Continuing the travels

The resulting morning there were a pile of drunken people who were recovering from a severe hangover especially Sim Siu, "I am never drinking again," She began retching as the vomit began coming up her oesophagus, burning the walls of her throat. A cup of water was handed to Sim Siu who gratefully took the drink which eased the burning sensation.

Fangsu, however, wasn't affected by the alcohol much since she had a good tolerance towards alcoholic drinks, "I have never seen someone say that and stop drinking," Lifting the beverage that was given to her by one of the cooks. Ghee Tea. It had a unique taste which Fangsu honestly took a bit to adjust to the acquired taste. Trying out a few different dishes and drinks had opened her palate to venture cuisines that many people have never experienced. Feeling the gentle breeze that soft brush past her face, "It's about time that I continue my journey to one last place," Fangsu patted off the grass that stuck on her clothes before heading off to her tent to pack up.

Sim Siu hurriedly rushed to Fangsu who mounted her horse which was followed by other horses which were carrying her merchandise, "Wait for me!" Hurryingly, Sim Siu packs some clothes and some snacks before sneaking off to get her horse, "So where are we heading off to?" Beaming with deadpan expressions.

Fangsu, however, wasn't amazed that Sim Siu was deciding on a whim to follow her, "Sim Siu you can't just up and follow me," She paused at the entrance of the settlement where it leads to unending plains but seeing that Sim Siu wasn't going to budge with her decision Fangsu made Sim Siu write a letter and tell someone that she was she accompany Fangsu's travels. However, Sim Siu knowing that her father would disapprove of the idea of her leaving the settlement immediately snuck away.

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The chieftain held a tray filled with dishes that would ease the hangover from the heavy drinking, "My dearies! I have brought some medicinal tea to help with your hangovers!" As he lifted the covers from the entrance only to see the emptiness. The tent was completely bare and clean which was unusual since Sim Siu was always messy but on the table lay a single sheet of paper.

'Daddy! I'm following Skinny Duck on her journey so I won't be home for a while. Don't bother trying to find me because I'm probably far away by the time you read this.'

The chieftain's mind just blanked out after he read the letter and he immediately panicked as he realised he had sheltered his lovable daughter all her life. The worst possible outcomes of falling in love with a scumbag, rape, forced prostitution and many more caused his mind to go into overdrive as he dashed to his son who was able to head out to the fields so that he could let the goats graze on the grass, "Ang Siu! Sim Siu has run away with Fangsu! You must take some men to find Sim Siu and take her back home!" He began to pace back and forth like a headless hen, biting his fingernails, "I promised your mother I would protect the both of you, not that you can't protect yourself but your baby sister has been sheltered all her life!" The chieftain began running to alert the guards but before he could send off the guards to fetch his beloved daughter.

A wooden cane was thrown at the chieftain who could only fall unconscious, laying on the ground like a dead man, "For god sakes, this is the son I birthed and raised with my blood, sweat and tears!" The elderly woman that was the chieftain mother could only sigh at the outrageous behaviour and excessive protectiveness of the youngest daughter, "Ang Siu, accompany your sister and help that sweet girl so that your sister won't cause too much trouble for her," Picking up the cane that she used to poke at the chieftain.

Ang Siu nodded as he handed his morning task for someone else to do, "How about father?" He sheathed his sword into its scabbard and began loading up his quiver. Hui ruffled its feathers after the headcover was removed from his head as his eyes began to adjust to the light.

The elderly woman sighed exhaustively as she stared at the unconscious man who was her son, "I will deal with this thing where he wakes up," Shooing off her grandson and began poking at the chieftain with her cane only to find that he was still unconscious. To think her son who was the most accomplished person in his youth to only be reduced to a lovesick puppy with his wife and a gushing parent who was overly protective of his son and daughter, "Have him put in my tent," One of her retainers quickly dragged the chieftain by the leg allowing for the chieftain to eat dirt on the way.

After some time, the chieftain had awoken with a dry mouth which was filled with dirt before he realised that his daughter was on the dangerous road, "Mother has Ang Siu returned with Sim Siu yet?" He dug out the dirt from in between his cheeks and teeth, gurgling some water to get the gritty feeling out of his mouth.

The elderly woman released a sigh at his son, "You shield Sim Siu too much," Leaning against her wooden cane which helped assist her in walking as her joint ached terribly during the mornings. Whilst the chieftain could only attempt to get rid of the grittiness that remained in his mouth despite gurgling some water.

The sudden realisation over the fact that he had sheltered her too much to the point she wasn't allowed to be without a guard or servant at all times, "I know," His posture was slouched as he stared at the ground that was beneath his feet, "The thought of losing anyone like what happened my wife scares me and I can't help but want to protect her from every single danger in the world," A set of feet came into his line of sight.

The sound of a wooden cane thumping rhythmically on the ground, "As the saying goes, a baby bird will eventually grow wings and learn to fly," The elderly woman sat on the bed as she gently patted his back, "They will eventually have to leave the nest whether you like it or not but it doesn't mean that they will leave forever," The chieftain eyes widen as he closed his eyes eventually settling his mind to not be so fidgety with his daughter.

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As two travellers trekked on the road, mounted on horses. One of them was a tall beautiful female with a naive curiosity while the other was a short androgynous individual was explaining whatever the taller individual asked during the time they were spending together. They had decided to camp off the road nearby to a lotus field to eat lunch. A few pheasants were roaming the area, "Sim Siu can you get a pheasant for me?" The poor pheasant peasant who was minding their own business was struck with an arrow, instantly killing it.

Fangsu, however, was picking huge lotus leaves and clay before taking the dead pheasant from Sim Siu's hand, "What are you making?" Sim Siu was confused with the strange array of materials in her hands as she pointed at Fangsu stirring the pheasant in the boiling water as the feather slowly fell off the body.

Fangsu gave Sim Siu a knife and some ingredients to chop up as she began to prep the pheasant, "Beggar's Chicken," Slicing into the belly of the chicken and removing the innards, "The story goes that a beggar was so hungry he stole a chicken but he was caught red-handed," Cleaning the empty cavity of the body and stuffing it with the ingredients that Sim Siu had finished prepping

Sim Siu, who was intently listening to the story, "What happened next?" Unintentionally leaned in closer as Fangsu began to sew the cavity up with some thread.

Fangsu smiled as she was highly amused by Sim Siu's eagerness for the continuation of the story, "He quickly hides the chicken at the riverside before running off," Wrapping the chicken in the lotus leaves that she had previously picked, "After that, he returns to the river to retrieve the chicken and not bothering to clean it he just cooked it over the fire and that is how the Beggar's Chicken was born," The wet clay that Fangsu had picked dug out from the lotus field was now encasing the chicken before she began to cook the chicken over an open fire.

Sim Siu clapped her hand seemingly enjoying the story, "That is such an interesting origin story of such a dish," Sim Siu excitedly waited for her first taste of a strange dish.

But, before Sim Siu continues on her remaining excitement quickly vanished as someone slowly clapped, "A very interesting story indeed," A familiar voice resonated behind her, "I would like to hear your interesting excuse for leaving the settlement without notifying anyone," The voice could only belong to one person and one person only, Ang Siu.

Sim Siu stiffly turned her head as she stared at her brother who didn't have such an amused expression on his face. As she attempted to say words they could only stay in her throat unable to come out willingly. Skinny Duck, on the other hand, was shocked to know that Sim Siu had not told anyone that she had left the settlement, "Skinny Duck," The look of Skinny Duck's disappointment only left Sim Siu with despair at the thought of her short-lived adventure was soon coming to a close, "Big Brother please let me travel with Skinny Duck! I won't cause trouble for her just let me live my life!" Desperately pleading with her brother to convince him not to take her back to the settlement, hugging her big brother's leg whilst crying.

Ang Siu could only laugh at his only sister crying and pleading at his feet, "I'm not here to take you back," Wiping the tears from her eyes, "Grandma had given approval for you to accompany Skinny Duck on her travels on the condition that I come with you," After he said those words Sim Siu's eye brightened as she hugged her big brother, thanking him as she excitedly seated herself close to the fire waiting for the chicken to cook.

Fangsu, however, was disappointed that Sim Siu didn't properly inform anyone of her leaves from the settlement, "I thought you told someone!" Sim Siu could only pout at the scolding that she was recovering from the lovable Skinny Duck, "You need to at least tell one person that you would be leaving! Imagine while we travelled and you didn't tell me you were going somewhere you could have been in danger and I wouldn't be able to find you," Fangsu continued to lecture Sim Siu of the poses of dangers when travelling.

Sim Siu looked like a wounded puppy as she bowed her head sadly, "I'm sorry," That was all she could simply say.

Fangsu released a breath knowing that Sim Siu understood her lesson, "From experience, not telling anyone where you are and getting lost is the scariest thing in the world," Patting Sim Siu's head to comfort her, "Losing you would mean that your father, brother and grandma would lose a family member forever and the responsibility that is placed on me lays very heavily," Fangsu explained to Sim Siu that she was her responsibility to look after. Sim Siu could only cry as she apologised to Fangsu, hugging her as she apologised repeatedly.

Ang Siu could only admire Skinny Duck's caring nature and a strong sense of responsibility which she is caring for other people, "What is your name?" Calling her Skinny Duck was not appropriate for him since they were not close, "I understand the mainland language," He picked up a stick for Skinny Duck who wrote her name in the mainland language.

陳芳素

Ang Siu immediately went to engrave her name in his mind as he nodded as he memorised it, however, Sim Siu was unfamiliar with the characters and Fangsu went or explained her name to Sim Siu who eventually went to bother him about learning some basic phrases while Fangsu went to take care of the chicken which was now finished cooking. Smashing the dry clay exterior with a mallet revealing the dried out lotus which was unravelled to reveal a beautifully cooked pheasant which had an aroma that could whet anyone's appetite once they smelt the delicious aroma.