The more Zao Ying saw of Gao Jiacun, the more her heart wavered.
Being a horse bandit in these years of chaos… really wasn't easy anymore.
She couldn't bring herself to rob common folk, and government caravans were getting harder and harder to hit. Yesterday, Hong Chengchou's household guards chased her crew halfway across the county—first time she'd felt real fear in years. For the first time, she started to wonder if being a "free-spirited outlaw" was as promising a career path as she'd once thought.
If even old rogues like Gu Yuantou, that lunatic Xing Honglang, and the bumbling "Lamp-lighter" Zhao Sheng could live happily here…
Then maybe she could too?
After finishing the tour, Shansier left her alone to think it over and quietly returned to the main fortress.
Zao Ying wandered around Gao Jiacun for a long while, circling half the valley before ending up in front of the barracks again. She happened to see the mintuan men dealing with the five hundred captured warhorses from yesterday.
Thanks to the steady rains around the village, grass grew thick and lush—perfect grazing land. The horses had eaten their fill and were lazily swishing their tails in satisfaction.
Gao Chuwu was tugging on a tall black stallion, grinning at Zheng Daniu.
"Hey, Daniu, I had to push your butt onto the saddle yesterday. Think you can mount on your own today?"
Zheng Daniu snorted. "Bah, what's so hard about mounting a horse? Watch this!"
He braced his hands on the saddle, jumped up—and cleanly somersaulted over the horse, thudding on the other side in a cloud of dust.
"Hahahahaha! Daniu, you idiot!" Gao Chuwu laughed so hard he nearly dropped the reins.
"I'm not an idiot! Watch this again!" Zheng Daniu barked, scrambling up. He leapt, landed—this time actually sitting upright. Victory!
But the horse clearly didn't appreciate his clumsy mounting style. It flicked its tail hard, twisted its body, and—thump!—down he went again.
"Hahaha! Even the horse doesn't want you!" Gao Chuwu was dying of laughter.
Zao Ying sighed, shook her head, and walked over.
"Watch carefully. This is how you mount a horse."
She slid her left boot into the stirrup, pushed off lightly, swung a graceful arc through the air, and landed squarely on the saddle. The horse snorted softly, docile and calm—as if already ready to charge into battle at her command.
"Whoa, Miss Zao's got skills!" Gao Chuwu whistled.
Zheng Daniu muttered, "So that's how it's done…"
From behind them came a familiar voice. "Zao Da-dangjia's riding art is quite something."
It was Cheng Xu.
Zao Ying shrugged. "Still far worse than the Mongols or the Jian Nu riders."
Cheng Xu chuckled. "Let's not compare ourselves to them. Even among ourselves, you can see the gap—my men are nowhere near your level."
Zao Ying nodded. She didn't deny it.
"That's why," Cheng Xu said seriously, "Gao Jiacun really hopes you'll stay. With you here, our cavalry might finally gain some soul. Without a real leader… even with horses, we're just a bunch of oafs playing soldier."
Zao Ying raised an eyebrow. "Your village is plotting big things, huh?"
Cheng Xu smiled faintly. "Big, and not so big."
"Oh? How so?"
"Not big—because we don't aim to seize the world."
"And big?"
"Big—because we aim to save it."
Zao Ying blinked, then rolled her eyes. "You talk just like a bureaucrat. One sentence sounds noble as a temple inscription, the next sounds like a coup."
"Hahaha," Cheng Xu laughed. "That's because I only talk this way to people like you. You'd see through lies anyway."
She got it now. They're rebelling.
But they were rebelling smart.
Hidden in a tiny mountain valley on the border between Chengcheng and Heyang, quietly building towns, planting crops, storing grain, and gathering strength… yet no one in Jianghu had even heard their name. Out there, people only knew of Wang Er, the Chuang King, Wang Jiayin, Bu Zhan Ni, or Wang Zuogua—never Gao Jiacun.
If she hadn't come here herself, she'd never have guessed this peaceful valley hid a power so large.
Ming Context Note:
The strategy of "Build high walls, store up grain, and bide your time before calling yourself king" was famously used by Zhu Yuanzhang, founder of the Ming dynasty. It's exactly what Gao Jiacun seems to be doing here.
Zao Ying sighed. "To be honest, I am tempted to join you. But I'm used to being free. I don't like taking orders. If I join, what rank do I get? Who can boss me around?"
Cheng Xu thought seriously for a moment, then spread his hands.
"Sadly, we don't have ranks like that."
"...What?"
He grinned. "Gao Jiacun is still rebuilding from scratch. Every department's being made from nothing. I don't control Xing Honglang or Zhao Sheng or Shansier… and they don't control me. Everyone just does their job. If you join, you'll command the cavalry—that's your domain. No one above you."
Zao Ying tilted her head. "Then who's the boss of it all?"
Cheng Xu pointed up at the sky. "Naturally, Tianzun reigns above all."
"Tianzun? And where is this Tianzun of yours?"
"Tianzun is a divine being. If He wishes to appear, He appears. If He wishes not to, none can see Him. So if you really want a superior—He's the only one you'll have."
Zao Ying looked up. The sky was bright and cloudless, endless blue.
Li Daoxuan had already closed the lid of the "box world," cutting off their view of him— even the short floating clouds that marked his presence had vanished.
No boss. No chains. Pure freedom.
What a wonderful place.
Zao Ying smiled. "In that case… I'll stay."
Cheng Xu's smile widened. "You're most welcome."
"So, what's my first job?"
"Well," he said, "you'll want to establish the cavalry camp first. Find a spot nearby suitable for a horse field—fence it off. Then talk to Shansier; he'll send laborers to build the barracks. If Tianzun happens to be in a good mood, He might even drop your camp from the heavens Himself. If not—eh, we'll build it slowly."
"Before the camp's done, your people can stay in my quarters. We're both military folk—one family now."
Zao Ying nodded. "Then I suppose the next step is… recruiting and training?"
"Exactly," Cheng Xu said. "Recruit your riders, raise your horses, train your troops. You know that better than anyone. Whatever resources you need, Shansier will provide."
Zao Ying cupped her fists. "Then I'll trouble you."
Trivia:
The word "mintuan" (民團) literally means "people's militia." In late Ming history, such groups often began as local defense forces—only to evolve into small armies, bandit gangs, or even rebel factions, depending on who was feeding them. Gao Jiacun's mintuan sits right on that edge between peacekeeping and uprising.