at the gate, they saw Fan Yi and Qingying already waiting there.

  Di Zhe stole a glance at Fan Yi, saw her bright big eyes as if they were talking to him winking, and quickly looked away. In the Great Ming Dynasty, etiquette was very strict, and no woman had ever been so bold. Fan Yi had lived in Zhangjiakou since childhood and had more contact with Mongolian women, but she was less restrained.

  When Dai Zhe walked in front of himself, Fan Yi bowed and said: "Second Master!" After finishing, she covered her mouth and smiled secretly.

  Di Zhezheng didn't know how to respond.

  Fan Yongdou, still fuming with anger or for some reason, sternly said: "Yi'er, you mustn't be rude!"

  Fan Yi was not afraid of him, she stuck out her tongue and glanced at Di Zhe, then tiptoed into the house.

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