its ancient ties, though it has become more alarming than ever on the northern borders. Hunger raged in the South. There were terrible rumours of mass infanticide and even acts of cannibalism. However, little trust was put into these. After all, South is South. It doesn't matter what they say about it. But the majority believed that it was the fault of the young emperor Chun Zhen, who ascended the throne a year ago and had not yet managed to halt the rampage organised by the court scoundrels.
Be that as it may, everyone agreed on one thing: one could not expect anything good in the near future. This means that, as is customary among poor people, you have to cut costs to the bone once again and hide goods in the mountains, away from greedy officials and grasping robbers. However, no one could say where the border between the first and the latter lied anymore. Luo Yang came in from the rain, brushing drops of cold water from his wide-brimmed straw hat. He could not wait to throw off his soaked raincoat. Old Tang rushed to meet him, habitually groaning about the nasty weather and the permanently bad roads. Luo listened to his lamentations and, catching a pause in the words of the eloquent master, quietly asked: "Is there a room for a lonely wanderer?" "A room? Yes, yes, of course, we've got several beautiful rooms to choose from," the innkeeper muttered as usual, but Luo stopped him with a gesture. "Several?" He asked incredulously, looking around the crowded hall. The innkeeper choked and stared at the old man, looking puzzled and then embarrassed. "Well, to be honest, I only have one, that is, just one mat in a room, and I rented it to that young warrior," the owner waved a towel, which he did not part with, regardless of being at the counter or in the hall, somewhere in the direction of the far corner of the hall. There, a silhouette of a man in leather armour was dimly visible. "Who is he?" Yang made sure that the interest in his voice didn't sound too obvious. The innkeeper shrugged.
"Well, a casual traveller. He says that he served a prince in the province of Gansu, where he fled from the tyranny of dignitaries." "A deserter?" The owner shrugged. "Doesn't look like one. Deserters are nervous, and they drink a lot; they constantly bully someone… I've seen many of them. But this one is calm and confident. He has money. He probably quit his job or is going home on vacation. Well, at least that's how it looks at first glance." Tang was embarrassed by his own self-confidence and began to fussily smile at Yang. The man nodded slowly.
"Bring me some stew and wine at his table. I am thinking of sharing a meal and shelter with him", said the wanderer and moved towards the young warrior's table. The owner rushed to fulfil the order of the honourable guest. There was hardly anyone in the northern provinces of the Celestial Empire who did not know the wandering philosopher Luo Yang! The warrior reacted to the old man's appearance with only a short nod and buried his face again in his cup of wine. Yang sat down on a bench that had been wiped down to the shine of ivory by the underpants of many guests and also nodded slowly to the warrior. The innkeeper brought a plate of steaming stew and a jug of wine. Luo slowly took the first sip straight from the jug without waiting for the cup to be placed in front of him. Burping contentedly, he proceeded to his stew. The warrior watched him mockingly. Yang pretended not to notice. When he emptied the bowl and wiped it thoroughly with his bread, putting the rest of the contents into his mouth, the warrior dared to ask the first question: "There are free seats in the hall. Why did you honour me with your attention?" Luo chuckled.
"Because of all those sitting in the hall, only you have what I desperately need." The warrior raised his eyebrows in surprise, which Yang liked – the guy was in no hurry with questions and was correct, as if he had received a court education. "Then maybe you could share with me what is this "valuable thing" that I have but don't know about? "The mat in your room that no one has occupied yet," Luo explained calmly. The young man chuckled. "What if I say no?" "You won't," Yang answered confidently and explained to the warrior's surprised look: "You need a calm neighbour today, and tomorrow you will need a reliable and wise companion and mentor at the same time. So why wait for another gift of fate?" "As far as I understand, you are the gift, old man?" "Exactly, young Man. Luo Yang, at your service…"
The warrior jumped up and bowed low: "Excuse me, sir! I have been on long hikes and have lost the last traces of courtesy while having to deal with the wild mountaineers!" Yang chuckled, stood up and put his hand on the warrior's shoulder, forcing him to sit back. "During my travels, I have met few interlocutors more courteous than you, someone who allegedly lost his courtesy", he laughed. The warrior forced himself to smile in response. The wise man sat down and continued: "Now that you know who I am let's figure out who you are… You served in the prince's army?" "Yes, sir." "Gansu province?" "Yes, sir." "And your name is…"
"Li Zicheng, sir…" "Stop calling me sir. To you, I'm just a Master Luo. Got it?" "Yes, sir… Master Luo… It will be an honour for me to share the shelter with you, just like I had shared my meal before!" Noticing that Li Zicheng was ready to bow down again, Luo Yang placed his hand in his palm, pressing it against the darkened tabletop. "I don't think we should attract too much attention now.
Too many different, sometimes even contradictory fellows have gathered on this patch of the great Empire. You can expect an explosion at any moment… Yes, yes, my young friend… The weather is not going to change, the winter roads will remain impassable forever, and I suggest we have a good rest in our room today, sleep well, and continue our journey tomorrow. After all, you are heading…" "North," Zicheng said quickly, sitting down on a bench, "to a small village in Shaanxi province. It's time to visit my nephew and help him with the housework. It's sowing time soon; someone needs to plough the land. After all, we are not a military settlement, and we have to not only cultivate someone else's land for a quitrent but also pay taxes. I used to tend sheep and plough the land, but my father could not support his family, so I had to get a job at the post office. Travelling across the vastness of the Celestial Empire, I managed to see a lot and change my mind. I was recruited into the army of a Gansu lord." Yang shook his head.
"A short but worthy journey, young Man… When are you going to return to the service?" Li sighed heavily and thought… "I don't know," he admitted honestly. "I haven't thought about it yet. I'd rather get home first, and then…" "Then, I propose a solution that will undoubtedly suit both of us." "I am listening, sir…" "Not again!" "Excuse me, my… Excuse me, Master Luo. What is your solution?" "We will go to the North together," Luo Yang nodded, full of himself.
Li Zicheng jumped up in enthusiasm: "It'll be an honour!" Yang got outright angry. "Did I say something wrong, or were you not listening? Sit down, to begin with", and, after waiting for the young man to take his place, he continued. "I'm not doing you a favour, it's just that our paths coincide for a while, and we can be useful to each other. My wisdom and age, combined with your military talents, will be the key to the successful completion of our journey. It is from this point of view that I see our cooperation. Is that clear?" "Yes, Master Luo." "Great!" The wise man rubbed his hands.
"Hey, innkeeper, bring me and my friend more of your wonderful wine! The travellers are tired of the journey and want to get their throats wet… You want to get your throat wet, don't you?" He leaned over to Li. The young man chuckled. "Even during your long life, It is unlikely that you, Master Luo, have met many people who would refuse wine at someone else's expense." The old man chuckled.
"Actually, I thought that it was you who would pay… But if things are heading this way… I'm ready. Then you will pay for the room." The warrior laughed: "Deal. But your wisdom has failed you this time. Or you're cunning. Or your power of prediction." "In what?" The old man squinted. Zicheng threw up his hands. "There is a fixed fee for the rent, but I can drink indefinitely," the young man explained his thought. The elder shook his head. "You will not take more liquids than the volume of your stomach, and knowing old Tang, I can assure you that you will need even less wine – it will knock you off your feet. Plus, you don't sound like a drunkard. So we are quits," he threw up his hands.
Meanwhile, the owner brought more jugs, so there was no time for empty talks anymore. It was on the third day when they finally managed to set off on the road. The disgusting weather was partly to blame for this. It rained and snowed all the time. The mud that was freezing overnight was turning into an impenetrable mess in the morning, making not only the wheels
