Between Lingzhou County and Xiangyang lay Li County. Aware that Lingzhou's situation was dire, the group had lunch in Li County, stocked up on dry provisions, and hired a guide familiar with Lingzhou before continuing their journey.
Yet all the hearsay and written records paled in comparison to the shock of witnessing it firsthand. After leaving the main road, they encountered a dilapidated path. Fortunately, they were on horseback—a carriage would have been impossible to pass through.
The guide, Liu Da, riding a mule, explained in broken Mandarin, "The folks from Ling Village usually come and go through here, though they hardly make it out more than a few times a year."
The Sixth Prince asked curiously, "Ling Village? Isn't it Lingzhou County?"
"That's just what we call it around here. All told, there are only a few hundred people—hardly more than a village. Some of our bigger villages have even more than that." Liu Da grinned, revealing a row of blackened teeth, and pointed ahead. "Just up ahead."
The others had already seen it without him saying so. Black stone houses clung to the mountainside, clustered halfway up the hill. The mountain was black, the houses were black—Hua Zhi couldn't imagine how oppressive it must be to live inside them.
Someone had spotted them, and people gradually emerged from their homes. Gu Yanxi, not wanting to provoke hostility, reined in his horse and waited for them to approach.
Hua Zhi surveyed this place abandoned by the Daqing Dynasty. At a glance, the barren hills were devoid of grass, with no fertile fields in sight, no rivers, no human voices, no birdsong. It was so quiet it seemed as if no one could possibly survive here.
"Is there a government office here?"
"There used to be, but later no one was willing to come. Only we in Li County know people still live here. Old Tao, it's me."
Four men approached, their skin darkened by the sun, each carrying a shoulder pole. The one in front nodded at Liu Da but remained wary.
Liu Da was used to their demeanor and didn't take it to heart. Truth be told, he pitied them—living in a place that could drive a person to despair, simply surviving was an achievement.
"Old Tao, this is Shopkeeper Lu. He says he wants to do business with you. I thought it was a good opportunity, so I brought him here. Shopkeeper Lu, Old Tao is the village chief of Ling Village. If you have matters to discuss, he's the one to talk to."
After the introductions, Liu Da exchanged a few words with Old Tao in a dialect the others couldn't understand, then prepared to leave with his mule. "Take your time discussing. My task is done."
Xu Ying handed over the agreed-upon silver. Liu Da grinned broadly. "I won't take the money. You focus on your business—they truly have it hard."
"Wait." Gu Yanxi stopped him. "Do they understand Mandarin?"
Liu Da slapped his forehead—how could he have forgotten? Realizing he was still needed, Liu Da didn't stand on ceremony and patted Old Tao's shoulder, signaling him to lead the way.
Whatever Liu Da had said in dialect seemed to have worked—Old Tao's hostility faded, and he led the group up the mountain.
Even the nearest house required climbing. The steps were uneven and only wide enough for one person at a time.
Gu Yanxi held Hua Zhi's hand as they walked slowly, speaking softly along the way. "The people here are likely very insular and distrustful of outsiders."
"Not just that—they probably have no goodwill toward the court either."Hua Zhi looked down at these obviously hand-polished steps. Far from having any goodwill, if it were her, she wouldn’t even feel guilty about rebelling. “Have you decided where to relocate them?”
“I hadn’t made up my mind before, but now I think Li County would be ideal for their situation. It’s nearby, and the customs are similar, so they’ll adapt more quickly.”
Hua Zhi felt the same way. As the one who had proposed this idea, she was willing to contribute some silver to help them settle down as soon as possible.
Finally stepping onto level ground, Hua Zhi let out a soft sigh. “How about letting Little Six handle the negotiations?”
Gu Yanxi looked at Little Six, who met his gaze with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. He wasn’t sure if he could do it, but since Sister Hua had suggested it, he had to succeed even if he felt incapable!
“Agreed.”
Hua Zhi called Little Six over, brushed the dirt off his sleeve, and said softly, “You know the reasons behind this, Little Six. They are the subjects of your Gu family, and it is your responsibility to ensure they lead better lives.”
The Sixth Prince suddenly felt the weight on his shoulders grow heavier. He pressed his lips together and nodded firmly.
Hua Zhi smiled and gently pushed him forward. No amount of explanation could compare to firsthand experience in making him understand the true meaning of responsibility.
Gu Yanxi gave her a deep look. Just as others thought he would step forward, he retreated instead, standing side by side with Hua Zhi. This left Little Six, who had been pushed two steps ahead, standing alone at the forefront. Without any time to prepare, he faced Tao Laoda’s scrutinizing gaze. Age was his disadvantage, but he quickly gathered his composure. Only when he saw Tao Laoda’s furrowed brow relax did he feel a little more at ease.
Tao Laoda shouted a few words in the local dialect before entering the house. Hua Zhi noticed the heads peeking out from various rooms quickly retreating. Exchanging a glance with Yan Xi, she realized the extent of Tao Laoda’s authority in Lingzhou County. If they could persuade him, the matter would be as good as settled.
Shaoyao disliked the cramped room and, after a quick glance at the entrance, went outside to wait. Only the Sixth Prince, Gu Yanxi, and Hua Zhi followed inside.
Liu Da looked around and sat beside Tao Laoda. Clearing his throat, he diligently took on the role of mediator. “May I ask what business Manager Lu wishes to discuss?”
The Sixth Prince took a quiet, deep breath, imagining himself clad in armor and armed. He spoke clearly, “Before coming here, I learned that Lingzhou produces a type of stone—the very kind used to build Ling Village’s houses. Could Tao Laoda bring a piece for me to examine?”
Tao Laoda whispered a few words to Liu Da, who nodded and asked, “Tao Laoda wants to know if this child has the authority to make decisions.”
Gu Yanxi nodded. “He is my brother, and his word counts.”
With this confirmation, Tao Laoda wasted no time and went to the corner of the room to bring over a smoothly polished stone.
Hua Zhi watched as Little Six examined the stone with great seriousness, barely suppressing a laugh. Using this as an entry point wasn’t a bad idea. The people of Ling Village were wary; rather than offering them benefits, it was better to propose a trade to put them at ease. This trip had indeed helped Little Six grow significantly. His handling of the situation showed maturity, and upon their return, Berlin would likely be overshadowed. But perhaps that was for the best.
“Exactly what we need,” Little Six set the stone down. “I require a large quantity. How does Tao Laoda propose we proceed with the trade?”Tao the Eldest and Liu Da conversed for quite some time before Liu Da declared, "Tao the Eldest says he doesn't want silver. If Shopkeeper Lu can help the children of Ling Village get out, they're willing to dig stones for you instead."
Little Six, however, did not relent. "If I saw correctly earlier, the stone produced from this very mountain you inhabit is exactly this type."
Tao the Eldest was taken aback. Could this person mean... they wanted them to relocate elsewhere?
PS: Looking back at the content updated over the past few days, it’s unsurprisingly rough. This section was changed last minute. Originally, the plan was to face a major flood upon reaching Xiangyang, resulting in casualties and significant losses—only through such a visceral experience would the subsequent digging of canals and other tasks feel natural. But after witnessing the horrors of flood consequences firsthand and realizing the depth of the people's suffering, I found it hard to continue writing. Hence, the abrupt change in content, and without time to refine it, it ended up in this sorry state... I'm ashamed.
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