Chapter 55 Leaving the Mountains Want a sniff?

Chapter 55: Out of the Mountains - Do You Want a Smell?

Xie Chi had never seen Zhong Yao throw a tantrum and roll on the ground, and he couldn't picture it, but since she said she could do it, she surely would.

Zhong Huaizhi and his wife... had it rough too.

Just as he was sympathizing with Zhong's parents, Xue Fang sidled up again and asked, "Does throwing a tantrum and rolling around really work? Is it like a puppy yelping and rolling around on the ground? Do I need to cry?"

His tone was earnest, full of a thirst for knowledge.

Xie Chi instantly felt that sympathizing with Zhong's parents was premature—he should be sympathizing with himself instead.

As an elder brother, he ought to stop Xue Fang before he picked up bad habits, but thinking that knowing the enemy was key to victory, he barely stopped himself.

"That's so dirty," Zhong Yao said, shaking her head repeatedly. "No need to roll around, just cry. No matter how angry your parents are, just silently cry without saying a word. Don't even pick up your chopsticks at mealtime. When they ask, say pitifully that you deserve to be punished for your mistake. Remember, no matter how much the maids try to get you to eat, don't take a single bite, don't drink water, and it's best not to talk either..."

"...No matter how big the mistake, in at most a day, your parents will definitely say it's over as long as you don't do it again."

Xue Fang was skeptical: "That's all?"

"There's more, and that's the crucial part," Zhong Yao said seriously. "After they give in, don't immediately grin and act all happy. Keep your eyes teary, stand off to the side all timid, and for the next few days, quietly avoid them whenever you see them. Before long, they'll admit they were wrong and come apologize. That's my idea of throwing a tantrum."

Xie Chi: "..."

She really needed to be taught a lesson.

Zhong Huaizhi and his wife had been too easy on her.

"Does this actually work?" Xue Fang was still doubtful, since he'd tried copying Zhong Yao once before and it didn't work.

"This is something my second brother and I came up with when we were kids. It's never failed me..." Zhong Yao paused mid-sentence, then added, "But when my brother got older, it stopped working. My mom said his act was too gross to look at and just made her want to slap him two more times..."

Remembering the past, Zhong Yao couldn't help laughing, while Xue Fang propped his chin, thought for a moment, then rolled his eyes toward Xie Chi.

Xie Chi said nothing, only flexed his wrist, making his joints crack.

Xue Fang got the message. He huffed defiantly, "Anyone who does that deserves to get hit!"

Not satisfied, he added, "Whoever takes sides is a dog!"

Zhong Yao, who had been reminiscing, let out a confused "Huh?" and turned back, frowning. "Why are you badmouthing my parents? What does their favoritism have to do with you?"

"..."

Xie Chi said nothing, but Xue Fang's face turned red. "Who's badmouthing your parents! I was badmouthing..."

He didn't dare finish, then said again, "I wasn't badmouthing your parents anyway!" before turning to sulk at the cave wall.

Zhong Yao looked confused and asked Xie Chi, "What's wrong with him now?"

Xie Chi didn't answer, only said, "Why so much talking?"

"If I didn't talk so much, how could I play along with the bad guys and get information out of them? Xie Shizi, don't use me and then throw me away—that's not fair."

Talking too much and still making excuses?

Xie Chi pulled her close, reached over her face-covering hood, and pinched her cheeks a couple of times. "Keep talking, and you'll have to walk out of the mountains by yourself!"

When they entered the mountains, Zhong Yao could still walk on her own, but after days of struggle here, she was completely exhausted. With her weak legs, she wouldn't make it far out of the mountains.

She'd have to rely on Xie Chi to carry her out.

Zhong Yao was a little too excited, not just because she'd earned another merit, but also because Xu Su hadn't died. Instead, he and her second brother had worked together to fend off the bandits. This meant the deadly feud between her family and Xu Guozhu's family could finally be resolved.

Once her second brother was rescued, all the family's problems would be completely solved!

Though she often joked and said infuriating things, it was only now that the heavy burden at the bottom of her heart was fully removed. Zhong Yao no longer felt dirty or tired; she felt light inside, as if a gust of wind could carry her away.

She wanted to keep talking to someone, even if it was about how her parents used to punish her as a child. But during these days in the mountains, the group had rarely let down their guard. Once the fog cleared, they'd still have to face the approaching bandits. Having finally found a safe place, they should rest properly.

Zhong Yao eventually fell silent, leaning against Xie Chi and closing her eyes, quietly rejoicing to herself.

One moment she imagined how surprised her second brother would be to see her, the next she thought of how shocked her parents would be to learn what she had done behind their backs, and she even fantasized about arrogantly lecturing her eldest brother, telling him to learn from her...

Lost in her pleasant thoughts, Zhong Yao assumed she wouldn't be able to sleep with such excitement, but before she knew it, she had drifted into a dream.

Even in sleep, a smile lingered on her face.

Xie Chi tilted his head, looking down at Zhong Yao sleeping against his shoulder. He thought to himself: How could someone who looked so sweet and gentle, like a soft, sticky dumpling, have so many cunning tricks up her sleeve when she wanted to be mischievous?

It was truly baffling.

He stared at her for a while. After several days, Zhong Yao was quite disheveled, with sweat stains on her face, no longer as fair as before.

Xie Chi thought she looked like a round little mountain sparrow, bobbing its head and hopping around all day. If someone caught it in their hand and squeezed it, it would let out a "cheep."

He almost laughed at the thought.

Just as the corners of his mouth lifted, he sensed two gazes on him. Looking up, one came from a sulking Xue Fang, and the other from a guard at the cave entrance.

Xie Chi's smile dropped, and he put on a stern expression. "Those who need to rest, rest; those on watch, keep watch. What are you looking at me for!"

One immediately looked away, while the other angrily kicked at some gravel before turning aside.

Xie Chi finally closed his eyes to rest in peace.

By the time the mountain fog began to thin, it was nearly dark. The guard on duty had just reported the outside situation to Xie Chi when the sound of leaf whistling—used by the bandits to send signals—drifted over faintly.

They weren't far off now.

The other resting guards all opened their eyes and quickly snapped to alertness. Only the exhausted Zhong Yao and Xue Fang, one leaning on Xie Chi and the other on a guard, were still sound asleep.

Xie Chi said quietly, "Three of you stay and watch them. One comes with me to check outside."

The guard was uneasy. "This is their turf. If there are too many of them..."

"No matter," Xie Chi said. "This trip into the mountains was mainly to scout the terrain. Everything else is optional."

The thick fog had provided them with an advantage, allowing them to learn many things from Dou Wu, but it had also disrupted Xie Chi's plans.

Even though the fog had thinned, it still heavily impaired their vision, and with the sky darkening, a fight could easily lead to separation.

Even with thorough preparations, their knowledge of this place couldn't match that of the bandits who had long lived here. So unless necessary, Xie Chi didn't intend to engage.

Ordering the others to watch over Zhong Yao and Xue Fang, Xie Chi left with one guard.

They moved quietly, never waking Zhong Yao. So when she woke up the next day, she thought everyone had overslept.

She even comforted the others: "It's okay, you've already done a great job!"

After Xie Chi explained it to Zhong Yao, her eyes went wide and she asked, "You couldn't see clearly?"

"They came with eighteen people, led by the Third-in-command you've met before. Another person was surrounded in the middle, seemingly gagged. It was too far away to see clearly."

The implication was that the person was probably either Xu Su or Zhong Shu. Because the thinning fog couldn't fully conceal people and it wasn't safe to get too close, Xie Chi couldn't make out their faces, so he didn't take Zhong Yao along to ID them.

Things hadn't gone as planned, but Zhong Yao was still thrilled, saying, "That's still great!"

She was super optimistic, insisting Xie Chi must've had his reasons for acting this way, and that she couldn't ruin his bandit-suppression plan just for her second brother's sake.

Her few words actually made Xie Chi feel a twinge of guilt.

Xie Chi was totally baffled by this. Before that feeling could fester any more, he told Zhong Yao to shut up, then told the guards to get their bearings and take a different route out of the mountain.

Getting out of the mountain wasn't just about leaving; the guards still had to scope out the area and log what they saw.

Once, they hit a swamp. Lucky for them, Chief Zhou was tied up and walking point, so only he fell in.

Old Man Zhou was definitely his real dad. Seeing that, he begged the guards to pull the guy out. He really knew the forest like the back of his hand and, after honestly telling them how to save him, also warned the swamp had leeches and other bloodsuckers, begging the guards to patch up Chief Zhou.

After that accident, the father and son realized Xie Chi had kept them alive for exactly this reason.

Even if they were gonna die, neither wanted to kick it like this in the deep mountains. So, no matter how much they hated it, they had to play along.

But this time, the guards didn't just take Old Man Zhou's word for it. Instead, whenever they hit rivers, poisonous bugs, or bad air, they'd use Chief Zhou as a guinea pig, checking the danger level and how well the herbs worked before they'd call it good.

So the trip out of the mountain was real slow, taking almost twice as long to reach the edge of the mountains.

Zhong Yao was already wiped out. The last two days, she'd barely left Xie Chi's back. When they met up with the guards waiting outside the mountain, and Xie Chi hoisted her onto the horse, she was still out of it.

Every time Xie Chi's arm around her waist accidentally loosened, she'd slide right off the horse.

Xue Fang was in the same boat.

No matter how much energy he had, he was still a kid and had run out of steam ages ago, so they handed him off to a guard.

Halfway there, Zhong Yao groggily woke up and happened to spot Xue Fang on the horse up ahead to the side. He was tied to the guard's back, head lolling back, swaying with every jolt.

Like a scarecrow with no neck support.

And swaying like that, he was still out cold.

Zhong Yao's head was still fuzzy. She stared blankly for a bit, then suddenly let out a goofy laugh.

The second she made a sound, Xie Chi behind her lowered his head, tipped her chin up to look at her face, and seeing she wasn't having a nice dream, couldn't help asking, "What are you laughing at?"

Zhong Yao pointed at Xue Fang, the scarecrow.

Xie Chi glanced over and said, "You're any better than him?"

Zhong Yao figured probably not. She pictured herself swaying on Xie Chi's back like Xue Fang and laughed again, her body shaking, her shoulders bumping into Xie Chi's collarbone.

Xie Chi felt a tickle in his chest. He raised his hand, pinched her chin, and shook her head from side to side.

Zhong Yao let out a couple of "mmph" sounds, pulled Xie Chi's hand away, and after letting the wind blow on her face for a while, she saw the city gate in the distance. Her spirits lifted, and all drowsiness vanished.

After several days away, the prefectural city had been completely transformed. A large number of troops were stationed even at the city gate.

Zhong Yao knew that the troops Xie Chi had selected had arrived. Besides feeling invigorated, she was also a bit embarrassed.

The deep mountains had been hot, humid, and full of insects and ants. She hadn't bathed in a long time...

"I must be starting to smell," Zhong Yao said softly. "Heir Xie, can you smell if I'm stinky again?"

Xie Chi: "...Can you just go back to sleep?"

"I can't sleep anymore," Zhong Yao said. "We're almost there. As soon as we arrive, I'm going to take a bath immediately... Heir Xie, are your feet itchy? My feet are so itchy! They've been sweating so much these past few days, they might even stink. When I take off my boots later, I won't dare to smell them... Heir Xie, do you want to smell my feet?"

Xie Chi: "..."

She didn't dare to smell them, but he should?

That time he said she stank was just a casual remark. She wasn't really smelly, and he wasn't actually fond of that odor—why did Zhong Yao get the illusion that he liked smelling that kind of thing?

Xie Chi couldn't figure it out, so he simply ordered, "Shut up!"

Zhong Yao didn't want to shut up and reminded him, "Are you really not going to smell them? If not, I'll wash them off when I bathe later!"

Enough was enough!

Xie Chi whipped up his cloak and wrapped it completely around Zhong Yao, not letting her show her face again until they reached the prefectural city gate.

Their group galloped in, very conspicuous. Before they even got close, someone had already gone ahead to report. As the horses reared to a stop, a general in armor followed Shu Feng as they quickly walked out.

The general's surname was Qin—the same one who had escorted Xu Su to Xujiang to eliminate the river bandits and ended up losing him.

Xie Chi let the man rise and asked, "Have the troops been mustered?"

"Yes!" General Qin said. "Aside from two hundred elite soldiers, another five hundred are strictly guarding every exit of the city and patrolling day and night. The city is under tight lockdown!"

After that matter was settled, it was Shu Feng's turn.

Shu Feng didn't need to be so formal. Seeing the group travel-worn, she simply led them into the city first.

The city was heavily guarded by soldiers, the streets empty. Occasionally, someone peeked out from behind the doors or windows of roadside shops, but a fierce glare from the guards quickly made them retreat.

Shu Feng took them directly to the government office. As they walked, she said, "After you left, I immediately notified General Qin to bring troops. The city was locked down by the third day. The government office has also been taken over and cleaned out, except for one person."

Shu Feng's expression was strange as she continued, "I found a bound scholar in the prefect's room. Before I could even question who he was, he asked me first. I said I was sent by the imperial court, but he didn't believe me and called me a bandit, saying I was using the same trick twice."

After Zhong Yao's nonsense earlier, Xie Chi just wanted to wash up as soon as possible. Hearing this, he stopped in his tracks.

Zhong Yao also halted, repeating blankly, "Using the same trick twice?"

"Yes," Shu Feng said, puzzled. "He said someone had come to him last month pretending to be from the imperial court..."

"..."

Both Zhong Yao and Xie Chi understood. No wonder Dou Wu had impersonated Wang Linyue so convincingly when they first met—he had actually rehearsed it beforehand!

Wang Linyue... he really had it tough.