Chapter 579: The Courier Road

At Shangguandu Ferry Crossing west of Huai'an City, snowflakes drifted gently down. Cui Yongda reached up and brushed the snow from his shoulders, spotted a stone by the roadside, and sat down on it to wait for the ferry.

Half the river's surface had frozen into a thin layer of ice. The ferries shuttled back and forth constantly at the crossing, and the thin ice had all been smashed into shards, scattered in disarray across the water.

After leaving the hat and shoe shop, he had walked through the city alone, finally arriving here. This ferry crossing was called Shangguandu. In the early Ming dynasty it had been a bustling commercial crossing, frantic with the comings and goings of people and goods. As tribute grain transport shifted to City East, it gradually became a passenger crossing, with even fewer travelers in winter. It was no longer a prosperous spot; only a dozen or so people were waiting.

Cui Yongda sat on a stone toward the back. His gaze wandered idly, but in truth he was constantly watching everyone who arrived at the crossing after him.

Since he had reached the crossing, six more people had come. Four of them had arrived together and were chatting warmly among themselves. Cui Yongda kept the corner of his eye fixed on the two who were alone.

Those two were both huddled up, squatting by the bank just like everyone else, showing no sign of anything unusual.

The ferry boat rowed over from the opposite bank. The waiting passengers boarded one after another, including those two solitary men. Cui Yongda rose to follow, staying at the very back of the crowd. Once everyone ahead had boarded, he suddenly turned around and went back to where he had been sitting.

The boatman waited a moment, then called out in his direction. Cui Yongda smiled and shook his head. "Waiting for someone."

The boatman asked no further questions. The ferry pulled away from the bank and headed for the opposite shore. Only then did Cui Yongda slowly stand up, turn around, and head back the way he had come.

A figure in a leather hat stood by the roadside. Cui Yongda glanced at him; the two briefly exchanged a look. Neither spoke. Cui Yongda continued walking on ahead.

A moment later, after checking his surroundings, the leather hat fell in behind Cui Yongda. One in front, one behind, they walked back toward Huai'an City.

The city of Huai'an was a rare configuration of three walled cities joined together. The old city had been built during the Eastern Jin dynasty and had been maintained ever since. In the late Yuan, a new city was built north of the old city, separated by a gap. By the mid-Ming, Huai'an's economy was thriving, and the local officials undertook infrastructure projects, linking the new and old cities. This connecting section was called Liancheng — the Linked City.

Thus Huai'an alone had fourteen gates. Cui Yongda entered the city through Lanyun Gate in the new city, and about a hundred paces inside he turned into a narrow lane. Emerging from the other end, he stood on the opposite street for a moment. Only when he saw the leather hat following did Cui Yongda continue east, cutting through another alley back to the main street inside Lanyun Gate.

He entered a bamboo-ware shop on the street, picked up a bamboo steamer, and examined it. As he looked, he turned, pretending to check it against the light so that he faced the street. He saw the leather hat just squatting down across the way.

Cui Yongda set down the steamer, passed through the back of the shop, and came out into a rear courtyard. Moments later, the leather hat followed him in. Someone was waiting in the courtyard. Seeing that both had arrived, the man reached out and knocked on the door of the first room in the eastern wing.

Someone inside responded. The man nodded to the two of them. Cui Yongda went in first. Three people stood inside, in the middle of discussing something.

Cui Yongda said in a low voice, "Shopkeeper Yuan, the information has been obtained."

The man in the middle turned around. It was none other than Yuan Zheng, newly transferred to the post of Chief of the Covert Surveillance Battalion for the Lower River Section — and the reason Cui Yongda had gone to such elaborate lengths today. An ordinary meeting with an informant could be handled by simply covering and shaking off pursuit within the city. But because Yuan Zheng was here, he had been forced to use the most rigorous methods.

This was Yuan Zheng's first assignment since taking up his post, and it had proven to be a thorny task. The Hui Gang salt merchants had operated in Huai'an for many years; wealthy, powerful, and deeply entrenched in both the legitimate and underworld spheres. When the Anqing Tribute Grain Gang had come over from Yangzhou and clashed with the local Tribute Grain Gang, these salt merchants had never imagined that dock laborers could matter, and in a moment of negligence had allowed the Anqing Tribute Grain Gang to gain a foothold. But the salt merchants were, after all, immensely powerful and formed a world of their own. The transport merchants here all had their own fleets and their own docks, and did not abide by the Tribute Grain Gang's rules. The Tribute Grain Gang could do nothing about them.

At first, the two sides had coexisted peacefully — until the banknote business spread along the Great River. The salt merchants' Upper River transport operations began to suffer attacks from the Anqing Naval Force, and the local tensions in Huaiyang gradually intensified.

When Pang Yu returned from the north, negotiations with Wang Ranming had eased the situation for a time. But toward year's end, it had instead grown even more intense, forcing the Anqing side to continuously draw in forces from elsewhere to respond.

Over the past half-month, the salt merchants and the Tribute Grain Gang had clashed repeatedly. Anyone with a Central River Section accent was drawing attention here; by contrast, someone with a northern accent like Cui Yongda's was actually more convenient.

"Cui Yongda, give your information first."

"The goods are thirty-five bolts of silk, shipping the day after tomorrow. They're worried about water damage, so they'll take the overland route. Around thirty escorts, using four or five carts, and possibly ten extra horses."

Yuan Zheng beckoned Cui Yongda over. A map was already spread out on the table, with Xuzhou specially marked on it. Yuan Zheng turned to the other side. "Xiao Liu's information says they're taking the Grand Canal."

Beside him was a youth as pretty as a woman. Though Yuan Zheng stood between them, Cui Yongda could still smell a faint floral fragrance. Xiao Liu's eyes flicked over, and with a casual brush of his temple hair, he said, "What I got was the water route to Xuzhou, also shipping the day after tomorrow. Three salt boats, specifically for this job."

Yuan Zheng waited a moment, then added, "There's one more piece of information. It says they're going to Suzhou."

Cui Yongda listened intently and repeated it under his breath. "Going to Suzhou?"

"Choosing Suzhou does make sense. That's the territory of the Yingtian grandee. If trouble breaks out, the Huaizhong grandee doesn't have to clean it up. Yingtian also oversees Anqing's affairs — perfect chance to make Master Zhang deal with us." Yuan Zheng finished and shook his head. "But I don't believe he'll go to Suzhou. Once you leave the Great River, you're out of the Huaizhong grandee's territory. Suzhou is where the empire's rations and pay come from; the silver reserves in the banks there — exchanging thirty-some wan would hardly be difficult. But there they'd be outsiders, unable to intercept our silver transport boats. If they really did exchange 300,000 taels for him, he'd still have to worry about how to get it safely back."

The pretty Xiao Liu gave a slight twist of the waist. "This humble one also thinks it's still Xuzhou. Just don't know whether by water or by land. Where did Brother Spit's information come from? By the shop's rules I can't ask; only the master can decide."

Cui Yongda nodded to Xiao Liu, then whispered in Yuan Zheng's ear for a moment, reporting in detail on that woman's background and the process of making contact.

After he finished, Yuan Zheng thought for a while and still did not make a decision. Cui Yongda said cautiously, "This subordinate suggests we prepare for the overland route first. On the water there's only one path. The Grand Canal hasn't frozen over, but the water is low and the locks open less often; the water route will certainly be slower than the land route. If we then learn they've taken the water route, we can search for their trail at the docks along the way and transfer our men to wait at the Xuzhou docks."

Yuan Zheng's fingers traced across the map; he clearly had not yet made up his mind. The leather hat beside him suddenly spoke. "We strike in Huai'an. Let them die before they even leave the house. No need to guess water or land. Huai'an is their own nest — kill them here, and everyone will be afraid after that."

Xiao Liu on the other side let out a soft, low laugh. Cui Yongda couldn't help turning his head to look at the leather hat.

Yuan Zheng looked up at the leather hat. "What Second Locust says is also a viable approach. However, they have many men in Huai'an; our chances of victory are not as good as outside the city. Furthermore, Master Zhu has been in Huai'an recently, and some dissatisfaction has already arisen between him and our master this year. It would be inconvenient to stir up trouble here."

Second Locust removed his hat and said carefully to Yuan Zheng, "This humble one was speaking nonsense. Lord Yuan, please don't laugh at me."

Yuan Zheng waved his hand. "Running assignments in our shop is different from your hometown. Your hometown stresses doing things openly to establish authority, afraid that no one will know. We operate with caution; there are many considerations. So we only need to accomplish the task — it's best if no one even knows."

"This humble one will remember."

"In winter, business on the river is slow, so banknote exchanges should be fewer. Yet this past month, exchanges in Yangzhou and Nanjing have suddenly surged. Multiple sources all say it's the Hui Gang's people. It must be more than the original 200,000. This man says thirty-five — that should be credible. We'll use Cui Yongda's method. Intercept the land route first."

Yuan Zheng finished and swept his gaze around the room. "Thanks to the Grand Master's favor, our shop has expanded from one location to three. Master Jiang has been promoted two ranks, and we who run the assignments have risen along with him. Naturally, we must understand how to repay that. This is the new main office's first assignment, and the Lower River branch's first assignment as well. Master Jiang personally transferred men from the Central River — Second Locust and the others are here as reinforcements, bringing the latest equipment. This is a matter both masters are anxious about. We must deliver a brilliant result. No room for failure."

Northwest of Pizhou in Huai'an Prefecture, Nanzhili, a string of carts traveled south along the Official Road on the post route. Several mounted men rode at the front and rear of the cart train. For a long stretch in either direction, there was no one else. In winters past, when the northern section of the Grand Canal froze, there was always a fair amount of people and goods moving along the post route. This year, it was noticeably much sparser.

Not far ahead of this cart train lay Xin'an Post Station. This post station stood on the border between Huai'an Prefecture and Xuzhou Prefecture, sixty li from Pizhou and one hundred li from Xuzhou. Adjacent to both the Grand Canal and a stretch of the Yellow River, it was a critical node on the north-south post route.

Beyond this post station was Xuzhou. Most who traveled this post route were heading to the western part of Shandong. Early in the year, the Qing army's worst atrocities had ravaged precisely this region. The economy was utterly devastated, and the surrounding trade routes had withered along with it. Far fewer carriages came and went. In a normal year, this cart train would have been unremarkable; this year, it was somewhat conspicuous.

The string bells on the necks of the dozen or so packhorses pulling the carts jangled continuously, blending into a chaotic clinking that carried far across the empty winter fields. The grooms walked beside the carriages, long whips in hand. It was already past noon; both men and horses were somewhat weary. The man sitting on the front seat of the lead cart was even dozing, his body swaying back and forth.

The sound of hoofbeats came from behind. The swaying man jolted awake with a start. His hand shot to the waist saber under the cushion as he turned to look back. He saw two men in black livery coming up from behind. They passed alongside the cart train and continued on ahead without stopping.

The man on the front seat cursed. "Disturbed this old man's fine dream. How is it I run into those damned lackeys every day."

The groom walking alongside said ingratiatingly, "Those damned lackeys wouldn't dare provoke you, Master."

The man on the front seat grunted — whether in agreement or disagreement was unclear. But the fine dream was beyond resuming. He had no choice but to rub his face with his hand, forcibly driving away the drowsiness. He turned his head and looked around.

"Up ahead is Xin'an Post Station?"

The groom immediately replied, "Answering the master, that's Xin'an Post Station. The plan was to lodge here."

The man on the front seat looked up at the sky. "Go forward another five li. I know a place to rest."

"In the past, the master always stayed at Xin'an Post Station. The food and lodging are better there."

"When have you ever seen those damned lackeys work so diligently? This trip is different from before. We're only a day from Xuzhou. A little caution never hurts."

He raised his arms to stretch as he spoke. Just as he extended his hands and closed his eyes in comfort, a low shout came from ahead.

The man on the front seat snapped his eyes open. The mounted men up front had already stopped. The groom beside him pulled on the reins, and the cart slowly came to a halt. The chaotic jangling of the string bells ceased.

They were now close to Xin'an Post Station. Scattered houses lined the roadside. The cart train stopped in front of a food stall, where several tables of people were eating. Thirty paces ahead, a cart lay sideways across the road, its frame piled high with grain sacks. The harness had been taken off the horse. The left wheel was completely broken, with many wooden fragments scattered about. Three men who looked like grooms were busy around the wheel with crowbars.

The man on the front seat focused his gaze. His left hand felt for the scabbard beneath him as he warily scanned the surroundings.