The Reticent Blade-Chapter 63 - A Ground Jackal That Bites

After crossing the endless desert beyond the national border into Northern Qiang, scattered patches of green began to appear in view, and the vast expanse of grassland started to reveal its majesty.

Only such a wild land could breed such a fierce and hardy culture. Northern Qiang was full of people that lived and died on horseback.

"Who would’ve thought that, besides being a bit cold, Northern Qiang is actually quite beautiful," a travel-worn young man muttered as he walked into an inn with a little girl who looked about ten years old. "This trip wasn’t in vain, before coming, I still thought they were barbarians who ate their meat raw."

The travelers were none other than Unbound Bodhisattva and Xue Niang. With just the two of them and a horse, they crossed the desert and plunged into this vast, seemingly endless grassland.

When the city finally came into view, the poor horse collapsed under their weight, refusing to move. Having endured the harsh winds and rains on the border while barely fed, this pitiful old horse was already skin and bones. It was a miracle that it managed to carry those two and an incredibly heavy gourd this far at all.

Xue Qiming stood at the inn entrance, holding the reins in his left hand and Xue Niang's hand in his right as he looked around the street.

People bustled about, vendors shouted their wares, and shopkeepers called out to customers, just like in the Ruen Dynasty. But it would be a mistake to think things were the same. The fierce and harsh customs of Northern Qiang were on full display in the streets, everyone wore rough clothes and carried weapons with them.

"Even the women carry weapons everywhere" Xue Qiming muttered in disbelief, "Who could be brave enough to marry a woman like that?"

At that moment, a waiter came over. Sizing up Xue Qiming, he said, "Esteemed guest... are you from the south?"

Xue Qiming nodded in response.

The waiter took the reins from Xue Qiming. Leading the two inside, he said, "Well, you’ve come to the right place. We often serve merchants from the Ruen Dynasty. Our chefs are great at preparing famous Ruen Dynasty dishes authentically! I guarantee you won’t want to leave once you've eaten here!"

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As soon as they entered, Xue Niang tugged at Xue Qiming’s sleeve.

He looked down and saw her pointing to a corner of the inn’s hall. Following her finger, Xue Qiming spotted a familiar figure, it was the merchant they had met in the small border town.

Xue Qiming walked over and clapped the man on the shoulder and laughed, "Hey! What a coincidence, to meet you again!"

The merchant turned around in surprise. "It’s you? What a coincidence indeed!" He clasped his hands in greeting. "I haven’t introduced myself properly yet. I’m Han Cheng, from Shandong in the Ruen Dynasty, a merchant traveling between the Ruen Dynasty and Northern Qiang."

"Ah... pleased to meet you. I’m Xue Qiming." Xue Qiming smiled and returned the gesture. "It really is fate. I thought I was mistaken when I saw you just now, but it turns out it really is you."

Han Cheng stood up and waved around at the others at his table. "These are all members of our caravan. Since you’re here for a meal too, why not join us?"

"That would be great!" Xue Qiming thanked him with a bow and sat down with Xue Niang.

Before long, the dishes were served, and conversation flowed freely at the table. Suddenly, Xue Qiming asked, "Brother Han, do you know anything about something called the Qihuang Society?"

At the neighboring table sat four people who, judging by their attire, were undoubtedly from Northern Qiang. When they heard someone mention the Qihuang Society, they couldn’t help but turn their heads to glance over.

One of them, who appeared to be their leader, quietly whispered something to his companions. The three turned back around, though their ears were still clearly trained on the conversation.

"Qihuang Society?" Han Cheng looked at Xue Qiming skeptically. "Why are you asking about that?"

Xue Qiming casually placed a piece of lamb into Xue Niang’s bowl and said, "Oh, I just heard someone mention it. They said the people in Qi Huang Society are incredibly skilled and praise them to the skies. Heh... I wanted to find out for myself."

"You shouldn’t say that carelessly!" Han Cheng glared at Xue Qiming and lowered his voice, "The Qihuang Society is very important to the people of Northern Qiang. If someone hears you talking like this, you’ll be in big trouble!"

Xue Qiming smirked.

Seeing Xue Qiming’s unconcerned expression, Han Cheng continued, "This isn't a laughing matter. I’m a few years older than you, so I’ll shamelessly call myself your elder brother. What I’m telling you comes from my heart, so don’t ignore it."

"Thank you for the reminder, Brother Han. I know my limits," Xue Qiming said. Seeing the sincerity on Han Cheng’s face he sat up straighter. "It’s just that I’ve practiced martial arts for many years, and hearing of such a group sparked my curiosity."

Han Cheng sighed, determined to convince his inexperienced friend, when someone from the neighboring table disdainfully said, "Ha! When did the ground jackals of the Ruen Dynasty dare to challenge the lions of the grasslands?"

Although Xue Qiming didn’t know what a ground jackal was, he could tell it wasn’t anything good. He glanced at the people at the next table, then turned back to Han Cheng and asked, "Ground jackals? What are those?"

Han Cheng acted as if he hadn’t heard anything, pulling Xue Qiming’s attention back.

"Don’t mind them. We’re just doing business; there's no need to cause trouble."

"No trouble, no trouble at all," Xue Qiming said, waving his hand, "But what is a ground jackal?"

Han Cheng sighed, "Ground jackals are a kind of wild dog native to Northern Qiang. They bark furiously whenever they see someone, but as soon as someone raises a fist or threatens them, they tuck their tails and run away... In Northern Qiang, people use this animal to make fun of the people from the Ruen Dynasty, saying that they are all bark no bite."

"Oh? That’s quite interesting." Xue Qiming’s eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Haven’t they ever come across a ground jackal that bites?"

Han Cheng looked at Xue Qiming flatly. He shook his head and silently focused on his meal as if there was nothing he could say to an idiot.

After quickly finishing their meal, the group led the caravan’s wagons from behind the inn, preparing to set out.

Han Cheng patted Xue Qiming on the shoulder, "Are you sure you won’t come with us?"

"There's no need," Xue Qiming chuckled, "I’m a lazy person and love to stir up trouble. If I went with you, I might bring you nothing but trouble."

"Well then," Han Cheng sighed. He pensively said, "Brother Xue, take care."

Xue Qiming clasped his hands and watched the caravan continue along its route.

Xue Niang stood beside him. After the caravan was out of sight, she tugged at his hand and looked up to ask, "Where are we going now?"

Xue Qiming’s lips curled into a cold smile as he glanced behind him. A figure darted away in the alley behind the restaurant.

"Let’s go stir up some trouble."