Chapter 9: The Way Out

  Dai Tang had been in a bad mood since his return from Da Sheng Kui. After finishing dinner, Dai Tang was about to leave when he suddenly spoke up: "Don't go yet! Did you see Fan Dong's sister at Da Sheng Kui today?"

  "Exactly!"

  "Fan Dongjia and I have discussed it before, he wants to marry his sister to you."

  Di Zhe opened his mouth, not knowing how to respond. He was only 19 years old now, and he had never thought about getting married in his subconscious mind. However, he forgot that at this age, marrying a wife and having children was the most normal thing to do in this era. The reason why he hadn't settled down yet was because his elderly father had always hoped that he could pass the imperial examination and climb up the social ladder by marrying into a good family. Fortunately, after crossing over, Di Zhe still retained all the abilities from his previous body, so he wouldn't write brush characters like a ghost. But as for participating in the imperial examination to write eight-legged essays, Di Zhe had given up on that idea from the start.

  "I still need to report this matter to Father for his decision, at this time the marriage between Fan and Zhai families has its advantages and disadvantages!" Zhai Tang said as if he was talking to himself.

  "My little brother hasn't even thought about getting married!" Zhai Zhe wanted to make an excuse. But Zhai Tang didn't give him a chance to speak, waving his hand and saying: "You go down first! Let me think about it some more."

  Di Zhe thought back to today's scene and was certain that both sides had planned it out beforehand. He hadn't expected his engagement to become a means for the Di and Fan families to cooperate.

  "You must leave the family as soon as possible!" Zhai Zhe only felt a wave of intangible pressure coming over him, and only strength could win respect. As someone who appeared to be in a good position, born into a wealthy merchant's family, but as an illegitimate child, he had no power in his hands, and even matters of marriage were beyond his control.

  After being dragged out of the other courtyard, Di Zhe's mind was buzzing as he returned to his own residence, and he didn't even notice Lian Xiao standing at the door.

  "What's wrong with you! You look like you've lost your soul!" Xiao Zhiyan asked with a smile.

  Di Zhe was startled, carefully sizing up Xiao's words and finding nothing out of the ordinary, before relaxing and saying: "How come you've been gone for so many days before coming back?" Then he pushed open the door and said: "It's windy outside, let's talk inside!"

  "Ge Feng has defected to Ma Zei!" Xiao Zhiyan shrugged, his expression relaxed. "They wanted me to stay too, but I didn't agree."

  "What is the situation like on the Doyan grassland?"

  Xiao Zhiyan leaned back in his chair and said, "Even the Mongolians and Jurchen people are suffering from famine, how can the situation of the horse thieves be any better? It's bound to be miserable!"

  Di Zhe had made up his mind and stood opposite Xiao Zhishan, saying: "I want to go out of the pass and organize a group of horse bandits, please help me, brother Xiao!"

  "Has the Di family finally reached this point?" Xiao Zhiyan's tone was full of sarcasm, "If I wanted to be a bandit, why would I need to come to Zhangjiakou!" In these days, he had seen too many cases of deceit and betrayal in the business world, and only then did he realize that the ruthlessness of these merchants far surpassed that of bandits.

  "It's different with the support of business owners!"

  "Of course it's different, the news will be more agile, and robbing other merchant teams will also be more handy. In difficult times, there will also be people to support you, but after all, it's just a bandit! A bandit!" Xiao's tone was even more sarcastic, "With your background, why do you need to take this step? Once you get stained, you can't wash it clean for a lifetime!"

  "This isn't my elder brother's idea, it's my own decision?" Zhai Zhe couldn't explain too much.

  The room was silent as death, and Xiao Zhi's words came after a long while: "In the past, I entered the village to sell horses for a living, with tattered clothes on my body. You treated me to meat and wine, and in the years spent at the Di family, you only took money but didn't work. I also knew it was all because of your face. These years, you regarded me as a brother, and I didn't treat you like an outsider. Actually, for someone like me, being a horse thief or a bodyguard doesn't make much difference. I just hope you think carefully, so you won't regret it one day."

  "My mind is made up!" Zhai Zhe's words were firm and decisive.

  Xiao Zhiyan's mouth curled up into a characteristic smile as he shook his head gently. He had originally grown tired of the sword-fighting and wandering lifestyle, which was why he entered Zhangjiakou in the first place. Yet, it seemed that he couldn't escape that kind of fate after all.

  "Horse thieves, look simple, but hard to do! Now as long as you have food, a thousand horse thieves can be summoned on the grassland. But those people eat your drink, want them to fight for you, it's impossible. Horse thieves who can survive on the grassland for more than three years are extremely cunning, and they will escape immediately if the situation is not favorable." Xiao explained to Di Zhe in detail, "But if you summon a group of newbies, those people will be eager to fight, but also easily expose their tracks, unable to find any traces of prey. So a formidable horse thief must have a mix of old and new hands."

  In Zhangjiakou for three years, Xiao Zhiyan had never spoken so many words at once like today. In the end, he concluded with one sentence: "The best horse thief is in Xikou!"

  Xikou refers to the killing of Hu Kou, with Zhangjiakou echoing in the distance. It is located at the intersection of Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, which is another road for Jin merchants to go out of the pass, directly connecting the only city of Mongolians on the grassland, Hohhot - the residence of Ombokhan of the Tumote tribe. Every year when there was a famine, countless poor people went out of Xikou to make a living, and the mountains and forests were dense with thieves and bandits. The northwest had always been known for its fierce folk customs, and the horse thieves who remained in the turbulent times were naturally formidable.

  Di Zhe listened to Xiao's words for a short while, and only then did he realize that he was indeed still inexperienced. The two of them talked through the night, discussing until midnight before they finalized a plan.

  The next morning, Xiao Zhiyan quietly left Zhangjiakou Station, as if he had never returned. He was also just a name at the Di family home, and no one would really assign him any tasks.

  The merchant team's fundraising is getting more and more tense, the shops on both sides of Zhangjiakou are like secretly competing with each other, the apprentices are busy every day, and a small amount of supplies have started to be gathered from Xuanfu to the collection town.

  Di Zhe again had a secret meeting with his brother, and two days later, he chose two good hands from the guards and left Zhangjiakou.

  Less than ten miles north of Zhangjiakou Market, the scenery suddenly opens up, and the green grass on Zhangba Grassland is like a yellow-green carpet that can be seen all the way to the horizon. Once standing here, you could see the Mongolians' livestock in groups, hear the Tumet people's songs echoing, but now there is only an eerie silence, everything is caused by war. The Chahar cavalry has already launched into Tuimer River, and the Tumet tribe is facing off against each other at Guihua City.

  Three men rode east along the continuous mountains for thirty or forty miles, to a mouth of a valley where stones were piled up. Di Zhe put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. More than ten cavalrymen ran out from the valley, all wearing Mongolian robes. Xiao Zhisheng was among them.

  "Zhai Xiaoge!" Before Xiao Zhi could speak, a burly man emerged from behind him on horseback, opening his arms wide.

  "Meng Kang!" Di Zhe fist bumped him.

  Meng Kang was indeed the friend of Zhai Zhe in the bandits that Zhai Tang had mentioned. Meng Kang used to be a guard for Ji Zi, but more than a year ago, his parents from his hometown hanged themselves after failing to win a dispute with a local landlord over land ownership. In a fit of rage, Meng Kang led a group of people to kill the entire family of that landlord and had no choice but to flee and become a horse thief. It was because he was hiding in Zhai's goods that he managed to escape from Xuanfu Gate. For this matter, Zhai Tang had also scolded Zhai Zhe severely, cursing him until his face turned pale.

  The two horses trotted side by side, and Meng Kang lowered his voice to say: "I've already told Big Stick about the cooperation! He's more than happy!"

  "Take me to see Big Brother!" Zhai Zhe and Xiao Zhishen exchanged a glance.

  Duoyan grassland and the Great Ming border are all dense forests and mountains, this is the solid barrier of the Great Ming, the Great Wall defense line appears and disappears in the mountains. The geographical location and shape make it a natural den for horse thieves. Duoyan grassland now has more than a dozen large and small groups of horse thieves, Meng Kang's nickname is Drilling Eagle, also from Shanxi province.

  Meng Kang led the three of them in a circular motion through the mountains and forests, finally pointing to a mountain valley and saying: "That's the old nest!"

  He blew two short and one long loud whistles, the valley also echoed with a few responses, then several knights ran out from inside, the first one, slender in build, with a pair of eight-shaped whiskers, looking like he was almost fifty years old.

  "Big stick! The guest has arrived!" Meng Kang shouted loudly.

  Di Zhe knew that this person was Zhuan Tianying and dismounted his horse to pay respects.

  Zhuan Tianying carefully sized up Di Zhe for a few moments, probably also not expecting this person to be so young.

  A group of people entered the valley, where some earthen houses were sparsely built along the mountain.

  Zuan Tianying led Xiao Zuo and Meng Kang into a large earthen house.

  Xiao Zhe sat down in the main seat without any politeness and said: "My identity, I'm sure the master of the house is already clear!"

  Zuan Tian raised an eyebrow, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied, but restrained himself and didn't erupt. He sat across from Di Zhe and said: "I heard from Meng Kang that you're his benefactor!"

  Di Zhe's expression became more and more arrogant, saying: "That's right, I came to find the master this time, it is to discuss cooperation matters!"

  "Speak!"

  "I'll provide you with some information about merchant caravans. You can sell us the goods you plunder at a low price!"

  "Good!" Blazing rays of light burst forth from Zhuan Tianying's eyes.

  "Besides, in winter, I have a batch of goods to pass through Duo Yan Grassland, you must guarantee my safety!"

  A momentary hesitation appeared in Zhuan Tianying's eyes, and he asked, "Didn't the merchant group have guards?"

  "We are unfamiliar with the situation on the Doyan grassland and need you to guide us. After the task is completed, we will pay a reward!"

  "Deal!" Zhuan Tianying stretched out his right hand.