“Ohhh—so that’s what’s going on!”
Hua Le nodded, half-understanding. Her questions were soon swept away by the joy of returning home, and she asked no further.
“Miss Lei, safe travels. Take these with you for the road.”
Sister Mu followed behind Hua Le, casting only a brief glance at the grain. Then she handed Murong Yun the bundle of provisions she had specially prepared for them.
Murong Yun nodded and accepted the bundle with gratitude. It was heavy and large—she had no idea how much food Sister Mu had packed.
“Miss Lei, when you have time, do come visit again. That guy Tiedan is marrying Widow Liu in a few days—pity you won’t be here for it.”
Shui Changming stepped forward reluctantly, his farewell tinged with emotion. For such a bold and spirited man, his sudden bashfulness was unexpected. Sister Mu, seeing his sentimental display, turned her gaze away, slightly pained by the sight.
Ever since the grain was seized, Tiedan was the first to approach Shui Changming, requesting a share—hoping to use it to bring Widow Liu home.
But who is Shui Changming? Though he’s mild at home, he’s a bandit chief—fierce and domineering beyond these walls.
Earlier, they’d been too busy with the raid to address Tiedan’s injury incident. But now that things had settled, forget negotiations—Shui Changming and his men simply went and brought Widow Liu back, just as Tiedan had longed for.
They gave a thorough beating to the one who had injured Tiedan before. As for the grain—there was no chance it would be handed over. Sister Mu made the call herself: all of it would go to Widow Liu as her dowry.
Preparations for the wedding had already begun, awaiting Tiedan’s recovery. Several of the brothers in the water Village had also brought back young women, ready to settle down. By next year, the population might well grow.
“Tiedan… he’s a fool, but a fortunate one. If I get the chance, I’ll be sure to visit again.”
Thinking of that simple-minded fellow, Murong Yun couldn’t help but smile. She looked over the gathered members of the water Village—those who had come of their own accord to see her off. Many were the same brothers who had fought beside her in the grain raid.
Her gaze flickered. In the end, she pulled Shui Changming aside and spoke a few more words: “Your Water Village may be thriving, but times are chaotic. The authorities won’t intervene.”
“When Liaozhou City settles down, there will surely be consequences. If you trust me, by early spring next year, I may have a way forward.”
Murong Yun was speaking of the water village’s future livelihood. She understood how hard it was for them to survive, which was why he had turned to thievery. But that was never a sustainable path. If there was a chance, it would be better to transform.
Hearing Murong Yun’s words, Shui Changming—who trusted her deeply—agreed without hesitation. He even promised not to lead any raids until her message arrived.
He had always wanted to pursue something honest, but lacked the means. Now, seeing that Murong Yun had a way forward, he didn’t hesitate—he welcomed it wholeheartedly.
Amid the reluctant farewells from the water village folk, the lake had frozen over, making boats unnecessary. They could now depart directly, riding a larger version of a mule cart.
As for the driver, it was none other than A'Xuan, whose mule-driving skills were rather unpolished. Fortunately, aside from a few bumps at the start, he soon got the hang of it and the journey went smoothly.
Liaozhou was only a hundred li away. Before they set out, Shui Changming had handed them a map, marked with shortcuts. Thanks to that, the three of them reached a hillside just a kilometer from the city in only two days.
“My, the crowd hasn’t thinned at all. Still as lively as ever.”
A'Xuan, long-legged and now adept at driving the mule cart, pulled the reins with practiced ease. Squinting down from the cliffside, he gazed at the dense swarm of Pingyun soldiers encircling Liaozhou like ants, and let out a sigh of emotion.
In contrast, Murong Yun looked down with a hint of shock. The Pingyun army was camped less than two hundred meters from Liaozhou’s gates, and beyond them stretched a sea of tents, seemingly endless.
It was, undeniably, excessive. As far as she knew, Liaozhou’s population didn’t even reach ten thousand. To deploy such a massive force—what a grand gesture.
“I… I know of a hidden passage.”
Hua Le sat on one side of the mule cart, her face pale at the sight of the army below. Though fear gripped her tightly—her knuckles white from clutching the rope—she never once spoke of retreat.
Instead, she bit her lip, her words tinged with concern—worried that Sister Lei might hesitate to go down, seeing how crowded it was below.
Fortunately, what she feared never came to pass—neither Murong Yun nor A'Xuan showed any intention of retreating.
“I happen to know that secret passage as well. Please, ladies—hold on tight.”
A'Xuan withdrew his gaze, flicked the short whip in his hand, and steered the mule cart down a different fork in the road.
It was thanks to his sharp memory. Though he’d been rushed through the secret passage late that night, his innate gift for recall allowed him to remember the route clearly.
Murong Yun said nothing. She simply held the jostled Hua Le close, lips pressed into a tight line.
Just now, she had seen that Liaozhou’s city gates remained intact—meaning the original host’s parents had not yet died defending the city. After all the hardship she’d endured along the way, at least she had arrived in time.
The secret passage beneath Liaozhou was exceptionally well hidden. In fact, most cities, when first constructed, included such escape routes—designed for use in moments of crisis.
The location of these secret passages is typically known only to the city’s lord or ruling authority, designed as a last resort for escape in times of crisis.
A'Xuan drove the mule cart along a winding path, skillfully avoiding the Pingyun army. He led them through a hidden forest trail and arrived at a dilapidated courtyard.
Once they descended the mountain, the mule cart became too cumbersome to maneuver. A'Xuan remained calm, untied the ropes securing the grain, and summoned a chill, ice-blue spiritual energy that suspended the rice behind them in midair.
Even the four mules weren’t released.
“Dragon meat reigns in the heavens, mule meat on earth. How could I bear to abandon such dear creatures?”
Murong Yun still remembered the way he looked at the four clueless mules, nibbling at the snow—his eyes gleaming with what could only be described as hunger.
In the end, they abandoned the cart and brought only the mules to the dilapidated courtyard.
Judging by the layout, the secret passage was likely built beneath this courtyard.
Murong Yun helped lead two of the mules, following A'Xuan’s steps to the rear gate of the dilapidated courtyard. There, in what appeared to be a storage room, she watched as A'Xuan calmly used spiritual energy to shift aside firewood, water jars, and other clutter.
Only after lifting another floorboard did they finally see the steps beneath. The level of caution was remarkable.
Yet that wasn’t the end. After descending the steps, they found only an ordinary cellar. In a year of famine, there were no vegetables to be stored—just some straw laid down to keep out the damp.
It appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary cellar. Had Murong Yun not known in advance about the hidden passage, she would never have given it a second thought.
Sure enough, under Murong Yun’s slightly puzzled gaze, A'Xuan moved aside a rickety shelf and the scattered straw on the ground. Then, using spiritual energy to activate a hidden switch, he revealed the true entrance.
“A cunning rabbit always prepares three burrows…”
Murong Yun glanced at the entrance that had taken so much effort to uncover. Her lips twitched slightly—she had to admit, she was impressed.
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Runa's Nonsense Corner/ Translator's World
When the secret entrance was revealed:
A'XUAN (smugly): “Behold. The true entrance.”
MURONG YUN (deadpan): “You moved a shelf, kicked some straw, and poked a glowing rock.”
A'XUAN (offended): “That glowing rock was a spirit-activated mechanism passed down through three generations of paranoid city lords.”
One of the mules sneezed loudly behind them.
MURONG YUN (glancing back): “Even the mule’s not impressed.”
A'XUAN (to the mule): “You wound me, Brother Hoof.”
He turned back to Murong Yun, gesturing grandly at the now-open stone stairwell.
A'XUAN: “Now, shall we go into the unknown?”
MURONG YUN: “After you, oh fearless straw-mover.”
HUA LE (from the back, dragging a reluctant mule): “Wait, are we bringing the donkeys down too? Because I’m not pulling any of them.”
A'XUAN (serious): “They’re part of the team.”
MURONG YUN (muttering): “Team food.”
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