After leaving Xi'an, the train headed toward Gao Family Village proper.
This stretch of railway, the Xi'an–Luoyang line, ran entirely through the core of Dao Xuan Tianzun's liberated region. Every mile of it passed through areas that had developed at astonishing speed.
On both sides of the tracks lay farmland treated with chemical fertilizer, planted using scientific methods. The crops stood tall and vigorous, so lush they brought joy at a single glance.
Hong Chengchou watched the flourishing fields of Shaanxi and felt genuine satisfaction rise in his chest.
The train also passed numerous factories. At the gate of the Chang'an Factory there was even a dedicated station, simply named Chang'an Factory Station. Along the way they rolled past coal mines, iron mines, steelworks, pig farms, chemical plants, cement factories, paper mills, textile mills.
The sight left him dazzled.
In just a few years stationed at the frontier, he had nearly missed an entire world transforming itself.
What he did not know was that beside him, San Shier had been scheming the whole way, trying to figure out how to keep Hong Chengchou inside the liberated region and prevent him from leaving.
San Shier had thought for five full stations and still could not come up with a proper solution. Hong carried an imperial order to enter the capital. Even if some minor incident delayed him, it would at most slow his journey. It would never make him abandon it entirely.
Troublesome.
Just as San Shier was pondering wild possibilities, the train stopped at Dali Station.
It was a small station, with few passengers boarding or alighting.
But among those boarding, San Shier spotted three familiar faces.
Or rather, three familiar former labor camp inmates.
Ji San'er. Wang Hu. Little Red Wolf.
The three had been sent to Huanglong Mountain's labor reform camp in the third year of Chongzhen, after being defeated by Hong Chengchou and escorted there by He Renlong. After several years of good behavior, they were released early in the seventh year of Chongzhen. They were now proud members of the working class.
San Shier's eyes lit up.
An idea struck instantly.
He rose at once and headed toward the train door.
The three had just boarded when they saw someone blocking the aisle. Looking closely, they nearly jumped out of their skins.
It was San Shier, the top administrative official of Gao Family Village.
They hurriedly bowed.
San Shier glanced toward Hong Chengchou's carriage. The man was not paying attention. Lowering his voice, San Shier said, "Come with me."
Seeing his mysterious expression, they knew something was up and followed him into another carriage.
Only then did San Shier speak in a whisper. "If I remember correctly, the three of you were defeated by Hong Chengchou in the third year of Chongzhen and escorted to Huanglong Mountain by He Renlong. Correct?"
Ji San'er nodded quickly. "Third Steward has a good memory. That is indeed how we arrived. We labored four years at Huanglong Mountain. Because of good behavior, we had our sentences reduced. Now the three of us work in the security department of the Dali Fertilizer Factory."
"Good. Very good." San Shier smiled. "How is life now?"
The three grinned. "We are very happy."
San Shier's expression suddenly turned stern.
"In the carriage ahead sits an old acquaintance of yours."
The three blinked. "Who?"
"Hong Chengchou."
The name landed like a stone.
Their expressions froze for a split second.
Hong Chengchou had once been their nightmare.
Back then he had crushed them utterly, beating them down so completely they could not even fight back. After defeating them, he had nearly executed them. Among court officials, he had been one of the most ruthless toward surrendered bandits. He understood too well that rebels who surrendered could easily rebel again. His solution had always been simple. Kill.
Only because Gao Family Village had extended an olive branch and offered to take in surrendered bandits had he lowered his blade and allowed He Renlong to transfer them instead of slaughtering them.
The awkwardness passed quickly.
Ji San'er straightened. "We have already turned over a new leaf. Even if Hong Chengchou stands before us now, we would not seek revenge."
"Not revenge," Wang Hu added firmly.
"Let the past stay in the past," said Xie Lang.
San Shier gave a sly grin. "How can we just let it go like that? The three of you should go take revenge. Capture him. Lock him in a cave somewhere."
All three recoiled. "Third Steward, what are you saying?"
They thought this was some moral test.
They shook their heads vigorously. "That would be wrong. We will not do evil again."
"This time it is not evil," San Shier said calmly. "It is a good deed. Dao Xuan Tianzun personally issued a decree. No matter what means are used, Hong Chengchou must be kept within our territory."
"Tianzun's decree?" The three straightened instantly.
San Shier nodded. "Tianzun seems to have glimpsed certain heavenly secrets. He has determined that Hong Chengchou must not enter the capital, or undesirable consequences may follow. I cannot think of a proper excuse to detain him. Then I happened to see the three of you. Since there is old enmity between you, you might as well use that as pretext."
The three broke into delighted smiles.
"Revenge is unimportant," Ji San'er said. "To serve Tianzun is our honor."
They peeked toward the front carriage.
Hong Chengchou was gazing out the window. In the same carriage sat many of his household troops.
Those troops were no joke. All elites. Formidable fighters. Back in the day Hong had swept across Shaanxi largely because of them.
Ji San'er frowned. "Third Steward, just the three of us cannot overcome his guards."
San Shier chuckled. "He is on our territory. Surrounded by our people. You are acting under Tianzun's decree. Every resource here is at your disposal. Is it truly difficult to deal with a few guards? Use your brains."
The three had once roamed Jianghu. Cunning tricks were second nature.
After a moment's thought, their eyes lit up.
"We understand. There is a plan."
There were still ten minutes before departure.
The three leapt off the train in a hurry. Ten minutes later, just as the train was about to leave, they jumped back on, grins plastered across their faces.
The train had barely started moving when Ji San'er found the conductor. He slipped him a large packet of knockout powder and whispered at length into his ear.
The conductor lowered his voice. "If this truly is Tianzun's decree, I will of course cooperate fully. But do not falsely claim his name."
Ji San'er tapped the embroidered image of Dao Xuan Tianzun on his chest. "Would I dare?"
The conductor laughed. "Fair enough."
He sprang into action, moving carriage by carriage, whispering to each passenger in turn.
Before long, everyone on the train knew.
"Tianzun's decree. Unconditional cooperation."