Looking north towards the rivers and mountains

Chapter 180 A wise person knows when to yield.

After nightfall, the wind picked up.

There were a few houses by the harbor at the west end of the village, and at that moment, the last oil lamp went out.

The man looked at the sky covered with dark clouds, then at the graveyard in the distance that was being blown around by the wind, and was so frightened that he shuddered and didn't even finish urinating before turning around and going back into the house to close the door.

The world was quiet, save for the whistling wind and the occasional whimper of a dog.

On the dirt road that stretched into the darkness, two torches lit up, one on the left and one on the right.

In the deep of night, the sound of tinkling bells rose and fell.

Experienced people know that it is the sound of equipment colliding while moving.

The procession stopped at the entrance of the village.

In the firelight, a man with a gleaming head stepped forward, examined the situation carefully, and then turned to speak a few words to the man in red behind him. The wind was too strong to hear clearly what he said, but it was obvious he had been tricked. The man in red gave him a forceful shove, making him lead the way. More and more torches appeared, filling the air with the acrid smell of burning pine resin, which was quickly dispersed by the night wind.

There were many people sandwiched between the torches, at least twenty by a rough look.

Most of them held long spears, the tips of which occasionally gleamed with a cold light.

Many people carried bows and ring knives at their waists, and some strong men carried long wooden clubs with rusty iron nails seemingly tied or embedded at the ends.

The line stretched out very long, and no one looked around or made any noise as they walked; everything was quiet.

The village grew quieter, oil lamps went out one by one, and eyes peered out from behind cracks in the doors, the wind carrying what sounded like their barely audible breaths.

The barking of dogs was so loud and neurotic, rising and falling, that it only made the village seem even quieter.

The people walking on the road seemed unaffected and continued to move forward silently.

After passing halfway through the village, a command was heard on the wind. The twenty-odd people first stood at attention, then aligned themselves front to back and side to side. Once the formation was complete, a command was given, and they continued forward.

The road ahead was brightly lit.

Inside the most impressive house in the village, footsteps were chaotic, interspersed with shouts.

Several of the bolder servants climbed the long ladder to the top of the wall, and upon seeing the torches not far away, they immediately turned and shouted.

The atmosphere inside the courtyard was tense and filled with apprehension. People looked at each other in bewilderment.

However, an old man sitting on the porch in a cotton coat remained calm. After hearing the servant on the wall report the news, he sighed softly and ordered, "Open the door."

Several servants stood behind the door, hesitant upon hearing this.

"I said open the door," the old man said, patting the armrest of his chair.

The servants silently opened the door and stood on either side, holding sticks.

The old man stood up and took a step forward.

He walked very slowly, without any equipment in his hands. When his two sons tried to help him, he pushed them away.

A moment later, he had arrived at the main gate.

A gust of cold wind swept over him, causing him to instinctively close his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw that the threshing ground in front of the courtyard was already full of people. "The night is cold and the wind is chilly. I wonder which hero has come to visit? Gao Jian greets you with salutations," the old man said loudly, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

After saying that, he waved his hand, signaling all the servants squatting on the wall to leave.

The crowd on the drying ground suddenly parted.

A moment later, two swordsmen and shield bearers escorted a tall young man out.

Gao Jian glanced at him, bowed again, and said, "May I ask how I should address you, sir?"

"My surname is Cao," Shao Shuyi replied in return.

After saying that, he waved his hand.

Monk Huiyong was pushed forward and staggered forward. He looked at Gao Jian, forced a smile, and bowed, saying, "Master Gao." Gao Jian knew what was going on as soon as he saw his appearance.

He hesitated for a moment, then turned to his son and called out, "Second Brother, distinguished guests have arrived! Aren't you going to warm the wine?"

"No need to trouble yourself, I'll just ask a few questions and then leave." Shao Shuyi waved his hand and said, "Master Gao, may I have a word with you in private?"

Gao Jian stopped his son, walked to a row of fir trees at the edge of the drying ground, and said, "Cao She, please ask whatever you wish."

Shao Shuyi walked over, looked at the dark wheat field in the distance, and asked, "Does Master Gao know anything about Master Huiyong?"

Gao Jian remained silent for a moment, then said, "Of course I know."

"Who has misled him to collude with the inspector general and make things difficult for me?"

"The monks of Chong Sheng Temple." After Gao Jian finished speaking, he glanced at Shao Shuyi and said, "The monks spend their days worshipping Buddha and chanting scriptures. Ma Tuo Sha is a remote and desolate place, so the monks have little contact with the outside world. Hence, this action was taken."

"Now I understand." Shao Shuyi smiled and said, "Every wrong has its perpetrator and every debt its debtor. This matter began at Chong Sheng Temple and should end at Chong Sheng Temple as well." Gao Jian lowered his head and remained silent, but a hint of reluctance flashed in his eyes.

"I heard that Inspector Jiang Guanbao once asked you to recruit some ruffians and nameless archers to arrest people. Why didn't you agree?" Shao Shuyi asked.

"Jiang Guanbao's family lives on Gushan Island and is unaware of the situation. I live nearby, how could I not know?" Gao Jian replied frankly, "You have transported salted fish along Yaqian Port several times, crossing into the Yangtze River. At first, you may not have known, but over time, people will inevitably see it. My family has lived here for generations and knows this perfectly well. In these days, how many salt carriers are trustworthy? If you ask me what I'm thinking, it's simply that a wise man avoids dangerous situations."

"Sir, you are truly a wise man," Shao Shuyi praised. "If an official from Jiangyin Prefecture were to come here by boat one day and inquire about the affairs of the village, how would you answer, sir? "The people live in peace and tranquility, no one picks up lost items on the road, men till the fields and women weave, and all is peaceful and prosperous," Gao Jian replied.

Shao Shuyi clapped his hands together in praise, saying, "The gentleman is truly a remarkable person."

Gao Jian glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Shao Shuyi pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "I heard that the raw silk shop on Yamen Street is owned by a wealthy man?"

"good."

"Why not sell silk?"

"Ma Tuo Sha is a small, unknown place. Silk is hard to sell, but raw silk or silkworm cocoons can be sold to some extent."

"Did they sell out?"

"Sell as many as you can," Gao Jian replied. "If we sell fewer this year, we'll raise fewer silkworms next year. If we sell more, we'll raise more the following year." Shao Shuyi said, "In previous years, I saw many wild mulberry trees in the village. Children played under the trees, picking mulberry leaves to eat, but I never saw adults picking leaves to raise silkworms. I suppose that's why." "What a pity, what a pity," he continued. "If we could raise more silkworms, or sell raw silk or silk fabrics, it would make the villagers a little richer and make paying taxes easier."

"It won't sell." Gao Jian sighed. "Where in Jiangyin Prefecture, Wuxi Prefecture, Changzhou Road, and Zhenjiang Road isn't there silk or raw silk? Selling even a little is already a stroke of luck; how can we expect more?"

"What if I could help sell them?" Shao Shuyi asked.

Gao Jian's eyes narrowed. In the firelight, the confidence on the boy's face seemed genuine.

Could the salt merchants still be doing legitimate business? He was somewhat unsure, but still replied, "If we can sell more raw silk, the entire village will be grateful for Cao She's kindness."

Shao Shuyi smiled mysteriously and said, "That would be perfect."

Even rabbits don't eat the grass near their burrows. Since the plan is to turn Ma Tuo Sha into a "black and gray industry park," it's natural to give the local people some benefits so they can earn more money and improve their lives.

Relying solely on military force is insufficient; a combination of carrot and stick is the key. When the days come when thousands of people in Ma Tuo Sha depend on you for improving their lives, it will become truly difficult for those above to investigate anything.

Thinking of this, Shao Shuyi clasped his hands in a salute and said, "I am very pleased to have chatted with you, sir. It is getting late, so I will take my leave now. Until we meet again." With that, he turned and left.

Under the command of Gao Daqiang and Wu Heizi, the twenty-odd people on the drying ground changed from the back line to the front line and left in turn. Even in the dark, they were busy but not chaotic, obviously having practiced many times.

"Father," the two sons said as they approached and bowed.

Gao Jian waved his hand, signaling them not to speak yet.

He knew why Cao She had come to see him tonight.

As the village head, although he was forced to take up the post, he was indeed the most prominent figure among the officials in charge of transporting sand. When officials from the prefecture went to the countryside, they would basically stay at his house.

When it comes to gathering information, collecting taxes, or apprehending fugitives, he's the first person they turn to.

Cao She, who speaks with an accent from out of town, is clearly going to stay in Ma Tuo Sha for a long time, turning from a fugitive into a local tyrant.

The fact that he dared to show his face in front of me and lead a group of more than twenty followers armed with knives, guns, bows, and shields to demonstrate already says it all.

Gao Jian turned to the two men and said, "From now on, if anyone asks if there are any illegal activities outside Chong Sheng Temple, just say you don't know or haven't heard of them." "Yes." The sons knew the gravity of the situation and didn't hesitate at all.

"If the patrol inspector comes to request personnel, just say that farmers have no spare months and no one is available," Gao Jian added.

"Let's go back." Gao Jian tightened his cotton coat and said, "From now on, pay more attention to training these servants at home. The servant under Cao She just now was quite capable..."

The sound gradually faded into the distance.

A moment later, the gate slammed shut, and the lights in the courtyard went out one by one, plunging the entire Gao family mansion into silence.

In Ma Tuo Sha, a small place with weak government control, internal changes have already begun.

Meanwhile, Shao Shuyi and his men, escorting Monk Huiyong, headed straight for Chongsheng Temple that very night, ready to give the monks a good beating.