Li Sheng Village is not a large city by any means, it is not even a large village. Still, there are the essentials, like the market and a few restaurants. Today, passerbys take the time away from their daily grocery shopping to stare at the young man travelling alone.
"Hey, who are you?" one man asks behind a butcher knife. "You're not from around here."
Jie-Ming looks up. "Me? Just a wandering traveler replenishing my supplies." He smiles. "I don't suppose you have anything you might have for a low price?"
Jie-Ming carefully inspects the surroundings, and looks back to the butcher. "Perhaps a few cuts of meat you planned to throw away?"
"I don't trust you," the butcher replied, with a wave of his butcher knife. "We don't trust strangers around here, so why don't you just head on out."
"Don't mind him, dear," an old woman called out from behind a few baskets of vegetables. "He's always like that to strangers."
Jie-Ming smiles slightly. "Ah, thank you, sir and madam." He gestures to the vegetables. "I don't suppose you have a small task I could perform in exchange for a few pieces of dried meat. Perhaps a something requiring martial arts skills?"
Jie-Ming shrugs and attempts to smile beatifically at the couple.
"Not right now," the old woman smiled at Zhu-Lin. "There is a bad man who comes here and demands money from us, but he hasn't been by for a few days now."
Jie-Ming frowns. "A 'bad' man? Demanding money? He's not working for the governor, is he?" Jie-Ming straightens his shoulders and narrows his eyes. "Regardless, my course is clear. I must confront this nefarious individual and stop his grevious attacks on you!"
He stops. "If that's okay with you... perhaps I could help in exchange for some food?"
"No, thank you, dear," the old woman replied, with a hint of fear in her eyes. "Thanks, but no thanks. And he's not working for the governor."
Jie-Ming nods, frowning. "Well, fair enough. Be careful, friends." He walks away, looking around for possible places to hide. He thinks, "I should keep watch for this villian plaguing those good, if naive, villagers. And perhaps if I help them, they will offer me some supplies...?"
Jie-Ming stretches and then checks his current inventory. "Hmm," he murmurs.
Jie-Ming finds out he has loads of money. All the silver tael and bronze coins together, he has a total of eleven tael of silver.
"Ah, good," Jie-Ming says to himself. "But still, I can not forget these harried villagers." Jie-Ming walks down the street away from the butcher shop, keeping an eye out for potential evil-doers.
Jie-Ming did not see any "evil-doers" along his walk. Instead, he sees a number of inns and restaurants, a small clinic and a pawn shop along the street.
Jie-Ming walks over to the pawn shop, thinking "Maybe I can ask around about that thug threatening the butcher... But I'll have to be careful, you never know who's working together."
The owner of the pawn shop greeted him, from behind metal bars three feet above Jie-Ming's head.
"Can I help you?"
"Hello, sir." Jie-Ming peers through the bars. "Um, this may sound like an odd question, but why the need for bars? Surely you are not concerned with theft in this small village."
"You never know," the man replied. "All pawn shops everywhere are built like this, we stand higher than the client and behind bars, just in case. You never know, these days."
Jie-Ming cracks his knuckles dramatically. "Ah, I see. A reasonable answer - but perhaps you could answer one more question for me. Is there something 'fishy' going on with the butcher down the street?"
Jie-Ming raises an eyebrow questioningly.
"What do you mean, 'fishy'?" the owner looked at Jie-Ming questioningly. "He's a butcher."
Jie-Ming looks taken aback. "But surely you've noticed if anything 'odd' is going on over there - fish aside."
"No, he's just a normal butcher."
"Why do you insist on asking," the owner looked at Jie-Ming quizically. "Do you WANT there to be something wrong with the people in the city?"
Jie-Ming smiles, trying not to show his gritted teeth. "Are you sure you're not trying to hide something from me? I've been hearing rumors that you might know something about the butcher's problem. People are talking, you know."
The pawn shop owner's begins to cloud over.
"Look, if you're here for business, I'll be glad to deal with you. If you're here just to waste my time, go."
Jie-Ming frowns. "Fine! What kind of weapons do you sell here? I am looking for a very ancient weapon... perhaps you've heard of it? It was created by Master Pan from Changsha."
"Everyone has heard of the famous sword," the owner scoffed. "But no one has ever found it, it's probably nothing but a myth."
Jie-Ming raises an eyebrow and rubs his chin thoughtfully. "I had heard of that legend myself... but I also heard that his only son lived in this very village. Perhaps you've met him?"
"Never heard he had a son," the owner replies, his patience beginning to wear thin. "And if he was in a small village like this, we'd know. Everyone knows everyone here. Now are you here to conduct business or chit chat?"
"Fine, then..." Jie-Ming moves closer. "May I inspect your wares?"
"Name something you want," the shop owner asked in return. "I've got too much to list."
Jie-Ming waves his hand dismissively. "Never mind, I don't have time to look over your items." Jie-Ming walks away from the pawn shop and scans the street for a possible place to rest - if just for a few minutes.
"Well, don't waste my time!" the owner cried out as Jie-Ming began to leave.
On the way out, Jie-Ming felt a bump on his shoulder as he brushed by a slim figure in battered clothing.
Jie-Ming frowns and checks his person quickly, checking to see if anything is missing. He prepares to turn around and try to get a better look at the stranger.
Jie-Ming finds his wallet to be strangely amiss. However, the figure has seemingly disappeared into the crowd before Jie Ming turned around.
Jie-Ming looks around frantically. "Did anyone see that?" he asks loudly.
Startled, the passerbys looked at Jie-Ming weirdly.
"See what?" one man asked.
Jie-Ming curses under his breath and begins to move in the direction he thought the thief had proceeded. He squints, trying to make out anything suspicious.
Jie-Ming sees the backs of three people who seem to be wearing what seems to be similar to the thief's attire, at various places in front of him.
Jie-Ming walks toward the third of the three people dressed like the thief.
The person in question doesn't notice Jie-Ming's approach, because he has his back towards Jie-Ming like the other two people who are dressed like the thief.
Jie-Ming clears his throat loudly and taps the figure on the right shoulder.
"Yes?" a man asks as he turns around. He is in the same kind and color of battered clothing as the thief, and looks to be around thirty or thirty-five years old.
Jie-Ming scans the man's clothes intently. "Did you see someone run by here," he asks.
"No," the man blinked at Jie-Ming. "Don't think I did. Why?"
Jie-Ming frowns and glares at the man. "Someone stole my vial of medicine!" he lies. "And he was dressed like you! If it wasn't you, who was it?"
"How am I supposed to know?" the man snaps at Jie Ming's rude accusation. "You're dressed like a wanted criminal I saw once too! Come with me to see the town officials, because you must be that wanted criminal!"
Jie-Ming starts, taken aback. "What? I am no criminal. My money was stolen, and I merely want it back."
"Then you shouldn't go around accusing people of stealing when they're just dressed similar to a thief," the man's voice takes on a wise tone. "It's not gonna get you anywhere or anything but trouble."
"And since you're honest with me now, I'll tell you that I've seen two other people with the same style of clothing as me walk past me."
Jie-Ming bows. "Thank you. Now if you don't mind, I will be off to see if I can find the real thief." Jie-Ming looks up and moves quickly in the direction the man indicated.
Jie Ming approaches the second man in his path, but the man doesn't seem to be aware of his presence.
Jie-Ming reaches over and taps the man on the shoulder. He clears his throat.
The man turns around with a shocked expression on his face, and pats his chest rapidly to calm himself.
"Damn it, you scared me," he complains. Indeed, looking to be forty or almost fifty years in age, he's entering the old age bracket and probably entirely prone to heart attacks.
"What do you want?"
"Um," Jie-Ming pauses, frowning. "I'm sorry to bother you, but did you see a man dressed in a similar cloak rush by here?" He attempts a friendly smile.
"Similar to who?" the man blinked in puzzlement. "To yours? No, I don't think so. Why?"
Jie-Ming stretches his arms out and flexes. "No, no, I mean a cloak like yours!"
"No, can't say I have," the man shakes his head, ignoring Jie Ming's attempt at being threatening. "Why?"
Jie-Ming looks nervously around. "Someone grabbed my wallet when I was walkinng. Did you see the thief pass by here?"
"No," the man continues to shake his head. "I did see someone wearing something like I am, but didn't see any wallets."
Jie-Ming frowns and looks around, scanning for any suspicious activity.
Jie Ming doesn't see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. And rightly so, for only an idiot of a thief would make themselves stand out instead of blending into the crowd.
However, he does seem to see someone off in the distance, wearing about the same style of clothing as the man he is currently conversing with.
"Excuse me," Jie-Ming moves away from the man in front of him, and moves as quickly as he can through the crowd towards the familiarly dressed figure.
The person Jie Ming is keeping an eye on either doesn't notice his approach or is trying to not draw attention, and is just walking slowly with the head down like a great many other passerbys.
The person Jie Ming is keeping an eye on either doesn't notice his approach or is trying to not draw attention, and is just walking slowly with the head down like a great many other passerbys.
Jie-Ming stops within earshot of the figure, thinking. He yells out, "Hey, my wallet's missing!"
The figure doesn't seem to respond with much besides a typical look at Jie Ming, like every other person within earshot is doing.
Jie-Ming approaches, looking around as if scanning the ground, but tries to get a better look at the mysterious figure.
The figure seems to not notice or pretends not to notice, and all Jie Ming can see from behind is long black hair.
Jie-Ming walks quickly, and tries to catch up to the figure.
The figure turns and eeps in surprise as Jie Ming approaches, revealing herself to be an uncharacteristically pleasant-looking young lady of about eighteen years of age, fear seemingly evident in her wide innocent eyes.
Jie-Ming clears his throat and smiles. "Excuse me, did you happen to see anything on the ground?"
"No, I didn't see anything," the girl shakes his head innocently, fear evident in her eyes.
"Hmm," Jie-Ming says. "Please, don't be afraid. I'm Jie-Ming."
"I'm, uh, Tang Hui Lan," she stutters out, putting a bit more distance between her and Jie Ming.
"Tang Hui Lan," Jie-Ming says thoughtfully. "I don't suppose you know where the local constable works, do you?"
"That way," she pointed to a long winding street that leads to the west.
"Uh," Jie-Ming looks confused and scratches his head. "Do you think you could show me part of the way? I'm not very good with directions."
"Just keep going down the street," she points at the direction again, as if anxious to go somewhere. "You can't miss it."
"Okay, but if I get lost, I'll shout!" Jie-Ming says with a wink.
The girl nods timidly, as if fearfully, and continues pointing down the direction, as if ushering Jie Ming on his way.
Jie-Ming starts to walk slowly in that direction, keeping a careful eye (trying not to be obvious) on the girl as he goes.
After Jie Ming leaves, the girl starts to walk in another direction, soon going out of his sights as she turns into a side road.
Jeram cautiously follows, taking a wide angle away from the turn in the opposite direction, so he can take a look without appearing to follow.
Jie Ming just manages to catch sight of the girl as she rounds another corner again, disappearing out of his sights into another road.
Jie-Ming walks in the direction the girl mentioned, keeping an eye out for anything unusual.
Nothing unusual is in sight as Jie Ming walks down the street, there doesn't seem to be anything ordinary other than the shops and houses along the way and the people travelling along.
In fact, the street is relatively quiet. And there doesn't seem to be the local law enforcement station in sight...
Frowning, Jie-Ming doubles back, hurrying a bit as he goes.
When Jie Ming arrives to where he saw the girl last, she is nowhere to be seen.
Jie-Ming looks around to see if any people are around that might have seen where the girl went.
No one reacts to Jie Ming's looking, assuming he is looking around because he's lost.
Jie-Ming flags down a person walking in the direction he thinks the girl would have walked.
The man looks at Jie Ming questioningly.
"Yes?"
"Excuse me, did you see a girl in a cloak rush by here?" Jie-Ming asks.
"I saw a girl in a cloak go up the street," the man answers, pointing ahead. "Don't know where she turned off to though."
Jie-Ming nods his thanks, then speeds off in the indicated direction.
Jie Ming is able to see a figure in a cloak near the end of the street, a fair distance away.
As fast as he can move without being too noisy, Jie-Ming quick-walks towards the figure, keeping a careful on it.
The cloaked figure is unsuspecting, and doesn't realize Jie Ming's approach.
Jie-Ming walks a bit faster, then quickly attempts to move past the figure on the right, hoping to get a better look.
Jie Ming is only able to catch sight of the shoulder-length black hair underneath the cloak before the figure began to pick up the pace, as if trying to get away from Jie Ming.
Jie-Ming now abandons his attempted subterfuge, and moves as quickly as possible to intercept the figure.
"W-why're you following me?" the same girl that Jie Ming saw previously asked with wide fearful eyes. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"
Jie-Ming sighs and rubs his forehead. "Listen, did you take my money? I won't be mad, I just want my other things back."
Jie-Ming sighs and rubs his forehead. "Listen, did you take my money? I won't be mad, I just want my other things back."
"I-I'm sorry..." the girl looks down at her feet as moisture begins to well up in her eyes. "It's just that my father is really sick and I have nothing else to turn to..."
Jie-Ming sighs. "He's sick? Well, what's wrong with him?"
"No one knows," the girl looked at Jie Ming with misty eyes. "We've seen doctors already, but no one can figure out what's wrong with him... all I can do is keep buying him medicines..."
Jie-Ming frowns again. "Well, do you think I can see him? I may have an idea to help him."
"He doesn't like to see strangers..." the girl begins timidly, shuffling her feet. "I don't want to make him mad when his health is already so bad... can you just lend me some money so I can buy him medicine?"
Jie-Ming frowns. "Well, how much do you need?"
"Anything you're willing to spare, really..." the girl looked away nervously, "I'll think of something to help him eventually..."
Jie-Ming checks his current inventory to see how much coin he has remaining.
Jie Ming finds out he still has eleven taels of silver, which is a lot of money.