Chapter 5: The Azure Robe and the White Garment

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"Pirates from the Eastern Sea? Why do I feel so uneasy?" Fang Yue carried two bundles of medicine as he walked down the street. Wrapped in pale yellow mulberry paper, the bundles contained sulfur and saltpeter.

"Wonton! Fresh hot wonton!" The shout from a nearby vendor and the tantalizing aroma of food drifting past his nose pulled Fang Yue from his thoughts—his stomach was making itself heard.

He hadn’t eaten a thing since he'd woken up, rushed to Fenghe Pawnshop to redeem his jade pendant, and then gone to the Ren Family Pharmacy to buy sulfur and saltpeter. He was ravenous by now.

"Boss, a bowl of wonton, please."

Fang Yue sat down at the wooden table by the food stall. Soon, the owner brought over a steaming bowl of wontons.

After finishing the bowl, warmth spread through his body.

“Food is the staff of life. Only when one's stomach is full can one feel peace and happiness,” Fang Yue thought, looking at the bustling street. Though this was only a small county town—not nearly as prosperous as those grand cities back in his previous life on Earth, or even the larger towns and prefectures here—there was still an unmistakable vibrancy to it.

“When disaster descends, who knows how many lives will be affected? Although the nightmare unfolded from my perspective in the dream, the scenes were so horrific and tragic—ordinary folk slaughtered like grass, their fates sealed. Could it really be that, beyond my field of vision, others remain safe and untouched?”

Fang Yue shook his head with a sigh. He was but a frail scholar, unable to protect even himself, let alone others. All he could do was lament the whims of fate.

“Natural calamities, man-made disasters, ghosts and monsters roaming the land—there is only so much mortal men can do. Speaking of man-made disasters, I seem to recall the pirates from the Eastern Sea appearing in my nightmare.”

Fang Yue’s brow furrowed. There weren’t many scenes of the pirates, and the dream's content was jumbled and chaotic. He’d been more focused on the terrifying supernatural beings than the pirates, so he hadn’t paid much attention to their presence in the dream, even though they had appeared.

“No wonder I felt uneasy when Ren Junlin mentioned the pirates from the Eastern Sea.”

His expression grew grave as he tried to recall the details about the pirates from his nightmare.

“The part about the pirates came not long after the nightmare began. Aside from a few fleeting images, most of the information was overheard, but it was all within my dream-perspective. Since I witnessed them looting, killing, and burning, it means they probably breached the city walls.”

Fang Yue’s face changed. Based on the sequence of events, the pirates’ invasion happened at the start of the nightmare—which meant it would occur soon.

Since Fang Yue was unlikely to leave Ping’an County in the near future, the city that was sacked by the pirates was almost certainly Ping’an itself.

“Damn it!”

He slammed the table in frustration. If those pirates broke into the city, how many lives would be lost beneath their blades?

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“Sir, is something the matter?” the wonton vendor, a simple and honest man, asked nervously, fearing Fang Yue was displeased with his food.

Fang Yue snapped back to reality, realizing the people around him were staring due to his outburst.

“It's nothing. I was just reminded of something infuriating—it’s not your fault. Your wontons are excellent; I’ll certainly return if I get the chance.”

His expression relaxed. He would never vent his frustrations on a humble vendor; life was already difficult for commoners.

The owner’s face lit up at the compliment. “Glad you enjoyed them, sir.”

Fang Yue stood. “How much do I owe you?”

“Three copper coins.”

He paid, then walked away, glancing at the street, the busy vendors, and passersby, sighing softly as he picked up his medicine bundles.

“If the pirates really do invade, what should I do?”

He pondered as he walked. He didn’t actually live in the city; soon he’d return to his rural village. In theory, even if the pirates captured the county seat, they might not affect him directly.

His village was a small, remote fishing community by the sea, far from the county town. The land was poor, and most villagers were fishermen, scraping by on meager catches.

The pirates from the Eastern Sea were unlikely to bother with such a poor place; there was nothing worth stealing. Even if a desperate group did come by sea, the villagers—seasoned fishermen—could spot them early enough to escape into the nearby mountains.

The village was surrounded on three sides by sea, but backed by an endless range of hills where they could easily hide from pursuers.

“But must I simply wait and do nothing, letting danger come to me? Since I now know the pirates may attack, shouldn’t I do something? Besides, if the pirates overrun the city, will hiding in the countryside truly keep me safe? To save others is to save oneself!”

Fang Yue clenched his right hand as a plan slowly formed in his mind. While he had little power himself, he could seek help from those who did.

“Ouch!”

Lost in thought, he suddenly heard a startled cry and realized he’d bumped into someone—softness and warmth filled his arms.

Startled, he stepped back and looked up to see two beautiful young women, one in white, one in green.

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“Are you blind?” the girl in green snapped angrily—she was the one Fang Yue had collided with.

“My apologies, ladies. It was my fault,” Fang Yue quickly said, bowing in apology. He had been too engrossed in thought and hadn’t been paying attention.

The girl in green sneered. “You think a simple apology is enough? How will you make amends?”

She was strikingly beautiful, with an oval face and cherry lips, but her brows were drawn together in anger, lending her a rather sharp and domineering air.

Fang Yue frowned slightly. “What would you have me do, miss?”

After all, it was just an accidental bump—nothing serious. He hadn’t ridden a horse and injured anyone; a sincere apology should have sufficed. Her reaction seemed a bit excessive.

“Xiaohuai, don’t make trouble,” the girl in white spoke softly, her tone as gentle as a spring breeze.

She had a gentle, refined air—a lady from a distinguished family, perhaps. Most striking was her flawless, jade-like skin, luminous and delicate.

They stood so close that Fang Yue could see not a single blemish on her complexion; she seemed like a living sculpture of flawless jade, her white clothing lending her an ethereal quality.

“But sister, he took advantage of me and you still defend him?” the girl in green stamped her foot.

“Please, mind your words, miss. How is this ‘taking advantage’?” Fang Yue protested.

The girl in white took her sister's hand and gently pulled her back, turning to Fang Yue. “My sister enjoys mischief, sir. Please don’t take offense.”

With that, she guided the girl in green away.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, Fang Yue suddenly blurted out, “Forgive my boldness, miss—might your surname be Bai?”

The girl in white looked momentarily surprised, then replied, “No, not Bai. Perhaps it was Lin, long ago—it’s been too long to remember.”

She offered him a slight curtsey, then walked away with her companion.

Fang Yue watched the two graceful figures disappear into the crowd, pondering the meaning of her final words. Did she truly not know her own surname?

“So, not Bai—it’s not Lady White after all. And this Xiaoqing is far too fierce.”

He shook his head and continued on his way, heading for the county office.