Chapter 3 Boundary Collection

  Under the afterglow of sunset, Zhangjiakou's settlement was bathed in a layer of pale yellow light, serene and peaceful. Zhai Zhe had been here for three years, so he wouldn't be blinded by its appearance. Even when business was at its worst, this place seemed like a boiling kettle, vastly different from the stiflingly dull Da Ming.

  Zhangjiakou is located at the intersection of mountains and grasslands, and the town is situated in a flat mountainous area where two mountains meet. About ten miles away, there is a treacherous terrain, and a castle was built on the mountain - Zhangjiakou Fortress. However, since its establishment, Zhangjiakou Fortress has never been able to fully control the nearby town. Every day, with the first ray of sunlight in the morning, people from various Mongolian tribes on the grasslands, Han people living on the grasslands, and even Donghu people enter Zhangjiakou Town. For the garrison stationed in Zhangjiakou, they are most fortunate that this isolated fortress outside the pass has not suffered any fatal battles for many years, and can still collect some money from the various business firms gathered nearby.

  The caravan split into two paths after entering the town, with the cargo and guards led by Sunzi Cai heading to the warehouse. Di Zhe and Xiao Zhishan rushed straight to the middle of the town's Zhang family business, Wangshun Building. Almost all the businesses in Zhangjiakou were owned by Shanxi people, which was not always the case. In recent years, more and more Shanxi people had left their hometowns due to poverty and ventured out, and they worked hard together as a group.

  The two handed over the horses to the shop assistant at the entrance of Wangshun Pavilion and walked into a separate courtyard beside the store.

  After entering the gate, Di Zhe saw two middle-aged men talking under the long corridor in the courtyard. One was wearing a satin-faced thin jacket, with a pale face, and the other had a sturdy build, with a pair of iron guards on his wrist.

  "Big brother!" Di Zhe stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting. The middle-aged man wearing a thin robe was indeed his big brother Di Tang, and the other one was Hao Yangyou, the head nurse of the Di family.

  "Second Master has arrived!" Hao Yangyou also nodded his head in greeting.

  Di Tang glanced at him and said: "The road is quite smooth, rest well, there's a big deal to do in a few days."

  Since Father retired, all matters of Wangshun Pavilion have been taken over by Di Tang. Di Zhe, the second young master, is just a decoration. Although he has plenty of money to spend, his elder brother is extremely vigilant about him interfering with business affairs.

  "Yes!" Zhai Zhe bid farewell and left, leading Xiao Zhisheng to simply wash up before heading out onto the streets.

  As winter approaches, the evening gathering in the town is still lively and hasn't been taken away by the cold wind. Although it can't compare to the prosperity of Beijing City, the nightlife here has its own unique flavor. Even if the owners of various shops can discipline themselves, they can't stop those wandering vagrants with their heads tied to their waistbands from occasionally indulging themselves.

  In the middle of the street, several wine shops had large red lanterns swaying in the night wind. Not far from the wine shops were the more bustling brothels. Han people who went out of the pass sometimes couldn't return home for many years, and the women in Zhangjiakou's brothels weren't as charming as those inland, but business was booming.

  Di Zhe is not interested in the women here, and he rarely drinks even on ordinary days. Xiao Zhīyán is obviously a regular customer here, as soon as he lifted the curtain of the wine shop, an attendant came to greet him: "Xiao Ye, you're here, please go upstairs!"

  The wine house was dimly lit, with the sound of loud arguments and occasional curses in Tatar language filling the air. Occasionally, some Mongolian tribes would come to the town to collect goods and stay for several days. The grassland's airag was not as good as Shanxi's Zhu Ye Qing to their taste, but the grasslands produced little grain, so they could only taste such delicious food from the Han people here.

  Di Zhe followed Xiao Zhishan upstairs and found a secluded corner. The waiter brought two jugs of wine and served several small dishes.

  "Did you say that the Fan family's merchant group returned a month ago?" Zhai Zhe asked with a frown, his brow furrowed after drinking wine. The life of later generations left him with the deepest impression that he wouldn't put on airs to anyone, which allowed him to make many friends.

  "Not bad, at that time the whole mouth was shocked, and Lu's family looked very ugly." The Lu family is the largest rich merchant in Zhangjiakou, and they are friends with the Mongolian Dongtumen Turen Taiji. They have dominated Zhangjiakou for nearly ten years, but after the defeat of the Dongtumen tribe by the Chahar tribe from Doyan grassland, the Lu family has not done any big business again. This year, they also organized a commercial team to export goods, but it was like throwing a meat bun at a dog - gone without return. The Tumote tribe and the Han people have been negotiating for decades, and they have also taken in many Han people who fled from the border, so they can be considered as Mongolians who have been sinicized. Although they are barbarians, they will not randomly rob commercial teams, but the Chahar tribe is different - since Lin Danhan, they have never put the Han people in their eyes."

  "The weather in Zhangjiakou is going to change." Di Zhe tilted his head back and took a swig of wine, his eyes glancing out the window at the dark sky.

  Xiao Zhiyan snorted and didn't say a word, but the expression at the corner of his mouth seemed to be saying: "This has nothing to do with me."

  "Xiao brother, with your exceptional skills, do you intend to linger here forever?" Seeing Xiao pouring himself a full cup of wine, he couldn't help but ask.

  Xiao Zhiyan put down the wine jug and said, "What's the big deal? There are many capable people in this collection, not all of them are like that."

  "With your skills, if you were to join the military, wouldn't that be stronger than just being a guardian of the household?" Zhai Zhe lightly tapped on the table, Xiao Zhishen was the guardian of the Zhai family, but their relationship was more like friends.

  "I think this collection is more interesting." Xiao Zhiyan's face again habitually hung a smile, but his eyes also flashed a hint of confusion.

  It's not just him, Zhai Zhe sitting opposite him is the same, he not only knows that the sky of this family will change, but also the sky of the great Ming dynasty will change, and can only drink in this town.

  Two people each had their own thoughts, the wine was a bit dull to drink, suddenly heard downstairs a loud noise, followed by a scream, then the noise got bigger and bigger, rushed out onto the street, after that someone shouted: "Murder!"

  Two men put down their wine jars and looked out from the upper floor, where a dozen or so torches had been lit on the street, shining brightly. Two groups of people faced each other, holding knives, guns, and clubs in their hands, all of them Han Chinese. In this gathering place, every master was very strict in managing his subordinates, and various business owners often jointly organized merchant teams to go out of the pass, escorting and guarding were also friends on a daily basis, all making a living together. Although there might be occasional fights and brawls, it was rare for anyone to draw their knives. Moreover, the hometowns of most guards were inside the pass, and under the watchful eyes of everyone in the gathering place, killing someone would make it impossible to escape, just like a monk running away from his temple.

  A burly, yellow-faced man with a rugged skeleton held a wooden knife in his hand and pointed at the opposite side, shouting: "Ge Feng, you betrayed your master for fame and fortune, but now you dare to kill someone on the street. Do you think there's no one in this village who can deal with you?"

  "Ge Feng!" Di Zhe knew that he was the second leader of the Lu family's escort, and it was said that he was also a businessman who went out to do business in his early years. After going bankrupt, he switched to being an escort. He was familiar with the grasslands and was skilled in archery and horse riding, making him a rare good hand.

  The crowd grew larger, Xiao Zhiyan looked at the transparent street lit by torches and said: "There are some things that haven't had time to tell you, after Fan's merchant team returned to Zhangjiakou, they changed their usual cautious style of doing things, and expanded wildly to poach people, even I received their invitation."

  "Are you saying that Ge Feng has now joined the Fan family?" Zhai Zhe was shocked, this blow to the Lu family could be fatal.

  "Not bad!"

  Ge Feng and the grasslands' many horse thieves have an unclear relationship, the Lu family has always used him while being wary of him. The Lu Dongjia is on good terms with the Taiji of Eastern Tumed Mongolia, and are not afraid that Ge Feng can stir up any trouble. But after thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west bank, now that the Eastern Tumed people have been defeated by the Chahar people and are fleeing west to Guihua City, or even the Yellow River grasslands, the Lu family's previous relationships no longer exist.

  Two men were talking, when a dark and thin man on the street sneered and said loudly: "Everyone present today is a master who sells their lives for money. How I, Ge Feng, have been treated by the Lu family over the years, everyone has seen it with their own eyes. What benefits did the Lu family give me? In the past, I sold my life to the Lu family, and Lu Dongjia gave me money, we were mutually willing. Now, Fan Dongjia's reward for me is three times that of before, which shows that he values me, Ge Feng. Why can't I join the Fan family?"

  The yellow-faced man opposite was about to speak, but Ge Feng didn't give him the chance. He continued: "Everyone comes to the border to make a living, just to seek a livelihood. I'm not a slave of the Lu family, what's this nonsense about betraying my master? That little brat scolded me for an entire night, and I gave him a knife wound that wasn't fatal. I, Ge Feng, have been in this market for ten years, thanks to all the masters giving me face, treating me with courtesy. But if anyone dares to bully me, I'm not someone to be trifled with."