Chapter 107: Trading Women
“No, it’s just that this terrain seems strange. Ever since we descended from Jiuzhong Mountain, it’s been nothing but flat plains. Apart from thick snow, all we see are barren poplar trees standing tall. It must be freezing in winter. How do these people survive here? Why wouldn’t they move to the base of Jiuzhong Mountain instead?”
“This area supposedly doesn’t belong to any country anymore, but there are still indigenous people who have lived here for generations. Besides farming, they mostly rely on hunting in the winter. Maybe you’re just being too cautious. Relax a little. Even if there is danger, we still need to interact with them to understand the lay of the land.”
Seeing Yu Luo’s unease, Yu Haojie whispered an explanation to her.
“I’ve already arranged for us to camp near the village tonight. We’ll set up our tents as usual—there’s no way they can accommodate all of us in their small, simple stone houses.”
“Lord An, doesn’t it seem odd that a dozen households suddenly appear here? After crossing Jiuzhong Mountain, aren’t we technically in the wilderness? This place doesn’t belong to any country. Could these people be bandits?”
After Yu Zhengqing shared the information he had gathered, it wasn’t just Yu Luo who was suspicious. Bai Xiuyuan from the Bai family also voiced his doubts.
“How could there be so many bandits? Why would they live out here in the freezing cold instead of moving into Jiuzhong Mountain, where at least there are caves that stay warm in winter and cool in summer?”
Hearing Bai Xiuyuan’s concern, Yu Xiaoxuan scoffed dismissively.
Yu Zhengqing, who had initially been pleased, now grew serious. He spoke again, his voice firm.
“No matter what, we may not intend to harm others, but we must be vigilant. Nobody should wander around carelessly. Stay inside the tents. Parents, watch your children closely. No one is allowed to interact with the villagers without permission.”
“Lord An is right. People who survive in places like this are not to be underestimated. We should all stay cautious. Since it’s getting dark, maybe we should travel a little further before setting up camp instead of staying here overnight.”
Liu Mingxia’s expression turned somber. They had been traveling for three days after leaving Jiuzhong Mountain, and this was the first sign of human life. That alone made him uneasy.
“Yes, Brother Liu is right. We should all keep our guard up.”
After Yu Zhengqing’s warning, the initial excitement of the group faded. Now that Liu Mingxia also expressed concern, the mood grew heavier.
“If that’s the case, we should set up camp farther from the stone houses. Keeping some distance will at least give us peace of mind.”
Bai You, formerly a scholar, had always been timid. Seeing that the group was preparing to set up camp, he hurriedly suggested a more cautious approach.
Seeing this, Yu Zhengqing didn’t push the issue. He let the others pitch their tents and start preparing food while he went back to speak with the villagers. If they could get sleds, it would help ease their journey. He also wanted to see if he could gather any useful information.
When Yu Zhengqing returned to the village, the man from before was already waiting behind a house with the village chief.
“I thought you had many people with you?”
“Yes, but I didn’t want to disturb your lives, so I had them set up camp further away.”
“Sleeping in tents? The wind at night is strong enough to blow them away. You’d be better off staying in the village. Our stone houses don’t let the wind in, and with a bit of charcoal for warmth, you’d be fine.”
“Yes, our village chief has invited you, so there’s no need to be polite.”
Despite their hospitality, Yu Zhengqing maintained his polite but firm refusal.
“Our tents were prepared specifically for this journey. We’ve been using them for days now. There are simply too many of us to fit inside your homes. We appreciate your kindness, Chief. By the way, do you have any local marketplaces? And do you have sleds for traveling on snow?”
“Yes, we do! Shi Tou mentioned earlier that you wanted sleds?”
“Yes, in this deep snow, sleds would save us a great deal of effort.”
“We can certainly make them for you. Unlike carts, sleds work smoothly on snow. However…”
“Don’t worry, we can pay. Chief, do you already have some ready? I’d love to take a look.”
Yu Zhengqing agreed readily, and the village chief nodded, his expression unreadable.
“That won’t be a problem. As for the market, of course we have one. Even though this is an ungoverned land, there are still thousands of indigenous residents scattered across the region. Every first and fifteenth of the month, we gather at a marketplace about fifty miles away to trade supplies.
I don’t need your money. Instead, let’s trade. Do you have anything useful to offer in exchange?”
As he spoke, the village chief led Yu Zhengqing and his sons deeper into the village where the stone houses were clustered.
Yu Zhengqing noticed that all the house doors were tightly shut. The area was eerily silent, as if the villagers had hidden away—even the children were nowhere in sight. Everything felt strange.
“What kind of supplies do you need?”
“Food, clothing… and if you have any women, that would be best. We need to continue our bloodline.”
Yu Zhengqing: …
The first two requests were reasonable, but the last one left him speechless.
“Father, do you remember the two women we rescued from the bandits? Maybe they’d be willing to stay here. We can’t take care of them forever.”
Just as Yu Zhengqing was at a loss for words, Yu Xiaoxuan leaned in and whispered a reminder.
Yu Zhengqing’s furrowed brows relaxed slightly. He was tempted by the idea.
“This is the type of sled we use. Instead of wheels, we use smooth wooden planks. We hitch them to wolves instead of horses, since horses can’t run in deep snow.
Actually, we don’t have any horses ourselves, so we’re not sure how well they’d do in these conditions.”
Looking at the sled—a simple wooden platform without wheels—Yu Zhengqing was dumbfounded.
“This… is what you call a sled?”
“How does it even move without wheels?”
Before Yu Zhengqing could finish his question, Yu Xiaoran, unable to contain his curiosity, asked as well.
“The snow is already slippery. With a flat surface like this, the wolves can easily pull it across the snow.”
Despite the village chief’s confident explanation, the group remained skeptical.
Just then, Yu Haojie and Yu Yongcai arrived.
“This thing… you’re calling it a sled?”
Yu Haojie had assumed that the villagers had developed a proper sled design. But after seeing it for himself, he was stunned.
“What are you talking about? If you don’t like it, then we won’t trade with you. We only have three sleds anyway.”
