Water Dragon Camp stirs up waves, while Wan Junshan establishes Wan Jin Escort Agency.
Eighteen Shadow Forts and Tempest Spire were in conflict on the waterways. Eighteen Shadow Forts treated all ships on the canal, whether government vessels or private merchant ships, as their own property.
It is said that in the backyard of Water Dragon Camp, a branch of Eighteen Shadow Forts in Bianjing, there is a jagged rockery. This rockery stands 9.9 m high. The peculiar stones of it are actually tribute stones offered by officials to the capital.
Shadow Forts have been intercepting tribute stones for a long time. Just a few days ago, when Imperial Commissioner of Palace Command Yang Zhi was escorting tribute stones, the leader of Water Dragon Camp, Qin Jianghan, led his men to intercept them.
I was on Rainbow Bridge that day and witnessed the process. I had just bought a Flatbread when I saw a white line on Bian River, dotted with black spots. Before I could figure out what they were, I heard a vendor exclaim, "Water Dragon Camp bandits are here." I realized that they were massive white waves carrying cargo boats and sampans, rushing towards the Rainbow Bridge. Two groups were battling.
Among them was a young hero, shouting, "Return tribute stones!"
A bandit retorted, "No way, I am Fang Shisan!"
I had learned some martial arts in my youth, allowing me to dodge the waves stirred by them. It's a shame my Flatbread fell into the water.
Eighteen Shadow Forts operate extensively. It wasn't just the government's tribute stones that suffered; wealthy merchant Wan Junshan also fell victim to them.
More than half of the cargo ships on the canal belong to Wan Junshan. It's only natural that Eighteen Shadow Forts would covet Wan Junshan.
For a period, Shadow Forts specifically targeted Wan's caravans. Wan Junshan dared not transport goods and instead reported their crimes to the authorities. But what could the government do? Thus, not only were Wan's goods robbed, but even the carts, horses, and ships used for transport were seized by Shadow Forts.
Wan Junshan was left in despair, with no one to turn to for help, thinking, "I've navigated the business world for years, dodging countless overt and covert attacks, only to fall into the hands of the Eighteen Shadow Forts today. As the saying goes, 'Money makes the world go round.' And 'It's better to rely on oneself than others.' I want to see whether my money is tougher than the bones of the Eighteen Shadow Forts!"
Wan Junshan recruited martial arts experts and established the Wan Jin Escort Agency to protect his caravans. He vowed to fight the Eighteen Shadow Forts to the end. At this very moment, the Wan Jin Escort Agency and the Eighteen Shadow Forts might be clashing on the Bian River.