Nanming and Jing-U continued to walk down the road of dirt and gravel, eventually the road becomes better constructed with visible fences and hedges as well as paved one.
A sign that they are near the famed Kuxin village, though they didn't talk much during the travel, they did occasionally perform a small talk occasionally.
"Do you hear that Nanming?"
Jing-U placed his hand over his ear to hear better, Nanming did the same and he heard a constant, droning noise of rushing water. Either a waterfall or a flood, considering the bright weather, it got to be the former.
"Yes, waterfall"
"That means we are near! Ohh boy I can't wait to see the place for myself!"
Jing-U picked up his pace and walks faster now that the destination is right in front of his eyes. Nanming easily kept his pace like him, he occasionally looks back to see if Yi Ling shows herself, but she didn't.
"There it is! Kuxin village!"
Jing-U words guide Nanming sight to see a scenery out of this world. A hill where many trees nested itself, creating a harmonious visual of foliage and the rushing water of the waterfall that creates a curtain-like scene before it becomes a sparkling fog near the flowing river right beneath it.
The village itself is visible, at the very top of the hill is one singular temple, its construct is the same as Yanguang temple and the way that it is erected looks like it is a part of the hill, rather than being built atop of it.
"…Looks like we're on the wrong side of the road Jing-U"
Nanming said as he points his fingers to a more well-constructed and crowded road off into the distance.
"Well, that's where you're wrong Nanming"
Jing-U said, smugly he started to pull out a leather hard book. Nanming failed to see this somehow, but Jing-U is carrying a very heavy backpack that always rattles whenever he moves, this and his particularly heavy robe layered atop a blue hanfu suggest he is a very seasoned traveler.
Nanming occupation with finding Yi Ling seems to cause him to overlook such an obvious fact.
"You see, if we pick the main road, there's a chance that we have to pay toll for it"
Jing-U said as he traced the writing inside of the thick book, almost reciting it but he adds a bit of his speech inside the explanation.
"Pay? I see…"
Hearing those words, Nanming was reminded by his poverty. Not a single silver nor copper were with his name, if he asks Father for a bit, he won't be in such a detrimental wealthless situation, but there's no way he could foresee being kidnapped by a crazy, singing and dancing-loving rabbit woman.
"But paying is but a momentary setback, no? For the service of maintaining a good and safe way to the village, I dare say it's a meaningful and fair payment"
"No, they are just greedy. The main road is no less dangerous than the one we just tracked on.
Jing-U seems almost disdainful at stating out the fact, almost as if he was scammed once by this payment. But Nanming is confused, why would they put a toll on a dangerous road? Didn't folk use it often? Shouldn't it be obvious if they at least kept the bandits and beast away from a place where many people come and go?
The World is truly, sometimes a nonsensical place, where none of Nanming logic works. But before he could ask Jing-U about this, he already makes his way towards the village.
"Let's go Nanming! Before the inn got too full!"
Nanming quickly catches up to him, but he makes sure to thoroughly hide his face with his long hair.
The Kuxin village is nothing like a village at all, where One would naturally associate village with quiet, serene and peaceful place intimate with nature itself, Kuxin village is the opposite of that.
"Come and See! Textile from Ardinna! Thirty Silver and open for haggling!"
A textile merchant holler, alongside him were an impressive carpet etched with a peculiar and beautiful pattern of gold, red and green.
"That's a fake, Ardina has more color in its textile"
Jing-U whispered before he returned to scout for an empty inn, which is easier said than done considering the sheer volume of persons and merchants' cart are on the way. Speaking of which, Nanming is interested in the difference of the nation called Ardinna, or Ardina. Why does it pronounce in two different ways? Even the books he read differ in their pronunciation.
"There it is! Come Nanming!"
Jing-U pulled Nanming hand and brought him alongside.
"I don't have any money"
"Don't worry, I pay for your place"
The both of them eventually reached the front door of a narrow building, pitted and sandwiched between a two very crowded shop and what looks like brothel given the courtesan dancing in front of the ornate building.
"Is this the building? Err, let's see"
Jing-U opened his thick book again before he flipped the page and scanned its writing to find what he seeks; it only took a moment for him to find it since as Naming observed, Jing-U is a fast reader.
"The Joy of Reunion, its this! But why is so small? The book says it's 'the best of the best'"
The way he said it makes it looks like he didn't write the thick book on his own, Nanming should ask about it later.
"What do you think Nanming?"
"…What?"
"About this inn, what do you think about it?"
Jing-U seems awfully considerate about Nanming's own opinion, does it really matter? Nanming thought that if he was being paid for, he should at least keep his opinion to himself but given how strongly Jing-U is at considering his say on the matter, Nanming decided to be honest.
"The building looks quite old but well cared for"
Nanming then shift his look down towards the seemingly empty place right in front of the inn.
"I see a lot of old footsteps in front of the inn, meaningly it has seen a lot of people back in the day"
"Woah, you can even see such small detail! Was it your constitution?"
Jing-U said as he placed his book back on his large bag.
"Consider it a talent"
But Nanming deflect the question, partly because he himself didn't even know his own power.
"Hmm, oh well, as grandad used to say: 'Just get on with it and think later'"
Jing-U then bravely walked towards the empty inn and open its door. He was then met with a depressing interior and bleak lighting from the boarded-up window that remains unseen from the outside.
For a second, he seems hesitant to pull forward, but before he could turn back, an old raspy voice calls out to him.
"Ohh, a customer! It's been a while"
The speaker is an old man, short and hunchbacked. He walks with his cane made of hardwood and is ornately carved, implying its sky-high price. But other than that cane, he is dressed very simply, wearing only a grey robe with a grey apron.
"What are you here for? A meal or a place to stay?"
He said as he tried to walk up to the counter before stumbling down to the floor, but before his head could kiss the floor, Nanming shoot up and catch the frail frame before a pitying sound of an old man screaming can be heard.
"Are you alright?"
"Ohoho, this old man a frail lad, thankful is he a helpful young man is nearby"
The old man then shakes Nanming hand before he stands up on his own with the help of the cane.
"Grandpa! I told you not to wander around without me"
A woman voice was heard before a frantic step quickly approached Nanming and Jing-U. It belongs to a young woman around their age, wearing the same grey robe and grey apron, but she wears a head piece that hides the top part of her black hair that can be seen flowing behind her.
As she hushed her grandad away from the scene, she quickly regards both Nanming and Jing-U, particularly Nanming whom she had a fleeting blushing reaction seeing him before she quickly went to business.
"Ehem, apology for my grandfather behavior, and thank you for helping him"
She bowed to Nanming, but Nanming put both of his hands in front of him in a gesture for her to stop bowing, which she did. And she quickly went to the counter to properly greet the both of them.
"Welcome to the Joy of Reunion, unfortunately we cannot provide the both of you any warm meal, only a place to stay. The tariff is 3 coppers for a night, 1 silver if you wished for a premium room at the highest floor"
She said with professional expertise, suggesting an experience in greeting guest. A warm and inviting smile is also etched in her face.
"Is the room meant for a single person or two?"
"We can provide you a room meant for two person in exchange for 6 copper instead, but I recommend the 1 silver room since it comes with two padded bedroom and a free voucher for a bathhouse"
And its clear from the way she naturally promotes the inn that she had done this a lot of time, haggling and forcing the customer to buy the most expensive stuff or service available.
"I'll take the 6 coppers one"
"As you wished, please put the full payment here"
And she is wise enough to not push the offer any further. Jing-U then reached for a purse before he picked out exactly 6 coppers and placed it in front of the woman. She grabs one of them and pawed its edge to make sure it wasn't clipped before she accepted the rest.
The young woman then pulls out a wooden plaque with a number '11' carved upon it.
"Your room is at the second floor"
"Thank you"
"Pleasure of doing business with you"
The young woman slightly bowed while keeping her smile throughout.
As Jing-U and Nanming make his way to the inn, Jing-U remarks in a low and quiet voice, making sure only Nanming can hear him.
"She is awfully experienced, no?"
"Yes, it's clear she's been in this line of work enough of time"
Yet the place is awfully empty, and her experience is only something that can be honed through real, lived-in experience and cannot be simply learnt through books or observations.
"We talk more inside the room"
Nanming said, urging Jing-U to keep his word to himself, if she is this sharp at her action then her other aspect can be as sharp as well.
The corridor leading to their room was empty, and as they rounded around a corner from rooms 1-10, they reached room 11. The very first double bedroom this inn has if it's based on its numbering.
Jing-U tried to pry the door handle open, but it didn't budge. Surprised, Jing-U takes a closer look at the wooden plaque.
"This plaque is lock-linked"
He remarks, before Jing-U put the plaque in front of the door, before a satisfying click resounded from the door itself. Only then can Jing-U open the door.
Inside, the rooms are simple. Two beds, separated by a table where a single, small window becomes the only form of lighting inside.
Jing-U entered first as he let down of his massive bag before stretching his back and letting out a satisfied and tired groan, Nanming enters right after and close the door before he went towards the window to see the main road of the village, packed with passersby and merchant just like before, yet this inn is as empty as a graveyard.
"This room is clean, developed enough to have a lock-linked system and an experienced clerk"
Jing-U remarks, pulling out his book and read a section inside.
"According to this book, The Joy of Reunion is such a packed inn that it's hard to find a room there half of the time"
Yet real life contradicts the written truth, but there may have been some truth in that contradiction.
"Perhaps this inn had a fall from fame"
"…maybe"
Jing-U agrees with Nanming, before he reads a section from the book again.
"Supposedly this inn is the home of a very famous cook, once he cooked for the Tang family during their vacation here and Tang Li Miyin loved it so much she asked for a third"
Jing-U said, either he is reciting the book or he intimately knows the detail of the story, and he so casually name dropped the name of the Tang dynasty first princess like its nothing.
"…What is the name of this cook?"
But Nanming decided to overlook the fact, given that he observed Jing-U to be rather free with his mouth, it might appear that he held some disdain for the Tang family and forego honorifics when referring to them.
"The Seven Cauldron Sage, a title bestowed by the Tang family themselves, even going as far as to give the cook a family name, Chu"
"A family name by the imperial family itself, doesn't that mean they have the same authority as the great clan?"
"Yes, they are. But I guess not today"
That makes the inn fall even more tragic and filled with gravity, a family with a title given by the imperial family themselves and yet their inn is as empty as it is, which means the fault lies more than just a simple blunder.
"Well, I was hoping I could try the Seven Cauldron Sage spicy noodle, oh well I can just eat from one of those roadside vendors"
Jing-U apathetically said before he laid down on his bed.
"I'm resting first Nanming"
"Alright"
Nanming watch Jing-U drift off into sleep, but he himself remained aware. Intrigued by Jing-U story, his mind begins to work.
Chu, divine cook, empty inn, smart and experienced clerk, all this just points towards a failing business due to bad management.
But a single word from that young woman becomes the final piece in the puzzle. 'We cannot provide both of you with any warm meal'.
For an inn, as far as Nanming knows, that pride itself in the presence of a cook so skilled even the imperial family must give him title and a family name, it's clear that if something happens to the cook, the inn will get hit as well.
Something happens to the cook that prevents him from cooking altogether.
Nanming could hear a faint voice beneath him, on the first floor. He decided to take a deep breath and enters a deep focus, a state he observed from Yi Ling which he founds to allow him to perceive the world in great detail.
"I told you grandad, no more cooking!"
"B-But Chu Xin, this is the only joy of my life! And the only way we could make money for our debt to the Golden Boar!"
"No means no! If the Golden Boar caught you cooking again, they would mercilessly increase our debt twice and shorten the payment window!"
The bickering of the two transpires as a sound of wok and pan clattering about accompanied the arguments.
Chu Xin is probably the name of the woman, but Golden Boar is foreign to Nanming, the name suggests something about merchantry perhaps, and debt possibly refers to a loan.
"But to deny them the action of cooking…"
Nanming is confused, if the Golden Boar wanted the payment to be done, they should just allow the Chu family and the inn to cook again so that they can pay the debt as swiftly as possible.
But to prevents them from cooking mean something else entirely, the Golden Boar wanted this inn to fail, so they forced them to not being able to pay for anything. That might explain the empty inn, even if the Chu family can no longer cook, the reputation and the quality of the lodging alone could still make some cash.
And the fact that there is an infiltrator in the room right now.
Nanming regards the belligerent with casual calmness, seeing that the cloak one didn't bother to bring out his dagger, it's clear that harming either him or Jing-U is not an option for them.
"Get out of this place tomorrow, or else I'll slit your throat in your sleep!"
He said before he fades into smoke, a spell perhaps. 'Begone in place', the lack of casting means the cloaked figure has mastered the spell.
"Resorting to threatening, so this is why the inn is failing"
Nanming finally learnt the truth, someone out there, maybe the Golden Boar themselves, wanted the inn to fail deliberately.
Nanming read from a book that the world of merchantry is as cutthroat and blood-filled as Jianghu, and to see it firsthand is quite an experience. But the true question remains, should he help the Chu family or not?
Now that he knows that their fault lies with the ill intent of others, he wants to help them somehow, but if he did, Jing-U might fall into harm, but if he did, harm may befall to Jing-U.
One thing he learnt from the past is that if he tried to help without understanding of the true situation, he might ended up helping the wrong person and bringing harm to his companion.
Speaking of companion, Nanming wonders where Yi Ling might be, she disappeared the instant Jing-U come into view. Back at Kuxin village she always hides the moment a male villagers appear for some penicillin but stay in place when a child or woman were the one who appears.
He never asked her about it, whatever her reasoning is, she might have a negative association with male based on her interaction. And the male she did interacted with, that is him, Mantai and Tenpei isn't necessarily 'male'-like in their appearance and action.
Nanming looks like a woman, same as Mantai if not for his scar and Tenpei is a monk which as far as Nanming is concern, an ascetic and devoted monk who will always avoid any carnal act.
'Why am I thinking about her anyway?'
Perhaps, he is slightly inclined on the motive of the person who treated him with such harshness and hate. Be it interesting or not, he felt like he needed to know and understand her someday.