Chapter 97: Labors of Dog and Horse (1)
Numerous people were running around inside the high fence.
The Yangtze River Water Bandit Union was busy spinning from the crack of dawn.
The water bandits parked numerous carriages and wagons below the foot of the mountain and were loading cargo onto them.
It was the command of the new Union Master, Jeok-hyang.
“……Will you be okay?”
Jeok-hyang asked Chui, who was beside her.
It was a look of sincere concern.
“The Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains are far. And they are incredibly harsh. I heard it from Master…… that a very long time ago, even when the Demonic Cult invaded the Central Plains, they were blocked by those snowy mountains and experienced great difficulties.”
An extreme low temperature to the point where one’s lungs would suffer frostbite if one inhaled without thinking.
The rugged mountain range swarming with all kinds of dangerous terrains was precisely the Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains.
However, Chui, who was heading to such a dangerous place, was merely draped in a single layer of an old black cloak.
“The path leading in that direction is the fastest. Because once we cross the mountain, we will immediately pass through Hubei and exit into Henan.”
“Well, that is so if you look at it on a map…… but the weather and terrain are the problems.”
“It does not matter. Just prepare the supplies abundantly.”
“As for those, I have already instructed them to prepare thoroughly. Do not worry.”
Jeok-hyang looked around the wagons parked on the field.
The water bandits were still loading the luggage.
On top of the wagons being pulled by horses, dried fruits, beef jerky, firewood, oil, thick clothes and shoes, and weapons were already full.
Not content with just that, Jeok-hyang handed Chui something she had prepared separately.
“It is a map of the Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains. I gathered experts who know the terrain over there well to make it.”
Which side is high and which side is low, cliffs covered with thin ice that are invisible from the outside, hot springs full of harmful substances, and habitats of wild beasts are written in detail.
Besides those, it was visible that unknown areas where human feet had not yet reached, and thus nobody knew what they looked like, were also marked here and there.
It was a map that other adjacent powers like the Qingcheng Sect, Diancang Sect, Emei Sect, Sichuan Tang Clan, Five Pecks of Rice Sect, and Taiping Society would have coveted quite a bit if they had seen it.
Jeok-hyang said with a grin.
“Because I feel like I received far too much as the price for crafting the spear. Think of it as change.”
“…….”
Chui scanned the map for a while.
Then, he nodded his head.
“It will be a great help. Thank you. I will use it well.”
“……!”
At the unexpected word of thanks, Jeok-hyang’s eyes widened.
“C-Cough. What do you mean thank you. Forget it. Between friends.”
Jeok-hyang coughed and vainly acted oblivious.
Namgung Yul, who was beside them, was staring at Jeok-hyang as if envious.
Right then.
“Hey, the prisoners are coming out.”
Gyeon Sul, who was behind them, nudged Chui’s shoulder.
“…….”
Chui turned his gaze forward.
The one hundred and eight prisoners dragged out by the water bandits stood in a single file on the gravel field.
They looked at Chui while wearing handcuffs and shackles and wearing heavy cangues around their necks.
Their expressions were all completely gloomy.
Chui held out a sheet of paper before them.
“This is the contract you wrote. Check it once more for the last time.”
On the paper fluttering in the wind, the following words were written.
<Contract>
First. The undersigned personally desires to participate in the trade journey to the Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains.
Second. There was absolutely no illegal act such as coercion or threat in this process, and I declare in advance that all of this is entirely a voluntary participation by my own will.
Third. This trade journey is a voyage to pursue private profits, such as obtaining profit margins by selling food, drinking water, winter gear, weapons, etc. in the Ba-Shu region, or purchasing local specialties of that area.
Fourth. If I suffer any disadvantage due to an unexpected situation during the trade journey, I will willingly accept it, whatever kind it may be.
Fifth. I firmly pledge to show utmost loyalty with the heart of a ‘dog and horse (犬馬)’ to Lord Chui, the general manager, until this trade journey is successfully completed.
Below that, the signatures and thumbprints of the prisoners were visible.
Nominally, this voyage was a trade journey to sell food, drinking water, winter gear, and weapons in the Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains.
Namgung Yul was amazed looking at the contract.
“Since there is even a handwritten signature and thumbprint on the handwritten contract, they really won’t be able to wriggle out of it. Even if the government office takes issue with it later, we can make excuses as much as we want.”
In the first place, since there was no way people lived in the Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains, the trade journey was merely a plausible pretext.
This was not a trade journey participated in voluntarily, but virtually a forced conscription heading toward the land of death.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
The prisoners moved their steps with gloomy expressions.
But not all the prisoners were drooping down.
Among them, there was one man who was burning his will to live.
“Everyone. Do not lose heart so much.”
Xu Se-chi. He was encouraging the other prisoners next to him.
“Did not Lord Chui the Thousand-Head say so? That if we successfully complete this trade journey and return, he will make us free men.”
Of course, Xu Se-chi was not so naive as to believe those words.
He simply vaguely believed that as long as he stayed alive somehow, an opportunity would come someday.
Therefore, pretending to persuade the other prisoners, Xu Se-chi was kissing up to Chui who was way ahead.
“Did not Lord Chui the Thousand-Head also say last time? Sacrificing Self for the Public Good (滅私奉公). Ah~ what a great phrase is this? It means destroying self-interest and striving for the public good. As for this phrase, you see. It originally came out first in the text ‘Cui Leng Appointed as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue in the Department of State Affairs’ during the Tang Dynasty. It was written by a writer named Yuan Zhen, and the original text is as follows. Cough— let me recite it once.”
Xu Se-chi shouted in a loud voice as if to prove his value of existence by revealing his erudition.
其職嚴而不殘.
-The duties are strict and must not have any defect.
辟名用物者逃無所入.
-Those who falsify documents or use things as they please cannot flee anywhere.
滅私奉公者得以自明.
-Only those who discard self-interest and uphold the public interest can obtain clarity for themselves.
The surrounding prisoners knitted their brows as if some dog was barking.
However, it was a matter of no concern to Xu Se-chi.
‘……Ignorant bastards. I am not saying this for you guys to hear anyway.’
While pretending to reflect and repent like this and showing a sincere appearance, if he showed off that he could recite a bit of literature, a signal was bound to come from above.
Xu Se-chi was confident that Chui would surely place him by his side and use him like a right-hand man.
At that moment, Chui shouted loudly.
“Now. It is time to depart. The destination is the Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains. It is a place only a thousand li away from here.”
A thousand-li path.
Assuming the stride of an ordinary adult is two and a half chi (尺), a thousand li is about five hundred and thirty-three thousand steps.
If we assume we can walk approximately twenty li in one shijin…… it is a distance that requires walking without rest, without eating or sleeping, for approximately four days.
Of course, this assumption was based on the standard when the terrain was completely flat, and if uphill paths or rugged terrains blocked the way, it would take several times that duration.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
Agitation arose among the prisoners.
For some reason, the gazes of the surroundings became concentrated toward Xu Se-chi.
A water bandit who was once in the Hundred-Head rank spoke as if growling.
“Hey, bearded guy. You speak up a bit.”
“Huh? What?”
“I mean how are we supposed to walk a thousand-li path in this state. I saw you babbling well earlier.”
Xu Se-chi mumbled his mouth with an embarrassed expression.
However, the surrounding gazes were too burdensome for him to keep his mouth shut.
In the end, Xu Se-chi could not overcome the burden and opened his mouth.
“E-Excuse me, Thousand-Head.”
“What is it?”
Chui’s gaze directed this way once again.
Xu Se-chi shrank back slightly, but soon spoke what he had to say.
“Would it be alright if I ask a question?”
“Keep it short.”
Surprisingly, Chui readily accepted the question.
Before long, Xu Se-chi raised an inquiry representing the prisoners.
“The path to the Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains will be very far.”
“And?”
“Since it is a situation where we cannot possibly go on foot, we will probably have to ride carriages or wagons…… but I wondered if it would be too cramped for all this personnel to ride on these wagons here……”
At Xu Se-chi’s words, other prisoners also nodded and chimed in.
“That is right. The wagons are too cramped.”
“There are too few horses as well. It will be difficult for all this personnel to ride.”
“If we squeeze in tightly, we might manage somehow…… but still, some will have to get down and walk.”
“How about letting the old ones ride and making the young ones walk?”
As one opened his mouth, ten followed, and soon everyone began to list a word of their own.
The surroundings became noisy in an instant like a chaotic market.
At that moment.
“Ride? Who?”
Chui questioned the prisoners back.
As the prisoners wore puzzled expressions, Chui signaled toward the side.
The horses that had been in front of the carriages and wagons began to exit in a herd.
The water bandits pulled away every single horse and went back up toward the mountain fortress.
“……?”
The prisoners, including Xu Se-chi, simply stood blankly as if they did not know the reason.
No. Carriages were here, so why did he remove the horses?
However, regardless of that, Chui strode forward alone and hopped onto a carriage.
“With just this, I can drive a carriage even without horses.”
Chui reached out his hand toward the inside of the carriage and rummaged for a moment.
All the prisoners, including Xu Se-chi, craned their necks with curious expressions, wondering what kind of magic Chui would perform.
Eventually, Chui pulled out a mysterious treasure that would enable them to move a carriage even without horses.
“?”
It was a whip with a thickness similar to an adult male’s wrist.
“??”
Before the prisoners with puzzled expressions, Chui stepped down while holding the whip.
So, he connected the ropes tying the prisoners’ bodies one by one to the carriage.
“???”
Eventually, all the prisoners’ ropes were connected to the carriage.
At that point, Chui raised the whip.
“What are you doing.”
“……?”
“Pull it, quickly.”
“……!”
Only then did the prisoners realize.
They had to walk a thousand-li path and, at its end, climb a high snowy mountain composed of snow and ice.
And that, while directly pulling these heavy carriages with their own hands and feet!
All the prisoners opened their mouths half-way in a state of utter shock.
The only one who regained his senses, Xu Se-chi, spoke falteringly.
“T-Thousand-Head. You are joking, right? How can a human pull that heavy baggage wagon? And that, when the destination is the Ba-Shu Snowy Mountains……”
“What do you mean, how? I already notified you in the contract.”
“Yes? Where in the contract is such a content……”
Chui looked straight at Xu Se-chi.
“Look closely.”
A gaze like a spearhead plunged down.
Xu Se-chi felt the illusion as if his eyeballs and heart were being pierced by it.
Flutter—
The contract held in Chui’s hand was imprinted once again in the eyes of the prisoners.
I firmly pledge to show utmost loyalty with the heart of a ‘dog and horse (犬馬)’ to Lord Chui, the general manager, until this trade journey is successfully completed.
Chui raised the whip high.
And he offered the answer to how they should pull the carriage.
“Pull with the heart of a dog and horse.”
It meant to do whatever they were told.
Unrivaled Spear Ghost