"Qinghe's Prosperity, He Wu..."
About five miles outside the city, the convoy unfurled its great banner. The vanguard cleared the path ahead, shouting loudly.
Qinghe Xinglong was the security agency's trade name, and "He Wu" was the escort's call, signifying a desire for harmony and peaceful coexistence.
On one hand, it boosted their morale; on the other, it served as an advance notice to any bandits or mountain thieves lying in ambush, a request for safe passage.
The convoy consisted of over sixty people. Excluding the cart drivers, attendants, and servants, at least two-thirds were capable fighters.
They were all adult men; there wasn't a single woman among them.
The rule of not bringing women along in high-risk professions like sailors or escorts was an age-old tradition.
