Qingzhou City was the most prosperous city in Qing Prefecture.
Lin Hanzhou revealed a little of his martial prowess and easily made his way into the city.
The streets were wide, and the shops lining them were fairly lively, but a tense atmosphere hung in the air.
Most passersby hurried along, their faces almost devoid of smiles. In their place was worry about what the future might bring.
Prices here were visibly high, too.
A bowl of plain noodles that sold for just three copper coins in Peace Town cost fifty here—and came with fewer noodles and thinner broth.
The air of a troubled age had seeped into every corner of the city.
Lin Hanzhou paid it little mind. He had a clear objective.
He needed to find the place with the best access to information and update his intelligence.
Only then could he make the most accurate judgment about his next move.
After asking around, he found the city's largest restaurant: the Wind-Listening Pavilion.
The Wind-Listening Pavilion had three stories. Even from the outside, it was clear the place was grand.
They said that if you had enough silver, there was no piece of intelligence you couldn't obtain here.
You could even hear the latest news from all of Qing Prefecture, and perhaps the entire Great Gan Dynasty.
Once inside the Wind-Listening Pavilion, Lin Hanzhou didn't go up to the second or third floors, where only the rich and powerful could afford to dine.
Instead, he found an inconspicuous corner on the first floor, ordered two dishes, and began eating and drinking on his own.
But his ears were like radar, drawing every noisy sound from the third floor into his mind.
"Shopkeeper Zhang, the price of this batch of silk you brought from Jiangnan has gone up another thirty percent? That's daylight robbery."
A fat man who looked like a cloth-shop owner sighed to the person at the next table.
The gaunt, tall man they called Shopkeeper Zhang grimaced and lowered his voice.
"My good sir, don't blame me. These days, times are truly hard."
"Between Jiang Province and Qing Prefecture, checkpoints are everywhere. Those damn tax collectors are like starving wolves; every time you pass a checkpoint, they skin you alive."
"On top of that, bandits are running rampant throughout Qing Prefecture. I paid a fortune to hire escorts from the Weiyuan Escort Agency for this shipment. How could the costs not be high?"
"Alas, life just keeps getting harder..."
Lin Hanzhou silently took a sip of wine.
The authorities were imposing exorbitant taxes, and bandits were running rampant in the provinces.
These were the most typical signs of a dynasty in its final days.
He shifted his attention to the other private rooms.
At one table sat several young martial artists who looked vigorous and full of life.
Each had a weapon hanging at his waist, and their faces held the fearless excitement of young calves who didn't know the tiger's might.
"Big Brother, I've made up my mind. Rather than put up with all this crap here, we should head to the front lines in Qing Province and enlist."
"With our skills, we can kill a few Qing soldiers and earn ourselves a name. What could be better?"
A young man with a saber spoke, full of confidence.
"That's right. A true man should be wrapped in his horse's hide when he dies."
"I heard the court is even offering grandmaster-level martial arts in exchange for military merit to boost morale."
But beside them, a middle-aged man with one arm and a face weathered by hardship snorted.
He drained a swig of wine and said scornfully,
"A bunch of brats who don't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth. Do you know what things are like on the front lines in Qing Province?"
"Even first-rate experts—and even Martial Masters—can die there at any moment."
"With your sorry excuse for skills, you wouldn't even make a ripple before ending up as an unmarked corpse."
"You!"
The young saber-wielder was instantly enraged by the taunt.
"What? Don't like hearing it?"
The one-armed man pointed to his empty sleeve with his only remaining hand.
"I lost this arm in Qing Province."
"I saw with my own eyes a thousand-man unit wiped out in a single charge by the Qing Army's cavalry."
"I also saw our general stripped of his post and thrown in prison on the spot, accused of fighting poorly because he'd withheld the customary tribute to his superiors."
"Fame and fortune? Heh. That's reserved for the scions of noble families with connections."
"People like you go there, you're cannon fodder!"
His words poured over the young men like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing their enthusiasm.
They looked at one another, their excitement giving way to fear and confusion.
Lin Hanzhou's gaze narrowed slightly.
He hadn't expected Great Gan's army to be so corrupt. No wonder morale had collapsed.
No wonder Great Gan kept losing battle after battle along the border.
It seemed the roots of Great Gan had rotted through completely.
Just then, Lin Hanzhou's ear twitched. He caught another interesting piece of intelligence.
In a private room on the second floor of the Wind-Listening Pavilion, two men who looked like advisers were speaking in very low voices.
"Have you heard? The First Prince and Third Prince are at each other's throats again in the Capital, fighting over control of the Ministry of War."
"Good heavens... At a time like this, they still have the energy to fight among themselves?"
"If His Majesty the Gan Emperor won't intervene, I'm afraid... he really is at death's door."
"Who could deny it? I heard His Majesty's health gets worse by the day."
"Once His Majesty passes away, the whole Great Gan Dynasty may be in for a real shake-up."
"We'd better make plans early and choose our side before we get caught in the purge."
By then, Lin Hanzhou had formed a rough picture of the situation.
The Great Gan Dynasty was beset by internal and external troubles. The court was rotten, the princes were openly vying for power, and the empire was on the brink of collapse.
And as an outsider, what role could he play in the monstrous wave that was about to break?
Just as Lin Hanzhou was pondering this, a piece of news made his spirits lift.
In another corner of the main hall, a merchant-looking man was bragging to his companion.
"Brother, you have no idea. I've managed to get in with the Four Seas Trading Firm this time."
"Before long, their largest caravan will be setting out to return to the Capital."
"I paid a fortune for a place among the travelers. With them, the whole journey will be safe as houses."
"The Four Seas Trading Firm? The one they say is 'wealthy enough to buy an entire province'?"
"That's the one. They're supposedly carrying some important cargo back to the Capital, and their guards are top-notch."
"I heard they're hiring temporary guards at high prices right now. You have to be at least a first-rate martial artist."
"Tsk. Hiring first-rate martial artists just to guard the caravan. What a show of wealth."
Hearing their conversation, Lin Hanzhou's eyes lit up.
A trip to the Capital?
That was exactly what he wanted.
As the center of the realm, the Capital was undoubtedly where information gathered and opportunities abounded.
He now possessed the strength of a third-tier Qi Sea Realm expert. Only in the Capital could he secure the greatest gains for himself.
Joining this caravan was undoubtedly the best choice.
He could hitch a free ride, earn some money, and have a legitimate reason to travel.
He wasn't about to let an opportunity like that pass him by.
Having made up his mind, Lin Hanzhou didn't linger.
He left a few taels of silver, walked out of the Wind-Listening Pavilion, and headed straight for the Four Seas Trading Firm's branch in Qingzhou City.
There was no further fuss. Lin Hanzhou showed that he was a peak first-rate martial artist and successfully joined the caravan.
With his taciturn nature and impressive strength, he fit into the temporary group with ease.
Three days later, everything was ready.
A huge caravan of more than a hundred wagons and several hundred guards slowly rolled out of Qingzhou City in the morning mist.
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