Chapter 98: Jiayuan City

Lanzhou is the eighth-largest prefecture among the thirteen prefectures of Yue, but in terms of prosperity, it ranks second, surpassed only by Xinzhou. Located in the southern part of Yue, its land is fertile, and its jurisdiction boasts countless waterways, lakes, and canals. Coupled with consistently favorable weather, it is exceptionally suitable for growing grain, making it the nation's foremost grain-producing region.

Jiayuan City, situated in central Lanzhou, is not the prefectural capital of Lanzhou, but it is truly the largest city in the prefecture. The Xianglu Grand Canal, which traverses Yue from north to south, passes directly through the city center. Additionally, several other major land and water routes converge here, resulting in extremely developed transportation. It can be considered a vital water transport hub and a crucial trade artery. The countless merchants and travelers passing through annually greatly boost the local economic and trade activities, so Jiayuan City becoming the largest city in the entire prefecture is not surprising.

In Jiayuan City, there are numerous cart services, docks, and boat operators of all sizes, spread throughout the city. The number of rickshaw pullers, laborers, and boatmen working in this industry is vast, numbering in the tens of thousands. Sun Ergou was one of these individuals who made a living at the docks.

True to his name, Sun Ergou had a crooked eyebrow, a squinting eye, and the appearance of a scoundrel, like a rotten pear or a bad date. However, his knack for observing people and flattering others allowed him to become a minor gang leader on the docks. He managed dozens of laborers and porters, earning a living by helping passing merchants transport goods and luggage.

So, when Sun Ergou arrived at the small dock early this morning, several of his subordinates quickly gathered around him, respectfully calling out:"Good morning, Second Master!""Second Master has arrived!"

Hearing these greetings, Sun Ergou couldn't help but feel a bit smug. After all, being addressed as "Master" indicated he was someone of standing in this place. So, he put on airs, responding to his subordinates' greetings with a dismissive snort.

"What 'Second Master'? Isn't he just Ergou?""Exactly, a two-legged dog, a human-looking dog!""Haha! Haha!..."

A series of unconcealed, sarcastic laughs reached Sun Ergou's ears.

Upon hearing this, Sun Ergou's face suddenly darkened, and his mood instantly soured.

He slowly turned his head and looked at the dozens of people standing on the other side of the dock, his gaze settling on a burly, dark-skinned man. A hint of resentment flashed in his eyes.

Among the people Sun Ergou most detested in Jiayuan City, this burly, dark-skinned man was definitely in the top three. If someone told him that his entire fortune could be exchanged for this man's complete disappearance from the world, Sun Ergou might hesitate. However, if the offer were changed to just half of his assets, he would agree without hesitation. Of course, due to his gambling, drinking, and womanizing, his "entire fortune" was not much to begin with.

No one at the dock remembered this dark-skinned man's original name. People either called him "Master Hei" or by his nickname, "Black Bear." He was the leader of another small gang, the "Iron Fist Society," holding a status comparable to Sun Ergou's in his "Siping Gang." Consequently, he was also assigned to this dock to manage another group of laborers.

A single mountain cannot accommodate two tigers, let alone this small dock. Therefore, the two gangs were at odds from the beginning, and their relationship worsened after several conflicts over competing for merchants. Now, whenever they met, the two gangs would either mock and curse each other or shove and exclude one another, stopping just short of full-blown fighting.

If the subordinates behaved this way, it was even more true for Sun Ergou and Black Bear, who were the primary beneficiaries of the business here. The two of them found each other extremely unpleasant to behold. However, as minor gang leaders with some status, they knew that the "Iron Fist Society" and the "Siping Gang" were allied factions, currently united against another larger gang, the "Poison Dragon Gang." Therefore, although both wanted to drive the other out and monopolize the dock, they could only temporarily endure and restrain themselves. Their pent-up dissatisfaction and anger were vented through verbal conflicts between their subordinates, which became a daily morning ritual for them.

Sure enough, without waiting for Sun Ergou's signal, several sharp-tongued subordinates immediately began to retaliate."Do you know what the dumbest animal is?""A bear!""And among bears, which is the dumbest?""Of course, a black bear!""Ha..."

Black Bear, who had initially been listening with a triumphant expression as his subordinates mocked the other side, instantly turned dark-faced upon hearing this. Sun Ergou, meanwhile, chuckled and clapped a few of his subordinates on the shoulder in satisfaction, encouraging them.

Black Bear's subordinates were not to be outdone, spewing out strings of vulgar and offensive remarks. Sun Ergou's side, naturally, didn't hold back. They were all tough men; who was afraid of whom? They naturally chose the most unpleasant and harsh words to retort with.

As their leaders, Sun Ergou and Black Bear sat by, watching with cold detachment. Being men of some standing, they naturally couldn't participate in such a shrew-like shouting match.

Just as the two groups were shouting themselves hoarse and spitting profusely, one of Sun Ergou's subordinates suddenly exclaimed, "A boat is docking!"

This announcement immediately caused the nearly one hundred big men, who had been passionately cursing, to fall silent. They all turned their heads towards the river. After all, gleaming silver was far more appealing than temporary verbal satisfaction.

However, when the big men clearly saw the boat approaching the dock, they felt a bit disappointed. It was merely a small, flat-bottomed skiff, appearing capable of carrying at most three to five merchants. It clearly didn't signify a big business opportunity.

This was understandable; the dock was dilapidated and small, and its location was quite remote. Normally, no large ships would come here. Only during peak trading seasons, when large ships couldn't find space at other docks, would they reluctantly berth here.

After the small boat stopped at the dock, two people disembarked. One was a young man appearing seventeen or eighteen years old, with an ordinary appearance. The other was a giant, more than two heads taller than an average person.

The young man wore a plain green robe and had a small yellow bird perched on his shoulder. As soon as he disembarked, he looked around curiously, appearing like a country bumpkin newly arrived in the city. The giant, meanwhile, wore a hood and a green robe, his face obscured. His attire was somewhat peculiar. The giant followed closely behind the young man, never leaving his side, appearing like a servant or attendant.

This young man and the giant were none other than Han Li and Qu Hun, who had traveled for three consecutive months and had just arrived in Doctor Mo's hometown.

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