IDWBE -Chapter 21 The Hard Road

Lin Yi got down from the carriage, wearing cloth shoes, and stepped onto the muddy road with a troubled expression.

The farther they were from Ankang City, the harder the road became to travel.

The official road didn’t even have the occasional paving stones or gravel left in the middle anymore—it was all yellow mud.

Even the private roads leading to the homes of local landlords and wealthy bullies were a hundred times better. Just look at the straight rows of stone slabs they had laid, and the tall gatehouses at their entrances.

In frustration, Lin Yi kicked off the boots on his feet and walked barefoot in the soft mud.

Looking at the people and the horses, all soaked through and exhausted, he sighed and said, “Let’s find a place to rest. Walking like this is exhausting and not very efficient. We might as well wait until the rain stops before moving on.”

Song Cheng said, “How about we find a local household to stay in for the night?”

Stay with locals?

Go to those rich landlords’ houses?

Those people bullied men, oppressed women, and committed all kinds of evil. Lin Yi was afraid he might not be able to resist cutting them down.

He waved his hand. “Forget it. Let’s see if there’s a market town ahead.”

Song Cheng said, “Your Highness, two li ahead there’s a City God Temple. We can rest there.”

Lin Yi nodded. “Let’s go there. This rain seems determined to make things difficult for us. Wherever we go, it follows. Really strange.”

Song Cheng said with a smile, “Your Highness, fifty li ahead, the road runs along a mountain path. It’s narrower, but at least people and carriages won’t sink into the mud.”

“Alright then, let’s just endure it for now.”

As for these bumpkins who had never seen modern highways or paved village roads, Lin Yi couldn’t even be bothered to show contempt.

Hong Ying came over and said, “Your Highness, please get back into the carriage. It will be better ahead.”

“No need.”

Lin Yi tossed his boots onto the carriage that had been prepared again. “Sitting in there is even worse. When the wheels sink, you suffer along with them. It’s better to walk.”

As he spoke, he gathered up the hem of his wide robe and tied it at his waist, revealing his bare thighs, and strode forward boldly.

“Your Highness—”

Song Cheng and Hong Ying hurried to follow on either side.

Even Mingyue and Zixia jumped down from the carriage, lifting their skirts without caring about appearances as they followed behind.

“The mud is really soft. It’s comfortable to walk on,” Lin Yi said sincerely.

After all, there was no modern industrial glass or plastic trash here. Walking barefoot, he didn’t have to worry about cutting his feet—he could just stride forward confidently.

When the carriage got stuck in muddy pits, he occasionally helped push. In this way, stopping and starting along the road, they finally arrived at a dilapidated City God Temple.

Inside the spacious temple, three fires were burning. Around each sat three to five people—some merchants, some beggars, all likely sheltering from the rain.

The prince’s guards were about to drive them away, but Lin Yi stopped them.

Smiling, he said, “There’s plenty of space. It’s not easy for anyone traveling outside. Let’s all be accommodating.”

He glanced again at the group of beggars—young and old—who were looking toward him.

This was a martial world where people practiced Iron Head techniques, Golden Bell Shield, and lightness skills. Wasn’t it perfectly normal to encounter masters who looked harmless on the surface but were actually terrifyingly strong?

Images of various figures from past and present suddenly flashed through his mind.

If one truly encountered a martial arts master, not to mention a prince like him—even the emperor could be cut down without hesitation.

Otherwise, why would the imperial palace keep so many guards?

This wasn’t some harmonious utopia.

In life, it was better to stay low-key yet refined.

Why compete with fools over momentary pride?

Besides, for a dignified imperial prince to haggle with commoners or beggars would be beneath his status.

“Yes.”

The captain of the guards, Shen Chu, cupped his hands respectfully in acknowledgment.

Inside the temple, the statue of the City God in the center had already lost its eyes and eyebrows, exposing the mud and straw underneath.

Lin Yi walked up to the clay statue, curiously picking up a piece of fallen plaster and smiling. “It’s actually well made—it just can’t withstand wind and rain.”

Mingyue took a wooden basin from the carriage and was about to fetch water from the small river behind the temple so Lin Yi could wash the mud off his body, but Lin Yi simply went to the river himself.

At that moment, the horses and livestock had already been unharnessed and were drinking and resting in the water.

Lin Yi walked upstream, swiftly took off his robe, and, while no one was paying attention, plunged into the river.

“Your Highness!”

Hong Ying, Song Cheng, and the others were all frightened.

“No need to make a fuss.”

Lin Yi stood in the water with his head above the surface, occasionally wiping droplets from his eyes. “When I go fishing, haven’t I entered rivers plenty of times?”

“Your Highness is right,” Hong Ying said, though he still ordered four guards to remove their clothes and swim nearby, surrounding Lin Yi.

Lin Yi said helplessly, “Don’t stay so close. Let me swim freely for a while. You should enjoy yourselves too. Opportunities like this will be rare in the future.”

In the humid southern regions, by common sense, this should be an area prone to schistosomiasis. If one encountered contaminated water and got even a little on oneself, it could be troublesome.

Handsome and dashing as he was, he certainly didn’t want to live the rest of his life emaciated with a swollen belly, only to die young.

In this era, without some medical knowledge, it really wasn’t easy to live to an old age.

After swimming a couple of laps, he stepped ashore onto the green grass, dried himself, and felt completely refreshed.

That night, bedding was laid out in the temple, and he slept soundly until midnight, when he was awakened by a child’s crying.

By the fading firelight, he saw Hulu standing at the temple entrance, coaxing the child.

Yawning, Lin Yi walked over and asked, “Is the child alright?”

Hulu smiled. “I disturbed Your Highness’s rest. The child insisted on eating candied hawthorn in the middle of the night. Where could I possibly buy that now?”

Lin Yi said, “That’s hard on the child. If you can’t manage, you can still turn back now. There’s no need to follow me and suffer.”

Hulu handed the child to Madam Jin, who stood nearby with lowered head and hands folded, and cupped his hands. “Your Highness, even if I wanted to go back now, I have no way out. My house has already been rented out.”

“Don’t worry. When we arrive, I’ll give you a residence and you can open a medical clinic.”

When Hulu first followed along, Lin Yi hadn’t cared much.

But along the way, he had finally realized how important this physician was.

He repeatedly forbade everyone from drinking raw water—no matter how hot it was, water had to be boiled before drinking. Yet there were always those who took chances, secretly scooping up a handful or two from the river to quench their thirst.

However, ever since Hulu took over the task of educating everyone about hygiene, such things had stopped happening.

He was a physician—naturally people would listen to him.

Besides, if they angered Doctor Hu, what would they do when they inevitably fell ill or caught a fever? Would he still be willing to treat them?

Anyone who wasn’t a fool could calculate that.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your patronage,” Hulu said, overjoyed.