Chapter 281 - Tales of Xiangxi
Far to the southwest of Xianlong Port, Ye Beizhi and his companions had arrived at the borders of Western Hunan, Xiangxi.
The rugged mountains and treacherous rivers of Western Hunan matched the lawless and unrestrainable atmosphere of the area; this was a place far removed from imperial oversight. The people were bold and aggressive, and the locals even had a habit of carrying knives.
During Fang Dingwu’s years as a courier escort, he did his best to avoid missions to Western Hunan. Not only were these trips prone to robberies along the way, they also had a high risk of being ultimately double-crossed by the recipients of the deliveries themselves.
The trio were sitting down in a roadside tavern for dinner, and Fang Dingwu began passionately recounting the customs and tales of the region to Ye Beizhi and Chi Nanwei.
"The people of Hunan are naturally brave, and none more so than the Miao tribe," Fang Dingwu said, slurping his wine and exhaling the heavy scent of alcohol. "The most troublesome folks in Western Hunan are the Miao. They’re hostile to outsiders and stick to their own ways. They rebelled several times but were suppressed by the imperial court each time.
"Although they’ve supposedly submitted to the court now, they still don’t respect its authority. Even officials don’t want to be posted here. If someone gets sent to Western Hunan, it’s a clear sign they’ve fallen out of favor. A position here is akin to exile."
Chi Nanwei’s wide eyes were filled with curiosity and a hint of fear. She turned her head to take a closer look at the people walking down the street. True to Fang Dingwu’s words, most of the passersby carried blades at their waists. The weapons came in all shapes and sizes. Some were curved, others were straight; some were long and others were short, but all were meticulously crafted. A few of the fancier ones were even adorned with gemstones or gilded edges.
Fang Dingwu noticed the concern in Chi Nanwei’s eyes and waved nonchalantly. "Don’t worry, little sister. It’s true the people here are fierce, but they’re not unreasonable. They won’t usually pick fights for no reason.
"But if things go sour, never show weakness. If you do, you’re sure to suffer. You have to be bold. The tougher you act, the more hesitant they’ll be to provoke you."