Chapter 7

Four armored men returned with their heads hanging low. Bai Dong had overestimated himself; his clumsy disguise couldn't fool anyone. The cave was discovered, and the footprints and bloodstains left behind were enough to prove that the black-clothed woman had been rescued to the cave. However, from the traces at the scene, it was clear that a third party had taken her away.

Although Jing Jian looked effeminate, he wasn't a real rabbit but a renowned minister. Even with a cursory thought, he knew who had saved the woman, without even needing to compare the footprints.

"The person I saved was her. Since I couldn't bring myself to kill him, I had to save her. Scholars have their own way of doing things. It's almost dark, and there's no way to escape or hide. Chatting with Duke Jing for a while can be considered doing my best. Duke Jing is a wise and upright gentleman; he should understand my predicament, right?"

If historical records were correct, Bai Dong didn't need to worry about Jing Jian harming him. His words were passionate and resounding. The four armored men, all capable subordinates of Jing Jian, quickly understood Bai Dong's thoughts. Instead of harboring any hatred, they secretly gave him a thumbs up: "No wonder he's a scholar, truly thoughtful and responsible! If I were in his place, I would probably act the same way."

Jing Jian's eyes darted back and forth. He was also from a noble family and was familiar with the spirit of scholars. If he were in Bai Dong's position, he would probably act the same way. The man before him, though disheveled and dressed in the simplest hemp clothes, spoke with novelty and acted with both wit and integrity, a person worthy of respect. However, the black-clothed woman was of great importance and couldn't be let go easily.

"Mr. Bai, you do have your difficulties, but the black-clothed woman stole something of utmost importance. I must report to the king, and I will have to offend you."

"What do you plan to do?"

Jing Jian didn't answer. He lightly struck Bai Dong's neck, then handed him to one of the armored men, saying, "Jia Wu, the grain convoy of Lvyang is just ten miles down the hill. Take Mr. Bai to him and have him taken to the Western River camp. Remember, do not harm Mr. Bai. When you reach the camp, do not immediately see the king. First, ask the Lvyang magistrate to investigate the front lines and whether our army has won or lost. If the king is in a bad mood, hand Mr. Bai over to the Second Prince. The Second Prince always appreciates talent and will take good care of him."

"Lord Jing, it was this man who saved that wench. Why go to such lengths for him?"

"Short-sighted! Mr. Bai has the demeanor of a true scholar. Moreover, if we can't catch that woman, the 'Gongshu Secret Canon' will likely end up with him. I'm sending him to the Western River camp because the king is concerned about this matter and needs to be informed, but I don't intend to harm him. Do you understand?"

Jing Jian turned and walked down the hill. "Yi Chi, Bing Tie, Ding Bei, follow me down to get the horses. With outside help, that woman will surely flee east. If she escapes to the Wei Kingdom, it will be troublesome."

"Understood!"

Five figures quickly dispersed. Jing Jian led three armored men hurriedly toward the east, while Jia Wu carried Bai Dong down the hill from the north. This guy was much rougher than Jing Jian, treating Bai Dong like a sack of grain, throwing him over his shoulder without any concern for comfort.

***

The dream of a good night's sleep was a luxury. Bai Dong woke up amidst the shouts and neighs of horses, his shoulders and back burning with pain. Just as he tried to sit up, a violent jolt forced him back down. Fortunately, this body was young and full of vitality; if it were his old body from the previous life, he would have surely injured his back.

Carefully sitting up, he looked around. He was in a carriage, with a driver shouting in front. The stench of sweat and horse manure filled the air, and the sound of hooves echoed. He confirmed that he was in a moving carriage. Jing Jian, though effeminate, had some conscience, but this carriage was terrible. It jolted violently, tilting forward and backward, performing a 30-degree up-and-down motion. This was because the four-wheel steering technology hadn't been invented yet, and the carriages of this era were two-wheeled, making the ride as uncomfortable as a form of punishment, not much better than walking.

Peering out the window, he saw a long line of grain carts, each piled high with dozens of grain bags, with a soldier squatting on top, a sack slung over his shoulder. On either side of the grain carts were two rows of armored soldiers, armed to the teeth with spears and swords, quivers of arrows on their backs. The grain carts, pulled by horses, moved slowly. In the Warring States period, stirrups and saddles hadn't been invented, so riding horses for combat was impractical. Cavalry was mainly used for reconnaissance, and only skilled riders could handle it. Horses were not as precious as in later times, so using them to transport grain was not considered wasteful.

Two-wheeled grain carts had limited capacity and relied on horses as one of the three support points, making them slow, not much faster than ox carts. Oxen were more valuable than horses in this era, used for plowing fields, and their use was strictly supervised by local officials. The king couldn't mobilize large numbers of oxen, as the old aristocratic families with vast farmlands could threaten to "retire" from farming, a more serious threat than modern street protests, as it directly affected the state's stability.

After lamenting the technological backwardness of the era, Bai Dong decided to get out of the carriage and walk for a bit. Although he didn't know why Jing Jian had thrown him into a grain pile, the Qin army treated him with respect. His hands and feet were not bound, and he was given a carriage with a cabin, a privilege of scholars. After all, what Qin lacked most were not brave generals and soldiers but intellectuals.

"Mr. Bai, you're awake? Ha ha!"

After confirming that these Qin soldiers meant him no harm, Bai Dong was about to get out of the carriage to stretch his legs when he heard someone laughing loudly. A fine horse galloped toward him.

"You're the one who made that effeminate Jing Jian look bad? Well done! I, Bai Chong, admire true men. Jing Jian is always so pretentious, calling himself a scholar. This time, he met a real scholar and was left speechless."

After peeking into the carriage and examining Bai Dong, Bai Chong, the magistrate of Lvyang, laughed heartily. He was a genuine military man, having earned his rank through hard-fought battles, unlike Jing Jian, who, though holding a deputy general's position, mostly engaged in espionage, neither a true scholar nor a true warrior. A real soldier naturally disapproved of such a person. Moreover, since they shared the same surname, Bai Chong felt a natural kinship and was genuinely happy to meet Bai Dong, hoping to make a friend and gain some scholarly influence. For a rough man like him, there was a natural affinity for true scholars.

"Tell me, how did Jing Jian get the short end of the stick? Ha ha, that boy was humbled by you and even went out of his way to help you. Mr. Bai, you have some skills! Such a remarkable person, I must get to know. You also share my surname; perhaps we are even relatives..."

Before Bai Dong could ask, Bai Chong recounted the entire story: how Jing Jian had instructed him to take Bai Dong to see the king and how to navigate the situation carefully. From this, it seemed that Jing Jian was a decent person, considering Bai Dong's well-being. Later, Bai Dong learned why Bai Chong disliked Jing Jian so much: Jing Jian hadn't told him the reason for sending him to see the king, only that he had caused trouble for Qin but refused to explain the details.

Bai Dong was also curious. Jing Jian was a renowned minister, handsome and skilled, the one who brought Wei Yang to Qin and initiated the reforms. Why would such a person go to great lengths to chase a woman? Was the woman so valuable, or did she possess something valuable? As a scholar, he had merely helped in a crisis by saving a woman, yet he was being taken to see the king. The term "taken" was a bit misleading, as his treatment was far better than that of the soldiers outside, more like a guest.

Looking at Bai Chong, he seemed to be a straightforward man, tall and strong, with sharp eyes and a weathered face. If not for his armor, he would look like a simple, honest peasant. He wouldn't deceive Bai Dong. After listening to Bai Dong's account, he left the carriage, satisfied, and continued to patrol on horseback, a responsible and dedicated leader. However, as he turned to leave, his stomach rumbled, and his face turned red. Could a high-ranking official like the magistrate of Lvyang be embarrassed by hunger?

Bai Dong was puzzled. The sound was clearly that of a hungry stomach, and it was the kind of rumble that only comes from being hungry for two or three days. In this era, commoners and low-class people often went hungry, and every winter, he and Cao Er had to tighten their belts. But he had never heard of officials going hungry. Lvyang was the capital of Qin, and the magistrate of Lvyang was no small position. Could he be hungry? Looking at the Qin soldiers outside, they all looked hungry. What was going on? There were at least four hundred grain carts, if not five hundred. Could they be filled with sand?

Ps: Thank you to 'Li Chen Xi' and 'Q Lao Long Tou' for your support. Brothers and sisters, please recommend and follow the story. Although my contract is with Qidian, my status hasn't changed, and I won't be recommended this week. I can only go it alone. To face the books with recommendation slots, I can only rely on you!