Following the road, before long, the sounds of people grew louder—it must be the bustling market.
On both sides were plenty of shops: oil and rice stores, clothing stores, blacksmiths, goods from north and south...
Sniff... sniff...
Shen Hao followed a sweet aroma and found a street stall selling fried tea snacks. This was just his favorite—whenever he caught a whiff, he couldn't help but stop.
The stall owner was busy as hell, but when he caught sight of Shen Hao's black Brocade Robe, embroidered with the Taotie Pattern on the chest and the Yanji Saber at the waist, he couldn't help but tremble all over. The smile that had been plastered on his face immediately fell, replaced by nervous unease.
"Sir, would you—would you like something to eat?"
The prestige of the Xuanqing Guard isn't just talk; their influence intimidates both local officials and commoners alike. In fact, that intimidation often turns into habitual fear, like this fried tea stall owner.
"One bowl of fried tea, make it extra crispy and spicy." Shen Hao was already used to this kind of anxious gaze; he found a small table beside the stall and sat down, waiting for his food.
The mighty Xuanqing Guard grand official eating at a street stall? Now that's rare!
So even though everyone at the stall was scared half to death, the other folks eating fried tea didn't leave. At most, they'd stand off to the side with their bowls, all the while sneaking curious glances at the Xuanqing Guard's bigwig.
Sharing a meal with a Xuanqing Guard grand official? That's a brag you can milk for a month!
Soon enough, a big fragrant bowl of fried tea was set in front of Shen Hao.
"Oof!"
With one big gulp, Shen Hao's eyes lit up.
"Not bad. Truly authentic!"
"Hehe, as long as you enjoy it, sir. If it's not enough, I can whip up another bowl for you."
Hearing Shen Hao praise his fried tea, the stall owner's courage swelled. Normally, the Xuanqing Guard doesn't mingle with ordinary folks—everyone feared them more by reputation. Maybe this official was unusually easygoing?
"No need. Good stuff shouldn't be eaten all at once; it's best to leave some room for craving."
"Right, right, you're absolutely right."
With one bowl of fried tea down, Shen Hao paid and was about to leave, but paused mid-step. He saw a few ragged figures huddling at the street corner nearby, their faces full of longing as they eyed the food on the stall.
"Beggars?"
The owner shakily accepted the money Shen Hao shoved at him, and quickly glanced in the direction Shen Hao indicated, replying, "Yeah, just a bunch of second-tier layabouts who don't want to work."
"Second-tier? Are there a lot of these types in the city? No one deals with them?" It was Shen Hao's first time hearing the term "second-tier," but he got the gist—basically homeless or beggars.
"Loads, really. They're like earth dogs, not looking for work, just wandering the streets. Thanks to the Government Office's charity, they don't starve, but they're a real nuisance."
Earth dogs? Nuisance?
Shen Hao nodded, thoughtful.
After leaving the fried tea stall, Shen Hao didn't keep strolling—he headed straight for the second-tier folks at the street corner.
Just as the stall owner said, those second-tier types really were like earth dogs. When they saw Shen Hao coming, they immediately backed off, darting into an alley and disappearing in a flash.
"You won't get away." Shen Hao strolled along leisurely, tracking their Perception, seeming relaxed but moving fast.
Moments later, two ragged men were cornered by Shen Hao in a blind alley.
"Don't be scared, I just want to ask you something."
"...S-sir, what do you need?"
Even beggars knew that black Brocade Robe with the Yanji Saber meant serious business—they were so frightened they nearly wet themselves.
Facing their anxious, helpless eyes, Shen Hao smiled. "What are your names?"
"Me? Zhao Dog."
"I'm Li Wu."
Shen Hao: "Zhao Dog, Li Wu? All right, how long have you two been surviving in Five Rams City?"
"A year."
"Me too, about the same."
Shen Hao: "Are there many vagrants like you in the city? Know most of them?"
"Loads, at least eighty or ninety, I'd say."
"We know most, but not everyone's name."
Shen Hao: "That many? Do you see them every day?"
"Most days, yeah. There's a curfew at night in the city, so we don't dare roam around—we're afraid the night patrol Marquis Wu will beat us to death. Almost all of us spend the night at the Government Office's Ci'an Hall, so you run into each other all the time."
"That's right, sir. Are you looking for someone?"
Shen Hao smiled. "How many of your group are older folks?"
"Old folks? Like sixty? Not many, just three or so, I think."
"Doesn't seem like a lot."
Shen Hao: "Not many? Who are they—can you find them?"
While talking, Shen Hao raised a chunk of scattered silver that had appeared in his hand, saying, "Find one person for me and you get one of these. Interested?"
...
First stop was Ci'an Hall.
"Sir, this is Ci'an Hall, run by the Government Office. It might smell kind of bad inside..."
There was a Ci'an Hall in Li City, too—a bit like a public shelter. The conditions weren't horrible, not great either, but with all the vagrants inside, the smell really wasn't something most folks could handle.
It happened to be lunchtime—place was bustling, about fifty or sixty people inside.
Glancing at their meals, there was basically no oil to be found, just coarse rice and some rotten greens. Enough for half a stomach, but if you craved flavor, you'd be dreaming.
Shen Hao's arrival naturally caught the attention of the Ci'an Hall constables, but Shen Hao kept silent, so they didn't dare approach, only watched anxiously from afar.
Soon, Li Wu and Zhao Dog brought two old men, both over sixty, over to Shen Hao.
"Sir, found two. Heh."
With a flick of Shen Hao's finger, two chunks of scattered silver landed in their hands as promised. Then he asked, "Just these two?"
"N-no, there's more, but, um, some... haven't come back yet. Sir, I'll go find them!"
The actual sight of silver sent Li Wu and Zhao Dog into a frenzy, their eyes bloodshot with excitement. With silver, you could do more than buy food—you might even get a bed at a brothel!
But Li Wu and Zhao Dog weren't the only ones getting antsy. The two old men were just as fired up—not only had they been nervous and lost, but seeing the silver and hearing the conversation made everything clear.
"Sir, who are you looking for? I've been in Five Rams City for five years—I'm well connected!"
"Sir, me too! I've been here even longer, almost seven years!"
Shen Hao laughed. "Oh? Then tell me, how many vagrants around your age are in Five Rams City?"
The two exchanged a glance, thought for a moment, then said, "Only four about our age."
"No! It's three—one died last month, something he ate gave him diarrhea, and he didn't make it."
Shen Hao narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth rising slightly. "So, counting you two, there's just one vagrant left in Five Rams City around your age? Where can I find him?"