In the spring of the sixth year of Hongwu's reign, the imperial edict shocked the south of the Yangtze River: officials would provide food and accommodation for all people traveling to Beijing, and they were even allowed to take newly built steam merchant ships to the north.
Chen Yuan, a son from a poor family, clutched the imperial edict with trembling fingertips - wealthy businessman Zhou Yuanwaigang gave him two options: accept a hundred taels of silver notes and become a disciple of "Gongshi Village", or walk thousands of miles to starve to death on the side of the road.
Steam roared from the canal dock, and the iron beast-like hull split through the morning fog. Chen Yuan looked back at Mr. Zhou's vulgar face, tore the banknotes into pieces and threw them into the turbid waves.
"Chen needs to walk on Qingyun Road by himself!"
