Prince Keerke arrived at the dock with his entourage, only to find everything peaceful and calm, with no signs of any disturbance.

The Prince sent someone to summon the tax official who was in charge of the dock. After questioning him, they learned that Gu Pingyuan had already taken a bank note worth ten thousand taels of silver and departed by boat.

Just as Chang Yu’er, Sun Er the caravan leader, and a group of workers were about to reveal slight smiles, they noticed the Prince’s face was tightly drawn as he ordered, “Bring Batu to see me!”

After searching everywhere, his subordinates couldn’t find any trace of Batu. Upon further inquiry, they discovered that Batu and the garrison commander had left through the southern city gate not long ago with their personal guards, also heading downstream along the river.

“This is bad,” the Prince blurted out. Batu had always been respectful in his presence, but now he had finally revealed his fox’s tail. As for Commander Duo Shan, he was an even more vicious character who killed without blinking on the battlefield. With the two of them conspiring together, it was clear without asking that they had gone to silence witnesses by murder.

The Prince immediately made arrangements. First, he sent people to properly secure the medicinal herbs Batu had already purchased. Then he ordered that Batu’s and Duo Shan’s family members be placed under strict watch. These were orders he could give with just a word, but the most difficult thing was how to stop them from killing people.

Chang Yu’er went from joy to alarm, only now realizing that the danger facing her elder brother and Gu Pingyuan had not passed but was instead imminent. She looked expectantly at the Prince, waiting for him to make a decision.

“Go to the palace and release my gyrfalcon,” the Prince said after a moment of contemplation, having formed a plan.

The caravan members were puzzled but didn’t dare ask questions. Soon they heard a sharp cry from high above. Looking up, they vaguely saw a bird in the clouds. From that distance, they couldn’t make out its appearance clearly, but it flew against the wind without any hindrance. When it reached the airspace above the dock, it suddenly dropped straight down like an arrow. The crowd was startled, but then they saw the bird land gently on the Prince’s shoulder.

Seeing everyone’s astonishment, the Prince lovingly stroked the bird’s feathers and said, “This is a gyrfalcon, the most formidable bird of prey on the steppe. It’s rare for ordinary people to see one. In the past, Emperor Qianlong traded three thousand cattle and sheep to my great-grandfather for a pair of them.”

“So valuable?” The workers looked at the Prince, who didn’t seem to be joking, then at the bird that wasn’t much larger than a pigeon, and they all clicked their tongues in amazement.

“First, the gyrfalcon is fierce. Despite its small size, even a lammergeier that can carry a sheep into the sky is no match for it. It can use its sharp talons to tear open a lammergeier’s belly in mid-air and use its sharp beak to pluck out its intestines. Second, it flies swiftly, able to cover three hundred li in a day. Third, it has excellent eyesight. You saw how high it was flying just now, yet it could still recognize its master among the crowd.”

“You intend to use the gyrfalcon to pursue Batu,” said Chang Yu’er, quick-witted as snow and ice. While others were still perplexed, she had already guessed the Prince’s thoughts.

The Prince gave her an appreciative look. “Correct. I’ll let the gyrfalcon guide the way, and I’ll follow with soldiers. However, Miss Chang, you and the caravan cannot come along as you would slow us down.”

Concerned about the caravan’s safety, Chang Yu’er naturally couldn’t insist on her own views. Despite her anxiety, she could only watch as the Prince led his palace guards away like an angry wind sweeping clouds.

Gu Pingyuan was conversing with Old Qi when suddenly a strange call came from the hillside, startling him. Looking up, he saw that several rows of soldiers with drawn swords and blades had somehow appeared on the hillsides to either side. In the middle, coldly smirking at him, was none other than Batu!

Gu Pingyuan immediately felt his heart constrict. What he feared had come to pass. Judging by the situation, there was no need to ask—they had come to silence witnesses. The caravan became somewhat chaotic, though Old Qi managed to maintain control, shouting several times to stabilize the formation.

Gu Pingyuan steadied himself and cupped his hands toward Batu in greeting: “Master Batu, is there something wrong with the goods? Otherwise, why would you chase after us so far when both money and goods have already changed hands?”

“Hahaha!” Batu laughed without mirth. “Listen, Gu, you’re playing dumb when you know perfectly well what’s going on. Let me ask you, do you think you can just take my ten thousand taels and walk away? There’s no such easy deal in this world!” he suddenly changed his expression and said viciously.

“Brother Gu, what should we do?” Liu Heita’s eyes blazed with fire at the sight of Batu. “This bastard has ill intentions. I’ll charge up and deal with him!”

“Don’t act rashly! They have the high ground—we’ll suffer greatly,” Old Qi quickly restrained him.

His voice was rather loud, and those above heard it too. Commander Duo Shan shouted, “At least you have someone with sense among you. Look!”

With a wave of his hand, archers lined up in formation, dropped to one knee, removed large steel crossbows from their backs, engaged the mechanisms, loaded crossbow bolts, and aimed at the caravan in the valley.

Duo Shan shouted loudly, “Listen, people below! You were sent by Southern Mongolia as spies to our Northern Mongolia, intending to bewitch the people and shake our military morale. The Prince has decreed that all enemy spies are to be executed immediately upon capture!”

His eyes flashed with a murderous light as he drew the Mongolian saber from his waist and raised it skyward. “However, considering your contribution in transporting medicinal herbs, I can be lenient. If you reveal the whereabouts of your remaining accomplices, it will count as a meritorious deed, and you will not be held accountable!”

Old Qi moved closer to Gu Pingyuan and said in a low voice, “Master Gu, these Mongolian soldiers are ruthless. First, they frame us with a capital crime, then they force us to reveal the whereabouts of Sun Er the caravan leader and the others.”

“We can’t tell them. If we don’t, at most, only the dozen or so of us will die. If we do, the entire caravan’s lives won’t be spared,” Gu Pingyuan replied softly.

“Right, that’s what I think too. We can’t tell! Did you all hear that?” Old Qi turned and shouted to the caravan.

“Hmph, won’t talk?” Duo Shan sneered. “I’ll count to three. Don’t blame me for being merciless then!”

Batu whispered beside him, “Are we really going to shoot and kill them all? Then we won’t be able to capture the other half of the caravan.”

“Don’t worry,” Duo Shan was an old soldier. “Let alone the fact that they have camels for cover, even without shelter, a volley of arrows wouldn’t kill everyone. There would definitely be some survivors left breathing.”

As he spoke, he raised his saber high: “Listen to my command! One!”

Gu Pingyuan, Liu Heita, and the caravan members looked at each other, knowing their lives were in imminent danger. Old Qi shouted, “Get off the camels quickly and find places to hide!”

With soldiers on both sides drawing their bows and nocking arrows, the group hurriedly took cover beneath the camels’ bellies. Meanwhile, Duo Shan’s cold, emotionless voice continued almost without hesitation. After counting to “three,” he brought down the saber in his hand and shouted, “Release!”

A series of “whoosh, whoosh, whoosh” sounds filled the valley as crossbow bolts rained down in succession.

Old Qi, hiding behind a camel, thought to himself, “From this distance, the arrows shouldn’t have much force when they land.” To his surprise, when the bolts struck the stones beside him, sparks flew in all directions.

None in the caravan had ever encountered Mongolian troops before, much less seen the heavy crossbows used by Mongolian soldiers.

Ordinary bows had a range of about thirty zhang, and beyond twenty zhang, they essentially lost their killing power, hence the saying, “A spent arrow cannot penetrate even silk from Lu.” But the heavy crossbows of the Mongolian army were different. They were terrifying weapons modeled after—and improved upon—the “Thunder Crossbow” created by Ming Dynasty’s Lan Yu, which had once dealt the Mongolian cavalry a heavy blow. These crossbows had a range of up to one li, more than five times that of ordinary bows, and their power and momentum were such that a single bolt could penetrate ten layers of cowhide.

This type of heavy crossbow was a closely guarded secret of the Mongolians. Not only had Old Qi never seen one, but even high-ranking Qing military officials rarely had.

In fact, as soon as the Mongolian crossbow bolts were released, Gu Pingyuan knew something was wrong. He had often watched officials and soldiers practice archery in the frontier regions, but no matter how powerful their bows were, they had never made such a thunderous sound when fired. By the time he could warn the others, it was already too late. The camels, struck by crossbow bolts, collapsed with painful cries. To avoid being crushed, everyone had to scramble away, which essentially made them targets for the Mongolians. In the blink of an eye, four or five workers had been hit by bolts, including one who was shot through the chest and clearly wouldn’t survive.

Seeing the dire situation, Liu Heita took advantage of the lull between volleys as the Mongolian soldiers were reloading their crossbows. He leaped onto a camel that had fortunately not been hit, mounted it, and was about to charge up the hillside to fight to the death.

Duo Shan saw this clearly from above, sneered, took a crossbow, aimed at Liu Heita, and fired a bolt.

Liu Heita was unprepared, but Gu Pingyuan saw it coming. Watching the bolt streak toward Liu Heita like a shooting star, in that critical moment, Gu Pingyuan lunged forward and grabbed Liu Heita’s leg, forcefully pulling him off the camel’s back. Even so, he was a step too slow. The bolt, originally aimed at Liu Heita’s chest or abdomen, struck him in the shoulder as he twisted aside.

Liu Heita was truly formidable. He gritted his teeth without making a sound, pulled out the bolt, and broke it in half.

Batu watched the chaos in the valley below with people and animals falling, blood flowing everywhere, and felt extremely pleased. Feeling that he had vented much of the anger from what happened at the dock earlier, he called out again, “I’ll ask one more time! Will you reveal the whereabouts of the other half of the caravan? If you wait until the next volley of arrows, you’ll want to talk but it will be too late!”

“Wait, let us discuss it!” Gu Pingyuan shouted.

“I’ll give you only as long as it takes to smoke a pipe,” Duo Shan knew these people couldn’t escape even if they grew wings, so he wasn’t in a hurry.

Gu Pingyuan called the leaders together and urgently said, “One wrong move and the whole game is lost. This time, we’ve truly lost here. At this point, I’ll create a delaying tactic and stay behind as a hostage, asking Batu to let you all go. If by chance he agrees, leave quickly—the faster the better—and don’t worry about me. If he doesn’t agree, I’ll distract their attention while you all look for a chance to run back. We haven’t gone far into the valley yet. If you can make it out of the mouth of the valley, immediately scatter in all directions—into caves, into tall grass, any way you can. If even one person escapes, that’s one saved.”

“No!” Liu Heita’s voice was so loud it startled even himself. “Brother Gu, you’re a frail scholar. Let me go instead. Once you’ve all escaped, I’ll swing my whip and killing one of them would be worth it; killing two would be a bonus!”

“Stop arguing, all of you!” Old Qi’s voice seemed to come from deep within a jar, so muffled it made one’s heart feel constricted. “I’ll go. I’m already old, with one foot in the grave. You are all still young.”

“Uncle Qi, that’s unacceptable!” several people said simultaneously.

Old Qi waved his hand, his face showing a mixture of desolation and pride. “I am the caravan leader. According to the rules of the caravan road, in times of danger, the leader must be the last to withdraw! I’ve been a caravan leader all my life and have never had anyone point at my spine in accusation. Today will be no different!”

Gu Pingyuan wanted to argue further, but Old Qi had made up his mind, saying that even if Gu Pingyuan or Liu Heita went up, he would absolutely not leave. He would rather have two people die than be the only one to live. At this point, everyone had no choice but to agree, and there was truly no time to argue further.

“We’re sending someone up! Don’t shoot!” Liu Heita cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted loudly.

As he walked, Old Qi said, “If you hear me shout the four words ‘leave it to fate,’ don’t hesitate—immediately run back. Don’t even worry about the wounded. Life or death is determined by fate. Did you hear me?”

The group tearfully agreed and watched as Old Qi painfully made his way up the hillside step by step. Gu Pingyuan couldn’t bear to watch anymore and lowered his head, tears dropping to the ground.

Old Qi stopped about ten steps away from Batu and Duo Shan. With an expression between a smile and not a smile, he remained silent, just looking at the two men.

Duo Shan frowned and asked Batu, “Why is it an old man?”

Before Batu could answer, Old Qi spoke up.

“I am the caravan leader. I arrange all the routes for the caravan.”

Batu looked at Duo Shan and nodded: “That’s right, this old man is indeed the caravan leader!”

“So if you want to know the whereabouts of that half of the caravan, they don’t know—you have to ask me.”

Duo Shan impatiently said, “If you want to keep that old life of yours, speak quickly!”

Old Qi unhurriedly squatted down, struck his flint to light his dry tobacco pipe, and took several puffs in succession. Duo Shan repeatedly urged him to hurry, and only then did he grin and say, “I can tell you, but I have one condition.”

“A condition? Speak.”

“Let the people below go. After they’ve disappeared from sight, I’ll tell you.” Old Qi’s tone was as calm as if he were haggling with a vegetable vendor at a market.

“Hahaha, is this old man crazy?” Duo Shan laughed heartily. “Let me tell you, if you speak up, I’ll spare your life. As for the others, hehe…” He grinned maliciously. “Tomorrow this day will be their death anniversary!”

“In that case,” Old Qi finished his pipe of tobacco, tapped the pipe bowl on the ground, stood up, and suddenly shouted loudly, “then leave it to fate!”

Batu and Duo Shan were momentarily stunned, and then they saw the caravan members below running back toward the way they had come. Looking back at Old Qi, he stood with his arms folded, completely unconcerned.

Duo Shan gritted his teeth, raised the crossbow in his hand, and shot a bolt straight at Old Qi’s chest. The bolt struck Old Qi directly in the heart. Old Qi frowned, looked down, and reached out as if trying to pull the bolt out, but ultimately fell backward to the ground.

“Stubborn old man,” Duo Shan cursed. Batu anxiously said, “They’re running away.”

“After them!” Duo Shan remained composed. “Can people run faster than crossbow bolts?”

Old Qi lay on the hillside, and several people looked back and saw him. Liu Heita cursed angrily, “These bastards! If they ever fall into my hands, I’ll skin them alive and pull out their tendons!” Despite their grief, to ensure that the old man’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain, they could only run madly toward the mouth of the valley.

Duo Shan’s soldiers couldn’t ride horses on the hillside, but they could pursue on foot and continue shooting. In the blink of an eye, several more men were shot down. In the midst of crisis, Gu Pingyuan had a flash of inspiration and shouted, “Serpentine! Serpentine!”

The workers were momentarily confused but soon understood, running while swaying their bodies left and right. This made it harder for the Mongolian soldiers to aim accurately.

After running for a while, the group was exhausted and gasping for breath. Gu Pingyuan saw that open ground was just ahead and encouraged everyone, “We’re almost there! Get ready to scatter.”

Before he could finish speaking, they heard the rapid sound of hoofbeats coming from ahead. The sound was dense and urgent, indicating numerous riders.

The sound of hooves struck Gu Pingyuan’s ears like thunder on a clear day. “This is bad!” Gu Pingyuan’s heart instantly sank. “I never expected Batu to have also set up an ambush ahead. This murderous intent is truly vicious to the extreme.”

However, with archers continuously shooting from behind, turning back was as difficult as climbing to the sky. Moreover, in the blink of an eye, the cavalry from the front had arrived.

A military officer led the way, spurring his horse forward and stopping in front of the group. Liu Heita, burning with rage, pulled out his chain whip and stepped forward to strike. The officer was startled and hurriedly turned his horse to dodge.

“Why do you attack as soon as we meet?” he asked.

“I’ll strike whoever I please,” Liu Heita said without hesitation, preparing to swing his whip again.

“Wait,” Gu Pingyuan looked back and saw that the archers had all stopped shooting and wore expressions of astonishment. He knew something unusual was happening. Calming himself and looking more carefully, he noticed these men all carried foreign rifles, and their armor was somewhat different from the soldiers Batu had brought. Still unsure what to make of this, the military officer asked, “Are you the Shanxi caravan? Is there a merchant surnamed Gu among you?”

“I am. May I ask who you are?” Gu Pingyuan replied with confusion.

“Your Highness, they are indeed the Shanxi caravan,” the officer didn’t answer Gu Pingyuan’s question but turned and called out behind him.

“Your Highness!” Gu Pingyuan’s body trembled. “Which prince?”

The officer smiled and said, “Naturally, it’s the lord of the Northern Mongolian grasslands—Prince Keerke!”

As they were speaking, the Prince behind them had already given orders, and cavalry armed with foreign rifles had surrounded Duo Shan’s subordinates…

Gu Pingyuan once again examined his attire in front of the Prince’s mansion, straightening his clothes. Beside him, Liu Heita was simply staring at the mansion’s gate, clicking his tongue in admiration: “Impressive! It’s five feet taller than the main gate of the Chang family’s old compound. There’s no need to enter this princely mansion—just looking at the gate is enough to make one envious.”

Gu Pingyuan said, “According to imperial regulations, the size of an official’s residence is strictly prescribed based on their rank. Prince Keerke is a hereditary prince, so his mansion gate is permitted to have five bays, and stone lions that ‘hold up the sky’ can be placed in front of the gate. If your Chang family compound were built like this, it would be demolished by soldiers the next day, and you would be punished according to the law for ‘exceeding regulations and usurping privileges.'”

Sun Er the caravan leader patted Liu Heita on the shoulder: “Stunned, aren’t you? Master Gu is indeed well-read and knows much more than we do.”

Though the pat wasn’t hard, Liu Heita nearly jumped: “I told you to be gentle!”

“Oh my!” Only then did Sun Er notice the bandaged shoulder beneath Liu Heita’s clothes. “I’m sorry! I was so happy that I forgot you were wounded.”

“You might have forgotten, but I sure haven’t! I curse Batu and his ancestors for eighteen generations!” Liu Heita said through gritted teeth.

Gu Pingyuan’s face darkened: “Brother Liu, we’re in front of the Prince’s mansion. Mind your language. Besides, when a person dies, it’s like a lamp going out—all grudges are settled. Say less.”

He was still grieving for Old Qi and the other workers, unable to calm his emotions.

Thinking about the thrilling yet dramatically changing scene that had occurred in the valley yesterday, the three men still felt lingering fear.

With the Prince arriving in person, naturally, his every command was obeyed. Moreover, Duo Shan’s subordinates only knew they had come to suppress rebels and had no rebellious intentions themselves. Upon hearing they had been deceived by Duo Shan, they immediately laid down their weapons and surrendered.

Seeing the situation was lost, Duo Shan tried to fight his way out with a few loyal followers, intending to flee to Southern Mongolia, but was ultimately cut off by the Prince’s well-armed palace guards. As for Batu, upon seeing the Prince appear, he was so terrified that he collapsed to the ground, and capturing him took no effort at all.

The Prince ordered the men brought back to Wukeduo Dock for immediate trial, though everything was already clear. With witnesses and physical evidence, Batu and Duo Shan couldn’t deny their crimes.

In his great anger, the Prince had both men executed, though their treatments differed. Because Duo Shan had previously established military merits, he was leniently granted an intact corpse, strangled to death with a bowstring at the dock. This was tolerable enough, but Batu wasn’t so fortunate. The Prince was enraged that Batu had falsely used the palace’s name to brutally kill innocent people. He had Batu tied to the bow of a boat and shot to death with heavy crossbows—truly pierced by ten thousand arrows. The boat’s ropes were then released, allowing the vessel carrying Batu’s corpse to drift downstream as a warning to miscreants. The family members of both men were all given as slaves to armored soldiers, and their property was confiscated for the state.

Gu Pingyuan’s teacher believed in “the gentleman stays away from the kitchen” and had taught Gu Pingyuan the same principle. Although five years in the frontier regions had toughened his heart, witnessing the Prince’s brutal executions up close still made Gu Pingyuan feel dizzy when he thought about it. Liu Heita was different—having been shot with an arrow, he felt he had suffered a great injustice, and with his desire to avenge Old Qi, he wished he could bite off a piece of flesh from Batu and Duo Shan. He didn’t find the Prince’s punishment excessively cruel.

After dealing with Batu, the Prince turned to comfort Gu Pingyuan and the others. He had already learned the whole story from Chang Yu’er and greatly appreciated Gu Pingyuan’s willingness to risk danger to transport medicinal herbs for Northern Mongolia. By now, the war between the northern and southern parts of the desert had subsided, and the only thing that worried the Prince was the epidemic. Now that the medicinal herbs had arrived, a great weight had been lifted from his heart. In his joy, he even condescended to invite Gu Pingyuan and his companions to a feast at the palace.

Under Qing dynasty customs, agriculture was valued over commerce, with the social hierarchy being “scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants.” Merchants ranked last, only slightly above prostitutes and actors. It was unheard of for a prince to invite merchants to dine. Gu Pingyuan was apprehensive and repeatedly declined, but eventually brought Sun Er the caravan leader and Liu Heita to the palace.

Originally, he didn’t want to bring Liu Heita, preferring him to rest and recover at the inn. But Liu Heita had made a good point: “Brother Gu, to dine at a prince’s palace—even the prefect of Taiyuan might not have such an honor, let alone merchants from our Taigu. You would be doing me a favor. When I return, I’ll have something to boast about. If you don’t let me go, I’ll get so angry that my wound won’t heal!”

Gu Pingyuan had no choice but to agree, though he admonished him not to speak carelessly in the palace. Liu Heita thumped his chest loudly and readily agreed.

The new chief steward of the palace came out to greet them at the main gate. With the recent lesson still fresh, he didn’t dare show the slightest negligence toward these Shanxi merchants. Bowing, he led the way as they passed through three layers of high-walled courtyards, bypassed the Silver Peace Hall where the Prince handled affairs, and came to the inner palace.

A princely mansion was typically divided into three main parts: the front courtyard for official business, the middle courtyard for living quarters, and the rear courtyard as a large garden. Although Gu Pingyuan was the Prince’s invited guest, he could not move freely within the inner quarters, let alone go deep inside. The steward bowed and invited them into the main room of the first courtyard of the inner mansion.

As soon as Gu Pingyuan and the others entered the room, they smelled the rich aroma of meat. On the left side of the large room, they saw a deep pit dug into the stone floor, filled with blazing firewood. Above it was an iron rack with thick iron skewers piercing a lamb and two beef legs that were being rotated for roasting. The lamb’s stomach and beef legs were stuffed and smeared with various appetizing spices and sauces. Two servants wielding sharp ox-ear knives were slicing off cooked pieces of meat and placing them on plates. On the right side was a round table with a large hole in the middle where a charcoal brazier was placed. A soup pot hung suspended above it, containing various seasonings and mountain delicacies such as wild mushrooms and wild celery, already boiling.

The Prince sat in the center wearing a dragon robe, with an elderly man accompanying him on his left, engaged in conversation. Seeing Gu Pingyuan and his companions enter, the Prince rose with a smile and said, “What a fearless merchant! Come, come, you are my honored guest, please take the seat of honor.”

Gu Pingyuan would never dare to sit opposite the elderly man. Not only was there the highly esteemed Prince, but beside him sat a man wearing a red coral button on his hat and a crane-embroidered robe, clearly a first-rank official. Even if Gu Pingyuan’s former status as a provincial examination graduate hadn’t been revoked, even a top imperial scholar wouldn’t dare assume such a position in this setting.

Gu Pingyuan tried to decline, but the Prince insisted he take the seat of honor, causing Gu to break out in a sweat from anxiety. Finally, the elderly man helped resolve the situation: “Your Highness, I think we shouldn’t force him. This way, he’ll feel uncomfortable and won’t be able to eat in peace.”

“Very well,” the Prince considered for a moment.

The elderly man also declined to sit, resulting in Gu Pingyuan, Liu Heita, and Sun Er the caravan leader all sitting in the lower positions.

After everyone was seated, the Prince addressed Gu Pingyuan: “Master Gu, allow me to introduce His Excellency Chong En, the Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs.”

Gu Pingyuan was startled and immediately stood up, cupping his hands and bowing deeply: “Forgive my rudeness. So it’s Minister Chong. I’ve long heard that Minister Chong was the third-place scholar in the imperial examinations of the fifth year of Emperor Daoguang’s reign, with profound learning. You’re a veteran of three imperial courts and a literary master. It’s my honor to meet such a distinguished elder today.”

Chong En stroked his beard and smiled: “That was over thirty years ago. Brother Gu, there’s no need for such formality. Please sit down.”

Gu Pingyuan said, “As a young man, I don’t deserve to be addressed so respectfully by you, sir.”

“Not at all. Though you are young, you act with decisiveness and responsibility. As the saying goes, ‘The waves behind drive on those before.’ Calling you ‘brother’ doesn’t seem inappropriate to me at all.”

The Prince also smiled and said, “My teacher here, though full of book learning, is not pedantic. He especially loves to support promising young people and is happier than anything when he sees youngsters with potential.”

“Let’s not talk about this now.” The Prince used his wrist knife to pick up a piece of meat the size of his palm. “The Mongolian custom is to eat meat in big bites and drink in big gulps—this shows respect for the host. Come, who will eat this piece?”

Liu Heita was a man with a big appetite. Having listened to their back and forth while eyeing the roasted beef and mutton, he had been drooling for some time. Seeing the Prince offer the meat, he said in his deep, resonant voice: “I’ll eat it!”

“Good!” The Prince simply handed the wrist knife to him. Liu Heita wasn’t shy either; he finished one piece and went for another. In an instant, he had devoured three to five pieces weighing about two jin, then gulped down a skin of mare’s milk wine. Afterward, he wiped his mouth and stood up.

Everyone thought he was full, but Liu Heita merely loosened his belt and sat back down, saying, “Not bad at all. Looks like we’ll have a good meal tonight.”

Everyone was astonished, but the Prince was delighted, his face beaming as he repeatedly ordered: “Add another sheep and two more beef legs!”

Although Gu Pingyuan came from a once-prominent family that had fallen on hard times, he had retained many of the rules of such households, including moderation in eating for health. Therefore, he found such a gluttonous feast somewhat difficult to swallow. While others were watching Liu Heita, he struck up a conversation with Minister Chong En.

“Minister Chong, I just heard the Prince address you as his teacher. May I ask why?”

“Hehe, this story goes back more than twenty years. It was during the Daoguang era when Prince Keerke’s father came to Beijing on imperial orders to plan the reorganization of the Manchu and Mongolian Eight Banners. His stay turned out to be quite long—a full two years. At that time, I was serving in the Military Justice Bureau of the Court of Colonial Affairs and saw the old Prince almost daily. His only son, the current Prince, also came to Beijing, though he was still young and playful. The old Prince thought highly of me and entrusted me with his son’s education. Later, when the Banner affairs were concluded, the Prince and his son returned to Mongolia. All told, my relationship as the young Prince’s teacher lasted just over a year.”

“I see. I imagine Your Excellency is here because the Prince missed his teacher and invited you for a reunion.”

Chong En shook his head: “Not at all. I came on imperial orders to mediate the conflict between Northern and Southern Mongolia. Such matters are easily resolved if one side is willing to yield. I thought that given our former teacher-student relationship, Prince Keerke might listen to me. To my surprise, this old face of mine still carried some weight—even Southern Mongolia showed me some respect. It seems I haven’t failed the court’s important mission.” As he spoke, an involuntary smile appeared on his face.

Gu Pingyuan, quick-witted, immediately understood that this was not simply an imperial assignment but rather the old man’s volunteer mission. For someone of his advanced age to undertake such a righteous act was truly admirable. Gu quickly cupped his hands in respect and said, “Your Excellency has a benevolent heart. Traveling thousands of li to resolve a military crisis and save countless Mongolian lives from suffering—I deeply admire you, sir.”

Chong En nodded, his face showing satisfaction. Nearing seventy, this arduous journey had been truly exhausting. But having someone understand his good intentions was like drinking a bowl of hot tea after returning home on a snowy night—it brought comfort throughout his body.

Chong En developed a fondness for this young man and asked, “Brother Gu, your accent doesn’t sound like it’s from Shanxi, and your manner of speaking is extraordinary. How did you become the manager of a Shanxi merchant caravan?”

Liu Heita, overhearing this, loudly interjected: “Old sir, don’t underestimate our Brother Gu! He’s full of learning. It’s just unfortunate that times have been against him; otherwise, he might have become a top imperial scholar or won this… this… whatever flower.” He knew about top scholars but didn’t understand what the third-place “Flower Picking Scholar” title meant, thinking it referred to actual flowers like peonies or roses.

Gu Pingyuan hurriedly said, “Brother Liu, don’t talk nonsense. I’ve just read a few books. Minister Chong is being too kind.”

Liu Heita, somewhat tipsy, had forgotten his earlier promises. Hearing Gu Pingyuan contradict him, he stubbornly replied, “If it weren’t for confused officials passing confused judgments, Brother Gu, a frail scholar like you wouldn’t have had to suffer for years in the borderlands. You probably would have achieved scholarly fame by now.”

Gu Pingyuan wished he could stuff a beef leg into Liu Heita’s mouth, but Minister Chong had already heard and asked with interest, “Could it be that brother Gu has suffered some wrongful imprisonment?”

Now even the Prince took notice, his eyes fixed on Gu Pingyuan. Gu knew he couldn’t avoid the topic, but he couldn’t tell the whole truth either. He stood up, bowed, and apologized to the Prince for his deception. Then, with half-truths and half-falsehoods, he explained how he had gotten into trouble during the metropolitan examination in Beijing and was exiled to the frontier regions. Naturally, he didn’t mention his unauthorized escape, merely saying he had been released after serving his sentence.

“After leaving the frontier, I fell gravely ill. Fortunately, the Chang family helped save my life. In return, I volunteered to accompany this caravan.”

This tale of past events was extremely convoluted. Even Liu Heita hadn’t fully understood it before, and everyone at the table listened in fascination. Minister Chong En, in particular, felt that Gu Pingyuan’s urgent mission to help others was similar to his own volunteer mission—different paths leading to the same destination. While he was motivated by a willingness to die for his country, Gu Pingyuan showed a readiness to die out of gratitude. This made Chong En feel a kinship with Gu Pingyuan.

As everyone contemplated Gu Pingyuan’s experiences, the table fell silent. Sun Er the caravan leader, noting this, raised a cup of wine toward Gu Pingyuan and said, “Master Gu, after all our talk, we’ve forgotten to toast the Prince. If not for His Highness’s timely arrival, we would probably all be ghosts under Batu’s arrows by now.”

“Indeed, we must toast the Prince. Though His Highness’s life-saving kindness cannot be repaid with mere cups of wine.”

The Prince drank his cup in one gulp, put it down, and said, “If that’s the case, then everyone on this grassland should toast Master Gu. Batu’s treatment of you was absolutely heartless and ruthless. If it had been someone else, they might have destroyed all the Wujiapi medicinal herbs, abandoned the fifty taels of silver, and parted ways. But you found a way to survive and preserved those herbs, saving the Mongolian people. That can truly be called great benevolence and righteousness.”

Strangely, as soon as the Prince finished speaking, all three caravan members fell silent. Even Liu Heita didn’t speak, just kept pouring wine into his mouth cup after cup. For a moment, the table was completely quiet.

“Hmm?” The Prince and Chong En exchanged glances, sensing something unusual.

After a long silence, Gu Pingyuan finally spoke: “Your Highness’s words about ‘great benevolence and righteousness’—I dare not accept such praise.”

“Why not?” the Prince asked in confusion.

Gu Pingyuan said nothing but took something from his pocket and placed it on the table.

The Prince recognized the object: “Isn’t this a fire striker?” Whether for trade or military campaigns, this was an indispensable item. The Prince, accustomed to military life, was naturally familiar with it.

“Yes, I brought all the caravan’s fire strikers onto the boat—no fewer than ten on the two boats.”

The Prince had been looking at the fire striker on the table, but now he suddenly raised his eyes to glare at Gu Pingyuan: “You…”

“That’s right. Back at the dock, if Batu had truly pressured me without yielding, I would have set it on fire. Those medicinal herbs were nothing more than two piles of dry grass—once aflame, not even the gods could have saved them,” Gu Pingyuan said slowly.

The Prince drew in a sharp breath. Looking at the expressions on Liu Heita and Sun Er’s faces, he was now fully convinced. Chong En also sat stunned by what he heard.

The Prince’s face gradually darkened: “Do you realize that if you had set that fire, you would have burned not only two boatloads of medicine but also the lives of thousands of Mongolian people?”

“Your Highness, you should say that to Batu. He set the trap first and killed mercilessly afterward, clearly not caring about those two boats of life-saving medicine,” Gu Pingyuan said, not backing down in the slightest.

“That’s why I executed him! But even if that scoundrel harmed you, what fault was it of the common people? I just heard you say you’re a scholar—in moments of crisis, can you forget the teachings of the sages about benevolence and forgiveness?” The Prince’s face grew increasingly grave, his words carrying rising anger. This was understandable—if Gu Pingyuan had actually set that fire, the ones who would have suffered would have been the people of Prince Keerke’s grasslands.

“Brother Gu, the Prince is right. You are different from Batu. He was an uncouth servant, but you are a scholar who has read the works of the sages. You should not have implicated innocent people. You’d better apologize to the Prince quickly.” Chong En, fearing the Prince might take action against Gu Pingyuan in his anger, spoke up hoping to ease the awkward situation.

Gu Pingyuan remained silent. Sun Er the caravan leader secretly tugged at Gu Pingyuan’s sleeve, suggesting he follow Chong En’s advice to avoid trouble.

Unexpectedly, Gu Pingyuan pushed the table and stood up, addressing the Prince without changing his expression: “Even if this happened again, I would still prepare to set the fire. Consider how our caravan risked life and death crossing the Black Water Marshes, only to nearly be killed in the end—heaven is truly too unjust. Since heaven and earth show no benevolence, why should a common citizen like me have a benevolent heart? When others use schemes against me, use knives and guns against me, use bows and arrows against me, am I supposed to greet them with a smile? Naturally, I would block them with water, attack them with fire, and, if necessary, perish together with them! Your Highness! To be honest, at that moment, I had no benevolence, only ruthlessness. At that time, I was ruthless enough to make Batu’s family and friends, even all the Mongolians on the grassland, perish with me.”

Gu Pingyuan finished these words with clenched fists and gritted teeth, tears already forming in the corners of his eyes.

Liu Heita and Sun Er looked at each other in astonishment. Neither had imagined that Gu Pingyuan, though outwardly quiet, harbored anger even greater than Liu Heita’s. And to speak so frankly before Prince Keerke, the highest ruler of Northern Mongolia, even declaring his willingness to have Mongolians perish with him! Recalling how the Prince had dealt with Batu and Duo Shan earlier that day with lightning-like severity, both men couldn’t help but feel secretly alarmed. Even Liu Heita, who considered himself brave, didn’t think he would dare speak so boldly before the Prince.

Chong En was initially shocked; he hadn’t expected that Gu Pingyuan, a mere commoner, would have such courage to stand tall before the Prince, neither humble nor servile, speaking with complete conviction. Suddenly, Chong En remembered something, and his gaze toward Gu Pingyuan involuntarily softened.

The servants attending on both sides never imagined anyone would dare speak to the Prince this way. They trembled with fear, unconsciously moving toward the corners of the room, afraid the Prince might take out his anger on them.

The Prince’s face first turned crimson, the silver wine cup crushed out of shape in his palm, his eyes blazing as they fixed on Gu Pingyuan. Gu Pingyuan did not avoid his gaze but silently stared back at the Prince.

After a long standoff, suddenly there was a loud “bang!” as the Prince heavily placed his wine cup on the table and burst into loud laughter, accompanied by a succession of “Good! Good! Good!”

“Well said! You don’t seem like a cunning, effeminate person from the Central Plains, but rather like a descendant of our Genghis Khan! Honestly, if I were in your place, I might have been even more extreme!” the Prince praised loudly.

Everyone in the room finally breathed a sigh of relief. Chong En smiled and said, “Your Highness, though this young man is proud, you can’t help but admire his courage.”

The Prince nodded in agreement: “I don’t blame him, and it’s not just because of his courage, but because he can be honest and forthright—what he thinks in his heart is what he says with his mouth. Strange, that someone like you is actually a merchant, hehe.”

Gu Pingyuan had also returned to his normal state and smiled slightly: “Does Your Highness believe that being a merchant means one cannot speak with ‘honesty’?”

“Well…” the Prince pondered, “The way of commerce is full of deception. If one speaks honestly… sigh, how would one make money?”

“When I led the caravan through the Black Water Marshes, my heart was most sincere in wanting to complete this transaction. May I ask Your Highness, can I earn money on this trip?”

“Oh? Hahaha…” The Prince laughed heartily again. “Yes, of course you can. We’ll follow the price you negotiated with that scoundrel on the river—ten thousand taels of silver!”

“No, Your Highness. That was just a jest I blurted out in a moment of anger. Six thousand taels is sufficient for the goods; that was the price Batu negotiated with Master Wu of the Xuanji Hall pharmacy in Taiyuan. I’ll return the extra four thousand taels to the palace tomorrow.”

The Prince waved his hand: “Nonsense! Times have changed. The Taiyuan deal was ruined by that killer. Now we’re talking about buying your two boatloads of Imperata grass. Since we’ve already closed the deal at the dock for ten thousand taels, even though it was Batu’s delaying tactic, I’ll honor it all the same.”

As Gu Pingyuan was about to speak again, the Prince raised his hand: “Isn’t there someone you’d like to see?”

Gu Pingyuan was taken aback. Besides attending the feast, he had come to the palace to collect Chang Yu’er. The day before, when the Prince led his troops to pursue Batu, he had ordered her brought to the palace to recuperate. He wondered how she was doing now.

“Miss Chang, please come out,” the Prince called behind him. The room was divided into inner and outer sections. As soon as the Prince finished speaking, a maidservant escorted Chang Yu’er from the back.

When she appeared, everyone was stunned. Chang Yu’er was wearing a red silk long robe with a short fur-lined jacket embroidered with nine phoenixes over it. Her headdress was magnificent and dignified, mainly of gold and silver adorned with various jewels. She wore a white sable crown with colorful tassels, looking every bit like an elegant and beautiful Mongolian princess.

Seeing everyone staring at her, Chang Yu’er felt embarrassed and lowered her head, murmuring, “There were no Han Chinese clothes in the palace…”

“Hahaha.” The Prince, seeing Chang Yu’er’s face flush red, laughed heartily. “These are things my eldest daughter left in the palace before her marriage. Who would have thought they would suit Miss Chang so well? Consider them a gift to you.”

“No, they’re too valuable!” Chang Yu’er couldn’t possibly accept such gifts and quickly shook her head.

The Prince’s word was naturally final. He pointed at Chang Yu’er and said to Gu Pingyuan: “This Miss Chang of yours is truly remarkable. Though a Han Chinese, her courage surpasses even that of Mongolians. Now the soldiers in my camp are all telling the story of the modern-day Mulan who bravely entered the Naadam festival.”

Only now did Gu Pingyuan and the others learn of the risks Chang Yu’er had taken. Hearing about her navigating the “Chains of Impermanence,” breaking through the military encampments of two armies, and nearly being shot by an arrow at the end, they all grew increasingly alarmed, cold sweat breaking out on their backs. And Chang Yu’er had even held back some details, concealing the part about almost being trapped to death in the desert.

Liu Heita, seeing that Chang Yu’er’s face had grown thinner in such a short time and her body more frail, realized how difficult the journey had been. He slapped his thigh fiercely: “Alas, had I known it would be so difficult, I would never have let my sister go, no matter what. I should have gone myself!”

Gu Pingyuan even stood up and went to Chang Yu’er’s side. His lips moved slightly, and suddenly he raised his cup with both hands: “Miss Chang, for the sake of the caravan, for this transaction, you willingly took such extraordinary risks. I toast you.”

With that, he drained his cup, and finally bowed to Chang Yu’er.

Chang Yu’er’s face suddenly turned pale. She turned aside and softly said, “I don’t deserve such ceremony from you, Brother Gu.” In her heart, she thought, “You’ve left out one thing—didn’t I do this for you as well?”

Gu Pingyuan stood straight and glanced around the room, saying in a low voice, “If only Old Master Qi were here. With everyone reunited and the business successfully concluded, he would surely be laughing happily.”

At these words, everyone fell silent. The Prince nodded and said, “I’ve heard about this Caravan Leader Qi. He sacrificed himself to save others—truly a man of honor. It’s my fault for arriving too late. Let it be this way: the palace will provide coffins for him and all the others who died, plus an extra five hundred taels of silver, so that when you return to Shanxi, you can give them a proper burial.”

The next morning, soldiers sent by the Prince arrived at the inn, bringing plenty of dried beef, provisions, mare’s milk wine, tents, and other necessities for the caravan’s long journey. What delighted Gu Pingyuan most was a travel document stamped with the Prince’s great seal. Though just a light piece of paper, it would save the caravan from many troubles.

Gu Pingyuan sealed ten taels of silver in a red envelope for the soldier, but the soldier stepped back: “I wouldn’t dare. Our Prince’s military law is strict. Taking this silver would cost me my head.”

“Oh, then please come in for tea.”

“I need to report back. Master Gu, there’s someone outside who wants to see you.”

“See me?” Gu Pingyuan was puzzled, as he had no acquaintances here. When he went outside, he found it was Minister Chong En of the Court of Colonial Affairs.

“Your Excellency.” Gu Pingyuan quickly knelt down in greeting.

“Please rise, please rise,” Chong En smiled. “From now on, when you see me, don’t use such formal etiquette. I am no longer an official.”

Gu Pingyuan was startled upon hearing this: “Your Excellency has just accomplished a great deed. The court will surely reward you. How can you say such things?”

“Haven’t you heard of withdrawing at the height of success? Last night, I wrote a memorial requesting retirement and relief from all duties. I sent it early this morning, and I believe the court will grant my request. So at this moment, I already consider myself just an old man.”

“Your Excellency…”

“Ah, don’t try to persuade me otherwise. At my age, if I don’t return home soon to enjoy some peace, would I be lingering in office? But your words last night nearly kept me awake all night.” Although Chong En was elderly, his eyes were sharp as he glanced at Gu Pingyuan while speaking.

Gu Pingyuan knew that Chong En wouldn’t seek him out without reason, so he remained silent, just listening quietly.

Chong En nodded: “In the Court of Colonial Affairs, I’ve overseen departments dealing with ‘trade’ and ‘taxation’ that interact with merchants. Over these years, I’ve met many merchants with skill and ability, too numerous to count. But merchants with integrity—I’ve only met two: one is Qiao Zhiyong, the owner from Shanxi, and the other is you.”

Hearing this, Gu Pingyuan quickly cupped his hands in humble thanks, but Chong En continued with a sigh.

“Speaking of recent years, the merchants of our Great Qing Dynasty have become increasingly incompetent. Ever since Emperor Daoguang lost that war, foreigners have brought their business to the Central Plains. Our merchants either fear foreigners to death, always feeling vastly inferior and willingly becoming their lackeys, helping them bully the subjects of the Celestial Empire; or they simply close their eyes, pretending not to notice such a great enemy beside them, continuing to fight among themselves in their horizontal cannon formations until both sides are wounded, giving foreigners advantages for nothing.”

Gu Pingyuan said, “I rarely saw foreigners in the frontier regions, but I’ve heard that in recent years, the purchase of ginseng within the Great Wall has increased several times. This is because ginseng can treat opium addiction, and the number of opium smokers is growing.”

“Exactly!” Chong En became somewhat excited. “Before the establishment of the Office of Foreign Affairs, trade with foreigners was always directed by the Court of Colonial Affairs. That year, when Governor-General Lin Wenzhong came to Beijing, I discussed trade with foreigners with him. Do you know what he said?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“He said, ‘We sell tea, silk, and porcelain to the English, French, and other barbarians. And what do they sell us through the Thirteen Factories? Opium, opium, and more opium! They’re absolute scoundrels! One day, I will burn all the foreigners’ opium to ashes!’ Those were Minister Lin’s exact words. From that moment, I knew the foreigners harbored wolf-like ambitions and had to be guarded against.”

“Could Minister Lin Wenzhong be the great Lin Zexu?”

“Indeed. Unfortunately, his exile to Ili damaged his health, and shortly after his reinstatement, he passed away from illness. Had he remained at court, the great catastrophe of 1860 might not have occurred.” Chong En felt a wave of grief, then continued:

“But enough of that. Do you know, when you spoke so frankly to the Prince last night, your demeanor resembled Lin Wenzhong’s from those years past. I truly felt countless emotions. This time, though you knew the danger, you neither retreated nor showed weakness. You were brave and resourceful, handling the situation appropriately. Although you nearly failed at the end, even so, Batu couldn’t gain any advantage over you. If everyone dealt with foreigners as you did, after a few encounters they would find no profit and naturally retreat in the face of difficulties.”

Gu Pingyuan finally understood why Chong En had sought him out, but he had never dealt with foreigners and wasn’t sure if he would disappoint the old man’s expectations.

“Don’t fear them,” Chong En said loudly. “Foreigners—despite their red eyebrows and green eyes—are just humans with two shoulders supporting a head. I’ve dealt with foreigners extensively. If you follow proper etiquette, they will reason with you. What’s to be feared is if you initially look down on foreigners. Later, when they resort to force, you become afraid and yield—then, of course, foreigners will never look at you with respect again. Remember, when dealing with foreigners, there are only four words to keep in mind: ‘neither humble nor arrogant.'”

Gu Pingyuan knew that Chong En’s words came from his heart after extensive experience—truly advice worth more than gold. He bowed deeply: “I will remember Your Excellency’s golden words.”

“I believe your business will surely grow very large in the future. I only hope that you will uphold the dignity of our Great Qing Dynasty before foreigners. Alas, I am old, and I don’t know if I’ll live to see many things come to pass.”

The caravan had traveled far from Wukeduo, but Gu Pingyuan still occasionally looked back at the increasingly diminishing city. He knew that an old man there was also gazing in the direction of his departure. Minister Chong En’s words had deeply moved Gu Pingyuan, especially the old man’s expectations, which made his blood boil with excitement, leaving his emotions unsettled for a long time.

The return to Shanxi didn’t require crossing the Black Water Marshes. With the war subsided, the journey was peaceful and uneventful. The travel permit specially issued by the Prince not only allowed unhindered passage through Northern Mongolia but also smooth crossing of bridges and checkpoints in Southern Mongolia. The only slight disappointment was that the caravan had to spend the Spring Festival on the road. However, thinking of the great profit they had made, everyone was excited and showed no homesickness whatsoever.

Gu Pingyuan was the exception. As the saying goes, “Every festival intensifies thoughts of family.” While others only needed to endure another ten days or so before family reunions, his relatives were thousands of li away, with no communication for years. Thinking of this, Gu Pingyuan wished he could grow wings and fly back to Gu Family Village.

But regardless, he had to return to Taiyuan first to complete this business transaction.

The caravan hurried along and finally entered Taiyuan territory the day before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. It seemed certain they could eat the Lantern Festival dumplings at home, and the workers were all talking and laughing.

Liu Heita and Gu Pingyuan rode horses at the front. As they went along, Liu Heita suddenly began to chuckle. Gu Pingyuan gave him a strange look, and Liu Heita said somewhat embarrassedly, “Brother Gu, have… have you ever been to the Woyun Residence?”

“Woyun Residence? I’ve never even heard of it.”

“What? Such a famous place, and you’ve never heard of it? Their Lantern Festival dumplings are the best in the provincial capital, and their specialty is called ‘Sending Charcoal in Snow.’ I ate there once four years ago, and even now when I think of it… hehehe.”

Gu Pingyuan, though preoccupied with worries, couldn’t help but smile at this: “No problem. Since we can’t get back to Taigu to celebrate the festival anyway, when we reach Taiyuan, I’ll treat you to a feast at Woyun Residence.”

Liu Heita was delighted and repeatedly expressed his approval.

Suddenly, Gu Pingyuan remembered something and called back, “Brother Qiao!”

The one he called was Qiao Songnian, who didn’t know why Gu Pingyuan was calling him and approached, looking at him questioningly.

“Brother Qiao, I remember you said you’re from Qixian County. After passing Taiyuan and heading south, it’s only a few dozen li to Qiao Family Fort in Qixian.”

Gu Pingyuan asked further, “Does this mean if you hurry, you could be home for the Lantern Festival?”

Qiao Songnian shook his head: “That’s not the custom. I must first go to Taiyuan to see the manager, and only then can I return home. Going back and forth, I’ll definitely miss the Lantern Festival.”

“Then don’t go to Taiyuan.” Gu Pingyuan took a small package from his saddlebag, which felt heavy with unknown contents. He handed the package to Qiao Songnian, who accepted it with confusion.

“There are two hundred taels of silver inside, taken from what I’ve earned on this journey. Brother Qiao, if you’re frugal, it should be enough to live on, including the expenses for entering the spring examinations. I’ll speak with Manager Wu at Xuanji Hall about your position, asking him to keep it for you. If this attempt doesn’t go as you hope, you can always return to the pharmacy later.”

Gu Pingyuan spoke with a smile in his eyes, but Qiao Songnian was dumbfounded. Two hundred taels of silver! A moderately well-off family couldn’t use that up in several years, yet Gu Pingyuan had given it to him so generously?

“Brother Qiao, a man of honor seeks friendship for mutual understanding of hearts—why adopt such a childish attitude over money? I’m still waiting for you to achieve successive victories in the examinations so I can drink to your success!” Seeing Qiao Songnian so moved that his throat was choked with emotion and unable to speak, Gu Pingyuan quickly offered words of comfort.

“In the future, should Qiao make any progress, I will never forget Brother Gu’s kindness today.” Qiao Songnian’s eyes filled with tears as he cupped his hands in farewell to Gu Pingyuan.

After he had gone far, Liu Heita wondered aloud, “Brother Gu, aren’t you giving away that two hundred taels too easily?”

Gu Pingyuan didn’t answer. He was moved by thoughts of his own circumstances, seeing a struggling scholar and wanting to help. As the caravan continued forward for a while, approaching Taiyuan city, they heard a loud shout from the roadside forest: “Stop!”

The caravan was startled. Everyone thought, “We’ve come through Tiger-killing Pass, could we encounter highway bandits now that we’re back in Taiyuan?”

Gu Pingyuan knew what mattered most. While the wool, animal hides, and other goods the caravan carried from beyond the passes were one thing, the bank notes worth over nine thousand taels of silver he carried couldn’t be lost. He immediately called out, “Everyone be alert!”

The caravan had established protocols for handling attacks. Sun Er the caravan leader waved his hand, and Liu Heita led a dozen strong workers to rush from the flank to the front. Liu Heita had already pulled out his nine-section steel whip, his large eyes unblinking as he stared at the forest where the voice had come from.

However, before long, Liu Heita called out, “Sister Li! It’s you?”

The person who emerged from the forest was actually Li, the maid from the Chang family!

Li’s face was full of anxiety, but upon seeing the caravan, she looked greatly relieved. She shuffled on her bound feet, hurrying toward the caravan.

Liu Heita dismounted and rushed over, immediately asking, “Sister Li, you… you haven’t come to welcome us, have you?”

Gu Pingyuan heard his poorly phrased question and interjected, “Could something have happened at the Chang household?”

Li said, “Indeed, something terrible has happened! I’ve been waiting for you here for three days.”

This statement made everyone anxious, but Li was fast-talking and disorganized. After she spoke for some time, they finally understood what had happened.

The trouble originated with Chen Laizi. He had gone beyond the passes to investigate Gu Pingyuan’s identity. Because Manager Wang had promised him benefits, he was particularly diligent. Moreover, he had a specific target, focusing his inquiries at the exile camp. As a result, it didn’t take him long to discover that on the day Chang Si left for the frontier, a convict had escaped from beyond Shanhaiguan. With further inquiry, he completely uncovered Gu Pingyuan’s background.

Chen Laizi treasured this information like a precious jewel, knowing it was the perfect opportunity to bring down the Chang family. Without delay, he returned to Taigu five days earlier and secretly reported this to Manager Wang.

Upon hearing this news, Manager Wang immediately prepared a gift and took a sedan chair to the county magistrate’s office. Shortly thereafter, two yamen runners came to the Chang residence and seized Old Chang Si like wolves or tigers.

“Now Wang Tiangui has sent people to watch day and night at several key roads in Taiyuan, especially at the entrance of Xuanji Hall, waiting for Young Master Gu to return so they can arrest him and send him to the Taigu County yamen for trial. The charges are harboring a fugitive and aiding an escaped prisoner—penalties that could mean death or at least confiscation of property!”

Some of this information had been leaked by Chen Laizi himself, and some had been gleaned by Li through her connections. After she finished speaking, Gu Pingyuan’s heart immediately sank.

It was exactly what they had feared. Old Chang Si had been most afraid of being implicated in a “fugitive case,” but though they had made it through Shanhaiguan, they had still broken the law in Shanxi. Gu Pingyuan thought for a moment and said, “I understand. Taigu County only has jurisdiction over its territory. Wang Tiangui is afraid I might escape, so he’s impatiently come to Taiyuan to arrest me.”

Li clapped her hands and said, “Thank heaven you’ve returned! As a mere woman facing such a disaster, I had no idea what to do, so I just locked the door and came here to wait for you.”

Chang Yu’er had hurried forward from behind and, upon hearing this, her face turned deathly pale. Thinking that her father had already been in prison for several days—a dark place without sunlight—and with neither of his children nearby, he must have suffered greatly. At this thought, tears began to fall “plop, plop” down her face.

Liu Heita turned back with a dark expression and was about to mount his horse. Gu Pingyuan quickly grabbed his wrist and urgently asked, “Brother Liu, where are you going?”

Liu Heita glared: “To kill Chen Laizi and Wang Tiangui, and rescue Father from prison!”

“Then you’re planning to storm the prison and stage a rebellion. What happens next?”

“Next?” Liu Heita was stunned by the question. “I haven’t thought about it. First, let’s rescue people and then discuss further steps.”

“Afterward, though the world is vast, there will be no place for you and Father to hide. Brother, listen to me—this is not the way to rescue someone,” Gu Pingyuan said calmly.

“Then how would you rescue him?”

“First, let’s return to Taiyuan and discuss further.”

Chang Yu’er approached, raising her eyes to look at Gu Pingyuan. She had never looked at him so directly before. She stared at him and said, “You’re planning to turn yourself in?”

“Father Chang Si never knew I was a convict. I secretly hid myself in the Chang family caravan to enter the interior, and then lied to gain his trust, which led to this business venture. These are facts. Once at the county yamen, I can explain everything clearly and exonerate Father.” Gu Pingyuan couldn’t bear to meet her gaze, his line of sight passing over her shoulder as he spoke in an expressionless, calm tone.

Everyone looked at each other in astonishment. After a moment, they understood Gu Pingyuan’s intention. Liu Heita cried out, “No, Brother Gu! If you say this, you might save Father, but you… but you…”

“Even if they behead me on the spot, I accept it. I cannot implicate Father. I had already decided this when I first entered the interior.” As Gu Pingyuan spoke, he took out the bank notes worth over nine thousand taels from his person and thrust them into Liu Heita’s hands. “Brother Liu, discuss with Sun Er the caravan leader and Manager Wu how to divide this money. Give the workers more. As for my share, please send it to my mother in my hometown. The filial duty I can fulfill in this life is probably only this much.” As he spoke, his nose tingled, and he nearly shed tears.

Sun Er the caravan leader, standing nearby, couldn’t bear to listen. He came closer and said, “Master Gu, are you… are you really a convict who escaped into the interior?”

Gu Pingyuan silently nodded.

“I understand now.” The “Fugitive Law” wasn’t an obscure regulation; most common people had heard of it. Sun Er hesitated for a moment, then said, “In my opinion, you should simply leave. If the yamen runners can’t find you, there’s no concrete evidence, and they can’t accuse Father Chang Si of harboring a fugitive. Isn’t that much better than surrendering yourself?”

“Yes, the caravan leader is right,” Li clapped her hands and also addressed Gu Pingyuan. “I’ve visited Father in prison. He told me to tell you to flee quickly and never let the authorities catch you.”

Chang Yu’er and Liu Heita also nodded repeatedly. It seemed everyone felt this was a good idea.

Gu Pingyuan thought briefly but still shook his head: “No, what you’re describing applies to yamen in peaceful times, prisons under righteous officials, where such legal procedures might work. I’ve heard about this Taigu County—the magistrate and Wang Tiangui breathe through the same nostril. It must be a black prison without doubt. Even if they can’t catch me, the problem is that during this journey through the interior, every caravan worker has seen me. When we went to Xuanji Hall for business, it caused a sensation throughout the city. These are all corroborating evidence. With such evidence, they can apply severe torture. That’s not just physical suffering but a human hell. Father is elderly—how could he endure such torture?”

These words made everyone’s face turn pale. Seeing their silence, Gu Pingyuan still pressed the bank notes into Liu Heita’s hands.

Liu Heita kept shaking his head, pushing back the bank notes with both hands, refusing to accept them, repeatedly saying, “There must be another way, there must be! That old bastard Wang just wants the house, right? Give it to him!”

Gu Pingyuan forcibly placed the bank notes in his hands: “It’s not that simple. Since this matter has already gone to the authorities, only my personal appearance can exonerate Father. I’m afraid no other method will work.”

Just as Gu Pingyuan finished speaking, a sleazy voice came from the forest nearby.

“That’s right, only you going there will work!”

With this shout, several more people emerged from the forest. From their appearance and dress, it was clear they weren’t respectable people.

“Chen Laizi!” As soon as Liu Heita saw the leader, he roared loudly and reached for his nine-section whip.

Gu Pingyuan grabbed his hand. Liu Heita had once been arrested by Wang Tiangui, and Chen Laizi had come to the Chang household to deliver the news. But at that time, he had only heard his voice and seen his back; today was the first time he saw his true face. Seeing his hoodlum-like appearance, Gu Pingyuan involuntarily frowned.

Chen Laizi had seen Gu Pingyuan before. He had been standing in the crowd when Gu Pingyuan honored his thousand-tael promise in Taiyuan city. He looked at the flower-like Chang Yu’er standing nearby, then at the distinguished Gu Pingyuan, and suddenly felt a sense of inferiority. He had harbored frog-wanting-to-eat-swan ambitions, which now made him both jealous and angry.

“Gu, we’ve found you at last. Don’t bother with all this—come with us to the county yamen.”

“Keep dreaming! With me here, who dares!” Liu Heita’s hand was restrained by Gu Pingyuan, but his mouth wasn’t idle, each shout louder than the last.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t shout like that. Don’t forget, old Chang Si is still in the dungeon.” Chen Laizi looked askance at Liu Heita.

“What have you done to my father?” Chang Yu’er stepped forward.

“Nothing, nothing…” Chen Laizi gave Chang Yu’er a slobbering smile. “We’ve just arranged for him to share a cell with the second boss of Evil Tiger Ravine in the Taihang Mountains. I wonder if the old man, at his age, can handle holding a chamber pot at night for the Second Great King’s convenience, hehehe.”

Upon hearing this, Chang Yu’er swayed and nearly fainted. Liu Heita was so angry his lungs were about to explode. Gu Pingyuan couldn’t restrain him anymore, so he forcefully pushed him back and ordered several workers to hold him. Then, suppressing the fury in his heart, he said to Chen Laizi, “I’ll go with you to turn myself in!”

“Brother Gu!” “Master Gu!” Everyone shouted in unison.

Gu Pingyuan waved his hand behind him, not looking back, and strode toward Chen Laizi.

“One bears the consequences of one’s own actions! Bind me and take me away.”

“Nonsense! Of course we’ll bind you. Did you think I would invite you to ride in a sedan chair?” Chen Laizi found Gu Pingyuan increasingly disagreeable, feeling that his eyes were full of disdain.

“Still defiant, hmph! I have ways to deal with you!” Chen Laizi, full of malice, turned his eyes and called for a horse to be brought over. First, he had Gu Pingyuan bound in a hunched position, then blindfolded him, and finally tied him backward onto the horse so that his face faced the horse’s hindquarters.

“Before entering the dungeon, smell some horse dung first. The smell in the prison is even more ‘fresh’.” Only then did Chen Laizi feel he had somewhat vented his anger. Seeing Gu Pingyuan subjected to such public humiliation, everyone’s chest was filled with rage.

“Where… where are you taking him?” Chang Yu’er asked urgently.

“Where? Hehehe, let me tell you, the warrant from Fengtian Military Camp has already arrived at the county. It states clearly that once Gu Pingyuan is captured and his identity confirmed, there’s no need to escort him back beyond the passes. Directly at the crossroads in front of the county yamen…” As he spoke, he made a chopping motion toward the back of Gu Pingyuan’s neck, his eyes bulging, “Crack! Clean and quick.”

No one had expected such a situation—an immediate execution with no delay. Everyone drew in a cold breath of air, speechless, looking at each other in consternation.

Seeing this reaction, Chen Laizi added, “As for old Chang Si, harboring a fugitive and aiding his escape—his property will be confiscated, and as for the person, nine times out of ten he’ll be exiled. If you want to see your father again, go look for him beyond the passes. I still have a reward of two hundred taels of silver to collect, so I’ll take my leave, hahaha!” With that, he laughed wildly and led his followers on horseback straight toward Taigu County.

End of Part One