Just this set of lines—how many people had warned them before coming to the dock? All the men said they wouldn’t fall for it. Yet once there, a few tears and a few words—“I thought you were different from others,” “You look down on me; my filthy body isn’t worthy of serving you”—hit like hot oil thrown on the heart. People ran, but they chased after them anyway.
The few hundred copper coins earned through hard labor vanished in a night at the pleasure house, leaving only regret over their own lack of skill.
Of all the men thinking about the courtesans, how many remembered their husbands at home?
Li Feng said, “We’re men from the countryside; earning a bit of silver isn’t easy, with family waiting for us at home.”
When they came to the dock to carry heavy loads, they didn’t pretend to be anyone else. After selling the mushrooms they brought, they inquired locally, saying it wasn’t easy to make this trip. They needed to earn some extra silver before heading home. With more money in hand next time, they could bring more mushrooms.
They ran a small business and had to carry heavy loads—this immediately caught the attention of the dock officials.
The chief wasn’t present, so Xiao Hong, in charge temporarily, didn’t intervene much. He walked by a few times, chatting with them to make sure they had no other intentions.
After a few days, they all became familiar. Seeing they were honest, Xiao Hong didn’t make things difficult.
He asked Li Feng, “I see your mushrooms sell well. After getting the payment, you can restock. Carrying heavy loads—how much can you make? Staying in the prefectural city costs a lot for a day. Why come here to carry loads?”
Li Feng explained, “We rented a single room among us for convenience in bathing. The rest stay in the large dormitory. It saves a lot of silver. The mushrooms are seasonal, only growing during the rainy season. After harvest, they must be dried. Last month was just the wheat harvest, so there wasn’t much we could gather at home. Better to earn a bit here than stay idle.”
Xiao Hong nodded, surprised. “A large dormitory?”
Wang Meng added, “The large dormitory is worse than sleeping on the dock floor. A straw mat outside is better than that place.”
There was no choice—the inns in the prefectural city were tight. Rooms were tiny to fit more guests: a desk and chairs two steps in, a bed just enough for one, a curtain at the end hiding a bath and chamber pot. The small table, barely fitting their chests, had four stools—enough for three people to squeeze in; more, and someone would have to sit on the table.
They were all broad-shouldered; long-term stay would be uneconomical.
Xiao Hong calculated: it only saved a little over two taels of silver.
Observing them carry heavy loads, earning only around 200 wen a day, ten days of hard work equaled just two taels. He shook his head: “Ah, making a living isn’t easy.”
As he spoke, a buyer appeared. The market called them for loading.
They finished their buns quickly, swallowed the remaining porridge, put the bowls into bamboo baskets, and hurried to the market. Xiao Hong guided them to the warehouse.
Dock workers fell into two categories: unloading merchant ships or fetching cargo from the warehouse to load onto ships.
Though both required going to the ship, the loaders were chosen carefully. Usually, after some time at the dock, they would be allowed to deliver goods.
The reason: simple batch management. Officials managed acquaintances; the familiar managed newcomers.
With the warehouse nearby and the wheat harvest in progress, many grain merchants needed labor. Recently, most work involved carrying wheat.
At the warehouse, Xiao Hong stayed outside, chatting with sellers, not accompanying them to the ship.
“Business is good. These days, your family stands out—others envy you.”
The seller, rugged and farmer-like rather than business-like, smiled. “Years of old customers, not much new business. Can’t compare to your large trades.”
The dock belonged to the government, but this section’s business—one-third of the shops were Hong family-owned. Locals through and through.
Xiao Hong smiled modestly but with a hint of pride, body swaying slightly, leaning back unconsciously, sizing people up through his nose.
The seller’s honest smile and flawless compliments seemed genuinely sincere.
Li Feng observed, noting that only Wang Meng looked genuinely simple and honest. He decided to cultivate Wang Meng for flattery—honest men deliver the best praise.
Grain merchants bought ships of grain, clearing the dock to give porters space.
A normal day, an ordinary task, Li Feng thought—but already August, after today they’d be done and return home for the festival. Yet trouble struck.
Just leaving the ship warehouse, Li Feng was confronted by a masked man pointing a knife.
Even with his temperament, he was startled.
The masked man’s eyes bulged. “Squat down! We’re taking this ship! Down!”
Li Feng squatted quickly, body coiled like a tiger ready to pounce.
Others emerging from the warehouse followed suit, intimidated by the knife. Loaders froze, unwilling to continue.
Not all cargo was loaded, yet the ship started moving, heading down the canal.
About five meters away, the masked men shouted, driving them onto the deck, threatening to throw them into the river.
“Don’t jump, or you’re dead!”
Li Feng delayed rising deliberately, eyes on Wang Meng and the others behind him. That’s when he understood why they hadn’t been killed outright.
Only around ten armed men on the ship; dock workers were strong and could fight back. Direct violence would trap them all.
On deck, with wider sight, Li Feng focused on a tall, strong man by the railing.
The man wore a sleeved garment—expensive cloth. The lower-class dockers wore little: sleeveless vests, cropped pants, straw sandals.
Most of the robbers dressed similarly, likely to blend in with the porters.
The leader, however, wore three layers plus a long-sleeved jacket and a bright red belt—easily recognizable.
He shouted arrogantly toward the shore: “I’m collecting protection fees. You don’t pay, I take it myself! Every time we come, we take—see how your dock does business with a ruined reputation!”
Onshore, Xiao Hong chased after the chief, who was furious.
They were used to collecting fees from others, never having someone collect from them!
The chief shouted, “Where is everyone? Report to the authorities! Set sail to chase! Let them get away, I’ll feed you to the fish!”
Crowds panicked—the dock had no experience handling this.
Previously, no one dared rob at the dock. Merchants assumed normal market practices. Now, someone had taken both ship and cargo.
Grain merchants didn’t want to pay, sellers didn’t want extra cargo—yet their wheat was already out of storage.
Both sides argued fiercely, eyes fixed on the retreating ship.
Xiao Hong suddenly saw some familiar faces aboard, freezing in concern. “Fifth uncle, there are a few trained fighters on that ship…”
Hong Lao Wu, the dock chief, snapped: “Which pirate isn’t trained?”
