The night water was restless, persistently striving to flow forward. The splashing sounds, light and slow, rhythmic—listening to them brought stillness to the heart.

Under the moonless, star-sparse night sky, this was a remote waterway, wilderness on both banks.

Four days until New Year’s Eve—even boat families without relatives or friends wouldn’t spend the New Year on such a wild river.

Yet there was a boat on the river.

A lantern hung at both bow and stern. From afar, they weren’t much brighter than a firefly’s tail. Looking closely, the distance between the head and tail lanterns was quite far—clearly a rather large cargo ship.

On such a large ship, no human voices were heard, no human shadows seen. The pitch-black sail matched the night’s color. How could one say this wasn’t eerie?

But even eerier was what followed behind—behind this ship. About one or two li away, there was a small cluster of trees, drifting along the water’s edge with the current. When the cargo ship went faster, the trees drifted faster. When the cargo ship slowed, the trees slowed.

The cargo ship’s movements were already very cautious, never imagining that those trees were merely camouflage—actually, behind the branches were several pairs of eyes keeping it under inescapable surveillance.

The true form under the tree shadow was called Yongfu. From mast to hull, after camouflage treatment, on such a night, without telescopes or night-vision thermal detection equipment, its concealment was nearly perfect—not even a shadow existed.

Wind blew cold against Mo Zi’s cheeks. She had been standing in the crow’s nest for half a shichen already. Seeing the lanterns of the cargo ship ahead turn direction and disappear into a large patch of reeds, she memorized the location, nimbly climbed out of the barrel, agilely descended, feet touching ground without a single sound. Because she wasn’t wearing shoes.

“Brother Mo, is there movement?” Chou Yu’s voice was very low.

“It turned into the reeds—most likely there. Advance another half li, lower the sails, switch to belly oars. We’ll follow in.” After Mo Zi finished speaking, she put on her shoes, lifted the deck plank at her feet, and jumped down.

Finding the door, she pushed it open—a patch of brightness. The bottom cabin had lamps lit, naturally not leaking out.

Hua Yi, leading several Qianniu Guards, was resting and conserving energy on one side. Hearing the movement, their gazes immediately shot over. Seeing it was Mo Zi, they turned their heads away.

On the other side, Zan Jin and Ding Gou—one embracing a sword, one sleeping.

Yuan Cheng warmed his hands by the fire. Flames leaping, coating his gentle features with a layer of splendor. His eye color glowed golden. The black robe’s edges seemed embroidered with flame patterns, prostrating at his feet, making his noble bearing even greater. But his movements were very peaceful. He poured a cup of hot tea and passed it to Mo Zi.

“Yuan Cheng, Hongtu’s ship has entered the reeds. I’ve already had Chou Yu and the others follow in. However, what should we do next?” Mo Zi received it with both hands, exhaling comfortably.

Yuan Cheng went to look at the map on the table. “This is near Ge Village, isn’t it?”

Ge Village—one hundred li from the capital. Hongtu going upstream another forty li.

Mo Zi nodded in confirmation. “Forty li, took nearly four shichen—slower than a turtle.”

Why was the Yongfu secretly following Hongtu’s ship?

Several months ago, when Mo Zi went to Hongtu to obtain wood, she discovered some hollow wood inside and mentioned this matter to Yuan Cheng. Since then, Yuan Cheng had people watching Hongtu. Recently, Zeng Hai, who rarely went to the shipyard, had actually stayed several consecutive days, and security was tighter than usual. Yuan Cheng guessed they were planning some action and borrowed the Yongfu from Mo Zi for use. Sure enough, this afternoon, Zeng Hai personally boarded a new cargo ship and departed upstream on the Yajiang. After nightfall, he quietly turned into the Ge River.

As for why Yuan Cheng didn’t request official ships from the court—he feared alerting the enemy, and moreover, this matter wasn’t within his jurisdiction. He planned to act first and report later, so he could claim credit before the Emperor.

Claiming credit naturally meant coveting rewards.

What rewards?

He hadn’t thought it through yet. Still didn’t know. Take one step, then see.

In any case, having the Yongfu help was absolutely more reassuring and confidence-inspiring than calling official ships. Even a general’s main ship could be breached—those strutting military vessels really looked like paper tigers.

“With things loaded inside hollow wood, naturally they move slowly.” After Yuan Cheng let Mo Zi warm up, he pointed to the map to show her. “Within ten li radius of Ge Village there’s no human habitation. They chose to dock here—they must be meeting someone. Tell your people to be careful, absolutely cannot be discovered.”

“Not just loaded with things, but loaded with very heavy things.” What it was, they had already guessed—they needed to see it with their own eyes to be sure. “Don’t worry, the Yongfu has been refitted again. Any place Hongtu’s cargo ship can enter, the Yongfu can completely do so silently. Right under their noses, the other side might not necessarily discover us.” That last sentence was somewhat exaggerated.

Knock knock—knocking sounds.

Chou Yu stuck his head in. “Brother Mo, entered the reeds. The ship seems to have docked.”

Mo Zi excitedly said “Oh!” and was about to go up to look.

Yuan Cheng, seeing she didn’t look afraid at all, smiled. “Brother Mo is truly carefree on the water—fearing neither heaven nor earth.”

Mo Zi turned back, pulling him along. “Water can flow—I won’t encounter a dead end. How can I not be carefree? Zeng Hai always finds me displeasing, making me find him displeasing too. Now I might catch him red-handed—I’m just short of clapping for joy.”

One after another, they went up to the ship deck, crouching low in the darkness.

Yuan Cheng listened quietly. The Yongfu borrowed the sounds of wind and water to move. Being on the ship, he couldn’t hear oars cleaving water, but that stopped ship not far away creaked and groaned noisily.

“Without oars or sails, the ship can still move?” He had just heard her say they were going upstream.

“There are underwater oars. Fei Xia is leading people in rowing. Old Guan and Shui She are steering.” Mo Zi explained briefly, then turned her head to quietly call Zan Jin and Chou Yu. She didn’t order Ding Gou around unless he volunteered.

“Can you two hear clearly what they’re saying?”

The two listened for a short while, then simultaneously shook their heads. “Too far.”

Yuan Cheng looked at Hua Yi.

Hua Yi shook his head.

“Chou Yu, have Old Guan and them sail closer.” Just as Mo Zi finished saying this, torches lit up on Hongtu’s side—now they couldn’t get any closer.

“What do we do?” Shadows cannot see light. She was confident but not arrogant.

Yuan Cheng’s judgment was quick. “Mo Zi, can the Yongfu dock without being discovered by them?”

Mo Zi immediately understood he wanted to go ashore. Though the ship couldn’t get closer, the shore was overgrown with wild grass—very easy to hide people. Though she and Yuan Cheng had known each other for quite a while, acting together like this was their first time. She had thought his intelligence lay in political maneuvering, not expecting his practical application to be quite strong as well.

The Yongfu quietly docked.

“You stay on the ship.” Two voices, identical words.

“Without me as the official, even if you catch the thief, the thief won’t acknowledge it. You always get injured doing dangerous things. Better to stay on the ship.” Yuan Cheng said.

“Without me as the shipbuilder, if you catch the thief, the thief will cry injustice. I see you always avoid fighting scenes when possible. Tonight there’s a ninety percent chance of fighting—you should stay behind.” Mo Zi said.

Seeing the two mutually undermining each other, Hua Yi, whose status was second highest, said one sentence: “Go ashore together.”

In the end, only Old Guan and a few oarsmen boat hands were left behind. Everyone moved through the grass, and at the place closest to Hongtu’s cargo ship, they lay in wait.

The cargo ship lowered a sampan. Several people had already descended earlier, led by Zeng Hai and Chief Steward Wang. For Mo Zi and Yuan Cheng, this distance couldn’t clearly hear anything. But Hua Yi, Zan Jin, and those with good martial skills seemed to hear without problem.

“Zeng Hai is getting anxious. They probably agreed on something, but the person hasn’t appeared. He’s cursing over there.” Zan Jin was on Mo Zi’s left.

Ding Gou spoke coldly on her right. “The other person says boat gang people do business with integrity, they should arrive soon. Who says boat gang people definitely have integrity?” The last question was his own opinion.

Boat gang people? Weren’t they supposed to meet Great Qiu people? Mo Zi was slightly stunned—this was quite different from expectations.

“Listen and see—are they a gang smuggling goods?” she asked left and right.

Zan Jin waited quite a while before saying, “They stopped talking.”

Zeng Hai and his group were waiting. Mo Zi and her group were also waiting.

About half a shichen passed. Zeng Hai seemed to lose patience, said something to Chief Steward Wang, turned and walked toward the sampan.

Mo Zi immediately looked at Yuan Cheng, seeing him speaking in low tones with Ding Gou, then Ding Gou raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

At this moment, Zan Jin served as voice transmitter. “Zeng Hai says he won’t wait anymore, the stinking gang cheated his deposit. He wants to get it back.”

Mo Zi had just finished listening when Yuan Cheng, Hua Yi, and the others bent their bodies and rose from the grass, walking out.

“Boss Zeng.” Hua Yi even proactively greeted people.

Mo Zi was stunned. She didn’t understand Yuan Cheng’s plan in her heart. The other party hadn’t arrived yet—wasn’t this alerting the enemy? Moreover, they couldn’t be certain the hollow wood definitely contained iron or weapons. Zeng Hai, such a petty person who loved taking advantage—perhaps he was just smuggling some goods. And he hadn’t left the borders yet—not a single crime could be pinned on him.

She instinctively wanted to stand up following them, but was pressed down by Ding Gou and disdainfully glanced at sideways—the meaning was whoever moves is an idiot.

Though Ding Gou was arrogant, though he upheld Daoist non-action and often mocked her coldly and sarcastically, in such occasions, she believed he wouldn’t fail to distinguish priorities. So when he hinted she shouldn’t move, she didn’t move. Very quickly, she figured it out herself—both Zeng Hai and Chief Steward Wang regarded her as a thorn in their eyes. How could she appear openly?

She didn’t move, so Zan Jin, Chou Yu, and the others didn’t move either.

Of course, not moving didn’t mean not knowing. Because the firelight drew near, people also drew near—they could hear Chief Steward Wang asking Hua Yi for a code phrase.

Mo Zi thought this would surely expose them—surely it wouldn’t be “The Heavenly King covers the Earth Tiger, the Pagoda suppresses the River Demon,” would it?

“The sun rises over Mount Hua, the leopard leads the four directions.” Hua Yi’s answer, and without the slightest delay.

These eight characters—Mo Zi knew them. When Chen Er and the headquarters insider exchanged code phrases, they used these. Was Hua Yi randomly bluffing? Why use these eight characters? Zeng Hai only mentioned boat gang people, didn’t mention Chen Er. What was he thinking? Or rather, what was Yuan Cheng thinking?

She believed that the taciturn Hua Yi was merely the mouth—the brain was Yuan Cheng behind him.

After a long moment, Chief Steward Wang complained, “Why so late?”

Incredibly, they got it right!

“Apologies, the gang had some urgent matters. Second Master couldn’t get away, so he temporarily arranged for this humble one to come. In the rush, we were delayed.” Hua Yi seemed to be cupping his hands.

Hua Yi wore all-black athletic clothing. The Qianniu Guards behind him were even more solidly black and wore face coverings—impersonating boat gang members. When the other party was impatient, they could pass.

“Why do your subordinates wear face coverings?” Zeng Hai’s voice drew near, accompanied by firelight.

“The matter Boss Zeng entrusted to our Second Master cannot see light. Better to take precautions.” An ambiguous explanation, but Hua Yi wasn’t wearing a face covering, to settle the other party’s heart. Then he moved forward, and Yuan Cheng following behind him also moved forward.

The firelight began to move away again, footsteps going toward the ship.

At this moment, Ding Gou tugged Mo Zi, saying, “Follow.”

Yuan Cheng was in Hua Yi’s shadow, Mo Zi’s people were in Yuan Cheng’s people’s shadows—this was called bold opportunistic exploitation.

Walking at the very front, Zeng Hai and Chief Steward Wang were completely unaware. The net to catch them had opened. The spider lurked behind, waiting for a full meal.