Chapter Four: The Village

“No need to be so formal, elder,” he replied.

Turning his head, he saw not far away an elderly man with a long beard, stooped in posture, leaning on a cane, his face gentle and kind, slowly making his way toward him with unmistakable goodwill.

The old man’s attire was simple, yet noticeably better than that of ordinary farmers; at his waist hung a jade pendant, giving him a far more dignified appearance than the old woman from last night.

After a brief appraisal of the elder, and recalling what he had just witnessed, Cui Xiu straightened himself, offered a courteous smile, but did not dismount. He clasped his hands and said, “I have urgent matters to attend to and cannot afford delay. I hope not to trouble you further.”

“My surname is Liu, and I am the village chief of Liu Family Village,” the old man introduced himself. “The more pressing the affair, the less one should rush. Young master, why not rest for a moment? Even if you do not need food or drink, surely your mount deserves a breath.”

The elder’s enthusiasm was evident as he tried once more to persuade him.

Upon hearing the village’s name, Cui Xiu’s heart stirred; his gaze instinctively shifted to the place where the villagers had gathered earlier.

What he saw startled him—those villagers were nowhere to be seen, nor was the dark bay horse that had caught his eye.

His expression changed subtly. Cui Xiu turned to the village chief and said, “I truly must not disturb you. I bid you farewell, elder. Please take care.”

With that, he urged his horse forward.

Though the old horse was thin and frail, it had rested well the night before and had not galloped much today. Now, as it broke into a run, it unleashed a speed incongruous with its appearance.

His abrupt departure left the village chief momentarily stunned, unable to react at first. Soon, however, the old man’s face darkened.

Before long, the sound of hurried hoofbeats approached. The same villagers Cui Xiu had seen earlier now rode up, each astride a horse, carrying blades and staves, coming to the village chief’s side.

Any outsider witnessing this would surely be surprised—a small village boasting so many fine horses.

“Why are you so slow? The man’s escaped!” the village chief snapped even before the villagers could speak.

Startled by his words, the villagers hesitated.

“What are you waiting for? Go after him! That fellow must have realized something. We cannot let him get away and bring the authorities down upon us,” the chief said, his face grim.

“Don’t worry, Fifth Master! He won’t escape!” one declared.

“Go!” Another shouted.

The villagers wasted no more words. They cracked their whips and set off in pursuit, following the direction Cui Xiu had fled.

...

“Old friend, today I must rely on you to escape disaster,” Cui Xiu muttered.

He had hurried from Liu Family Village, riding barely a mile before finding a dense forest, where he dismounted at its edge.

The reason for his actions lay in what he had observed at the village entrance.

He had sensed something off in the villagers’ eyes, particularly the way they surrounded the bay horse, which seemed oddly familiar to him.

Though not entirely certain, his memory was sharp; he thought the horse resembled the one that pulled Wu Yu’s carriage.

If that was all, it might not have troubled him. Even if the horse belonged to Wu Yu, perhaps Wu Yu and his companions had simply stopped in the village and the locals were tending to their mount.

But then he noticed something else—the jade pendant on the village chief.

Thanks to his previous profession, he had a keen eye for details of dress and adornment, and he distinctly recalled that jade pendant as something Wu Yu himself wore.

Cui Xiu doubted that Wu Yu would casually hand such a precious item to a village chief, given Wu Yu’s status and wealth—unless...

Something ill had befallen Wu Yu and his party in Liu Family Village.

“Don’t linger... Don’t stay in Liu! Could that be the meaning?” Cui Xiu recalled the faint whisper he’d heard upon leaving that uncanny place.

It was not without reason that Cui Xiu was so cautious; last night’s encounter with ghosts had left his nerves taut and his vigilance heightened.

Even if he had misjudged, for the sake of his own safety, it was not unreasonable.

With this in mind, he grasped his long sword and struck the old horse’s flank with the scabbard.

The horse, stung by the blow, whinnied and bolted away.

Feeling uneasy, Cui Xiu wasted no time. Slinging his pack and water flask, sword in hand, he darted into the forest, hiding among thick undergrowth, eyes fixed on the road to see if his suspicions would be confirmed.

Regardless of whether he was right, the truth would be revealed soon enough.

He only hoped his suspicions would prove unfounded...

The sound of urgent hoofbeats soon dispelled that hope.

The noise could only be produced by at least five or six horses galloping together.

Before long, he caught sight of the riders.

Five men on fine horses, all middle-aged, three of whom Cui Xiu recognized from the village entrance.

Though still dressed as farmers, the blades and staves they carried lent them a fierce air.

“Tiger, the tracks show the lad ran down the official road,” one said as they slowed near the forest, examining the old horse’s trail.

The leader, evidently the ‘Tiger’ they referred to, glanced around, his eyes sweeping the woods as if sensing something.

“Dog, Stone, Big Liu, you three keep after him along the road. Iron and I will stay. Those scholars are always cunning; if he noticed something amiss, he might hide. Such things have happened before...”

“Ha! The old ‘feint east to attack west’ trick—Fifth Master has talked about that often. We’ll go on, though the lad’s old horse seems faster than expected,” said the gaunt man known as ‘Tiger,’ grinning to reveal yellowed teeth.

Tiger nodded, and as the three rode off, he turned his attention to the forest where Cui Xiu was hiding.

...

Cui Xiu, crouched in the thicket, could only curse his luck.

He’d thought his actions were cautious enough, but the foes were more cunning, apparently well-practiced—an oversight on his part.

Run!

He hadn’t anticipated this, but knew he stood no chance against even two of these robust men, being but a frail scholar himself. To preserve his life, he had to flee deeper into the woods.

Whether he could escape was another matter; compared to the villagers, he had little advantage navigating the wilds. Still, he could not sit and await death. If it came to the worst...

Cui Xiu tightened his grip on the sword.

Without hesitation, he plunged deeper into the forest.

As he moved, Tiger had already noticed something amiss.

Cui Xiu’s lack of experience betrayed him; the traces he left entering the woods were plain as day to the two men who had grown up roaming these forests.