Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 578 Virtual and Real
Outside Jinxi County.

The scorching sun, like molten gold poured from a furnace, relentlessly baked the cracked earth.

The air distorted under the high temperature, steaming up visible heat waves that burned the lungs when inhaled.

A sizable convoy was slowly making its way along the dusty official road toward the low, dilapidated city gate of Jinxi.

The convoy consisted of more than twenty heavy carts, and the strong horses pulling them were foaming at the mouth under the scorching sun, looking extremely strained.

Most striking were the enormous boxes on the truck, made of thick logs, each one exceptionally heavy, with deep ruts clearly imprinted on the dry, hard ground, like the tracks left by a giant beast.

The escorting men were numerous, each with a vigilant expression and sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. They spoke with obvious accents from other regions, and deliberately kept their conversations in hushed tones.

Such scenes are commonplace, even to the point of numbness, for the long-suffering people of Changzhou.

Recently, news that "Shen Wanshi, the richest man in Daqian, brought a huge sum of money to Changzhou to acquire land at low prices" spread like a plague throughout the Changzhou bandits, attracting countless greedy eyes to lurk in the shadows.

However, the devil may be one foot tall, but the righteous are ten feet tall.

The government quickly resorted to a "smokescreen" tactic.

As a result, similar convoys sprang up like mushrooms after rain in Changzhou.

They paraded through the city with great fanfare, leaving deep ruts and fierce guards; they were a spitting image of the "silver transport convoy."

At first, each appearance drew huge crowds, and even the numb eyes of the disaster victims would be ignited with a glimmer of curiosity or desperate hope.

But when the outlaws could no longer suppress their desire to plunder and made their move, the moment they opened the box, they were often met with cold stones, a whistling rain of arrows, and soldiers who had been lying in ambush!
Using this deceptive "bait" tactic, the Changzhou government recently wiped out more than a dozen large and small bandit groups, killing countless people and hanging their heads at the city gates.

The bloody lesson, like ice water poured over their heads, silenced the remaining bandits.

Gradually, no one on the Green Forest Road dared to easily target these convoys anymore.

Even the people of Changzhou generally believed that the news that "Shen Wanshi brought silver into Changzhou" was a lie carefully woven by the government, a bloody trap, with the aim of luring the bandits who occupied the mountain strongholds to leave their lair so that they could be wiped out in one fell swoop.

Therefore, when this new "suspicious" convoy reappeared outside Jinxi City, the few pedestrians and disaster victims at the city gate merely glanced at it indifferently before numbly looking away, showing no interest whatsoever in discussing it.

Their eyes were vacant, like walking corpses, focused only on searching for the next bite of food or water to survive on the scorching ground.

As the heavy convoy creaked and groaned its way into the somewhat dilapidated gate of the county government office, the occasional glimpses of disaster victims revealed a numb, knowing "I knew it" kind of understanding in their eyes.

Look!

This is yet another bait and trick by the government!
However, warfare is based on deception; what is real is feigned, and what is feigned is feigned.

Who could have imagined that, under the cover of numerous deceptive "smoke bombs," the real target had already silently entered the depths of the county government office with this seemingly ordinary convoy.

Deep inside the county government office.

Room.

The doors and windows were tightly shut, and the heavy curtains blocked out the scorching heat and prying eyes from the outside world, but the air in the airless room was as thick as solidified grease.

There wasn't a breath of wind, only suffocating heat.

Sweat seeped uncontrollably from every pore, soaking through his clothes.

A middle-aged man dressed in ordinary linen clothes stood with his back to the door, hands behind his back, in front of the only small window covered by a thick cloth.

He was not tall, but he possessed a calm and dignified demeanor that even his coarse clothes could not conceal.

At this moment, however, his upright figure exuded an indescribable heaviness and desolation.

He was none other than Shen Wanshi, the richest man in the Great Qian Dynasty, whose wealth rivaled that of a nation.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the thick curtains, landing on this land that was dying from the scorching sun.

As he traveled along, the tragic state of Changzhou burned into his heart like a red-hot iron.

A thousand miles of barren land, corpses of the starved littered the ground, tree bark and grass roots were devoured, and the horrific tragedy of exchanging children for food was being played out in the shadows…

He, however, carried a vast amount of silver and intended to buy the last hope of these dying people—their land on which they depended for survival—at a price that was almost like plunder.

"Elder Cen..."

Shen Wanshi's voice was low and hoarse, carrying a weariness that came from the depths of his soul:

"Since entering Changzhou, the journey has been... appalling. The people here are truly... on the verge of starvation."

He slowly turned around, the beads of sweat on his forehead and neck glistening faintly in the dim light, and the back of his clothes was already soaked through, clinging tightly to his body.

His eyes were filled with struggle and pain as he looked at the old man standing behind him like an iron tower:
"But I... at this time, with this silver, did the despicable act of taking advantage of the chaos and maliciously driving down prices."

"It may seem like giving them a few taels of silver to give them a few more days to breathe, but in reality... it has completely severed the foundation upon which their descendants can live and make a living!"

He took a deep breath, the thick, scorching air feeling like a knife cutting into his throat:

"Am I... utterly immoral for doing this?"

The old man standing behind him had silver hair and beard that stood up like steel needles. Although he was over sixty, his body was still robust and strong, and his back was straight as a pine tree.

He is none other than Cen Ruifeng, the renowned "Thunderbolt Hand" in the martial arts world. He once led the Fenglei Gang and is now Shen Wanshi's most trusted retainer.

Seeing the deep pain on Shen Wanshi's face, Cen Ruifeng felt a mix of emotions and could only offer words of comfort in a low voice:

"Master, you... have no choice in the matter."

Shen Wanshi pondered these four words:

"I had no choice in the matter..."

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of his lips, tinged with deep self-mockery:
"Yes, I had no choice in the matter. Back then, I, Shen Wanshi, started from scratch and thought that making money was a skill, that I was in control of these gold and silver things."

"But when the wealth piled up into a mountain, so much that I couldn't even count it myself, I realized... it wasn't me controlling it, but rather it controlling me!"

"It's like an invisible mountain, pressing down on me so I can't breathe, forcing me... to do things that go against my conscience and are morally reprehensible!"

His voice suddenly rose, filled with a long-suppressed grief and despair, as he abruptly pointed out the window towards the county government compound, where large carts loaded with silver were parked:
"Sometimes, I really wish that this silver being transported would be robbed by those real bandits halfway there! So they could distribute it to these starving people!"

"It's better than... better than me using it for this kind of... childless business!"

Cen Ruifeng's expression changed drastically, as if he had been struck by lightning!
"Master!"

He hurriedly held his breath and focused intently on the movements around him.

After confirming that there were no eavesdroppers in the wall, he lowered his voice and hissed urgently and sternly:
"Watch your words! Master, watch your words!"

"'Converting rice paddies to mulberry fields' is a national policy formulated by the imperial court! The rights and wrongs of this policy were determined by His Majesty and the officials of the court after weighing the overall situation of the country! How can we merchants presume to criticize it? Master!"

He emphasized his words, his eyes filled with an unprecedented solemnity:
"Our trip to acquire farmland in Changzhou and convert it into mulberry fields is to support the implementation of national policy!"

"Only by standing on the side of Prime Minister Qin and His Majesty can the vast Shen family business, as well as the safety of you and your family, be guaranteed!"

Although Shen Wanshi was the richest man in Daqian and seemed to be living a life of endless glory.

However, he could only do things according to the orders of his superiors and had no choice but to take sides.

Only in this way can we avoid disaster.

Cen Ruifeng paused, lowering his voice even further, tinged with an indescribable apprehension, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards the heavily guarded courtyard on the other side of the county government office:

"Besides... Lord Yan from the Criminal Investigation Bureau is right here in the county government office!"

"If even a single word of what the master just said had reached his ears... the consequences would have been unimaginable!"

His warning, like a cold steel needle, pierced through the thick, stifling heat of the room.

Shen Wanshi trembled all over, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, and his grief and indignation were instantly replaced by immense fear.

The "Lord Yan" mentioned by Cen Ruifeng is none other than Yan Zi'an, one of the four notorious chiefs of the Criminal Investigation Bureau!
This person accompanied him all the way, ostensibly to "escort" him, the richest man, and his money, but in reality, he was the most direct and ruthless spy and shackle placed by the secret police by his side.

The Investigation Bureau, the emperor's henchmen, specializes in investigation, interrogation, and assassination. Their actions are mostly carried out in the shadows, and their methods are ruthless, inspiring fear in all who hear of them.

Yan Zi'an, on the other hand, is known for his ruthlessness and unscrupulousness; he is a vicious character who climbed to a high position by stepping on countless corpses.

Shen Wanshi had no doubt that Yan Zian's visit to Changzhou was not merely to "supervise" his acquisition of land.

This person must also be carrying an even more clandestine mission entrusted to him by the royal family.

He subconsciously wiped the sweat pouring down his forehead and neck with a handkerchief, as if trying to wipe away the fear in his heart.

Finally, he slumped down, all the words stuck in his throat, leaving only a heavy sigh.

His weary gaze, peering through the cracks in the window, once again fell upon the large wooden chests in the courtyard, which contained both enormous wealth and endless sins.

He used to value money above all else, fearing he wouldn't earn enough.

Now, facing this mountain of silver, he only felt waves of disgust that went deep into his bones and... an inescapable fear!

Cen Ruifeng keenly noticed Shen Wanshi's gaze and mistakenly thought he was still worried about the safety of the money, so he quickly reassured him:

"Master, there is no need to worry too much."

"The itinerary is set. We'll depart at dawn tomorrow, riding at breakneck speed, and we'll definitely arrive in Changzhou City before midnight! Moreover..."

A glint of confidence flashed in his eyes:

"Halfway there, Qin Feng, a renowned constable from the Six Doors, will personally lead his elite troops to meet us!"

"With this old man by my side, Lord Yan in charge, and Qin Feng's strong support, no one in the entire Changzhou region would dare to touch a single coin of this silver!"

"Once we reach Changzhou City, with its strong army protecting it, it will be impregnable. At that time, we can rest easy!"

He believed that his arrangement was foolproof and could dispel the employer's concerns.

Little did he know that the worries churning in Shen Wanshi's heart had long surpassed the safety of the money.

Rather, it was a deep fear and sense of powerlessness regarding the “legal plunder” of the people of Changzhou that he would be personally responsible for upon arriving in Changzhou.

…………

At the entrance of Jinxi City.

Liang Jin reined in his horse, which snorted and pawed restlessly at the scorching ground.

"It seems that Shen Wanshi will be staying here tonight."

He used the "Thousand-Mile Tracking" function to pinpoint Shen Wanshi's location and was certain that Shen Wanshi was currently in Jinxi City.

"Since the person is here, the money is definitely not going anywhere."

A sharp glint flashed in Liang Jin's eyes, then he took out the [Si Mian] and gently covered his face with it.

In an instant, my vision was filled with a strange light.

Through the penetrating power of his [Fire Eyes], the city's layers of walls appeared as transparent glass to him.

He quickly identified the wealthy middle-aged merchant, Shen Wanshi, who was under tight protection in the county government office.

Shifting the gaze further, the interiors of those massive wooden crates heavily guarded in the county government compound were no longer the darkness seen by ordinary eyes, but instead emitted a dazzling, silvery-white light that stirred the heart!
The massive silver ingots were neatly stacked there, exuding a cold yet alluring aura of wealth.

"Looks like I didn't come to the wrong place." A cold smile curled at the corner of Liang Jin's lips.

He took the [Snake Face] and put it back into the [Item Inventory].

He couldn't help but secretly admire Shen Wanshi and the government for their brilliant "openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass" maneuver.

Countless bandit groups, including spies from Yanshan Village, were chasing after those "smoke bomb" convoys throughout Changzhou.

Who could have imagined that the real target had quietly arrived in Jinxi, so close to Changzhou City?

If Liang Jin hadn't been tracking Shen Wanshi's location using the "Thousand-Mile Tracking" system, how could he have discovered the real target?
Liang Jin was determined to get his hands on this batch of silver.

When the world is about to descend into chaos and war breaks out everywhere, where is there no need to pave the way with mountains of gold and seas of silver?
No matter how much money we have, it won't be enough to last in the coming chaos.

More importantly, he needed this money to seek a glimmer of hope for the people of Changzhou who were struggling on the brink of death!
Last time, when the imperial disaster relief funds were embezzled by corrupt officials and the Princess of Pingcheng, he disguised himself as Zhu Ying and killed many people to retrieve the life-saving money.

He used his inventory to exchange silver for food in other places, and then distributed it to the most needy disaster victims through the Taiping Dao in Changzhou.

Countless lives were saved in that battle.

His name and that of Taiping Dao resounded throughout Changzhou.

However, the drought continued to rage, and that little bit of money was just a drop in the ocean.

Now that Shen Wanshi has offered help in his time of need, how could he possibly let this opportunity pass?
The clone of Qingyi Tower may have had some connection with Shen Wanshi, or even owed him a favor.

But so what?
At this moment, Liang Jin's clone was a complete stranger to Shen Wanshi!

He was just a wanted outlaw who came to rob ill-gotten gains; it was only natural for him, so why should he feel burdened?

Liang Jin came alone on this mission, without bringing a single soldier from the Yanshan stronghold.

Firstly, he possesses the incredible skill of the [Item Inventory], which allows him to instantly store and transfer even large sums of silver without needing anyone's help to move them.

It is easier for a person to take action.

Secondly, if he were to take action with the Yanshan stronghold, this huge sum of money would become the common property of the stronghold, and Liang Jin would no longer have the authority to decide how to allocate or use it.

How could he allow others to get their hands on it?
"Ok?"

Just as Liang Jin was about to spur his horse into the city, his gaze was drawn to a large number of densely packed notices on the inner wall of the city gate.

Those were wanted posters posted by the Changzhou government, layer upon layer, like a layer of grayish-white scabs on the dilapidated city walls.

With banditry rampant, wanted posters were naturally everywhere.

Liang Jin's gaze finally settled on an exceptionally old wanted poster in the corner, with curled and torn edges and yellowed, brittle paper.

Clearly, the "wanted criminal" on the wanted poster has been slow to be apprehended, and the authorities have almost forgotten about him, not even bothering to issue a new notice.

The wanted poster featured a rough sketch of a man with a dark complexion, broad forehead, square lips, and phoenix eyes.

Liang Jin couldn't help but raise his hand to touch his hard-lined cheek, muttering to himself with a hint of absurd mockery:

"The painting... really does resemble the subject quite a bit."

This arrest warrant is for Liang Jin.

Today, the name "Song Jiang" and this portrait have been plastered all over every city and every village with a few inhabitants in Changzhou.

His fame was renowned throughout Changzhou.

Liang Jin was not wearing a mask.

A portrait is ultimately not a photograph, and its recognizability is limited.

In Changzhou, where starvation was rampant and people lived in constant fear of death, who among the struggling people had the time or inclination to carefully identify a wanted criminal?
The only people who could recognize him at a glance were the government officials and constables who made a living this way.

Now that Liang Jin is highly skilled and daring, why should he fear mere yamen runners?

He gently tugged the reins, urging his horse to slowly ride into the shadows of the city gate and into Jinxi City.

Inside Jinxi City.

Most of the shops on both sides of the street had their doors and windows closed, creating a desolate scene.

Ragged, emaciated disaster victims wandered the streets like ghosts, knocking on doors and weakly begging for alms.

"Please have mercy... give me some food..."

His voice was hoarse and filled with despair.

The air was filled with dust, sweat, and a faint, almost imperceptible stench of decay.

Occasionally, one can see corpse collectors dragging simple carts, expressionless as they carry away the stiff bodies curled up in the corner.

This place is relatively close to the state capital, Changzhou City, and can still maintain a minimum level of order. Compared to those hellish scenes that have completely fallen into chaos, it can be considered a "pure land".

Liang Jin's gaze swept over the human tragedy, but his heart remained largely unmoved.

He's seen too much already.

Chaos is imminent; this is merely the prelude.

He rode forward and finally stopped diagonally opposite the county government office—the only restaurant in the city that was still open for business.

At the entrance, two burly men, wielding thick wooden sticks, menacingly drove away disaster victims who tried to approach them for begging, their shouts and curses filling the air.

But when they saw Liang Jin, riding a tall horse with a composed demeanor, their faces immediately lit up with fawning smiles, and they trotted forward to take the horse:

"Sir, please come in!"

"Quickly find this gentleman a cool place!"

The men had sharp eyes and immediately noticed that Liang Jin had a ruddy complexion, clean clothes, and, more importantly, a horse to ride, instead of being killed for meat!
This person is definitely not short of money.

Liang Jin was hungry, so he didn't refuse. He dismounted, tossed the reins to the waiter, and strode into the restaurant.

Since Shen Wanshi is nearby and the money has already been secured, there's no need to rush.

He chose a seat by the window, where the view was excellent, allowing him to clearly observe the activity at the county government gate and part of the courtyard wall diagonally opposite.

The restaurant was surprisingly crowded, about 70-80% full.

Judging from their clothes and demeanor, most of them were weary travelers from out of town. Some looked like merchants, while many others were swordsmen with sharp eyes and weapons.

Clearly, those who can still appear in Changzhou at this time and have spare money to eat at restaurants are not ordinary people.

The sweltering heat combined with the aroma of food created a peculiar and oppressive atmosphere.

At the next table, a few men who looked like merchants, after a few cups of wine, began to whisper among themselves, their voices still clearly audible in the somewhat noisy restaurant.

"Alas, the state of Changzhou is truly... a tragedy! But do you know what? I heard things aren't much better outside! It's all because of that damned 'converting rice paddies to mulberry fields' policy!"

A businessman with a sorrowful face sighed.

"Hmph! Don't even mention it!"

A man with a scar on his face slammed his hand on the table, making the dishes jump. He was clearly a seasoned镖师 (bodyguard/escort) who had traveled far and wide; his voice was loud and filled with resentment.

"Ten years ago, the imperial court implemented some kind of 'wheat-to-cotton' policy in Wuzhou. What was the result? In less than three years, the price of grain in Wuzhou skyrocketed to a thousand coins per dou (a unit of dry measure)! The starving people went mad and resorted to cannibalism!"

"What happened in the end? The imperial court sent troops to suppress it, killing more than 20,000 people before barely managing to quell the riot! Blood flowed like rivers! And after only a few years of peace, they're already trying to reinstate this rice-to-mulberry conversion scheme!"

"I wonder how many more people will have to die this time to fill the pockets of those officials!"

His words were filled with a bloody undertone, causing the people at the surrounding tables to turn pale.

A middle-aged man who looked somewhat frail, like an accountant, spoke up, his voice tinged with sorrow:

"This brother is talking about Wuzhou, but we in Hezhou were the first to suffer! Before last autumn harvest, the government forced us to switch to planting mulberry trees, promising compensation of two taels of silver per mu."

"And what was the result? Silk prices plummeted. This spring, a pound of the finest silkworm cocoons was only worth three bushels of unpolished rice!"

"Last month I passed by my relatives' place in my hometown... Sigh, the three kids were so hungry they were eating mulberry bark while clinging to the tree!"

His eyes reddened as he spoke.

"Hezhou did at least pay some money? You haven't seen the methods of the Anzhou government!"

Another lean, shrewd businessman lowered his voice, but couldn't hide his resentment:

“In the spring, the government sent people directly to the fields to forcibly destroy the seedlings that were about to sprout ears, forcing them to plant mulberry trees instead! In the autumn, they confiscated the land on the grounds of ‘disobeying orders’!”

"Grain prices have skyrocketed threefold! There's so much raw silk that nobody wants it. Officials and merchants are colluding to drive prices down to rock bottom! Many silkworm farmers work hard all year, only to find they can't even afford enough food, and their families are ruined! I dare say that next year, Anzhou will be a scene of widespread famine and cannibalism!"

His words, like a cold prophecy, seemed to lower the temperature in the restaurant even further.

"This time Shen Wanshi came to Changzhou... I'm afraid our Changzhou can't escape the fate of 'converting rice paddies to mulberry fields'!"

The first distressed merchant to speak sighed:
"Who doesn't know that Shen Wanshi's backer is none other than Prime Minister Qin, who is in the court so strongly promoting this policy! He is the ruthless knife in Prime Minister Qin's hand, capable of cutting flesh!"

The restaurant owner listened with trepidation the whole time.

Seeing that everyone was getting more and more excited and their voices were getting louder and louder, involving court politics and the current prime minister, he was terrified.

He rushed out from behind the counter, bowing repeatedly, his voice trembling with tears:

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!"

"Please, please, have mercy and stop talking about these things!"

"Our shop... our shop is right across from the county government office! If the officials inside hear about this... our shop can't afford the consequences!"

"Please, gentlemen, watch your mouths! Don't discuss state affairs! Please, watch your mouths!"

His forehead was covered in cold sweat, fearing that disaster might strike from the sky.

The shopkeeper's pleading made most people wary, so they shut their mouths and buried their heads in their food.

However, a few martial arts masters who were confident in their skills or who harbored resentment towards the imperial court still cursed under their breath with disdain, their words becoming increasingly intense.

In Changzhou, where the authority of the government has vanished, there are many who disrespect the imperial court.

Liang Jin listened to the discussions silently, eating his meal and drinking his herbal tea.

Discussing national affairs casually during leisure time is commonplace, regardless of whether the country is prosperous or chaotic.

The resentment of these people is but a tiny wisp of smoke in the boiling public discontent of this chaotic world.

at this time.

A cold, clear voice, laced with undisguised mockery, abruptly rang out from the corner of the restaurant, like an icicle piercing the stifling air:
"Hmph! All that chatter and all I hear is incompetent, resentful wailing!"

"They only know how to complain about the difficult situation, the incompetent court, and Shen Wanshi's accomplice, but no one can offer even a single good solution to break the deadlock!"

"You who chatter on and on are no different from those wretched women who wail and cry in their secluded chambers! It's utterly ridiculous!"

(End of this chapter)