“Miss, whether this business can be done, I can’t decide alone. After all, there are so many brothers. I can’t make them risk their lives with just one word. How about this—I’ll discuss it with them, and you wait here for a moment.” Without waiting for Mo Zi’s agreement, Wu Cheng called Qiao Laosi and went outside.
Chouyu was suspicious. “Brother Mo, could that fellow be playing tricks?”
Mo Zi watched those people go down to the cargo hold through the window, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Tricks? There will always be some. Chouyu, when we smuggled goods before, we had even more tricks than them.”
Chouyu laughed. “That’s true. I actually quite loved those days—so thrilling and free. Except for heaven, who could control us?”
Shuishe rarely expressed an opinion. “Brother Mo, be careful of being double-crossed.”
Zan Jin added, “Double-crossed? It’ll be us eating them. Brother Mo, am I right?”
Mo Zi smiled slightly, pondering Wu Cheng’s psychology. “Feixia, Shuishe, Chouyu, do you recognize this Wu Cheng?”
The three shook their heads.
“Don’t recognize him. But that Qiao Laosi fellow is unreliable—who knows, he might have sold us three brothers out.” Chouyu said.
“That Qiao Laosi has survived until today—do you think it’s really because he knows how to hide? Even the tavern owner knows where he lives. How far can he run after digging a tunnel?” Mo Zi faithfully observed the principle that caution ensures longevity. In other words, where suspicion was warranted, she thought more than anyone.
“You mean that old bastard deliberately lured us three brothers out?” Chouyu was furious. He had originally seen Qiao Laosi’s pitiful state and was thinking of letting it go.
“He himself might not know, but Yu Zhong’s intention to use him is obvious. Cleaning out all your parents’ people and silencing everyone who framed you—would such a vicious person spare Qiao Laosi just because he crippled his own right hand and left headquarters? Qiao Laosi fears death, and this point can be easily used by Yu Zhong to manipulate him. You three brothers are fugitives on the outside, undoubtedly his greatest worry, and he definitely wants to eliminate you quickly. The jianghu is both big and small. Rather than expending effort and manpower searching, why not wait for you to come knocking? As long as you three drift around and Qiao Laosi keeps traveling on hidden waterways, the chance of encountering each other is really not small. He calculated that you wouldn’t let Qiao Laosi off easily. Even if Qiao Laosi says nothing, they—” Mo Zi gestured with her mouth toward outside, “if they recognize you three brothers, they’ll naturally go report.”
“Then aren’t we walking into a trap?” Chouyu showed no fear whatsoever.
“That depends on whose luck is better.” When Mo Zi came to find Qiao Laosi, she already had plans in mind. “If their luck is good, then you three brothers will let Yu Zhong eradicate you completely. If our luck is good, then your parents’ great revenge will be conveniently avenged.”
“Following Brother Mo, I bet on my brothers’ good luck.” Chouyu looked outside. “Wu Cheng is coming up.”
“If he still insists on refusing, it means he hasn’t recognized you, and Qiao Laosi is trustworthy and usable. If he agrees, then it’s hard to say. But don’t worry—even if we can’t avenge you, we can still cross the river. After we finish the Emperor’s mission, we’ll seek justice for you. Just trust me.” When Mo Zi finished this sentence, she felt her heart heavy but solid.
In this spacetime where women’s power was negligible, she had ended the sense of superiority brought by rebirth and cautiously walked a long solitary path. At some unknown point, besides Doulü, more and more people became her concern. Looking back, she realized she was no longer lonely. People, while living for themselves, also needed to live for their companions. Such a life was actually stronger, more vigorous, more meaningful, as if the strength was inexhaustible. Therefore, the saying that humans are social animals was absolutely correct. Completely selfish people couldn’t go far or fly high. Completely selfless people would also harm themselves. Now seeing herself clearly and finding peace of mind was good enough.
Before Chouyu could speak, he looked deeply at Mo Zi, pounded his fist on his chest, trusting and grateful to her.
“Haven’t kept you waiting long, have I?” Wu Cheng laughed heartily, his attitude completely different from before. But he didn’t look much at Chouyu and the others, making it impossible to confirm whether he knew the three brothers’ identities.
Qiao Laosi’s expression also seemed quite happy, and it didn’t look fake.
Mo Zi felt uncertain inside but maintained her composure on the surface. “How did Boss Wu’s discussion with the brothers go?”
Wu Cheng held up four fingers in a gesture. “If Miss can pay this amount and guarantee it will absolutely not be leaked, we’ll break our rule for once. I won’t take so much for nothing either. Since I’m letting you follow the ship, I’ll definitely bring you into Yuling. But after we enter, I won’t be responsible anymore. Collect a hundred taels deposit first, then collect the remainder after entering the border. To convince the brothers, I spent quite a bit of breath. If you can’t pay this price, there’s no need to continue discussing the business.”
“Four hundred taels of gold?” Much harsher than how she had fleeced Xiao Er—she should have let him come along to see the going rate in this business.
“If Miss is hesitating, you can go back and discuss it with your elder brother and cousin. However, we’re departing the day after tomorrow. Once the departure date is set, we can’t wait for anyone.” Wu Cheng spoke as if this business could be done or not done.
“Hmm—is that so.” Mo Zi had originally been the one showing urgency, but now her tone became hesitant. “Two hundred taels of gold is already no small amount. If we add another two hundred taels, wouldn’t we profit much less from this single trip? It’s gold, not silver. Then—I should go back and discuss it with my elder brother and them.” Having said this, she called to everyone to leave.
Wu Cheng hadn’t expected that after her earlier insistence, she would back down over this. He thought privately that even if rice and flour sold at high prices over there, the quantity was limited after all—four hundred taels of gold for shipping fees might truly be too much.
“Miss, I don’t want to see you in difficulty. How about a final price of three hundred taels of gold.” He couldn’t speak too absolutely.
Mo Zi still frowned, opened her mouth then paused, finally biting her lip. “Three hundred then three hundred, but I have another requirement. Since you can enter Yuling, you must have someone making false household registers. I want you to get one for each person on my ship.”
“Miss is quite meticulous. However, Yuling is chaotic, not as strictly checked as in our Great Zhou where you need to show household registers for everything. As long as you can get in, you’re a person from there—currently no one cares at all.” Wu Cheng’s truthful words were still quite numerous.
“Then you can’t let me pay an extra hundred taels of gold for nothing. Before departure, you must give me a navigation chart of the waterway. If you don’t trust me, you can give it to the person you assign to my ship for safekeeping.” She was very skilled at dealing with this type of person, having once been in the same trade and understanding what to avoid and what to fight for.
“Fine.” Wu Cheng agreed readily. They were already following the ship anyway—sooner or later they’d know. Besides, having a chart without knowing the water current conditions, you’d still die when you should die. If smuggling routes were so easy for people to spy out their secrets, everyone would be making a fortune.
After agreeing on the date and meeting place, Wu Cheng personally escorted Mo Zi off the ship and told Qiao Laosi to accompany them further. Once he could no longer see Mo Zi and her group, he immediately had someone bring a fast horse and galloped alone toward the city.
When Mo Zi returned to her own ship, she was greeted by Xiao Er with an unpleasant expression and Zhong An making exaggerated facial expressions.
“Qiao Laosi, this is my elder brother, and the one behind him is our family’s accountant.” She was unaffected by Xiao Er’s mood.
“Young Master.” Qiao Laosi took one look—no wonder they dared risk crossing the river. The visitor was handsome and imposing, his dark blue robe fitting tightly on his body, his eyes piercing and spirited. The accountant behind was refined and elegant, clearly an intelligent person. Thinking again how even capable men like the three Lu brothers were willing to be employed, this voyage might not be so pessimistic after all.
Xiao Wei had already sized up Qiao Laosi completely when he was below the ship, so now he didn’t look at him again.
“When you disembark, you should at least tell me.” She had made him worry all morning.
“Chouyu, take Qiao Laosi for a tour. We’re departing the day after tomorrow—let him look things over in advance. Whatever is lacking, supplement it. Don’t delay the schedule.” While speaking, she gave Chouyu a meaningful look.
Chouyu understood in his heart, agreed, and left.
“Departing the day after tomorrow?” Zhong An wasn’t prepared, thinking it would take some more time. “Could it be you’ve already found connections?”
“Someone is going to Yuling and agreed to let us follow their ship.” She didn’t want to explain the specific process.
“What kind of person?” After Xiao Wei asked, he immediately knew the answer. “Smugglers.”
Mo Zi shrugged. “Besides them, who else could go from Great Zhou?”
Seeing Qiao Laosi nearby, she raised her volume slightly. “Elder Brother, we agreed to pay the deposit tomorrow, one hundred taels.”
“That’s not expensive.” The accountant was very generous.
“One hundred taels of gold as deposit.” She continued to add, “The full amount is three hundred taels, gold.”
Zhong An opened his mouth. After a long while, he closed it. Not a sound.
“Is it reliable?” Xiao Wei also understood very well that at this time, how much silver or gold didn’t matter.
“Unreliable.” Qiao Laosi had walked over to the stern, so Mo Zi could speak freely. “There are no reliable smugglers—otherwise they wouldn’t dare take this line of work.”
“Brother Mo is very reliable.” When Xiao Wei said this, his gaze fell on the water surface behind Mo Zi.
Mo Zi laughed. “Never thought I’d hear you praise me one day.”
“I’m not exactly praising you, just stating facts. As for the smuggling trade, that’s even less worthy of praise.” Xiao Wei wouldn’t admit he had personal feelings. “You say the person you found is unreliable. Exactly how unreliable?”
“We might be killed before even reaching shore.” She maintained her smile, both teasing and serious simultaneously.
This time, it was Xiao Wei’s turn to be speechless.
“There’s another possibility—that we kill them, if we prepare well.” First say the bad news, then the good news. “Double-crossing each other—it’s about who’s shadier.”
“I believe that if you’ve already decided to follow their ship, we probably have no other choice.” With life and death possibilities at fifty-fifty each, he became calm because of her calmness.
“Finding others won’t be better than them. All smuggling routes are under the Whale Gang’s control—either way it’s all their operation. Although these people are quite capable, are the people on our ship vegetarians? If we can’t even handle a shipful of smugglers, how can we rescue anyone?” She had originally wanted to test their strength—having people deliver themselves was a good thing.
Xiao Wei heard this and agreed.
Two days later after nightfall, on the river surface at Shiduan Gorge, the two ships connected and quietly sailed toward Yuling.