Mo Sang – CH 216

Chapter 216. Silk

Jianle City was quiet at night.

The Qingning Palace was brightly lit.

Gu Jin finished reviewing a tall pile of memorials, put down his pen, and slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on several unopened letters beside the long desk. His brows furrowed slightly.

“Where is Grand Master?” Gu Jin asked after a moment.

“Yes, sir.” Grand Master Cao stepped forward from the shadows beside the pillar.

“Any news from the Boss?” Gu Jin asked after a moment of silence.

“The last news was in the middle of the third month. The Boss went to Nanyang, and after that, there was no news,” Grand Master Cao replied, his hands hanging down.

Gu Jin slowly hummed in agreement.

He had known about this news since late in the third month, and now, another month had passed. She was like a drop of water merging into a great river, vanishing without a trace.

Gu Jin looked again at the unopened letters.

The Shizi always asked him in his letters, “Where had she gone? Was she alright?

Where did she go?”

Good, she must be alright.

“Should I…” Grand Master Cao glanced at Gu Jin every so often, speaking cautiously.

“No need. First, we might not be able to find her. Second, it has only been a month or so; it is nothing. I was just asking casually,” Gu Jin said slowly.

“Yes.” Grand Master Cao felt relieved and nodded.

He was extremely reluctant to keep tabs on the Boss’s whereabouts. People like them hated being constantly watched.

He respected the Boss greatly.

……………………

In Huangmei County, Meng Yanqing counted the days, each one feeling like a year, growing increasingly anxious with each passing day.

More than half a month had passed since the Boss crossed the river. What if something happened to her…

Meng Yanqing dared not think any further. Datou, Mazha, and the other two were fishing and catching shrimp every day, eating this and that—utterly heartless! No one else dared to say a word, not even Old Dong. Everyone was watching him; if he showed any sign of anxiety, morale would collapse.

Meng Yanqing, alone and seething with anxiety, developed a ring of oily blisters around his lips.

He endured the days until the last day of the fourth month. Early in the morning, before dawn, Meng Yanqing, along with Dong Chao and about ten others, left the north gate of the county town. They squatted in a row on the railing of the first pavilion, Wuli Pavilion, gazing north with longing eyes.

Around noon, a long convoy of large carts, fully loaded with goods, approached.

Meng Yanqing stared blankly at the convoy; he was waiting for Da Chang, not the carts.

Dong Chao and the other dozen or so men squatted on either side of Meng Yanqing, idly counting the carts one by one.

Although the number of caravans in Huangmei County was increasing daily, such a long convoy was still a rare sight.

Moreover, this caravan, fully loaded with goods and completely covered in tarpaulins, had no guards or bodyguards, only one coachman per cart. Were they carrying wheat or straw? Were they not afraid of theft or robbery?

Sigh, for the past two weeks, boredom and frustration had taken their toll. This morning, Meng had summoned them here, and they’d been squatting here ever since. What were they doing here? They had no idea!

For the past two weeks, Meng had been in a terrible mood, extremely irritable. They dared not ask or say much. They were just waiting; they would find out when the time was right.

In their line of work, to survive long, not knowing what one should not know was more important than being physically skilled.

A long caravan passed by Meng Yanqing. The coachman of the first carriage waved to him. “Old Meng!”

“Who? Hey!” Meng Yanqing did not finish his call before recognizing Da Chang. He leaped down from the railing and rushed forward.

Dong Chao and the others followed behind Meng Yanqing, forming a long line as they rushed towards the caravan.

“This is…” Meng Yanqing waved a hand towards the back of the caravan.

“Get on the cart first.” Da Chang gestured to Meng Yanqing and Dong Chao.

Xiao Lu peeked out from under Da Chang’s armpit, beaming and waving at Meng Yanqing and Old Dong.

Meng Yanqing jumped down next to Da Chang and waved, saying, “Old Dong, sit in the back. You guys sit in the back of the cart.”

Dong Chao called out, ran a couple of steps after the cart, pushed the tarpaulin covering it further in, jumped onto the cart, shifted his weight, and settled in. The cart lurched, and Dong Chao leaned back, but he did not lean on anything; he fell backward into the tarpaulin, then tumbled off the cart from the other side.

“Old Dong, what happened…” Meng Yanqing turned around and saw the empty cart under the torn tarpaulin. He immediately turned to Da Chang. “What?”

“Is Old Dong alright? Quickly cover him up again.” Before Da Chang could finish speaking, Xiao Lu was already laughing, climbing to the back to re-cover the tarpaulin.

Dong Chao, his face flushed red from the fall, scrambled to his feet with surprising agility, dusted himself off, and hurried to catch up with the cart. He lifted the tarpaulin and peered into the empty vehicle.

“Damn it…”

“Get in.” Xiao Lu squatted beside the cart, extending his hand to Dong Chao. Dong Chao grasped Xiao Lu’s hand, using the leverage to get back into the cart.

“Where’s the place the Boss told us to go? Are we going into town?” Da Chang asked, looking at the fork in the road ahead.

“No, not into town; head east.” Meng Yanqing pointed the way, then turned to Dong Chao. “Old Dong, if you are going into town, go back and tell everyone to get ready and wait for my call.”

Dong Chao agreed, jumped off the cart, waved to Da Chang and the others, and strode back towards the county town.

“How many carts are there? Are they empty?” Meng Yanqing twisted his head, craning his neck to look behind him. The convoy was indeed quite long.

“We were in a hurry, so we found these carts, about a hundred or so, all empty. They are supported by bamboo poles to avoid detection. That’s what the Boss ordered.” Da Chang said, driving the carts, turning onto a side road leading east of the county town, bypassing it.

“Preparing to transport silk?” Meng Yanqing frowned. “The Boss crossed the river, and it has been almost half a month now! Not a single word. Look at my mouth; I am so anxious! And now, all these carts have arrived. Boss?”

“If we do not get the carts here, what will happen to the silk?” Da Chang glanced at Meng Yanqing.

“I am worried about the Boss! Silk, please!” Meng Yanqing glared at Da Chang, annoyed.

“The Boss went to buy silk; it has only been half a month. What’s the rush?” Da Chang remained calm.

He had witnessed his Boss’s abilities many times before; his Boss was not so easily harmed. Besides, his Boss was going to buy silk, not kill someone.

“That’s true. Only half a month!” Meng Yanqing paused, then let out a long sigh. “I guess I am a bit too close to the situation to see clearly. Yes, the Boss went to buy silk. If she had bought silk in Hangzhou, she would have just arrived there by now. Hey! East, east!”

Meng Yanqing gave directions, and Da Chang drove the cart. It was not until after dark that the long convoy reached the outskirts of Guidun Town.

Seeing the long convoy in the distance, three or four men carrying lanterns rushed forward.

“Shopkeeper, would you like to stay at our place? Come and take a look! It is a genuine old establishment, clean and tidy. Come and see for yourself; I guarantee you will love it!”

“Shopkeeper, in our Guidun Town, there’s only one old inn, the Tong Family Old Inn. There are a few new inns in Guidun Town, but the old, authentic one is our Tong Family Old Inn!”

“Shopkeeper, I can tell you are an expert. You surely know our Tong Family Old Inn; that’s the real deal!”

“Shopkeeper, why not stay at our place? Come and see! Our head chef cooks excellent food, a master chef hired from Tongcheng Prefecture. I guarantee you will be satisfied!”

…

“Thank you all, thank you so much! We’ve been coming and going from the Tong Family Old Inn. Where’s Innkeeper Tong?” Meng Yanqing jumped out of the cart and called out loudly.

“Coming, coming! Oh, Manager Meng! It is you! You said you’d be back in ten days or half a month, and you really did! Please come in, please come in! Oh, Manager Meng, your business is booming, with all these carts! And they are all big ones!”

“Manager Meng, this is big business!” Innkeeper Tong trotted out to greet him, his eyes crinkling with joy at the sight of the long convoy. “Manager Meng, please come in first. I will arrange the carts; do not worry, do not worry! Our Guiguang Town may not have much else, but we have plenty of space!” Innkeeper Tong warmly ushered Meng Yanqing inside.

“Oh, do not mention business; our Boss is sick!

It’s not a serious illness. Yesterday, he was sweating profusely and, taking advantage of his youth and strength, took a cold shower, which aggravated his condition. He developed a fever this morning.

“Quickly prepare a superior room, preferably a suite, so our master can rest for a few days. He can only rest for a few days; we will continue our journey once he’s recovered.” Meng Yanqing gestured to Da Chang, who was wrapped in a blanket and curled up in the carriage.

“Yes, yes, yes! Do not worry! Xiao San’er! Tell Mother to quickly make a pot of scallion soup and tell her that the head manager has caught a cold. Go quickly! Where’s Old Zhao? Take Manager Meng and the Master inside, hurry!” “

Meng Yanqing and Xiao Lu, one on each side, helped Da Chang, who was wrapped in a blanket, his legs bent to about the same height as an average person, slowly inching his way into the main room.

There were simply too many carts. Innkeeper Tong, after bringing Meng Yanqing and the others in, immediately went to another inn next door with whom they had a good relationship, placing half of the carts there. This business had to be shared by both inns.

Meng Yanqing helped Da Chang into the main room, then immediately came out to watch the carts being pulled into the two courtyards, arranged them in a circle, and assigned Yunmeng Guards to take turns guarding them. He then checked the mules again, arranged the food and lodging for the coachmen, and inspected the area one last time before entering the main room.

Da Chang’s caravan consisted of two strong mules per cart, plus dozens more as spares, totaling two to three hundred mules. Driving them into the stables and washing and feeding them kept the managers and staff of both inns busy until midnight.

The owner of the Chang family business, brought by Manager Meng, had developed a fever and chills from a cold shower. It was not serious; the next day, although he did not leave the inn, his appetite was excellent.

Innkeeper Tong, who had been worried, was relieved.

While deaths were inevitable in a large inn, they were also the most taboo thing.

Early the next morning, before Innkeeper Tong went to the main room to inquire about the situation, he heard from the waiter that a large amount of breakfast had been sent in, and not a single drop was left. Innkeeper Tong was completely relieved; if he could eat, the illness could not be serious!

The following night, a man dressed in black sneaked into the Tong family’s old inn. He quickly hid beside a group of carts, reached into the oilcloth, twirled his hand in the empty fabric, and pressed it against the cart bed. He hesitated, wondering whether to crawl inside, when he glanced up and saw an old Yunmeng Guard patrolling by. He hurriedly waved his hand frantically.

“Hey!”

“Old man… I will take him in. It is alright, it is alright. There are many of us; they will not recognize him.” The old Yunmeng guard saw Hei Ma and immediately wanted to ask how the Boss was doing, but he swallowed the question halfway through and led Hei Ma into the superior room where Meng Yanqing and Da Chang were.

Meng Yanqing opened the door, saw Hei Ma at a glance, and breathed a sigh of relief. “Boss?”

“She will be back tomorrow,” Hei Ma said casually, squeezing under Meng Yanqing’s arm into the room, and pounced on the table, grabbing a cup in one hand and lifting the teapot from the warm stove with the other, drinking cup after cup of tea.

“How much did the Boss buy? I only brought about a hundred carts; is that enough?” Da Chang asked in a low voice after watching Hei Ma finish a pot of tea in one go.

“I do not know; the Boss did not say, just told us to wait at that place tomorrow night.” Hei Ma stretched his neck and burped. “Is there anything to eat?”

“Have something to eat first.”

Xiao Lu had been waiting with a plate of cloud-shaped cakes and immediately stuffed it into Hei Ma’s hands.

Hei Ma ate it in a few bites, and Meng Yanqing went out with an empty teapot, then brought back another pot of hot tea.

“Over there, over there, the garrison commander’s house,” Hei Ma beckoned to Da Chang, Xiao Lu, and Meng Yanqing to come closer, whispering in their ears.

Meng Yanqing’s eyes widened.

Da Chang and Xiao Lu remained calm. Neither of them knew anything about the term “garrison commander.” A garrison commander sounded like an official. Anyone who could do this kind of business must be an official; they had already figured that out.

“Hehe,” Hei Ma chuckled smugly, “Today, or rather yesterday, it is already past the hour of Zi¹. Yesterday morning, the Boss told me to go out of the city, cross the river, and come back. She told me to get ready, saying that tonight, the boat will arrive soon, and she, Old Lu, and my sister Lin will be coming back by boat.”

“They do not know; the water over there is really good. Chuantiao would definitely love it,” Hei Ma smacked his lips. “Anything else you want to ask? If not, I am going to sleep. I swam all the way from Jiangzhou City; I am exhausted!”

“Go to sleep,” Da Chang gestured to Hei Ma.

“Chuantiao and the other two know the way. Shall we meet them directly at the destination?” Meng Yanqing whispered to Da Chang, discussing the matter.

Seeing Da Chang nod, Meng Yanqing continued, “Last time, that family left the inn around noon. Should we leave around that time, too? It is not far; we can get there in half a day. Arriving too early is not good.”

“So, tomorrow, still wrapped in blankets? It is settled then. I will have Old Wei go back now and have Old Dong and the others arrive early to spread out warnings.”

Meng Yanqing went out and called Old Wei to the next room.

……………………

The next day, as darkness fell, the caravan stopped at the spot where the Jingzhou merchant group had previously stopped. They reorganized the caravan, and Da Chang, leading the two mules of the lead cart, followed behind Hei Ma along the trodden path to the place where the Jingzhou merchant group had unloaded their goods.

The crescent moon was dim and thin at the beginning of the month, and starlight spilled across the riverbanks. Large, dark boats, one after another, glided silently across the water and docked at the shore.

As the gangplank slid off the boat, Li Sangrou jumped ashore, waving to Meng Yanqing and Da Chang. “Load it onto the carts, quickly!”

Meng Yanqing waved urgently, directing the Old Yunmeng Guards to step forward one by one, passing bundles of silk, five bolts at a time, from the boats onto the carts.

Once one boat was empty, it rowed away from the shore, heading back to the opposite bank.

Eight boats and about a hundred carts, ten of which were empty, headed straight for Huangmei County.

“Go back with Da Chang, unload the goods, and come back,” Li Sangrou gestured to Lin Sa.

“Alright,” Lin Sa replied, quickly following Da Chang.

She was utterly bewildered.

In the middle of the night, Master Lu suddenly woke her, took her outside, and said it was time to go back. She and he first boarded a small boat, then a larger one, where she saw Li Sangrou. She was forbidden to speak the entire way. And so, she followed her, carrying seven or eight boatloads of silk, across the river and back!

The silk, bought as promised, was bought just like that!

This was not business; it was magic!

“Old Meng, pick twenty men to go with Da Chang and deliver the silk back. Once you reach Jianle City, immediately return the same way,” Li Sangrou then instructed Meng Yanqing.

“Alright!” Meng Yanqing agreed, selecting Dong Chao and his small team to escort the silk back to Jianle City. The group followed the caravan, arriving outside Huangmei County at the crack of dawn. Da Chang, Dong Chao, and others escorted the caravan around the city, while Li Sangrou and her group entered Huangmei County.

The next morning, Meng Yanqing and his men split into three groups, heading towards Qianshan and further towards Huaining and Tongcheng to hire carts and manpower and purchase strong mules and donkeys.

Half a month later, Meng Yanqing and his men, leading four or five hundred carts, returned to Huangmei County. After resting for two days, they headed straight for the riverbank from outside Huangmei County.

Nearly five hundred carts, fully loaded with silk, were escorted by Meng Yanqing, Hei Ma, Xiao Lu, and Mazha, along with the Old Yunmeng Guards, and set off overnight to return to Jianle City.

As instructed by Li Sangrou, Lu Hepeng and Chuantiao remained in Huangmei County to guard the city, while Li Sangrou, with Datou, headed towards Ezhou City.