Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

After the snow melted, the roads in the Outer City were full of puddles, uneven and pitted.

The old elm cart wheels rolled into the water-filled pits, splashing dirty water like a broken pearl curtain.

The lowly residents of the Outer City, barefoot, stepped on the muddy water, circling around the carriage like vultures, slowly moving forward on the muddy streets.

If it weren't for Shen Qing's intimidation, they would have probably swarmed up and looted the entire carriage of mountain goods.

"Brother Qingzi, I'm a bit scared," said Shen Xiaohu, who was visiting the county town for the first time and had never seen such a scene before, seeking help from Shen Qing.

"Take out your bow, and if anyone comes close, shoot them dead," Shen Qing said expressionlessly, "Having a weapon in hand naturally makes you fearless."

"Ah!"

Seeing Shen Xiaohu hesitate, knowing he wasn't mentally prepared for this, Shen Qing continued, "Just think of them as the game in the forest. See that one with the long ears, doesn't he look like a wild rabbit from the mountains?"

"He does!" In Shen Xiaohu's mind, his cousin was very impressive; even the notable figures in the village respected him.

"Then treat him like a wild rabbit, and if he steps out of line, shoot him dead."

Hearing this, Shen Xiaohu immediately took out the bow and arrows he had brought from home, cocked the bow fully, and revealed a fierce look.

Sure enough, as soon as he did this, the encroaching lowly residents seemed to slow down, gradually increasing their distance from them.

Zhang Shuyuan casually mentioned, "This is your first time here, and the local bosses in the Outer City haven't figured you out yet. Once they get to know you after a few visits, you'll need to be cautious."

In truth, Shen Qing didn't need a reminder from Zhang Shuyuan; with his hunting skills, he was extremely sensitive to external environments.

He had already noticed several sharp gazes from within the shanty area of the Outer City, the figures tall and imposing, seemingly skilled fighters.

"Prepare some money for me, we'll need to bribe to enter the city," Zhang Shuyuan nodded toward the city gate and hinted.

Shen Qing looked ahead.

Under the city gate inscribed with "Taiping," the crowd hustled and bustled with many farmers lined up, carrying vegetables and firewood for sale.

The city guards held inspection rods, their indifferent gazes scanning across each person's face.

The sounds of children crying, merchants complaining, and livestock lowing mixed together, making it especially noisy.

...

A few moments later, Shen Qing pulled the reins tight, stopping outside the city gate.

A few guards lazily leaned against the mottled city walls, their eyes carrying traces of disdain and indifference.

Two of them, noticing Shen Qing's cart loaded with goods, approached lazily, raising their hands to signify Shen Qing to dismount.

"Entering the city?" One guard grunted, his lips curling up in a distinctly greedy sneer, "Know the rules? City Entrance Fee, one tael silver, not a wen less."

Shen Qing's gaze swept across the simple stalls and the raggedly dressed lowly residents around him, clearly seeing that the entrance fees they paid were nowhere near one tael silver.

At that moment, Zhang Shuyuan jumped down from the cart, took the twenty wen in his hand, and heavily stuffed it into the guard's hand, saying with a pleasing smile, "I work for Ruan Pottery Master, brothers, please make it easy."

The guard weighed the coins, his lips finally squeezing out a semblance of satisfaction as he lazily waved them through, even allowing them to skip the line.

Shen Qing couldn't help but gain a new respect for the usually unsmiling bookworm from their village; truly, he had seen the world.

The money paid to him was indeed not wasted.

They had already recovered the cost just by entering the city gate.

The moment they crossed the city gate, Shen Qing felt as though he had stepped into another world.

The streets within the city were broad, lined with shops, and filled with a mix of shouting and laughter, bustling with activity, a stark contrast to the slums outside.

Inside, many well-dressed young masters strolled the streets, laughing and talking.

The poorly dressed farmers walking on the same street seemed somewhat absurd.

Having seen the flourishing times of the contemporary era, Shen Qing remained unexcited, but Shen Xiaohu, witnessing this lively scene for the first time, couldn't help but be amazed, his eyes filled with curiosity, truly a rural observer.

The main streets of the Inner City were paved with bluestone and formed a crossroad at the center, dividing the entire county town into four districts: north, south, east, west.

Shen Qing was not familiar with this and humbly sought guidance from Zhang Shuyuan.

"I have done some accounting work for Chen Youguang, they are mostly selling to the Boss Song's restaurant in the East District, turn right at that intersection," Zhang Shuyuan pointed in the direction based on his memory.

Following Zhang Shuyuan's directions, Shen Qing smoothly reached the East District.

Inside, various types of restaurants, inns, and snack shops were densely packed.

Various dressed residents of the county town bustled about.

Soon, Shen Qing stopped in front of a restaurant named "Wanfeng Building," and after stating their purpose, a servant guided them to the back courtyard of the restaurant.

When he arrived, he saw various farmers and hunters coming in and out of the back door, and occasionally, he could hear discussions on haggling.

Shen Qing waited at the back door for a while before it was his turn.

"Hunter from outside, come in,"

Hearing the call, Shen Qing did not delay or show any disrespect, leaving Shen Xiaohu to watch the cart, and walked in with Zhang Shuyuan.

Upon entering, a wave of noise hit him.

The backyard was like a market for vegetables and meat, filled with various fruits, vegetables, poultry, livestock, and numerous mountain goods laid on the ground.