Xiao Ning laughed heartily.
The Old Mother of Lishan waved her hand: "Alright, I won't keep you any longer. Go down the mountain! Suzhen, stay here. I want to personally teach you a thing or two!"
Xiao Ning nodded: "Xiao Ning takes his leave!"
Then he said to Bai Suzhen, "You stay at Lishan with peace of mind, I will wait for you in Qiantang County!"
Bai Suzhen's eyes showed reluctance. She nodded and said nothing.
After bowing to the Old Mother of Lishan, Xiao Ning resolutely left Lishan and the Fifth Heavenly Palace.
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Chapter 8 Qiantang County (10k) [Please Subscribe!]
Song State, Jiangning Prefecture, Qiantang County.
It was already dark, but the moon was very round and bright tonight. Under the bright moonlight, the beautiful scenery of Qiantang County was fully displayed.
The angry roars were deafening and the momentum was overwhelming; the land along the Rakshasa River seemed to float.
Though we may travel far and wide, we remain true to our faith; though we may change course, we remain steadfast.
The vast ocean seems bottomless, yet when it surges past Xiling, only the head remains.
Who ultimately controls the dawn and dusk? I'd like to ride a red carp and ask the Marquis of Yang.
In modern society, Qiantang County, under the jurisdiction of Yuhang Prefecture, is the most famous place in China for watching the tidal bore. Countless literati and poets have left their masterpieces here, and even the founding emperor of China wrote a magnificent and powerful poem about watching the tidal bore.
Of course, this is a fantasy world, and cannot be judged by ordinary standards.
Qiantang County is not only about the Qiantang River, but also has many other scenic spots, such as the famous West Lake.
Along the Qiantang River, Li Gongfu, the county's head constable, walked quickly with a torch in hand, his heart filled with both joy and trepidation.
He has been working as a clerk in the county government office in Qiantang River for more than ten years. Because he has no connections, he is still a low-ranking official and has no connection with officials.
But tonight was different; he sensed that an opportunity had arrived.
This evening, the county magistrate summoned him and said that he had received a secret report that the notorious pirate Yizhi Mei would be at the Bingui gathering in Qiantang County tonight to discuss the division of territory with other pirate gangs.
The State of Song was located in the southeast of the mainland. Less than twenty miles east of Qiantang County lay a vast ocean, dotted with countless islands, where pirates lived.
Therefore, Song's maritime trade was highly developed, and its goods were sold to other countries by sea, making it the most economically advanced state.
Of course, where there is maritime trade, there are pirates.
On the coast of the East China Sea, there exists a mysterious species: pirates!
Piracy did not originate in the Song Dynasty. If we really want to get to the bottom of it, we can only say that it existed all over the world!
Where there is profit, there is also bloodshed!
Pirates made a living by intercepting merchant ships.
The more lenient pirates, who wanted to do long-term business, adopted a commission system, which meant taking a cut from the merchants' earnings.
Some ruthless pirates, however, would commit murder and robbery in one fell swoop, eliminating all traces of their thieves.
They either occupy islands as their hideouts or use large ships to cruise back and forth along the coastline, making them extremely difficult for government troops to eradicate.
There are dozens of pirate groups near the waters of Qinghai County. They are not under each other's command and each runs their own territory. They often fight each other because of unclear territorial divisions.
However, a couple of years ago, a notorious pirate emerged at sea, known in the underworld as One Plum Blossom. This man used his formidable martial prowess to subdue most of the maritime forces.
However, some of the larger pirate forces were unwilling to submit to him and instead confronted him head-on.
Today, the pirates have gathered in Qiantang County to divide up the territory and establish a clear division of power.
But why did they choose to gather in Qiantang County instead of in other counties?
Do they harbor some unspeakable secret, or are they plotting something?
The magistrate of Qiantang County failed to uncover any of these facts.
However, this was enough to make the magistrate take a great risk and launch a campaign to wipe out these pirates.
After all, opportunity knocks but once!
In truth, this county magistrate was a pitiful fellow. Without any powerful backing, if he didn't achieve some extraordinary feat in his life, being a seventh-rank county magistrate would be his limit, and it would be difficult for him to be promoted any further.
However, the arrival of this pirate from the One Plum Blossom Pirates has undoubtedly given him an extra opportunity.
Although the chance was slim, the magistrate seized it firmly, not wanting to let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
As for Li Gongfu, although he also wanted to make meritorious contributions, he knew that there were only about ten constables in the entire Qiantang County, plus dozens of temporary yamen runners, totaling only about a hundred people.
Moreover, most of them have never seen blood, and usually just bully ordinary people. Why would they fight against desperate criminals at sea?
However, this opportunity belonged not only to the county magistrate but also to Li Gongfu, and he did not want to miss it.
So he thought of his brother-in-law, Xu Xian.
Yes, it was indeed his brother-in-law, Xu Hanwen.
Li Gongfu was extremely proud when he heard about his brother-in-law.