Yun Chang POV
“Whether you lot up ahead are tourists or merchants, you’ll have to hand over some money before~ getting~ through~” A man with tattoos in the Nanman style hopped over on 1 leg as he gyrated about.
(TL: Nanman is a region in south-west China that supposedly had dark-skinned tribes.)
“This is…” Highway robbery? I muttered under my breath as I hurriedly checked our surroundings.
“No need to check Lord Guan Yu. I’m afraid the surrounding mountains are filled with his men.” Lu Bu said as she drew her double-sided halberd which she had kept on her horse, “Wen Yuan, protect the carriage.”
“Yes, my lord.” Wen Yuan turned and headed back toward the carriage and stood on guard with the few soldiers we had.
“Haha~ Don’t put up a meaningless struggle,” The man laughed maniacally, and switched legs as he continued hopping over, “Just hand over the money you got and save me the trouble.” As he said so, he pulled out a large iron rod from behind him and swung it about before putting it on his shoulder. It was obvious that this barbarian was no ordinary fellow with that extraordinary strength of his.
“…” I swung my blade a few times and moved my horse from left to right to see if he would show any openings but I was surprised to see that he was not fazed at all and was fully concentrated on a single point.
I had been practicing an ultimate technique that would allow me to slice through anything completely but it seems like it won’t work on this barbarian. Even if it did, I still have to think of the safety of those girls in the carriage. If anything untoward were to happen to them, I don’t know how I can face big brother.
“All you good men ahead,” And so, I had no choice but to drop some of my hostility and try and persuade them with words, “We are heading to join up with some relatives and left in a hurry so we did not bring any money.”
“No money?” He looked about, and then stretched his head to look at the carriage behind and sank into thought.
I wasn’t actually lying, the amount of money we had wasn’t a lot to begin with and even if we did give it to them, I doubt it would be sufficient for them.
But really, to think that there are more robbers about because of these troubled times. Hai, there’s really no helping it, I muttered under my breath as I shook my head whilst waiting for the barbarian’s response.
“Un…” The man had his head lowered and silently shook it, “That makes things troublesome…”
“…” Lu Bu, who was beside me, immediately showed full hostility and bloodlust in her eyes as she readied herself to charge forth any time when she heard this.
Is it impossible to get away… If that’s the case, we can only do our best later. As I thought so, my grip on my blade tightened and I readied myself to charge forth as well.
“If that’s the case, then there’s no helping it.”
Eh?
The barbarian shrugged, and whistled.
“Come on out brothers!” At this command, a whole horde of people began leaping and bounding out from the trees and cliffs with movements that were both smooth and swift.
“What is this situation…”
Lu Bu also frowned, unsure of how to deal with the sudden removal of hostilities.
Well, that went surprisingly well.
“You idiot!”
“Ouch! My lady, what are you doing this for!”
(TL: Lady here refers to wife.)
Just then, a young girl who wore similar clothing as the male barbarian ran over to him and roared at him, “We were supposed to have a nice honeymoon in the Central Plains but not only do you not have money, you even started robbing people without even checking if they have any at all, will you stop troubling people?”
While she scolded him, her hands weren’t just by her side as she snatched the iron rod and swung it down on the man who hurriedly dodged and pleaded, “Don’t be angry, my lady! Ahuina! Dongtuna! Don’t just stand there, come and help your king!”
The 2 expressionless girls who had red lines drawn on their faces stood by the side of the male barbarian and just looked on with no intention of helping at all.
“We actually agree with what the lady has said.”
“And if the king dies like that, Wuxi Cave’s monarchy will end and everyone’s lives will improve.”
“You two! I’ll kill you both when we get back!” The male barbarian scolded them but he had no room to consider anything else besides avoiding his lady. The troops that surrounded them did not admonish the two girls either and some were even snickering.
I looked at Lu Bu, who also looked at me, and we didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Umm…”
“Ah, I’m really sorry about interrupting your journey.” Seeing that we had been left alone at the side for a long while noe, the lady hurriedly ran over and bowed as she spologised, “My husband is always so slovenly and wanted to steal some money while we were on our honeymoon so we can have some fun. But to think he actually wanted to steal from the poor. We must seem like a joke.”
“Ah, it’s fine it’s fine, just a misunderstanding.” Before Lu Bu and I regained our senses, Wen Yuan had already caught up and began to speak with the lady, “But a honeymoon huh?”
“That’s right, our king said that there are a lot of tasty foods in the north.”
“Even though what he just wants to avoid the work in the Cave….”
“N, nonsense! I just trust Jinhuaisanjie, that’s all!” The male barbarian protested.
Eh? Why has the atmosphere become so friendly and cordial now? They were just robbers before…
“Speaking of which, where were you all heading to?” The lady asked.
“Ah, we were heading toward Runan, but we took a wrong turn and have to go by a long way now and are unsure of how to make it to our destination.”
Runan. The girl called Ahuina muttered.
“You just need to take a boat from the Yellow River. Runan is at the end of the River.”
“Really!”
“Un, the Yellow River Crossing is a straight road ahead.”
Yellow River Crossing…
“Since you’re headed towards the end of the Yellow River, why don’t you come with us?”
“Eh?” The sudden help was unexpected, and now that lady actually offered to go along with us?
“We were planning to return anyway and to do so, we need to take a boat from the Yellow River as well.”
“Take it as penance for our king’s crimes.”
“Silly king.”
“Why is it always my fault in the end?! I’m the king!”
“I’m your lady!”
“I’m your subordinate!!”
“What’s so special about being my subordinate!”
They began arguing again.
After that, we learnt they were indeed from Nanman. The man was called Meng Huo while his lady was Zhurong Shi.
Yun Chang POV
“Whether you lot up ahead are tourists or merchants, you’ll have to hand over some money before~ getting~ through~” A man with tattoos in the Nanman style hopped over on 1 leg as he gyrated about.
(TL: Nanman is a region in south-west China that supposedly had dark-skinned tribes.)
“This is…” Highway robbery? I muttered under my breath as I hurriedly checked our surroundings.
“No need to check Lord Guan Yu. I’m afraid the surrounding mountains are filled with his men.” Lu Bu said as she drew her double-sided halberd which she had kept on her horse, “Wen Yuan, protect the carriage.”
“Yes, my lord.” Wen Yuan turned and headed back toward the carriage and stood on guard with the few soldiers we had.
“Haha~ Don’t put up a meaningless struggle,” The man laughed maniacally, and switched legs as he continued hopping over, “Just hand over the money you got and save me the trouble.” As he said so, he pulled out a large iron rod from behind him and swung it about before putting it on his shoulder. It was obvious that this barbarian was no ordinary fellow with that extraordinary strength of his.
“…” I swung my blade a few times and moved my horse from left to right to see if he would show any openings but I was surprised to see that he was not fazed at all and was fully concentrated on a single point.
I had been practicing an ultimate technique that would allow me to slice through anything completely but it seems like it won’t work on this barbarian. Even if it did, I still have to think of the safety of those girls in the carriage. If anything untoward were to happen to them, I don’t know how I can face big brother.
“All you good men ahead,” And so, I had no choice but to drop some of my hostility and try and persuade them with words, “We are heading to join up with some relatives and left in a hurry so we did not bring any money.”
“No money?” He looked about, and then stretched his head to look at the carriage behind and sank into thought.
I wasn’t actually lying, the amount of money we had wasn’t a lot to begin with and even if we did give it to them, I doubt it would be sufficient for them.
But really, to think that there are more robbers about because of these troubled times. Hai, there’s really no helping it, I muttered under my breath as I shook my head whilst waiting for the barbarian’s response.
“Un…” The man had his head lowered and silently shook it, “That makes things troublesome…”
“…” Lu Bu, who was beside me, immediately showed full hostility and bloodlust in her eyes as she readied herself to charge forth any time when she heard this.
Is it impossible to get away… If that’s the case, we can only do our best later. As I thought so, my grip on my blade tightened and I readied myself to charge forth as well.
“If that’s the case, then there’s no helping it.”
Eh?
The barbarian shrugged, and whistled.
“Come on out brothers!” At this command, a whole horde of people began leaping and bounding out from the trees and cliffs with movements that were both smooth and swift.
“What is this situation…”
Lu Bu also frowned, unsure of how to deal with the sudden removal of hostilities.
Well, that went surprisingly well.
“You idiot!”
“Ouch! My lady, what are you doing this for!”
(TL: Lady here refers to wife.)
Just then, a young girl who wore similar clothing as the male barbarian ran over to him and roared at him, “We were supposed to have a nice honeymoon in the Central Plains but not only do you not have money, you even started robbing people without even checking if they have any at all, will you stop troubling people?”
While she scolded him, her hands weren’t just by her side as she snatched the iron rod and swung it down on the man who hurriedly dodged and pleaded, “Don’t be angry, my lady! Ahuina! Dongtuna! Don’t just stand there, come and help your king!”
The 2 expressionless girls who had red lines drawn on their faces stood by the side of the male barbarian and just looked on with no intention of helping at all.
“We actually agree with what the lady has said.”
“And if the king dies like that, Wuxi Cave’s monarchy will end and everyone’s lives will improve.”
“You two! I’ll kill you both when we get back!” The male barbarian scolded them but he had no room to consider anything else besides avoiding his lady. The troops that surrounded them did not admonish the two girls either and some were even snickering.
I looked at Lu Bu, who also looked at me, and we didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Umm…”
“Ah, I’m really sorry about interrupting your journey.” Seeing that we had been left alone at the side for a long while noe, the lady hurriedly ran over and bowed as she spologised, “My husband is always so slovenly and wanted to steal some money while we were on our honeymoon so we can have some fun. But to think he actually wanted to steal from the poor. We must seem like a joke.”
“Ah, it’s fine it’s fine, just a misunderstanding.” Before Lu Bu and I regained our senses, Wen Yuan had already caught up and began to speak with the lady, “But a honeymoon huh?”
“That’s right, our king said that there are a lot of tasty foods in the north.”
“Even though what he just wants to avoid the work in the Cave….”
“N, nonsense! I just trust Jinhuaisanjie, that’s all!” The male barbarian protested.
Eh? Why has the atmosphere become so friendly and cordial now? They were just robbers before…
“Speaking of which, where were you all heading to?” The lady asked.
“Ah, we were heading toward Runan, but we took a wrong turn and have to go by a long way now and are unsure of how to make it to our destination.”
Runan. The girl called Ahuina muttered.
“You just need to take a boat from the Yellow River. Runan is at the end of the River.”
“Really!”
“Un, the Yellow River Crossing is a straight road ahead.”
Yellow River Crossing…
“Since you’re headed towards the end of the Yellow River, why don’t you come with us?”
“Eh?” The sudden help was unexpected, and now that lady actually offered to go along with us?
“We were planning to return anyway and to do so, we need to take a boat from the Yellow River as well.”
“Take it as penance for our king’s crimes.”
“Silly king.”
“Why is it always my fault in the end?! I’m the king!”
“I’m your lady!”
“I’m your subordinate!!”
“What’s so special about being my subordinate!”
They began arguing again.
After that, we learnt they were indeed from Nanman. The man was called Meng Huo while his lady was Zhurong Shi.
