The Old Official

And so the caravan journeyed on. Each day, the conscripts and their escorts halted to set up camp and rest.

Food was of acceptable quality to begin with, but once the initial supplies began to wane and the escort party began resorting to foraging and hunting here and there to make ends meet, food became bland and barely edible.

During the first week, when supplies were still fresh and people were not yet too worn down, caravan security was tight.

At each stop and each campsite they set up, the conscripts were prevented from wandering outside of their own transport wagons.

This only became lighter at the start of the second week. Presumably, the combination of the dull journey to wear down the spirits of any possible escapees, combined with the subpar meals and the fact that many would not be able to find their ways home with how far the group had travelled thus far would reduce the possibility of any mass revolt. 

It was also during the second week that the three lads met a peculiar individual.

On the second night of the second week, once camp had been made and meals were being prepared, the three boys sat by the campfire not too far from their carriage.

The inter-mingling restrictions had been eased, and many conscripts had begun to wander over to other groups.

With how dull the journey was, the main source of entertainment and even idle chatter consisted of rumours and individual stories and experiences.

It must be noted that though a carriage held up to 20 men, the seating was arranged so that the first and last men in the carriage would have difficulty speaking to each other, even if their surroundings were silent.

While seating was not fixed, humans were creatures of habit. For the most part, the most one sitting away from another would mainly hear distorted rumours passed down the line, rarely information obtained by direct communication.

Perhaps they might greet each other in the meal queue or at the campfire, but even then, the carriage itself would be divided into cliques which carried over to the camp as well.

To return to the point- the opportunity to meet with those from other carriages allowed for the acquisition of new gossip, amongst other things, to ease the boredom of travelling.

It was under these conditions that the boys met a strange man. He was no doubt elderly- few in this day and age lived to the grand total of 60 and beyond, and almost as few knew what someone that old even looked like.

This stranger undoubtedly fit the description when one might have attempted to imagine said appearance.

This was all the more curious, given the existence of a minimum and maximum recruitment age.

This old man walked with a measured gait, had grey hair tied up like the traditional elder and wore plain robes.

He had one hand behind his back and the other stroking his beard as he strolled, appearing to be in deep thought at every moment.

Though wrinkled, his face contained a level of self-importance and dignity that could not be found amongst those from the countryside.

Sihai Wuxian and the other two roasted chestnuts on sticks. Wuxian and Mian Ji had blank expressions, it was impossible to tell if their minds were empty or if they were deep in thought.

Xiao Chong, on the other hand, was still as restless as ever, if not even more so than usual. No doubt a product of the pent-up energy that was unable to be released during the ride.

Xiao Chong gave Wuxian a sharp nudge in the shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Look, look."

"At what?"

"Over there, the geezer!" Xiao Chong whispered fiercely.

"What's going on? What are you two looking at?" Mian Ji asked, craning his neck forward.

"Oh, I see him." Wuxian said.

"See who? Oh! Him?"

"Yeah, the old man."

Sihai Wuxian paused in a moment of consideration, before deciding to err on the side of caution.

He took a hold of his friends' heads- one in each hand, gently turning them away from the stranger.

"Don't cause a scene. That person might be an important official." He muttered.

Mian Ji nodded, causing Wuxian to release his grip.

"Say, what's an official like him doing over by the camp?" Xiao Chong asked, his curiosity untameable.

Wuxian rolled his eyes and focused on the chestnuts.

"Third brother, sometimes, the less you know, the better." Mian Ji explained as he slowly turned the food over the fire.

Xiao Chong was unpacified. "Even so, it doesn't make any sense. Why would an official come and mix in with us lot? Don't they all have upturned noses and a fear of dirt? Don't they all have snobby personalities and a disdain for commoners? Why would-"

His voice slowly trailed off.

The combination of Mian Ji's hurried hand signals, Wuxian's alarmed facial expression and the sudden self-awareness of the volume of his own voice caused a feeling of dread to bubble up from the depths of Xiao Chong's mind.

"Hahahahaha."

Xiao Chong turned over to see the old man and suspected official to be standing right behind him.

Immediately, he, Mian Ji and Wuxian jumped up and bowed, performing a courtesy salute to the old gentleman.

"Greetings, sir." They chorused.

The old gentleman waved his hand leisurely and shook his head, indicating that formalities were unnecessary.

"Sir, please take no offence- my third brother has a loose mouth and often speaks nonsense." Mian Ji stood forward, still bowing.

"Furthermore, old third is young and rash. He was abandoned by his parents from a young age and suffered from malaria while living on the streets, experiencing a small amount of mental retardation." Wuxian added.

"Yes, yes, everyone from Xi county village knows this, please have mercy." Mian Ji added, bowing even deeper.

Xiao Chong's face turned red and he sent a piercing glare at his two elders but made no sound, only bowing and holding the salute.

"Hahaha, no matter, no matter. Youngsters, please have a seat." The old man said.

Wuxian and Mian Ji remained as they were- mid bow, while Xiao Chong fell to his knees.

With his hands raised above his head, he was practically already kowtowing.

The old man's eye twitched and he let out a sigh as he sat on a long by the campfire.

"Within my doors and courtyard, there is no dusty confusion.

In the empty rooms I have excess leisure.

Long was I in a confining cage,

But once again may I return to nature." *

Wuxian and Mian Ji shared a brief look.

"Excellent poetry, sir." Wuxian praised.

"Truly, a marvel of our time." Mian Ji added, a flattering look on his face.

Xiao Chong kowtowed, his face buried in the dirt.

The old gentleman sighed again. "You may have a seat. Youngster, get your face out of the ground right now."

At last, the three obeyed, returning to their seats, but sitting in a way that deferred to this elder.

"Distinguished sir, that poem was truly remarkable. Never in my twenty years of living have I heard something so profound." Wuxian started.

"Truly! Though we are of unremarkable backgrounds, even the greatest ancient poems of contemporary and ancient dynasties make their ways to our rural town stead.

If you were to claim the title of number two modern poet, nobody would dare claim to be number one!" Mian Ji embellished.

"Yes! Yes!"

The three boys paused for a moment to gauge the senior's attitude to their boot-licking.

The elder had a strange expression on his face. Something that was hard for them to fully decipher.

Mian Ji was about to continue, but was stopped by the elder.

"While your praise is sweet, your words are shallow. Though you claim my poetry- if it is mine at all- to be distinguished, you do not understand it whatsoever."

"But relax, I'm not an official and I certainly don't have the power nor inclination to go around punishing those who speak their minds on a whim."

Seeing the brothers wearing unconvinced expressions, he sighed and continued.

"Though I was once an official, I am one no longer. In fact, I found what you said about them to be refreshing and true."

Xiao Chong wore a blank expression, confused and still somewhat doubtful.

"I have also been conscripted by the army, like you." The old man continued.

It took a moment for his words to settle in, but once it did, it felt surreal.

"You? Pardon my manners, but are you, distinguished sir, not somewhat… beyond the 'recruiting range'?" Mian Ji asked gingerly.

"If by 'beyond the recruiting range' you mean old and half-senile, then you are correct." The man laughed.

With this sentence, the ice was broken and everyone visibly relaxed.

"My name is Sihai Wuxian, 'Wu' for none, 'Xian' for leisure. This is Mian Ji and this is Xiao Chong." Wuxian introduced, gesturing to each person as he introduced them.

"By the way, those things we said about Xiao Chong are mostly not true."

"Hey! What do you mean by mostly?!"

"Mental retardation is still a possibility." Mian Ji said, taking revenge on the younger boy.

"Good name, good name." The old man complimented, pretending not to hear their spat. "May I ask as to the specifics of you two's names then?"

"I can't read or write." Xiao Chong said with a heavy regional accent.

"I can read a bit." Mian Ji croaked.

The old man had a look of sadness in his eyes, but that went away quickly, clearly accustomed to it.

He cleared his throat.

"Well, you may call my mister Lv. As I said previously, I used to be an official in his majesty's court, but at the moment, having renounced my position and titles, I am but a common man and conscript." 

"Greetings, Sir Lv." The boys said, giving a half bow and salute. Xiao Chong was half a breath slower than the other two.

"Please, dispense with the formalities. They make me feel stuffy and caged." Sir Lv said.

"It is tradition to respect our seniors and those who have served the nation. Please accept our bow." Wuxian bowed again, followed closely by the other two.

Sir Lv glanced at Xiao Chong, who turned away to hide his embarrassed expression, before raising them up one by one. It was uncertain whether Wuxian had said that specifically to jab at Xiao Chong.

"Then that will be the last bow you need to make. Understand?"

The boys nodded in unison.

"Also, Little Chong, do not kowtow so easily, especially not to a stranger. Kneel only to the heavens, the earth, your parents and your liege."

Time passed quickly as the four got acquainted. The boys' usual banter, which was sometimes crude or vulgar, was restrained in respect for the senior, but the conversation flowed smoothly nonetheless. 

In Sir Lv, the boys saw an experienced sage who had lived a very different kind of 'high society' life. They saw a sort of unending treasure trove of alien knowledge they had not been previously exposed to.

In the boys, Sir Lv saw his younger self. Ravenously inquisitive and untarnished by the vices of wealth and politics. 

And soon, the night ended and the sun rose, and the caravan set off once again.