Behind the door lay a small patch of verdant mountain stream grassland, dotted with white wildflowers. Black basalt cliffs towered around, and a few hundred meters away, there seemed to be a cliff opening. She walked forward.
Beyond the cliff were continuous mountains, densely vegetated. She had a strong feeling that Jason's camera was likely somewhere near this cliff, but after searching meticulously for two days without success, she stumbled upon a small house with white walls and black tiles on the mountainside not far away. She decided to try her luck there.
Descending the mountain, she crossed a small mountain stream and found a flight of stone steps deep within the dense forest. Climbing these steps, she arrived at the house with white walls and black tiles. It was then that Yang Ruoning realized this was actually a temple. The temple was small, merely a courtyard the size of her palm. The courtyard gate was open, and Yang Ruoning peeked inside. "Excuse me, is anyone here?"
An old monk emerged from the room on the right. He was taken aback, likely unaccustomed to seeing a girl dressed like her. He clasped his hands together and slowly said, "Female benefactor, how may this humble monk assist you?"
Yang Ruoning returned the gesture, clasping her hands, and asked, "Have you by any chance seen a man of about twenty-something, this tall, recently?" Yang Ruoning gestured, describing Jason's appearance to the old monk.
"It has rained heavily in the mountains recently, and no one has visited. I haven't seen anyone passing by nearby," the monk replied.
"Oh," Yang Ruoning mused, "then may I ask where this place is?... I mean, are there any places nearby that are interesting, or where many people might go?" Yang Ruoning had no idea where Jason might have gone, nor did she know how to ask.
The monk seemed to understand and answered, "This place is surrounded by mountains. Apart from one or two secluded villages with few inhabitants, there is only Youzhou City."
"Youzhou City? Is it far from here?" Yang Ruoning asked again.
"About a two-day journey on foot."
"Two days?" Yang Ruoning was slightly surprised. "On foot? You mean... walking for two days?!"
"Yes," the old monk confirmed.
Yang Ruoning thought that Youzhou City was Jason's most likely destination. It also made the most sense in terms of time. Had he perhaps left something there?
She asked for directions to Youzhou City, thanked the old monk, and set off.
Youzhou City.
In her opinion, this ancient small city was not very large. It took her an hour to walk from one end to the other. After some inquiries, Yang Ruoning learned that this was the country of Da Song, and Youzhou City was the largest city in the north of Da Song, with busy trade with the northern kingdoms. People from outside the northern passes brought horses and wool, while porcelain, silk, and salt from the south converged here via canals. Consequently, the area near the ferry became the liveliest and most bustling part of the entire small city.
Ships of various sizes were docked at the pier, and along the river, streets were lined with shops. The streets teemed with people from all walks of life, speaking in different dialects, and among them were many oddly dressed foreign merchants. Yang Ruoning blended in, attracting no attention at all.
With no money, Yang Ruoning set up camp in a small grove outside the city. During the day, she entered the city to search. She visited inns, hostels, various shops, and even brothels, one by one. The responses she received were either that they hadn't seen him, or she was mistaken for a beggar and chased away.
As night fell, she sat dejectedly on a wooden post where boats were tied at the pier. She gazed at the busy workers on the dock not far away, lost in thought. Where else could she search? How should she search? She felt disheartened. She had already searched every place she could think of.
On the dock, the last batch of merchant ships had just docked for the day. Bare-chested workers strained to carry heavy cargo onto their backs, then stooped to carefully step on the wooden planks laid between the ship's hull and the pier, and then transported the goods to horse-drawn carriages about ten meters away. Their sweat-soaked chests glistened under the lamplight.
Finally, seven or eight raggedly dressed individuals emerged from the ship's hold. Their hands and feet were bound with ropes, and they disembarked in a single file. Bringing up the rear was a small figure. He appeared to be only seven or eight years old, his hair as disheveled as a bird's nest, and he wore only a tattered pair of shorts that offered little coverage. He walked with his head bowed, his expression blank, at the end of the procession. Yang Ruoning was somewhat surprised. Although her knowledge of Chinese history came entirely from a few martial arts dramas she watched with her grandmother as a child, she believed that the slave trade had long ceased to exist in feudal society.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, the little boy looked up and glanced in Yang Ruoning's direction. As their eyes met, her heart began to pound.
His small face was so dirty that it obscured his features, but his eyes were exceptionally bright. Yang Ruoning looked away. She felt a surge of panic and told herself she was merely a passerby, that she could do nothing.
That night, when Yang Ruoning returned to her camp in the grove outside the city, she felt restless. Was it because of the unusually muggy night? She tossed and turned, unable to sleep, the image of those clear black and white eyes constantly in her mind. As dawn broke, Yang Ruoning got up and went into the city.
The streets were quiet in the early morning. Most shops were not yet open, with only a few roadside food stalls. White steam rose from the stalls, and the aroma of food wafted through the air. She stopped by a wonton stall. She only had two copper coins in her pocket, a handout from a tavern owner the other day who mistook her for a beggar. She wasn't actually hungry, but the steaming bowl of wontons reminded her of the shrimp-skin wontons her grandmother used to make. She suddenly wanted to taste them.
Two copper coins were just enough to buy a bowl. She sat at a small wooden table by the roadside, waiting for the stall owner to prepare her wontons.
A moment later, the stall owner, smiling, brought over a steaming bowl of small wontons. "Auntie, I can tell you're from out of town."
Uh... Auntie... Although she had been called Auntie for the past few days, and she knew that at 26, her "advanced age" here could certainly make her a grandmother, she still felt a twinge of annoyance every time she was called that. Did I really look like an auntie?
"Yes, I am."
Just then, two middle-aged men in silk attire sat down at the next table. They reeked of alcohol, clearly merchants looking for a hangover cure after a night of revelry. One of them said, "I heard there was a distinctive little boy among last night's shipment. Old Six from the pleasure house told me they're preparing to buy him."
The other chuckled, "Haha, then perhaps tonight this lord can go sample some fresh delights, hahaha..." They spoke loudly, seemingly oblivious to Yang Ruoning, who sat eating with her head down.
Hearing their conversation, Yang Ruoning instantly lost her appetite. She knew what a pleasure house was, and the way they brazenly solicited customers on the street had once made her marvel at the ancient society's tolerance for same-sex relationships.
But now, the conversation between these two men made it impossible for her to eat any further.
She stood up abruptly. The small wooden table and the bowl and chopsticks on it shook violently. The two men were startled and glared at her.
"Motherf***er!" she shouted at them. With that, she turned and walked away quickly. The two men, startled by her sudden outburst, couldn't understand what she was saying and could only watch her leave with bewildered expressions.
Following the directions of passersby, Yang Ruoning found a secluded courtyard. They said this was the place of Master Hu, a human trafficker who dealt in refugees and captives.
She knocked and entered, stating she wished to buy a slave. A servant then led her to the back courtyard.
In the courtyard, a group of raggedly dressed people sat hunched on the ground. Their heads were buried in their knees, and they didn't look up at the newcomers. Yang Ruoning immediately spotted the small figure. Perhaps sensing a presence, the little boy raised his head. His eyes, like the starry sky on a summer night, fixed on Yang Ruoning.
"What kind are you looking to buy?"
A short, stout man with small, sallow eyes approached from behind, shrewdly appraising her from head to toe.
"I want that little boy."
"Oh, and what do you intend to do with the little boy, madam?" he asked again.
"Well... I... I need... the little boy to..." Yang Ruoning stammered, her mind racing to come up with a suitable excuse.
"Are you looking for a son-in-law for your household?" the man suddenly grinned, revealing a mouth full of yellowed teeth.
"Ah, yes, yes, that's right," Yang Ruoning agreed.
The man nodded. "There's a lot of warfare on the borders these days, it's indeed hard to find men. It's good to get one early for future convenience."
"Yes, yes," Yang Ruoning echoed. "How much for the little boy?"
Master Hu did not speak but held up two fingers.
"Two taels of silver?" Yang Ruoning guessed.
"Twenty taels."