Having Money Was Great

In a luxurious mansion's study in Lantian City, an imposing old man set down the book in his hands.

"The Jade Mountain tax station was raided?" he asked calmly.

The middle-aged man standing before him, bent at the waist and drenched in sweat, murmured assent. He dared not say another word.

"And the rendezvous point was raided too?"

"Yes."

The old man frowned. "Who did it?"

"We're... still investigating..."

The old man picked up his book again. "Stop investigating. We don't have people to waste on that. Put them to work finding He Taiping, the King of Nine Mountains. Compared with that, what does one little tax station matter?"

Delight flashed across the middle-aged man's face, and his voice grew more spirited. "Yes, sir!"

"You've been with me for so many years. Can't you learn to be steadier?" The old man sighed. "How can I feel safe handing the Jade-Pearl Tower over to you when you're so rash?"

The middle-aged man's face fell. "Tower Master, I... I'm really not cut out for it!"

The old man frowned and swept his sleeve. The middle-aged man went tumbling away like a rolling gourd, rolling so far he lost track of the distance. Gulu, Gulu, Gulu, he rolled on and on.

"You good-for-nothing! I'm asking you to take over from me, not die for me! Could you embarrass yourself any more?"

He sighed and muttered to himself, "Where on earth has He Taiping run off to? And what secrets lie behind that bamboo scroll? Ah! It happened on the southern slopes of Ghost Gate Mountain, within the Jade-Pearl Tower's sphere of influence, strictly speaking. Yet after all my years holding Lantian City, I missed such an opportunity. What a pity!"

Because of the King of Nine Mountains, Pan Long and Han Feng escaped a great deal of trouble without ever knowing it.

By then, they were already on the road south.

When Di Jiazi had fought to claim the realm, he had been passionate about building roads. "Wherever the army goes, a road follows," he had proclaimed. After unifying the Nine Provinces and becoming emperor, he mobilized people across the land for massive infrastructure projects: transportation, waterworks, mining... In transportation, the most important projects were the Grand Canal linking the eastern regions and Nine Provinces Avenue linking the major cities.

Nine Provinces Avenue had been built by widening and reinforcing the old official roads. Its names had been reorganized too, all in good order. Yong-Yi Road, which they were traveling now, connected Yong Province and Yi Province. Each stretch was named for the cities at its two ends.

"Why can't we see a soul on the road from Lantian City to Jade Spring City?" Han Feng asked, bored. "I thought we'd at least run into a merchant caravan and hitch a ride."

"Who travels at this time of year?" Pan Long said with a laugh. "It already snowed a couple of days ago, and the wind and snow will only get worse. This isn't weather for going out."

"People still have to eat."

"You have to be alive to eat. The dead don't need a thing."

"They don't try at all! We Northerners go hunting even when water freezes the instant it drips!"

"Don't compare ordinary merchants with us. Those old scholars at the Dingfeng Town school shut themselves indoors every winter too."

"They're frail scholars. Are those merchants frail as well?"

"If it came to a fight, each of those old scholars could probably take on five or six merchants from the Central Plains."

"Tch! A bunch of weaklings!"

They walked and talked, lending a little life to the deserted avenue.

But that night was anything but comfortable.

They had left their tent and everything else behind at Jade Mountain. To avoid being traced, they had not dared return to Lantian City, so they had set out light, carrying only indispensable necessities in their packs.

That meant that when they camped at night, all they could do was put together a crude shelter from branches and dry grass, spread some grass on the ground, and light a fire for what warmth it offered.

On wilderness-survival shows, the hosts often got through winter after winter in frozen regions this way. In reality, it was extremely difficult. In open country like this, the night could grow cold enough that a cup of water left outside would freeze in moments. A campfire alone could not keep anyone warm enough.

Although Pan Long and Han Feng had plenty of dry rations, they nearly froze that night.

It was so cold that sleep was out of the question. They even had to get up and move around often to keep warm and stop their bodies from going stiff with cold.

After barely enduring the night, they saw a hint of white in the eastern sky and eagerly put out the fire, packed their things, and set off again.

"When we reach the next town, I'm buying a carriage!" Han Feng said bitterly. "I'll fill it with everything—food, drink, clothes, supplies. Then we can travel the whole world without a worry!"

Pan Long pictured a Warrior nestled among a heap of sofa cushions and could not help laughing.

"Brother Long, why are you laughing? I'm serious!"

"I just think that when the time comes, you might complain that there's too much stuff and it's weighing us down."

"Why would I? The more stuff we have, the more convenient it'll be!"

"But while we're roaming the martial world, there are bound to be times like this one, when we have to abandon all our gear and travel light."

Han Feng froze. After a moment, his face fell.

He looked like a dog whose owner had taken away the slipper it was chewing.

Neither was in good spirits after a sleepless night. Fortunately, after half a day's walk, they finally spotted a village around noon.

It was small, with only thirty to fifty households, but that was more than enough for them.

They went straight to the largest house in the village. Sure enough, when they asked, they learned it was the relay station.

Years ago, Di Jiazi had established the relay-station system across the Nine Provinces. Besides selling food and lodging to travelers, the stations delivered letters and reported emergencies.

The chief manager of a station was usually the village chief, while the deputy was generally a retired veteran. Together, they had both standing and strength, ensuring that the stations could serve as the farthest reach of the Imperial Court's rule into the countryside.

But as times changed, the old relay-station system was gradually falling apart. Nearly all the land suitable for cultivation had already been cleared, and retired veterans could only support themselves on what they earned from the stations. Tensions between them and the more comfortable village chiefs kept mounting. Disputes and clashes broke out frequently at many stations, and killings were far from rare.

Worse still, some stations had even become dens for robbing travelers.

The Great Xia dynasty had no answer to this. The court and its high officials were willing only to spout empty words or offer policies that looked generous but never amounted to anything. They would not take so much as a tael of silver from their own pockets.

If the powerful figures who possessed the wealth of the Nine Provinces refused to give up any profit, how could life improve for those at the bottom?

Before Pan Long and Han Feng left home, their elders had warned them to be careful on the road, especially at relay stations and inns in the countryside or wilderness. They had to be extremely cautious about what they ate and drank. Best to buy provisions only in towns; outside them, hot water and dry rations would do.

Having just encountered bandits, they were hardly going to let their elders' advice go in one ear and out the other. So although the old soldier at the station repeatedly urged them to have some warm Wine, they asked only for hot water and ate their dry rations with it, touching nothing else.

The poisons and sleeping drugs commonly found in the martial world all had a taste. Put one in hot water and it would be discovered at once. Only strong liquor or prepared food could mask it.

As for the finest drugs, colorless and tasteless—those were a concern for famous masters and wealthy merchants. Why would anyone use such costly wares, worth more than Jin, on the two of them?

They rested that afternoon and through the night, then rose early, paid for their lodging, bought two thick blankets, and set off.

Once they were out of sight, the old soldier at the station sighed. "Young people these days are sharper than the last. Who knows how much longer I can keep this business going?"

The attendant beside him laughed. "Two or three customers a year are enough."

"True. Safety first. A careful hand sails a ship for ten thousand years!"

With the two thick blankets, Pan Long and Han Feng traveled much more comfortably. Several days later, they finally reached another settlement: Golden Spring Town.

Golden Spring Town was under the jurisdiction of Jade Spring City. It was hardly bustling, but it had everything they needed.

Including a carriage dealer.

"Boss! I want to buy a carriage!" As soon as they had eaten, Han Feng dragged Pan Long to the dealer's. Before he even stepped through the door, he shouted, "The biggest one you've got!"

The owner was a thin, dark-skinned middle-aged man. At that, he smiled.

"We have an excellent carriage here," he said. "A wealthy merchant left it behind years ago. I'm sure it'll suit you."

A moment later, they saw it.

The carriage's outer walls had been coated with dark mud-gray paint, hiding every embellishment. All the decorations along its edges had been removed as well. It had plainly been made to look inconspicuous.

"Ironwood body, sturdy enough to withstand crossbow fire at close range. There's also a thick layer of tree gum between the cabin and the chassis to absorb bumps on the road. Even without cushions, the ride won't rattle your bones," the owner explained. "You can put a stove in the middle of the cabin, enough to keep warm at night and heat up some food. Add cushions, blankets, quilts, and bedding... I can say with complete confidence that this isn't just a carriage. It's a little house on wheels. Whatever you'd find in an ordinary house, you can have in here. And it's far more comfortable than an ordinary little house!"

Han Feng looked unconvinced. "Keep boasting."

The owner did not argue. He merely smiled and invited Han Feng inside for a ride around Golden Spring Town.

Han Feng changed his mind.

"This carriage is incredible! I'm buying it!" he said gleefully.

Pan Long discussed the price with the owner and got a shock.

The carriage was expensive: the owner wanted a staggering six hundred taels of fine silver!

After much pleading and bargaining, Pan Long finally got the price down and bought it for five hundred taels. When he paid, he thought his hands were trembling.

The carriage cost as much as a convertible sports car in his previous life!

Two ordinary horses for riding and hauling, by contrast, would not have cost fifty taels combined...

Fortunately, Pan Long and Han Feng had money. A few days earlier, the "helpful" bandits had given them a generous contribution, bringing them a windfall.

They would even have some left after buying the carriage!

Paying had hurt, but once they were seated inside and the hired driver the owner had thrown in—with two years left on his contract—drove them away, they felt how comfortable it was. They had to admit it was worth the money.

"It's great having money!" Han Feng said.

Pan Long sighed. If they did not find a few more helpful bandits soon, he thought, they might go broke before long...

(The End)