Volume One, Chapter 33: Caught

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Inside a private room on the second floor of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, several oil lamps illuminated the room brightly. Li Fu, a trusted aide of Wen Tiren, sat in the seat of honor. Before him were several plates of appetizers and a pot of warmed wine.

“Has anything happened these past few days?” He lifted his wine cup and questioned a man dressed as a merchant seated below him.

The merchant wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Your Excellency, men from the East Depot have been checking accounts everywhere lately. All our shops…”

“What are you panicking about?” Li Fu glared at him. “Do what needs to be done.”

At that moment, footsteps sounded outside. A middle-aged man in a long silk robe entered the room.

“Manager Wen.” Li Fu rose with a smile. “Do you have any news?”

Manager Wen glanced around and lowered his voice. “Your Excellency, that shipment is ready.”

“Excellent.” Li Fu nodded. “Sit down and tell me more.”

Manager Wen took a seat nearby and poured himself a cup of wine. “It is just that… the atmosphere in the city has grown tense lately, and those soldiers…”

“What is there to fear?” Li Fu let out a cold laugh. “With His Excellency shielding us from above, who would dare lay a hand on us?”

The merchant cut in, “But… I heard the court has already dispatched Zheng Zhilong…”

“Shut your mouth!” Li Fu slammed his palm onto the table. “Are you fit to speak of such matters?”

Manager Wen hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “Please calm yourself, Your Excellency. Old Zhu is only worried and has lost his head.”

Li Fu snorted and poured himself another cup of wine. “Enough. Let us discuss business. When can the shipment be sent out?”

“Three days from now, it can be put to sea. However…”

“However what?”

“I heard there are more patrol boats on the waters. I fear that…”

“It is of no consequence.” Li Fu waved a hand. “Someone will take care of it for us. You need only follow the plan.”

Just then, a commotion rose from downstairs.

Manager Wen stood and went to the window to look down. “It is only a drunk causing trouble.”

Li Fu paid it no mind. “Let the innkeeper handle it. Continue with the matter at hand.”

Manager Wen returned to his seat. “Your Excellency, those account books…”

“You need not concern yourself with the accounts.” Li Fu cut him off. “Your only task is to get the shipment out.”

The merchant asked cautiously, “Your Excellency, what if the shipment is discovered…”

“What? Are you afraid as well?” Li Fu sneered.

The merchant hastily waved his hands. “I would never dare. It is just…”

“Just what?”

“I heard that the East Depot…”

Li Fu slammed the table. “What is the East Depot supposed to be?”

Seeing this, Manager Wen quickly said, “Your Excellency is right. Still, a little caution is always wise.”

Li Fu gave a cold snort. “You people are simply too timid.”

He rose and walked to the window. “After all these years, what kind of storm have I not weathered?”

Manager Wen and the merchant exchanged a glance, neither daring to speak.

Li Fu continued, “Besides, even if something truly does happen, His Excellency will bear the burden. What are you afraid of?”

The merchant wiped away his sweat. “Your Excellency is right. We have been overly cautious.”

Li Fu turned around. “Enough. Be careful over the next few days. Once this shipment gets out, there will naturally be rewards for you.”

Manager Wen and the merchant nodded repeatedly. “Yes, Your Excellency. You may rest assured.”

At that moment, another burst of footsteps came from outside.

Li Fu frowned. “Who is out there?”

“I am only a servant from the inn,” came a timid voice from beyond the door.

“Come in.”

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A young servant pushed open the door and bowed. “Honored guests, the inn is about to close for the night.”

Li Fu glanced out the window. “This early?”

“Yes… yes. The manager ordered it. He said the curfew in the city has been strictly enforced lately…”

“All right, I understand.” Li Fu waved him away.

The young servant withdrew.

Li Fu said to Manager Wen and the merchant, “Let us go. We will discuss the rest another day.”

The two men rose to take their leave. Just before departing, Manager Wen spoke again. “As for that shipment…”

“Do not worry.” Li Fu interrupted him. “Simply proceed according to plan.”

After the two men left, Li Fu remained seated alone for a while. He lifted his wine cup and gazed at the moonlight outside the window, a cold smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

The sound of the door being locked came from downstairs. The doors of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion slowly closed, leaving only a dim yellow lantern swaying in the wind.

Li Fu stood, straightened his robes, and walked out of the private room.

His footsteps sounded on the stairs, then gradually faded into the night.

The warehouse beside the docks was brightly lit. Several men in coarse short jackets were moving goods, the wooden crates landing with heavy thuds.

“Be careful!” a tall, thin overseer barked. “Those are all valuable goods.”

The porters repeatedly acknowledged him and handled the crates even more cautiously. The overseer walked to a large wooden chest and rapped lightly on its side.

The hollow knocking sound was deep and dull. Satisfied, the overseer nodded, took an account book from inside his robe, and carefully recorded the details.

At that moment, a man in a blue-green robe appeared silently at the warehouse entrance.

“Manager Wen.” The overseer hurried forward to greet him.

Manager Wen surveyed the warehouse and lowered his voice. “Is everything ready?”

“Everything has been prepared according to plan. The shipment can be loaded onto the vessel first thing tomorrow morning.”

Manager Wen nodded. “Good. Remember, be extremely careful. If anything happens to this shipment…”

Before he could finish, he suddenly stopped. Several barks echoed in the distance.

The overseer quickly said, “I will go and take a look.”

He strode out of the warehouse and glanced around. In the darkness, several shadows seemed to flicker past.

“Someone is there!” the overseer cried.

Manager Wen’s expression changed. “Quick! Move the goods…”

Before he could finish speaking, several figures burst from the darkness.

“Do not move!” the leader shouted sharply.

The overseer turned and tried to run, but someone seized him and forced him down. Manager Wen was restrained as well, unable to move.

“Who are you?” Manager Wen asked, forcing himself to remain calm.

“We are here on business for the East Depot. Cooperate with us,” the leader said coldly.

Manager Wen’s heart sank. How had the East Depot found this place?

Several agents had already begun inspecting the cargo. One of the wooden crates was pried open, revealing gleaming swords and blades within.

“Well, well.” The leading agent gave a cold laugh. “Secretly stockpiling weapons of war is punishable by death!”

Cold sweat broke out across Manager Wen’s forehead. “This… this is a misunderstanding…”

“A misunderstanding?” The agent sneered. “Then how do you explain the gunpowder?”

He pointed toward another wooden chest. It was filled with black gunpowder.

Manager Wen’s face turned deathly pale. “This…”

The overseer suddenly shouted, “Run!”

Before the words had left his mouth, he violently broke free from the agent’s grip and turned to flee.

“After him!”

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Several agents immediately gave chase. The sounds of a struggle rang out in the night, followed by a scream.

Manager Wen collapsed to the ground. “It is over…”

The leading agent walked over and stood before him. “Tell us. Whose goods are these?”

Manager Wen clenched his teeth and said nothing.

The agent chuckled. “Not talking? Take him back. We can question him at our leisure.”

Several agents stepped forward and bound Manager Wen.

Elsewhere, other agents returned with the overseer in custody. His face was covered in blood, and one of his legs appeared to be injured.

“My lord,” one of the agents said as he approached, “we also found this in the warehouse.”

He handed over an account book. The leading agent opened it and glanced through the pages, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

“Well, well.” He gave a cold laugh. “This is all the evidence we need.”

Manager Wen closed his eyes, his heart sinking into despair.

“Take them away!” The leading agent waved his hand.

Several agents escorted Manager Wen and the overseer away. The others began cataloging the goods.

Before long, calm returned to the docks. Only a few agents remained behind to guard the warehouse.

The eastern sky began to pale. A merchant vessel slowly entered the harbor.

The sailors aboard were preparing to come ashore when they suddenly noticed something unusual at the docks.

“Something is wrong!” the helmsman whispered. “Turn us around!”

The merchant vessel silently changed course and disappeared into the morning mist.

One of the agents on shore watched the departing vessel and let out a cold laugh. “A monk may escape, but his temple cannot.”

He turned to the men behind him. “Send someone to find out who owns that vessel.”

“Yes!”

The eastern horizon gradually brightened. Voices began to rise around the docks.

Several agents escorted a cart loaded with goods away in silence.

Not long afterward, a middle-aged man in a silk robe arrived at the docks. When he saw the empty warehouse, his face changed dramatically.

“How could this have happened…” he murmured.

He was about to turn and leave when he suddenly noticed a slip of paper on the ground.

With trembling hands, he picked it up. After reading it, his face went deathly pale.

There were only four words on the note:

Your turn has come.

The middle-aged man hurriedly tore the note to pieces and strode away from the docks.

What he did not know was that a pair of eyes was watching his every move from the shadows.

“Follow him,” a voice whispered.

Several dark figures pursued him without a sound.

The middle-aged man took several winding turns before arriving at a residence. Just as he raised his hand to knock, a sudden pain struck the back of his neck, and darkness overtook his vision.

“Take him away.”

Several agents carried the unconscious man off into the darkness before dawn.

Daylight fully arrived. The docks gradually grew lively.

No one knew what had happened during the night. The wooden crates, weapons, and gunpowder seemed never to have existed.

Only a few drops of blood remained inside the warehouse, bearing witness to that turbulent night.

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