Setting out from his hometown, Han Li traveled southeast towards Lanzhou.
During his journey, he traveled both with companions through bustling city districts and alone through desolate wilderness. Along the way, there were no major dangers except for one unexpected encounter with hungry wolves while camping in the wilderness, which ended up becoming Han Li's dinner.
On this journey, he traversed two other provinces before finally arriving, exhausted, in Lanzhou.
Upon entering the territory of Lanzhou, Han Li was greatly surprised by the extensive waterways. Coming from the mountainous terrain of his original province, where rivers were scarce and water mainly came from wells and streams, he found the bustling water traffic of Lanzhou fascinating. Driven by curiosity, he ended up hiring a small boat and experienced the sensation of sailing downstream for the first time.
Several days later, Han Li arrived in Jiayuan City, mentioned in Master Mo's letter, after a smooth journey downstream. Stepping onto the inconspicuous dock, he was immediately struck by its dilapidated appearance.
The entire dock was constructed of crude wooden planks, small and shabby, with baskets and bags strewn about haphazardly, creating a dirty and disorderly atmosphere. Dozens of sturdy men stood in the only two bamboo sheds on the dock, their upper bodies either bare or clad in short jackets, exuding a rough and tough aura.
At that moment, Han Li realized that this place had an unwritten rule: regardless of the amount of goods carried ashore by merchants, they were required to hire a dockhand from the local dock to assist with carrying their belongings. Failure to do so could result in mistreatment by these dockhands, or even a beating.
Unfamiliar with the customs of the area, Han Li decided to comply with the practice. Thus, he politely called out, "I need to hire a dockhand. Is anyone available?"
Sun Er Gou had already withdrawn his gaze. After scrutinizing the young man who had just disembarked, he concluded that he was probably the son of some wealthy landowner, with the giant man likely serving as his strong but dim-witted bodyguard. Such combinations were common in Jiayuan City, where wealthy youths often came to broaden their horizons, spend some money, and boast about their experiences when they returned home. Hence, there was no need to pay much attention to them.
However, such individuals were often eager to flaunt their wealth, making them easy targets. As long as one flattered them with a few compliments, they would not only pay the agreed-upon fee but also give additional rewards. Therefore, it was a lucrative business for those hired as dockhands.
However, this time, the opportunity did not fall to their side. According to the agreement made with Black Bear in advance, they took turns handling incoming business, and the outcome depended on luck. Since they had just received a sizable sum yesterday, it was now Black Bear's turn to handle the next transaction.
Thinking of this, Sun Er Gou glanced at Black Bear and saw him whispering to his men. Subsequently, one of them eagerly ran towards the young man.
"No, you can't do it alone. It's better to find someone else," Han Li said, looking at the sturdy man in front of him and then at the giant package carried by Qu Hun. He shook his head slightly.
"Young master, I can lift this package with one hand. There's no need to find anyone else," the man insisted, unwilling to share his reward with others. Besides, he didn't believe that the package was too heavy for him to handle, unless it was full of rocks.
With that, the man walked up to Qu Hun and tried to grab the package without hesitation.
Sighing, Han Li realized that the package contained thousands of taels of silver, along with various other items, making it quite heavy and certainly not something an ordinary person could bear.
However, seeing the man's enthusiasm, Han Li reluctantly allowed Qu Hun to hand over the package without resistance.
As expected, as soon as the man took the large package, his expression changed drastically. He struggled to lift it onto his back, but after only a few steps, he turned red-faced and gasping for breath. Eventually, he had to put the package down and call for another person to help.
Seeing that the two men could finally lift the package, Han Li nodded in satisfaction and quickly left the dock, heading towards the city along the road.
Unaware that his lack of experience in the world had attracted the attention of two greedy eyes, Han Li was about to get into trouble he shouldn't have provoked.
Sun Er Gou watched Han Li's retreating figure and finally withdrew his covetous gaze. Suppressing his excitement, he turned to Black Bear and exchanged a glance. He knew very well that the enormous wealth hidden in the package would not escape Black Bear's notice either.
Sure enough, Black Bear also showed signs of excitement. After hesitating for a moment, he finally signaled to Sun Er Gou. Sun Er Gou immediately understood and followed him to a nearby rubbish heap. Before such a huge sum of money, even if there were deep grievances, Sun Er Gou would cooperate with the other party. After all, "money makes the world go round."
"Let's split it fifty-fifty!" Sun Er Gou got straight to the point.
"Thirty-seventy. This was originally our business," Black Bear bluntly refused.
"Forty-sixty. We can't go any lower. You should know that your reasons earlier were untenable." Sun Er Gou's face darkened as he hit the nail on the head.
"This..." Black Bear hesitated, clearly unwilling to give up another share of profits.
"Humph! Think it over. If we don't act now, someone from another gang will surely snatch this fat sheep." With a snort, Sun Er Gou coldly declared.
"Fine! That's settled then. Let's shake on it as a pledge." Black Bear's nerves were clearly touched by Sun Er Gou's words, so he finally agreed.
*Smack* *Smack* *Smack* After both men spat on their hands, they exchanged three handshakes as a temporary alliance.
"Alright, let's catch up with them before this kid runs into a crowded area," Sun Er Gou urged.
"Hehe! Don't worry, I already had my men take them to Blackwater Lane. Now let's go and intercept them," Black Bear suddenly revealed a sly smile that didn't match his appearance.
"That's great! Well played, buddy!" While Sun Er Gou outwardly showed surprise, inwardly, he became more wary of Black Bear and strengthened his guard.
