Between the mountains, there was a narrow mountain path.
The veteran Iron Hammer, with a long knife hanging at his waist, walked alone along the path.
As he rounded the mountainside, he saw a small village nestled on the only flat land at the foot of the mountain.
At the base, a few gaunt children were foraging for mushrooms in the woods.
One of them, a boy of about seven or eight, heard footsteps, looked up, and, abandoning his basket, ran over in delight, “Father, why are you back?”
“Didn’t I tell you not to come to the back mountain anymore? Why are you here again?”
Iron Hammer’s rough palm ruffled the boy’s hair.
The back mountain had a small path, relatively safe, with few fierce beasts like tigers appearing.
But there were plenty of insects, rats, and scorpions, and every year, children gathering firewood or mushrooms got bitten.
Iron Hammer’s family used to be poor, forcing his son to gather mushrooms to help make ends meet, but after joining the escort team, Iron Hammer had drawn a month’s wages.
Three hundred wen was enough for the family to eat well, so he had told his son not to go to the back mountain anymore.
“Sister Xiao Mei was scared to come to the back mountain, so I came with her.”
The boy looked up and asked, “Father, you said last time you’d take me and Mother to live in a brick house. Is it true?”
“Of course it’s true,” Iron Hammer said. “The brick house is built. Haven’t I come to fetch you?”
“Dog Egg, I didn’t lie, did I? I’m going to live in a brick house!”
The boy turned and made a face at a friend, then, under the envious gazes of the other children, followed Iron Hammer down the mountain.
Iron Hammer’s home was practically bare, with only a rickety old bed and a small table made of mud bricks.
There was no need to pack much. They slung the pots, bowls, and pans on their backs, took the wife and child, and that was moving.
At the mountainside, Iron Hammer’s wife, Xiu Niang, couldn’t help but look back at the village at the foot of the mountain.
She was from this village, having lived here half her life, and now she had to leave.
“Dear, will we ever come back?”
Xiu Niang asked softly.
“We’re going to Xihe Bay to work, not to prison. Of course we can come back.”
Iron Hammer smiled, “I’m just worried you won’t want to come back later.”
“Dear, don’t lie to me now.”
But Xiu Niang suddenly knelt on the ground, “Dear, if you’re going to sell me, fine, but our son is your blood. You can’t sell him too.”
“What?”
Iron Hammer was bewildered by Xiu Niang, “Why would I sell you and our son?”
“The money you sent back a few days ago, if it’s not from selling me and our son, where did it come from?”
Xiu Niang asked, crying.
“Didn’t I tell you? It’s from the job I found. The boss paid me in advance.”
“Dear, why are you still lying to me?”
Xiu Niang wiped her tears, “What can you do that a boss would pay you three hundred wen a month?”
“I…”
Three hundred wen was a high wage in these times. Iron Hammer didn’t know how to explain, so he slapped Xiu Niang in frustration, “Even if I’m useless, I’d never sell my wife and son. Get up and come with me!”
Though Xiu Niang took the hit, she felt a slight relief in her heart.
She could sense her husband wasn’t lying.
She got up, followed Iron Hammer, and asked, “What does your boss do?”
“He runs a spinning workshop.”
“I’ve spun thread before. It doesn’t earn much.”
“That’s because you haven’t seen the boss’s spinning wheels. They’re fast, one person spins as fast as five or six.”
Iron Hammer said, “When you get there, you can work in the boss’s workshop too. If you’re quick, you can earn over one copper coin a day.”
“Really? I heard from Second Aunt that Xihe Bay is a poor village.”
“That was before. It’s different now,” Iron Hammer said impatiently, “You’ll see when you get there.”
Xiu Niang didn’t dare ask more, lowering her head and following behind.
The family of three hurried and made it to Xihe Bay before lunchtime.
“Brother Iron Ox, I’ve brought my wife and kid.”
Iron Hammer found Iron Ox busy at the dormitory entrance and asked, “Which room do we get?”
“You’re quick, kid,” Iron Ox laughed, “You’re the first. Pick any room you like.”
“Xiu Niang, you choose.”
Iron Hammer scratched his head, passing the decision to his wife.
But Xiu Niang seemed not to hear, staring at the houses in a daze.
It wasn’t until Iron Hammer nudged her with a kick that she snapped out of it and chose the third room from the start.
The room was about forty square metres. The entrance led to a kitchen of seven or eight square metres, and the rest was a large open space with a brand-new table and chairs in the centre and a wooden bed against the wall.
“Sister-in-law, time was tight, and we’re not fully prepared. Make do for now. The boss said when things improve, we’ll get better houses.”
Iron Ox smiled, placing a door lock on the table.
“Brother Iron Ox, this is already great.”
Xiu Niang touched this and looked at that, unable to hide the joy in her eyes.
“Then settle in. Come find me if you need anything.”
Iron Ox smiled and left.
“Dear, is this house ours now?”
Even now, Xiu Niang felt like she was dreaming.
Iron Hammer hadn’t lied. They really could live in a brick house.
“The house isn’t ours, it’s the boss’s. We can live here but can’t sell it, and we have to pay ten wen rent each month.”
Iron Hammer explained.
“The boss gives you three hundred wen a month, lets us live in a brick house, and ten wen rent is fair.”
Xiu Niang said, “Iron Hammer, the boss values you. You have to work hard.”
“Don’t worry, my life belongs to the boss from now on.”
Iron Hammer nodded firmly.
Similar conversations happened many times in Xihe Bay that day.
That day, thirty-two veterans fully accepted Jin Feng from the bottom of their hearts.
That evening, the Xihe Bay guard team was officially formed.
During this time, to avoid conflicts with the bandits of Iron Can Mountain, Zhang Liang had only made two deliveries to the county.
The first time, he was heavily extorted. The second time, Zhang Liang set out at midnight, slipping past Copper Mountain while the bandits were still asleep.
On the return, he also waited until midnight to move.
The mountain roads were already tough, and travelling at night was no solution.
And since the bandits had their eyes on them, they’d find out sooner or later.
A fight might be inevitable.
Jin Feng had been worried these past few days, but with the guard team formed, the tension in his heart finally eased.
These thirty-plus veterans were battle-hardened men who had killed before. Even if the Iron Can Mountain bandits attacked tonight, they had some ability to protect themselves.
If the bandits didn’t come soon, even better.
Once Jin Feng was ready, it would be the bandits’ turn to be afraid!
