Chapter 137: Sibling Squabbles, The Laughing Merchant of Ba Shan
The Wild Zen Forest bordered the Ba Mountains, nestled on their eastern side.
Shi Hao held an oil-paper umbrella, running through the forest, Du Yuejiao and Xu Xiaoyan each clinging to one of his arms.
The weather in this region was unpredictable. Moments ago, the sky had been clear, and now, a sudden downpour.
A thick mist enveloped the forest.
Seeing a dilapidated temple ahead, they quickly ran inside.
Shi Hao closed the umbrella, shaking off the water droplets, which splattered on the dusty ground.
“This weather is terrible!” Du Yuejiao scraped the mud from her embroidered shoes on the stone step. “I don’t understand why anyone would want to travel in the jianghu. Isn’t it better to stay home where it’s safe and comfortable?”
Xu Xiaoyan sneered, “If everyone could stay home comfortably, who would choose to wander around? People travel because they have to. You wouldn’t understand, being a pampered young miss.”
Du Yuejiao retorted, “And you, a thief, have the nerve to criticize others?”
Xu Xiaoyan chuckled, “At least I earn my own living, unlike some people who’ve never worked a day in their lives and still act superior. Someone like you, without your family and connections, would have been sold to a brothel long ago.”
Du Yuejiao’s face flushed with anger, and she gripped her sword.
Xu Xiaoyan, unafraid, also grabbed her disguised sword.
“Stop it, both of you!” Shi Hao stepped between them.
Du Yuejiao glared at him, “Whose side are you on, Brother Shi?”
Xu Xiaoyan peeked out from behind Shi Hao, giggling, “He’s not on your side!”
Du Yuejiao’s hand tightened on her sword hilt, as if considering attacking Shi Hao as well.
Shi Hao said quickly, “Stop it! Someone’s coming!”
Du Yuejiao and Xu Xiaoyan looked towards the entrance. The sound of running footsteps approached.
Four figures, drenched in the rain, rushed into the temple, their expressions wary upon seeing the trio.
Confusion quickly followed their initial apprehension as they tried to make sense of the scene.
The four newcomers were a boy of about twelve, two men dressed as hunters, and a middle-aged man.
They all looked exhausted and disheveled. One of the hunters, who had been carrying the boy, put him down and protectively stood before him.
The scene within the temple, however, was puzzling.
They saw two young women, one holding a sword, the other gripping a wooden stick-like object. Their clothing contrasted sharply, one in elegant silk, the other in simple cotton.
Between them stood a young Daoist priest in a blue robe embroidered with cranes, a topknot on his head, his expression one of exasperation.
“Stop fighting,” the young man said.
The girl in silk snorted and sheathed her half-drawn sword.
The young man smiled at the newcomers, “Just a little… sibling squabble. Please excuse us. The rain is heavy. Feel free to take shelter. We’re just passing through.”
Du Yuejiao and Xu Xiaoyan glared at him.
The middle-aged man, looking at him intently, suddenly asked, “Are you the young master of Small Han Mountain City?”
Shi Hao, surprised to be recognized, looked at the man. He was slightly plump, with a round face and an average build. He seemed familiar, yet also… not.
The man smiled awkwardly, “You’ve forgotten me already, Young Master? It’s only been six months.”
His smile jogged Shi Hao’s memory, and he smiled, “Mr. Wu, the ‘Laughing Merchant’! It’s good to see you.”
The man’s name was Wu Yincai, nicknamed the “Laughing Merchant.” He handled external trade for Heshou Village, one of the Nine Villages of Ba Shan.
Shu brocade was a famous product of the Ba Shu region, and Small Han Mountain City’s silk was also well-known.
Within West Shu Province, Small Han Mountain City primarily traded with the Yuan Rong Merchant Guild, but their external trade was handled through other intermediaries, one of which was Heshou Village.
Wu Yincai had frequently visited Small Han Mountain City for silk, so he naturally recognized Shi Hao. However, true to his nickname, he was always jovial and smiling. His current worried expression had thrown Shi Hao off.
The two hunters also relaxed, recognizing him.
Du Yuejiao, seeing that he knew Shi Hao, calmed down, although she still seemed sullen as she turned away to watch the rain.
Shi Hao chatted with Wu Yincai for a few moments, then glanced at the boy and asked in a low voice, “Mr. Wu, this child is…?”
Wu Yincai sighed, “To be honest, Young Master, this is our young master. We’re taking him to Dàxīng City, to his uncle’s place, to… stay safe.”
Shi Hao asked, surprised, “What happened?”
Wu Yincai’s face was etched with worry, “Have you heard of the Hanyang Gang, Young Master?”
Shi Hao hesitated.
Xu Xiaoyan, however, spoke up, “The Hanyang Gang mainly operates around the headwaters of the Hanyang River’s southern tributaries, the Jade Belt River area in the Ba Mountains. Their leader, Zhao Youji, is a sixth-rank expert, and most of their elite are seventh and eighth-rank. They control the region, but they’re not a major force, just local bullies.”
Wu Yincai said with a wry smile, “That’s old news. The Hanyang Gang has a new leader now, a man named Huang Facai. He looks ordinary, his background is a mystery, but he’s a fifth-rank expert.”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “Huang Facai? That doesn’t sound like a real name. Fifth-rank experts usually have some reputation, unless they’re from a secretive sect like the demonic sects. He can’t have just appeared out of nowhere…”
Wu Yincai shook his head, “I don’t know if he’s from a demonic sect. I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never actually met one…”
Xu Xiaoyan chuckled, “The demonic sects are secretive. Even if you met one, they wouldn’t tell you. Of course, you haven’t ‘met’ one.” She thought to herself, He has no idea he’s talking to the Young Master of the Evil Lotus Sect.
Wu Yincai continued, “I don’t know if Huang Facai is a demonic cultivator, but he’s incredibly powerful. After he took over, the Hanyang Gang expanded rapidly, absorbing many smaller gangs along the upper Hanyang River, including the Changxi Sect, a well-known martial arts family that also controlled the river trade.
“Unwilling to be absorbed, the Changxi Sect invited a senior elder, who was cultivating in the Qinling Mountains, to challenge him. He was also a fifth-rank expert, very powerful, but Huang Facai defeated him in just ten moves.
“I heard that after he was carried back, his body turned black, as if poisoned. Even those who carried him died within three days. But there were no external injuries, only a palm print on his chest from Huang Facai.
“Some say Huang Facai practices the Poison Sand Palm…”
Xu Xiaoyan said suddenly, “That’s impossible. The Poison Sand Palm’s energy isn’t poisonous. It’s the user’s palms, coated in poison, that deliver the poison. It might be effective against lower-rank martial artists, but it’s not very useful against mid-rank experts. And the poison spreading to those who carried him… that’s not something the Poison Sand Palm can do. It must be a different kind of poison.”
Wu Yincai shook his head, “I don’t know the details. I practice a little martial arts myself, but I’m just a beginner. I’ve heard there aren’t many poisonous palm techniques, and the Poison Sand Palm is the most famous. Since Huang Facai claimed to practice it, everyone assumed that was the case.”
Shi Hao and Xu Xiaoyan exchanged glances.
Wu Yincai continued, “The Hanyang Gang’s expansion is relentless. Having conquered the upper Hanyang River region, they’re now inviting the Nine Villages of Ba Shan to form a ‘Hanyang River Alliance,’ clearly intending to absorb us as well. Our village leader, worried about our safety, sent us to escort the young master away before confronting them.”
Shi Hao pondered for a moment, then looked at Wu Yincai and said, “If you don’t mind some unsolicited advice…”
Wu Yincai said, “I’ve heard you’re a wise and insightful young man, Young Master. Please speak freely.”
Shi Hao said, “The world is in chaos. Although the Ba Shu region has remained relatively peaceful due to its remote location, when the nest is overturned, no egg is left unbroken. No village or city is truly safe in these times. Uniting with others is a natural response.”
“The Hanyang Gang controls the upper reaches of the Hanyang River, which is your main trade route. Why fight them? Joining their alliance might be a better option.”
Wu Yincai smiled wryly, “We’ve considered that, Young Master.”
Shi Hao nodded, “Then there must be something about the Hanyang Gang that concerns you.”
Wu Yincai said, “Indeed. They’re ruthless and brutal. Anyone who resists them… their entire family is often slaughtered overnight. The Chao Zhou Trading Company’s Li family, who mainly deal in river trade, had a conflict with them.
“In the past, their disputes were just business rivalries. But after the new leader took over, the Li family, for refusing to join them, was massacred, nineteen lives taken, not a single one spared.”
Shi Hao said, “Using such brutal methods in a simple business dispute… no wonder you’re so afraid.”
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