deltrittennovels Chapter 31 News from Tingfeng Tower: Departure for the Capital
Chapter 31 News from Tingfeng Tower: Departure for the Capital
Gyeongju City, this is the most prosperous city in Gyeongju.
Lin Hanzhou revealed some of his martial arts skills and easily blended into the city.
The city streets were wide and the shops on both sides were quite lively, but there was a tense atmosphere in the air.
Most pedestrians were in a hurry, with few smiles on their faces, replaced by worries about the future.
Prices here are visibly high.
A bowl of plain noodles that costs only three coins in Ping'an Town costs fifty coins here, and the noodles are small and the soup is thin.
The atmosphere of chaos has permeated every corner of this city.
Lin Hanzhou didn't pay much attention to this; his goal was very clear.
He needed to find the most well-informed place to update his intelligence.
In this way, he can make the most accurate judgment about his next move.
After making inquiries from various sources, he found the largest restaurant in the city—Tingfenglou.
Tingfeng Tower has three floors, and its grandeur is evident from the outside.
It is said that as long as you have enough silver, you can get information here without it.
They could even hear whispers throughout Qingzhou and the entire Daqian Dynasty.
Upon entering Tingfeng Tower, Lin Hanzhou did not go up to the second and third floors, which were reserved for high-ranking officials and nobles.
He found an inconspicuous corner on the first floor, sat down, ordered two dishes at random, and began to eat and drink by himself.
His ears, however, acted like radar, taking in all the noise from the third floor.
"Manager Zhang, the price of this batch of silk you transported from Jiangnan has increased by another 30%? That's outrageous!"
A fat man who looked like a fabric shop owner was sighing at the next table.
The tall, thin man, referred to as Manager Zhang, looked distressed and lowered his voice.
"My lord, please don't wrong me. These days, life is incredibly difficult."
"From Jiangzhou to Qingzhou, there are many checkpoints along the way. Those damned tax officials are like hungry wolves. Every time you pass through a checkpoint, they skin you alive."
"Not to mention, bandits are rampant in Qingzhou these days. I spent a lot of money to hire bodyguards from the Weiyuan Escort Agency to escort this shipment. How could the cost not be high?"
"Sigh, life is getting harder and harder..."
Lin Hanzhou silently took a sip of wine.
The government imposed heavy taxes and levies, leading to widespread banditry in the region.
This is the most typical characteristic of the late period of a dynasty.
He then turned his attention to the other private rooms.
At that table sat several young martial artists who looked full of vigor and vitality.
Each of them had weapons hanging from their waists, and their faces showed the excitement of young calves unafraid of tigers.
"Brother, I've made up my mind. Instead of putting up with all this nonsense here, let's go to the Qingzhou front and join the army."
"With our skills, brothers like us can kill a few Qing soldiers, earn some fame and fortune, wouldn't that be wonderful!"
A young man wielding a knife spoke with great confidence.
"That's right, a true man should die on the battlefield."
"I've heard that the imperial court is now offering master-level martial arts techniques as a reward for military merits in order to boost morale."
However, next to them, a weathered, one-armed middle-aged man snorted coldly.
He took a swig of his drink and said dismissively.
"A bunch of ignorant brats, do you even know what the situation is like on the Qingzhou front these days?"
"In such a place, even top-tier or martial arts masters can die at any moment."
"With your pathetic skills, you wouldn't even make a splash if you went up there; you'd just become nameless corpses."
"you!"
The young swordsman was provoked and immediately flew into a rage.
"What? You're not convinced?"
The one-armed man pointed to his empty sleeve with his remaining hand.
"I lost this arm in Qingzhou."
"I saw with my own eyes that our thousand-man squad was wiped out in a single charge by the Qing army's iron cavalry."
"I also witnessed our general being accused of poor performance in battle and dismissed from his post and imprisoned on the spot for withholding his superior's tribute."
"Fame and fortune? Heh, those are reserved for princes and nobles with powerful connections."
"People like you would just be cannon fodder if you went!"
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, instantly extinguishing all the enthusiasm of those young people.
They looked at each other, their excitement turning into fear and confusion.
Lin Hanzhou's gaze sharpened slightly.
He never imagined that the army of Daqian would be so corrupt; no wonder the morale of the troops was low.
No wonder the Great Qian suffered repeated defeats in so many battles on the border.
It seems that the very foundation of the Great Qian Dynasty is completely rotten.
Just then, Lin Hanzhou's ears twitched slightly, and he heard interesting information again.
Inside a private room on the second floor of Tingfeng Tower, two men who looked like advisors were talking in very low voices.
"Have you heard? In the capital, the First Prince and the Third Prince are fighting again for control of the Ministry of War."
"Hiss... What time is it? They still have the mind to fight amongst themselves?"
"If His Majesty the Emperor doesn't intervene, I'm afraid... it really won't work."
"Who can argue with that? I've heard that His Majesty's health is deteriorating day by day."
"Once His Majesty passes away, the fate of the Great Qian Dynasty will likely truly change."
"We should make plans early and choose sides in advance to avoid being purged later."
Hearing this, Lin Hanzhou already had a general idea of the overall situation.
The Great Qian Dynasty was beset by internal and external troubles, the court was corrupt, and the princes were fighting openly and secretly for power, and the empire was on the verge of collapse.
And what role will this outsider play in this impending cataclysmic wave?
Just as Lin Hanzhou was pondering, a piece of news cheered him up.
He heard a man dressed as a merchant boasting to his companion from another corner of the hall.
"Brother, you have no idea, this time I've actually gotten in touch with the Sihai Trading Company."
"Their trading company will soon send its largest caravan back to the capital."
"I spent a lot of money to get a spot to accompany them. With them, this trip was truly safe."
"The Four Seas Trading Company? Is that the same Four Seas Trading Company that boasts 'wealth enough to buy an entire state'?"
"That's right. They're supposedly transporting some important cargo back to the capital this time, and their security detail is top-notch."
"I heard that they are recruiting temporary bodyguards outside at high prices, requiring them to be at least first-class martial artists."
"Tsk tsk, at the very least, they must be top-tier martial artists as guards. This is quite a sum."
Upon hearing their conversation, Lin Hanzhou's eyes immediately lit up.
Heading to the capital?
This is exactly what he wanted.
The capital city, as the center of the world, is undoubtedly the place where information gathers most and opportunities abound.
He now possesses the strength of the third-tier Qi Sea Realm, and only by going there can he secure the greatest benefit for himself.
Joining this caravan is undoubtedly the best choice.
Being able to hitch a ride for free, get paid for nothing, and have a legitimate identity.
He certainly wouldn't miss such an opportunity.
Having made up his mind, Lin Hanzhou did not linger.
He tossed down a few taels of silver, left Tingfeng Tower, and headed straight for the branch of Sihai Trading Company in Qingzhou City.
Without any unnecessary drama, Lin Hanzhou successfully joined the Chamber of Commerce by demonstrating his top-tier martial arts skills.
With his taciturn yet capable demeanor, he easily integrated into this temporary group.
Three days later, everything was ready.
A large caravan, consisting of hundreds of carriages and hundreds of guards, slowly drove out of Qingzhou City in the morning mist.