Chapter 53

In Xuzhou, Cai Yuanzhang, who was in the midst of setting up new operations for the Fusha, was once again summoned by his family elders to the residence of his Uncle Yu.

When he was led to the backyard, the direction was not towards the private garden, but to the study where official business was usually conducted. His heart skipped a beat, filled with unease and alertness.

Then, he saw Li Boji, who looked rather disheveled, being escorted with his head hanging low, a swollen cheek prominently visible. A young man with a long, narrow face and thin lips stood there, dressed in plain clothes with no visible signs of his identity. However, when their eyes met, one felt an instinctive urge to look away due to his piercing gaze.

Uncle Yu, who had always held Cai Yuanzhang in high regard, introduced him with a somewhat forced smile, "This is Jin Qiude from Luoyang. He has some questions to ask."

He added with a meaningful tone, "You must answer truthfully, without any concealment."

"There's no need for you to worry, young Master Cai," Jin Qiude spoke, his voice not as intimidating as his eyes. "It's just that the case involving the Qi Jun Zouji ship guild's alleged collusion with bandits is still unresolved, and I need some clarification from you."

Cai Yuanzhang glanced at Li Boji's appearance and thought to himself that this process of seeking answers would not be easy or pleasant. It was only because Qingxu Town, the largest town in Huabei, was loosely considered part of the peripheral influence of the regent in Luoyang, and had a history of involvement in the Luoyang incident, that they had to adopt a submissive and cooperative attitude under the pressure of a stronger force.

For example, the newly appointed Qingxu留守 (Qingxu Governor) had decisively dealt with a batch of people and matters related to the united soldiers, to avoid giving Luoyang any further pretext or opportunity to intervene.

Another example was the return of his elder brother, who had long served in Luoyang and acted as a kind of hostage, under heavy military escort, to "fulfill filial duties."

The current Qingxu留守 had finally seized the opportunity to take control of most of the power from the elders when his father retired, and did not want any more variables to arise.

This time, using the pretext of pursuing the remnants of the bandits, the same principle applied, and it was said to involve the Southern Dynasty as well.

Although Uncle Yu held a significant position in Qingxu Town, he was not the only faction and could not ignore the pressure from Luoyang, even if it meant sacrificing his promising nephew and the reputation he had built over the years.

After all, a minor mistake in socializing could easily turn into solid evidence of Qingxu Town harboring bandits, or even a pretext for being the mastermind behind the Luoyang incident, which would be a serious matter.

If Luoyang decided to protect its dignity at all costs, it might not be able to completely颠覆 (overturn) the status quo of Qingxu Town in the short term, but it would be a complete disaster for Uncle Yu and his family and faction.

Thinking of this, he wished he could strangle this young man who liked to socialize with people from all walks of life and promote the family's reputation.

"Thanks to Li Boji," Jin Qiude said lightly to his companion after they came out. "The next step is to release the bait."

"To make Su Jingxian 'reasonably' escape from our clutches, we have gone to great lengths."

"The bounty has been put out, but it will take some time to spread."

"I believe there are still many outlaws and bandits who would be willing to take a chance on a promising young man from a prestigious background."

...

The Red Tiger strolled along the streets by the waterways of a certain river branch.

"Be on your guard," I whispered to the girl crouching with her head down.

"Someone is following us."

During our days of fleeing, I had also taught her some of my paranoia and preventive measures, such as alternating checks of the surroundings.

"Most likely, it's the people from Ten Nian who are determined to find out our true identities."

I stroked her hair and said, "There's a small chance it could be someone else who decided to follow us on a whim."

"What should we do?"

She made a gesture of picking something up.

"Let's get a room."

"Okay."

Even though the once-prosperous Yangzhou was now in ruins, with most of its inhabitants being newly resettled migrants, it still retained the basic conditions to serve travelers and merchants due to its strategic location.

We wandered the streets for a long time, carefully selecting several inns before choosing a large one, paying for a few days' stay, and arranging our meals. We then left some unimportant items in the room and, under the pretext of checking the kitchen, went through the inner courtyard and storage room to leave from the back door.

We then bought some second-hand daily necessities and moved to the next inn, repeating this process three or four times until we were out of the old city of Yangzhou and had shaken off any possible trackers.

By the time they reported my whereabouts and set up various surveillance measures, we had already found a boat with a strong sense of life, bought a pile of ingredients and utensils, and started living on the water, drifting along the river.

Although the official army claimed to have eradicated all traces of the Dachun Brightness Religion in Yangzhou, even digging up the foundation stones of the city walls to build embankments at the nearby Caohexi, some ancient sites still remained due to their material and unique locations.

Few people remembered or cared about these sites, except for a few locals who made a living from them. For example, the boat I rented was crewed by a dark-skinned boatwoman and her two young children, who could recite dozens of historical sites and their stories.

This was the last bit of historical legacy and connection in Yangzhou, a place known as the "First of Yangzhou and Yizhou, Second of Chu and Long," where a significant proportion of the boatwomen were widows or single women due to the war and conscription. They not only fished and ferried passengers but also engaged in the sex trade, though not as openly as common prostitutes.

Although I had no such demands, the boat fare I paid was enough to support them for half a month, so they were very diligent in their service. I could enjoy small but delicious fish pancakes, tender water chestnuts, pickled spicy lotus roots, and hand-ground vegetable soup.

The middle-aged boatwoman sang a local tune as she slowly rowed the boat.

"Guangling is truly beautiful, the capital of the Sui dynasty. Eight directions converge here, and the five main roads are as smooth as a grindstone."

"Jade-like light illuminates the ground, and the beauty of the women surpasses the city. They smile and greet each other under the lamps, and meet on the streets."

"Their green feathers flutter, and their red clothes shine. The fragrance of orchids and musk lingers, and the music is clear and leisurely."

"Scholars adhere to the written word, while the wise follow their nature. All will eventually perish, and what will they strive for?"

"Let us enjoy today's happiness, and not worry about posthumous fame. Why should we follow the scholars and waste our lives in books?"

This poem, "Guangling," by Quan Deyu, one of the Ten Talents of Taixing, was one of the most popular verses in the area. Although the poem evokes the past glory, the current scene of overgrown grass and abandoned fields along the riverbank adds a sense of desolation and sorrow.

The chaos of war is like a rough whetstone, gradually erasing the traces of human civilization and prosperity, leaving only the remnants of a bygone era.

For example, Daming Temple on the central peak of Shugang, the starting point and teaching ground for the Japanese monk Jianzhen's journey to the East, which was once converted into the evil cult leader Jing Ke's palace, no longer exists.

Although the official army destroyed all the buildings, including the massive pillars and stone foundations, they could not move the stone base of the Maitreya Hall, which was carved from a single piece of stone.

Gao Ming Temple, used to suppress the river and the estuary, now only has a pair of rusty iron oxen left.

The ancient canal of the State of Wu from the Spring and Autumn period still exists, hidden in the new and old waterways, continuing to serve its ancient purpose.

In contrast, the scenery outside Yangzhou is much better. The old moat, now divided into several small ponds, still has the ruins of the Maze Tower left by Emperor Yang of Sui on the small hill called Guanyin Mountain.

One of the oldest Zen temples in the south, Zhengsheng Temple, rebuilt from the villa of Xie An, the Grand Tutor of the Jin dynasty, still has monks maintaining the last bit of incense in the collapsed ruins.

The tomb of Emperor Yang of Sui, located below Wugong Terrace, has a simple spirit path and crooked stone pillars, symbolizing the final outcome of this ambitious and reckless ruler who turned the prosperous Kaihuang era into a chaotic end.

Amidst the surprises and disappointments, the weight of history and the freshness of reality, we entered the territory of Jiangdu County.

Compared to the buried ruins of old Yangzhou, Jiangdu County had a sense of order and solemnity. It was under the jurisdiction of the Weiyang Deputy Governor and the residence of the Yangzhou Transport Judge, maintaining a considerable number of troops.

More importantly, it was the natural boundary between the Jiangdong and Huainan regions, with a floating bridge that could cross the Yangtze River to Runzhou (modern-day Zhenjiang). Although it was seasonal, it was a crucial link between the north and south.

Built during the Baoying era by Liang Chao, the Grand Governor of Huainan and the Inspector of the Southeast, the bridge was constructed using iron chains as thick as a child's arm, forming six strands to secure the boats and lay planks, creating a safe passage across the river.

Despite being destroyed by floods multiple times, the bridge was always rebuilt, maintaining its original appearance.

(The story of the Yangtze floating bridge is not baseless, as similar bridges were built during the Sui and Song dynasties.)

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