Chapter Twenty-Six: Zhang Sanfeng's Surprise, Huang Rong's Heart Stirred

No matter who visits Jiayuguan, they are invariably stunned by the prosperity before their eyes.

Even Zhang Sanfeng was no exception.

"A borderland, long ravaged by war, yet possessing such a thriving scene—this is truly remarkable," Zhang Sanfeng remarked, his face beaming with a smile as he observed the joyous expressions of the common folk around him.

Zhangsun Wangqing replied calmly, "If Grandmaster Zhang enjoys it, you are welcome to stay a while longer."

"I fear I shall have to impose upon your hospitality then," Zhang Sanfeng said, his words carrying a deeper implication.

Zhangsun Wangqing did not respond, merely continuing to lead the way.

"Hm?"

"What is it, Grandmaster Zhang?"

"I am simply surprised." Zhang Sanfeng halted his steps and looked around in all directions, having noted something peculiar. "Jiayuguan is a critical border pass; logically, it should be a place where all sorts of people gather, a melting pot of the complex and the chaotic. Yet, throughout our journey here, I have not seen a single beggar."

The young boy beside him seemed to wake from a dream, exclaiming, "Oh, you are right, Grandmaster! Indeed, there are no beggars."

Since leaving Wudang Mountain, no matter where they traveled—whether in prosperous regions or impoverished ones—the one constant sight had always been beggars. Some were disciples of the Beggar Sect, others were the truly destitute, and some were those forced onto the streets by circumstance.

Why, then, was there not even a single beggar to be found within Jiayuguan?

"Four years ago, after repelling the Mongol-Liao armies, His Highness began a vigorous reform of Lanzhou, followed by the entirety of Shaanxi. The ubiquitous beggars were the first to be addressed. All of them were struck from the 'Beggar Registry' and returned to the civil registry. Those who were able-bodied were allotted an acre of fertile land to support themselves, and for those with disabilities, His Highness arranged uniform employment."

"As for those organizations that kidnapped children and forced them into begging—be it the Beggar Sect or human traffickers—they were all subjected to the punishment of flaying and stuffing. If someone was intentionally maimed and coerced into begging, the perpetrators were executed by a thousand cuts, and their families were implicated to the third degree."

"For the sake of this, the blood shed by the blades of the Prince of Su’s estate flowed for over four months."

"He also issued proclamations far and wide: once such incidents are discovered, the roots shall be unearthed, and the perpetrators executed without exception."

"Only then was that foul trend in Shaanxi finally curbed."

Zhangsun Wangqing spoke in a light, understated tone. Aside from the chilling murderous aura that manifested when she mentioned the traffickers—which startled the young boy beside Zhang Sanfeng—her tone was filled with nothing but reverence for Zhu Jinzhen.

The obstacles encountered in implementing this were, in fact, not small.

For instance, the Beggar Sect of the Great Ming had almost become a mortal enemy of the Prince of Su’s estate.

The interests behind some of these beggars involved merchants, criminal gangs, and even local officials; pulling up the radish would often bring out the tangled roots of a much larger conspiracy.

But, so what?

Zhu Jinzhen did not care, and Zhangsun Wangqing and the others cared even less.

Though Zhang Sanfeng did not know Zhangsun Wangqing’s private thoughts, he was still shocked to the point of gaping by her words.

After a long while, he sighed softly, "To 'carry the world in one’s heart' is easy to say but difficult to do. Since ancient times, how many princes and generals have claimed as much? Such breadth of spirit and decisiveness in His Highness the Prince of Su... this old Daoist is truly impressed."

Although Zhangsun Wangqing did not say it, Zhang Sanfeng knew that accomplishing this was no easy feat.

The number of beggars in the world is vast; if one accounted for all of Shaanxi, there would be tens, perhaps even a hundred thousand. That the Prince of Su could arrange a means of survival for every one of them was no small matter.

The manpower and resources required must have been enormous and sustained over a long duration.

Yet, what impressed Zhang Sanfeng most was that throughout his journey from Wudang, he had heard no rumors of this. In fact, had he not asked, he would have known nothing of the inner workings.

It was evident that the Prince of Su was not seeking to fish for fame.

"Hm?"

At that moment, Zhangsun Wangqing suddenly paused.

Then, Zhang Sanfeng and the young boy froze as well.

Not far ahead of them, a figure stood out, utterly incompatible with the surrounding prosperity.

Indeed, it was a beggar.

"Interesting." Zhangsun Wangqing did not feel slighted; she had already ascended to the realm of a Land Immortal and could see that while the beggar appeared disheveled, it was merely a disguise, and the person possessed a cultivation level of the upper third tier.

Moreover, the individual seemed quite curious about everything within Jiayuguan.

Evidently, they were an outsider.

It was just that... a woman disguising herself as a beggar to enter Jiayuguan, especially at a time when the Tiance selection was underway and the undercurrents in Shaanxi were shifting, made it difficult for Zhangsun Wangqing not to suspect ulterior motives.

Or perhaps she was a spy sent by another nation.

"Grandmaster..." The boy tugged at Zhang Sanfeng’s sleeve, his mouth agape, as if he wanted to ask something.

Zhang Sanfeng knew what the boy wanted to ask and chuckled, patting his head. "Today, Grandmaster will give you another lesson. Look closely at that 'beggar's' appearance. She looks disheveled, but in reality, there are many traces of intentional effort. Her steps are light and powerful; she clearly possesses internal energy and impressive lightness skills."

He would certainly not doubt Zhangsun Wangqing’s words just because of the appearance of a single beggar; after all, he had traveled across the entirety of Shaanxi and truly had not seen any beggars. This was, at most, an exception.

Furthermore, he could see through the 'little beggar's' pretense.

"A clever little girl, though she knows the dangers of the martial world."

"Perhaps, her intentions are not so simple," Zhangsun Wangqing added. She signaled to the female guards following her and continued leading Zhang Sanfeng toward the Cangyun garrison.

Zhang Sanfeng smiled wryly, unbothered by the matter.

Whatever the girl disguised as a beggar intended to do, it was a headache for Zhangsun Wangqing and the Prince of Su, not for an old Daoist like him.

Watching the grand, imposing procession pass by, the little beggar was momentarily lost in thought. "Is that the commander of the Great Ming's Cangyun Army? Truly a heroine among women, so spirited and valiant. It is a pity I cannot bear to be constrained, otherwise, I would really like to see what it is like for a woman to be a commander, leading three armies and slaughtering on the battlefield."

The martial world was not lacking in powerful women, but Zhangsun Wangqing was the only one who held the rank of commander.

Across the nations of the world, there were countless women unwilling to settle for mediocrity who regarded Zhangsun Wangqing as a role model and held her in the highest esteem.

She was naturally no exception.

Little did she know, while she was examining Zhangsun Wangqing’s back, she herself had already been marked.

"I wonder if the records in the ancient books are true."

"Do the remains of Bodhi and the Heavenly Fragrant Beans really exist?"

Huang Rong murmured as she watched Zhangsun Wangqing’s back, suddenly struck by an unprecedented thought: "Wait, if I am looking for something, rather than searching like a needle in a haystack, would it be more convenient to join the Cangyun Army and rely on the imperial court?"

Alas, the military had the most rules, and it was precisely because she could not stand such constraints that she had run away.

So, although she was tempted, it remained merely a fleeting thought.

"Didn't Father say the Beggar Sect is the greatest sect in the world and has branches in every nation? I’ve been in the Great Ming for a whole day, and I haven't seen a single beggar. Was he lying to me?"

Continuing her search for the Beggar Sect to gather information, Huang Rong began, for the first time, to doubt the words of her father, Huang Yaoshi.

Where were the promised beggars?

Why, upon arriving in the Great Ming, had she not seen a single one?

It left her with nowhere to ask if there was any news in the Great Ming’s martial world regarding the remains of Bodhi and the Heavenly Fragrant Beans.