Chapter 49

As the boat glided along, the waves of the Huai River rolled on both banks, presenting a different kind of scenery compared to the vast and surging waters of the Jishui River basin.

Originally, the banks should have been lined with lush fields of green, but they were now marred by burn marks and other chaotic traces, like a painting that had been trampled in the mud and then picked up and laid out again, full of various dirty and mottled colors.

The spring breeze, which should have carried the fresh scent of newly turned soil and young crops, now had a dead, lifeless smell. Occasionally, a few fishing families by the shore would dart into the reeds like startled waterfowl.

At night, there would be more flickering lights from torches, as people and horses moved about, following the boat. The destruction and pillaging of ferry crossings, ports, and towns were widespread.

If the Huai River's northern bank had been a scene of desolation and decay, then the southern bank must have been even worse, a landscape of utter devastation.

Only hostile military camps and watchtowers stood on the hills and river mouths. This was the lingering effect of the long-term attacks and campaigns in Huai's south.

Although this place was still far from the court's recruitment camp in Lingnan, it was a transitional area where the north and south intersected, both in reality and history. The situation here, involving various military towns and counties, was more complex and chaotic than in the north.

In the open cabin, as the injuries stabilized, the woman I had saved, Shizhi, had much better color and could now sit up and eat and move slightly.

"To be honest, you don't seem like a doctor."

She frowned slightly, sipping a bitter medicine that was supposed to replenish blood and energy.

"Oh."

Using the steam from the medicine to cover my gaze, I glanced at a certain spot. Yes, it was still on her.

"Flirtatious, baseless, and fond of taking advantage of others..."

She seemed to notice something and suddenly said,

"Are all doctors in the world so flirtatious and baseless?"

My eyes followed the slight tremor in front of her as I nodded and said,

"Taking advantage of others is just an instinct to appreciate beautiful things..."

"You flatter yourself too much..."

"Compared to your medical skills, you seem more like a spy..."

She threw this out unexpectedly, making my hair stand on end.

"Where have you seen a spy who goes around saving lives and helping the injured? That would be a huge loss."

I responded as if nothing had happened.

"Spies are the ones who like to pay attention to and search for local customs and people..."

She seemed to be picking a fight with me.

"What's so special about that?"

I shrugged.

"In ancient times, there was a predecessor named Li Shizhen who traveled across famous mountains and rivers, collecting local customs and practices, and from them, discovered ancient remedies and medical principles, eventually compiling the 'Compendium of Materia Medica'..."

"I'm just following in his footsteps..."

"You're making it up again. The 'Compendium of Materia Medica' was compiled during the Qianyuan period of our dynasty by Liang Gong, who created the Military Medical Bureau, gathering the wisdom of famous doctors from all over the country..."

"None of the editors or contributors were named Li Shizhen..."

I enjoyed this banter with her, even though it often ended with someone getting angry and aggravating their injuries.

It was rare to find a girl who matched my aesthetic, and even if I knew she might not be my type, I still felt a false sense of ease and a vague desire.

"But whether you are a spy or not, what does it matter to me?"

She looked at me intently.

"I only know that you have not harmed us on this journey and have even shown us great kindness..."

"I am not someone who can't tell right from wrong. You deserve a proper reward."

"Have you promised yourself to someone else?"

I blurted out this question.

"What?"

She was taken aback but didn't get angry. Instead, she narrowed her eyes with a meaningful look.

"I am but a humble servant, honored by your affection..."

"Oh..."

Wait, is she giving me a "good person card"? I could sense it.

"But even if I were not bound to anyone, there would be few opportunities left for me."

"..."

Alright, I was being indirectly looked down upon. For the first time, emotion overcame reason, and I felt a desire to do something to show this woman a thing or two.

After all, I am a noble second-generation from a maritime fief. If I removed the unnecessary factors, I wouldn't be far from the standard of a wealthy, handsome, and successful man.

"Because I have taken a vow to dedicate my life to the honor and prosperity of my family..."

She seemed to be lost in a sudden memory, speaking with a self-deprecating tone.

"Being a good wife and mother is no longer something I dare to hope for..."

Alright, my anger disappeared, replaced by a complex mix of pity and regret.

This chaotic era, where ambition and desire intertwine, has forced good people to become bandits and vagrants. Such a beautiful girl, unable to even hope for a normal life, is truly tragic.

As I was lost in thought, her next words made me pause again.

"But for Nian, there might still be a way..."

Nian, okay, that's the name of the lead servant. Although she has a good appearance and level, she is overshadowed by the uniform appearance of the other servants and by Shizhi.

"After all, our family is eager for talent and is not hesitant to welcome heroes and talents..."

Was this a formal invitation?

I smiled bitterly. Was this a different kind of compensation? If I had heard such hints before, I might have been secretly pleased and hoped for a pleasant encounter. But after hearing her confession, it seemed less appealing.

"Do you want to know why I have such injuries?"

She leaned in, her lips a mere breath away from me.

"No, don't say anything. Ignorance can be a kind of happiness."

I waved my hands.

"If I really get involved in your affairs, it won't end well..."

Because we were on only one boat, the group had shrunk significantly. Apart from some retained guards and servants, the hundred or so volunteers had been reduced to a dozen of the most capable. The rest settled their final accounts and returned.

Thus, I could confirm that the so-called wealthy client who was sick and did not come out, was just a ruse by the people in the convoy, or perhaps the entire convoy was set up to escort this woman. From their hints, there seemed to be several such convoys taking different routes.

Most of the laborers in the convoy were hired along the way, and the true core of the convoy was just the people on the boat. The great effort and cost to set up this convoy indicated that they had significant plans, involving high-level interests.

So, realizing I had inadvertently boarded a pirate ship, I felt a mix of anxiety and hesitation.

Suddenly, the boat shook, and an empty cup rolled off the table. I, sitting on a stool, fell backward, and everything went dark. With a muffled groan, something soft and heavy pressed against my face, the overwhelming weight and pressure making me cry out in pain.

A moment later, I stood by the railing, holding my now bleeding nose, feeling utterly frustrated. When the weight on my head almost suffocated me, I instinctively rubbed and pushed the two heavy objects. The other person, reacting almost reflexively, stood up and elbowed me in the face, breaking my nose.

I glanced at her, and saw the marks of my saliva and other things on her chest. The culprit was from underwater.

The area where I was now was the site of the great battle of Poyang Lake two years ago. The combined naval forces of the eleven states of Huai were defeated by the fleets of Huai and Qingxu, with countless ships destroyed and sunk, and hundreds of miles of floating corpses.

Thus, large areas of shipwrecks were left, scattered and sunken in the water, covered by floating weeds. Unfortunately, our boat, traveling close to the shore, collided with one of them.

"Nothing else is seriously damaged..."

The report from outside continued.

"Only the bottom of the boat is damaged and has started to leak..."

"But the damage is not severe. We have wood, nails, tung oil, and lime, so we should be able to repair it before nightfall..."

"However, the boat cannot move fast..."

"If we can dock, the repair will be faster..."

"Then let's send out a small boat to find a suitable place to dock..."

......

In Bianzhou, Yongqiu City, at the Tongxi Water Gate,

Su Jingxian, dressed as a traveling merchant, carried a box and slowly squeezed through the long bridge and ferry. The bored guards yawned and occasionally pulled someone out for inspection and extortion.

He had left Qizhou a bit late and almost didn't make it. The death of the transport official in the side residence had caused a great stir, with scouts searching the city and the surrounding areas, and a power struggle between the transport commissioner's office and the financial commissioner's office. But by then, he was already recuperating in a village a hundred miles away.

After his injuries improved, he followed the plan and traveled south by land but was blocked in Caozhou and had to detour west through Bai Gou, then continuously turned and finally arrived in Bianzhou.

Fortunately, his identity documents were not a problem, and his journey using the postal stations was relatively smooth. However, he was still extremely cautious, avoiding the city and taking a detour south. Once he passed the Yongqiu water gate, he would enter the relatively safer territory of Chenzhou.

After the water gate, there was a long street serving the Bian River boats, with various taverns and shops, presenting a畸形的繁荣景象。

突然一个声音响起，

“长生……”

他身体一震，没有理会，继续大步前行。

但对方已经起了疑心，

他没跑多远，转过巷道，就听见踩着墙瓦的声音，几个飞檐走壁的身影从左右一跃而下，几乎扫在他的小腿上，重重摔了个灰头土脸，奋力爬起来，毅然拔刀自刃，却被重击手腕，剧痛酸麻的握持不住，被夺了兵刃去。

然后反擒着手臂，重新将他按在地上。这时，追逐他的人也跟了上来。

“长生……你这是何苦呢”

“……”

苏景先看着这张昔日同伴的熟悉面孔，冷不防一口土腥血痰，唾在他脸上。

那人暴怒欲下狠手，却被旁人伸手架住。一个皮笑肉不笑的声音道，

“魏员外郎，您的意气得先放放……”

“蹲了这些日子，总算守到一个了……”

“我们还要指望这个活口混饭吃呢……”

然后昏死过去的苏景先身上被搜刮一空。

“咦……”

“这些东西是哪里来的……”

“拿回去，细加拷问……”

几天后，一份快报被送到了梁园旧址，一个声音赞叹道，

“妙哉，真是踏破铁鞋无觅处，得来全不费工夫啊……”

“主上何事喜之……”

“夷甫他们在汴州布下的棋子，认出一个残孽，可惜不是太要紧的……”

“未曾想，却牵扯出一条大鱼来……”

“哪条大鱼，”

“当然是最大的那条……”

“这下我们算是抢了先手了……”

---

After the water gate, there was a long street serving the Bian River boats, with various taverns and shops, presenting a畸形的繁荣景象。

Suddenly, a voice rang out,

"Changsheng..."

His body trembled, but he ignored it and continued walking.

But the other person had already become suspicious.

He didn't run far before turning into an alley, where he heard the sound of footsteps on the roof tiles. Several figures leaped down from the eaves, almost sweeping his legs, causing him to fall heavily and become covered in dirt. Struggling to get up, he resolutely drew his knife to commit suicide, but his wrist was struck, causing intense pain and numbness, and he lost his grip on the weapon.

Then, his arms were grabbed, and he was pinned to the ground again. At this moment, the people chasing him caught up.

"Changsheng... Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"..."

Su Jingxian looked at the familiar face of his former comrade and spat a mouthful of earth and blood at him.

The man, enraged, was about to strike, but was held back by someone else. A voice, smiling but not genuine, said,

"Mr. Wei, you need to control your temper..."

"After waiting for so many days, we finally caught one..."

"We still need this live captive to make a living..."

Then, the unconscious Su Jingxian was thoroughly searched.

"Hmm..."

"Where did these things come from..."

"Take them back and interrogate him thoroughly..."

A few days later, a fast report was delivered to the old site of Liang Garden. A voice praised,

"Brilliant, truly a stroke of luck after much effort..."

"What has the master found so pleasing?"

"The pieces placed by Yifu in Bianzhou have identified a remnant, though not a significant one..."

"Unexpectedly, it has led to a big catch..."

"Which big catch?"

"Of course, the biggest one..."

"Now we have the upper hand..."

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