Swinging an Oar in Midstream

"H-how much?"

"Five hundred coins!"

"What money?"

"The ferry fare, the toll! Did you think crossing the river was free? And the money for your grain-why should we give you grain for nothing?!"

"Wasn't that from the gov... but we don't have any money!"

"No money? Then what are you crossing the river for? What are you going to Southern Xu Province for?!" As he spoke, the soldier in simple leather armor drew his saber and waved it over the river. "If you have no money, jump in yourselves!"

In the setting sun, the blade flashed wildly, and the boat instantly fell silent as a flock of hushed crows. Everyone knew perfectly well: government soldiers were robbing them!

And that was not all. Though evening had already fallen and the dim, muddled light on the river made it difficult to see clearly, loud splashes really did sound around boats that had stopped in the distance. People on those larger boats had likely been thrown into the Huai River to make an example of them.

Under such circumstances, who dared make another sound?

"Old bastard, hand over your money!" The soldier swept his gaze over the passengers, picked his target, then passed several people, including Liu Cheng, to reach the middle of the boat. He fixed his eyes on Grandpa Liu San, the man who had explained Liu Rengong's situation to Liu Cheng earlier.

One had to admit that the fellow had an eye for this. Grandpa Liu San was their group leader, a distant clansman of Liu Rengong sent out to manage these people. Whether in actual wealth or clothing, he stood out above everyone else here.

"I don't have five hundred coins..." Grandpa Liu San trembled, though he was already reaching into his robe.

But whether to make a show of force or for some other reason, the soldier still raised his saber hand and struck the old man in the mouth with the hilt. That single blow left Third Grandpa Liu's mouth full of blood and rendered him unable to speak. Whether he had lost any teeth was unclear. Seizing the moment, the soldier thrust his other hand into the old man's robe and all but snatched a small pouch straight out of his hands.

His movements were as practiced as an everyday meal.

Watching this, Liu Acheng could not help feeling a jolt of alarm despite having prepared himself. Then came a sense of absurdity utterly out of place at such a moment-Was this man a soldier or a bandit?

The imperial armies of Great Jin, especially those on northern expeditions, did have a glorious historical tradition of moonlighting as robbers. Even a national hero like Zu Ti had done it, but surely this was far too practiced?

Having seized the purse, the soldier-bandit tucked his saber hilt under his arm and eagerly opened it to look inside. He was plainly dissatisfied.

Taking advantage of the moment, Liu Acheng could not resist looking at the two boatmen at the bow and stern again. Seeing them merely lay their oars crosswise at their feet and fold their arms to watch coldly, he knew they would not receive any share of this money. Something stirred in his mind... but only stirred. Just as he had gripped that bag of stones from the start, he merely held it without actually making a move.

After all, he had no combat experience or experience on the water, his body was only that of a youth, and he had no weapon such as a crossbow or dagger that could kill with one strike. Violence was his very last option.

In fact, as far as he was concerned, losing money to avert disaster was acceptable.

That was simply how the world worked. These refugees from the Huai River region, on the other hand, had endured the earlier unrest yet still believed Liu Zhi, their refugee commander, could protect the belongings they carried. Though he could hardly condemn them as naive, he could only sigh.

The robbery continued.

Things changed somewhat when the soldier reached the next man. Though also surnamed Liu, he was merely a destitute fellow like Liu Acheng. He stood up and stripped himself stark naked right there on the boat. He had only two garments and a bag of grain anyway, so he stripped quickly and tossed them aside just as briskly. Then he spread his hands and said nothing.

Even the soldier was left at a loss. He merely spat toward the man's crotch and moved past him, leaving the pauper to dress and retrieve his grain bag behind him.

The rest of the robbery went smoothly. By the time he reached the stern, all three passengers with money among the six or seven aboard had handed it over. Even a bundle of clothes had not escaped.

Yet the soldier acted as though this outcome were some tremendous injustice. First, as if venting his anger, he picked up the group's earthenware cooking pot and hurled it into the river. Then he pointed toward the large and small boats in the distance and complained, "All they ever do is shut me out! They bully me because I don't share the Banner Chief's surname. I get the worst of everything! They gave me this tiny boat, and then I had to run into you stupid bastards... once I turn this stuff in, I won't get to keep the money, and I'll get beaten too!"

Once he began complaining of his grievances, most people aboard actually relaxed. These were only worldly possessions, after all. Only Grandpa Liu San, slumped to one side with a hand over his mouth, had suffered any real injury. As long as they crossed safely, that was enough. Besides, the soldier showed no intention of taking back the grain they had been issued.

But Liu Acheng still did not relax. The soldier had begun searching from the middle of the boat in order to rob Grandpa Liu San, so those at the bow had not yet been robbed. And Liu Acheng was not worried about himself. Poor as he was, at worst he could strip naked too. The one he truly worried about was Brother Qi beside him.

Brother Qi was no penniless pauper. He had brought a sheep, and now he was trembling as he held it in his arms, his face flushed red. Things would probably still go wrong.

Sure enough, the soldier turned back. He paid no attention to the youthful Liu Cheng or to another refugee who voluntarily offered two garments. Instead, he headed straight for the sheep and, without a word, tried to drag it away.

To his surprise, it would not budge.

The soldier-bandit flew into a rage and delivered another practiced jab to the mouth with his saber hilt. Then he pulled again, but still could not wrench it free.

He was about to curse when he saw the man lower his head recklessly over the sheep, burying his entire face in its wool. Utterly enraged, the soldier gripped the hilt and repeatedly smashed it into the side of the man's face. A patch of wool turned red, and the sheep bleated in pain as well.

Everyone around them stared, dumbstruck.

Seeing matters take a dangerous turn, Liu Cheng hurriedly stood to plead with him. "Brother Qi, it isn't worth it! It's only a sheep. Just give it to him!"

The soldier was probably tired of beating him too. He took a breath, stopped, and cursed. "You wretched pauper, do you really want to die? Do you think those splashes over there aren't people falling into the river? I'm kindhearted and don't like killing people to make an example, and now you're taking advantage of me?!"

The refugee surnamed Qi raised his head, his face and scalp covered in blood, one side of his face swollen. Yet he only dared turn sideways to look at the young companion he usually got along with. As soon as he spoke, tears spilled down mingled with blood. "Acheng, you don't understand. I'm the only one left in the Qi family. Before we left, my father told me I had to keep this sheep to get a wife. I mustn't lose it! If I lose the sheep, our family line will end!"

His words were confused-his father had spoken, yet he was the only one left-but their ultimate meaning was clear: whatever happened, he could not lose this sheep.

Hearing this, Liu Cheng knew there was truly no persuading him. Instead, he made up his mind and hurried to stop the soldier. "Sir, from your accent, you're from the Huai River region too. We're all fellow countrymen. Why take offense at a fool like him? Spare him!"

As he spoke, he reached out to press down on the arm holding the saber reversed.

The soldier had been listening to his opening words, but once the youth beside him touched his arm, he grew even angrier. With a wrench of his arm, he flung the boy down at the bow, his voice and expression fierce. "Where did a little stray dog like you crawl out from? You dare touch me? Who's your fellow countryman?!"

Having taught him a lesson, he saw the boy lying facedown and motionless at the bow, then turned again and brandished his naked blade at the few men who had risen at the stern. "Do you want to live or die?! Sit down for your grandpa!"

At those words, the men who had stood could only slowly sit back down.

The soldier breathed a sigh of relief and was about to turn back to seize the sheep. Unexpectedly, accompanied by a bleat, a tremendous crack sounded beside his ear before he could turn, followed by intense pain spreading through the back of his head. His momentum carried him around, and he saw the youth who had just tried to persuade him holding a large oar and swinging it hard toward his face. He had neither the time nor the ability to dodge. Another blow landed squarely on his head, sending stars before his eyes, while something warm spilled from somewhere.

Immediately afterward, his ears rang incessantly, and a powerful wave of nausea surged through his chest. He tried to raise his hand and saber, only to find all four limbs going weak. He collapsed into a sitting position on the spot, his saber tumbling to his feet.

Even that was not the end. Though his body had gone limp, the oar kept coming, smashing into his forehead another seven or eight times.

In truth, there was no need for so many blows. Just another two or three had left him utterly unconscious.

Yes, Liu Cheng had taken the risk and succeeded in a surprise attack. In the end, he had not dared use the bag filled with stones. He neither knew how much damage it could do nor trusted himself to strike accurately. The oar, by contrast, had caught his attention as soon as he boarded, which was why he had deliberately sat at the bow. Once he realized the two boatmen were not in league with the soldier-bandit, he had settled on this plan... only he himself had never expected Brother Qi to make such a scene over a sheep and force him to act.

What else could he do?

Actually gamble on this soldier-bandit's conscience?

"Brother Qi." On the boat, now utterly silent for the second time, Liu Cheng panted with exhaustion after accomplishing his feat of swinging an oar in midstream. He pressed the oar against the man's neck as he spoke. "Get his saber! Throw him into the river! They chose sunset to rob us, and that works in our favor. If the boats in the distance haven't noticed by now, they won't notice later! Throw him over, and let's hurry away!"

Brother Qi held his sheep and looked at Liu Cheng right beside him, visibly shrinking back... whether he feared the fallen soldier-bandit or this youth whom he had looked after over the past few days was unclear. Perhaps he was simply stunned.

He did not move, but someone else naturally did. The companion who had stripped naked earlier stepped forward without a word and took the saber. Yet he still hesitated before the soldier-bandit lying aboard. Clearly, he understood that if they threw the man overboard, his life really would be finished.

Seeing this, Liu Cheng had no choice but to turn and warn the boatmen first. "As I just said, if the distant boats haven't noticed now, then they really haven't noticed. If you shout now, we'll have no choice but to fight for our lives and kill you. If you report us after we leave and those soldiers find out, they won't know who we are or where to look for us. You'll still be the ones who suffer! Take my advice. Get this boat moving now and let it drift farther downstream. Once we land, come back yourselves and pick up another group. That way, you can cover this up."

After speaking, he dropped the oar and walked over to throw the soldier-bandit off himself, but he had little strength left and could not move him at all. Fortunately, the companion from earlier stopped hesitating and came forward to help. Together they rolled the fellow across the boat and dumped him into the Huai River.

With a tremendous splash that echoed the cries and splashes in the distance, water sprayed aboard and soaked everyone. Yet no one spoke again. The boat slowly began moving and, sure enough, headed downstream.

Along the way, a breeze rose over the river in the lingering glow of sunset. His companions aboard, along with the two boatmen, kept stealing glances at the youth.

Little did they know that beneath his calm exterior, Liu Acheng's heart was now pounding wildly. Even his hands and feet had gone weak, for he had realized that he had killed someone. However one reckoned it, this life had to be laid at his door.

He also realized what had happened-to put it plainly, he had harbored the intent to kill from the very beginning. From the moment he learned this was the era of Eastern Jin and the Sixteen Kingdoms, he had decided such things were unavoidable. Deep down, he had been terrified all along. His supposed confidence and cheerfulness were merely a painted skin he wore to protect himself.

In a sense, he had been waiting for this very thing with his defenses fully arrayed.

So when the robbery reached a dead end, it was as though he had rehearsed it in his mind. With a decisiveness he himself could scarcely understand, even an eagerness, Liu Acheng had struck back at that soldier-bandit.

Of course, by the time the boat reached the bank and he stood up, he had already regained his composure.

After all, how did that saying go? Having transmigrated into Eastern Jin and the Sixteen Kingdoms, did he expect to spend his entire life without killing anyone? And since he had already killed someone, what was the point of dwelling on it?

"Third Grandpa, did we forget to strip that bastard's clothes?" In the last trace of light, the group walked silently onward, planning to circle around to the main road ahead and then head upstream to rejoin the others. After they had walked half a li, almost at the very instant the sun set, Liu Acheng remembered something else and earnestly questioned Grandpa Liu San behind him.

Grandpa Liu San said nothing. He merely held his mouth.

----------I am a dividing line that only knows how to hold its mouth----------

...His childhood name was Tiger Cub. In his youth he possessed neither virtue nor restraint, and was a vicious young ruffian of the Huai River region, killing as a matter of course. At the time, north and south were convulsed by turmoil, yet bandits dared not trespass upon his home.—New Book of Qi, Biographies, Volume Three

PS: My deepest thanks to patrons Flash of Holy Light, Little Mou Who Will Lose, Carpenter Gao, and Deposed Phoenix? for becoming alliance leaders, and to the hundred-plus other brothers and sisters for their tips. I am endlessly grateful.

There will be another chapter tonight.