Chapter 20

That night, Chen Qing ordered the slaughter of over a dozen oxen to reward the soldiers. Although Song law required official approval to kill oxen, this was a time of war, and all rules were relaxed.

The next morning, Chen Qing led a few soldiers on foot down the mountain to the county town, with the local man Zhao Xiaoyi serving as their guide.

"Xiaoyi, where is your home?"

"It's in Cuimo Town to the west, about twenty li from here."

Chen Qing recalled the dying Liu Wu's request and asked curiously, "Why did Liu Wu insist that I tell his son he died for his country?"

"Ah! Liu Wu is my uncle. He was a ruffian from a young age. Even after he got married, he didn't change. He loafed around all day. Later, my grandfather got him a job in the local militia, but he still gambled and drank. After serving for over ten years, he never sent a single coin home.

"His son looked down on him and even disowned him. Once, his son scolded him harshly, saying he couldn't serve the country or support his family, and was just a useless waste.

"Liu Wu was deeply hurt and joined the Huanying Army, determined to fight the Western Xia. He never even saw a Western Xia soldier, but his only wish was for his son to know that he could serve his country and fight the enemy, and that he wasn't a waste."

Chen Qing nodded. "In a few days, we'll visit Liu Wu's family!"

...

Linyou County was a medium-sized county with a population of about ten thousand. The key was that it was far from the battlefield and had not been ravaged by the Jin army, largely maintaining the appearance of the Song Dynasty.

The Jin army was fighting the Song army at Heshangyuan, and the southern counties were affected, with many refugees fleeing to Linyou County. The county town was crowded with tens of thousands of refugees, making it noisy and dirty.

At the city gate, a few soldiers stood guard, eyeing every passerby. Zhao Xiaoyi was quick-witted and gave each soldier some money. The lead soldier weighed the money and waved them in.

Entering the county town, a warm, foul smell hit them. The cries of children, the scolding of women, the angry shouts of men, and the calls of vendors echoed continuously.

Inside the city gate, it seemed like a market, crowded with farmers from nearby villages selling vegetables. The ground was muddy, with trampled vegetable leaves and chicken and duck droppings, making it stink.

Zhao Xiaoyi nudged Chen Qing with his elbow and nodded to the side. Chen Qing then noticed a wanted notice posted on the city wall.

"Wanted: Five hundred Song cavalry. Anyone who knows their whereabouts should immediately report to the authorities. If the information is verified, a reward of three thousand guan will be given. Those who dare to collude or conceal will be exterminated!"

Chen Qing snorted and quickly led the group away. After walking a hundred steps from the city gate, Chen Qing took a deep breath of fresh air; the air at the city gate was too polluted.

"Boss, where are we going next?" Zhao Xiaoyi asked.

Chen Qing thought for a moment and said to two soldiers, "Go buy four mules. We'll use them to transport oil and salt. Buy the oil, salt, and lamp oil as well!"

"We understand!"

The two soldiers hurried off. Chen Qing then asked Zhao Xiaoyi, "I want to buy fodder. Where can I go?"

They had six hundred warhorses, and the amount of fodder they consumed was staggering. The fodder they brought from Chencang would last at most ten days. What would they do next?

The fodder issue was Chen Qing's biggest concern.

Zhao Xiaoyi scratched his head. "I remember there's a fodder shop near the entertainment district. I'm not sure if it's still open."

"Take me there!"

The entertainment district was like a commercial complex in the Song Dynasty, with everything from food and drink to entertainment and goods. Brothels and inns were also scattered throughout, and almost every county had one.

Linyou County's entertainment district was located in the middle of the county town, covering nearly two hundred acres with about 150 shops of various sizes. It looked like a small commodity wholesale market in a modern small county.

In front of the entertainment district was a square paved with stone slabs, surrounded by several large taverns and the houses of wealthy families, clearly the commercial center of the county. However, the square was filled with refugee tents, and beggars and vendors crowded around, making the roads very congested.

On the left side of the entrance was a row of grain shops, about seven or eight in total. The one at the far end had a large white sign with black letters: "Qiao's Animal Feed!"

This was the shop that sold animal feed.

Chen Qing and Zhao Xiaoyi entered the shop. The interior was spacious but dimly lit, with two rows of baskets along the walls. A few men who looked like refugees were pooling money to buy black beans, and the shop assistant was very impatient and disdainful.

The thin shopkeeper glanced at Chen Qing and gruffly said, "We don't accept paper money, Shaanxi money, or Sichuan money!"

Chen Qing was taken aback, not understanding what he meant.

Zhao Xiaoyi snorted, "We'll pay with Xuanhe money and silver. What did you think?"

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up, and he immediately smiled and approached. "Sir, please forgive me. The shop has been overwhelmed by refugees. Please come to the inner room."

Zhao Xiaoyi whispered to Chen Qing, "Paper money is worthless now. Shaanxi money and Sichuan money are iron coins, and it takes five to equal one Xuanhe copper coin. Large shops don't accept them."

Chen Qing understood now.

The inner room was a VIP reception area with tables and chairs, and the large table was filled with small trays.

The shopkeeper poured them two cups of hot tea and smiled. "My name is Wang. What do you need, and how much?"

Chen Qing glanced at the animal feed in the trays: coarse feed, fine feed, dried alfalfa, black beans, and barley, as well as some unknown items. Chen Qing picked up a handful of beans that looked like peas and asked, "What is this?"

"These are wild beans. They grow along the river and are the cheapest. A few copper coins can buy a dou. The shop originally had several hundred shi, but the refugees bought them all."

"What about black beans?"

"Black beans cost thirty copper coins per dou, and barley is the same price. But the refugees have almost bought them all. They're like locusts, leaving nothing behind wherever they go."

"Then let's buy fodder!" Chen Qing disliked his attitude towards the refugees and didn't want to waste time. He got straight to the point.

"We have both fine and coarse feed. The dried alfalfa is guaranteed to be purple alfalfa from Hexi. The price is negotiable. How much do you need?"

"I want five thousand dan of fine feed, and you'll deliver it!"

Wang's eyes widened, and he shook his head like a rattle. "There's no place to buy it now. The shop has only three thousand dan of fine, coarse, and dried alfalfa combined, and I can't sell it all to you. I can give you at most five hundred dan."

Chen Qing took out six fifty-liang silver ingots and placed them on the table. "Three hundred liang of silver for three thousand dan. Will you sell it?"

Wang stared at the silver, his eyes wide. Good heavens, that's five times the price!

"I'll sell it! How could I refuse such a sincere customer? Where do you want it delivered? It can't be too far."

"Not far, just twenty li!" Chen Qing said calmly.

...

That night, Wang paced back and forth in front of the county office, deep in thought.

Today, he sold all three thousand dan of fodder at a high price, earning him at least several dozen liang of silver. But Wang had discovered a chance to make a fortune.

Three thousand guan! He could never earn that much in his lifetime.

As a fodder seller for twenty years, he knew who in Fengxiang Prefecture would buy fodder and how much. Today, he sold three thousand dan of fodder, and the buyer's need for black beans suggested they were feeding horses.

The buyer must have at least three or four hundred horses. Who could have so many horses besides the Jin army? But would the Jin army buy horse fodder?

After much thought, there was only one possibility: the five hundred Song cavalry wanted for three thousand guan. They must be hiding in Linyou County, probably in Qilin Fort.

The desire for wealth finally overcame his conscience as a Song citizen.

Wang entered the county office...

County Magistrate Li Boliang squinted and asked, "Are you sure the buyer is the wanted Song cavalry?"

"I can't guarantee it, but who else would buy fodder for hundreds of horses?"

"Maybe it's Yang Guo's militia? They are also stockpiling fodder, which is normal."

"Sir, Yang Guo's militia doesn't have any horses. What's the point of stockpiling fodder? If they had that much money, they'd buy food instead. It can't be them."

Li Boliang cursed inwardly but reluctantly said, "I'll send someone to investigate Qilin Fort in a few days. If it's them, I'll report it."

"And my reward!"

Li Boliang gave him a cold look. "Don't worry! If it's true, you'll get every coin."

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[Thank you all for your support. I'm adding an extra chapter. Old Gao has very few drafts, and I can't add too many during the new book period. I hope for your understanding!]