The docks in the evening were the busiest time of day.

Whether the Grand Tutor and Empress quarreled, officials were arrested, or even the war with Xi Liang—none of it could make the people here stop their livelihoods.

In fact, it made them even busier.

For instance, when officials were convicted and their family properties were sold to pay fines, merchants gathered at the docks, picking through the confiscated properties and dispatching them to various places.

For instance, the Xi Liang war created shortages of goods in the northwest, making the trade routes even more hectic.

Having finally finished unloading a shipment, several people squatting at the bow to cool off saw a short, stout man still wearing a hat and wrapped in a scarf despite the summer heat hurrying toward them. They immediately stood up and called out: “Old Yu, Old Yu—” “Old Yu, what good things are you hiding this time?”

Yu Shang walked over with a chuckle, his hand sweeping up as a jug of wine was caught by these people.

“You fellows have sharp eyes. This is a bottle of fine wine I just obtained,” he said.

The men examined the wine bottle in their hands. It didn’t look particularly special. “Old Yu, did someone con you?” “If it’s really this good, would you be willing to share it with us?”

Yu Shang paid no mind to everyone’s teasing and said cheerfully: “This is immortal’s brew.” “I, Yu Bo, am generous with everything—the better something is, the more people I want to share it with.” He gestured to everyone: “Quickly, try it.”

Teasing aside, everyone was quite familiar with Yu Shang’s character and temperament. Several people opened the wine bottle, and one person tasted it first, immediately letting out sounds of praise. The others quickly grabbed it away, and the sounds of praise attracted people from all around.

Those men didn’t hoard it either, bringing out wine bowls and cups: “Come quickly and taste the immortal’s brew Old Yu brought back.”

For a moment, the dock became extremely noisy.

In that moment, everyone got to know Old Yu.

Yu Shang was indeed very popular. Although he wasn’t a wealthy merchant or tycoon, he was diligent, honest, and upright, maintaining good relationships with everyone at the dock.

At this moment, even the laborers loading and unloading cargo surrounded him.

“Boss Yu, are you going out again?” someone asked.

Yu Shang nodded: “I’ve rested for quite a while. It’s time to go out and earn money.”

A familiar merchant asked: “Still going to Yunzhong Commandery?”

Yu Shang nodded with a smile.

“You can do business anywhere—why do you always run so far?” someone shook their head. “It’s so far and remote, and now it’s not even safe.”

Yu Shang smiled: “Business can be done anywhere, and although it’s far, remote, and dangerous, that’s my home, Old Yu’s home. Being able to earn money while visiting home—it’s truly the best business in the world.”

As he spoke, he looked at the horses and carts on the dock, spotted his own, and quickly called out as he hurried over.

Some unfamiliar people asked curiously: “Is Old Yu from Yunzhong Commandery?”

“Yes, he left there as a youth and established himself in the capital, with a wife and children, but he’s never given up the business in Yunzhong Commandery,” familiar people sighed.

“Why bother?” young people didn’t understand. “The money earned gets consumed by travel expenses—big business becomes small business.”

But older people understood well: “Money can never all be earned, but one’s homeland is hard to leave. The older you get, the more you miss your ancestral land.”

Regardless of how people discussed it, Yu Shang loaded two boats full of goods and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, his wife and children, surrounded by family guards and attendants, departed on a boat into the night.

“When autumn comes, Yu Shang will return laden with goods,” the men at the dock holding empty wine bottles calculated on their fingers. “Then we’ll have good wine to drink again.”

The commotion brought by a small merchant quickly dissipated. The dock began a new round of noise, while the small merchant left behind the capital’s clamor. Through sunrise and sunset, disembarking ships to ride horses and sit in carts, through wind and rain, he finally arrived at Yunzhong Commandery.

When entering the pass, the merchants ahead had their goods searched repeatedly, their travel permits and identities checked again and again. Money that had been slipped to officials was thrown back out. Yu Shang was somewhat surprised and asked the person beside him: “Are inspections this strict now? Has the war situation intensified?”

The merchant beside him chuckled quietly: “The war isn’t tense, which is exactly why inspections are this strict.”

What did that mean? Yu Shang didn’t understand.

“Because the war isn’t tense, the generals are quarreling among themselves,” a bystander watching the excitement was happy to explain. “The court sent a military supervisor who says he wants to enforce proper rules and is strictly investigating corruption and bribery among the military guards.”

Yu Shang understood but shook his head: “The supervisor worries too much. The military guards in Yunzhong Commandery are already quite proper.”

“Whether they’re proper or not, we don’t know. But the new rules are making travel more troublesome,” the earlier merchant said, shaking his head. He examined Yu Shang’s cart, seeing it piled with small items like needles and thread. “You have it worse—traveling slowly takes longer. When will you be able to sell all these goods?”

Yu Shang said cheerfully: “I’ll sell them slowly. They’re all small items, very popular in villages and small towns. I’ll walk more, go farther.”

As they spoke, horses and people moved forward. When their turn came to pass through, the several people also stopped talking and each queued separately.

Yu Shang stepped forward without offering money, instead taking several water pouches from his cart: “For the officers to carry water to drink. The weather is hot. These are the latest style from the capital—they’re not expensive.”

Water pouches truly weren’t expensive. The guards raised their hands to knock them away, but an officer sitting nearby saw them, squinted to identify them, and smiled: “Isn’t this Old Yu? Back with your goods?”

Yu Shang quickly responded with a smile.

The officer introduced him to the guards: “This is Yu Bo, a traveling merchant from Mayi who’s been doing small business for decades. He often brings us brothers necessities—umbrellas and water pouches in summer, warm sleeves in winter. When we found them good, brothers in the army all went to buy from him.” At this point, he raised his voice: “I say, Old Yu, are you getting us to sell your goods for you?”

Yu Shang smiled honestly: “Many thanks to the military gentlemen for looking after my business.”

The officer waved to the guards: “Take them. Promote Old Yu’s goods later.” Then he beckoned: “Old Yu, give me one more.”

Since the officer had spoken, the guards accepted them. Yu Shang smiled and took out one more for the officer.

The officer examined it while waving his hand: “Alright, hurry along now.”

The guards stopped inspecting and let Yu Shang through directly.

“Is this pattern popular in the capital now?” The officer discussed with the guards. “I’ll give this to Supervisor Fu’s attendants. They should be very happy. Coming from the capital to here, they’re unused to many things. This can somewhat ease their homesickness.”

The guards all laughed.

Yu Shang sat at the front of his cart. As the horse cart sped along, he left the bustle behind, passing through checkpoint after checkpoint, through cities and towns. The places he went became increasingly remote, and the goods on his cart decreased more and more, until one deep night only one cart remained stopped in a desolate mountain ravine—the people and horses had vanished.

……

……

When morning sunlight spread across the wilderness, Yu Shang removed his hat and the scarf around his neck one by one, tossed them up, and stretched his features to the sunlight.

He suddenly let out a howl.

Instantly, over a dozen howls erupted around him.

Yu Shang turned his head to look at over a dozen men wearing cloth robes. Although they wore the latest style robes he’d brought from the capital, they looked somewhat strange no matter how you looked at them—perhaps because their features and bone structure were different from Da Xia people—

Yu Shang reached up to touch his own face. Actually, if you looked carefully, he was the same—

“Qi Bo, change into our robes,” the leading man called out strangely, tossing over a garment. “The general specially had it brought for you.”

Yu Shang caught it and laughed heartily: “Qi Bo thanks the general.” As he spoke, he spread his arms on the galloping horse’s back, removed his original wealthy patterned robe, and put on the robe with fur at the shoulders and cuffs, spreading his arms to the wind.

“I’m home—”

……

……

“Perfect timing that you’re back,” said a man in the large tent who was trimming his beard with a small knife. “We finished the grain from last time.”

Yu Shang frowned: “So quickly?”

The man trimming his beard suddenly slammed the small knife into the ground and roared: “It’s not my Chi’na tribe eating it! I’m now supporting two routes—no, three groups of troops. Of this grain, I haven’t eaten more than a few mouthfuls myself.”

Yu Shang paid no attention to the knife stuck in the ground by his foot, nor showed any fear of the man’s roar. Slightly surprised, he asked: “Three groups? Besides the King, has the Crown Prince also asked you for grain, General?”

The general was the Xi Liang King’s son-in-law, the chieftain of the Chi’na tribe. This time, the Xi Liang King personally led his three sons on campaign, with the Crown Prince stationed in Xi Liang City, while summoning the Chi’na tribe as the left wing.

“That’s too much,” Yu Shang shook his head. “The Crown Prince enjoys peace and comfort in the rear, yet still demands you provide provisions. General, you have it too hard.”

Then he smiled.

“With such merit, one princess won’t be enough. When rewards are distributed, General, remember to ask the King for two more.”

Chieftain Chi’na’s expression was grim: “What use are so many women? My troops have suffered too many losses.” At this point, he looked at Yu Shang. “Since he said all business under heaven can be done, besides grain, can you buy people?”

Yu Shang helplessly shook his head: “General jests. People aren’t inanimate objects—they can’t be transported over.”

Chieftain Chi’na obviously knew this too. He was just speaking casually. He lifted his foot to kick the table, cursing: “What merit? This battle so far has only earned me the King’s reproaches. Instead, the King only praises the Crown Prince, saying he has stabilized the rear.” At this point, he glanced left and right. His personal guards immediately withdrew.

Chieftain Chi’na stepped forward and spoke to Yu Shang in a low voice.

“The Third Prince said that, using Da Xia people’s words, we’re all making wedding clothes for the Crown Prince.”

Meaning the Third Prince was also dissatisfied? Even harboring thoughts about the Crown Prince’s position? That person truly had divine foresight. Yu Shang sighed inwardly but showed no emotion, only nodding: “Using Da Xia people’s words, the Crown Prince isn’t wrong either. He’s the eldest son—you should all support him.”

Chieftain Chi’na cursed: “You’ve been a Da Xia person so long you’ve forgotten our rules! Whoever has the greatest strength becomes the King!”

Yu Shang reached up to touch his face: “Actually, I don’t even know which people I belong to—half Da Xia, half Xi Liang, and then not human.” After this sentiment, he smiled again: “General, don’t be angry. This time I came precisely to do business with these rules.”

Chieftain Chi’na was puzzled and didn’t understand. He asked: “What business?”

Yu Shang took out a command tally from his chest, reached out to hand it over, and said: “The business of victory and defeat.”