Chapter 39: A Thousand Miles of Rejection and Fame (Part 2)

"Where is the City Lord Liu?" Han Gang asked, referring to the city lord of Fugiang, a title commonly used for the heads of cities and forts. With the city in such chaos, he should have come out to maintain order.

"Early this morning, City Lord Liu led two commands to Anyuan Fort to keep the tribes in the valley under control."

"Then what about the Deputy City Lord?"

Zhao Long snorted disdainfully, "A flatterer, who would listen to him?"

Han Gang shook his head and sighed inwardly. No wonder the inspection at the city gate was so lax. Without a leader, who would take their duties seriously? Talented people are truly hard to come by. Generals who can stabilize a situation like a sea anchor are few in Qin Prefecture. Without Zhang Shouyue, the defense of Gangu City and the surrounding area is in a state of panic. Without Liu An, Fugiang City is in chaos. However, the fewer the talents, the easier it is for one to stand out. Standing out among a crowd, how could one not be noticeable? How could one not be prominent?

As Han Gang was thinking, the street ahead of the convoy suddenly became chaotic. A dozen heavily loaded packhorses suddenly rushed out from a side street, scattering the pedestrians and blocking the path of the convoy.

Seeing the chaos ahead, Zhao Long cursed, "Damn, it's really in chaos. Even the merchant caravans going to Dalong Fort for trade have fled back."

Trade, or "huiyi," is essentially smuggling. Although the Song court strictly prohibits trade between the Song and the Tangut people in the northwest border region, except for a few official markets, in reality, the number of merchants traveling between Song and Xia is countless, especially those smuggling salt. The Western Xia has the best salt-producing areas in the northwest, with the fine salt from the Qingbai Salt Lake having no bitter taste from brine, and its flavor surpassing the salt from the Jiezhou Salt Lake. Due to the low price without the interference of the government, it is very popular among the people of the northwest.

Merchants who can trade between two hostile countries, although they look ordinary, have backgrounds that cannot be underestimated. Smuggling caravans on the border would have been wiped out long ago without some power. However, a caravan as arrogant as the one in front of them is rare.

A middle-aged man in his thirties, thin like a withered cucumber, was directing his servants to drive away the pedestrians blocking the path of the caravan. He was dressed in ordinary silk clothes and walked beside the packhorses, seemingly a servant but of a higher rank. As the saying goes, "A seventh-rank official at the prime minister's door," judging by the thin man's arrogant demeanor, he might be equivalent to an eighth or ninth-rank official.

"Zhao Ganyong, do you know who they are?" Han Gang asked.

Zhao Long sneered, "They are from the Du family, who come and go three to five times a month. How could I not recognize them?"

"Du family? Xiang Bao?" Han Gang asked again.

"Who else?" Zhao Long replied irritably, "There's only one Du in Qin Prefecture!"

"Of course!" Han Gang and Wang Shunmin said in unison.

Xiang Bao, the Chief Military Officer, is the third-ranking person in the Qin Prefecture military. In a circuit, the highest-ranking official is the Circuit Governor, who also serves as the Chief Military Officer, overseeing both civil and military affairs, usually held by a civil official. Below him is the Deputy Chief Military Officer, and below that is the Military Officer. If the Military Officer has seniority, "Du" can be added before the title, as in Xiang Bao. Below that is the Circuit Inspector, such as Zhang Shouyue, who is the Military Inspector of Qin Prefecture.

Apart from the Circuit Governor, the three below are all military officials, with different ranks but no direct subordination. They each lead troops stationed in different locations, balancing each other out, and all take orders from the civil Circuit Governor. To truly judge who has more influence, one must consider their prestige and achievements.

The former Deputy Chief Military Officer of Qin Prefecture, Yang Wenguang, had just been transferred, and his successor was a man with no talent or military achievements, merely having served in the capital's imperial guards for a long time. Han Gang didn't even know his name, and probably few in Qin Prefecture did. Now, in the Qin Prefecture military, the person with the most influence is still Chief Military Officer Xiang Bao.

After a while of chaos, Xiang's smuggling caravan changed direction and headed towards Han Gang's group. Wang Shunmin quickly reminded Han Gang, "They are not to be provoked, let's yield!"

Han Gang nodded, not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble, and ordered the laborers to move the mule carts to the side to let them pass.

As Xiang's caravan passed by Han Gang's group, the thin man suddenly stopped and asked Wang Shunmin, who was leaning against the cart, "Who are you?"

Zhao Long answered on his behalf, "We are ordered to transport military supplies from Chengji to Gangu."

The thin man snorted and said sarcastically, "So many people to escort a little wine, don't you find it troublesome? You can even lie on the cart and be lazy."

Wang Shunmin's face changed several times. For a moment, Han Gang was worried he would strike the thin man, but in the end, he swallowed his anger, got off the cart, and stood properly. Apart from a severely injured laborer, the other injured laborers also got off and lined up. As a military officer and a laborer, unless they wanted to commit suicide, how could they dare to offend Xiang Bao, who could be respectfully called "Taishuai"? Even if Zhong E came, he couldn't protect them.

Seeing Wang Shunmin and the others get off the cart, the thin man glanced at them arrogantly, as if it were his right. His gaze swept over the group several times, finally pointing at Han Gang, "You, come with me!" He then turned to his companions, "Take three mule carts from here, hurry to the West Gate to load the rest of the goods. The Ninth Master is waiting there."

The thin man, relying on Xiang Bao's backing, didn't believe he would be refused. He gave orders as if Han Gang and Wang Shunmin were nothing. After his companions agreed, he turned back to Wang Shunmin, "If someone in Gangu City asks, tell them that Taishuai Xiang borrowed the people and carts, and will return them when they reach Qin Prefecture. If they ask further, go to Xiang's residence and find me, Xiang Ronggui. I'll give them an explanation!"

Han Gang, watching Xiang Ronggui speak arrogantly, and now seeing his servants about to throw the silk off the carts, finally couldn't hold back:

"Wait!"

"What?" Xiang Ronggui glared at him. He still saw Wang Shunmin as the leader of the group, just like Zhao Long, and considered Han Gang a laborer.

"You need to give me an explanation!" Han Gang's voice was colder than his gaze. How could a servant from Xiang's residence give him an explanation? If the people and goods disappeared in Gangu City, there would be a hundred reasons to make Han Gang's life miserable, and Xiang Ronggui wouldn't say a word for him. What a joke!

"These are military supplies to be delivered to Gangu City!" Han Gang emphasized.

"Lord Xiang didn't take your military supplies, just your carts!" Xiang Ronggui's anger grew. He only chose Han Gang because he looked more presentable than the laborers, "Don't be ungrateful! If it weren't for a shortage of hands, Lord Xiang wouldn't have taken people from the street!"

Wang Shunmin grabbed Han Gang, who seemed about to explode. After today's battle and the subsequent treatment, he had great respect for Han Gang and didn't want to see him walk to his death. He suppressed his own anger and smiled humbly at Xiang Ronggui, "This one has a bad temper, please choose someone else!"

"Choose someone else? Lord Xiang said it's you, so it's you!" Xiang Ronggui pointed at Han Gang, his small, bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely, "Don't argue, follow Lord Xiang. This is also saving your life. You look strong, perfect for carrying a sedan chair!"

"Get lost!" Han Gang roared, his voice resonating down the street. His face had turned green with anger, and his lips were trembling, his hair standing on end. "Just a lackey running around in the Chief Military Officer's residence, daring to treat a scholar like a slave? Even if your master, Xiang Bao, came, he wouldn't dare!"

Han Gang's roar attracted the attention of everyone in the market. Whether it was Wang Shunmin, Zhao Long, or Xiang Ronggui, they were all stunned by Han Gang's sudden outburst.

Staring at Xiang Ronggui, Han Gang felt that words alone couldn't express his anger. He flipped his hand, drew his bow, and shot an arrow at Xiang Ronggui.

"Scholar, no!" Wang Shunmin was shocked and rushed to stop him. But Han Gang was too quick, and he could only watch helplessly as the arrow flew past Xiang Ronggui's felt hat.

Wang Shunmin, still shaken, was secretly relieved that Han Gang's archery skills weren't good enough to hit Xiang Ronggui from a few steps away. If he had killed someone, he would have to pay with his life. But when he saw Han Gang reach for his quiver again, his heart leaped, almost jumping out of his throat. He rushed forward and, along with Zhao Long, held Han Gang tightly, shouting in his ear:

"Scholar Han, are you crazy? If you kill him, you'll be dead too!"

"A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated!" Han Gang struggled fiercely, his teeth clenched, seemingly determined to shoot Xiang Ronggui again. "This man has humiliated me too much, treating a scholar like an animal! As a disciple of Zhang Hengqu, how can I face my teachers and classmates after such humiliation!"

Zhao Long was so scared that he kept chanting, "Amitabha, he's really crazy! Amitabha, he's really crazy!"

Wang Shunmin, pale-faced, held Han Gang tightly, not daring to relax, and shouted at the stunned Xiang Ronggui, "Hurry up and leave!"

"You wait for me!" Xiang Ronggui, terrified, left a threat and fled, leaving the caravan behind.

As soon as Xiang Ronggui left, Han Gang stopped struggling, and his expression suddenly became calm. He broke free from Wang Shunmin and Zhao Long and calmly straightened his clothes.

Wang Shunmin and Zhao Long looked at each other, the onlookers pointed and whispered, but Han Gang remained composed.

"Scholar!" Zhao Long, fearing Han Gang's madness, spoke cautiously, "You should leave quickly! Go to Gangu at night..."

"How do you go to Gangu at night?" Han Gang shook his head, "It's the end of the month, there's no moon at night, how can you travel at night?"

"But Xiang Ronggui will bring people soon!" Wang Shunmin also tried to persuade him.

"He told me to wait, so I'll wait here!"