Chapter Fifty-Four: Infiltrating Ji Province

Along the official highway leading from Xuzhou to Jizhou, a sizeable merchant caravan was making its way northward, heavily laden with cargo.

The party consisted of several hundred people, transporting vast quantities of specialty goods produced in Huainan and Jiangnan, while the heavy horse-drawn carriages forged ahead with labored effort.

Sitting inside a carriage and examining a newly arrived report, Luo Ang furrowed his brows deeply.

As it turned out, this caravan supposedly coming from Nanyang was actually a disguised force of four hundred soldiers led by Luo Ang himself, who was currently traveling in heavy disguise.

His fair cheeks were covered in glued-on beards, and he was dressed in the usual attire of a merchant, rendering him completely unrecognizable even to those who knew him well.

"Young master, we have entered the borders of Jizhou," Zhang He's voice sounded from beside the carriage.

Luo Ang lifted the curtain, and Zhang He immediately came into view.

By this time, Zhang He and Song Xian had also completely altered their appearances.

Zhang He wore a black eye patch over his left eye, masquerading as a one-eyed man, and his jaw was adorned with countless steel-needle-like whiskers, making him look utterly unlike his former self. Song Xian, on the other hand, was dressed to resemble a dashing young gentleman.

Presently, the roles of Zhang He and Song Xian were that of the chief guard and the steward to Luo Ang, the merchant from Jiangnan.

Luo Ang looked into the distance and spotted a nearby village surrounded by patches of fertile farmland, where numerous farmers were laboring in the fields.

It was a scene of peace and tranquility; it seemed Yuan Shao possessed considerable administrative ability in governing his territory.

Julu Commandery.

Luo Ang led his caravan into Julu. His mission now was to find Zhang Ji and bring him back to Luoyang to save Xi Zhicai.

Peering through the carriage curtain, Luo Ang observed the people of Julu Commandery going about their lives in a leisurely manner, making it hard to imagine that this place had once been the cradle of the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

Zhang He asked, "Young master, what should we do now? Where are we going to find Zhang Ji?"

Luo Ang replied, "Rest assured, I have my own methods. Check if there is an inn nearby."

With that, the group set out to look for lodging.

Soon, they found an inn and halted their horses right at its entrance.

Zhang He said, "Young master, we have arrived."

Luo Ang acknowledged the statement, stepped down from the carriage, and said, "Zhang He, Song Xian, you two go inside with the others and secure the rooms. I am going to search for Zhang Ji."

"Understood."

While Zhang He went to book the rooms to ensure everyone had a place to stay, Luo Ang set out to track down Zhang Ji.

Inquiring with passersby as he searched, Luo Ang quickly gathered information regarding Zhang Ji's whereabouts.

It turned out that Zhang Ji lived in a remote corner of Julu Commandery. Although the location was secluded, a great many people still sought him out for medical treatment.

Following the directions given by a passerby, Luo Ang walked toward Zhang Ji's dwelling.

Before long, he arrived in front of the physician's residence.

At that moment, Zhang Ji was treating his very last patient.

Watching Zhang Ji attend to the final patient, Luo Ang felt a sense of curiosity, for according to history, Zhang Ji was a physician who traveled far and wide, yet here he was, practicing medicine fixedly in this single location.

With this thought in mind, he lifted his foot and walked inside.

***

Presently, the last patient was cured and took his leave from Zhang Ji's clinic.

Zhang Ji appeared to be in his mid-thirties, slightly older than Luo Ang, but his health was so impeccably maintained that he looked nearly like a man in his twenties, bearing witness to his mastery of the art of longevity.

Seeing Luo Ang walk in and mistaking him for a patient, Zhang Ji asked, "May I ask what urgent ailment brings you here, sir?"

Luo Ang replied, "I am merely a passing merchant. Having noticed you practicing medicine here, sir, I wished to ask why you have chosen to base your practice in this place."

Zhang Ji sighed and said, "I originally traveled everywhere to heal the sick. However, a year ago when Zhang Jue and his brothers rebelled, the people here were plagued by widespread illness, so I remained behind to treat them. Now that the afflictions of the local populace have been lifted, and seeing as it is not fitting for me to linger here any longer, I was preparing to leave."

Hearing this, Luo Ang finally understood why Zhang Ji had stayed. "As it happens, my father, residing in Luoyang, has fallen suddenly ill. Having heard of your supreme medical skills, sir, I came to seek your help. Yet, I am tied down by business matters and cannot return immediately. Fortunately, the physicians and doctors in Luoyang have prescribed certain medicines that are temporarily suppressing my father's condition. I wonder if you might accompany me for the time being, help transport these goods to Yecheng, and then return with me to Luoyang."

Zhang Ji replied, "Since that is the case, I shall travel with you. We can see if there are any patients in Yecheng along the way."

"Thank you for your trouble, sir."

After quite some time, Zhang Ji finished packing his belongings, but the sky outside had already grown dark.

Luo Ang said, "Sir, it is too late to set off today. Let us depart tomorrow at dawn."

Glancing at the darkened sky outside, Zhang Ji sighed. "Very well, that is the only choice."

Luo Ang suggested, "Sir, why not accompany me to the inn where I am staying? That way, we can leave Julu for Yecheng first thing tomorrow morning."

Zhang Ji nodded. "Very well."

With that, Luo Ang led Zhang Ji away from the clinic and toward his inn.

Early the following morning, Luo Ang led his caravan and Zhang Ji toward Yecheng, the principal city of Jizhou.

***

Luoyang. The residence of Xi Zhicai.

At this moment, Xi Zhicai's cough grew increasingly severe.

Watching him cough with mounting intensity, Cheng Yu had no choice but to send for a physician to prescribe a decoction that could stabilize his condition.

Looking down at Xi Zhicai lying on the couch, Cheng Yu asked, "Military Advisor, I have never seen you cough this violently in all the past year. How did you let yourself get into this state?"

Xi Zhicai weakly replied, "Zhongde, there are some matters that are better left unknown to you."

Cheng Yu urged, "But, Military Advisor, you are a vital pillar by the lord's side; I cannot simply stand by and let anything happen to you!"

Xi Zhicai weakly shook his head. "Zhongde, even if I were to tell you, it would do no good."

***

Jizhou.

After a long and arduous journey, the caravan led by Luo Ang finally arrived in Yecheng.

Upon entering Jizhou, an air of bustling vibrancy washed over them.

The streets of this renowned northern city were teeming with crowds, boasting a thriving commerce and an atmosphere of great prosperity.

Having witnessed the peace and security under Yuan Shao's rule all along the way, and now confronting the bustling prosperity within Yecheng, Luo Ang's vigilance toward Yuan Shao heightened considerably.

He had previously assumed Yuan Shao was merely a pampered scion of a prominent noble family; now, it was clear that Yuan Shao was far from being just an ordinary young aristocrat.

At that moment, a guard who had been sent ahead to scout out the location met up with Luo Ang's party, cupped his fists, and reported, "Young master, the inn has been secured. It is the Bafang Inn at the corner ahead."

Luo Ang nodded. "Lead the way."

***

The guard acknowledged the order and guided the procession forward.

Observing this, Zhang Ji remarked, "I never expected the young master to have dispatched men to Yecheng so far in advance."

Luo Ang smiled. "I simply wished to sell our goods sooner so that we might return to Luoyang earlier to cure my father's illness."

Zhang Ji cupped his fists. "I deeply admire the young master's filial piety."

Luo Ang replied, "You flatter me, sir; I am merely fulfilling my duty as a son."

After walking for a good while, the group arrived before a grand and expansive inn situated near a crossroads.

The advance guard cupped his fists toward Luo Ang in the carriage and said, "Young master, we have arrived."

Luo Ang and Zhang Ji alighted from the carriage.

An inn servant hurried forward, bowed deeply to Luo Ang, and said, "Young master, the Chrysanthemum Garden is already prepared. Please follow this lowly one."

With that, he led them toward a side gate beside the main entrance.

Because large merchant caravans with numerous carriages often found it difficult to enter an inn through the front entrance, many establishments maintained side gates to facilitate the passage of carts.

Following the servant through the side gate, they traversed a short stone pathway, passed through an arched doorway bearing the characters "Chrysanthemum Garden" carved into the lintel, and entered a courtyard.

A compact yet exquisitely arranged garden landscape immediately met their eyes.

At the center was a lotus pond surrounded by clusters of chrysanthemums—though, as it was not the season for the flowers to bloom, it appeared somewhat desolate. Three wooden structures stood respectively on the northern, eastern, and western sides of the lotus pond.

The wooden building on the northern side was the most refined, clearly intended as the living quarters for the master. Although the two wooden buildings on the east and west were slightly less ornate, they offered numerous rooms, serving as accommodations for the many men of the caravan.

The servant approached Luo Ang, beaming with smiles, and bowed to ask, "Is the young master satisfied?"

Luo Ang nodded. "Not bad."

The servant presented a set of keys to Luo Ang. "These are the keys to the Chrysanthemum Garden. I now hand them over to the young master for safekeeping."

Luo Ang exchanged a glance with Song Xian, who stepped forward immediately and accepted the keys.

The servant bowed to Luo Ang and said, "If the young master has no further instructions, this lowly one will take his leave."

"Very well. Have food and wine prepared and sent to us."

The servant acknowledged the command and hurried away.

Turning to Zhang Ji, Luo Ang said, "Sir, please go and rest. I have some matters to discuss with my men."

Zhang Ji replied, "Since the young master says so, I shall press no further."

With that, he withdrew into one of the guest rooms to rest.

Luo Ang looked at Zhang He and commanded, "Zhang He, take some of the brothers and go out immediately. Under the guise of contacting buyers, scout out the situation regarding Yuan Shao's forces."

Xiao Zhan cupped his fists in assent, gathered a dozen men from among the guards, and departed from the courtyard.