Lan Prefecture was the eighth-largest of the thirteen prefectures in the Yue Kingdom in terms of area, but second only to Xin Prefecture in terms of wealth. It was located in the southern part of the kingdom, with fertile soil, countless waterways, lakes, and canals within its jurisdiction, and it consistently enjoyed favorable weather, making it extremely suitable for growing rice. It was the kingdom’s foremost grain-producing region.
Jiayuan City, located in the heart of Lan Prefecture, was not the provincial capital, but it was unquestionably the largest city in the province. The Grand Canal, which ran north-south through the Yue Kingdom, passed right through the center of this city, and several other major water and land routes converged here, making it a crucial transportation hub and a vital commercial artery. Countless merchants and travelers passed through every year, greatly boosting the local economy, so it was no surprise that Jiayuan City had become the largest city in the prefecture.
In Jiayuan City, large and small cart agencies, docks, and boat operators were extremely numerous, spread throughout the city. The cart drivers, porters, and boatmen who worked in this trade were as numerous as hairs on an ox, numbering in the tens of thousands. Sun Ergou was one of the many who made a living by the docks.
Sun Ergou looked the part: he had slanted eyebrows and a crooked face, with the unruly appearance of a rogue. However, thanks to his skill at reading people and flattering superiors, he had managed to become a minor gang leader at the docks, overseeing dozens of porters and earning his living by helping traveling merchants and guests move their goods and luggage.
Therefore, when he arrived at this small dock early that morning, several of his subordinates quickly gathered around him, addressing him respectfully: «Good morning, Second Master!»
«Second Master is here!»
...
Hearing these titles, Sun Ergou couldn’t help feeling a bit self-satisfied. After all, being called «Second Master» meant he was a person of some standing in this place. He struck a dignified pose, letting out a humph through his nose, which was his way of acknowledging their greetings.
«What Second Master? Isn’t he just Er Gou?»
«Exactly, a dog who walks on two legs, acting all human-like with his doggy face!»
«Ha ha! Ha ha!...»
...
A barrage of mocking laughter reached Sun Ergou’s ears without any attempt at concealment.
Hearing this, his face darkened instantly, and his mood soured in a flash.
He slowly turned his head and looked toward the dozen or so people standing on the other side of the dock, his gaze settling on a burly, broad-shouldered black-skinned giant, a flicker of resentment in his eyes.
If there was one person in Jiayuan City whom Sun Ergou hated the most, this black giant would certainly be in the top three. If someone told him that he could use all his worldly possessions to make this black giant disappear from the face of the earth forever, Sun Ergou might hesitate, but if it was changed to half his wealth, he would agree without a second thought. Of course, given his habits of eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring, his so-called «entire fortune» wasn’t actually that much.
The black giant’s original name was long forgotten; people at the dock either called him «Master Black» or simply by his nickname «Black Bear.» He was the leader of another small gang, the «Iron Fist Society,» holding a position similar to Sun Ergou’s in his own «Four Peace Gang,» and he had also been assigned to this dock to manage another group of porters.
Even a single mountain cannot tolerate two tigers, let alone this small dock. Therefore, the two groups had been at odds from the very start. After a few clashes over competing for customers, their relationship deteriorated further. Now, whenever they met, the two groups would exchange taunts and insults, or shove and jostle each other, only just short of an all-out brawl.
If the subordinates were like this, then the leaders—Sun Ergou and Black Bear, the greatest beneficiaries of this business—were even more resentful of each other. But as minor gang leaders with a bit of status and standing, they knew that their respective organizations, the «Iron Fist Society» and the «Four Peace Gang,» were allied against a larger gang, the «Venomous Dragon Gang.» So, although each wanted to drive the other out and monopolize this dock, they had to restrain themselves for now. However, their pent-up dissatisfaction and anger were vented through the verbal clashes of their subordinates, which had become a daily morning ritual for the two leaders.
Sure enough, before Sun Ergou even had to give a signal, several of his sharp-tongued men launched a merciless counterattack.
«Do you know what the stupidest animal is?»
«A bear!»
«And among bears, which one is the stupidest?»
«Well, of course, the black bear!»
«Ha...»
Black Bear, who had been listening with a smug expression as his own men mocked the other side, saw his face turn black as coal upon hearing this retort. Sun Ergou, on the other hand, burst into laughter. He patted the shoulders of a few of his subordinates approvingly, showing his encouragement.
Black Bear’s men were not to be outdone. A stream of filthy and obscene insults poured from their mouths. Sun Ergou’s side naturally didn’t hold back either—all of them were grown men, so who was afraid of whom? They naturally picked out the most hurtful and offensive things to throw back in retaliation.
Their leaders, Sun Ergou and Black Bear, sat to the side watching coldly. After all, they were people of a certain status and naturally couldn’t join in this kind of shrewish squabbling.
Just as both sides were getting hoarse and spitting with rage, one of Sun Ergou’s subordinates suddenly exclaimed, «A boat is approaching!»
This shout immediately made the nearly hundred men, who had been in the midst of a heated exchange, fall silent in unison. They all turned their heads to look toward the river. After all, silver coins were far more tempting than a momentary verbal satisfaction.
But when the men saw the boat that was pulling up to the dock clearly, they felt a bit disappointed. It was just a small, flat-bottomed boat, which looked like it could only seat three or five merchants at most—hardly a big business deal coming their way.
This was hardly surprising. This dock was small, dilapidated, and in a rather remote location, so under normal circumstances, large boats wouldn’t come here. Only during peak commercial seasons, when large ships couldn’t find berths at other docks, would they reluctantly land here.
After the small boat moored at the dock, two people disembarked. One was a young man who looked about seventeen or eighteen, with ordinary features. The other was a giant who stood a full head and shoulders taller than an ordinary man.
The young man wore a simple blue-green robe, with a small yellow bird perched on his shoulder. As soon as he got off the boat, he looked around with the appearance of a country bumpkin just arriving in the city. The giant wore a bamboo hat that concealed his face and was dressed in a green robe, giving him a somewhat bizarre appearance. The giant followed closely behind the young man, never leaving his side, looking every bit like a servant or attendant.
These two were none other than Han Li and Qu Hun, who had traveled for three months straight to finally reach Doctor Mo’s hometown.
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(End of Chapter)