The moment Wen County came into view, Zhou Daya was so excited she practically bounced on her feet.
"Wen County is incredibly far from Gao Family Village," she said eagerly. "There's no direct train here at all. You have to come by boat, so most of our villagers have never set foot in this place. Some don't even know what it looks like. If I film everything here and bring it back, it'll definitely make great news!"
Li Daoxuan chuckled softly. "Alright, then. Let's dock here for a while."
The cargo ship slowed and gradually approached the pier at Wen County.
This was an ancient ferry crossing, known as Ancient Cypress Ferry. Across the Yellow River, on the opposite bank, lay Solitary Cypress Ferry in Xingyang, Henan. Their names differed by only a single character—yet one stood north of the Yellow River, the other to its south.
Separated by water, the two ferry crossings faced each other in silence.
Both possessed a history stretching back more than two thousand years. They had borne witness to the rivalry of Chu and Han, the wars of the Three Kingdoms, and the rise and fall of the Sui and Tang dynasties.
From afar, Zhou Daya could clearly see that Solitary Cypress Ferry on the southern bank of the Yellow River remained as dilapidated as ever. In contrast, Ancient Cypress Ferry on the northern bank, close to Wen County, had been newly renovated and looked almost pristine.
It was like a pair of twins.
One raised by impoverished parents, struggling to survive.
The other adopted by a wealthy household, polished and well cared for.
Before the ship had even finished docking, Zhou Daya noticed countless cargo vessels of all shapes and sizes lined up along the shore. A bustling market had sprung up beside the pier, with merchants everywhere shouting, bargaining, and hawking their goods.
Jiang Cheng smiled as he explained, "Ancient Cypress Ferry has already become a key transit market for goods. Products from both the upper and lower reaches of the Yellow River converge here."
Zhou Daya immediately lifted her camera, recording everything with enthusiasm.
"Our Gao Family Village produces enormous amounts of grain, cotton cloth, and ironware," Jiang Cheng continued. "A large portion of it is transported here by cargo ship and traded. After that, other middlemen carry it downstream along the Yellow River and sell it elsewhere."
He paused briefly, then added, "I used to make my living doing this kind of work. But now I've washed my hands of it. These days, I focus entirely on helping Instructor Bai manage the Xiaolangdi Militia."
Zhou Daya nodded in realization. "So that's how it is! I've always wondered how Gao Family Village could possibly use up all that cotton cloth produced by those amazing textile machines. Turns out it's sold downriver!"
Jiang Cheng laughed. "A lot of villagers don't know this either. Once your footage airs on Gaojia News, everyone will finally understand."
Zhou Daya happily filmed for quite some time, capturing every angle of the pier and market.
Meanwhile, Li Daoxuan used the pause to quietly observe the overall development of Ancient Cypress Ferry. Under Chen Yuanbo's governance, this small county town had been managed remarkably well. The commercial district around the pier was flourishing, full of life and vitality.
After this short stop, the cargo ship resumed its journey, crossing the Yellow River toward the southern bank and docking at Solitary Cypress Ferry.
The moment they arrived, a heavy sense of decay and desolation washed over them.
The entire Solitary Cypress Ferry was eerily silent. Not a single soul could be seen. It was as though the place had been abandoned—or haunted.
Zhou Daya cried out in shock. "It's just one river apart! How can the difference be this huge?"
Jiang Cheng lowered his voice instinctively. "This area belongs to Xingyang. Recently, a large number of rebel factions have been active around here…"
Zhou Daya asked curiously, "A large number? How many are we talking about?"
Jiang Cheng whispered, "Seventy-two bandit camps, big and small. Altogether, two to three hundred thousand people."
Even though Zhou Daya was usually quite brave, the number made her scalp tingle.
"Then… wouldn't it be extremely dangerous for us to go ashore here at Solitary Cypress Ferry?"
Jiang Cheng nodded gravely. "Yes. Extremely dangerous, miss, you—"
He hesitated, then subconsciously turned toward the Dao Xuan Tianzun beside him for help.
Li Daoxuan smiled calmly. "Didn't we already agree to wait by the river for Lao Huihui?"
Jiang Cheng nodded quickly. "Yes. I arranged to meet him here at Solitary Cypress Ferry."
"That settles it," Li Daoxuan said, turning to Zhou Daya. "Don't leave the ship."
Zhou Daya puffed out her cheeks slightly. "With Teacher here, I'm not afraid."
Li Daoxuan smiled back. "This has nothing to do with fear. It's about whether something is necessary. Just zoom in and film from here. Don't put yourself in danger when there's no need. My guiding principle in Gao Family Village—no matter if it's men or women—is always the same: if a risk can be avoided, avoid it; if injury can be avoided, avoid it. Don't take meaningless risks just to prove bravery."
Zhou Daya obediently listened, setting her camera firmly on the bow of the ship.
Jiang Cheng and Li Daoxuan disembarked, accompanied by thirty militia soldiers. They had only lingered near Solitary Cypress Ferry for a short while when the thunderous sound of hooves suddenly echoed in the distance.
A massive formation of cavalry came charging toward them.
At the head of the force was none other than Lao Huihui.
It was clear that Lao Huihui had stationed scouts near the pier. When those hidden scouts spotted "Instructor Bai's ship" from afar, they immediately guided the main cavalry force forward.
The sight of the surging cavalry was truly terrifying.
As the riders drew closer, Jiang Cheng and the thirty militia soldiers couldn't help but tremble. For a moment, they feared that Lao Huihui's cavalry would simply charge straight through them.
If that happened, even if they emptied every round from their Chassepot rifles, they wouldn't be able to stop the onrushing tide of iron and hooves.
Fortunately, Lao Huihui was not a madman.
When he was still about ten meters away, he began to slow down. By the time he reached them, his warhorse came to a flawless halt.
Lao Huihui dismounted with a heavy thud, landing firmly on the ground and standing straight before them.
Only now, at close range, could his appearance be clearly seen.
He looked to be between forty and fifty years old. He wore armor, though it was concealed beneath a layer of Hui ethnic clothing. His face was weathered, etched with the marks of hardship and years of struggle.
"You're Instructor Bai's people?" Lao Huihui asked in a deep, steady voice. "Is the grain you promised me on that ship behind you?"
Jiang Cheng swallowed hard, completely overwhelmed by the man's presence, and couldn't respond immediately.
Li Daoxuan, however, answered with an easy smile. "Yes."
Lao Huihui cast a wary glance at the massive cargo ship. The grain was covered with tarpaulin, and he couldn't see the contents, causing a trace of suspicion to flicker in his eyes.
Li Daoxuan called out calmly, "Uncover the tarp. Let Lao Huihui take a look."
The special operations soldiers who remained aboard the ship immediately moved, pulling back the tarpaulin.
In an instant, the fully loaded hold of grain was revealed.
Lao Huihui himself remained composed, but the subordinates behind him collectively gasped.
"So much grain!"
"Excellent!"
"It's been so hard to get food lately!"
Lao Huihui raised one hand, and his subordinates immediately fell silent, not daring to make another sound.
He turned his gaze back to Li Daoxuan and asked in a low voice, "Why would you give me this grain for free? Instructor Bai isn't from Henan. I can't burn his ancestral home. In this world, no one treats me well without a reason. So tell me—what kind of deal is this? What do you want in return?"
Li Daoxuan replied evenly, "It's a reward for you. During these years of rebellion, you never looted ordinary civilians. You only targeted corrupt officials and wealthy families. Your troops are disciplined. That deserves encouragement."
Lao Huihui let out a cold snort. "Oh? A reward for me? Interesting. And tell me—by what right do you bestow such a reward?"