Chapter 248: The Carriage Guard
“As for the others… A young man in his early twenties probably isn’t even married yet and is more likely to be impulsive. The chances of him causing trouble are far greater than anyone else. A middle-aged man in his forties? His wife is past her prime, and his children have likely already started families of their own. At that age, he could also be considered to have few attachments, which is another age where someone might easily get into trouble.”
“And that man in his fifties clearly had bad legs. Setting aside everything else, if someone were to get any funny ideas about our carriage, I doubt he’d be able to handle it. That’s why someone in his thirties is the most suitable.”
Hu Feng swallowed a mouthful of sesame cake. “That’s only the first reason. What’s the second?”
Bai Zhi also took a bite of her sesame cake. After chewing slowly and deliberately, she swallowed and then continued, “Second, his appearance is just right.”
Hu Feng raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
Bai Zhi smiled faintly. “It’s like you said, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’ Most people know that saying, but how many can truly grasp its meaning and live by it?”
“His scarred face has its disadvantages for him, but sometimes, it can also be an advantage. At the very least, any common thief who sees him would be a little intimidated, don’t you think?”
Hu Feng nodded and took another bite of his sesame cake. “And the third reason?”
“Third, when our carriage stopped, he surged forward with everyone else who wanted the job, but he wasn’t trying to sell himself as desperately as the others. He seemed a little withdrawn in the crowd. When he looked at us, he intentionally tilted his head, as if he didn’t want us to see the scar on his face. This tells me he’s been misjudged in the past because of it, and he isn’t very confident. If you hire someone like that, he’ll be sure to do everything in his power to protect our carriage.”
Hu Feng was rather surprised—surprised by Bai Zhi’s powers of observation and her way of thinking. She had managed to think of the exact same things he had, and in such a short amount of time, she had noticed so many details that were simultaneously obvious and yet so easy to overlook.
He asked, “You just said there were four points. What’s the fourth?”
Bai Zhi stopped in her tracks and glanced back in the direction of the carriage. Though it was too far away to be seen, she acted as if she could see it perfectly. Her smile was radiant, her expression firm. “Because he looks like he needs money—more than anyone else there. You could tell from the anxiety in his eyes.”
Hu Feng countered, “If he’s that desperate for money, wouldn’t stealing the carriage be an even quicker way to get it?”
Bai Zhi shook her head. “He won’t. He’s a local, and his business is guarding carriages right here. Everyone in the area knows him. Anyone could learn his whole story just by asking around. Why would he do something that would only end up hurting him?”
Hu Feng said no more. A smile lingered on his lips, and he seemed to be in a rather good mood.
After finishing their sesame cakes, Bai Zhi bought a silk scarf for her mother. Autumn had already set in, and the days would only grow colder. She needed to get her mother some warmer things. The quilts at home were also very thin; they were fine for now, but she worried they wouldn’t be enough in a little while.
“There’s some cotton over there, I’ll go ask about it.” ‘Her mother was skilled with a needle, so if they bought some fabric and cotton to bring home, they could have it fluffed by someone in the village and make the quilt themselves.’
Hu Feng just said, “Oh,” his eyes already on a small jewelry stall nearby. There were only a few scattered pieces on display—all common trinkets, neither valuable nor particularly exquisite.
One white jade hairpin, however, looked rather delicate. It was thinner and smaller than the other jade hairpins, and its head was carved with a small flower. It was impossible to tell what kind of flower it was supposed to be, perhaps because the artisan’s skill wasn’t quite refined enough to capture its true essence.