For smugglers, their routes were more valuable than life itself. Once they controlled a secret passage unknown to others, money would flow endlessly. Therefore, they were most averse to bringing others along. As far as Mo Zi knew, the most formidable smugglers in this trade generally passed their business from father to son, treating their routes like family heirlooms passed down through generations. As for how many lives it cost to develop new routes, it was better not to think about it. Although both banks of Jingyu Rapids weren’t littered with white bones, the riverbed certainly had its share. Countless people had ventured forth successively to brave the dangerous cliffs and waters—if it were truly easy to develop, it wouldn’t remain a smuggling route.
However, Mo Zi was ruthless. She wanted the entire route, not like Xiao Er back then who had only brought a few people across the border.
She was determined to bring the ship to Daqiu. She would never abandon the ship and place her life in the hands of smugglers. Moreover, this mission was to rescue the Yuling Crown Prince, whom Daqiu considered their most important hostage—not some disgraced former chancellor whom Nande already considered dead. Simply sneaking in a few dozen skilled fighters would never allow them to escape unscathed. Daqiu was not Nande either; under the iron cavalry, their fortified cities were impregnable, and perhaps only the waterways offered gaps to exploit. Besides, she should play to her strengths. Apart from shipbuilding and working with wood, she really had nothing else worth presenting.
“I’ll add ten more gold ingots for you.” With the silver Yuan Cheng had given her, she spoke with full confidence.
“Even adding a hundred ingots won’t work. I said no, and it means no.” Qiao Laosi stared longingly at the gold he had tossed away, his heart aching. The fine wine that had been at his lips had just flown away.
Mo Zi walked toward Qiao Laosi.
Qiao Laosi didn’t let his guard down just because she was a woman. “What are you doing? Stop right there!”
Mo Zi naturally didn’t stop. “Even if the three brothers you want to compensate are on my ship, you still won’t take this job?”
“Even if the Heavenly King himself were there, I wouldn’t do it.” Qiao Laosi turned and ran toward the building, forcefully slamming the door shut.
Mo Zi entered the temple and searched inside and out. As expected, the man had already fled. She wasn’t anxious though. She searched for where he had escaped from and finally discovered a deep underground passage beneath the Earth God statue.
“Why run? I don’t know martial arts, yet he can wield a staff. So cowardly like a mouse—he’s probably gotten used to fleeing when frightened.” She muttered to herself as she walked outside the temple, then shouted that the person had run away and told everyone to take their positions. Then she sat and waited.
A commotion arose from Chouyu’s direction. Immediately after, Zan Jin and Ding Gou flew into the small courtyard before the temple, standing on her left and right behind her.
“Not going to help?” Mo Zi wanted to ensure complete success.
“If they can’t even catch someone whose martial skills are half-废, what revenge can they speak of?” Ding Gou remained perfectly still, though his ears listened for any movement.
“Martial skills half-废?” Only then did Mo Zi understand why Qiao Laosi was afraid even when she approached just a few steps.
“Yesterday I noticed his right hand trembling badly; he mostly uses his left hand.” Zan Jin had also noticed.
The sounds of fighting soon ceased. Before long, Chouyu dragged Qi Laosi forward by the collar and pushed him closer. Shuishe and Feixia closed the main gate.
“You old scoundrel, can’t even hold a staff steady, yet you actually slipped out through the outhouse—what an achievement.” Chouyu cursed furiously, “Back then I learned staff techniques from you, but now you can’t even counter your own moves. You’ve become pathetic!”
“Master Yu San, my right hand is crippled—how can I still use a staff? Poling boats and pulling sails to have a meal to eat, I’m grateful to heaven for that.” Qi Laosi knelt on the ground, looking pitifully at Chouyu. “That black-hearted bastard Yu Zhong actually told everyone that you three brothers were dead, and the deputy gang leader became the gang leader. But I knew it—you three masters have heaven’s blessing and wouldn’t be caught by King Yama’s little demons so easily.”
Chouyu kicked Qi Laosi in the back, not believing his words at all. “Damn it, can a dog’s mouth spit out ivory? Even taking your dog life wouldn’t be satisfying enough. I treated you well back then, yet you helped that Yu bastard frame me for murder. All these years I’ve dreamed of you, wondering what great benefit you received that could compare to how well I treated you. Turns out you just wanted to live like a rat, scurrying through broken tiles and bricks, shamelessly owing people wine money. I bet you owe plenty of gambling debts too. A few dozen taels? A few hundred taels? But you’re not worried—Yu Zhong wipes your ass for you. Without even this special treatment, wouldn’t you have died at a loss?”
Qi Laosi rolled on the ground crying out, sweating from the pain, yet didn’t dare complain. “Master San, spare my life. Back then I was blinded by greed, stupid as death, and didn’t know Yu Zhong wanted to frame you for murder. If I had known, I would never have done it even if it killed me. Yu Zhong is no good—after becoming gang leader, he nearly wiped out all those loyal to the old gang leader. Also, those who were kept in the dark and became his accomplices, like me, those who followed you three masters, died mysterious deaths one by one. If I hadn’t crippled my own right hand and voluntarily requested to leave headquarters to do life-risking business for him, I’d probably be finished too. These years I haven’t had a good life—money comes and goes, and when I’m poor I’m no different from a beggar. When I have a bit of money, I’m afraid I won’t live to enjoy it, so I just spend it clean.”
“Besides drinking, you spent it all on these houses, right?” Mo Zi watched coldly as Chouyu disciplined Qi Laosi. Though violent and crude, she didn’t say a word of persuasion, because she could understand the feeling of being betrayed by someone you trusted. That kind of anger was hard to forget.
“Young mistress, please don’t add fuel to the fire. Yes, there are secret passages under these houses. As long as Yu Zhong sends people to kill me, I can escape from different exits. I don’t have much silver and it’s not good to hire people, so I did it all myself. Who knew you’d see through it and block it up tight.” All that busy work, all that hardship for nothing.
Chouyu chuckled. “That’s right. Your little tricks only embarrass yourself in front of our Brother Mo, though they might help you escape with your life against an idiot like Yu Zhong.”
“Qi Laosi, it seems you regret helping the tyrant and feel guilty toward Master Yu San. Since that’s the case, how about agreeing to help me with this job?” Mo Zi appealed to his emotions and reasoned with him, but she had already seen this person’s true nature clearly.
“If I were the ship boss, I’d say nothing more—you could just follow my ship. But I’m just a small fry who has to follow others’ orders. And we’re departing in three days—I can’t just say I’m not going and board your ship instead. The ship boss is a tough character, suspicious by nature, and would definitely suspect me. You don’t understand—in this business, at the slightest disturbance, people would rather lose money than take risks.” Qiao Laosi thought Mo Zi was an outsider.
“If you can’t make the decision, then take me to meet whoever can.” Mo Zi had other methods even if she couldn’t persuade this coward. “I don’t believe anyone would refuse silver.” Since he thought she didn’t understand, then she would be bold.
“No, no, if I randomly bring strangers to meet him, he’ll definitely kill me. This person is usually quite righteous enough, but he’s extremely strict with subordinates who break the rules. I personally watched him chop off the head of a brother he got along with quite well, without even blinking.” Qiao Laosi shook his head like a rattle drum.
“This won’t work, that won’t work—do you want me to just turn around and go home? This trip, we’ve staked everything we have. We can’t afford to fail.” Mo Zi spoke as if extremely troubled. “Do you know any other smugglers?”
“The smuggling routes to Yuling are all now controlled by the Whale Gang. If I can’t take you, others certainly won’t either. Besides, what kind of thing is this—taking a client’s ship along?” Qiao Laosi couldn’t imagine such a thing.
“Brother Mo, don’t waste words with him. What help can a small fry be? Let me just kill him and be done with it.” Chouyu turned back to borrow weapons from his two bosses.
“Fine. I see he treasures his life most—no wonder he would betray you brothers. Kill him then, it’ll count as small revenge.” Mo Zi smiled. Chouyu’s words came at just the right time—she wanted to threaten, but feared he wouldn’t take her seriously because she was a woman.
Before Qiao Laosi could pretend to be stubborn again, his neck felt icy cold. Looking down, he was so frightened his hair stood on end—the gleaming tip of the water-parting thorn pointed at his throat. He felt a pain, as if his skin had been pierced.
He immediately lost all courage and wailed loudly, “Don’t kill me, I’ll take you to see the ship boss. Three masters, spare Qiao Laosi’s life—I’ll definitely be useful in the future.”
Chouyu looked at Mo Zi. Seeing her nod, he withdrew the water-parting thorn, but viciously smacked Qiao Laosi on the head. “You old bastard, if you dare play any tricks, I don’t care if you’re useful or not—I’ll cut you into eight pieces and feed you to the fish. Now lead the way for us. Hurry!”
How could Qiao Laosi dare say no? He scrambled up and slunk away dejectedly.
Mo Zi watched as this hulking man with a fierce bearded face had no spirit whatsoever because he feared death, yet she couldn’t mock him. Life was precious—his choice to abandon justice, morality, loyalty, and dignity to preserve his life was his own choice.
The six people followed Qiao Laosi to a dock and stopped before a medium-sized cargo ship.
The cargo ship looked quite old but was well-maintained, entirely built of maple wood planks. When struck, it rang like heavy iron—very solid. It had twin masts with large square sails, a pointed bow, curved keel, high gunwales, and a narrow hull.
After Mo Zi finished looking, she was fairly certain this was probably the ship that ran smuggling operations.
Leaning against the ship’s side, two sturdy men were idly chatting. Noticing people stopping before the ship, their gazes swept over alertly, finally settling on Qiao Laosi’s face. Although they saw one of their own people, their expressions didn’t relax, nor did they initiate conversation.
“A’Zhu, is the boss in?” Qiao Laosi, secretly poked painfully by Chouyu, forced a stiff smile.
“Who are these people?” The man called A’Zhu answered with a question instead.
“Clients.” Qiao Laosi hastily said, “They want to speak directly with the boss.”
“Qiao Laosi, you’re not green either—don’t you know the rules? The boss isn’t someone you can see just by asking. You need to speak with the boss first.” A’Zhu was impatient, waving his hand to dismiss them. “The boss isn’t here. Make an appointment and come back.”
This was clearly a lie.
Qiao Laosi was caught in a dilemma. Finally, intimidated by the increased pressure Chouyu applied at his waist, he had no choice but to steel himself. “A’Zhu, aren’t we about to depart soon? The clients are anxious too. How about this—we’ll wait right here. You help me ask the boss—if he says he won’t see us, then we’ll let it go. However, this is a big—deal.”
A’Zhu listened, complained about the trouble, but still gave Qiao Laosi some face and turned to leave. Before long, he showed his face, muttered something to another person, lowered the sampan, then came down with an displeased expression to count heads.