Having finally coaxed Chuntao into leaving, Bai Jianglan had his men help Qin Sang up.
"Brother Qin, Miss Chuntao was only worried about the young lady's safety and had no other choice. Please don't take it to heart. I must ask you to bear with resting in the stern cabin for the night. I will have someone bring some food by shortly, and tomorrow when we reach the Sanwu City ferry, we will see you ashore. Sanwu City is a hub connecting north and south, a crossroads through which merchants must pass. Perhaps you will even find some fellow townsfolk of yours there..."
Qin Sang was deeply grateful. Remembering the two coin pouches on him, he pulled them all out and said, "Brother Bai, you saved my life, and I have no way to repay you. This silver and gold came from the two bandits I killed. I only hope you won't mind that the money comes from dirty hands..."
"Hey!"
Bai Jianglan's face clouded with displeasure, and he pushed Qin Sang's hands back.
"In my earlier days, when my martial skills were humble and I roamed the jianghu, I relied on the help of righteous heroes to reach where I am today. What I do now is merely following the example of those forebears, performing small acts of righteousness. Do not speak of money again, or I will throw you straight off the boat right now!"
Qin Sang held his hands out awkwardly.
The man supporting him laughed. "Boss Bai makes over a thousand taels of silver a year in stipend. Why would he covet your meager sum? You risked your life for that money—keep it to go home and marry a wife!"
The stern cabin was divided into several compartments. Originally resting quarters for the boatmen, they were now used to store miscellaneous goods. They found a relatively clean room piled with straw, and someone brought down a set of bedding. Though crude, it was a comfort Qin Sang had not dared dream of over the past month.
Once Qin Sang was settled in, Bai Jianglan led his men back up. Before long, someone brought down a set of worn clothes and hot food. Qin Sang wolfed it down, barely registering the taste.
After changing into the clothes and wrapping himself tightly in the bedding, his mind wandered for quite a while before he finally fell into a deep sleep.
Before drifting off, he felt the ebony sword and the few items at his chest again, resisting the urge to take them out and look.
...
He slept without dreams.
When Qin Sang opened his eyes and felt the gentle rocking of the cabin, his spirit felt more refreshed than ever before.
His stomach was rumbling again, and he had no idea what time it was.
Qin Sang sat up, found a wooden stick, and slowly got to his feet. Tiptoeing on his injured foot and leaning on the stick, he was actually able to walk slowly, which made him marvel once more at the wonders of internal force.
Shuffling step by step, he reached the ladder leading up from the stern cabin. Above, he could hear rhythmic shouting and grunts. A head popped over the edge—it was the very man who had supported him yesterday.
"Brother Qin, you're awake!"
The man hopped down in a single leap and scolded good-naturedly, "Your leg hasn't healed yet, so why did you get up on your own? I've been keeping watch up there the whole time; all you had to do was shout and I would have come down. Come, the lower cabin is stuffy. Let me help you up. It's still early, not quite time to eat yet. Boss Bai is instructing the brothers in martial arts. The ship has already passed Jiudie Gorge, so Sanwu City isn't far now. After breakfast, we can see you off..."
Qin Sang quietly sized up the man. He was about the same age as himself, lively and talkative, his mouth running without pause.
"How should I address you, Brother?"
"I'm Zhou Ning. I'm great in the water, so everyone calls me Water Monkey. Once we pass Sanwu City, the current slows down. It's a pity you'll have to get off soon, or you could have tasted the river fish I catch by hand. Let me tell you, nothing beats the nine-whiskered fish of the Wuling River for freshness, but they don't bite bait and nets won't catch them. Aside from me, hardly anyone can catch them by hand..."
"So it's Brother Zhou," Qin Sang said, quickly cutting in as he saw Zhou Ning's eyes lighting up at the mention of catching fish. "I wonder how much you know about Sanwu City, Brother Zhou? As a newcomer, could I ask you for some guidance?"
"No problem!"
As they spoke, the two climbed up to the deck.
It was dawn, and a thick fog had risen over the river, veiling the green mountains along the shores. White mist stretched as far as the eye could see, and the river wind blew bitterly cold.
On the deck, the burly men Qin Sang had seen yesterday were all dressed in uniform martial tunics, with the character 'Dong' painted in white on their backs. Unbothered by the cold, they stood in formation practicing fist techniques, steam rising from their heads and dissolving into the fog.
"Ninth form, Enraged Dragon Shatters the Mountain!"
Bai Jianglan held a short rod, his expression stern. If anyone made the slightest error, a strike from the rod landed on their back, yet no one cried out in pain, nor did anyone resist.
"This Sanwu City commands the entire Wuling River system. Because of its location, people coming to the Great Sui from the southwestern kingdoms all have to pass through Sanwu City. Merchants are countless, and people from all walks of life gather there. That First Ferry in particular is the most chaotic. Brother Qin, you don't know martial arts, so once you get off the boat you must be careful. Hide your money pouches well and don't let any silver show, or trouble will surely find you. Find someone from your home state and hurry back home..."
Under Qin Sang's quiet guidance, Zhou Ning spoke with growing enthusiasm, chattering on while Qin Sang listened attentively.
Only now did Qin Sang realize this was no longer his home country, the State of Ning.
The Great Sui bordered the State of Ning, situated to its northeast. Separated by several rugged mountain ranges and the natural barrier of the Wuling River, the two states had always remained fairly peaceful.
For what reason those bandits had crossed mountains and ridges to travel all the way north, he did not know.
At Sanwu City, the Wuling River branched into several tributaries, each possessing a mighty flow. The entire Wuling river system ran through multiple countries; it was precisely this that made Sanwu City so unique.
Furthermore, a princely mansion stood within Sanwu City, where Prince Zhenshui, one of the Great Sui's eight princes, held court.
With Prince Zhenshui's army stationed there, the city remained orderly and secure, making merchants from all lands willing to trade there.
The First Ferry was the largest crossing before Sanwu City; if Qin Sang wanted to return home, that would be the easiest place to find merchants from his homeland.
As Zhou Ning rambled in his ear, Qin Sang's gaze lingered on Bai Jianglan and his men, gradually piecing together a few clues. Such strict discipline was something Qin Sang had only ever seen among soldiers. Combined with what he had overheard Chuntao let slip last night about them being sent by a prince to guard the young lady, could these men be guards of some prince?
Qin Sang glanced toward the parlor cabin. Zhou Ning had just mentioned that the Great Sui had thirteen commanderies and eight princes in total, men of exalted status second only to the Emperor of the Great Sui. He wondered what kind of status that young miss held to warrant a prince sending soldiers to escort her.
"Zhou Ning!"
Zhou Ning jumped, his demeanor abruptly snapping to attention. "Sir!"
"Fall in!"
"Yes, sir!"
Zhou Ning trotted back to the ranks. Bai Jianglan walked over, and Qin Sang struggled to his feet to salute him. "Brother Bai..."
Bai Jianglan waved his hand to dismiss the formalities. "Did you sleep well last night? Forgive the crude martial arts of my brothers; I hope it didn't look like a joke to you."
"You brothers are all heroes and champions—I truly admire you! Brother Bai, if I started learning martial arts now, could I ever become as formidable as you?"
Qin Sang spoke in earnest; he genuinely envied them and wanted to learn.
Bai Jianglan chuckled softly. "What do I amount to? The true masters in the jianghu are the Xiantian experts who can project their true qi outward and channel internal force to produce sword-light. There's even a legend that a Xiantian expert once slew an Immortal Master. That is what truly counts as formidable."
"An Immortal Master can be slain by a martial artist?" Qin Sang was astonished, unable to resist pressing further. "Brother Bai, have you ever seen an Immortal Master?"
Bai Jianglan shook his head. Seeing through Qin Sang's intentions, he advised, "Immortal Masters are like divine dragons that show their heads but never their tails—how many people have actually laid eyes on one? Countless souls across the world seek immortality, only to wither their lives away in deep mountains and grand rivers, achieving nothing in the end. Do not let yourself become obsessed and squander your best years."
Chapter 5