Chapter Thirty-Six: Iron Spear

Gao Hongzhe was not entirely certain if Liang Jin’s chosen direction was correct, but given the circumstances, he had no choice but to follow him.

The two rode their camels toward the destination Liang Jin had indicated. After crossing two sand dunes, a structure suddenly appeared before them—a small, yellow earthen fortress standing solitary in the desert.

Liang Jin glanced at the map on his interface and said, "It seems that is the Hay Station."

In the Great Qian Dynasty, information was transmitted via three types of outposts: courier stations, relay stations, and postal stops. The latter, known as a "pu" or postal stop, was typically built near transport routes with garrisons; it served a military function while also handling the delivery of documents and letters.

Gao Hongzhe was delighted. "Brother Meng, you truly are a local. You not only know the way but also recognize the names of these places. It seems we will be able to spend the night at the Hay Station."

The two quickened their pace toward the station. As they drew closer, they began to see other travelers appearing in the distance, all heading toward the same destination, clearly intending to find lodging for the night.

Although the Hay Station was visible, it took them until nightfall to reach it. It was a two-story earthen fortress with a large, open area in front. By the time Liang Jin and Gao Hongzhe arrived, several bonfires had already been lit, and dozens of people had gathered—a motley crowd of every kind. Some were merchants who had set up stalls to sell their wares; others were diners carving roast mutton from a rack. There were even prostitutes; a stage had been erected in the center of the clearing where dancers in exotic attire performed, while other women moved among the crowd, drinking and making merry with the men.

The fortress itself, once a barracks for Great Qian soldiers, had been occupied and turned into an inn following the retreat of the imperial forces.

Gao Hongzhe looked on with curiosity. "Brother Meng, I never imagined that a tiny postal stop in the Western Desert would have such unique charm." Having grown up in the heartland of the Great Qian, he had never had the chance to witness the folk life of the desert.

Liang Jin stopped his camel and paused before a stall selling weapons. The wooden racks were filled with various blades, spears, staves, and swords, but a closer look revealed they were all second-hand, bearing clear marks of use. Judging by their style, they were weapons of the Great Qian military. Before the dynasty decided to withdraw from the Western Desert, it had suffered several defeats, and clearly, this stall owner had scavenged these pieces from those battlefields.

Seeing Liang Jin’s interest, the stall owner greeted him enthusiastically: "Young masters, do have a look. How can you travel the desert without buying a couple of blades for protection? There are bad people everywhere in this desert; having a blade you don't use and having no blade to use are two very different things."

Liang Jin was indeed interested in one weapon in particular: an all-black iron spear. Unlike spears made with bamboo or wooden shafts, this one was forged entirely from iron. It was much heavier than a wooden-shafted spear and far less nimble; it required immense strength and great skill to wield. As it happened, the "Northern Hegemon Six-Harmony Spear" technique Liang Jin was studying was a style characterized by rigid, powerful, and heavy strikes, making this iron spear far superior to a standard one.

Furthermore, the stall owner was right: having a weapon was a matter of necessity. With the chaotic state of the Western Desert, carrying a weapon could deter petty criminals and avoid unnecessary trouble.

Liang Jin turned to Gao Hongzhe and asked, "Scholar, do you have any money? Lend me some." Currently, this avatar of his possessed nothing but the clothes on his back, which was rather pathetic.

Gao Hongzhe replied bitterly, "To be honest, I did have silver, but it was on one of the camels... and that camel ran away."

Liang Jin shook his head. One could truly never rely on a bookish scholar.

Gao Hongzhe added hastily, "But Brother Meng, please do not worry. I am a master of both calligraphy and painting; as long as I sell a few pieces, money will not be an issue. Once we have silver, we can stay at the inn comfortably and have a proper meal." With that, he immediately laid out his paper, ink, brush, and inkstone to begin working.

Liang Jin sighed helplessly. In this desolate wilderness, resources were scarce, and the cultural divide was vast. Did he really expect anyone here to pay for calligraphy?

On the other side, the stall owner’s expression changed instantly upon hearing they had no money. He said with disdain, "So you're two paupers? If you're poor, don't buy weapons; you don't need to worry about being robbed if you have nothing to take."

But a moment later, he caught sight of the camel behind them, and his face shifted again, replaced by a fawning smile. "Forgive my lack of foresight, sirs. If you are interested, you may trade your two camels for two suitable weapons from my stall."

Trading a camel for a second-hand weapon sounded expensive at first, but Liang Jin knew it was a bargain. Although the iron spear was used, it was of excellent quality and perfectly intact. Most people assumed a long spear just needed a wooden shaft and an iron tip, but such top-heavy weapons were impossible to use effectively. While ordinary soldiers might make do, a martial artist had much higher standards. Not only was the weight distribution crucial, but in the heat of a real battle, wooden shafts snapped easily. This iron spear, despite its worn and simple appearance, was a masterpiece; it had clearly belonged to a master of the spear in the past. In the heartland of the Great Qian, such a weapon would be worth far more than a camel.

Liang Jin consulted with Gao Hongzhe, "I will borrow one of your camels. If we meet again in the future, I will repay you with interest." The Hay Station was not too far from Dingfeng City, and they could easily reach it riding together on one camel before their supplies ran out.

Gao Hongzhe had no objections. "Brother Meng saved my life; this camel should rightfully be a gift to you."

Thus, Liang Jin traded a camel for the iron spear. The weapon was nearly ten feet long, so he had to carry it on his shoulder. Gao Hongzhe, uninterested in weapons, went off to sell his calligraphy. Liang Jin stayed with the remaining camel, watching the scene at the station with interest.

After a while, Gao Hongzhe returned, utterly dejected and complaining, "There isn't a single person in this place with any taste! They are all brutes." He had carried his work around, but not only did no one buy it, he had been mocked, insulted, and nearly beaten.

Liang Jin didn't bother to comfort him and was looking for a place to spend the night when five or six men surrounded them. The leader was none other than the stall owner. He carried a large blade on one shoulder and pointed at them with his free hand.

"You two little bastards! You bought my weapons and now you want to welch on the payment? Don't you know who I am? Do you think a couple of deadbeats like you can afford to cross me? Pay up now, or I'll hack you to pieces!"