Wild Goose Tomb

Shen Jingchuan was squatting down carving a stone tablet when he heard a commotion on the official road. He put away his gun, stood up, brushed the stone chips off his hands, and strode onto the road. He glanced at the crowd and immediately recognized the person sitting on the stretcher as Hu Tieniu.

Hu Tieniu spotted him immediately, his eyes lighting up. Ignoring his chest injury, he struggled to climb down from the stretcher.

His men quickly put down the stretcher, and he moved to the ground. He then knelt down in the dust with a thud and kowtowed three times, his forehead covered in dust.

Shen Jingchuan quickly stepped forward, reached out and helped him up by the arm. "Chief Hu, there's no need for that, please get up."

"No, no, Young Master Shen, you deserve this!"

Hu Tieniu insisted on finishing his kowtow before raising his head; his wound made his lips twitch, but his tone was exceptionally sincere.

"After you left that day, I felt increasingly ashamed. I led a group to rob you, and not only did you not hold it against us, you also saved my life and gave me so much food before you left. I didn't even say a proper thank you; that would be too inhuman."

He wiped his face and said again:

"Just now, I was leading my brothers in the ravine ahead... making a living... when two lookouts spotted your group and came back to tell me."

I figured I had to come over and thank you in person, even kowtow a few times, otherwise I'd never be able to get over this in my life.

At this point, he puffed out his chest, and his voice deepened:

"You saved my life, Hu Tieniu. From now on, if you ever need my help, just ask. I'll go through fire and water for you!"

Hu Tieniu scratched his head, a hint of shame on his face:

"To be honest, I'm ashamed to say that I still don't know my benefactor's name. It's really impolite of me."

Shen Jingchuan reached out and offered a helping hand, saying calmly:

"My surname is Shen, my given name is Jingchuan, and I live in Yuxi Prefecture. We've become acquainted through a misunderstanding, so if you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, just come to the city and find me."

"I wouldn't dare!"

Hu Tieniu like a rattle drum:

"You saved my life and provided so much food; I can never repay this kindness, how could I dare to cause you any more trouble?"

Shen Jingchuan glanced at the group of emaciated refugees behind him, his brows furrowing slightly:

"But this can't go on forever. You might manage to rob someone today, but what if you don't tomorrow? If the government sends troops to suppress you, you won't be able to save any of your hundreds of lives."

Hu Tieniu sighed upon hearing this, his tone full of helplessness:

"Young Master Shen, you are my benefactor, so I won't beat around the bush. I have my own skills; I can make a living anywhere by working as a bouncer or a bodyguard."

But these brothers are all from the same village and township as me. They don't have any skills, and there are hundreds of families in the mountains waiting to be fed. If we don't rob, where else can we go? We can't just stand by and watch them starve to death."

Hearing this, Lin Yue quietly moved behind Shen Jingchuan, gently tugged at his sleeve, and whispered:

"These refugees are everywhere; you can't manage them all. You can manage them for a while, but can you manage them forever? Don't take on too much."

Shen Jingchuan patted Lin Yue's hand, signaling him to calm down, then looked at Hu Tieniu and said in a deep voice:

"Second Brother Lin, don't worry, I have an idea."

Shen Jingchuan glanced at Hu Tieniu and nodded inwardly. This man was very skilled; if he only wanted to survive, he could easily find a wealthy family to work as a bodyguard or instructor and live a life of comfort.

Yet he insisted on shouldering the livelihoods of his fellow villagers, risking execution to become an outlaw. He was a responsible and loyal person. Such a person deserves a helping hand.

He glanced back at the newly built Wild Goose Tomb by the Fen River, and at the half-carved bluestone. A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately had a complete plan.

"Look at this grove of trees, right next to the official road, it's shady and bright. Let's stop robbing people on the road from now on, and build a teahouse here to provide a place for travelers to rest and drink water."

Not only can you not rob, you also have to clear out all the other robbers on this road, either drive them away or recruit them, so that this road is safe and secure. If the road is safe, more people will naturally travel on it, and the teahouse business will be good."

Hu Tieniu was taken aback, scratched the back of his head, and said in a simple voice:

"Young master, how much can you earn selling tea? There are hundreds of us; we probably can't even afford to eat thin porridge if we rely solely on tea."

"What's the rush? This is just the first one."

Shen Jingchuan smiled, then pointed to the Wild Goose Tomb on the riverbank:

"Among your brothers, find a few who are skilled stonemasons to repair this Wild Goose Tomb to make it more regular and sturdy. Find another good piece of bluestone to erect a proper stone tablet, with the words 'Wild Goose Tomb' engraved on the front, and my name, Shen Jingchuan, signed at the bottom."

Before long, scholars, merchants, and travelers who heard the story of the two geese dying for each other would make a special trip to pay their respects and take a look.

"You can also sell incense, candles, and offerings at a slightly higher price; people will still buy them. This will be your second source of income."

Hu Tieniu's eyes widened in disbelief:

"Just... just a mound of earth, and so many people come? And they're even selling offerings?"

Just do as I say, and I guarantee someone will come.

Shen Jingchuan spoke with certainty, then pointed to a flat, open space not far from the official road:

"There's a third thing. That spot is perfect; we can build a tavern with a courtyard, set up a dozen or so tables, and then add a few guest rooms."

It's about half a day's walk from here to Yuxi Prefecture. Early travelers arrive around noon, and caravans and merchant groups all stop here to rest, eat, and drink. There's a constant stream of customers. Do you have anyone in your group who knows how to cook?

"Yes, yes!" Hu Tieniu nodded quickly, "I don't have a professional chef, but I can definitely cook some home-style meals."

"That's fine."

Shen Jingchuan nodded:

"I'll provide you with the recipes and special seasonings. The taste will surpass that of ordinary roadside shops, and might even exceed that of restaurants in the city. Business will only get better."

The teahouse caters to individual customers, the tavern to merchants and travelers, and with the incense money from the Wild Goose Tomb, it's more than enough to support your several hundred people."

Having said all that, Hu Tieniu's heart warmed, but then he thought again and his face fell. He rubbed his hands and said with a wry smile:

"Young master's idea is truly excellent, but we... we don't even have the capital to build a shed or buy rice and flour, let alone a tavern."

"You don't need to worry about the capital." Shen Jingchuan's tone was decisive, without the slightest hesitation. "I'll provide it."

Lin Yue, who was standing next to him, was initially holding onto his sleeve, worried that he would take on more trouble. But when he heard this, he was stunned. He never expected that not only would he want to get involved, but he would also directly contribute his own money.

Lin Qingyao stood aside, watching Shen Jingchuan's back. Suddenly, the scene of him saving her flashed through her mind.

She had initially harbored a slight thought that he had rescued her that day partly because of her looks—a classic case of a hero saving a damsel in distress.

But seeing him today, who had no relation to these refugees, yet offered to spend his own money to help them find a way to survive, she finally understood that deep down, this man couldn't bear to see others suffer, regardless of who they were or what they looked like.

But then she remembered how he wielded his spear on the battlefield, killing without batting an eye, and she felt a little dazed, wondering to herself, what kind of person was her future husband?