The common folk working on the Dujiangyan project mainly came from several surrounding counties. Previously, they were very unfamiliar with the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce, the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau, and the Jinchuan Money House. Many had never even heard of them.
But recently, because of handling grain loan procedures, the people saw the flags of the chamber, the escort bureau, and the money house every day.
Especially the flag of the money house. The moment they saw it, they felt a sense of closeness.
After all, it was the Jinchuan Money House that, during their most difficult times, lent them grain at extremely low interest rates, helping them survive the crisis.
Next came the black flag of the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau.
During years of famine, bandits did not have it easy either, but relying on grain stockpiled from previous years, they managed not to starve to death.
Unfortunately for them, they encountered Zhang Liang.
In those days, ordinary households could barely keep their pots from boiling empty. Even if bandits robbed, there was hardly any fat left to squeeze.
When the bandits could no longer endure their hunger, several big chiefs got together, discussed, and several bandit groups banded together to form a large force of over a thousand men. They took the risk and came to raid the Dujiangyan construction site.
Although more than ten thousand common folk were working at Dujiangyan, bandits had long planted seeds of fear in the people’s hearts.
Dujiangyan was not on Zhang Liang’s return route, but Zhang Liang tested his military tactics. He sent men down the Min River by boat to make a surprise return strike at Dujiangyan.
After wiping out the two bandit groups nurtured by the powerful families, he conveniently cleaned up five or six other large and small bandit lairs in the surrounding area.
Although most bandits escaped thanks to their familiarity with the terrain, their grain stores were all seized by Zhang Liang.
Heavy crossbow bolts as thick and long as spears whistled sharply and flew in rows into the bandit crowd.
The bandits, who seemed like evil demons in their eyes, fell in rows like straw!
Then countless fist-sized stones rained down on the bandits’ heads like a storm.
Seeing a large bandit force of over a thousand charging with menacing momentum, the common folk scattered in panic.
Just as the bandits were about to reach the canteen, the escort guards took action.
Countless common folk personally witnessed the most shocking battle of their lives.
In fact, the escort guards had discovered the bandits long ago. The reason they let them charge near the canteen was because there was an open area in front of it.
The south side of the open area was the river, and the west side was the canteen.
The Dujiangyan project would not finish in a day or two, so the canteen had been built with ample materials.
On the mountain path where the bandits gathered, blood mist exploded in clusters everywhere!
Each burst of blood mist meant at least one bandit had met his end!
After the heavy crossbows and catapults finished their barrage, the escort guards advanced in two neat square formations!
At that point, nearly a thousand bandits still remained, while the two escort guard formations together numbered just over a hundred.
Yet this group of just over a hundred men surrounded nearly a thousand bandits!
Then the encirclement steadily shrank, and one by one, bandits fell under the escort guards’ blades.
The common folk transported countless logs as thick as thighs, stacking them one after another.
Without sufficient tools, the bandits found it very hard to break through.
The escort guards only needed to block the east and north sides to trap the bandits on the open ground.
Anyone who dared slack off was naturally dealt with by the escort guards.
After this incident, whenever the common folk saw the black flag of the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau or the black uniform of the escort guards, they felt a sense of security in their hearts.
So when Jin Feng and the others rounded the mountain bend and appeared before the people, many cast friendly glances their way.
When the bandits in the encirclement were packed so tightly that there was no more room to shrink, they began to surrender.
The company commander originally wanted to kill one to warn the rest, but Wei Datong stopped him.
Wei Datong sent this group of bandits to the most dangerous sections to do the heaviest work, but their daily rations were only half that of the common folk.
“Of course I know they are from the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau, but have you ever seen such a big formation before?”
“No, never. There must be a hundred or so people, all riding tall horses. They must have quite a background.”
“Could it be the legendary Master Jin has come?”
Many common folk took breaks from work to gossip a few words.
“What are those people here for?”
“Are you blind? Can you not see they are carrying the black flag of the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau and wearing escort guard uniforms?”
“Then I will kowtow to them from afar.”
“I need to kowtow too. If not for Master Jin, my family would not have survived this year!”
“Look, the person in charge from the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau has gone to greet them.”
“You never know, it really might be.”
“If Master Jin has come, I must thank him properly. If not for his great mercy, my whole family would have starved to death.”
“Master Jin knows who you are? Before you even get close, the escort guards will stop you.”
…
Purebred warhorses were rare in Great Kang and seldom seen.
Now a hundred-man cavalry unit appeared, instantly drawing many common folk’s attention.
“Lord Wei has come out too!”
“It cannot really be Master Jin, can it?”
“Xiao Yao, your ears are the sharpest. I will dig soil for you. Go listen if it is Master Jin.”
“Master, Your Highness, you have travelled far. It has been hard work!”
The company commander in charge of the Dujiangyan site cupped his fists and saluted Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess.
Qin Er frowned slightly upon hearing this.
Putting on such a big show was not because Jin Feng liked pomp, but because there was no choice.
The Ninth Princess had killed so many powerful nobles. If someone lost their mind and sent experts to assassinate them or bribed bandits for revenge, and there were not enough escort guards for protection, would that not be dangerous?
So now, whenever the Ninth Princess and Jin Feng went out, they were always surrounded by escort guards in the middle.
But Qin Er said nothing more.
She knew Jin Feng held too high a place in the escort guards’ hearts.
Forget the Ninth Princess. Even if the emperor came, the escort guards would probably greet Jin Feng first.
The Ninth Princess was of noble status. By etiquette, the company commander should have put “Your Highness” before Jin Feng.
But he placed it after.
This showed that in the escort guards’ hearts, Jin Feng was more important than the Ninth Princess.
Jin Feng dismounted and walked shoulder to shoulder with the company commander. “How is the situation here?”
“The situation is fairly stable…”
The company commander lagged half a step behind Jin Feng and reported the recent construction progress at Dujiangyan.
It was not just the escort guards. In West River Bay Village, when Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess went out together, the villagers greeted Jin Feng first, then the Ninth Princess.
Qin Er had grown somewhat accustomed to it, though she still felt a little indignant inside.
“You all are the ones who have truly worked hard.”
“Not only Master Jin, but it seems the Ninth Princess has come too!”
“Which princess?”
“From the looks of it, probably the one wearing the mink fur cloak.”
A few steps away from the two were the working common folk.
Although they did not dare crowd over to eavesdrop, Jin Feng and the company commander had not deliberately lowered their voices. Many common folk heard their conversation and confirmed Jin Feng’s identity.
“Ah, it really is Master Jin!”
In an instant, kowtowing seemed contagious. Centred on Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess’s position, it quickly spread outwards…
Once they confirmed the identities of Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess, many common folk immediately knelt in the mud and kowtowed towards Jin Feng.
Those who had come to inquire did not need to approach. Seeing this scene, they knew it really was Jin Feng.
“Greatly merciful Master Jin, this old man kowtows to you! Thank you for lending this old man grain!”
Confirmed Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess’s identities, many common folk immediately knelt in the mud and kowtowed towards Jin Feng.
Those who had come to inquire did not need to approach. Seeing this scene, they knew it really was Jin Feng.
In an instant, kowtowing seemed contagious. Centred on Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess’s position, it quickly spread outwards in all directions…
