You join the other villagers still waiting back by the little bridge along the stream and continue your journey. You reach their village about four hours later after an uneventful journey. The village itself is a collection of thirty or so buildings of varying sizes, a few of them a little larger and older than the other hovels around them. It is surrounded by a low wall of fieldstones and a wooden pallisade and sits close to a small river, surrounded by fields and bordering an apple orchard on its northern side. Children are playing a lively game of hide-and-seek among the houses, a flock of chickens running free among them, and most of the adults you can see are working in the fields. A few of them, though, are standing near the gate, armed with bow and spear and watching you approach the village. Some of the adults in fields nearby stopp working and look at your group as you pass them along the dirt road that leads to the village. By the time you get there a group of men awaits you, all peasants judging by their clothes and sun-darkened skins. The eldest among them adresses Kairan as you approach: "Welcome back. I see you haven't had much success in selling our goods along the roads? Who are these you brought with us?"
Kairan introduces you to the old man, then says: "This is Lao Feng, our village elder. These fine people are here to help us with the bandits troubling the area. I've shown them one of the shrines near the road. They want to go to the water temple next."
"Is that so?" the old man asks, taking a long look at all of you. "Well, i guess the old Zhou will surely be happy to talk to them about what happens around here. If you need any help, just ask us and we will gladly provide it to you." Having said that he casts a quick glance to one of the younger men standing a little bit off to his right.
[ooc: you can roll sense motive to see what that is about, if you like]
