Wealth Attracts Wolves

Han Li set out from his hometown, heading southeast, directly toward Lan Province.

During his journey, he sometimes traveled with companions, passing through bustling cities and markets together. At other times, seeking shortcuts, he ventured alone through desolate mountains and wild lands. No major danger befell him along the way. The only incident occurred when he camped out in the wilderness one night and encountered a pack of wolves, ravenous with hunger. They ended up as his dinner.

He traveled for days on end, covered in dust and wind, crossing two other provinces before finally arriving in Lan Province.

Upon entering Lan Province, he was immediately struck by the intricate network of waterways. The Yue Province he had known was mostly barren mountains and untamed wilds, dominated by hills and ridges. It had no great canals or large lakes, and even decent-sized rivers were scarce. People relied mostly on wells and streams for water.

As a result, the sight of various boats navigating the waterways piqued Han Li’s curiosity. Yielding to temptation, he chartered a small vessel and experienced for the first time the sensation of sailing downstream.

Over a dozen days later, Han Li arrived at Jia Yuan City, the destination mentioned in Doctor Mo’s letter, and stepped onto its unremarkable dock.

The first impression this dock gave Han Li was that it was utterly dilapidated.

The entire dock was cobbled together from simple wooden planks. It was not only cramped and crude, but piles of rotting baskets and torn bags lay scattered everywhere, making the place filthy and chaotic. The only two bamboo sheds on the dock each held several dozen sturdy men. Some of these men were bare-chested, while others wore only short vests, radiating a fierce and unruly aura.

Now, all these men stared unblinkingly at him and Qu Hun, some with eager glints in their eyes.

Han Li was momentarily taken aback, but a faint smile quickly crossed his face.

Before he had stepped off the boat, the boatman had warned him earnestly that the docks of Jia Yuan City had an unwritten rule. Regardless of how much luggage a traveling merchant carried, they were required to hire a porter from the dock to haul their belongings. Otherwise, they would face harsh treatment from these laborers, and might even be beaten.

Having just arrived, Han Li had no intention of breaking local customs. So, he obediently called out, “I need to hire a porter. Is anyone available?”

Sun Er Gou had already averted his gaze. From his scrutiny, he had concluded that this young man disembarking was likely some young master from a wealthy local family, and the giant behind him was probably a bodyguard with little more than brute strength. He had seen many such pairs come to Jia Yuan City every year, just to broaden their horizons, spend some pocket money, and then go home to boast. Nothing worth paying attention to.

However, he also knew that such people loved to save face and were perfect marks. A few flattering words, and these country bumpkins would not only pay the agreed porterage but also toss in a generous tip. So for the porter who landed the job, it was still a profitable errand.

But this job wouldn’t go to his crew. He and Black Bear had an agreement: they would take turns with incoming business, with no poaching allowed. Luck would decide who got the lucrative jobs and who got the scraps. They had taken a job just yesterday, so it was Black Bear’s turn today.

With this in mind, Sun Er Gou glanced across the way and saw Black Bear murmuring something to a few of his men. A moment later, one of the men broke out of the crowd, his face beaming, and rushed toward the young man.

“No, one person isn’t enough. You’d better call another.” Han Li looked at the sturdy man before him, then glanced at the enormous bundle on Qu Hun’s back, and shook his head gently.

“Young master, this little thing is light as a feather to me. I can carry it with one hand. No need for another man.” The man had no intention of sharing his tip with anyone else. Besides, he didn’t think the bundle, bulky as it was, would be too heavy for him. Unless it was packed full of rocks.

With that, the man strode up to Qu Hun and reached for the bundle without a second thought.

Han Li sighed. The bundle contained several thousand taels of silver, along with various odds and ends. Its weight was no joke, far beyond what an ordinary person could handle.

But seeing the man’s eagerness, Han Li had no choice but to silently signal Qu Hun to hand the bundle over without resisting.

As expected, the stout man’s face drained of color the moment he took the bundle. He strained to carry it on his back, but after only a few steps, his face was flushed red and he was panting heavily. With shame, he set the bundle down and went back to call another man.

Only when Han Li saw that the two men could finally lift the bundle did he nod with satisfaction, quickly leave the dock, and follow the road into the city.

Han Li did not know that his inexperience in the ways of the jianghu had caught the attention of two pairs of greedy eyes, destined to bring him trouble he should not have invited.

Sun Er Gou watched the young man’s receding figure until it disappeared, then finally retracted his covetous gaze. Suppressing his excitement, he turned his head and exchanged a glance with Black Bear across the way. He was well aware that the immense wealth hidden in that bundle would not have escaped the other man’s notice either.

True to expectation, Black Bear’s face was also lit with glee. After a moment of hesitation, he shot Sun Er Gou a meaningful look. Sun Er Gou immediately took the hint and walked to a pile of refuse nearby with him. In the face of such a fortune, even if they had a blood feud as deep as the sea, Sun Er Gou would still join forces with him. After all, men die for wealth, birds die for food.

“An even split, fifty-fifty!” Sun Er Gou got straight to the point in a low voice.

“Thirty-seventy. This was our job, after all,” Black Bear refused bluntly without hesitation.

“Forty-sixty. I won’t take any less. You know full well your reasoning holds no water.” Sun Er Gou’s face darkened as he hit the nail on the head.

“Well…” Black Bear hesitated, clearly reluctant to give up even that last sliver of profit.

“Hmph! You keep thinking it over, and another gang might already have their eyes on this fat sheep,” Sun Er Gou said coldly with a snort.

“Fine. Agreed. Let’s swear it with a handshake.” Black Bear’s nerves were clearly struck by those words, and he finally relented.

“Slap!” “Slap!” “Slap!” Sun Er Gou and Black Bear each spat into their own palms and then clapped three times, sealing a temporary alliance.

“Alright. We need to catch up to them now, before that kid disappears into the crowded part of the city.” Sun Er Gou urged impatiently.

“Heh heh! Don’t worry. I already had my two men lead them down Black Water Alley. If we head there now, we can corner them.” Black Bear let out a cunning smile that didn’t match his brutish face.

“Excellent. A clever scheme, my friend!” Sun Er Gou put on a face of delighted surprise, but a chill ran through his heart, and he privately resolved to be more wary of Black Bear.