Chapter Sixty-Four: Setting Out for Coastal City

The sun was already high in the sky when Qin Zhen stretched lazily and stepped out of the house, his legs feeling somewhat light and unsteady. In the prime of his youth, he encountered someone equally fierce.

From a distance, he saw Li Han organizing the villagers to load goods onto carts—silk, cloth, and all sorts of neatly packed garments.

"Have you eaten?" Li Han asked, clutching a bowl of rice as he tidied up.

Anyone who’s endured hunger knows its bitterness. Although life had improved in the small fishing village, the customary greeting remained, "Have you eaten?"

"I have," Qin Zhen replied, licking his lips.

Watching the carts slowly fill with cargo, his heart stirred with excitement. Today, he would personally lead the villagers to a real city, to broaden their horizons.

"This journey is long. I’ll bring some men and go with you," Chen Shu approached, his tone serious.

The fishing village was over three hundred li from Coastal City, a trek of three or four days through mountainous terrain infested with bandits. With Qin Zhen carrying goods, Chen Shu felt uneasy if he didn't send people along.

"What about the village if you leave?" Qin Zhen hesitated. "I’ve already contacted Chief Chen—he’ll bring men to travel with us. Nothing will go wrong."

"Can outsiders compare to our villagers?" Chen Shu shook his head. "Besides, I’m not taking everyone—the village guard has one hundred and fifty men, but I’ll only bring twenty. The rest are left with Xu Xiang to defend the village—it won't be a problem!"

Qin Zhen had originally not intended to mobilize the guard. But seeing Chen Shu’s firm resolve, he relented. Truth be told, the journey was indeed long and treacherous, passing through many mountains. Though Chief Chen promised he could handle any trouble, having Chen Shu along was a greater assurance.

At first, Qin Zhen had wanted to wait for Lin San. Yet as the goods accumulated and relying solely on Lin San’s route proved unsustainable, after days of discussion and the village’s growing strength, Qin Zhen finally resolved to seek new outlets himself.

Since this was his first venture, he didn’t bring fish, only cloth that could be preserved. The cargo was modest—just a dozen or so carts, some loaded with fresh water and provisions for the road.

Once everything was packed, under the villagers’ expectant gazes, Qin Zhen waved his hand and set off with the team.

Shanhai had clamored to go, but Qin Zhen kept him behind.

With the fishing fleet largely inactive by Qin Zhen’s arrangement, he took along over twenty fishermen and the villagers hauling goods, forming a small squad of several dozen.

It looked quite impressive.

Since they were all here, Qin Zhen let Chen Shu fill the ranks entirely.

Twenty elite village guards, each armed with a repeating crossbow and a Japanese sword, clad in bamboo armor—such equipment outshone most local constables! Should they encounter mountain bandits, they’d never flinch. Not to mention the twenty burly fishermen and the able-bodied villagers from the fishing village.

These villagers had all fought in the defense, facing pirates head-on—they were a tough lot! If trouble arose, they could instantly muster fighting strength.

This was why Qin Zhen hadn’t planned to bring Chen Shu’s men at first—he felt it unnecessary.

With such numbers at his command, Qin Zhen chose not to take the small trails, but the main road—almost as if seeking trouble on purpose.

"I heard from the surrounding villagers that this road has many watching eyes. We're flaunting goods like this—why haven't any bandits shown up?" Li Han complained, his excitement dampened.

He trained daily with the guard—mountain runs, ironman drills—he was itching for a real fight!

But the bandits weren’t obliging.

"Twenty blades flashing in the sun, you think the bandits are blind?" Qin Zhen retorted. "With our gear, who’d be foolish enough to rob us? Put your weapons away, tuck your armor under your clothes! We’re law-abiding folk—what do you look like?"

Grumbling all the way, they reached the county town by nightfall.

Liu Quan was already waiting at the gate. After inquiring about the fish shop's business and the city’s changes, Qin Zhen let everyone rest overnight at Chen Li’s.

At dawn, they pressed on toward Coastal City.

Chief Chen, a bright red flower pinned to his chest, rode a donkey with pride. He was to accompany Qin Zhen on this trip.

"Thanks to you, brother, I’ve been promoted."

Only then did Qin Zhen learn from Chief Chen what the so-called Golden Sands Beach Victory really was!

A small skirmish of several hundred, through layers of exaggeration and official collusion, had been blown up into a nationwide sensation—the Golden Sands Beach Victory! The humble defense of the fishing village was transformed into a grand battle where over a hundred thousand pirates were slain!

Brutal!

Utterly ruthless!

The court of the Great Shang was full of fierce people.

"Then you must be made a marquis or minister!" Li Han exclaimed in shock.

"Ha! That’s for the bigwigs. We just get a minor post as city guards," Chief Chen replied, spitting bits of pear as he spoke. "His Majesty has rewarded Jiangnan generously—the local nobles are queuing for their honors! We humble folk with no power, no background—if we get a taste of the soup, we should burn incense in thanks!"

"The city guard title for Coastal City was begged for by the county magistrate!"

Hearing this, Qin Zhen gained a deeper understanding of the corruption and darkness within the Great Shang’s bureaucracy.

"What about the county magistrate?" Qin Zhen asked. "Surely he didn’t walk away empty-handed?"

"Oh, he got his share," Chief Chen said, evasively. "But you know, in the Great Shang, positions above the ninth rank are all strictly allocated—no one above shifts, so who would dare move below?"

"So when will things change?" Li Han shouted.

Chief Chen looked at him, meaningfully. "That’s not for us to worry about."

Qin Zhen pondered Chief Chen’s words.

Meanwhile, in the woods—

Wang Yuan waited with his men from Wang’s Village, hoping to ambush their prey.

"Wang, I’ve heard that Qin Zhen is very close with Chief Chen from the county. If we really rob him and he reports us, what will we do?" a young villager asked nervously.

Many had calmed down, weighing the risks and benefits.

"We’ll cover our faces—how will he know who we are?" Wang Yuan said, pulling a rag over his face. "After we rob them, we’ll hide in the mountain valleys—so many peaks nearby, who could find us?"

Seeing the others still hesitate, Wang Yuan spoke in a low voice.

"I’ve asked around—Qin Zhen is leading the convoy himself, carrying silk! That’s worth far more than fish! If we pull off this job, sell it in Coastal City, we’ll be rich! Who wants to slave away for Qin Zhen anymore?"

"And besides, Qin Zhen still owes us wages! We’re just taking what’s ours—if we’re caught, I have an argument ready!"

Like a pyramid scheme leader, he whipped the group into a frenzy.

"No man grows rich without windfalls! Fortune favors the bold!"