A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch-Chapter 73: All Living Beings Are Like Oxen and Horses—How Can They Become Dragons and Elephants?

Rely on the mountain to live off the mountain, rely on the water to live off the water.

In Black River County, the two largest groups are the fishermen and the mountain people.

Unlike fishermen, who are slave households with a low status and endure endless exploitation by the fishery year-round, the mountain people's treatment is relatively higher.

This is because only the young and strong can handle the dangerous work of hunting in the mountains. They can eat large game, know how to collect practical resources such as animal hides and feces, and have skills like chopping wood, collecting herbs, and raising poultry, giving them more ways to earn money.

Their lives are much better than the fishermen who have no farmland.

Of course, the most important reason is that mountain people can easily unite and support each other.

They often come from various villages, with relatives and friends of the same surname and hometown gathering together. Once they form a clan-like force, it's hard to oppress them.

The Fish Market, for instance, originated from the largest hunting gang in the area, with a dozen ruthless swordsmen under its command.

As the leader, Song Qiying's grandfather used the "Hawk Taming" technique to raise hawks for the Daoist Official in Yihai Prefecture.

After gaining favor, he was taught martial arts, rewarded with gold and silver, and led a large group of brothers to build this family business.

"I neither know how to ride a horse nor am I good at archery. If you take me into the mountains, I'm afraid I'll just be a burden."

Bai Qi pondered with his head down, feeling uninterested.

This group of young masters hunting, they must call friends and bring a crew, with some clearing the path and others following behind to boil water and cook camp.

The grandiose show inevitably scares the game away. What can they possibly catch?

"Brother Bai is being modest, you are a practitioner after all, with strong muscles and vigorous qi blood, you'll learn archery quickly.

Second Young Master Song, perhaps tomorrow you could take Brother Bai to run a few laps around your estates and pick some good bows to learn archery, how about it?"

He Tai said boldly.

"What's so difficult about that? No time like the present, today I'll take everyone to the Ginseng Collection Manor at the foot of Longkang Mountain for a look.

The place is spacious, suitable for horse riding and archery!"

Song Qiying readily agreed.

"Very well, I haven't drawn a bow for a long time, my muscles are aching, and I'm looking to stretch a bit!"

In recent days, He Tai felt his strength had increased significantly from taking the tonic made from Ghost Pattern Fish:

"Second Young Master Song, I've been eyeing your Wind Chasing Horse for a while now, how about another wager? Continuous Arrow shooting at ten targets, whoever hits more wins."

Song Qiying's eyes flashed as he clenched his fist into his palm:

"Great! Let Brother Bai be a witness! Hmph, I've been riding since five and shooting since ten, do you think I'd fear you?

Dare I ask what the Young Master is wagering this time?

My Wind Chasing Horse is worth seven hundred taels, a top-quality beast even in the County City!"

He Tai, full of confidence, pulled a sheet of paper resembling silk from his sleeve, giving it a shake:

"You've all heard of the sea-rushing technique, but do you know about mountain-rushing?"

Miss Zhu, evidently fond of reading, immediately chimed in:

"Mountain-rushing, also known as 'chasing the mountain,' is rumored that the mountains and rivers are spiritual and should not be taken lightly. Hunting, woodcutting, and collecting herbs all require approval, or untimely deaths are common. Thus, the role of 'Mountain Herder' or 'Leader' was born.

They can communicate with the Mountain Spirit, using 'Mountain Incantations' to gain the Mountain Spirit's blessings, ensuring each mountain venture is fruitful and safe."

He Tai chuckled softly:

"Miss Zhu is indeed knowledgeable. This sheet of paper is a secret! It details the methods and intricacies of how Mountain Herders 'call the mountain,' 'open the mountain,' 'sweep the mountain,' and 'collect the mountain'! Spread it around, and it could allow a family to thrive, worth more than a thousand taels. Can it be used as a wager?"

Song Qiying's eyes took on a peculiar, mocking look:

"Has the Young Master's head been squeezed? My grandfather once searched a five hundred li mountain trail, setting hawks and releasing hounds, even daring to fight demons! My father could perform Hundred-step Piercing Willow, felled five-hundred-year-old Golden Silk Phoebe, and collected nearly thousand-year-old Yellow Jade Lingzhi!

When it comes to mountain-hunting experience, who understands it better than me? Keep that thing for yourself.

By the way, you didn't truly buy it for a thousand taels of silver, did you? If so, forgive me for laughing out loud at you."

He Tai's face stiffened, his hand holding the mountain secret paused awkwardly in midair.

In the suddenly dry warmth of the room.

"I am quite interested in the Young Master's page, for seeing extraordinary people and arts brings gains beyond silver and gold.

The five hundred li mountain trails, dense in the old forest, hide countless rare mountain goods, as bountiful as the eight hundred li Black Water River could not rival."

Bai Qi seemed to offer a way out, suddenly interjecting:

"However, my wealth is not as substantial as yours, so I'll wager five precious fish of full weight, just for fun."

He Tai took the opportunity to snort at Song Qiying:

"Brother Bai has a keen eye! Second Young Master Song, one must know there are always people beyond people, skies beyond skies. Aside from hawk-taming and woodcutting, there are other skills indeed!

Truly outstanding Mountain Herders can steal treasures from dragons, taking things along the way!"

Song Qiying sneered, disdaining to respond.

Such people with great abilities are incomparable to a mere witch and sorcerer.

They've long been revered by the Pai Bang, so how could He Tai get a chance?

His grandfather once said that sorcery is easy to acquire, magic is hard to seek, and even a thousand gold cannot buy it.

The two Young Masters from the Fish Market and Wood Market argued, then exchanged some pleasantries.

In the end, they agreed to meet at a quarter past 3:00 PM to head to the Ginseng Collection Manor outside Dragon Court, dozens of li away.

...

...

"Is Brother taking me along this time?"

In the old residence at Erxian Bridge, Bai Ming's little face lit up with excitement.

"And Xiaotou too. Since there's nothing going on, it's good to go and see the world, and we can come back to see the temple fair."

Bai Qi packed clothes into a bundle; this house is usually quiet, and he's not at ease leaving Ah Di alone.

Xiaotou mentioned yesterday that he had redeemed his two sisters.

Uncle Changshun, in gratitude, planned to have Aunt Zhou bring her daughter over to help with housekeeping.

"It's indeed time to add some liveliness to the home."

Bai Qi thought for a moment and did not refuse. He's not like Ninghai Zen, treating Tongwen Hall like an inn, nor like Uncle Dao, who is a handyman adept at managing an all-purpose gatehouse.

Having someone to help with cooking, boiling, and laundry is truly a good thing.

As for the dream of having a few beautiful maidservants and attentive maids, perhaps that can wait until moving into the Inner City.

After 1:30 PM, Xiaotou rented an ox cart from the brokerage and arrived at the door.

In these days, there are limited choices of transportation; without being able to maintain horses at home, one can ride or rent ox carts, donkey carts, or mule carts, in descending order.

As for horse carriages and palanquins, they are the exclusive domain of the County City's gentlemen.

"Seeing this, my family foundation is not solid enough, and I need to continue working hard."

Bai Qi sat with Ah Di Bai Ming, assessing that one of the standards for judging the financial strength of a wealthy family is whether they maintain horses.

Building a stable, hiring a groom, feeding fodder—these expenses are not small, costing more than raising seven or eight people.

He Tai, Song Qiying, and the others advanced quickly on horseback, while Bai Qi followed leisurely on the ox cart.

This was his first time leaving the outskirts of Black River County, and outside the gates, the weeds grew more abundant, and people became sparse, increasingly giving a sense of desolation and decay.

During the journey, they saw groups of laborers digging sand and filling earth to build dikes in the bitter cold—shivering from cold hands and feet, their clothes tattered and faces expressionless, like a line of ants carrying sandbags back and forth.

"My father said these are refugees from other villages, with no means or skills to make a living, forced into 'Servant Households' worse than selling oneself into slavery.

For a few hot bowls of porridge, they work day and night, either going to the kilns and mines or caught to build the river dike here.

After seven or eight years of hard labor, they finally become recognized as residents of Black River County, only able to attain a Slave Household status."

Xiaotou's eyes held both sympathy and relief.

Life as a fisherman is not easy, but compared to unpaid laborers, it is much better.

Under the rules set by Dragon Court, landless and propertyless refugees with no place to rest are deemed non-persons.

Their status is lower than that of a humble merchant or even a slave.

Only through years of hard labor can they be recorded again in the local Fish Scale Atlas population book.

Is this the peaceful era administered by Dragon Court after three thousand years of moral decay?

Such a thought crossed Bai Qi's mind:

"How can all beings be like cattle and horses and become dragons and elephants?"