Chapter 144: Where There's a Will, There's a Way [Nineteenth Update]

Having found two teammates, Fang Nian headed up the road. Considering the hunting squad's composition, Fang Nian was still the fifth member. Chen Deng, familiar with formations and mechanical devices, could serve as the engineer; Zhou Cang, with his brute strength, was the warrior. Now, they only needed a codebreaker.

However, after searching extensively in Shuofang City, Fang Nian couldn't find a suitable candidate, so he had no choice but to set off first and figure things out along the way.

In fact, the target was already chosen: the heart of the Yinshan Mountains north of Shuofang. According to the "Twenty-Four Chapters of Feng Shui Mysticism," the Yinshan Mountains were a supreme feng shui treasure, known as the Dragon’s Womb—a place said to conceal dragon seeds.

The legend Fang Nian mentioned about the Surrender City was true to some extent; those events had indeed occurred, though the tale of the treasured sword was likely a fabricated embellishment for storytelling.

According to previous murals, Emperor Qin Shi Huang once sent people to escort Xiongnu captives to Surrender City. Ostensibly, it was to manage troublesome prisoners and build the Great Wall at the border. But the true reason? No one knew.

Records also show that General Meng Tian was dispatched by Qin Shi Huang to build the Great Wall there, and Prince Fusu also worked on the construction. This highlights the strategic significance of this section of the wall.

Meng Tian was a famed Qin general, born into a military family with lofty ambitions from youth. He led armies to conquer the State of Qi, was appointed Grand Historian, and enjoyed the Emperor’s trust. After Qin unified the Six States, he commanded 300,000 troops to repel the Xiongnu northward, reclaiming lands south of the Yellow River. Revered as "China’s First Warrior," he was the earliest developer of Northwest China and the ancient pioneer of Ningxia. He supervised the construction of the Great Wall and the Nine Provinces’ main roads, overcoming domestic transportation barriers and greatly promoting economic and cultural exchanges among northern peoples.

Prince Fusu, Qin Shi Huang’s eldest son and a royal minister, was known for his courage, integrity, and farsightedness. He boldly advised his father against the execution of more than 460 offenders, which angered the Emperor. He was assigned to Shang Commandery—modern-day Shuofang—to assist General Meng Tian with the Great Wall's construction and defend against the Xiongnu.

These were their moments of glory, underscoring their importance to Qin Shi Huang. But while publicly they were tasked with building the wall, what was the secret motive? Their eventual fates reveal the truth.

After Qin Shi Huang’s sudden death, Zhao Gao, the Chief of the Chariot Bureau, conspired with Chancellor Li Si to enthrone the Emperor’s eighteenth son, Hu Hai, coercing Fusu into suicide with forged edicts.

Meanwhile, Zhao Gao, Li Si, and Hu Hai plotted a coup, leading to Meng Tian’s forced suicide by poison.

Their deaths prove they must have known some secret of Qin Shi Huang’s, and it was that knowledge that cost them their lives.

Thus, the area of the Great Wall construction in Shang Commandery, right next to the Dragon’s Womb of Yinshan, was the very destination Fang Nian and his companions sought.

After four or five days of trekking, the group finally arrived at a small town under Shang Commandery’s jurisdiction called Jialuo City, at a small relay station ten miles outside its walls.

At this point, Fang Nian noticed many more people on the road—merchants and caravans converging from all directions. Even before dawn, the bustling traffic was evident.

Zhou Cang, with a simple-minded expression, looked out and asked curiously, “Why are there so many merchants?”

Fang Nian was equally curious. Each traveler was laden with goods, moving hurriedly. They seemed to be genuine merchants and caravans, unlike themselves, who were merely disguised.

Chen Deng rolled down the window to take a look, then smiled.

“Don’t worry, they’re real merchants, not disguised like us.”

Fang Nian was taken aback.

“Where are they headed, and why carry so much stuff?”

Chen Deng explained, “They’re going to the market in Jialuo City.”

“Jialuo City? The little town where we’re stopping?”

Chen Deng nodded.

“Yes, that small town. But don’t underestimate it. It’s a commercial hub.”

“Jialuo is built on the border between the Eastern Han and the Xiongnu, making it a no-man’s land. Its unique geographical position grants it advantageous trade conditions.”

“As a result, it became the largest trading center in the vicinity, even the entire Shang Commandery. The goods sold there are diverse—you can find almost anything you’re looking for. With many merchants, it earned the title of a commercial city.”

Fang Nian was speechless. He hadn’t expected the origin of such a marketplace to be like this.

…

“Knock, knock, knock…”

The three sat inside their carriage, waiting in line to enter the city when a knocking sound came from outside.

Zhou Cang gripped his broadsword, ready. In such a chaotic place, anything could happen.

Seeing Zhou Cang prepared, Fang Nian cautiously rolled down the window and saw a tall, sturdy man with a stern face standing outside.

“Do you need something?” Fang Nian asked.

The man’s expression remained cold and unchanged. He pulled two silver ingots from his pocket and held them out.

“We urgently need to enter the city and want your spot. This is compensation. Take it and move to the back.”

Chen Deng, Fang Nian, and Zhou Cang were stunned. In these turbulent times, entry into the city was tightly inspected, so movement was slow. Though short on money, they needed this place.

But the sum offered was considerable, and Fang Nian was tempted. Yet some things couldn’t be bought—it wasn’t about the money.

Nearby townsfolk, witnessing this windfall, envied them. But when everyone expected Fang Nian’s group to accept, Fang Nian waved his hand and said coldly,

“Big guy, didn’t your master teach you to be humble when asking for favors?”

The tall man, having served his master as a scout for over a decade, was used to respect and deference, which shaped his cold demeanor. He didn’t expect this poor scoundrel to be so arrogant—refusing so much money! His anger flared.

“Kid, do you know who you’re talking to?”

He then tried to lift the carriage curtain.

…

At that moment, a large carriage suddenly pulled up beside Fang Nian’s, and a woman’s sharp voice rang out.

“Step back.”

Hearing the command, the tall man’s hand froze, grudgingly lowered, and he turned to the three in the carriage, exchanging a knowing glance before departing.

The woman’s voice came again,

“If 20 taels won’t do, then 30.”

…

“50 taels.”

…

“100 taels—that’s my final offer.”

“Deal. Come on, sister, hand over the money and move your carriage. No backing out. Goodbye.”

Soon, the tall man returned with ten taels of silver. Fang Nian snatched it up with lightning speed, hastily closed the window, and drove the carriage to the back.

What had just unfolded was sudden and shocking, leaving everyone utterly baffled, silently summing up their thoughts in one phrase:

“Shameless.”

The woman inside the grand carriage sneered in disdain.

“Alright, let’s enter the city. A tough battle awaits.”

With that, the carriage rolled into the city, disappearing into the distance.

Fang Nian’s eyes gleamed at the hundred taels of silver. He’d been worried about lacking funds to buy equipment, but this girl had delivered. Truly, as the saying goes, fortune arrives just when you need it.