The Smiling, Proud Wanderer: From the Moment He Picked Up Qu Feiyan

In autumn, the Xiangjiang River glistens with golden light, like a brocade being slowly unfurled.

Zhang Xiaoshuan steadily carried the sack of rice, weighing at least sixty pounds, onto the dock, joining the others in chanting a steady and powerful work song: "Hey-yo-ho!"

Sweat streamed down his dark cheeks, soaking the cloth around his neck and the blue shirt on his back. His muscles ached, yet he felt an unprecedented sense of peace.

With each step he took on the thick wooden planks, he felt that his future, like those steps, was solid and powerful.

A month ago, he wasn't like this.

Back then, he and his father huddled in a corner of a dilapidated temple in the west of the city. What he thought about every day was not the future, but where his next meal would come from, and when the underworld king's men—Li Donglai had once spat disdainfully upon hearing the nickname, "A dog-like person who dares to call himself the King of Hell"—would come knocking on their door again.

Last spring, when crops were scarce, my father gritted his teeth and borrowed a "seedling loan" from Yan Shiqi in order not to miss the farming season. The loan had an interest rate of three percent, and he agreed to repay it after the autumn harvest.

Who knew that an autumn flood would destroy half a year's harvest? The already meager loan, compounded by interest, quickly became an astronomical sum. In the end, the family's only three acres of poor land were taken away, and when the father went to reason with them, he was beaten and had his leg broken.

He would never forget his mother's desperate cries and his father's lifeless eyes when those fierce-looking men broke into their home and took away the land deed.

He thought his life was over.

Until twenty days ago, a young man surnamed Shen came to Xiangtan.

That day, the entire underground world of Xiangtan was turned upside down.

Yan Shiqi and his most ruthless henchmen were beheaded.

Afterwards, that young master Shen's men summoned all the poor folks who owed Yan Shiqi money at exorbitant interest rates, and in front of everyone, they burned the whole box of IOUs stained with blood and tears.

Zhang Xiaoshuan witnessed the fire firsthand. The raging flames licked at the papers that had destroyed his family, and seemed to burn away the gloom and despair that had accumulated in his heart for many years.

To his surprise, the young master Shen not only burned the IOU, but also posted a job advertisement on the spot.

"Those whose families have become impoverished due to Yan Shiqi will be given priority in recruitment."

He couldn't recognize all the words on the notice, but he heard this sentence clearly.

And so he came.

He thought that someone like him, who had no special skills, could only do the hardest and most tiring jobs.

Unexpectedly, the manager asked him a few questions and learned that he had learned a few characters from the village teacher. He immediately decided to let him go to the newly built rice shop to learn to be a shop assistant.

Those poor people like him, who were illiterate, were also assigned to work as laborers at the docks. They earned thirty coins a day, which included two hearty meals a day, with both dry and porridge options, and they could even have meat once every three days. This was a life they could never have dreamed of before.

Now, he is a full-time clerk in the rice shop. Wearing a brand-new blue cloth shirt, he learns bookkeeping and abacus from the accountant every day, and his days are fulfilling and full of hope.

He received an advance on a month's wages, bought rice and meat, and even got medicine for his father who had broken his leg. When he handed the heavy string of copper coins to his mother, she hugged him, just crying, not knowing what to say.

Zhang Xiaoshuan knew who was responsible for all of this, and that they had come to help voluntarily this time.

After carefully stacking the rice sacks, he left the cabin, straightened up, and wiped the sweat from his brow with a cloth. He looked up at the high slope by the river with the best view.

Young Master Shen stood there with his hands behind his back, his figure as upright as a pine tree.

The autumn river breeze blew his robes, making him look like a figure who had stepped out of a painting.

Shen An's gaze was fixed on the dock where cargo was being loaded and unloaded continuously.

This was the first major deal after the business opened in Xiangtan, so naturally he wanted to oversee it personally. The banner of the Fuwei Escort Agency fluttered in the river wind as several Fujian-style boats docked one after another, fully loaded with tea and high-quality rice.

Li Donglai didn't own such a large ship; he borrowed it from Lin Zhennan.

In the original story, he would give a hundred taels of silver to each of the troop carriers as compensation, which shows that his financial resources were not to be underestimated.

There are dozens of wharves of varying sizes in Xiangtan. Lu Lianrong originally had three under his command, one large and two small, but they have now all been handed over to Shen An.

The dock was bustling with people, noisy and chaotic, yet it exuded a vibrant, untamed energy. The new workers were still unfamiliar with the procedures, and the veterans under Li Donglai shouted instructions at the top of their lungs, occasionally throwing in a few swear words, but everyone's face was filled with enthusiasm.

For the past twenty days, Shen An has devoted almost all his energy to Xiangtan.

He didn't really think burning those IOUs would win him any favors; it was just something he felt he should do anyway. As for hiring, it was a practical necessity—the docks, the trading companies, the fleets—all needed manpower. He just hadn't expected that these unintentional actions would bring him such a simple and genuine reward.

Despite Lin Zhennan's somewhat questionable business acumen, he is undeniably a shrewd businessman. The next few business deals in Xiangtan were all facilitated by him after hearing about Shen An's plans; this time it was tea and rice, and the next shipment will be medicinal herbs.

Now, the division of labor is clear: Lin Zhennan is responsible for introducing the routes, Li Qingde is in charge of the specific operations and negotiations, and Li Donglai is responsible for the transportation and safety of all goods by using his control over the Xiangjiang River waterway.

Twenty days is not enough time for the money to flow into the account, but the outcome is already predictable.

"Senior Brother!" Li Qingde strode over, his face beaming with excitement. "The accounts have all been checked. The first batch of goods introduced by Chief Escort Lin—tea and rice—has all been safely stored! The quality is top-notch, without a single problem!"

Li Donglai, who followed closely behind, also said in a deep voice, "The journey has been smooth sailing, we haven't even encountered a single ignorant scoundrel! Senior brother, your method is definitely more reliable than the old days when we risked our lives."

His feelings for Shen An had shifted from mere awe to a deeper respect. He now felt that this young senior brother was not just a boastful scion of a wealthy family, but someone who could truly get things done.

"This is just the beginning." Shen An's gaze fell on a vast open space that had just been leveled beside the dock. "In a few days, when the last batch of building materials arrives, the warehouse complex there will be completed."

"Senior brother, our existing warehouses are already sufficient for our goods, why do we need to build so many more?" Li Donglai asked, somewhat puzzled.

Li Qingde seemed lost in thought and remained silent.

"These warehouses aren't for our own use," Shen An smiled. "My two junior brothers, think about it. Xiangtan is located at a crucial point on both land and water routes, with countless merchants traveling between the north and south. Their goods, from silks and satins to porcelain and tea, need a safe and reliable place for storage and transshipment, right?"

Li Donglai suddenly realized: "Senior brother, you mean...we're going to open a warehouse company, helping people store goods and collect rent?"

"Collecting rent is just the first step." Shen An's tone was calm, yet resolute. "What we need to do goes far beyond that."

He held up his fingers and pointed out each point: "First, it's about making money; that's fundamental. Second, it's about establishing the 'Songyang' brand through the highest quality goods and the most reliable warehousing, making it a guarantee of credibility. Third, it's about using this as a template to pave the way for us to expand this business model to the entire Hubei and Hunan region and even further afield."

He paused, his gaze becoming profound: "And most importantly, when enough goods are stored in our 'Songyang Warehouse,' and when our fleet controls the freight transport on the Xiang River, we will control their lifeline. At that point, we will be able to do much more."

Li Qingde's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands excitedly: "I understand! Senior brother is brilliant! This is truly a long-term plan that yields huge profits!"

Li Donglai, standing to the side, listened in astonishment, his eyes wide with disbelief. He could understand collecting rent and working as a warehouse manager selling security, but the later concepts of "building a brand" and "establishing order" seemed too distant and unrealistic to him.

Looking at Shen An's youthful profile, he felt for the first time that his limited knowledge of the martial world might not be enough to keep up with his senior brother's thinking.

As they were talking, a fast boat sped towards them on the river in the distance like an arrow. Before it had even come to a complete stop, a man on the boat leaped ashore, clearly skilled in martial arts.

Shen An frowned. He recognized the man; he was an outer disciple under Feng Changrong.

Something happened in Hengyang?