Chapter 96: Transit Package

At dusk, Li Banfeng was strolling through the wilderness.

He had practiced with his iron ruler all night in his dwelling with the phonograph, eaten two cans of food, and then slept. When he woke up, it was already five in the afternoon.

Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, Li Banfeng quickly completed his basic traveling cultivation. Mazhu Mountain was vast and treacherous; walking one *li* on its paths equaled a mile and a half of cultivation he’d normally achieve. After walking over thirty *li* of mountain paths, Li Banfeng felt a sensation, indicating his basic cultivation was complete.

Since he began traveling cultivation more than two months ago, Li Banfeng had never stopped. According to his calculations, after accounting for the time spent on routine cultivation, he had accumulated over three extra months of cultivation time. This was largely due to Li Banfeng frequently practicing in dangerous environments—essentially courting death.

Li Banfeng wanted to walk a few more *li* to accumulate more time when he suddenly saw figures moving in the bamboo forest. He took out his Whispering Thread Earrings, listened for a moment, and heard the voice of Constable Wu Jinming.

"Look carefully, everyone. Once we've passed this mountain, we'll call it a day."

"Chief Wu, that's enough. Patrolling the mountain at night? I've never done anything like this since I joined the force."

"What can we do? The Lu family is powerful, and they insist we find Li Banfeng."

"We're the Garrison Master's people. The Garrison Master is from another province. Why should we care about the Lu family's affairs?"

"Our Garrison Master must have received a lot of benefits from the Lu family, otherwise why would he be so keen?"

"If he received benefits, he should at least share some with us! We've been walking around all day, our leather shoes are worn through, and there's no talk of giving us another pair."

"Stop talking nonsense. It's not about benefits. The Lu family is about to dominate Puoluo Province. The He, Ma, and Chu families are no match for them. The Garrison Master works in Puoluo Province, so he relies on the Lu family's support."

Wu Jinming led his men through a patch of woods. Seeing the sun about to set, he told his subordinates, "Alright, let's call it a day. Tomorrow's border crossing must not go wrong. Everyone rest early, don't wander off."

The group of constables descended the mountain, and Li Banfeng emerged from his dwelling.

The Lu family had already tracked him to the border? Could he still get out tomorrow? He estimated he would be caught near the constable station. He needed to think of another way.

Late that night, Li Banfeng arrived at You Tao's house.

You Tao was delighted to see Li Banfeng. She quickly closed the bamboo house door and whispered, "Brother Baisha, you scared me! You said you were hiding from enemies—are you hiding from the Lu family?"

Li Banfeng nodded slightly.

You Tao clicked her tongue. "That makes things difficult. If the Lu family wants to find someone, you definitely can't escape as long as you're in Yaowang Ditch."

Li Banfeng nodded. "That's why I originally planned to go to Lushui Bay."

"Lushui Bay? Are you crazy?" You Tao was puzzled. "The Lu family's stronghold is in Lushui Bay. Wouldn't going there be suicide?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "You're right. I've thought it through. I can't go myself, but the item needs to be delivered. Can you help me take something to Lushui Bay?"

It wasn't that he didn't trust You Tao, but the situation was pressing, and some things she couldn't know.

"Take something..." You Tao pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Tomorrow I'll find the broker and ask about the rates."

After interacting with Yu Nan for a while, Li Banfeng had learned to understand some of the local slang. A "broker" (花舌子, *hua shizi*) was an intermediary. On the border, there were special brokers who specifically sought out travelers crossing the border to do business. These travelers had road passes and could cross normally. The brokers would ask them to carry something for them, offering thirty to fifty thousand coins. Of course, they couldn't carry too much. An envelope or a small package wouldn't concern the Garrison Master, but a horse-drawn cart would be out of the question.

Did he have to entrust someone to carry the item across the border? Wasn't there a post office in Puoluo Province? There was a post office, but it had many rules, especially for cross-border mail. Pills, magical artifacts, weapons, living creatures, and sentient objects could not be mailed. All mailed items underwent rigorous inspection, and the postal efficiency was extremely low; it could take over a month for items to arrive. Li Banfeng couldn't risk it.

"A broker charging someone to carry something costs thirty to fifty thousand, and he himself makes double that. One trip might cost a hundred thousand coins. It's not like mailing something," You Xuetao explained the price, looking at Li Banfeng with a hint of difficulty. Li Banfeng had shown her great kindness, even saving her life. Logically, she didn't want to bring up money with him. But You Xuetao had no money. She was someone who would risk her life for an eighty-five coin snakebane chrysanthemum. Although she had received a few pills from Li Banfeng, her life was still frugal.

One hundred thousand coins was not a big deal for Li Banfeng. "I'll give you two hundred thousand."

You Tao quickly shook her head. "That's too much..."

"Keep the rest. Do you know of a pond on the west slope, halfway up Mazhu Mountain?"

You Tao nodded. "The water is very clear, and there are few people. I often go there to bathe."

"By the pond, there's a large bluestone. It's very big, and there's a hole underneath it. Do you know that?"

You Tao nodded. "Yes, I know. I often put my clothes on the bluestone when I bathe."

Li Banfeng frowned. "Why do you keep talking about bathing? Tomorrow night at two o'clock, go to the pond. In the hole under the bluestone, you'll find a package. Please take this package to Lanyang Village in Lushui Bay. Just leave it at the village entrance, hidden in a discreet spot."

Lanyang Village was a place Li Banfeng had seen on a map; the village was very close to the border.

You Tao was somewhat puzzled. "What is it? Why not give it to me now?"

"Not yet, the time isn't right."

You Xuetao reminded Li Banfeng, "Entrusting a cross-border traveler doesn't guarantee the item will be delivered. People who travel between the two places regularly have some credibility, but others may not be reliable. If it's not a particularly urgent item, sending it through the post office would be safer. If you absolutely must use a cross-border carrier, I'll talk to the broker tomorrow and ask him to find a trusted person if possible. But if he really can't find anyone..."

"Then we'll gamble."

In fact, it didn't necessarily have to be Lanyang Village, as long as he could leave Yaowang Ditch. Li Banfeng turned to leave.

You Xuetao reached out and pulled him back. "Where are you going?"

"To spend the night on the mountain."

"The mountain isn't safe either. I heard the constables have started searching it."

"I'll figure something out myself. I can't implicate you after all."

Li Banfeng left, and You Xuetao stood at the door. She worried this might be the last time she saw him.

Coughing sounds came from upstairs again, and You Xuetao went to the second floor. The girl sitting in the corner snorted, "If you like him, just go with him then."

You Xuetao nodded. "Okay, I'll go with him."

"You're heartless!" the girl cried. "He doesn't look like a good person! What do you see in him?"

You Xuetao smiled and stroked the girl's cheek. "He is a good person. A truly good person."

The next day, You Xuetao found the broker at the village entrance. The broker quoted one hundred and twenty thousand coins, promising to find a trusted person for You Xuetao to ensure delivery.

You Xuetao frowned. "Why did the price go up? It used to be a maximum of a hundred thousand!"

The broker smiled. "Lanyang Village isn't peaceful. If the money's too little, no one wants to go."

You Xuetao had never been to Lushui Bay and didn't know what kind of place Lanyang Village was, but since Li Banfeng had specified the location, You Xuetao didn't ask any more questions. The two agreed to meet the next morning, exchanging the item for the money.

The broker gave a warning, "Taozi, we have a good relationship, so I'll be clear: the constables have been checking very strictly these past two days. I wouldn't dare carry anything suspicious, so don't put me in trouble."

You Tao agreed; she also didn't know what Li Banfeng wanted to send.

At two in the morning, You Tao arrived at the pond on the west slope of Mazhu Mountain. Under the bluestone, she found the package Li Banfeng had left. The package was only palm-sized and very light.

As You Tao held the package, about to descend the mountain, she suddenly heard movement nearby. She peered into the bamboo forest and saw several points of light. *Oh no, it's the constables!* The lights were distinctive: the gas lamps used exclusively by the constables. Gas lamps were oil-gas lamps, consisting of a fist-sized oil-gas bottle with a tube. When the valve on the tube was opened, oil-gas would spray out. Once ignited, they were much brighter than ordinary lanterns. In Puoluo Province, fuel quickly solidified and could not be stored in large quantities. The equipment that could convert solidified grease into a small amount of oil-gas was extremely expensive. Near Mazhu Mountain, only the constables could afford to use gas lamps.

You Tao wanted to escape, but the lights flashed, and the constables had already seen her, signaling with their lights for her not to move. Helplessly, You Xuetao quickly stripped off her clothes, stuffed the package into her garments, and slipped into the water.

Before long, Constable Wu Jinming led his men to the scene. Seeing You Tao curled up in the water, several constables wished they could dive in for a closer look. Unfortunately, You Tao's position was obscured by the shadow of the large bluestone, and the constables, though frustrated, couldn't see anything.

Wu Jinming frowned and said, "You Xuetao, what are you doing here?"

You Tao's brows also furrowed. "Officer Wu, can't you see what I'm doing? I'm bathing. Or would you like to join me?"

Normally, Wu Jinming would joke with You Xuetao, but today he wasn't in the mood. "I've told you before, I've never made things difficult for you. Why do you have to cause me trouble?"

"Officer Wu, you brought a group of subordinates to watch me bathe, and then you say I'm causing you trouble? Are we still talking sense?"

As she spoke, You Tao kept her gaze on Wu Jinming, her tone neither subservient nor arrogant—three parts resentment, five parts grievance, and two parts helplessness and sorrow. Tears hovered in her eyes, but she made sure they didn't fall. The force she applied couldn't be too strong; Wu Jinming was also a cultivator, and she couldn't let him become hostile. But it couldn't be too weak either, otherwise Wu Jinming wouldn't soften. Pleasure cultivation required skill, discretion, and cunning.

Wu Jinming said nothing, but his subordinates lowered their heads. They felt sorry for You Tao. They felt guilty. They didn't want to stay there for another moment.

Wu Jinming didn't question You Tao further. He led the constables down the mountain. Along the way, no one suspected You Tao; instead, they complained endlessly about Wu Jinming.

"Chief Wu, why go through all this trouble? Miss You didn't commit any offense. Why are we making things difficult for her?"

"Exactly. Patrolling the mountain in the middle of the night is bad enough. And we, a bunch of men, go and bully a girl."

"We see her regularly, and we still have to work here. We can't offend everyone for the Lu family's petty affairs!"

"After this, I'll feel too ashamed to see Miss You!"

"I didn't even dare look into the water just now!"

These constables were filled with strong pity for You Tao, which led to intense self-reproach. Wu Jinming remained silent. He knew his subordinates had been affected by pleasure cultivation techniques. He was certain You Tao was hiding something, and it was likely related to Li Banfeng, whom the Lu family was searching for. If You Tao's foster brother had been present, Wu Jinming definitely wouldn't have let him go. But without seeing him in person, Wu Jinming truly didn't want to pursue the matter. His men were right; he still had to work there and couldn't just disregard everything for the Lu family's word.

At dawn, You Xuetao handed the package to the broker, who, in front of You Xuetao, gave it to a middle-aged man. This man, Yang Yanzheng, was a steward of the Chu family, one of Puoluo Province's four great families. He often came to Yaowang Ditch to purchase medicinal herbs, and he was an acquaintance of the broker, with a certain guarantee of trustworthiness. The broker smiled, "Taozi, you're lucky. Mr. Yang happens to be going to Lanyang Village, so your item will definitely be delivered."

Taking the package, Yang Yanzheng went to the constable station. Wu Jinming, leading twenty constables, accompanied ten cross-border travelers to the checkpoint. Only ten people were allowed to cross the Mazhu Mountain border daily. If you didn't get through today, you had to wait until tomorrow. The checkpoint location changed daily; this was a rule in Puoluo Province. Today's chosen location was at the foot of the Mazhu Mountain's south slope. The border line was barren, making it easy to identify. Ten constables escorted a steam car, transporting a two-meter-long, one-meter-wide, one-meter-high iron box to the side of the border line.

Accompanied by five guards, the Garrison Master personally took out a key and opened the iron box. A constable moved a square light box out of the iron box, and the Garrison Master personally checked its position. After confirming it was correctly placed, one constable added water to the top of the light box, another opened its back cover and added coal, and a third carried a bucket of grease to ignite it. *Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!* Steam rhythmically puffed from the top of the light box. As the rhythm continuously sped up, the light box flickered a few times and gradually illuminated. This was not powered by electricity; it was high-temperature steam that activated a precious artifact inside the light box. A beam of blue-green light shot towards the border line, leaving a one-and-a-half-meter-diameter light spot on the line. Those who had crossed the border knew that at the location of the light spot, the otherwise indestructible border line would temporarily deactivate.

Yang Yanzheng was first in line. Accompanied by the constables, he first approached the Garrison Master. The clerk next to the Garrison Master instructed, "Present your road pass." Yang Yanzheng took out his road pass and handed it to the Garrison Master. The Garrison Master glanced at it, then looked up and asked, "What is your name?"

It was crucial not to lie at this moment; the Garrison Master carried a precious artifact. Yang Yanzheng didn't know what the artifact looked like, but he knew the consequences of lying. He had once seen three travelers who, impersonating others with their road passes, lied about their names. Their bodies had shattered into a puddle of flesh on the spot. It wasn't just impersonators; even people who had recently changed their names and hadn't fully internalized their new identity would instantly die before this artifact.

Some first-time cross-border travelers couldn't understand why, while traveling by train or boat also required a road pass check by a ticket conductor, crossing the border line on foot necessitated a personal inspection by the Garrison Master. After a few more crossings, they would understand. These individuals, who didn't use cars or boats, crossed the border on foot for special reasons. Most of them possessed extraordinary skills, requiring the Garrison Master to personally oversee and take strict precautions.

After confirming his identity, the Garrison Master permitted Yang Yanzheng to cross. Yang Yanzheng walked to the border line, carefully stepped on the light spot on the ground, and crossed the border.

Less than half a day later, Yang Yanzheng arrived at Lanyang Village. He placed the package in a tree hole at the village entrance, then entered the village.

Three hours later, Li Banfeng, estimating that enough time had passed, emerged from his dwelling. Covered in wood shavings and moss, he crawled out of the tree hole. This person was truly responsible, hiding the package in such a place.

Li Banfeng brushed the dust from his clothes, let out a sigh of relief, and looked at the village before him. He had finally reached Lushui Bay. This was home to Puoluo Province's largest city. This was a paradise of decadent extravagance! This… was not quite what Li Banfeng had imagined.

Later, I checked my temperature and found I had a fever of thirty-nine degrees.

***

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