At the Pingliang tavern, the only thing on the menu was rice porridge. Xu Zhen ordered two bowls and added two meat pies, which felt like a lavish dinner to her.
They sat across from each other by a window, where snowflakes drifted in, landing on the table and melting into small pools of water.
Xu Zhen asked, “What did you find out at the flower house yesterday?”
Xun Qianchun thought about the events of last night and wanted to share them with Xu Zhen, but found it difficult to speak. She shook her head instead.
Xu Zhen pressed, “Didn’t find anything at all?”
Xun Qianchun replied, “I found out a little.”
Xu Zhen inquired, “What was it?”
Xun Qianchun stated, “I found out about a person.”
Xu Zhen asked for more details, like what the person looked like, their name, and what they were doing.
But Xun Qianchun remained silent on those specifics.
Just as Xu Zhen was about to change the subject, Xun Qianchun said, “In a couple of days, there’s a competition at the flower house.”
“A competition? What kind of competition? What’s the prize for winning?” Xu Zhen asked.
Xun Qianchun nodded, “If you win, you can speak with the owner of the flower house.”
Xu Zhen chuckled, “Are you planning to ask the owner for leads directly? How would she tell you anything like that? If there really are Hu informants there, revealing that would be like handing herself over to her doom.”
Xun Qianchun responded, “I’ll avoid asking anything too obvious.”
Xu Zhen suggested, “How about I go with you?”
Xun Qianchun frowned and said, “You shouldn’t go to places like that.”
Xu Zhen thought to herself: If I, an adult, can’t go, then how can you, a minor, go?
Despite this thought, Xu Zhen felt happy because it showed Xun Qianchun was concerned about her. She nodded, deciding not to argue, and said softly, “Then I’ll wait for you at home in the evening.”
After speaking, Xu Zhen felt her face flush, and she urged Xun Qianchun to drink her porridge. Once they finished their meal, the two pulled apart the curtain of the tavern and set off in separate directions.
Xun Qianchun headed toward the Longmen Flower House, while Xu Zhen walked home.
Outside the city gate, an old soldier bundled himself tightly in several layers of clothing, standing behind the gate, which was only opened enough for a single person to pass through.
The white wind and snow howled as they blew inside.
Xun Qianchun noticed the silly girl sitting at the entrance; her cheeks seemed frostbitten, and the scabbard on her back was covered in fallen snow. She crouched down and tossed a piece of burlap cloth toward the silly girl.
The silly girl suddenly spoke up, “Have the Hu soldiers entered the city?”
Having not spoken for such a long time, her voice was hoarse, like it carried the weight of dust and hardship.
Xu Zhen had heard Xu Zhen mention this silly girl before.
Seeing her face marred by frostbite and her lips peeling, Xun Qianchun explained plainly, “They haven’t entered the city. I’m Han.”
The silly girl’s skin was blackened from the cold, limbs swollen more than usual, but her eyes shone brightly. She looked up at Xun Qianchun and asked, “Can you fight?”
YOU ARE READING
The Resolute Cannon Fodder Teaching In Ancient Time
Narrativa Storica(MTL)#4 Author(s): 凤啊凤 Link: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=2932408 Synopsis 1 Xu Zhen took in a little beggar and cared for her in every possible way. One day, she received a warning: this little beggar would become a great villain, an...
