Chapter 3, West Gate Pier

Translator: StarReader

 

The Su River lay calm as a mirror, reflecting the green hills and clear waters on both banks. Ripples drifted across the river, disturbing the sea of withered yellow reeds.

 

A small bamboo raft drifted along the river toward Gusu County City, passing by quiet water villages hidden in the peaceful countryside. It was winter, and the vast fields stretched endlessly, blanketed in a layer of frost under the cold, desolate sky.

 

Su Chen felt his stomach growling with hunger. He finished the remaining half of his hard bread, which barely satisfied his appetite. Thirsty, he dipped his small hands into the river and scooped up handfuls of freezing water, warming it in his mouth before swallowing it down to quench his thirst.

 

Even if his arms grew tired of moving the bamboo pole, taking a break and continuing on was manageable as long as the raft didn’t drift ashore or collide with other boats. This river route was familiar to him; he had traveled it many times before.

 

Several hours later, signs of increasing prosperity began to appear along the way. By midday, Su Chen reached the west gate pier of Gusu County City.

 

At noon, the west gate pier was bustling with activity. Large and small cargo ships and fishing boats dotted the waters, creating a lively and vibrant scene.

 

Su Chen knew little about Gusu County City. He had only heard from the fishermen during their idle conversations while fishing or after meals that Gusu County was the largest of the thirteen counties in the Wu Region. It covered an area of a thousand square miles, with ten thousand households residing within its borders, making it the most prosperous and thriving place in the region.

 

Because the waterways and canals were extremely well-developed, Gusu County City served as the hub of river transport for the Wu Region’s thirteen counties. Numerous fishing boats from neighboring counties and water towns, as well as large merchant ships traveling south from the north or northbound from various southern prefectures, often moored at the docks outside Gusu County City to unload goods.

 

Even during the harsh winter months when the ground was covered in ice and snow, Gusu County City remained crowded. Many local and foreign folk arrived at the west gate via merchant ships.

 

There were peddlers carrying bundles with hurried expressions, martial fighters with blades at their waists and a bold aura, as well as various artisans performing opera and acrobatics.

 

Fishermen sold their fish, peasants sold fruits and vegetables, woodcutters sold firewood, hunters sold herbs and game, and peddlers carried goods through the streets, all of whom were constantly coming and going.

 

Outside the west gate was a stone slab bridge, with a wharf beside it that had numerous stalls, forming an outdoor market at the west gate.

 

Coming ashore from the stone bridge’s wharf, one could see in the distance an ancient temple, the renowned Han Mountain Daoist Temple.

 

Numerous laborers carrying shoulder poles were already waiting by the wharf since before dawn, bending over and sighing as they waited for cargo ships to moor, hoping to secure some heavy lifting work.

 

Nearby, palanquins and porters kept their eyes fixed on the merchant ships, hoping that affluent families would hire them to carry them about.

 

Su Chen had been rowing the small bamboo raft for half a day, and his arms and legs were already trembling with fatigue. Spotting the stone Maple Bridge ahead, he couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. He quickly docked the raft at the pier and jumped ashore.

 

“Fresh steamed buns, hot and delicious! Just one pack per copper coin!”

 

“Come try these, the freshest melons and fruits, just plucked from the field!”

 

“High-quality firewood for sale, five copper coins per shoulder pole!”

 

At west gate market, there were stalls selling morning delicacies like steamed buns, hot soy milk, and osmanthus cakes. Fishermen, farmers carrying baskets of vegetables and fruits, and woodcutters hawking bundles of firewood—all were shouting out their wares, their voices blending into a cacophony of commerce.

 

Su Chen walked along the pier, glancing around curiously, his youthful face filled with bewilderment and hesitation. He had finally mustered the courage to run away from home, intending to find work in the county city to support himself. But upon arriving at the bustling and lively west gate, he felt overwhelmed and clueless about where to start looking for employment.

 

He had no relatives in Gusu County City to turn to, only knowing Ah Chou, a good friend who worked at Heaven Falcon Inn. But Ah Chou was merely a server at the inn, leading a difficult life not much better than Su Chen’s.

 

He did not want to drag Ah Chou into his troubles and only thought of finding a job in the county city to support himself with his own labor.

 

Su Chen walked for a long time. Passing by a vendor’s stall at the wharf, he saw a steamer pot filled with freshly cooked coarse-grain buns, which made him gulp down hard.

 

He licked his lips, patted his rumbling stomach, and badly wanted to buy several steaming white buns.

 

The coarse-grain buns cost one copper coin per steamer. They were not particularly expensive.

 

But when he touched his waist, he suddenly remembered that his small money bag was left on the old fishing boat, and he had no copper coins on him. He couldn’t afford them.

 

The half-loaf of bread brought from home had been eaten long ago on the way.

 

Su Chen patted his empty stomach and felt a bit worried.

 

He grew up by the lakes and rivers in Zhou Village since childhood, knowing only how to catch fish and shrimp in the river. Now that he was away from water and came to this bustling Gusu County City, he had no idea what he could do to earn money to fill his stomach.

 

[I have to find odd jobs here as soon as possible to earn some money so that I can settle down.]

 

Su Chen was anxiously thinking about it and wandered around west gate market, going to various stalls along the street, such as the wine shops, butchers’ pork shops, and tea shops, looking for work, but no one wanted him.

 

Some vendors either thought he was too small or too weak to use.

 

Su Chen was frustrated and looked depressed.

 

He hadn’t thought that it would be so difficult to find a job as a helper in this bustling market. He hadn’t eaten for most of the day and was so hungry that he felt weak. If he continued like this, he would starve to death on the street in two or three days.

 

“A big ship is coming. There’s work!”

 

The porters on the west gate pier suddenly became busy.

 

Su Chen was walking around worriedly when he heard the noise and looked up in surprise.

 

A large grain ship slowly docked near the stone bridge, anchoring at a nearby wharf. Su Chen was pleasantly surprised.

 

He thought to himself, [Such a massive rice-laden vessel must require a lot of laborers for unloading!]

 

He noticed a burly foreman and several other strong laborers waiting eagerly on the pier for the big cargo ship to dock.

 

“Hey! Foreman sir, I can help with moving goods too. Count me in!”

 

Su Chen quickly ran over to the burly foreman, eager to ask for a day’s work. He knew that working at the wharf required attaching oneself to the leader to secure a meal ticket.

 

At the wharf, the other laborers burst into laughter. “Don’t you see all these mouths? We’re all starving for work!”

 

“Get lost, kid! What are you doing here, causing a disturbance?”

 

The dark-faced foreman looked at the slender Su Chen struggling to push his way through the crowd, roughly pulled him out, and disdainfully waved his hand, telling Su Chen to leave immediately.

 

His group was made of strong men capable of carrying loads weighing one or two hundred pounds; this boy, with his thin arms and legs, couldn’t even manage a basket that weighed dozens of pounds.

 

Moreover, during the harsh winter when there was an influx of displaced people, the west gate pier wasn’t short of laborers. At any moment, they could easily recruit dozens of starving men eager for work—each of them had families to support, so why would they hire a child for such heavy labor?

 

Su Chen grew anxious. If he couldn’t earn money and buy steamed buns, he might starve to death in the city.

 

Meanwhile, a well-dressed middle-aged merchant in a fur coat emerged from the cabin of a cargo ship, followed by a wealthy-looking woman and a refined girl, who stepped down from the wooden plank of the ship. Their lavish attire starkly contrasted with the dock workers’ plain clothing, exuding an air of wealth and refinement.

 

Following the middle-aged merchant were over ten servants carrying sticks, as well as several elderly female attendants holding travel bags and parcels.

 

This was clearly a wealthy household in the county, with a large retinue of servants and attendants.

 

The young miss of the family was about eleven or twelve years old, already showing signs of beauty, wearing a thick and luxurious fur-lined coat. Her red lips and fair complexion stood out against her delicate features, which flushed rosy in the cold wind, making her seem utterly endearing.

 

Su Chen started in surprise and quickly stepped aside, not daring to block the path of Master Li, his wife, and their numerous servants.

 

When the young miss got off the boat, she happened to see Su Chen, flustered and sweating, jumping around like a restless little monkey. She couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle, her face lighting up like a blooming flower.

 

But soon, realizing the social abyss between them, she straightened her expression and gave him a disdainful huff, her small face showing clear contempt for Su Chen.

 

Su Chen felt the weight of her cold glance and grew self-conscious, stepping back further and lowering his head in embarrassment, daring not to meet her gaze.

 

A burly porter waiting at the dock recognized Master Li as soon as he saw him. He was known to own several rice shops in Gusu County and was likely returning from collecting grain in the nearby towns.

 

“Ah, Master Li,” the porter exclaimed respectfully, “You’re back from buying rice! Your business must be booming. I hope your journey was smooth and without any issues.”

 

Dark-faced laborers hurried forward, bowing and scraping, trying to get a job carrying rice for the wealthy merchant from the rice shop.

 

“These are tough times! Outside the county city, bandits are everywhere, robbing and pillaging. I went to the towns to transport a ship of rice, even bringing along dozens of retainers to guard the boat. The whole journey was nerve-wracking!”

 

Merchant Li shook his head as he stepped off the boat, clearly familiar with the laborer.

 

“Master Li, it’s good you’re safe back. Once in the city, everything will be fine. With guards posted, water bandits and robbers dare not come near the city. Once this harsh winter passes and those outlaws starve, they’ll probably settle down.”

 

“Guards? It’s best to avoid them altogether. Never mind. Let’s not linger. Old Hei, take some men and transport all this rice to the Li family granary in the city. I need to head to Han Mountain Taoist Temple to burn a few incense sticks and attend to some business.”

 

Merchant Li gestured as he gave his orders, telling the laborer to lead his crew back to the city warehouse with the ship’s rice.

 

“Certainly. Thank you, Master Li!”

 

Old Hei, the laborer in charge, beamed with delight, nodding and bowing repeatedly as he turned to urge the other porters into action.

 

“Men, let’s get moving! Master Li is generous enough to give us a meal; work hard, people!”

 

The laborers were overjoyed and crowded together, some carrying rice while others loaded goods. This trip would earn them enough for several days’ meals.

 

…

 

Merchant Li still looked worried despite having returned to the safety of Gusu County City with a shipload of rice. Having traveled far and wide to purchase rice over the years, he was aware that outside Gusu County City things were becoming increasingly uneasy.

 

In recent decades, the Wu Region had suffered much disaster, with displaced people and bandits increasing, forming groups to rob and plunder. Only the five martial gangs in the Wu Region were ignored, as their brute strength was formidable.

 

The wealthy and powerful from various counties in the Wu Region all attached themselves to the martial gangs for protection. Their power had grown stronger over time, with each group boasting thousands or even tens of thousands of disciples, running rampant across county cities and rural areas.

 

As a result, the governor of the Wu Region and the magistrates of its counties often had to rely on these martial gangs to handle numerous thorny matters within their jurisdictions.

 

However, these were not concerns for Merchant Li.

 

Something else plagued his mind.

 

Over the years, he had carefully built several large rice stores in the county city, taking advantage of the chaos and famine across the Wu Region to hoard grain, buying low and selling high, amassing a substantial fortune.

 

Yet, despite having been married and taking several concubines for over a decade, he had no offspring. His many women bore him no children.

 

He was only blessed with a precious daughter from his third concubine, Li Jiao. Unfortunately, the spoiled girl was frail and often fell ill with colds and fevers, which did not improve with medicine, causing him great concern.

 

He thought about sending her to a martial gang to learn martial arts, hoping that rigorous training could strengthen her body and rid her of her ailments.

 

Moreover, in recent years, martial gangs had grown increasingly powerful, offering more promising prospects than his rice stores.

 

Despite his family’s wealth—the many stores and ten or so retainers, servants, and maids—their status was only slightly better than that of common people in Gusu County City, and their standing was not particularly high.

 

Several constables would act arrogantly in front of him.

 

He made a living transporting rice on his boats. Whenever he encountered extortion by martial gangs, it filled him with fear and anxiety—often needing to cough up hard-earned money as payment.

 

If his daughter were to join a prominent martial gang, she would have a brighter future ahead compared to running several rice shops. Once she became successful, not many in Gusu County would push him around from being a mere grain merchant.

 

“My dear,” he pondered aloud, addressing the woman. “What do you think about sending Jiao’er for some training within a martial gang? I’ve thought about this for quite some time. If we send her to Medicine King Group, one of the Four Great Gangs in the Wu Region, even if they make a few mistakes, their influence is vast and their reputation as healers is well-deserved. They recruit a small number of inner disciples and batches of outer disciples every twelfth lunar month. It should be around these days.”

 

The woman’s face tightened with concern; she didn’t want her daughter to risk herself in the dangerous world of martial gangs. “Master, our family is, after all, a wealthy household in Gusu County, with several rice shops and no worries about basic necessities. We only have this one precious daughter. The martial world is full of fighting and danger—what if something goes wrong…?”

 

“You spineless woman!” he snapped. “You’re only thinking about the comfort of the present years. The outside world is in chaos; even constables lack authority to enforce their words. If we don’t have a strong backing, our family’s future will be threatened in just ten years. I’ve made up my mind. Jiao’er, your father will personally seek influential connections and offer gifts to ensure you’re admitted as an inner disciple of the Medicine King Group.”

 

Merchant Li was resolute; he had already decided to use his wealth over the years to secure this opportunity for their daughter.

 

Martial gangs had inner and outer disciples.

 

Inner disciples had a higher starting point compared to outer disciples and were more likely to become mid-to-high-level members in the future.

 

He intended what he earned to secure a promising future for his daughter as an inner disciple of a major gang.

 

“But Master, our family has never interacted with martial individuals. How can we possibly have connections?”

 

“Han Mountain Taoist Temple’s Daoist Han Shan is the most esteemed expert in Gusu County and the surrounding twelve counties. He is kind, highly respected, and admired by both the government and the people, as well as martial circles. If we could get him to vouch for us, there would be no issue. However, the Daoist often travels far and wide, making it hard to track him down. Fortunately, his head disciple, Daoist Qinghe, stays at the temple most of the time and has a broad network in Gusu County. He knows many high figures in major gangs and is quite amiable. I’ll prepare a generous gift and ask him for help. With his mediation, this matter will surely be resolved.”

 

Merchant Li tightened his thick fur coat, holding the girl who had caught a cold, and summoned a four-person sedan chair.

 

Surrounded by numerous servants and senior maids, several porters carried the sedan chair and headed toward Gusu County’s West Gate.

 

Not far outside the county’s west gate pier stood Han Mountain Daoist Temple.

 

Merchant Li left two trusted household servants to watch over the rice shipment, then took his wife, daughter, and a group of other servants and slaves into Han Mountain Daoist Temple to pay their respects to Daoist Qinghe.

 

……

 

Su Chen stayed at the dock, growing increasingly anxious as he saw the laborers finding work while he himself went hungry without any job in sight.

 

He overheard the conversation between Merchant Li and the woman as they were leaving.

 

Most of what he heard didn’t register with him, but one sentence stood out: “Medicine King Group recruits new disciples every year during the twelfth month!”

 

This news sent Su Chen’s heart racing.

 

Was the Medicine King Group actually recruiting disciples?

 

He wondered what conditions they had for recruitment. With his background as a fisherman, could he become a disciple?

 

But these were just fleeting thoughts in Su Chen’s mind.

 

Distant water wouldn’t quench immediate thirst. He still had tonight’s meal to worry about.

 

Su Chen spent half a day searching for work at the west gate pier but found none, his stomach growling with hunger as the sun began to dip below the horizon, signaling that it was already afternoon. He could only head into Gusu County City proper to take his chances, hoping to find a way to satisfy his hunger first and foremost.