Chapter 199

Chapter 199

On the nineteenth day of their journey, they finally approached the banks of the Yellow River. To continue forward, they had to cross the river; otherwise, they would need to take a much longer detour.

Crossing the river wasn’t just about getting people across—the carts and horses had to go too. Otherwise, how would they travel on the other side?

In his previous life, Wang Ying had never seen the Yellow River in person, only on television and mobile phones. Now, standing before it for the first time, he was struck by an awe that words could hardly capture.

The river, carrying yellow silt from the west, meandered like a mother’s arm—its muddy yellow waters reflecting millennia of heritage. At times, waves crashed fiercely against the shore, as if whispering admonitions; at other times, it flowed gently like a mirror, reflecting the sky and clouds, like a tender gaze.

Nourishing cities and villages with its sediment, it had sustained life for thousands of years. Yet, this tempestuous "mother" also lashed out at her children on both banks with each flood.

Autumn was a transition season for the Yellow River—the current wasn’t as turbulent as during the rainy season, and the river stretched so wide that the opposite shore was barely visible. Still, this wasn’t the widest part of the river, as they would naturally choose the shortest crossing point.

Numerous boats and fishing vessels dotted the river—large ships dozens of meters long and small skiffs, making the waterway bustling and lively.

Old Li went to find boatmen to arrange the crossing. With six carts in their party, they needed at least three medium-sized rafts to ferry everything across.

These rafts, resembling enlarged bamboo rafts with wooden planks on top and inflated sheepskins tied underneath, were called sheepskin floats—specifically designed for transporting carts and horses.

Old Li knew a boatman and quickly found him after asking around.

"Hey, Yang the Lame, stop sleeping—we’ve got work!"

The old man lying in the grass was startled awake. Seeing it was Old Li, he sat up with a laugh and a curse. "You old devil, when did you get here?"

"Just arrived. Came to see if you’re still alive."

"If you’re not dead, I’m certainly not."

Old Li pointed at him and laughed heartily—this old codger never missed a chance to trade barbs. He pulled a bag of tobacco from his pack and tossed it to him.

"You brought me so much again? Crossing today? Not staying the night? I’ve got some good liquor."

"We must cross today—we’re delivering goods and accompanying a government official to take up his post in Shanzhou. No delays allowed."

"No wonder you’re in such a hurry, you old miser. Even liquor can’t tempt you."

Old Li scratched his head. "Keep it for me—I’ll drink it on the way back."

"Deal. How many rafts do you need?"

"Six carts—we’ll need three large rafts."

"I’ll gather the crew." Limping toward the dock, he had the sheepskin rafts ready in no time.

The massive rafts were moored at the dock, with two laborers holding ropes onshore to prevent them from becoming uneven. The cart drivers carefully guided the horses and carts onto the rafts, taking extra care since the horses had never been on a raft before. If they panicked and bolted, everyone on board would be in danger.

The Porter Guild’s carts boarded first, with Wang Ying’s cart left for last. Old Li personally led the horses onto the raft and secured them.

Wang Ying held Yuanbao’s hand as they cautiously sat on the raft. This rudimentary method of crossing felt unnervingly precarious.

Chen Qingyan and Yuanbao, after a brief moment of tension, soon relaxed. Chen Qingyan even recited Li Bai’s verse with excitement: "Do you not see the Yellow River’s waters descending from the sky, rushing toward the ocean never to return…"

The crossing spanned about three li. Since it relied entirely on the boatmen rowing, progress was sluggish, taking over two hours to complete.

Wang Ying, not a strong swimmer, felt every minute drag on, his back soaked with sweat.

As they neared the river’s center, a large ship passed nearby, its wake causing the raft to rock violently.

"Hold on tight!" Old Li immediately turned to warn them.

The horses snorted nervously. Chen Qingyan held his son with one hand and clutched the cart tightly with the other. Wang Ying, pale with fear, clung to the cart wheel—if he fell in, there’d be little chance of rescue.

After the waves subsided, the dock on the opposite shore came into view, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Old Li, sitting at the front, began reminiscing again. "Years ago, on my first crossing, I was just like you—too scared to move on the raft, and I even wet my pants when the waves hit."

The rowing crew chuckled, likely having witnessed such scenes many times.

Wang Ying gradually relaxed and asked, "Do you have to cross like this every time?"

"Once the river freezes in November, it’s easier. Until the ice melts around February, carts can just drive across on the frozen surface."

Yuanbao tilted his head. "Is crossing this dangerous? Have there ever been accidents?"

"Of course there have. Let’s see… about ten years ago, when I was working for another porter guild, we were transporting a shipment of fabric to Longxi. An accident happened during the crossing."

It was June, the rainy season, when most boatmen on both shores took breaks, rarely accepting jobs until the flood season passed.

But that time, the client was in a hurry—the goods had to be delivered by July. Old Li had no choice but to ask around for anyone willing to cross, even offering extra pay.

After searching the docks, someone told him to find a lame man named Yang, whose wife was ill and needed money urgently. He was the only one daring enough to cross during that season—the same Yang the Lame who had just helped arrange the sheepskin floats.

"We boarded the raft, and everything was calm at first. We thought we’d make it across quickly. But just as we neared the opposite shore, the weather turned foul—sudden gusts of wind and torrential rain poured down.

It was a blinding downpour—you couldn’t see a thing. The wind whipped up waves, nearly capsizing the sheepskin float.

The horses panicked, dragging the cart toward the river. The raft, now unbalanced, flipped over, and all six or seven of us fell into the water."

Wang Ying gasped. "What happened then?"

"The younger lads, being strong swimmers, grabbed the raft and managed to stay afloat. I’m an average swimmer and was swept farther away by the waves. Scared and struggling, I started sinking.

I thought I was done for—this was the Yellow River, over seventy feet deep, with a storm raging. Who’d dare rescue me? But Yang the Lame swam over with a sheepskin float, pulled me out of the water, and saved my life!"

Since that life-saving encounter, Old Li had always sought him out for crossings.

As they spoke, the raft reached the opposite shore. The boatmen went ashore first, tying the ropes tightly to posts on the dock. Old Li then slowly guided the carts onto land. The crossing had been nerve-wracking but ultimately safe.

The rest of the journey was entirely overland, but much tougher than before. The path wound through mountainous terrain, with constant uphill and downhill slopes forcing the horses to rest after every hour of travel. At most, they covered only forty or fifty li a day.

The bumpy ride made sitting in the cart uncomfortable, with the jolting causing itchiness. Fortunately, with the experimental field, Wang Ying preferred spending extra time in it rather than enduring the rough roads outside.

After over twenty more days of travel, they finally reached the outermost county under Shanzhou’s jurisdiction—Sitong County.

At the city gate, they faced little scrutiny. After giving a string of coins to the clerk, they were allowed entry without trouble.

Chen Qingyan found it curious. Everywhere he’d been before required strict checks of travel documents—why was it so lax here?

Old Li explained quietly, "Shanzhou has a mixed population, many of whom are ethnic minorities without household registrations. Some villages don’t even have literate people. If they enforced strict checks, hardly anyone would be able to enter the city for trade."

Chen Qingyan nodded thoughtfully. Among the seventeen prefectures, Shanzhou ranked near the bottom. Besides lacking resources, education was a major challenge. Last year, fewer than three hundred candidates from the entire prefecture took the provincial exams, with only one passing—and ranking last.

Inside the city, the streets grew busier. Shops dotted the roadsides, but most townsfolk wore coarse hemp or cloth clothing, appearing much poorer than even the people of Longquan County.

Wang Ying couldn’t help remarking, "This place seems... rather backward..."

Old Man Li remarked, "Naturally, it can't compare to our Jizhou Prefecture, but there are plenty of wealthy people here too. Those who own coal mines—well, they’ve got mountains of gold and silver to spend, and it never runs out."

Coal, known as *shí niè* (coal) in ancient times, was located in what later generations recognize as Shanxi territory. This region is rich in coal resources, but due to underdeveloped mining technology, mining required descending into shafts dozens of meters deep. The lack of proper support and ventilation systems making collapses and gas poisoning common hazards, which significantly increased both the cost and risk of coal mining.

Transportation was another major issue. Often, the cost of transport by horse and cart was enough to buy several cartloads of charcoal. As a result, coal was primarily supplied to the wealthy and nobility, while ordinary folks could hardly afford it.

After entering the city, they first went to eat. Along the way, Wang Ying noticed that as they traveled further northwest, the simpler the food became. The staple food gradually changed from millet to a mixture of beans and millet, though noodle soup and steamed buns were also available—all priced significantly higher than in Jizhou.

As for dishes, meat was the main feature, usually pre-stewed by the restaurant and sliced to order. The remaining vegetable dishes consisted mainly of mallows, leeks, pumpkins, and similar items, prepared with rather simple flavors.

Having become accustomed to the refined cuisine of the capital, they found it somewhat difficult to adjust to the local food. It was no wonder that court officials felt being assigned here was little different from exile.

After resting overnight in Sitong County, they set out again early the next morning.

Just as the carriage reached the street, it suddenly came to a halt, blocked by a noisy crowd gathered around some commotion up ahead.

Wang Ying sent Chen Ju to check what was happening. Shortly after, Chen Ju hurried back and reported, "There are a few local thugs demanding fees from the street vendors. One young man refused to pay, and now they’re fighting."

Hearing it was a serious matter, Chen Qingyan quickly rose and stepped down from the carriage. Wang Ying also headed over with Yuanbao to see what was going on.

Approaching the crowd, they could hear shouting and cursing from within: "You’ve got some nerve! Everyone in Sitong County knows I, Du Degao, call the shots here. If you’re selling anything, you pay me!"

The targets of the shakedown were a brother and sister, both quite young. Judging by their appearance and clothing, they seemed to be ethnic minorities, and their Mandarin was somewhat halting. "I hunted this deer myself. Why should I pay you?"

"This is the rule in Sitong County. Are you going to pay or not?"

"No. This money is for buying cloth. My father said not to give it to anyone."

"You’ve got a death wish, don’t you? Get them!"

Four or five ruffians charged at the pair with wooden clubs. The girl covered her head in fear and screamed, but the young man stood his ground, trading blows with the thugs. Still, outnumbered and overwhelmed, he soon found himself at a disadvantage.

Wang Ying remarked, "How can they bully people so brazenly? Doesn’t the local yamen do anything about it?"

Someone nearby turned at the sound of his voice. "You must be from out of town. The guy leading the beating is named Ding—and so is the county magistrate." He left the rest unsaid, giving Wang Ying a knowing look.

Chen Qingyan frowned. "Baiguan, Qiangan, go stop those men."

"Yes, sir!" The two rushed into the crowd and, within moments, had beaten the ruffians to the ground, rolling and groaning in pain.