Meat Dishes

Li Jingzhong initially thought the other party wanted him to step out and act as a mediator—that would indeed be a tall order.

But judging by his meaning, it seemed he just wanted to find some guards to escort them to the Spiritual Field Estate.

"You want my martial hall's disciples to escort you to the Spiritual Field? But this batch of disciples has been with the hall less than half a year; they haven't graduated yet."

Chen Baiqing smiled. "Who doesn't know your skills, Hall Master Li? The disciples you train, even if they haven't reached a year, are still better than those thugs who've been messing around in gangs for years. I heard your first assessment is already over—the ones who stayed are definitely elites. Don't worry, I won't use you for free. The elite disciples you pick go for fifty taels a trip, same price as an Escort Agency head escort. The other disciples go for thirty taels, more than those ordinary Escorts."

Li Jingzhong took a sip of tea, pondered a moment, and said, "You came at just the right time. This batch of disciples has pretty good talent—the best batch in recent years, I'd say. But they all paid to come to my hall and learn martial arts; this kind of thing has to be their own choice. I'll call over the most outstanding ones, and they can decide for themselves whether to go."

Li Jingzhong had a servant summon Han Zheng and the other four, then explained the matter of escorting Shenghe Hall's people to the Spiritual Field Estate. He didn't mention Shenghe Hall's current situation, only that they needed an escort.

Among the five, Guo Mingyuan and Song Tianqing flat-out refused. The Guo family was wealthy—Guo Mingyuan was even a big client of Shenghe Hall—so why would he care about fifty taels? Song Tianqing was the same; the daily net profit from his shops was more than fifty taels. Lin Qing thought it over and also passed. His father was the County Yamen's Chief Clerk; though not as rich as those two, he was still well-off. Why waste time on an escort job when he could just cultivate quietly? As for Chen Zhao, while his family wasn't well-off, his parents had left him some property, so he wasn't strapped for cash. Besides, traveling for business had its risks; after some thought, he declined.

Han Zheng said directly, "This disciple is willing to make the trip."

Cultivation was cultivation anywhere, but he was truly short on silver. The ten taels he'd gotten from Ma Gui were almost gone, even with his frugal spending. Even if his father were still alive, that meager monthly allowance probably couldn't support him anymore.

Guo Mingyuan shot Han Zheng a slightly disdainful glance. Going on an escort for fifty taels—was this the kind of trash competing with him?

Li Jingzhong sent the other four out and said to Chen Baiqing with a smile, "This disciple of mine has the most solid foundation and the strongest practical skills in this batch. He's just right for this trip."

Chen Baiqing knew Li Jingzhong wouldn't lie. He nodded and said, "One person's a bit few; four would be best." Most Escort Agencies only needed three or four people for a job. Those convoys of dozens escorting large shipments were mostly laborers moving goods. The Escorts only stepped in to fight when it counted, not to haul cargo. Hiring too many Escorts was pricey—if the escort cost more than the goods, it wasn't worth it.

"Hall Master, what about Li Sancheng? His foundation and strength are pretty solid too." Han Zheng put in a recommendation. He knew Li Sancheng was also short on cash and would definitely be willing.

Li Jingzhong thought it over and nodded. "Li Sancheng's not bad. Call him in and ask if he wants to go." He knew every disciple in the hall inside out by now. Li Sancheng might be a bit lazy, but his strength was genuinely above average.

After Han Zheng called Li Sancheng over, the guy agreed on the spot, then looked at Han Zheng with gratitude. A good deal like this, and he'd thought to include him—this was a real brother!

Li Jingzhong then picked two more disciples from less well-off families but with solid foundations and strength. Han Zheng was put in charge of the four of them, and they agreed to meet at Shenghe Hall's entrance tomorrow.

Back home, Han Zheng practiced as usual until midnight, then got ready for bed. Before sleeping, he checked his current status. Over the past half month, he'd broken through another twenty Acupoints and one Meridian. His strength growth was steady, with no major breakthroughs.

Name: Han Zheng

Cultivation: Houtian Meridian Opening Realm (120 Acupoints opened, 5 Meridians)

Martial Arts: Houtian Realm "Iron Elephant Skill" Proficiency (70%), Houtian Realm (Vajra Fist) Proficiency 75%

Current Status: Pain Nullification, Vitality Abundant

"Iron Elephant Skill and Vajra Fist are almost maxed out. After that, I can break through."

"But the problem is, where do I get the materials for the breakthrough? Do I have to sacrifice parts of my own body, or go kill people?"

Han Zheng rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on.

Even if he wanted to turn into a murderous maniac and collect Vitality Essence by killing, it wouldn't be that easy.

The martial artists in Black Stone County were either in the martial arts school, part of clans and gangs, or in the yamen.

He'd barely avoided leaving traces after killing Wang Xiong. Going after someone else would just get him fully wanted, with no place left in Black Stone County.

After thinking for a while, Han Zheng stopped mulling it over. He had to set out tomorrow, so he needed to conserve his energy.

This was Han Zheng's first time leaving Black Stone County. As far as his memory went, in this life he'd never left the county since childhood, always stuck within the town.

The next morning.

Han Zheng hadn't even gotten up yet when Li Sancheng came running over and banged on the door.

"Why are you here so early? And what's with all this stuff?"

The moment he opened the door, Han Zheng was startled.

Li Sancheng was carrying a half-man-tall pack, practically like he was moving house.

"We're going to be out for quite a few days, so I've got to be fully prepared. I've even brought pots, bowls, and chopsticks.

Those escort agencies, when they travel, they carry way more than this."

Han Zheng was speechless. "We're not an escort agency on a job. We're just protecting the Shenghe Hall merchant caravan. They're a big outfit—won't they have all this prepared?"

"Oh, right."

Li Sancheng scratched his head, unloaded most of the luggage, and set off with Han Zheng carrying only his weapon and a change of clothes, grabbing a few buns from the street corner for breakfast.

By the time Han Zheng and Li Sancheng arrived, the other two martial arts school disciples were already there, and the Shenghe Hall caravan was starting to assemble.

There weren't too many people—about twenty-odd Shenghe Hall workers and eight horse-drawn carts.

Chen Baiqing, as the Head Shopkeeper of Shenghe Hall, naturally wouldn't go himself. He had to stay in the county to hold things down.

The steward leading the group was an old man in his seventies named Chen Moshan. By seniority, he was Chen Baiqing's distant uncle.

With so many Spiritual Medicines worth a fortune, Chen Baiqing wasn't about to trust them entirely to outsiders for escort. He had to put his own man in charge.

Also traveling with them was a doctor in his forties named Li Feng, a pharmacist from Shenghe Hall responsible for selecting the herbs.

Chen Baiqing cupped his hands toward Han Zheng and the other three. "Young Master Han, I'll trouble you this time. Make sure to bring the Spiritual Medicines safely back to Black Stone County."

"Shopkeeper Chen, rest assured. Entrusted with a task, we'll see it through. We won't tarnish the Zhenwei Martial Arts School's name."

The lead steward, Chen Moshan, shouted an order, and the caravan, fully prepared, began to move.

But as they passed the city gate, Chen Moshan suddenly had the caravan stop.

A group of beggars was at the city gate. Since the most travelers and caravans passed through here, they usually gathered here to beg.

Chen Moshan walked over to the beggars, pulled out three silver pieces, and jingled them.

"Five hundred li out of the county, one tael of silver per person. Who's willing to go?"

"Me, me, me!"

The beggars swarmed around Chen Moshan, scrambling to raise their hands.

Chen Moshan stepped back a few paces with a hint of disgust and picked three beggars who looked relatively healthy.

"You, you, and you. Come with me."

Han Zheng asked in surprise, "What's this about? Why bring three beggars along?"

Chen Moshan shot Han Zheng a slightly disdainful look. "I don't know what the Shopkeeper was thinking, letting rookies like you, who don't know anything and haven't even left the county a few times, guard the caravan."

With that, he didn't explain further and just called for the caravan to set off.

Han Zheng frowned slightly.

What's this old bastard's problem with me?

This was his first time meeting the guy—how had he offended him?

Li Feng, traveling with them, walked over and said with a smile, "Don't mind him. Steward Chen is in a huff with the Shopkeeper. His nephew runs a small escort agency. He wanted his nephew to take this job for just a hundred taels. But the Shopkeeper thought his nephew's agency was too weak—couldn't even find a mid-stage Houtian Realm martial artist—so he turned it down and went to Zhenwei Martial Arts School to hire you all."

Han Zheng immediately understood.

So they'd blocked the old man's money stream. No wonder he looked at them with such hostility.

But Li Feng coming over to tell him this on his own probably meant he wasn't on Chen Moshan's side either.

"Li Yaoshi, why did Steward Chen just hire those three beggars into the caravan?"

"They're the 'Meat Dishes.'"

"What does 'Meat Dishes' mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

Li Feng sighed. "Times are chaotic now. When traveling as a merchant, there are two dangers you fear most: Demons and bandits. The Meat Dishes are prepared for the Demons.

Demons eat people, so to avoid losses, you just keep them fed.

That's why before every caravan sets out, they pick a few beggars from the crowd to bring along as Meat Dishes. Usually, it's one tael of silver per person.

If they run into Demons, those beggars become the meal. If they don't, the silver is theirs to keep."

Li Sancheng, standing nearby, turned pale. "Just one tael of silver, and they sell themselves off like a dish on a plate?"

Li Feng shook his head. "You young folk don't run a household—you don't know how expensive rice and oil are.

These beggars don't know where their next meal is coming from. One tael of silver might just turn their luck around and get them out of begging forever.

Besides, it's not like they run into Demons every time. Better to take the gamble than starve to death here."

Han Zheng frowned slightly. "But Shopkeeper Chen hired us to protect the caravan, and he's still preparing Meat Dishes. Then what's the point of us?"

"That's for guarding against bandits. How many people can a Demon eat? A few taels of silver's worth of Meat Dishes is enough to fill a Demon's belly.

But if you run into bandits, those carts of goods are worth tens of thousands of taels."

Li Feng patted Han Zheng on the shoulder. "This is all experience. You'll get used to it after a few trips."

Han Zheng glanced at the beggars in the caravan—men who knew full well they were being taken as Meat Dishes, who might end up feeding Demons, yet were still beaming with joy.

He gained a new layer of understanding about this world.

Human life was like weeds, so cheap it was appalling.