Chapter 3

"Stop, you can't treat my believers like this..." Father Lewis rushed forward, intending to negotiate, but Mr. Fan bowed and said, "Sir, we are not mistreating him. Rest assured, we will definitely release him when we reach Yixian. But let me be frank, this person is suspicious. What if he is a spy for the bandits? There's an old Chinese saying: 'One must always be on guard against others.'"

"Bandits? Didn't you say this trade route is the safest and free of bandits?" Father Lewis countered.

"It was safe before, but today we saw this suspicious person, so we can't be sure anymore..." Uncle Qing, who had just tied up Xiao Letian, walked over. "You are an outsider and don't know the customs of the Qing Dynasty. This person is very suspicious and looks like a bandit scout. When I went to Shanxi last month, I heard from hunters that some unknown people had appeared in these mountains..."

"Father, we won't harm him. We just need to keep an eye on him throughout the journey. We will release him once we reach the plain in Yixian. Is this not acceptable? It doesn't violate the treaty you mentioned, does it?"

Uncle Qing's words left Father Lewis speechless. It was reasonable for them to be cautious, and if he insisted on stopping them, it would seem unreasonable. At this moment, Xiao Letian spoke up, "Mr. Lewis, listen to them. I'm fine; this little inconvenience is nothing..."

Since Xiao Letian agreed, Father Lewis didn't say anything more. Mr. Fan, seeing that everything was settled, waved his hand, and two assistants brought over a large mule. They were quite unkind, making Xiao Letian ride the mule backward. It was like Zhang Guolao riding a donkey backward, but Xiao Letian was riding a mule backward.

After dealing with Xiao Letian, the caravan had lunch and continued eastward. They had to reach a small village called Shalang Ao by dusk, where they would camp for the night.

The mountain path was difficult to navigate, and Xiao Letian, riding the mule, felt seasick. The darkness and the backward position on the mule made it even worse.

Xiao Letian had his own trick for dealing with motion sickness: distraction. As long as his mind was occupied, the dizziness wasn't as noticeable.

"What should I do? Traversing to 1864, the third year of the Tongzhi era, is not a good time for rebellion. The Second Opium War ended just four years ago, and Britain and France have gained the largest share from the Qing Dynasty. They are now enjoying the fruits of their victory, and this honeymoon period won't be easily broken..."

"As for Russia to the north, they have just annexed over a million square kilometers of land from the Qing Dynasty. Even if this bear has a big appetite, it needs time to digest. They have little interest in interfering in Qing internal affairs..."

"What about other countries? Japan hasn't even started the Meiji Restoration yet, and is still weaker than the Qing Dynasty. The American Civil War won't end until next year, and the post-war recovery will take several years, so they won't interfere in China's affairs in the short term. As for Germany? The Franco-Prussian War hasn't even started, and modern Germany hasn't even taken shape yet..."

Xiao Letian listed all the major powers in his mind, but found that none of them could be leveraged.

"Indeed, the Tongzhi Restoration is reliable. The Western powers are not interested in the Qing Dynasty, and Zeng Guofan's Hunan Army is at its peak. The population in Central China has decreased by a third due to the Taiping Rebellion, and there is plenty of unclaimed land. The land conflict has been greatly alleviated, and the farmers' willingness to rebel is at its lowest..."

"Damn... How can the gap between countries be so large? The American Civil War accelerated the country's industrialization, and the power of Northern capitalists grew rapidly, transforming an agricultural country into an industrial one by the start of World War I. In contrast, the Taiping Rebellion, also a civil war, resulted in the restoration of the landlord class, which not only seized significant power from the Qing government but also devastated the Southern economy..."

"The most critical issue is that the landlord class, represented by Zeng Guofan, only wants to use Western technology, such as guns and cannons, but strongly rejects Western values, especially natural science..."

"In short, in the eyes of these Confucian officials, it is enough for soldiers to use Western guns and cannons. They have no interest in the principles behind them. Not only do they lack interest, but they also prevent those who are interested from learning. The countryside is still filled with the sound of reciting the Three Hundred Tang Poems, and the imperial examinations still favor the Eight-part Essay..."

"How can I break through this stifling sky? Oh..." As Xiao Letian thought, he suddenly had a flash of insight and almost slapped himself. "Am I stupid? Did I forget my ideals? Xiao Letian, before you came here, didn't you want to save China with the least bloodshed? Why do you keep thinking about dynastic changes and bloody revolutions?"

"Damn, if heaven sent me to this era, there must be a reason. In a long period of peace, isn't it the perfect time to realize my dreams? Those hypothetical plans can now be tried one by one. Ha ha ha, indeed, everyone has a purpose, and the young and passionate should strive. Thinking about time travel and being a passionate youth... Damn, my mind is really muddled, and I'm starting to think irrationally..."

Xiao Letian swayed and pondered, losing track of time and direction. Suddenly, a commotion came from the front of the caravan. "What? Why are there so many rocks and trees here? They weren't here when we came..."

Immediately, there were footsteps and murmurs. As Xiao Letian tried to understand the situation, Uncle Qing removed the black bag from his head.

"You still dare to say you're not a spy! What's going on with this road..." Uncle Qing, with one hand, forcefully pulled Xiao Letian off the mule, leaving him dazed. Uncle Qing's strength was impressive, and he carried Xiao Letian like a chicken, quickly reaching the front of the caravan.

When Xiao Letian was thrown to the ground, he saw a pile of rocks and several trees blocking the narrow valley, making it impossible for the caravan to pass.

"What does this have to do with me? You can't blame me for a landslide. Aren't landslides common in these mountains?"

"Bullshit, it's October, and it hasn't rained for two months. How can there be a landslide? Did you blow it up with your mouth? Look at the cuts on the tree stumps; they are clearly made by axes. What else could it be but bandits blocking the road?"

Uncle Qing was genuinely angry. He knew that in these remote mountains, any mistake could cost lives.

"This is unfair. Why do you blame me just because I'm a stranger? Father Lewis is also a stranger, but you don't blame him." Xiao Letian was quite shameless, using the foreigner as a shield.

Uncle Qing was so angry that his nose was twisted. "If I don't beat you, you won't know your place..." He raised his fist to strike. Xiao Letian, with his hands tied behind his back, couldn't resist. Even if he weren't tied, he wouldn't be a match for Uncle Qing. He closed his eyes, bracing for the impact.

However, the expected punch didn't come. When he opened his eyes, he saw Father Lewis holding Uncle Qing's wrist with one hand, and the two were struggling.

Uncle Qing was surprised by the foreigner's strength, which was like a pair of pliers. He couldn't break free despite several attempts. Father Lewis was also using all his strength, not expecting such physical fitness among the Qing Dynasty's opium-smoking soldiers. His forehead was sweating from the effort.

"Sir, sir, don't get angry, please don't get angry... Let's all take a step back. We can talk about this after we leave the mountains. Our primary task now is to clear a path. We must reach Shalang Ao before dark..." Mr. Fan quickly mediated. This was Xiao Letian's second close call.

The caravan's assistants and soldiers, regardless of rank, worked together to clear the rocks. After an hour, they managed to create a narrow path for the caravan. When the caravan moved again, the expected bandits did not appear.

"Uncle Qing, something doesn't feel right. We cleared the path, but nothing happened. I suspect the bandits are planning a night attack," Mr. Fan said with a grim face.

"It's possible. These rocks were meant to delay us, preventing us from reaching Shalang Ao before dark. They plan to attack us under the cover of night. Damn, they are determined to wipe us out with minimal casualties," Uncle Qing said, his hand gripping the hilt of his knife tightly.

"Old Mr. Fan, you are experienced. What do you suggest?" Uncle Qing asked.

Mr. Fan was straightforward, "We are transporting 110,000 taels of silver. You saw the tea baskets on the 30 mules; the silver is hidden there. If we encounter bandits, I will give up all the silver..."

"That's not possible. This is official silver for the Imperial Household Department. Losing it means execution..." Uncle Qing tried to persuade him, but Mr. Fan raised his hand and said authoritatively, "Is 110,000 taels a big deal? The Fan family can afford it. But I have one request: my daughter is my treasure. If anything happens, please protect her. We will owe you a favor." He bowed deeply.

Some people say, "Don't talk about people during the day and ghosts at night." Sometimes, what you fear comes true. As the two were discussing, a figure stumbled back from the front of the caravan. It was a scout from the caravan.

It was already dusk, and the setting sun cast the last rays of light on the path. In this light, people saw the scout running slower and more unsteadily.

"Boss... There are bandits ahead, bandits..." He fell to the ground, a feathered arrow embedded in his back. He kicked his legs and died.

The crowd was silent for three seconds, as if time had stopped. Then the caravan erupted in chaos. Everyone screamed and looked for cover. The brave ones grabbed weapons, while the cowards wet their pants.

"Ma Xiaoliu is dead! Ma Xiaoliu is actually dead, save us, Buddha..."

"I told you to hire bodyguards, but you didn't listen. Now you see the consequences..."

"It's Ermaozi, he brought the bandits. Kill him to avenge us..."

"You're talking nonsense. If you kill him now, the bandits will retaliate. Xiao Sir, Xiao Grandpa, please speak up. Don't kill, we will pay the ransom..."

"Praying to him is useless. I say it's the foreigners who brought bad luck. They are evil spirits who burned Beijing. They attract bandits. It's their bad luck, spit..."

The scene was chaotic. Xiao Letian, seeing the assistants bowing to him, felt a surreal sense, as if he were playing a highly realistic 3D game. He was completely immersed in it, unable to pull himself out.