Chapter 1053: Chapter 168: The Rat Droppings Beyond the Borders (4,000 Words) (1/2)_2

At this time, the young boy who had run out earlier came back again, holding a lamb leg bone in his left hand and a rather exquisite dagger in his right hand, gesturing.

Liu Mengyan softly said: “He said that you cannot just let the guest eat porridge, there is the best and most tender roasted meat for you to eat here.”

The young boy smiled at him, revealing a row of teeth as he smiled.

This time, Wang Anfeng did not refuse, passing the pottery bowl full of porridge he held over. The boy did not take it, his expression solemn, holding the roasted lamb leg in one hand while using his thumb to press the dagger out of its sheath with the other, the silvery blade glinting as he sliced thin pieces of meat.

It was the most aromatic roasted layer, sprinkled with fennel seeds and coarse salt, which fell into the porridge and spread out beautifully like a flower, with the oil seeping through in a thin and attractive sheen.

The boy retracted his hand, smiling with a guileless charm, holding the dagger upside down, gesturing towards him.

Liu Mengyan said: “An Da is the person with the best skills here, the elders say that he can enter the Royal City and become a guard for the king in the future. This meat is roasted to perfection, after you finish eating, he will slice more for you.”

The young boy An Da pointed at Wang Anfeng’s bowl, and at this moment, even without the little girl’s translation, Wang Anfeng understood that even though he was now disguised as the Blade Madman, he could not refuse the child’s kind gesture.

At this, he nodded, picked up a piece with his bamboo chopsticks which he carried with him, its tender texture melting in the mouth almost without needing to chew, with the crisp roasted skin harmoniously balanced by the underlying meat, avoiding any sense of dryness.

The stern face of the Blade Madman softened slightly.

Just then, Wang Anfeng suddenly noticed something amiss with the atmosphere by the bonfire, slightly lifting his head, he saw Xiaman standing in the middle, seeming to say something, causing the others to cheer, while another tall, imposing Parthian man abruptly stood up.

He had a resolute face and eyebrows like blades, his eyes wide with suppressed anger, he spoke a few more words, but Xiaman remained unmoved, shaking his head.

The big man shouted angrily a few times, raising his right hand and then slamming it down heavily.

The black pottery bowl in his hand smashed onto the ground with a bang, the liquor splashing around, startling those nearby, the man then pushed the crowd aside, striding towards Wang Anfeng, whose expression turned indifferent again, his chopsticks moving leisurely, stirring the meat porridge.

An Da lowered his head, looking somewhat timid.

And Liu Mengyan’s body trembled slightly.

The big man’s body was tall, his steps hurried, with Xiaman chasing after him yet not catching up before he reached the three in front of Wang Anfeng, cursing angrily, as if still unsettled, he lifted his right foot to kick towards Liu Mengyan in front of him.

An Da dropped the lamb and dagger in his hands, urgently pulling the young girl, that kick came straight for him, both rapid and heavy, he closed his eyes waiting for the pain that never came.

Opening his eyes, he saw Wang Anfeng, who was just drinking porridge, holding a bowl and chopsticks in his right hand, his left hand raised, curling his five fingers to grip the robust man’s ankle.

With a slight twist, the burly man spun on the spot, landing heavily on the ground, all around went silent, observing this seemingly cold Great Qin man.

Xiaman had already rushed over, pulling and persuading his clansman away, Wang Anfeng did not continue the confrontation, withdrawing his left hand, noticing the odd looks from the people around him, he kept sipping his porridge unhurriedly, a stern look on his face.

This grand welcome lasted for more than an hour.

Without a place to stay or a tent,

Xiaman came out of the elder’s house, holding a rusty key, leading him to a house built with loam and stones.

This house was different from the buildings in both northern and southern Great Qin, being somewhat low, with no eaves, looking square from every angle, it seemed long uninhabited, a dusty and cold draft met them when they pushed open the door.

Xiaman helped Wang Anfeng tidy up the room, bringing a quilt, then started a fire in the stove, after some time the room warmly came to life, this bearded Parthian leader squatted before the stove, poking the coals and wood with tongs, saying:

“What happened today, Feng Wu, don’t take it to heart…”

“Amanba is a good warrior, and a brave man, it was just because he drank today, he should actually be considered a good person, of course, he should have been a better man.”

Wang Anfeng said:

“In Great Qin, true Jianghu people never harm children and ordinary people.”

Xiaman paused, slowly said:

“He… He’s been through things.”

He put the iron pick down, extending his hands to warm them by the stove, he said: “Our village once hosted you people from the Central Plains, we took good care of them, all was exciting talk and wine.”

“But the next day, the men went hunting, taking their curved sabers and hunting bows, those guests, so particular about courtesy, turned into desert demons.”

“They took as many cattle and sheep as they could carry away, young women, and killed those who dared stop them, when the men returned from hunting, Amanba chased after them, finding only corpses in the desert.”

“He lost both his childhood bride and sixteen-year-old daughter.”

“Since then, he’s been hostile to Han Chinese, resenting his blind trust, opening his door to enemies he thought were friends, hating why he wasn’t there that day, trading his harvest for goods, never joining exchanges with Qin State.”

“Now, An Da is his only family, don’t think that kick was heavy, it’s because he saw An Da standing in front of the girl that made him angrier, for us Parthians, fathers must beat their sons when disciplining them.”

“An Da is like a son to him now.”

Xiaman’s eloquence was not great, speaking slowly, Wang Anfeng suddenly recalled when he broke the Great Wilderness Stronghold, interrogating the second-in-command, the words he said.

‘We have no stronghold beyond borders, but have martial arts, those small kingdoms with friendly ties to Qin State, their herdsmen are the least guarded against us, just the best grain sacks.’

‘Hungry, then kill their cattle and sheep, thirsty, smash their stone houses and tents, when craving women, go to their villages…’

He now truly grasped the deeper meaning of these words, the foreign complexity and absurdity, and the desolation. If it was Great Qin, such actions would surely provoke swift purge by the elite Iron Cavalry of Qin, and the Jianghu grandmasters’ far-reaching pursuit, and righteous sects’ worldwide elimination.

Xiaman clapped his hands, standing up, sighed:

“So, it’s a bit unfair to you, Feng Wu, to cope here now.”

“Though we’ve been through such past events, most people warmly welcome your arrival, Feng Wu, we really need someone skilled in medicine here.”

“Every year people get injured and die during hunts, and many become ill, something as simple as the common cold, unable to support the elderly and children…”

Xiaman departed.

He asked Wang Anfeng to stay for at least a month.

Wang Anfeng watched the crackling flames, unfastening the sheathed sword with his right hand, he held the sword, gently tapping the blade one after another.

PS: Initially nine thousand chapters, decided to break it down, one more chapter coming soon… Yan zk super evolution — 10k ZK

Failure, lying down