Chapter Thirty-Two: Living Amidst the Rivers and Lakes

“Damn, look at that black bear!”

“That bear is really something!”

“Who raised it? Can a bear even grow that big?”

A cacophony of voices rang out one after another; hundreds of people turned their heads, discussions rising and falling in an endless wave.

This place was no longer in Qingshan County, but on the outskirts of the prefectural city of Xishan Prefecture.

The Ji Family Escort Agency had ultimately accepted the imperial invitation and decided to make the trip, agreeing to escort the court’s consignment.

As for what they were to escort, it was naturally an auspicious omen to be presented to the Emperor, and the Ji Family was by no means the main force in this mission.

It’s the old adage: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Ever since various powers, from notorious bandits to ambitious heroes, began eyeing the auspicious tribute meant for the Emperor, the local authorities had been responding with their own countermeasures.

Take Xishan Prefecture, for example: they decided to split the convoy into two groups—one escorted by government officials, the other entrusted to skilled private citizens.

This way, even if some truly audacious villain set their sights on the tribute from Xishan Prefecture, they would have to think twice about which group to attack and where the real treasure was hidden.

Call it a deliberate ruse or a cunning maneuver—either way, the strategy was clear and open. If anyone wanted to make a move, they had to face a choice between two targets.

By recruiting private experts, the court didn’t have to spread its own manpower thin; it only needed to promise these people visible—or invisible—rewards, and the pressure on its side was greatly eased.

The situation in Qi Kingdom had not yet come to total collapse. With the court’s call, it was not difficult to gather a band of men.

Most of these people were proud and ambitious; whether they ran their own martial arts schools or escort agencies, each was a master in their own right, now gathered together in one place—a recipe for tension rather than harmony.

Fortunately, the real authority lay with the court; no matter the decision, it was not their place to make the call. They were merely hired hands, and should any troublemakers cross their path, the court would reward their deeds accordingly.

Amid this assembly of formidable experts—virtually the finest in all Xishan Prefecture—the Ji Family Escort Agency stood out conspicuously.

To be fair, the Ji Family Escort Agency was impressive by Qingshan County standards, but across an entire prefecture, it was somewhat lacking. They had only managed to secure three places in the convoy—these three spots granted only because the new county magistrate appreciated Ji Yun’s support for his predecessor’s thorough “collections.”

Granted, Ji Yun’s real intent had been to ensnare Wang Hongbo, but the new magistrate was oblivious to that.

With the former magistrate dead and the new one urgently appointed, it was natural for him to show favor to the great families who cooperated, demonstrating his magnanimity and reassuring those who supported his administration.

Thus, the Ji Family Escort Agency became the beneficiary of the new magistrate’s goodwill—a case of a flower not blooming when carefully planted, but a willow tree coming to life by chance.

“The Ji Family Escort Agency has really made a splash this time. That bear is truly magnificent,” commented Guo Hongming, the head of the Guo Family Martial Arts School, as he approached Ji Yun.

Qingshan County was a large county with ten thousand households, yet it had only six invitations for this mission—a number that could only be reduced, never increased.

Of those six, three had gone to the Guo Family Martial Arts School, and Guo Hongming had brought along his eldest son and his chief disciple.

The other three naturally belonged to the Ji Family Escort Agency. Altogether, Qingshan County was represented by just six people—or to be precise, five people and one beast. In a crowd of several hundred, they were hardly noticeable.

Yet, the entire convoy’s attention was drawn to the black bear brought by the Ji Family Escort Agency. As fellow Qingshan natives, Guo Hongming and Ji Yun had some acquaintance, and Guo’s eyes were tinged with pride and envy.

“Haha, raise a bear for a thousand days, use it for a single moment,” Ji Yun replied with a laugh, making no mention of the fact that the black bear had only been with him for a few days. To outsiders, he claimed the bear was the Ji Family’s secret weapon; after all, Xu Yuan was still wanted by the authorities, and the truth could not be told.

“If we encounter any bandits, this bear will surely be our ace, and your agency will become famous in one fell swoop. As fellow men of Qingshan, I hope you’ll look out for us,” Guo Hongming said, despite being much older than Ji Yun, speaking with marked politeness.

Standing before the black bear, one could truly feel one’s own insignificance, and the casual aura of might it exuded made even an old martial artist like Guo—who had trained for decades—feel a twinge of fear.

With this black bear, the Ji Family Escort Agency was no longer what it once was.

“But of course. The disciples trained by the Guo Family Martial Arts School are all outstanding. Our agency knows this well.”

Praising each other in turn, Ji Yun smiled warmly, the atmosphere light and congenial.

Martial arts schools and escort agencies weren’t in direct competition; if anything, they often worked together. When the Ji Family Escort Agency was short on manpower, they would naturally recruit skilled fighters, and collaborating with disciples from the Guo Family School was perfectly commonplace.

The two exchanged pleasantries, all brotherly camaraderie.

Suddenly, an angry voice rang out from the crowd.

“Hey, since when are we allowed to bring pets here? We’re escorting a tribute for the Emperor, not out on a countryside picnic!”

At the front of the convoy, a man with a knife scar on his face glared at the massive black bear, his tone brimming with resentment.

His words silenced the crowd in an instant, faces shifting with various expressions.

Wherever people gather, there will be rivalries. The Ji Family Escort Agency’s ostentatious display was bound to attract resentment.

After all, everyone here was a local powerhouse, each with their own impressive feats to their name.

But now, regardless of who they were, all the attention had been stolen by a mere black bear!

“Can your pet even grow that big?”

Ji Yun looked over, entirely unperturbed, and shot back, “Why don’t you try fighting my pet? Just don’t lose to a mere animal.”

He put special emphasis on the word “pet.”

At a time like this, any sign of weakness would mark one as easy prey. Out in the world, a man must preserve his pride and dignity; whether it’s provocation or trouble, you must face it head-on.

If you’re not a true dragon, don’t cross the river; either get swept along with the mud and sand, or rise up and make waves, riding the wind to the top.

Such is life in the martial world—one is never truly in control of one’s own fate.

“That’s the Li Family Escort Agency from Xishan Prefecture,” Guo Hongming whispered. “They brought twenty people.”

Rivals are rarely friends.

Qingshan County, with its ten thousand households, had only six spots, yet just one escort agency from Xishan Prefecture alone had twenty. Their strength and influence were clearly on another level.

Now that the Ji Family Escort Agency was the center of attention, it was only natural that others felt disgruntled.

“Brother Li is right. Whether it’s a pet or a wild beast, I only heard the court invited men, not animals. Who would be so blind as to bring a beast here?”

Once one person spoke up, others quickly joined in.

“That’s the Wang Family Martial Arts School from Xishan as well—another twenty spots,” Guo Hongming continued, his voice growing even softer. “They cooperate with the Li Family too.”

“Haha, Brother Li and Brother Wang are spot on. Anyone not in the know would think Xishan Prefecture was out of people, handing out places to animals. Are they saying beasts are better than men?”

“And there’s the Zhao Family Escort Agency—another twenty spots,” Guo’s voice barely audible now, his whole body uneasy.

In an instant, all the major powers of Xishan Prefecture turned their weapons in one direction.

On the surface, their ire was aimed at the black bear and the Ji Family Escort Agency, but in truth, this was a show of force, a warning to all newcomers—know your place!