Chapter 45: TGP : The Deserted Town
Li Amm sat in one of the stools. Her mind was running quickly.
"How could the people believe the news? Is there a casualty already?"
"There is. I saw it with my own two eyes. I had just come from the merchant guild after purchasing a sack of tea leaves. There was a man who was covered with blood and shouted that the city next to ours had fled a while ago because of the plague. After that, the people panic and fled." The old man said. He handed the tea to Li Amm.
"How come you did not leave?" Li Amm received the tea. She was more curious why this old man stayed rather than if the man who was covered in blood had said was true.
"You see this big old inn? I've built this with my own two hands when I was newly married. I built this inn with my wife. This is where my life with my wife had begun. And this is where my life will end." The old man answered her with a hint of sincerity. Li Amm could see that his eyes were peaceful and unperturbed. He had decided to stay in this inn.
Li Amm took a sip on her tea, It was quite cold. Li Amm smiled at the old man.
"I quite envy you. You found your peace and you already have a way to maintain it." Li Amm said as she looked down on her tea.
Xiao Min glanced at her master. Her young miss actually envied someone? An old man at that?
"Ha. ha. Why envy me? I'm about to die alone." The old man found Li Amm's words quite strange. From the gold coin that the lady had given to him. The old man could guess that this lady was a noble. She was young, beautiful, and a status to make her life better. That was the things people should be envy of.
'Die Alone'.
Li Amm had also died alone. She had lived her life for 96 years with the belief that she fulfilled her life to the fullest. When she was walking to the Underworld, she had believed that she had left her world with no regrets.
Li Amm finished her tea. The cold hard bread was not appetizing for her.
"I just hope that I had really lived my life to the fullest as I had believed in." After saying these words to no one in particular, she left. She did not even take a look in the room as she already bought her intel.
Xiao Min was quite stunned to her Young Miss words. She recovered soon and run after her.
***
As the old man had said, this city was empty as the citizens of this city had fled. But to where? Where those people who had nothing would go to? Especially in this winter where famine and chaos were everywhere. Do those people had become bandits?
"Young Miss. We have to go now. The sun was about to set. It was already time for your dinner. Head Maid Min would know we had sneak out. Please, let's return now."
Li Amm ignored Xiao Min. Her mind was thinking about the information that the old man had said. The news about the plague. The story of the man who was covered in blood had a lot of plot holes. She was suspicious of the man's intention of scarring away the townspeople.
And why the people believed him easily? It was impossible that the crowd would have united to leave their city because of that one news. Even the crowd was said to be illiterate, they had their own common sense to not believe rumors or news so easily. They wouldn't abandon their homes. Unless someone manipulated the crowd. There might be a leader who appeared and offered them home.
And if that the case, the Emperor's guard should be here. The Emperor Li Amm knows was so guarded and was suspicious of everyone. She was sure that he planted all spies from the different cities and fiefs. It was impossible for him to not hear what happened here and not acted upon it. If it was really a plague, Then she might have seen some evidence of it. But this town was too clean.
It was like someone told them to pack and a promised land would be waiting for them.
The factor that supports Li Amm's suspicions was that the people fled since a week ago but no news regarding that circulated in towns she had passed by.
Li Amm was thinking that it might not be the plague.
Li Amm thought about it more. The Emperor seems to not know about it or if he knows he did not act upon it. This town and the town next to it was deserted.
Li Amm could not help but ran her mind into it as she walked by.
The war in the south. The stabilize north. The bandits that the Emperor had used as an excuse. The army that the Emperor was keeping. Ren Shou with his 2,000 men.
Suddenly Li Amm connected the dots. She can't be sure but this thought has a possibility.
She looked around. She stared at Xiao Min who was looking at her with pleading eyes to get back home.
"Did you see Ping Bi?" Li Amm suddenly asked Xiao Min. There was urgency in her voice.
"Who's Ping Bi young miss?" Xiao Min was clueless about Ping Bi or the hidden bodyguard.
"Have you seen the pale servant who was always in my garden and sweeping non-existing dust?"
"Oh! That mute servant?" Xiao Min knew of that person, it was because she always seen him busily cleaning the courtyard all day everyday.
"Yes, did you see him follow us?" Li Amm started to go back to the inn while she questioned Xiao Min again.
"Young Miss! There's no time to run around. Let's return!"
"We will. I will just confirm something to that old man. So answer my question." Li Amm was calm even though her doubts become stronger as she walks.
"No, I didn't see him. Why?"
'Sh!t 'Li Amm cursed inside. Where's Ping Bi when you needed him?
"Xiao Min, is your running has improved?" Li Amm asked. She was half walking and half running.
Xiao Min was puffing after Li Amm. 'What's her young miss wanted to do now?'
"I can't still beat you in running, young miss." Xiao Min answered after recovering her breath.
Li Amm halted and looked seriously at Xiao Min.
"Then run now. I will catch up to you."
"What are you saying--"
"Go on. That's an order." Li Amm said with a cold voice. She was serious. Her imposing eyes brought a chill to Xiao Min. This was the first time she had seen her like this.
"O-okay." Her lips had moved on its own. Xiao Min sweated despite the cold. Her feet stay rooted on the spot. Was that really her mischievous young miss? She was intimidated there for a moment.
Li Amm smiled to comfort her little servant. She unconsciously let out her imposing character to Xiao Min.
"Go. I will ran after you." Li Amm then ran to the inn. After a few minutes, she entered the inn she was an hour ago.
"Old man!" Li Amm shouted to the empty lobby.
The old man came out of the kitchen.
"Lady, have you come for the change? It's okay. I will return the gold coin to you." The old man handed the gold coin.
Li Amm shook her head.
"That's not important right now. Come with me. If I am right, this place would become a battlefield in a few moments later."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone