There were two city gates in Linchuan.
One was to the east, the other to the west.
Today, both gates were tightly shut.
Heavy guards stood watch behind the gates.
The door bolts and other fittings were crafted from dense wood, making them impossible to budge even with the force of a thousand pounds.
Atop the city wall.
Two garrison guards holding long spears were patrolling along the battlements.
One of them, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, was tall and thin with a somewhat dark complexion, and his name was Jia Yi.
He was originally a disciple of a martial arts hall in Linchuan City. Having learned a few rudimentary skills over the years, he could barely pull a four-stone bow.
Usually, he helped teach a few apprentices at the hall. Although his life was not wealthy, he managed to get by.
Ever since the Heavy Martial Pavilion conquered Linchuan, however, days like those were gone forever.
The martial arts hall closed down, and his master took the favorite disciples and fled far away.
Only someone stuck in the middle like him was left behind, lacking the connections to rely on an aristocratic family or the traveling funds to make a living outside.
With no other choice, he had to join the Heavy Martial Pavilion and guard the city gates for a living just to survive.
"Tell me, what kind of situation are we in?"
Jia Yi's companion complained as they walked. "Elder Han took so many people out to eat the finest food and drink the best liquor, leaving us stuck in the city to chew on the northwest wind."
"I heard from others that the aristocratic families' camps are piled high with gold, silver, and valuables, and just grabbing a handful at random would be enough to