Wei Xun left with the words “I’ll go and return shortly,” flicked his robe corner, and strode away.

Bao Zhu rode on the donkey, turning back to look with every step.

Shisan Lang said: “Don’t worry. Senior brother also doesn’t have travel documents, but he’ll find his own way to enter the city and meet up with us.”

Bao Zhu told Shisan Lang in detail what had happened last night, murmuring: “I wonder why that fish seller specifically chose to do business at that crossroads?”

“To keep watch, preventing people from going in at night and disrupting his livelihood. If there were someone like senior brother who didn’t believe in evil and insisted on going in to save lodging money, he could also prepare in advance, knock them out, and earn some extra income.”

Bao Zhu said angrily: “You vegetarian, Buddha-worshipping little baldy certainly know the trade well.”

Shisan Lang laughed: “I was originally responsible for keeping watch for senior brother.”

“If he had been more diligent last night and chased after the thief to their den, today’s trip wouldn’t be necessary.”

Shisan Lang said hesitantly: “People in this line rarely act alone. If that person has other accomplices and senior brother goes to chase alone, I’m afraid with you alone…”

Hearing him say this, Bao Zhu was stunned, then snorted coldly and said with great spirit: “Last night it was I who personally shot and wounded the thief. Where’s the need for his protection? Let another one come – I’ll shoot them both!”

Shisan Lang thought: When you got up to eat breakfast this morning, there were still tear stains on your face, and now you’re acting tough and stubborn. He was too embarrassed to expose this to her face and could only agree submissively.

After Bao Zhu boasted for a while, unfortunately there were no guards and eunuchs around to take turns flattering her. After a few sentences she couldn’t continue and had to change the subject: “I just don’t know what Master Fang’s treasure that he was so proud of actually was. Is it hidden in some corner where no one can find it, or was it robbed by the rebel army back then?”

Shisan Lang said in surprise: “Wasn’t that thing right in front of Jiu Niang’s eyes? Such a big one, didn’t you see it?”

Bao Zhu flew into a rage: “Within a hundred paces I can hit a sparrow’s eye, how dare you say my eyesight is poor?!”

Shisan Lang shrank back and said tremulously: “It’s that coffin in the room – it’s made of Kucha board, goods from the Western Regions that came through the Maritime Trade Commission. Very rare indeed. Didn’t senior brother tell you?”

Bao Zhu slowly opened her mouth wide, the image of that paint-peeling broken coffin floating in her mind. She was stunned for a long while, too shocked to say a word.

So that’s how it was! Actually like that!

The most precious things in this world, in the eyes of those who don’t know their value, are just unlucky junk. Even placed right in front of them, they won’t recognize it. In this regard, she was no different from that fish seller who searched for treasure in vain.

“I guess when Master Fang was tortured back then, he probably confessed on the spot. But Kucha board is quite heavy. Even if those soldier-bandits were greedy, they had no way to carry a coffin with them, and it couldn’t be easily converted to cash, so they could only abandon it.”

Shisan Lang paused and explained in a tone of reverence and envy: “Though Kucha board is quite valuable, that’s valuable among common folk. It can’t compare to your imperial nanmu golden-thread coffin. That’s something money can’t buy, and using it would result in confiscation of property.”

Hearing him compare it this way, Bao Zhu felt mixed emotions, her face alternating between red and white, not knowing whether to be angry or proud.

Shisan Lang had already bribed the gate guards in advance. The two led the donkey into the city and indeed encountered no obstacles along the way. They found a small tavern on the county town’s streets, planning to sit and wait for Wei Xun’s return.

Upon entering, they saw four rough, burly men in gray cloth robes at one table, toasting and drinking noisily. Wine and vegetables were spilled messily all over the table, with several green-headed flies and flower-legged mosquitoes hovering and flying about.

Bao Zhu felt annoyed at first sight and was about to lift the door curtain to leave, but then recalled yesterday’s incident at the small inn. If she hadn’t been disgusted by the crude conditions and insisted on not entering, there wouldn’t have been the subsequent ordeal of being forced to stay in the haunted mansion. If she continued to be unable to adapt to such down-and-out environments, future travels would likely be difficult.

So she sighed deeply, gritted her teeth, turned back into the room, and found a quiet corner to sit down gracefully.

The shopkeeper looked up to see a beautiful young woman of sixteen with a little monk entering. He was puzzled. Though this young woman’s clothes weren’t particularly gorgeous and she only had a comb in her hair, her every gesture was dignified and noble, with a radiant complexion unlike ordinary commoner women. She removed her veil and face covering, curiously looking around as if she had never entered a street tavern before.

The wine server came over to greet them: “What would the young lady like to drink? Our shop has home-brewed rice wine and clear wine.”

Bao Zhu was stunned, thinking that in such a place, famous brands like Kunlun Goblet probably didn’t exist, so she asked for the most common ones: “Do you have Yingzhou Spring or Stone Freeze Spring?”

The wine server shook his head.

“Autumn Clear or Mulberry Drop?”

The wine server shook his head again.

Shisan Lang coughed: “The wine here probably isn’t to Jiu Niang’s taste. You should order fermented milk instead.”

Fermented milk was a beverage made from cow or goat milk fermentation. Because the ingredients were easily obtained and the taste was sweet and sour, it could be provided by both noble households and street eateries. It was the first choice for women who couldn’t handle strong alcohol. Bao Zhu nodded in agreement.

Shisan Lang also ordered several vegetarian wine dishes. The wine server brought a plate of peppercorn dried tofu, a plate of crispy fried twisted dough, and a plate of salt-boiled broad beans.

Thinking of Chang’an city’s thousands of taverns, among them no lack of magnificent wine houses rivaling wealthy mansions, with banquets, singing, and dancing continuing day and night. But this was just a county town shop with half-new, half-old table mats and cushions, and an aging barbarian songstress standing listlessly at the counter pouring wine and shooing flies.

The only consistent feature was the inscribed poems and paintings on the walls.

The Tang Dynasty had a culture of drinking, and composing poetry was a common fashion among all social classes. As long as it wasn’t a newly opened shop, the whitewashed walls would have calligraphy and ink left by passing travelers. Of course, the quality of the poems varied enormously – eternal masterpieces might be paired with crudely vulgar erotic verse.

Though the place was simple, the wall inscriptions were quite impressive, clearly showing this was an old establishment that had been operating for many years. Bao Zhu looked with interest for a while and discovered that this tavern’s walls not only had inscribed poems but also many inexplicable drawings – birds, insects, snakes, teapots, stone mortars – with no unified theme, looking like children’s random doodles. Bao Zhu couldn’t understand their meaning.

Wei Xun indeed returned as quickly as he said he would. The two had just finished a plate of broad beans when he came back, carrying a bulging leather pouch in his left hand and a long wooden stick in his right. He stuck the stick by the door, lifted the curtain, and entered. The tavern fell silent.

Bao Zhu quickly asked: “Is it resolved?”

Wei Xun looked refreshed and placed the leather pouch on the mat: “Easily handled.”

Bao Zhu was both curious and afraid. Seeing not a trace of blood or stains on his robe hem, she didn’t know how to inquire and said carefully: “Were you injured?”

Wei Xun smiled: “Just a village brute. Last night he couldn’t even be bothered to call out to his donkey. Really not worth my making a trip.” Then he requested: “I’d like to drink.”

Bao Zhu nodded in agreement: “After being tormented half the night last night, I also want a couple of drinks.”

With the supervisor having approved the budget, Wei Xun called the wine server and ordered a jar of Burning Spring. As they spoke, the wine server brought a tin wine pot and two wine cups, placing them on the low table.

Wei Xun frowned: “You heard wrong. I ordered a jar.”

The wine server thought the young man was arrogant and boastful, saying with a placating smile: “Sir, this is distilled liquor from Shu region. The alcohol is strong with considerable aftereffects. This pot should be quite enough for you two – a jar is twenty catties!”

Wei Xun pointed at Bao Zhu: “Someone here is treating. Just do as I say. Also, these cups are too small – bring a bowl instead.”

The wine server was secretly amazed and left with repeated acknowledgments. He thought these two didn’t look like siblings by appearance, didn’t seem like lovers by behavior, and if they were master and servant, where would there be a servant brazenly sitting across from the master to eat and drink?

Bao Zhu heard but paid no attention, her eyes fixed only on that leather pouch, wondering if it contained a human head.

Seeing her expression, Wei Xun guessed her thoughts and immediately untied the rope binding the pouch to show her. It turned out to be just a bag of bean cake for feeding donkeys.

“Such petty villains don’t warrant bringing their heads to show.”

Seeing her astonished expression, Wei Xun burst into laughter. Shisan Lang sighed: “Senior brother loves to tease people.”

Bao Zhu glared at him huffily and said nothing more. She thought this person was clearly almost old enough for the capping ceremony, yet sometimes did things more mischievous than her younger brother – like crouching on roof beams making cat sounds to frighten people, or sneaking into the imperial tribute treasury just to steal oranges.

The wine server came again, the tray still holding two wine pots, an empty bowl, and a large plate of steamed lamb. Bao Zhu was displeased, about to scold him for not having ears, when the wine server said respectfully: “These two pots are from the guests at the table by the door for the young gentleman. They said whatever wine you ordered, they’d send double.”

Bao Zhu turned back to see the four burly men who had been making noise before standing on the ground, bowing with hands clasped toward them in very respectful manner, but not approaching.

Wei Xun merely nodded without returning the courtesy.

He wiped the cup, picked up the wine pot, poured a cup, and first placed it in front of her.

Bao Zhu looked down at the wine in the cup – emerald green like bamboo with a layer of white foam on top. She took a small sip, feeling it burn her throat on entry with a bitter aftertaste. She slightly frowned, set it down, and didn’t touch it again.

Wei Xun knew the princess found the country tavern’s thin wine crude and didn’t urge her to drink. He poured and drank by himself, emptying one wine pot in the blink of an eye. The four men who had given the wine left their table of food and drinks and quietly departed, immediately making the tavern much quieter.

Bao Zhu asked: “Who were those men?”

Wei Xun shook his head: “I don’t know them.”

“If you don’t know them, why did they send you wine?”

Shisan Lang said: “Perhaps they recognize senior brother.”

Bao Zhu was half-doubtful: “Do you actually have some reputation in the martial world?”

Wei Xun shook his head again, his expression indifferent: “Master had some reputation when he was alive. I’m just a poor thief who can’t afford to buy wine.”