Something had indeed gone wrong up ahead.
When Zheng Fan and Feng Siniang arrived at the front hall, they saw two soldiers standing at the entrance, clad in black leather armor.
The Yan Dynasty favored black, so their military uniforms were mainly black. However, these two soldiers were only wearing leather armor, indicating they were not elite imperial guards of the Yan State nor elite field soldiers, but merely local guards from Hutou City.
Beneath the stage in the front hall, a middle-aged man dressed as an official and a middle-aged Field Officer wearing armor stood together. The official held a register, while the Field Officer wore an arrogant expression.
"The one on the left is Hutou City's local Registrar, surnamed Chen; he often dines with us. I don't know the one on the right; I've never seen him before," Feng Siniang whispered to Zheng Fan. Then, she stepped forward and greeted them, "Well, well, what wind has blown our Registrar Chen here? You should have given us a little notice, so I could have had the girls freshen up."
Upon seeing Feng Siniang, a flash of lust flickered in Registrar Chen's eyes. He chuckled and said, "Enough of that. Your girls here... my old bones couldn't handle them. Their skin is rougher than the soldiers in the barracks outside the city! As for you, Siniang, I heard you entertained a guest last night?"
"Oh, my dear Registrar," Feng Siniang sighed. "I have such a large household, so many mouths to feed, and we rely on this little bit of business to survive. Everything is getting so expensive these days, what choice do I have? I can't just watch our rice vats go empty, can I?"
Registrar Chen reached out to grab Feng Siniang's hand, but she subtly evaded his grasp.
At this, the Field Officer standing nearby frowned, clearly displeased that Registrar Chen had just referred to soldiers with such a common term.
Despite his irritation, he didn't react. Although Yan was a state founded on martial prowess, it had enjoyed peace for a long time. The trend of prioritizing civil matters over military ones, while not as pronounced as in some larger nations, was already beginning to emerge.
However, seeing Registrar Chen continue to neglect official business by chatting and laughing with the brothel madam, the Field Officer grunted in clear dissatisfaction.
Still, to be fair, this madam was indeed quite captivating.
Hearing the grunt, Registrar Chen's expression shifted. He turned to the Field Officer beside him with an appeasing look and said, "Field Officer Xue, please don't be hasty. Don't be hasty."
Then, Registrar Chen flipped through the register in his hands and said to Feng Siniang, "Siniang, the court is levying for corvée labor. According to the household register, your family must provide four adult males."
"Good heavens, wasn't the labor levy for this year already completed?" Feng Siniang exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock.
For the common folk of the Yan State, taxes and corvée labor were inescapable burdens, the annual duty of every subject. However, rules were rigid, but people were flexible; if one had money, they could pay to be exempted from labor.
Business at the inn had been decent, and Feng Siniang had used money to cover their labor obligations for the first half of the year.
"It can't be helped. Something else has come up," Registrar Chen said, looking troubled.
"This is outrageous! How are we ordinary people supposed to make a living? Heavens above!"
"Silence!" Field Officer Xue barked. "The army is about to march! As subjects of Yan, it is your undeniable duty to supply the vanguard. If you dare to make any more excuses, woman, be warned that my blade shows no mercy!"
Field Officer Xue gestured as if to draw his sword. Feng Siniang, playing her part, recoiled in fright, covering her mouth and daring not to utter another sound.
Registrar Chen shrugged. He was a local official in Hutou City, and his family had served as officials there for generations. Sometimes, he couldn't afford to be too heavy-handed, so he was glad to have this soldier around to play the villain.
"Siniang, according to the household register, your family is required to provide four adult males for the levy: Zheng A Ming, Zheng Cheng, Zheng Li, and Zheng Fan."
After Registrar Chen finished speaking, Field Officer Xue planted a foot on a nearby chair and bellowed, "Well? Bring them out now!"
"This... this..." Feng Siniang looked hesitant. She glanced at Zheng Fan, then bowed slightly and said, "My lords, it's not that we're unwilling to serve the country, but truly, our household cannot provide four men at this moment."
Without waiting for the Field Officer to erupt, Feng Siniang quickly continued, "Our Ah Li left with a merchant caravan the day before yesterday. I have no idea where he is now or when he'll be back. And our A Ming is terribly ill. I'd want him to go, but what if he spreads his consumptive illness in the barracks? That would be a terrible crime!"
"Are you trying to deceive me?" Registrar Chen asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
"TSK!" Feng Siniang clapped her hands in exasperation. "Go on, ask anyone! Ah Li left two days ago. You know that big fellow, he eats a mountain of food. When a merchant caravan offered to take him, cover his meals, and even pay him a bit, of course, I practically kicked him out the door! As for A Ming, he's lying in the backyard this very moment. We've already prepared a coffin for him."
Registrar Chen beckoned to one of his subordinates and had him go make inquiries. Then, he accompanied Field Officer Xue to the backyard to check on A Ming's condition.
Even on a normal day, A Ming had a pale, "deathly" complexion. Now that he was injured, his appearance... TSK TSK.
Field Officer Xue said with some dissatisfaction, "Fine, we can forget about the one who's practically dead from illness. But the one who went off with a merchant caravan, that's deserting his labor duty!"
At this, Registrar Chen, being a regular customer of the inn, put in a good word for them. "General Xue, you can't quite say that. They already fulfilled this year's labor levy in the first half of the year."
Field Officer Xue licked his lips. He was clearly still very displeased but could do nothing about it. This mobilization had been too hasty, and many areas hadn't been properly prepared. He grumbled, "What about the other two men, then?"
"Right here," Feng Siniang said, pointing to Zheng Fan and Liang Cheng, who were standing nearby.
"Hmm..."
Field Officer Xue seemed quite interested in Liang Cheng's physique. Although Liang Cheng wasn't tall, he had a lean, formidable air about him.
When the Field Officer turned to look at Zheng Fan, however, he subconsciously furrowed his brow. Zheng Fan had only awoken a few days prior, and though some color had returned to his face, his frame was still rather slight and weak.
However, according to the register, these two were kinsmen, perhaps brothers. And this family seemed to be reasonably well-off... So, he asked, "Can you provide your own armor?"
"Absolutely, absolutely! We can also bring our own dry rations," Feng Siniang promptly replied.
Field Officer Xue nodded. Pointing at Liang Cheng and Zheng Fan, he ordered, "Provide your own armor. Report to the military camp outside the city before noon tomorrow."
"Did you hear that? Make sure you're not late," Registrar Chen added.
"Understood, understood," Feng Siniang chirped. "Oh, are you two gentlemen leaving already? Do stay for a meal."
"No, we must continue with the conscription register," Registrar Chen declined, and then he and Field Officer Xue left the inn.
...
In the small hall, they all sat in a circle.
Even A Ming had climbed out of his coffin and was sitting to one side, his face pale.
Blind Bei moistened his lips and began: "We have two paths before us now. One, we pack our things, leave Hutou City tonight, and find another place to settle. The other... is to comply with the levy."
"I think we should comply," Zheng Fan said. "It would be a shame to abandon this place."
The inn was, after all, an enterprise they had built together over the last six months, their first home in this world. To simply give it up was too great a loss. They had also paid a considerable price to obtain legal residency in the Yan State; fleeing now would make them all fugitives. Furthermore, Hutou City was the first crucial point in their plans. To abandon it so readily would be a serious setback. Of course, there was a third option: raise a banner and revolt. But that path wasn't feasible for now.
Hearing this, Blind Bei nodded. "As expected, My lord possesses great foresight."
In reality, Blind Bei had already made his decision, but some things were best said by Zheng Fan himself. As a subordinate, his foremost concern had to be his lord's safety. Regardless of his own thoughts, this was what he had to articulate. That was the politically astute move for a subordinate.
"Liang Cheng, My lord's safety rests in your hands now."
Liang Cheng, who was sitting beside Zheng Fan, nodded, a flicker of murderous aura glinting in his eyes for an instant before vanishing.
Blind Bei then added, "San'er, you go with them tomorrow as well. Since we're bringing our own rations, even a dwarf can help out, can't he?"
Xue Three, however, showed no offense at the word "dwarf" and readily agreed, "Alright."
Blind Bei had a good sense of Liang Cheng's and Xue Three's capabilities. With those two by My lord's side, merely serving as laborers transporting supplies in the rear shouldn't pose much of a problem.
In fact, Blind Bei and Xue Three were also on the inn's household register under the names Zheng Bei and Zheng San. However, one being blind and the other a dwarf, they were exempt from the labor levy.
Feng Siniang hesitated. "Perhaps I should go with My lord? If I'm there to attend to him..."
"Are you planning to go as a camp follower?" Blind Bei cut in.
"..." Feng Siniang was speechless.
Blind Bei, who had been facing Zheng Fan, slowly rose to his feet. Though his eye sockets were empty, Zheng Fan felt as if he were being intensely watched.
"Ultimately, we are merely My lord's subordinates. We will rally around him, clear every obstacle from his path, overcome all thorns and brambles. That is our duty, our mission! But My lord is a king destined for a throne; he must sit higher and see farther than any of us! I believe, given My lord's character, he would not wish for us to coddle him like Liu Chan."
Zheng Fan nodded. He thought back to his recent state of mind, how he had barely even stepped outside the inn for days. A smile touched his lips. "Whenever I used to watch historical dramas, the battle scenes always felt so fake—either due to low budgets or careless extras. This time, I'll get to see the real thing for myself."
He chuckled. "To be honest, I'm quite looking forward to it."
At that moment, A Ming, his face still pale, interjected, "My lord, you're going as laborers. You'll probably only see supply carts and fodder..."
"..." Zheng Fan.