The town was much smaller than Shanghai, but bigger than most. A population over 4,000 people it was a good place to settle down for those who had money and for those who didn't, it wasn't expensive enough to send you into starvation. For those struggling to find jobs, there was always something to make money off of if you looked hard enough. That's the kind of town the King's Musketeers had found themselves in.
"Are you sure he's here Banshan?" Hao Mei asked. They had just left their horses at a local stable, hoping to get more done on foot.
"All of Cao Guang's works originated in this town. It seems like he would start his teachings here." Qiu Younghou spoke, smiling at a couple of pretty ladies who walked by. They were heading to the town square.
"If you think my intel is wrong, please feel free to correct me. You have a sword." Xiao Nai, smirked at his friend. The local market was there and it was the best place for Cao Guang to do his lecters. When the entered, each went in a different direction. Xiao Nai made his way to the east section of the market, finding himself standing at a fruit stall. He was looking at a couple of apples when a woman came over in a hurry. Her long black hair was braided to the side. Her dress had seen better days and she looked furious.
"Weiwei you need to listen to me. She is your best friend, she listens to you." The well dressed man said coming to stand next to her. Xiao Nai, kept quiet, watching her pick up an apple. He moved a little further away, looking at some grapes.
"Cao Guang! Enough. The moment I fell out of glory with you, the moment she stopped listening to me. Now let me be!" The women named Weiwei went back to looking through the apples.
"Cao Guang?" Xiao Nai asked. Both pairs of eyes gave him a glance. Xiao Nai gave him a smile.
"Yes what is it to you?"
"I am Xiao Nai a King's Musketeer, you will be needing to come with us. The King has request your presence." Before Xiao Nai could pull anything, Cao Guang had grabbed Weiwei by the arm, using her as a shield. A small gun had appeared in his other hand. He had his arm locked around her shoulders. Her basket full of food, fell to the side, the few things she had ruined on the ground.
"Cao Guang!" She yelled, banging against his arm. She stopped when she felt the gun against her.
"Cao Guang, I know any gentlemen such as yourself wouldn't harm a lady. Why don't you let her go and we can settle this like men?" Xiao Nai, reasoned with him, his hand on his own gun. Banshan was the first to come over, his gun drawn and aiming at him.
"I will not. I know how bad you musketeers are. I would never make it back alive to press my case to the King."
"How come we always get the bad rep? It's the bloody red coats that are the ones who do that!" He complained resting his gun against his shoulder. "Let her go, we aren't going to kill you."
"I will not! You will let me go, and I will make sure my own words are to be heard by the King himself."
"What does he think we want to do with him?" Younghou asked. When Cao Guang pointed the gun at the new voice, Weiwei took her chance. Lifting his arm up to her mouth, she bit him hard enough for him to let go and fire the gun into the air. Before she could hit the ground, She found herself landing in Xiao Nai's arms. Suddenly a group of 12 men quickly emerged into the town square, firing guns and running towards Cao Guang. Xiao Nai quickly grabbed her ducking behind a stall, while his companions quickly rolled over to the other one. Banshan came up behind him. Weiwei found herself pressed into his chest.
"Great, you couldn't have done things quietly, had to play a hero." Banshan quickly fired over, hitting one of the men.
"We can take 11 men." Xiao Nai reasoned. "We had worst odds." Xiao Nai loosened his grip, while Weiwei struggled to get to her feet.
"He has more than the ones out there. Armed former soldiers." Weiwei, pointed towards a group of men riding on horses. "We need to leave now." She quickly got up, running towards an alleyway. Weiwei stopped hiding behind a corner. She waved at them to follow.
"Do you think we can trust her?" Younghou asked, eying the men coming quickly on horses.
"I don't think we have much of a choice at this point." Hao Mei quickly ran after her, while Xiao Nai and Banshan gave them cover fire. All of four them found themselves, following her through alleyways and hiding behind carts until they came to the unwealth part of town. Weiwei quickly made her way up some old wooden stairs, opening the door quickly. They all made it inside, shutting the door quickly. She placed a wooden plank over it, while going to quickly shut and lock the windows. Everyone was breathing heavily, slouched over in chairs.
"Thank you Miss." Younghou stood up from his chair, patting Hao Mei 's shoulder.
"Mrs. Mrs. Zhen. " All four men looked around at each other. Weiwei opened up another door. "You can stay here for the night, no one will suspect you four are here as long as you don't go outside. This was...is my husband's study. There's only one bed in there, it's small but I have more blankets if you would like." Banshan locked eyes with Xiao Nai, catching the past tense.
"Thank you Mrs. Zhen, for your hospitality. But won't your husband be upset with you offering his study to four strangers?" Banshan asked, removing his sword belt. Weiwei looked at him, her eyes glancing at all of them.
"He hasn't returned home in 5 years, I doubt today will be the day he finally comes back." She opened her own bedroom to grab more blankets. Xiao Nai looked in to see the state of her living conditions. The wood floors were old and need replacing. She lived in what was most likely a nice house when it was built, but since the years have passed, the wood has grown old due to exposure. Her bed was small and the blankets she did grab were not as warm as he imagined she grew up in. Cao Guang is a educated man, one who wouldn't lower himself to talking to someone outside of his ranking, especially not a first name basis.
"He left you here?" Hao Mei seemed shocked.
"With what little money we had. Luckily he didn't have access to my small inheritance from my father, so I haven't starved."
"He left you with nothing?"
"Not nothing. I have my wits about me and a skill set. I take in laundry and sewing when I can." Weiwei heads to the cupboard, pulling out a roll of bread. "I don't have much, the market is where I get most of my food. I won't be able to buy a lot or people might get curious. So until I come back, this is all I have." Xiao Nai reaches into his pocket handing her some money.
"If this helps, we will gladly pay you."
"Only for the food." Weiwei takes the pouch, tucking it into a pocket of her dress. "I'll give the rest back when I return." Xiao Nai walks with her over to the door, removing the wooden plank. "You can't lock the door, my neighbors would find it strange I'm knocking when trying to get into my house. There's a hidden closet in my room where you can hide if you need to."
"Not many people would help us like you are doing."
"Helping the King Musketeers is helping the King. I may not look it but I was raised in a loyalist household. We help those in need in service of the King no matter the task." Quickly putting up her hood, Weiwei makes her way out of the house. The moment she was gone, all three of his fellow soldiers gave him a look.
"Pretty and in need of a man." Younghou spoke, tearing a piece of bread. He handed it to Banshan.
"Do you think Xiao Nai is up to the task of winning a fair maiden's heart?" Banshan grasped Younghou's arm dramatically.
"He's never done it before. Or so he says." Hao Mei laughed tossing Xiao Nai the bread.
"If you three are done, we do have to talk about how we are going to capture Cao Gaung."