Chapter 119: A Pungent and Exotic Fragrance

The cultists continued their journey after finishing their prayers, as if they had just completed a ritual. Wei Renshi sat atop his horse, with Old Shi leading the way by the reins. Another night passed, and Wei had no idea where they were.

When the sky brightened, the group came to a halt to rest. They were now in the mountainous terrain, and since they had been heading west, Wei calculated that he must have left Fuchang, or perhaps even passed Yique. Without the carriage, Wei was finally able to observe these people properly. Among the seventy or eighty members, most appeared to be common farmers or hunters. Only about a dozen possessed a fierce, hardened look, suggesting they were either former soldiers or brutal bandits. Wei realized that if he could deal with those dozen men, the others would pose no threat.

Noticing that the group’s rations consisted only of dry cakes, Wei saw an opportunity. He turned to the guard sitting nearest to him and said, "My good man, I simply cannot stomach these dry cakes. If I give you some money, would you be willing to catch me a wild rabbit or a sparrow?"

The man looked at Wei but did not answer.

"I still have some copper coins on me," Wei continued. "If you catch me a rabbit, I will give you all of them. Once I roast the meat, I will share it with you!" As he spoke, he fished out some coins and offered them over.

The man eyed the coins, hesitated, then snatched them up and quickly tucked them into his clothes. "I cannot make that decision myself," he muttered, "but I will ask the Altar Master for you." He nudged his companion and said, "He wants some food; I’m going to ask the Master. Keep a close watch on him." The other man shifted, sitting directly opposite Wei.

Before long, the guard returned, and to Wei’s surprise, the Altar Master accompanied him.

Wei put on a look of feigned anxiety. The Master approached, sat cross-legged before him, and stared intently. "What exactly did your uncle say to you regarding your trip to Fuzhou?"

Hearing this question, Wei knew they hadn't encountered any ambushes along the way, which meant they were beginning to believe his story from the previous night. He forced himself to remain calm, though he kept his expression fearful. "My uncle’s letter didn't say much," Wei replied. "He only mentioned that someone was dying, that he was about to come into a great fortune, and that I should join him to enjoy a better life. He also instructed me to burn the letter after reading it."

"At your age, surely you didn't travel alone?" the man asked. "Did no one else from your family come with you?"

"My uncle’s letter strictly told me to come alone," Wei answered. "My father passed away long ago; there is only my mother left at home."

The man asked a few more questions, but Wei had prepared well. He had already instructed Old Shi and Dog Two, and neither had let anything slip. After a long interrogation, the Master finally turned to his subordinate and ordered, "Go and catch him some game."

Once the Master had moved a significant distance away, he turned to his companion. "What do you think?"

"It’s hard to say," the man replied, shaking his head. "We haven't encountered a single ambush along the way. If there were really people hunting us, it’s impossible there would be no trace. But something still feels wrong. It’s too much of a coincidence that we happened to run into General He’s family member."

"His words do match the correspondence we’ve had with the General," the Master noted. "He knows the General’s name, knows he is with the Fufang Army, and even knows that Wang Qiyao is near death. The General summoned him to keep him safe. If he isn't by the General's side, he won't survive once the rebellion begins."

"He knows more about the situation in Fufang than our own men," the companion added. "Only you and I truly know what the General is planning. Since he can recite these details so accurately, if he isn't a spy or part of an ambush, then he must be telling the truth. But I still cannot rule out that he is a spy who caught wind of our plans."

The Master pondered this. "No, he is likely not a spy. Think about it: even if word leaked from the General's camp in Fuzhou, the imperial court would still know nothing of us. Even the General doesn't know our true identities. The court certainly wouldn't know we were involved, let alone know our route well enough to place a young boy in an ambush. That is impossible."

"So the Master is convinced he is truly the General’s relative?" the companion asked.

"We cannot let our guard down," the Master said. "Keep watching them closely and send out more scouts. If he has minor requests, satisfy them; there is no need to torment him. When we reach Fuzhou, the truth will reveal itself. If he isn't the General’s kin, the three of them are under such tight watch that they can't cause any trouble. If he is genuine, we haven't harmed him, so when we eventually cooperate with the General, he won't be angered. It is safer to proceed with caution."

The companion nodded. "You are right, Master. Your foresight is excellent."

In the wilderness, game was plentiful. Following the Master's order, the men quickly returned with several wild rabbits.

"Thank you, brother," Wei said. "Once it's roasted, you shall eat with us." He then turned to Old Shi and Dog Two. "Skin these rabbits, dig two pits in the ground, light a fire, and sharpen some branches."

Old Shi and Dog Two nodded. Instead of asking for knives, they found thin, sharp-edged stones, broke them to create a cutting edge, and efficiently cleaned the rabbits.

"Brother, could you spare some fire?" Wei asked. Having received the Master’s instructions, the guards no longer gave him trouble and lit the fire for him.

Wei skewered the rabbits and began roasting them. As the rich aroma of the meat spread, the surrounding men turned their heads, their mouths watering after days of eating nothing but dry cakes. Soon, the sound of people quietly swallowing could be heard.

Wei sighed. He had gone to great lengths to acquire cumin, and now, these cultists would be the first to taste it. "Uncle Shi, give me the cumin," he said.

Old Shi unpacked his bag, pulled out a cloth pouch, and handed it to Wei. Wei took a pinch of the spice and lightly dusted the rabbit meat. Instantly, a strange, unique, and intoxicating fragrance filled the air. Seeing this, the surrounding men began to gather around.