I Can Recognize Everything, But the Information is Wrong

This night was far from peaceful. While the official and the second-in-command were stealthily cultivating with a Spirit Stone, two cold arrows shot from an unknown direction.

The archer wasn't after the Spirit Stone held by the three brothers, but had his eyes on the Storage Bags hanging from their waists, suspecting the brothers might be hiding food or new money.

Even if there was no new money or food, the Storage Bags on the brothers could be exchanged for some rations.

In sum, murder and robbery is truly a business that guarantees a profit without a loss.

It was fortunate that Tian Lin was alert, as he swiftly knocked down the arrows with a gust of wind when they were shot.

Once they flew, Tian Lin followed the direction of the arrows and quickly found the shooter, eventually counter-killing them.

This scene was witnessed by many people, and everyone knew Tian Lin's prowess, leading to no one daring to target the three brothers for the rest of the night.

By dawn, the official and the second-in-command ceased their meditation, and the sound of drums and bells echoed from the 'residential chamber'.

However, there weren't many who actually went to the chamber to apply for work as house servants.

Firstly, although Hua Hualang kept arriving in the capital from other places every day, their numbers gradually dwindled. Among those able to apply as house servants, there were very few indeed.

Secondly, an increasing number of people unwilling or unable to work for aristocratic families turned to banditry just to survive.

They hid in the woodlands near the capital, ambushing Hua Hualang who traveled long distances to the capital, or raiding house servants transporting goods for aristocratic families.

Due to the growing number of bandits, fewer Hua Hualang managed to arrive living at the capital, making the residential chamber appear particularly deserted.

The Tian Lin brothers spent the entire morning gathering information and eventually met up by the afternoon.

The official spoke first to the second-in-command and Tian Lin, saying, "If we can't be house servants for aristocratic families and want to survive as refugees, there seem to be only two ways.

One is to be employed by villagers and do some short-term work for them. The other is to join a bandit gang and become a raider."

The second-in-command said, "Each village does hire people for short-term work, but such needs from large households are rare. Even if they do, they are usually stingy and only willing to provide a few meals.

Moreover, villagers typically prefer hiring skilled workers. Since we are newcomers, how can we compete with those who have been doing short-term work here for seven or eight years?"

The official replied, "But if joining a bandit gang, many monks compete for limited resources, making survival just as difficult—"

They actually still had some food stores; their urgency arose only because the food would eventually be consumed.

What if, after the food ran out, they could no longer rely on Master Listens-to-Rain for help?

"Whether it's joining a bandit gang or doing short-term work, the urgent task is to find out where Old Seven resides first."

Even at this point, Tian Lin still referred to Master Listens-to-Rain as Old Seven.

He said to the official and the second-in-command, "Today I've been inquiring, and the Wang Family oversees six wards within the outer city and twelve manors outside the capital;

Wang An from the Wang Family is the young manor lord of Spice Manor, one of the twelve outside the capital.

So I speculate, since Old Seven followed Wang An, he would be arranged by Wang An to settle at Spice Manor."

The official then asked Tian Lin, "Brother's intention is for us to go to Spice Manor and find Big Chief?"

They referred to Old Seven in different ways but knew who each other meant without needing to correct one another.

Tian Lin said, "Let's go to Spice Manor to inquire about Old Seven's whereabouts. With Old Seven's new identity as a house servant and his assistance in introducing work for us at Spice Manor, we needn't fear hunger.

At that time, even if Old Seven can't help us find work, whether it's doing short-term labor or joining a bandit gang, we can listen to Old Seven's advice—after all, his new position likely enables him to know many things we don't."

The official and the second-in-command exchanged glances, agreeing that Tian Lin made sense. Yet, even after a morning of inquiries, due to unfamiliar and mistrustful people around them, they hadn't gathered much useful information.

Regarding the exact location of Spice Manor, they were equally clueless.

"Going six or seven villages to the east, that's where the Spice Manor of the Wang Family is located. If we hurry now, we might reach before nightfall."

Seeing Tian Lin had already inquired about the destination, the official and the second-in-command had no more words. The three, with no luggage to pack, immediately set off towards Spice Manor.

However, to get to Spice Manor, they needed to pass through a few village entrances.

Unlike the villages around the residential chamber that only had gatehouses, these village entrances were built with fortresses and strongholds. Not only were outsiders not allowed to enter, anyone approaching would surely face poisoned arrows.

"These villages are the estates of various aristocratic families, their private property. Not only us refugees dare not approach, even the court's soldiers wouldn't dare trespass without permission."

On their journey, Tian Lin and the others met two Hua Hualang heading to Spice Manor as well.

This pair was a brother and sister, seeking their relatives at Spice Manor.

According to them, they originally followed their father as bandits in the mountains. After their father died a few days ago, his last words instructed them to seek refuge with their birth mother at Spice Manor.

Following their father's legacy, their birth mother had become someone's concubine at Spice Manor when they were young children. Though their standards of living weren't high, she might arrange a path for them.

"If village entrances are so strict, it's likely Spice Manor isn't different. For your siblings to go to Spice Manor, how will you enter the village to find your mother?"

The official asked, and the youth replied, "Every month, people transport raw materials for spices into Spice Manor. At that time, we can ask those transporting the materials to inquire for us inside the village."

The youth said, "I don't ask for much in Spice Manor, only hope that mother sees my young sister's plight and takes her into the village to be someone's concubine!"

His extremely simple request was for his sister to become someone's concubine!

Tian Lin and the others glanced at his sister, a thin and frail little girl, only eight or nine years old.

At her age, becoming a concubine is indeed against natural law;

However, everyone knew this was the best path the youth could think of for her.

If the little girl couldn't become a concubine in the village, she'd eventually fall into the hands of bandits and die from endless violation.

After all, the youth, despite holding a broken sword, had no cultivation.

"If your sister does indeed become a concubine at Spice Manor, that counts as a path for survival. But, young brother, what do you plan for yourself?"

"I tried to be a slave, but no one wanted me; so I'll return to being a bandit—"

Return to being a bandit?

The official shook his head, discerning the youth was not only young but without cultivation.

A mortal without cultivation, surviving without being robbed is a blessing from the heavens, how could one become a bandit?

Nonetheless, the official didn't voice his thoughts.

Because in such times, not only the youth was destined for no future, even for Qi Refiners like them, no future seemed equally certain.

"Up ahead is Spice Manor, once we cross this mountain, we'll reach it."

As the official was musing over things, the youth suddenly spoke.