Chapter 90: Unexpectedly, Wu and Yue Share the Same Boat (Part 1)

At the foot of Long Mountain, by the Wei River, lies the official road that connects Qin Prefecture to Fengxiang Prefecture and Baoji County, a distance of over two hundred miles. The road, winding and long, follows the Wei River valley into the heart of Guanzhong. The frozen Wei River, like a jade belt, winds through the peaks of Long Mountain. As night approached, the sun had already set behind the mountains, and only a faint glow of the setting sun could be seen reflecting off the snow-capped peaks.

As the dusk deepened, halfway along this stretch of the official road, in front of a dilapidated post station, Han Gang reined in his horse with a sigh. Li Xiaoliu, who had been following closely behind Han Gang, almost tumbled off his horse, landing on the ground and panting heavily. Children have short endurance, and after several hours of riding, he was already exhausted.

On that day, when Han Gang led the convoy from Qin Prefecture to Gangu, they had stopped to rest after only thirty miles at Longcheng, because the next sixty miles of mountain road to the northwest was not easy to travel. From Qin Prefecture to the capital, a distance of about 1,700 miles, the journey by horse would take nineteen stages. By this calculation, they would have to reach Baoji County by nightfall the next day, so the first day's journey was a full 130 miles.

The Wei River serves as the boundary between Long Prefecture to the north and Feng Prefecture to the south. After leaving the territory of Qin Prefecture, it flows through the mountains between Long Prefecture and Feng Prefecture for 200 miles before entering the territory of Fengxiang Prefecture. The official road on the north bank of the Wei River, geographically, should belong to Long Prefecture, but due to the barrier of Long Mountain, Long Prefecture cannot directly manage it. In reality, it is jointly managed by Qin Prefecture and Fengxiang Prefecture, each sending patrols to maintain order on the road.

The post station is situated by the mountain and the river, with a landscape that resembles dragons and snakes. The feng shui here is excellent; burying a coffin here would bring prosperity to the family. Therefore, it was not surprising to Han Gang that this post station, named Qili Ping, looked like an old temple next to an old grave.

If it were in the capital, the Duting Post Station and the Duting West Post Station, where envoys from Liao and Western Xia were accommodated, would be ornate and grand, even more impressive than the prefectural government office of Qin Prefecture. However, since this was a post station in a mountain valley, the facilities were much simpler. The roof of the Qili Ping post station, covered with snow, revealed tufts of thatch, and one of the side rooms in the backyard had even collapsed, left unattended.

'Maybe it really was converted from a temple.' Han Gang thought.

As soon as they entered the post station, an old postman came forward, greeting them, "May I ask, sir, are you looking for lodging?"

'When did post stations become inns?'

Han Gang was slightly surprised by the old postman's greeting. The old postman's actions and words were so familiar that it was clear the post station had been serving as an inn for quite some time. The courtyard was filled with carts that had been unloaded, indicating that many groups had stopped here for the night.

Han Gang had never stayed at a post station before and was unsure if combining post station and inn services was a common practice. However, the most famous government-run restaurant in Qin Prefecture, Huifeng Tower, suggested that post stations might also operate as inns, similar to how modern unit guesthouses are open to the public.

Putting aside his surprise, Han Gang took out his travel voucher from his chest and waved it at the old postman, "Where is the postmaster? I have been ordered to travel to the capital and need to stay here for the night."

Seeing the travel voucher with the large red seal, the old postman's demeanor immediately became respectful. He hurried inside to call the postmaster. The postmaster of Qili Ping, about forty years old, had a round, plump belly, indicating that the post station was quite profitable.

Han Gang handed over the travel voucher. The six-inch-long, two-inch-wide slip of paper contained his identity, age, physical description, and the deadline for his journey to the capital, with the most important part being the fresh red seal of the Qin-Feng Military Commission. The postmaster carefully examined it and, with a bow, invited Han Gang into the post station. Li Xiaoliu, being smart and quick, took the two horses without being told and followed the old postman to the stable in the backyard.

Han Gang entered the post station hall, which looked much like an ordinary inn, selling both wine and meat. It was dinner time, and several guests were scattered around the hall. Han Gang scanned the room, and his brows furrowed involuntarily. The noise was not a problem, but the environment was dirtier than a sick camp, making it unbearable for him.

He shook his head, wondering if the post station had ever been cleaned since it was built.

Stopping at the entrance, Han Gang turned to the postmaster, "Find me a good room first, and bring the food to my room."

The postmaster, being cautious in front of Han Gang, replied, "Sir, you have arrived at an unfortunate time. Many officials are traveling to the capital after the New Year, and both of the good rooms in the post station are occupied."

"Can't even one good room be made available?" Han Gang's face darkened. Looking at the dirt that had not been cleaned for a long time, he doubted that the ordinary rooms would be much better.

"Sir, there really isn't any...," the postmaster, feeling a chill down his back under Han Gang's gaze, was surprised that this young official, only nineteen years old, had such an imposing presence. Having managed the post station for decades and seen thousands of officials, he knew that even if an official's rank was not high, it was best not to offend a young and ambitious one like Han Gang. After much thought, he hesitantly asked, "Sir, what if this works? There is an official named Liu who is also from Qin Prefecture and is traveling to the capital today. If you don't mind, would you like to share a room with him?"

"Liu?" Han Gang pondered, suspecting it might be an acquaintance. "Take me to see him."

The postmaster pointed to a corner of the hall where a robust figure was sitting at a table. "That's Official Liu!"

Han Gang raised his eyebrows; it was indeed Liu Zhongwu.

The official road to the capital was divided into stages, and the post stations were arranged accordingly. Liu Zhongwu could not have traveled 200 miles in one go and then find a place to rest in the wilderness. Since he and Han Gang had left Qin Prefecture on the same day, it was natural that they would meet at the same post station.

Han Gang had initially planned to force the postmaster to provide a good room, but seeing Liu Zhongwu, who was recommended by Xiang Bao, he suddenly thought it would be nice to make Xiang Bao uncomfortable. He walked up to Liu Zhongwu and bowed with a smile, "I am Han Gang, nice to meet you, Brother Liu."

The table was full of wine and meat, and Liu Zhongwu was enjoying his meal. Han Gang's sudden appearance made his eyes widen, and he jumped up, choking on the meat he had just swallowed.

"Han... cough, cough, cough!" Liu Zhongwu pounded his chest, and the postmaster hurried to help him. Han Gang handed him the wine jug, which Liu Zhongwu snatched and drank from, gulping it down like a cricket. After a long while, he caught his breath and panted, "Han Official, why is it you?"

Han Gang's smile remained unchanged, and he bowed again, "I apologize for startling you, Brother Liu. Please forgive me."

Liu Zhongwu quickly jumped up to return the bow, bending low. Han Gang was currently in the limelight in Qin Prefecture, and even without introducing himself, Liu Zhongwu could recognize him immediately, or he would not have almost choked to death. Given the enmity between Han Gang and his patron, Wang Shao, and his own benefactor, Xiang Bao, Liu Zhongwu did not want to have any connection with Han Gang.

However, Han Gang was already an official, while Liu Zhongwu still needed to go to the capital for an examination. The difference in status was vast, and Liu Zhongwu had already been impolite when Han Gang arrived. Han Gang's politeness and propriety were commendable, and Liu Zhongwu did not dare to sit arrogantly, even for the sake of Xiang Bao: "I am unworthy, and I have embarrassed myself. What can I do for you, sir?"

Han Gang glanced at the postmaster, who stepped forward, "Sir, you arrived late, and all the good rooms are occupied. I thought, since both of you are from Qin Prefecture, perhaps you could share a room tonight?"

Liu Zhongwu looked at Han Gang, who smiled without a word. He then looked at the postmaster, who was still bowing.

For a moment, Liu Zhongwu was in a dilemma.

Xiang Bao had given him a beauty and recommended him to the capital, and at the farewell banquet, the commander had given him gold and silver to support his journey. Such deep kindness could not be repaid even by sacrificing his life. How could he repay kindness with enmity?

But Han Gang was right there, openly asking to share a room, and Liu Zhongwu could not refuse without being impolite. Han Gang's talent aside, he had Wang Shao and Zhang Shouyue behind him, and he was a disciple of Master Hengqu, someone even Xiang Bao had to endure. Why should he offend him? Avoiding him was the best course of action.

Liu Zhongwu did not intend to compete for the room and stepped back, "Since Sir Han wants to stay, you can take my room. I can find a few tables in the hall and sleep there for the night."

"How can I do that?" Han Gang shook his head, "We must respect the order of arrival. The guest should follow the host. Brother Liu arrived first and secured the room, making him the host. I arrived later and am the guest. How can a guest drive out the host?"

"Sir Han, I don't even have the right to sit, let alone claim to be the host. Please stay, and I can make do anywhere."

"If I take Brother Liu's room, people will think I am arrogant and presumptuous, not Brother Liu's humility."

The postmaster, who had worked at the Qili Ping post station for twenty years, had seen many such disputes, "Gentlemen, there's no need to be so polite. The room that Official Liu has chosen has an inner and outer chamber. I can set up the beds so that each of you can have your own space."

"That's perfect, let's do it!" Han Gang made the decision, not giving Liu Zhongwu a chance to object. He then turned to Liu Zhongwu, "Thank you, Brother Liu, for sharing your room with me. Your reputation in Qin and Feng Prefectures is well-known, and I have long admired you. Meeting you is a great honor, and we should celebrate with a drink."

Liu Zhongwu tried to refuse but was forcibly pulled by Han Gang. Han Gang's skill in persuading people was well