Chapter 3, Nobility is Hard to Attain

Thoughts are tangled and chaotic, much like the torrential rain outside, which strikes the tiles with a crackling sound. The inn feels like a solitary boat adrift in the surging waves of the Cloud Dream Marsh.

In an official document titled "Yushu" from April of this year, Teng, the governor of Lianan County, reluctantly acknowledged that among the various counties of the Qin state, Nanjun is the area with the most rampant immorality and the worst public security. Anlu County is particularly hard-hit, with numerous small thieves congregating in groups along the banks, causing the local populace to refrain from going out alone.

Heihe turned around and found that Ji Ying had actually followed him. He couldn't help but look at him with a higher regard and said with a smile: "This place is vast and open; we cannot hide, nor can we run far. It would be better to go help that person. Three against four, we might not necessarily lose. Moreover, if we see someone in danger and do not help, and this is later known to the authorities, both you and I will be punished."

However, if he is summoned while already holding a title, as an officer with his own subordinates, it is equivalent to holding his own life in his hands. As long as he is careful and prudent, there will certainly be an opportunity to survive

Ji Ying calculated the number of people briefly and felt a sense of retreat in his heart: "There are four thieves, and they are armed with sharp blades. I fear we may not be able to handle them. Heifu, perhaps we should avoid them..."

The Qin law stipulates: "Beheading one person grants one rank." The title of "Gongshi" inherited by my elder brother was earned by our father after numerous battles, where he finally managed to take a head as a trophy. The cost of this was that... our father returned with a body full of wounds and passed away just a few years later...

After wiping his face with the water dripping from the eaves, Heifu left the inn. At the entrance, someone was already waiting for him; it was Ji Ying, who had recounted the story of "Jing Ke Assassinating the Qin Emperor" the previous night. Coincidentally, he mentioned that he was a scholar from Yuanshui Township and was also going to serve in the county.

Heffqi asked: "What is the reason for this?"

According to Heifu, after Shang Yang's reforms, the State of Qin divided its nobility into twenty ranks, ranging from the lowest, the Gongshi and Shangzao, to the highest, the Guanneihou and Chehou

"Thief?" The brazen Ji Ying, who had just been boasting moments ago, immediately fell to the ground in shock

The higher the rank, the higher the position held

After a night of sudden rain, the Yunmeng Great Marsh returned to tranquility, with fish leaping out of the water and egrets slowly strolling along the shallows. Ji Ying, a local scholar, was very familiar with this area, and being quite talkative, he introduced the local customs and scenery to Hei Fu all along the way

Due to the recent escape of many deceased individuals to the south, they have taken refuge in the marshes as thieves! I have heard that numerous merchants and fishermen passing through this area have had their belongings robbed and their lives taken! The county has repeatedly ordered nearby inns to pursue and capture them, yet the thieves always manage to escape. It is precisely for this reason that I have invited you to travel together.

Heihe felt like a small boat in this era of great change, caught in the current. Even though he understood the trend of "The King of Qin sweeps the six states, how fierce is the tiger's gaze," he was hindered by his background and could not find a way to join in for the time being

Heifu speculates that historically, the Heifu brothers met their demise in battle because they served as the soldiers leading the charge.

Thief, the black servant is here, do not act recklessly!

According to the laws of the Qin dynasty, upon receiving a noble title, one would be granted land, houses, and servants or slaves to work for them. With each promotion, the benefits would increase significantly, allowing a commoner with no land to transform into a small landowner, a large landowner, or even a lord with their own fiefdom

In the Qin state, there are several ways to obtain nobility, the quickest of which is to achieve merit on the battlefield by taking heads

Nanjun and the Jiangnan region of the Chu State are interlaced like dog teeth, with dense mountains and forests, and rivers and lakes crisscrossing. Whether it is the fugitives from the Qin State avoiding military service or the displaced people from the Chu State, they all prefer to flee to the Yunmeng Marshes

Heifu nodded. Nanjun corresponds to present-day Hubei Province and was once the heartland of the Chu State, with Jiangling as its capital, which was also the capital of Chu, Yingcheng. Decades ago, the great general Bai Qi of the Qin State attacked Chu, and in the Battle of Yan and Ying, over one hundred thousand Chu people drowned, causing the Chu army to scatter. King Xiang of Chu abandoned the capital and fled eastward, which led to the tragic event of Qu Yuan throwing himself into the river out of grief and anger. It can be noted that three generations ago, Heifu's ancestors were also from Chu, and to this day, the Chu dialect remains unchanged.

Thus, after a night of hazy sleep, the next morning, Heifu rose early. Upon opening the door, he found that the rain outside had already stopped. The carriage of the "doctor" was still parked in the courtyard, beautifully painted in a red and black pattern. Two horses, one white and one black, were already harnessed and ready to depart at any moment. Unfortunately, he would have to walk all the way to the county town, likely ending up with blisters on his feet.

As much as one may wish, at present, the black servant is merely a level 0 soldier. Not to mention doctors or high-ranking officials, even earning the status of a level 1 noble is not easy.

At present, Heifu is merely a young and inexperienced adult, lacking connections and achievements; who would appoint him as an official? The reason why Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, was able to become a county magistrate during the Qin Dynasty was due to the reputation he earned as a wandering hero in his early years in the countryside. Heifu possesses none of these attributes as a newcomer.

Moreover, titles can also be obtained through diligent farming, reporting treachery, capturing thieves, and accumulating achievements as minor officials. The issue is that farming does not yield results in less than three to five years, reporting treachery and capturing thieves are opportunities that may not always arise, as for being a minor official...

What are you doing!

Heike straightened his body and squinted to observe what was happening over there. He saw a person rolling and crawling out from the bushes, rushing towards the road. Before long, several raggedly dressed individuals armed with weapons emerged from that direction, their faces twisted in a fierce expression as they pursued.

Ji Ying retorted, but patted his thin belly and sighed: "Unfortunately, the Yunmengze has dried up considerably recently, and various wild creatures have migrated to other places. Even the small ponds near the road where one could fish are now avoided by everyone."

The long-sought opportunity is right before your eyes, what are you still hesitating for

Furthermore, it was mentioned by the elder brother that in the State of Qin, failing to rescue someone in danger would be punished, while capturing a thief would be rewarded

Who doesn't want to?

One, Two, Three, Four ... ...

"Are the deceased thieves?" The black servant felt a stir in his heart as he looked into the distance. This area is characterized by continuous marshes and dense shrubs, making it indeed a favorable place for banditry and robbery.

He was not afraid, for he had not wasted three years at the police academy; he had indeed learned some combat skills. Dealing with one or two robbers would be a piece of cake. He patted the short sword at his waist and laughed, saying, "If those thieves are blind enough to target us, then they have certainly picked the wrong people!"

He strode forward, drawing the short sword from his waist, gripping it in his right hand like a combat dagger, and let out the first long howl since arriving in this era

Heifu, do you know that Anlu County, and indeed the entire Nanjun, was still part of the Chu state more than fifty years ago

Ji Ying was taken aback. Initially intending to escape on his own, he recalled something and hesitated for a long time. Finally, gritting his teeth, he followed suit, chasing after while cursing, "Hei Fu, are you seeking death!"

In his previous life, he was a person with a strong sense of values, and his friends said he possessed a certain chivalrous spirit. After entering the police academy, he developed an even greater sense of responsibility

Heihe thought it made sense; the two of them serving together could be considered as comrades. For the next month, they would have to spend day and night together, so he decided to accompany Ji Ying.

The terrain of Anlu County is lower in the south and higher in the north. The southern part is Yunmengze, characterized by fertile plains, and is referred to as "Yunmeng Township"; the central region is traversed by the Yuanshui River, which flows into Yunmengze, featuring river valley plains, known as "Yuanshui Township"; the northern part consists of hilly terrain with layers of mist rising, which is also where the county seat is located. The two men, He Fu and his companion, slowly traveled north along the road by the banks of Yunmengze.

You should know that the Yunmengze area is the hunting ground of the King of Chu. My grandfather once spoke to me about the grandeur of the King's hunts in those days. It is said that there were thousands of chariots, banners obscuring the sky, and rhinoceroses and tigers were chased in all directions. With just a lift of the hand and a draw of the bow, one could easily shoot a deer to death

"How magnificent, Heifu!" Ji Ying laughed heartily, his eyebrows dancing with excitement as he patted his chest and boasted, "In fact, I possess some skills as well. In Yuanshui Township, who does not know the name of Ji Ying in the river mouth..."

Nature knows

Without waiting for Heifu to say anything, Ji Ying eagerly proposed to team up with him: "There is still more than half a day's journey to the county, so it would be better to travel together for mutual support."

In today's world, when faced with bandits who block the road to rob and kill, the blacksmith still resolutely chooses to shout against injustice when he sees it, and to take action when action is required

He looked at his thin, monkey-like frame, smiling without saying a word

No one responded. When Ji Ying turned around, he was astonished to find that Hei Fu had already risen and was striding out!

Unexpectedly, before the words had left his mouth, countless green-headed wild ducks were startled into flight at the end of the path obscured by the bushes, followed by desperate cries for help: "There are thieves! Help! Help!"

After speaking, Ji Ying licked his lips again. Throughout their conversation, Hei Fu had almost come to understand the temperament of this peer: talkative, clever, and somewhat gluttonous. He then laughed and said to him, "Are you perhaps thinking about eating meat again?"

The direction in which they fled was precisely the location where Hei Fu and Ji Ying were situated