After returning from the broker, Jin Feng’s mood remained low.
The next morning, he did not go to the broker himself, but sent Da Liu with men to fetch the girls and children, meeting them at the inn’s entrance.
Around seven or eight in the morning, Jin Feng and the veterans led hundreds of girls and children, setting off in a grand procession from the inn towards the city gate.
Along the way, they drew crowds of onlookers from the county city’s residents.
“What is this about? Why so many people?”
“I heard Mr Jin bought household slaves and is taking them back to Jinchuan.”
“Good heavens, how did he buy so many at once? What is Mr Jin planning?”
“They say Mr Jin originally only wanted a few, but at the broker, he saw the girls and children crammed like livestock in little rooms, many near starvation. Out of compassion, he bought all the household slaves from Manager Tong’s place.”
“How much did that cost?”
“Several hundred taels of silver.”
“Can Mr Jin feed so many?”
“No need for us to worry. Since Mr Jin dared to buy them, he can certainly feed them.”
“Mr Jin truly has a Bodhisattva’s heart!”
…
The procession reached the south city gate amid the spectators’ gaze.
This time, without Qing Mulan’s intervention, the gate commander saw Jin Feng, nodded and bowed, and let the group pass out of the city.
The girls and children had been confined for some time and starved daily, so they walked slowly. After leaving the city, they had only gone a dozen li when children began to lag behind.
This child and his sister had been escorted from another county for sale in the prefectural city. His sister knew full well that falling behind now meant starving in the mountains, so even though she was nearly exhausted herself, she stubbornly gritted her teeth and carried her brother on her back.
In the end, both siblings fell behind.
Seeing this, Jin Feng had no choice but to have the veterans take the child to the carriage where Tie Hammer was resting.
By noon, more and more children could not keep up, filling Tie Hammer’s carriage. With no other option, Jin Feng slowed the procession further.
On the way there, it had taken only half a day from the tungsten mine cave at Heifeng Ridge to Guangyuan County City, but returning, due to the slow pace, they had covered only half the distance by nightfall.
Jin Feng had Monkey find an abandoned ruined temple as the overnight camp.
Children from poor families mature early. At the temple, without the veterans’ orders, the children went of their own accord into the nearby mountains to gather firewood, while the girls cleaned the filthy ruined temple or helped the veterans light fires and set up pots.
Seeing smiles gradually appear on the girls’ and children’s faces, the gloom in Jin Feng’s heart also dissipated.
“Sir, should we send people to watch those children, in case they run?” Da Liu reminded quietly.
“If they wanted to run, they would have done so on the road, not wait until now.” Jin Feng shook his head.
Men who escape can become bandits, but for girls and children, escape means almost no way to survive.
Thus, along the way, Jin Feng only had the veterans watch for stragglers, never guarding against escapes.
“There might be venomous snakes or wild beasts in the mountains. Send a few female soldiers to check, do not let the children get hurt.”
Jin Feng thought for a moment and said, “Arrange a few more people to scout the mountains, see if they can hunt some game. Their constitutions are too weak, making the pace too slow.”
“Alright.”
Da Liu nodded and went to make arrangements.
Not long after, Jin Feng suddenly heard cheers from afar.
Looking up, he saw several veterans carrying two wild boars, returning smugly.
The children surrounded them, cheering and shouting excitedly.
“Haha, sir, Monkey and the others got lucky. They just entered the mountains and found two wild boars fighting over territory.”
Da Liu ran over laughing. “These two boars together weigh over three hundred jin. With wheat porridge, it is enough for everyone for one meal.”
“Then stew them.”
Jin Feng was also infected by the mood, ran over to watch the veterans slaughter and cook the pigs.
Soon, the aroma of meat wafted from several large pots.
That night, many girls and children were so stuffed they could hardly walk.
The next day on the road, the pace was indeed faster, arriving at Heifeng Ridge by mid-afternoon.
On the way there, Jin Feng had wanted to inspect the river between Heifeng Ridge and Xixi Bay to see if building a bridge was feasible, but bandits ambushed them, followed by heavy rain, so he abandoned the idea.
With time now, Jin Feng had Monkey set up camp, then took Da Liu and several guards up Heifeng Ridge.
Walking a few hundred metres along the ridge, they indeed saw a narrow, winding river.
Though only less than twenty zhang wide, it stretched very long, meandering along the mountain body towards the horizon.
From the small river below to the mountaintop was fifty or sixty metres high, with steep cliffs on both sides, hard to climb.
“Sir, look, that second highest peak over there is Matou Mountain.”
Da Liu stood by the river, pointing to a peak a few li away. “Past Matou Mountain, another two li brings us to our Xixi Bay.”
“If there were a bridge here, would going to the county city shorten the journey by more than half?” Jin Feng asked.
“Of course. On horseback, half a day would do it. Run fast, and you might make a round trip in one day.”
Da Liu said regretfully, “Pity there is no bridge. We have to take a big detour.”
“If there is no bridge, can we build one?”
Jin Feng muttered to himself.
“Build one?” Da Liu’s eyes widened. “Sir, do not joke. Building a bridge costs a lot of money.”
“To get rich, build roads first.”
Jin Feng said, “Shoot an arrow to the other side, see if you can reach the opposite bank.”
“It is less than twenty zhang, definitely can.”
Da Liu took out his crossbow, aimed across the river, and pulled the trigger.
Whoosh!
The arrow flashed over, thudding into a large tree on the other side.
“Good. Let us go down the mountain.”
Jin Feng nodded slightly, feeling reassured in his mind.
Building a bridge would cost a lot, but stringing a cableway was feasible.
However, a cableway needed steel cables and pulleys, and pulleys required bearings, which involved basic lathes and precision machining, which Jin Feng could not yet produce.
Temporarily, ropes could substitute for steel cables, with pulleys without bearings, leaving drop on both sides for sliding back and forth, though the ropes would wear severely and it would be unsafe.
“What is good?”
Da Liu scratched his head in confusion, but seeing Jin Feng deep in thought and ignoring him, he suppressed his curiosity and followed down the mountain.
Passing the tungsten mine cave, Jin Feng glanced again. Indeed, no one had come since they left last time.
Jin Feng looked up at the sky, seeing it was still some time before dark, turned and said, “Da Liu, send someone to call Jin Peng and the others over. I have words for them.”
“Alright.”
Da Liu agreed and dispatched a veteran to bring Jin Peng and the four others.
“Sir, you sent for me?”
Jin Peng had heard from Da Liu about Jin Feng’s matters with the Iron Forest Army. Seeing Jin Feng now, all his former arrogance was gone.
