NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45: Night Exploration
Chapter 45: Night Exploration
Xu Lian took one last look at the middle-aged quarry manager, who was unconscious and tied to a tree, before riding off on his donkey.
By the time the middle-aged man woke up, it would probably be the middle of the night. He would surely try to call for help and have someone untie him, but this was a remote, desolate area with no one around. The man would have to wait until morning to be rescued.
Xu Lian planned to investigate the dock warehouse that night. If there was stone marrow, he would find a way to seize it; if not, he would reassess his approach.
He wasn’t worried that the quarry manager would report him to the authorities the next morning. First, he had covered his face, so the manager hadn’t seen his appearance. Second, the manager had given him information about the dock warehouse. If he reported it, he would be punished, and the best option for him was to pretend that nothing had happened.
“This…”
When Xu Lian rode back into town, he was surprised to see all the doors and windows of the houses wide open, with oil lamps glowing inside. People filled the streets – men, women, and children, all out and about, making it a lively scene. For a moment, he was a bit dazed. It was the first time in this world that he had seen so many women out on the streets!
After a moment of thought, he understood. Women couldn’t go outside during the day, so after being cooped up inside all day, it was only natural that they would want to go out and stretch their legs at night. And since there were no night patrols in Stone Town, the women were free to go out after dark, creating a bustling night market.
“Looks like the women in Stone Town are luckier than those in Green Bamboo Town. At least they can go out at night. The women of Green Bamboo Town are much more unfortunate – they rarely get to leave their homes at all”.
He thought of his wives, Xiya and Chan’er, who were kept indoors all the time, and felt a pang of sympathy. Once he returned, he was determined to take them out for a walk. They must be curious about the world outside their door.
Of course, he couldn’t say that the women in Stone Town were necessarily happier. After all, the women in Green Bamboo Town bled, whereas the women in Stone Town paid a much heavier price by losing their vitality.
“Tonight’s lively atmosphere actually makes it easier for me to move around.”
Xu Lian rode his donkey toward the dock. If it were like Green Bamboo Town, so quiet at night with no one around, he would stand out, but now no one paid him any mind.
When he arrived at the dock, he slowly tied up his donkey and, like the other people taking a stroll, enjoyed the breeze and looked up at the moon and stars.
Soon, he spotted the warehouse. It resembled a large shed, and the sound of stone chiseling echoed from inside, making it easy to locate.
Just as he was about to sneak closer, however, he noticed something – he was being watched!
It seemed to be a family of five walking along the dock: a middle-aged man, three middle-aged women, and a young girl. The girl kept glancing at him, observing his every move. Her shy, curious gaze made Xu Lian groan inwardly.
As the saying goes: “You stand on the bridge admiring the scenery, while the people above admire you.”
This was exactly the situation Xu Lian was in. He was trying to scout the warehouse to steal the stone marrow, but this young girl was watching him intently. It seemed that she had just reached the age where she was interested in men and was somewhat taken with him.
The middle-aged man noticed his daughter’s behavior and gave her an encouraging glance.
The three middle-aged women giggled and gently pushed the girl a few steps forward.
The girl’s face turned red, but she gathered her courage and walked toward Xu Lian. “How many wives do you have? Do you need more?”
“..” Xu Lian didn’t know how to answer. People in this world were so direct and straightforward. Now, if he said he wanted her, a bit of food for her parents, and she could be his. But he wasn’t here for women; he was here to get the stone marrow!
“I’m sorry, I already have three women, and I can’t afford any more. I don’t need another one.”
Xu Lian politely refused, explaining gently so as not to dash the girl’s hopes of finding a man in the future.
“You’re so young, and you already have three?” The girl looked disappointed.
Seeing his daughter being rejected, the middle-aged man hurried over. “Young brother, I see you’re riding a donkey. Your family must be relatively wealthy. Three wives isn’t too many; you could probably afford one more.”
This donkey is even more impressive than a sports car… Xu Lian shook his head. “This donkey was bought with the savings my grandfather, father and I scraped together over three generations. My family isn’t wealthy, and taking care of three women is already my limit.”
The girl’s eyes welled with tears as she tugged at her father’s sleeve. “Forget it, Father. Even if I’m interested, he must be able to afford me. I can’t be a burden.”
Seeing that his daughter was clearly smitten, the middle-aged man didn’t give up. He turned to Xu Lian. “How about this? You take my daughter home, and I won’t ask for anything in return. I work as an overseer at the mine in the east. Tomorrow, take your donkey and cart to the mine, and I’ll get you a job as a stone transporter. That way you can earn enough grain to support four women. I’ll also give you a little extra each month, and your family will be able to get by.”
Xu Lian was stunned.
In this world, fathers usually traded their daughters for grain. This was the first time he’d seen one actually offer a subsidy!
To ensure his daughter’s happiness, the father was willing to break the usual rules of this world. He was truly a good father.
“I won’t get married,” said the girl, unable to hold back her tears.
The middle-aged man comforted her, saying, “Good girls shouldn’t cry. When you reach the age of marriage, you must marry. How can you not? I earn several taels of silver a month and have a little extra income on the side. I can give you a supplement, so it’s no problem.”
He gently pushed the girl toward Xu Lian and said, “Take her home.”
At this point, Xu Lian didn’t know what to do. The girl, with tears streaming down her face, was quite beautiful. It wouldn’t hurt to take her along; besides, she seemed to like him, so it would be easier to gain her favor. It was just a simple rule: cast a wide net to catch more fish.
After a brief moment of thought, Xu Lian made up his mind. “I’d like to think it over first. Please give me your address, and I’ll come by and take her once I have the time.”
The middle-aged man was confused. “Are you afraid that I won’t give you the job as a stone carrier tomorrow? Alright, I’ll confirm the job for you tomorrow, and once your women are reassured, you can take her home.”
With that, he gave his address to Xu Lian.
The matter of the marriage was settled, and after some casual conversation, the family of five continued on their way home.
Once Xu Lian saw that no one was paying attention to him, he quietly made his way to the warehouse.
With a small push, he easily scaled the wall and slipped inside.
He moved silently, keeping to the shadows as he entered the large shed.
Inside, piles of stone were stacked like small mountains. Several stonecutters were working with chisels and hammers, carefully chipping away at the stone.
Xu Lian took a quick look around. He noticed piles of discarded stones, but he didn’t see any stone marrow. It seemed like the odds were slim, stone marrow could only be found in a tiny fraction of the stones, maybe one in a hundred thousand or even one in a million.
“It’s unlikely that I’ll find stone marrow by waiting for these craftsmen to uncover it. The real treasure vault where the stone marrow is stored is my real goal. I just don’t know where it is.”
He decided to grab someone to interrogate. This was the fastest way to find out the location of the vault.