Ninety

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“It’s the teacher!” Wang Bo hurriedly looked up and saw two figures standing under the big tree at the village entrance. It was none other than Wang Feng and the village chief.

Wang Bo quickly stepped forward and saluted the village chief. “I have been unfilial and kept you waiting for so long, teacher. Please forgive me.” Wang Hu also hurried forward to greet the village chief.

The village chief stroked his beard and smiled warmly at Wang Bo. “Heh, ignorance is no fault. I never said I was waiting here for you, so how could I blame you?” Then he turned to Wang Hu, “Heh, little Hu, you’ve truly raised a fine son.”

Wang Hu humbly replied, “Not at all, village chief. Please continue to guide us.” Though he said this modestly, he was quite pleased inside.

“Teacher, what brings you and Brother Feng here?” Wang Bo asked in surprise.

“Since you left the village today, we didn’t know when you’d return. As your teacher, it’s only natural to see you off,” the village chief said with a smile.

“Exactly. We didn’t know how long you would be gone. Of course, I had to see you one last time,” Wang Feng chuckled more and more, then gave Wang Bo a mischievous look.

“Uh,” Wang Bo’s expression turned awkward, a flush of embarrassment washing over him. But it helped ease the sadness of parting. “Thank you, Brother Feng,” Wang Bo said sincerely, sensing the goodwill behind Feng’s words.

“Heh, no need for formalities with me,” Wang Feng came beside Wang Bo and patted his shoulder. “When you’re out there, work hard. Don’t let the city folks look down on us villagers.”

Wang Bo nodded resolutely. “Don’t worry, Brother Feng. I know what to do.”

“When the time comes, find a city girl to marry. Brother Feng will be waiting for your wedding feast,” Feng teased.

Wang Bo shot him a glance. “Brother Feng, you should take care of yourself first. As the elder brother, you have to set an example. You haven’t even settled your own marriage, yet you’re already lecturing me,” he said playfully, making Feng blush deeply.

“Alright, alright, none of your business,” Feng said, flushed and half-annoyed.

“That’s right, little Feng, you should find someone to take care of you,” the village chief said, his tone meaningful though he didn’t laugh.

Hearing this, Feng’s face grew even redder, and he was at a loss for words. His embarrassed manner made the others burst into laughter, while Feng grew even more bashful.

“Enough, let’s give little Feng a break. Look at the time; it’s getting late. Little Bo, you should get going,” the village chief said, noticing Feng’s discomfort and the joy on Wang Bo’s face.

“True. Village chief, Brother Feng and I will take our leave. Brother Feng, spend more time with the teacher if you have the chance,” Wang Bo said, putting away his smile as he bade farewell to the village chief and Wang Feng. “Take care of yourselves.”

“I will, don’t worry. Little Bo, be careful on your own in the city,” Wang Feng waved goodbye along with the village chief. Wang Bo tightened the bundle on his back and turned to leave.

“Safe travels, Little Bo!” Wang Feng called out loudly as Wang Bo’s figure grew smaller. Wang Bo didn’t look back, only raising his hand in a wave.

“Well, Little Bo has gone far enough. Let’s head back,” the village chief said.

“Village chief, are you sure it’s alright for Little Bo to go like this?” Wang Hu asked worriedly.

“Golden scales are not mere pond creatures. They become dragons when wind and rain come. Little Bo and Xiaoyun are both gold-scaled dragons destined to soar. It’s good for them to venture out,” the village chief said, gazing into the distance as if lost in thought. After a moment, he snapped back. “Alright, let’s go.” Without waiting to see whether Wang Feng heard him, he strode back.

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“Oh,” Wang Feng came to his senses and hurried to catch up with the village chief.

From afar, looking up at Zhendin City, Wang Bo still felt a deep awe. Since they carried no heavy load this time, Wang Bo and Wang Hu traveled light and fast. “Let’s pick up the pace. We’ll rest after entering the city,” Wang Hu wiped the sweat from his face and said to Wang Bo.

“Mm,” Wang Bo panted. Although it was late autumn, the lingering heat of the season still had its bite. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the long walk was a test of endurance. Lifting his slightly heavy legs, Wang Bo gritted his teeth and pressed on.

Guarding the city gate was a tedious task. No matter what others thought, Li Chao felt bored watching people come and go. Even his comrades stood listlessly by their spears. Scanning ahead, he recognized two familiar figures. “These two look so familiar, like I’ve seen them somewhere,” Li Chao murmured, watching Wang Bo and his father. As they approached, his expression changed. “Why is it these two again?” Having lost money for a meal because of them yesterday, seeing them again today made him wonder what trouble might arise. Deciding to greet them proactively, Li Chao waited for them to come closer.

Unaware of being watched, Wang Bo and his father walked steadily toward the city gate. “This must be their second time entering the city,” Wang Bo muttered, eyeing the bustling gate of Zhendin City ahead.

“You two again entering the city?” Just as they were about to go in, a voice called out. The father and son exchanged puzzled looks. Who was calling? They didn’t know anyone in the city, except for Zhang Bao, the tavern keeper, but surely he wouldn’t be waiting at the gate. Reluctantly, they looked toward the voice and saw it was the soldier from yesterday waving to them.

Wang Bo glanced at his father, confused by the soldier’s call.

Wang Hu didn’t hesitate or respond to Wang Bo’s look; instead, he walked straight toward Li Chao. Watching his father’s honest demeanor, Wang Bo felt helpless and hurried after him.

Li Chao greeted Wang Hu warmly. “So it really is you, brother. I thought I’d mistaken you. Why are you coming back to the city again?”

Seeing Li Chao’s enthusiasm, Wang Hu spoke openly. “This is for my son. Little Bo has been clever since childhood. When he sold grain yesterday, the tavern keeper took a liking to him and wants to take him on as an apprentice. That’s why I brought him here.” Wang Hu, straightforward as always, said everything, and Wang Bo could only shake his head helplessly.

“The Zhang family tavern?” Li Chao asked.

“Yes, Zhang’s tavern,” Wang Hu replied.

Li Chao was stunned, then showed a mixture of envy and admiration. Before he could say more, Wang Bo hurriedly said to his father, “Dad, don’t bother this soldier brother. It’s getting late. If we don’t find Keeper Zhang soon, he’ll get anxious.”

“That’s true. Then I won’t keep you,” Wang Hu said, turning and walking into the city. Wang Bo quickly followed.

“Hey,” Li Chao snapped out of his thoughts, glaring fiercely at the retreating figures of Wang Bo and his father.

Inside the city, the bustling streets were alive with shouts and calls. Seeing the intersecting roads, Wang Bo felt a bit overwhelmed and troubled. “Dad, do you remember where Zhang’s tavern is?” Wang Bo asked, turning to Wang Hu. Clearly, Wang Bo was lost. Given his terrible sense of direction—he couldn’t even find his way home by walking straight—how could he recognize a twisting, turning tavern?

Wang Hu looked around and said, “I think I remember enough. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

“That’s good,” Wang Bo nodded. If his father knew, he could just follow behind. He began to observe his surroundings carefully. Last time, because of Zhang Xue, Wang Bo hadn’t really taken in the city’s sights. This time, he was making up for it.

In Wang Bo’s view, Zhendin City wasn’t very large. Compared to a well-developed town in the 21st century, it was smaller, but for the late Han period, it was sizable. After all, it was the capital of Changshan Commandery and certainly not small in stature. Rows of taverns, inns, and shops lined the streets. Looking at the quaint architecture, Wang Bo felt an inexplicable calm.

As Wang Bo admired this city with its 1,800-year history, a unique building caught his eye ahead. Unlike the ordinary shops and taverns, this structure was particularly beautiful—at least compared to the others. Of course, to someone from the 21st century, it was just old-fashioned, but amidst the surroundings, it stood out with more vibrant colors.

Curious, Wang Bo pointed and asked Wang Hu, “Dad, what’s that building? It’s so pretty.”

Wang Hu glanced at the building and his expression changed noticeably. “Nothing. Kids shouldn’t ask about such things,” he said with a tone of reproach.

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Stopped by Wang Hu’s rebuke, Wang Bo’s expression flickered. Children aren’t allowed to ask? Realizing what place it must be, Wang Bo’s face flushed. He hadn’t expected it to be that place—definitely a misstep. No wonder his father looked so embarrassed. Wang Bo smiled bitterly and shook his head, deciding not to press further. In truth, he didn’t dare. So, he quietly followed behind Wang Hu without another word.

On the way to the tavern, Wang Hu’s gaze toward Wang Bo flickered with worry and joy—a complex mix of emotions. Wang Bo noticed but didn’t know what to say, avoiding eye contact like a child caught in mischief. Seeing Wang Hu’s shifting expression, Wang Bo silently pleaded in his heart, “I’m a good person; I didn’t mean anything by it. It has no name—I couldn’t have known.”

After this little episode, the rest of the journey dragged on. Wang Bo lost interest in observing his surroundings and followed Wang Hu silently. Turning left, then twisting again, Wang Bo soon found himself lost once more, clueless as to his exact location. Feeling his legs grow tired, Wang Bo asked, “Dad, we’ve been walking so long. Are we there yet?”

Wang Hu looked around and said dejectedly, “Looks like we’re lost.”

Wang Bo sighed and began scanning the area, but he had no clue where they were. He considered asking someone, but there was not a soul in sight. About to approach a house to knock on the door, a somewhat stout figure appeared from a side street. Wang Bo immediately stopped and turned his gaze toward the man—it was none other than Zhang Bao.

Zhang Bao seemed unaware of Wang Bo and his father, turning and walking in another direction. Seeing him leave, Wang Bo hurried up and called out, “Keeper Zhang!”

Zhang Bao was in a foul mood. He had expected Wang Bo to come work by now, but the boy hadn’t shown. Feeling deceived, Zhang Bao handed the tavern over to his assistants and went out for a walk. Soon, he heard a call and recognized the youthful voice. Turning around, he saw Wang Bo waving. Zhang Bao quickly approached.

“Why are you here, Little Bo?” Zhang Bao’s face brightened as he hurried toward Wang Bo and his father. He had high hopes for Wang Bo; with a few years of training, the tavern business could surely flourish.

“Well,” Wang Bo hesitated, thinking getting lost wasn’t shameful, and smiled at Zhang Bao. “It’s only my second time entering the city, and Zhendin is so big. We’ve been wandering for a while. If it weren’t for my sharp eyes spotting you from afar, my dad and I would have been completely lost.”

“Heh, I see,” Zhang Bao looked at Wang Bo and Wang Hu, sensing no deceit, and nodded approvingly. “That was my oversight. I almost thought you weren’t coming.”

“How could that be, Keeper Zhang? I promised you, so I wouldn’t break my word,” Wang Bo quickly explained. In ancient times, one’s word was sacred. If Zhang Bao thought Wang Bo was untrustworthy, it would be troublesome later.

“Exactly, Keeper Zhang, don’t blame the boy. I forgot the location of your tavern myself,” Wang Hu also hurried to excuse his son.

“No need to say more, brother. How could I not believe you?” Zhang Bao stopped Wang Hu from speaking further. “Since we’ve met, it means Little Bo is meant to work at my tavern. It’s fate. Heh heh,” Zhang Bao grew more cheerful. “Alright, let’s go.” Leading the way, Zhang Bao walked ahead while Wang Bo and his father followed. They chatted happily, but soon Wang Bo’s stomach rumbled.

Zhang Bao looked at Wang Bo oddly, who just grinned sheepishly. “You haven’t eaten yet?”

Wang Bo scratched the back of his head, smiling foolishly. “We were too focused on finding you, heh heh, so no time to eat.”

Zhang Bao felt touched and a bit ashamed. “Such honest father and son. I shouldn’t have doubted them.” He clenched his teeth and said, “Since that’s the case, let’s eat first. It’s on me.”

Hearing this, Wang Hu quickly objected, “No, that won’t do. How can we let you pay? It’s inappropriate.”

“Don’t worry about it, brother,” Zhang Bao said, taking Wang Hu’s hand and leading him forward. Wang Bo followed carelessly behind. As the saying goes, don’t miss out on a good deal.

Zhang Bao took them to a decent tavern. Since it was past regular mealtime, there weren’t many inside. Zhang Bao invited Wang Hu to sit. A waiter soon came over to Zhang Bao, greeting him warmly but ignoring Wang Bo and his father, even showing disdain. Seeing Wang Bo and his ragged clothes compared to Zhang Bao’s warmth, the waiter looked jealous and spoke coldly to Wang Bo and his father.

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