Chapter 173: Night Wharf

On the thirteenth day of the sixth month of the Chongzhen Eighth Year, Anqing by the Great River had already entered the scorching heat. The city was stiflingly hot, and many households set up cooling pallets in their courtyards, preferring to sleep out in the open despite the mosquito bites.

At the Sheng-Tang Ferry, the river wind blew, but even the wind carried heat. The shops along the street were all closed; this was outside the city after all. Boats coming and going anchored here, and many travelers slept on their boats. Incidents of River Bandits robbing and then escaping by boat at night were frequent, so all the merchants kept their doors shut.

But one grain shop had its doors wide open, and had even hung lanterns at the entrance. The lamplight illuminated the shop's signboard: "Luo Ji Rice Shop."

Outside the door, five or six men sat on bamboo stools. Near the door, clubs and waist sabers were laid out. Along the street edge facing the river, two cooling chairs each held one person. The one on the right was neatly dressed; the big man on the left was bare-chested, his body covered in sweat, reflecting the lantern light with a greasy sheen.

The big man raised a tobacco pipe and took a couple of puffs, the shredded tobacco in the bowl glowing brightly twice before quickly dimming again.

The big man knocked the pipe bowl twice against the chair leg and slowly spoke. "Liu Shopkeeper originally ran a gambling den. Our Anqing rice market is not small, but each family runs a modest business. The silver earned each year can't compare to a gambling den. I wonder what got Liu Shopkeeper so interested."

The neatly dressed man turned his head, the lantern light falling on his face. It was Liu Ruogu, the Shopkeeper of Bai Shun Tang in the city.

He wiped the dripping sweat with his sleeve and said with a smile, "Then Luo Shopkeeper also has a gambling den in the city. Why still act as the Boat Dock Master for this Wharf rice shop?"

The bare-chested big man handed his tobacco pipe to a subordinate beside him and took a palm-leaf fan, fanning himself. "This is the family property left by the old Dongjia. Even if you don't want it, you have to help look after it. Besides, all the rice brokerages in Anqing, whether official brokers or private, rely on our Luo Family's care. Years of friendship—it wouldn't be right to just abandon them."

"The Luo Family has gone to Nanjing. How can they still care for all the brokerages?"

"Gone to Nanjing, they are still the Luo Family." The bare-chested big man looked coldly at Liu Ruogu. "An aristocratic great family is an aristocratic great family. Not something someone who casually chopped a few heads to seize a military officer post can compare to."

Liu Ruogu said calmly, "Then Luo Shopkeeper does not intend to consider my Dongjia's proposal."

The bare-chested big man gave a scornful laugh. "Every family's Boat Dock Master in the rice market holds both a broker license and a shopfront. Their own goods, they act as their own broker. The commercial tax due has never been short. The Wharf has been this stable for so many years because the Luo Family could hold it down. Now, I can hold it down just the same. That being the case, rather than let your Dongjia, a military man, control the brokerages, it's better that I, Luo, continue to control them."

"Brother Luo says the commercial tax has never been short. I say there might even be a surplus." Liu Ruogu said unhurriedly. "The court-set commercial tax is one-thirtieth. Anqing's brokerages take one-tenth, some even more. Each family's Boat Dock Master collects and hands it over to the Luo Family, and the Luo Family handles the officials. For Luo Shopkeeper to claim it all goes to the government office—I, Liu, do not believe it."

The bare-chested big man wore a cold sneer and did not refute Liu Ruogu.

Liu Ruogu continued, "The Luo Family has held this Silver Head position for quite some time. Now that they've gone to Nanjing, do they still want to keep this advantage? No wonder others have complaints. My Dongjia's meaning is: the Luo Family is the Luo Family, and Luo Shopkeeper is Luo Shopkeeper. As long as Luo Shopkeeper cooperates with my Dongjia, you still manage the various Boat Dock Masters. Just give up the Silver Head position. You'll still get a share inside, and you'll also get a stake in Bai Shun Tang."

Luo Shopkeeper slapped his thigh. "Good business. Your Dongjia does good business. Without the Silver Head position, I still manage the brokerages—what good does that do me? Have I lost my mind? The Luo Family spent two generations setting the rules for the Wharf, toiling to serve as this Silver Head for the government office, doing it well. And some lowly military man, with nothing but empty words, wants to take the Silver Head? On what grounds? His Stick God divine power?"

Having said this, Luo Shopkeeper stood up and laughed heartily. The several Bangyong around him also stood up and laughed along.

Liu Ruogu was unperturbed. This Luo Shopkeeper before him was a former Household Slave of the Luo Family, who had always managed brokerage affairs. When the Luo Family left Anqing, he did not follow but stayed behind. From recent intelligence, it seemed he wanted to control the brokerages himself, because he had not sent any silver to Nanjing, merely continuing to borrow the Luo Family's tiger-skin prestige.

Liu Ruogu remained polite. "Commercial tax has no fixed quota. This Silver Head is not like the Silver Head for land tax. To say the Luo Family toiled—that might be an overstatement. My Dongjia is a reasonable man. I feel those terms, Luo Shopkeeper should reconsider. If truly unwilling, there's no need to insult people."

Luo Shopkeeper stopped laughing and looked at Liu Ruogu coldly. "Get lost!"

Liu Ruogu was silent for a moment, then cupped his hands toward Luo Shopkeeper. "A pity. Since Luo Shopkeeper firmly rejects the proposal, I shall take my leave. However, with Roving Bandit spies running rampant lately, Luo Shopkeeper would do well not to sleep out in the open at the Wharf."

After speaking, he did not linger. He turned and headed in the direction of Kangji Gate.

"Roving Bandit spies—who the hell is he trying to scare?" Luo Shopkeeper spat on the ground. "If Roving Bandit spies come, I'll personally capture them and send them to the Prefectural Office. Won't need that dog Garrison Commander to do it."

A subordinate beside him leaned in and said, "Shopkeeper, shouldn't you go back inside the shop? It might not be safe out here."

Luo Shopkeeper cursed, "Go back for what? It's hot as hell inside."

The subordinate pointed in the direction Liu Ruogu had gone. "Shopkeeper, don't you find it strange? This man surnamed Liu came out of nowhere, got cursed out by you, and then left just as inexplicably. He's the Shopkeeper of Bai Shun Tang, a man with face and dignity. To swallow this so meekly—isn't that suspicious?"

"Something strange must have a cause?" Luo Shopkeeper spat again. "I've lived in Huaining for decades. What strangeness haven't I seen? He deserved to swallow it. Prefects and Circuit Intendants are nothing to me—a dog of a military officer dares to open his mouth to me? In this Huaining city, the county office and the Prefectural Office both have to give me face. You think he dares make a move?"

After cursing, Luo Shopkeeper couldn't help but grow agitated. This Liu Ruogu was a recent celebrity. Tongcheng's Bai Shun Tang had opened in Anqing and quickly made a name for itself. Most people of any standing in the city had been there; even those who didn't gamble went to see the excitement. As the Silver Head of the brokerages, he naturally had to go, and had a passing acquaintance with Liu Ruogu.

Liu Ruogu's visit today had also been sudden. Before today, Luo Shopkeeper had no idea that Garrison Commander Pang would dare set his sights on him. Had it been a civil official, that would be one thing, but that a military officer would do this infuriated him.

"Shopkeeper…"

"Don't try to persuade me. I'm out here cooling off every day. If that man surnamed Liu shows up once and scares me back inside, do I still have any authority left in Anqing?"

The subordinate had no choice but to shut his mouth. Still uneasy, he called a few others to bring out benches and cooling pallets from the house, preparing to keep the Shopkeeper company outside. Besides, it really was cooler by the river.

Carrying two benches, he had just stepped out the door and taken a couple of steps when he noticed movement at the Wharf. He quickly looked closely. Several blurry black shadows were coming up from the steps by the riverbank, moving this way, already very close.

"What are you—"

Before the words finished, the black shadows suddenly accelerated, their target precisely Luo Shopkeeper, who was cooling off.

Luo Shopkeeper heard the commotion and just turned his head to look when a black shadow fiercely lunged. A flash of light streaked through the darkness. For years, Luo Shopkeeper had thrown his weight around Anqing on the Luo Family's name—when had he ever encountered such a scene? He had no time to react. A sharp waist saber had already stabbed into his abdomen. Another black-clad man came up, and the two slashed at Luo Shopkeeper in a frenzied attack. Luo Shopkeeper collapsed with a cry.

The scream tore through the night sky. The subordinate froze in shock for a moment. The remaining black-clad man on the left was already charging at him with a raised blade. With a shriek, the subordinate turned and fled back into the shop, colliding directly with the others coming out to check. Before they could figure out what was happening, several more black shadows rushed out from the steps on the right.

The black-clad men all had their faces covered, wielding sharp waist sabers. Only one carried a short spear. They made no sound as they hacked at the crowd at the door.

The shop's people had no time to grab weapons; all were bare-handed and utterly defenseless. Screams rang out at the door, blood spraying. The subordinate who had first spotted the black-clad men also took a blade, but not in a vital spot. He rolled once and got his hands on a waist saber by the door.

Amid the chaos at the door, the surrounding black-clad men didn't notice him. He suddenly stood up and slashed at the side of a black-clad man in front of him. The man howled, turned, and thrust a spear straight at him. He hadn't expected such a swift counterattack and was immediately stabbed in the abdomen. He staggered back a step, a sharp pain surging from his belly. In panic, he scrambled desperately into the shop. Two wounded companions also fled back, their bodies covered in blood.

The subordinate shouted, "Grab your swords!"

There were swords and blades in the shop—if they got them, they could put up a fight. But those two paid him no heed, screaming as they ran upstairs.

Two black-clad men followed closely in pursuit, and then another came in right after. The subordinate hastily threw down his blade and said to the three in terror, "Thousand Years, spare me, spare me! I'm just a hired hand!"

A voice from outside said, "Kill them all."

The subordinate let out a great cry upon hearing this. Summoning his strength, he tried to grab his blade again, but several black-clad men came up and stabbed him repeatedly until he stopped breathing, then headed upstairs.

A moment later, the men came back down. The doorway was a mess of bloodstains. Not a single living soul remained in the rice shop.

The lead black-clad man called one person over. The others supported their wounded comrade, a trail of blood dripping all the way. They went down the Wharf steps and boarded a small covered boat waiting below. It quickly left its berth and sailed into the dark river.

……

On the pitch-black river, the small boat drifted with the current, as if floating in endless darkness.

"Hold pressure, hold pressure."

"The wound's too big, can't hold it!"

"Damn it, I told you to check the equipment. When it's time to act, can't find a single thing."

"Checked six items during the day. Who knows where that other one got put."

"All of you shut the hell up! He's dead."

The river water flowed with a splashing sound. One by one, the men slowly let go of their hands, collapsing in the boat, breathing heavily. For a moment, no one spoke.

They were all soldiers who had been relatively fierce and agile in training. Two days earlier, they had been singled out and confined to the rear courtyard of the Garrison Command for training. Even meals were delivered to the door. They used only javelins and swords—not even shields were allowed. They were only told they were going to assassinate a Roving Bandit spy.

During the day, they had boarded this small boat one after another and stayed in the cabin the whole time. No one at the Wharf paid attention to such a small boat. After nightfall, they waited for the light signal from downstream before going ashore to act, withdrawing via the river once it was done.

Guo Fengyou tore the black cloth from his face and slowly spoke, breaking the oppressive silence on the boat. "All of you here have killed before, back in Tongcheng. You are men the Daren trusts."

He paused to catch his breath, then said, "What we killed today were Roving Bandit spies. But these spies were extremely cunning—we couldn't get evidence on them. From this moment on, you are forbidden to speak of this to anyone, and forbidden to ask anyone about it. Any violation will be punished by beheading under Military Law. Is everyone clear?"

The other four each acknowledged. Guo Fengyou let out a breath. "From today onward, all of you will be transferred into the Central Army and serve at Lord Pang's side. Your monthly pay will be three taels and five mace of silver. For this operation, there is a special allowance of ten taels each, to be issued to you personally by Lord Pang."

"Our thanks to Lord Pang, our thanks to Guo Daren."

Silver possesses a kind of magical power. The group's mood seemed to lift considerably from its earlier low.

Guo Fengyou glanced toward the shore and said, "We have casualties. We'll go ashore downstream according to the second contingency plan. Signal the shore with the lantern."

…

"My lord, Target Alpha has been eliminated." Pang Ding studied the signals waving above the river and spoke in a low voice to Pang Yu, who stood in the darkness.

"Mobilize the First Bureau, Second Bureau, and Third Bureau. Seal off the Canal Gang's residences. Arrest them according to the list."

Pang Ding acknowledged with a word. A moment later, a lantern was lit and waved in circles toward the east side.

Not far behind, Yao Dongshan gave a low shout. The soldiers of the First Bureau broke into a run, their dense footsteps echoing through the main street as dogs barked one after another in the surrounding area.

The Canal Gang consisted mainly of sailors and porters. Their residences were on the east side of Kangji Gate. The Second Bureau and Third Bureau had already set up cordons in the other two directions, sealing off every intersection to prevent the headmen from escaping.

Pang Yu turned to Jiang Fan on his left. "The Canal Gang truly has no weapons?"

"Rest assured, my lord. Although they all worship Luo Zu, they are merely small gangs." Jiang Fan replied respectfully. "The smallest have four or five men, the largest several dozen. This Red Rope Gang is the biggest in Anqing, and even they number no more than fifty or so."

Pang Yu nodded. He was not very clear on the Canal Gang of this era. From television shows he had watched before, he had the impression the Canal Gang was a very tightly organized faction. He did not know why the Ming dynasty's Canal Gang was so loose and fragmented, but this was a good thing for him.

"Their organization degree is not high. Once we seize those headmen, will anyone cause trouble?"

"My lord need not worry. Although these River Bandits are fond of brawling, they are quite fearful of officials. They flock to profit, but scatter the moment the authorities come to make arrests. Once the headmen are captured, the rest are nothing but a heap of loose sand."

Pang Yu said calmly, "The Brokerage and the Canal Gang — one controls the clients, the other controls the flow of goods. Only then can the docks truly be called ours. In the future, the Brokerage will be managed by Ruogu, and the Canal Gang will be yours to control. Do not look down on this gang. Our Canal Gang will not be the same as before. It must be as tightly organized as an army, extending all the way along this Yangtze River. From now on, the Great River will be our road."