Like those who smuggled salt, except the goods involved were more varied—mostly things strictly controlled by the government that commoners couldn’t easily obtain. Using the principle of rare goods commanding high prices, they could charge whatever they wanted.
Now, these three had come calling. Though they hadn’t directly stated that the person behind Wangqiu Pavilion was a smuggler, they were already certain of a connection to smugglers.
Mo Zi had to deny it to the end, if not for Qiu Sanniang’s sake, then for her own head.
“Those words are mistaken. What Flowing Water Autumn Frost—if you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t know at all. As I see it, the short swords worn by all the guard captains at Wangqiu Pavilion look about the same. I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood.” She absolutely wouldn’t admit it before being beaten to death.
“Then call the person here and let us ask!” The voice was like thunder on level ground—Brother Shi’s momentum was thunderous.
“All kinds of trade prospers in Luo Zhou. According to you, Flowing Water Autumn Frost swords can only pass through official merchants’ hands, which means they also aren’t necessarily impossible to buy and sell. When a family rises and falls, good things end up among the common people, obtained by those with opportunity—is that some capital crime?” Mo Zi wasn’t stupid—of course she wouldn’t speak so definitively as to leave no room for maneuvering.
“Damn it, you’ve said everything there is to say!” Brother Shi huffed and puffed indignantly. Bang—he slapped the table.
The wine pot jumped twice. The cup before Mo Zi that had just been filled by someone splashed out more than half its contents, staining a patch of the brocade blue tablecloth beneath the cup dark.
Cen Er had already been feeling guilty on behalf of his elder brother. When that big stone roared so fiercely, though he tried his best not to show astonishment, his gaze drifted here and there, looking at those opposite one moment and at Mo Zi the next, his mind unsettled.
Zhong An saw this and raised his thick eyebrows triumphantly. “Young brother, you’re quite composed, but unfortunately others aren’t like you.” His hand on the table pointedly raised an index finger.
Mo Zi glanced over casually. Cen Er had completely lost his usual clever appearance—his face looked guilty, his eyeballs kept spinning, and sweat appeared on his forehead. Truly brotherly affection made him lose composure from concern.
On the surface, her smile was as warm as a spring breeze, but under the table she kicked Cen Er with her foot, telling him to pull himself together.
“A perfectly upright, honest person, suddenly having you drag him into the crime of smuggling goods—so groundlessly, being scared silly isn’t the least bit strange.” Having said this, Mo Zi stood up, smoothing the back hem of her robe.
Was she leaving? The Second Young Master’s eyes flashed brilliantly.
Cen Er realized his loss of composure had created pressure from that side and regretted it endlessly. He followed Mo Zi in standing, but seeing her calm and composed, her expression serene through wind and rain alike, he couldn’t help but feel inwardly ashamed. The opposing party—who knew where they came from—just by their appearance had the proud bearing of high officials and nobles. Combined with soft and hard tactics in what they’d said, it made him not dare face them directly. Yet Brother Mo, clearly five or six years younger than him, didn’t panic when encountering problems, remaining calm and composed. Such bearing—who would imagine it came from a woman?
“Though you three have misunderstood, since you’ve come, make yourselves at ease. Wangqiu Pavilion’s dishes, while we don’t dare claim they’re the best in the world, are among the finest. Please eat a meal before returning. I don’t have authority to treat you, but I can arrange a discount at the counter.” Letting others eat—she was the one leaving.
She called to Cen Er.
Cen Er responded repeatedly, saying he’d give a twenty percent discount, and simultaneously shook the bell cord to summon staff upstairs to take the guests’ orders.
Mo Zi’s hands went to open the door. In the blink of an eye, she’d already pulled open a gap.
Zhong An wanted to stand and make her stay. Brother Shi’s eyes glared like copper bells, veins bulging at his temples—he was about to slap the table and curse. But in the end, neither of them moved.
Because the Second Young Master spoke.
“If you tell me the method to cross the river, I’ll certainly reward you handsomely.” Not begging, but weighty enough. “And what you say, I guarantee absolutely won’t leave this room, nor will it cause you or your proprietress the slightest trouble. It will just be—you know, I know.”
Mo Zi’s form paused. At an angle no one could see, she made a face and stuck out her tongue. Turning back, her eyes narrowed to slits. “A handsome reward of ten taels of silver?”
Zhong An laughed hearing this—who said not to bring up past matters?
The Second Young Master, seeing her stop in her tracks, was even more certain his thinking was correct. Even if this fellow wasn’t involved with smuggled goods, he knew the route to make connections.
“Zhong An, bring it here.” He tapped the table surface.
Zhong An quickly took out a stack of banknotes from his chest, extracted one, and placed it on the table.
“This is one hundred taels.” The Second Young Master kept his eyes directly on Mo Zi throughout. The mocking expression was gone, replaced by sharpness and tenacity. “As long as you agree, I can give it to you immediately. If you’re willing to make arrangements for us in advance, I can give you another hundred taels. Two hundred taels of silver—you only need to sell some information. This time, surely you won’t consider it too little?”
So he thought last time she didn’t want the ten taels because it was too little? Mo Zi suddenly wiped away her slippery smile completely.
“Yes, I really do consider it too little. How about trying a thousand taels?” Under this strictly hierarchical system, she really wanted to say: Does having money make you so great?
“Boy, quit while you’re ahead. With that frame of yours, this grandpa could send you to meet the Western Buddha with one finger.” Brother Shi roared.
“I wanted to quit, but you won’t let me.” Her attitude had been very proper just now—she’d been so conscientiously planning to leave. “I already said you misunderstood, that we’re honest people doing legitimate food business. If you really don’t believe it, go report to the authorities. Instead you bring up handsome rewards. I’d like to take this silver. Who doesn’t love gleaming white stuff? Two hundred taels would be enough for me to start my own business, buy a small courtyard, and live a good life. It’s just that I don’t know any method to cross the river without a travel permit, and I can’t make up nonsense to deceive you. Then you’d report me to the authorities, implicate my proprietress, and I’d get in legal trouble myself. Can two hundred taels preserve my small life?”
“But…” He couldn’t continue—the burly man had a big temper but wasn’t good at verbal sparring.
“Let’s end this here. I see you gentlemen don’t lack silver. Just go properly to the government office, pay your money, and arrange for permits. Why risk danger just to save that bit of money?” At the end, Mo Zi even urged them toward virtue.
Turning around, her foot stepped three inches beyond the door.
“The compensation can be negotiated.” A pleasant, mellow voice that made ears tingle. “Two days from now at this time, I’ll still be at Wangqiu Pavilion. You have time to think it over clearly. What I said before is absolutely genuine—this matter, you know and I know. Whether it works out or not, it won’t involve the authorities. If your information is accurate, even if we truly can’t cross the river, I won’t pursue it or demand the silver back. However you look at it, for you this is a business that’s sure profit with no loss.”
This time, Mo Zi didn’t turn around.
Cen Er hurried to catch up from behind, using his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “Those people are excessively difficult to deal with.”
Mo Zi didn’t speak, but she agreed with Cen Er. Just from one of her careless small movements, just from a short sword at Chief Manager Cen’s waist, they could press forward directly, seeing through almost everything.
“Should we report this to the proprietress?” His original intention had been not to report, but now because of the other party’s unusualness, Cen Er found it hard to decide. Thinking of them coming again in two days made his scalp tingle.
“I’ll report it when I return. It’s because the other party has sharp eyes—can’t blame anyone else.” This was a major matter—she had to tell Qiu Sanniang.
“Or we could fish some profit from them. I see that person saying he’d keep the secret didn’t seem like a lie.” Cen Er, who managed accounts, was sensitive to money.
“Smuggling goods is a serious crime—how can we easily trust people we don’t know inside and out?” Mo Zi was very cautious about this matter.
“Brother Mo, should I send people to investigate?” Cen Er wanted to use some methods to understand the other party’s background.
“The one in charge is a nephew of Consort Wei’s family from Prince Jing’s Manor, from the capital. I’m afraid your subordinates absolutely couldn’t escape that party’s eyes—forget it.” Mo Zi somewhat understood that Second Young Master’s identity, yet didn’t fully understand it.
“Connected to the capital’s Prince Jing’s Manor? Good heavens.” Cen Er exclaimed repeatedly in surprise.