Chapter 173: Eyes and Ears

A group of people entered inside, only then discovering it was two courtyards knocked through into one, with many rooms and even a small flower garden.

Xu Xinsu said to Chen Xin, "We will stay here until daybreak, then move to another location."

Chen Xin understood from his meaning that he was to stay with him, and agreed at once — after all, this man was his meal ticket. Xu Xinsu clearly came well-prepared, even owning multiple residences in Nanjing. Two courtyards of this size were worth three hundred taels at most, utterly trivial for a major sea merchant like Xu Xinsu.

Most of those with combat strength now were Chen Xin's men. He personally arranged the defense, setting up concealed sentries at several intersecting positions, and had the dumb monk stay in the room next to Xu Xinsu's. Niwakaemon, after a quick bandaging, followed Xu Xinsu into the room and stood guard inside.

Pu Zhuang picked a room for himself. Not long after entering, loud snoring sounds came from within. Xu Xinsu's one remaining guard interrogated Tang Yan and the others in another room, and soon the sounds of women moaning arose from inside. The dumb monk licked his lips, wanting to go over too, but Liu Minyou slapped him twice and drove him back.

This place was normally uninhabited, without even water. Liu Minyou's mouth was parched, but he dared not go to the riverside outside to fetch water. After the bloody battle, his heart still fluttered with fear, and he had no desire to sleep at all. Fortunately, Song Wenxian was in much the same state. This old scoundrel, bad as he was, had in fact just killed a man with his own hands for the first time. He babbled mindlessly in low conversation with Liu Minyou, probably not even knowing himself what he was saying.

They muddled through the night like this. The next day, before dawn had even broken, two personal guards rowed the boat downstream and set it ablaze. After daybreak, the group left the courtyard, but left all those women tied up inside. Chen Xin reckoned Xu Xinsu had already shown mercy. Had they not been there, he would likely have burned those women along with it.

Chen Xin personally brought up the rear the entire way, confirming there was no pursuit. Xu Xinsu led them to a large three-courtyard residence beside Huitong Bridge, complete with several maidservants and servants — another of Xu Xinsu's safe houses, though the conditions were far better than the previous night's. This residence was right next to the Yingtian Prefectural government office. After this brush with danger, Xu Xinsu became even more cautious. Apart from conducting business, everyone was confined indoors; even going out to buy groceries was done by Chen Xin's men, because these northern soldiers were the least likely to have any connection to Zheng Yiguan.

Xu Xinsu knew that the painted barge would soon be discovered. As soon as he was settled, he sent someone to the Yumianlou to warn Li Lihua, telling her only to say she did not know where those guests had come from, and also gave her the address where Tang Yan and the others were being held, letting her retrieve them on her own. Then he summoned several guards to this new residence. Through these men, he confirmed that the one who had not followed them yesterday was a spy, and that he had already fled. Xu Xinsu immediately dispatched men back to Fujian, ordering them to kill that spy's family — it would just be a matter of who got there first.

After making these arrangements, Xu Xinsu said to Chen Xin, "This courtyard was just purchased. Even Zhan Yi and the others don't know about it, so there's no danger for the moment. Zheng Yiguan's men suffered heavy losses last night; they should lack the strength to launch another attack."

Chen Xin strongly agreed with his assessment. Assassinations of this kind always hinged on a single all-out strike. If they had more strength, they would have come all at once last night, rather than holding back for another attempt. So Zheng Yiguan's strength was exactly that handful of men from last night. However, judging by what the leader had shouted — that if they failed their mission, their families would be in danger — after last night's failed assassination, they might come again in desperation. That meant danger still lingered.

Chen Xin's eyes shifted. He said to Xu Xinsu, "Brother Xu, if that subordinate truly was a spy, what other places does he know about?"

Xu Xinsu looked at Chen Xin and gave a dark smile. "Brother Chen means we should wait by the stump for the hare."

"Exactly! If they haven't given up, their first move will be to find our whereabouts. I'll go to the inn first and bring back the other men. They can start discussing the southern goods with Brother Zuo. As for those assassins, leave them to us unfamiliar faces."

In a private room on the second floor of a restaurant on Cunyi Street, Chen Xin wore a blue straight robe, his headscarf swapped for a cap — an entirely different look from the day before. Though he had fought the assassins during the attack last night, the light had been dim and both sides had been tense. Now, with a slight change in appearance, they would certainly not recognize him. So he decided to take command personally.

Xu Xinsu's original residence was on Cunyi Street, next to Jiacheng Street, and further on was Zhongzheng Street. The shop Chen Xin had first visited was over there, not far away.

In the private room, besides several personal guards, sat three idlers — all Nanjing street toughs that Zuo Changhao had sent men to find. Chen Xin laid out three ten-tael silver ingots on the table. The idlers all swallowed hard.

"This is tea money for you three gentlemen. Whoever finds a lead..." Chen Xin paused. All three unconsciously lifted their heads a little. "I will reward with one hundred taels. Brother Zuo will also show his appreciation separately."

After speaking, Chen Xin gave the silver a light push. The three quickly each took an ingot and tucked it into their bosoms, every face wreathed in smiles. Chen Xin only told them they were looking for a few enemies from Fujian, without explaining the reason. These idlers were all jianghu drifters who knew the rules and did not pry.

A guard sent by Xu Xinsu said, "In a moment, I will go into that courtyard, then come back out. You are to see if anyone follows me, then tail him closely and find where they are staying. This matter was entrusted by Zuo Changhao. If you dare take the silver and not do the job, you know the consequences yourselves."

The three ruffians all hastily protested they would never dare. Chen Xin admonished them, "What you gentlemen must note is that the other side may also hire Nanjing locals to do their scouting. So besides those who look Fujianese, keep an eye on locals as well. These men are also veterans — you must be cautious. You are all old hands in the jianghu, so I won't prattle on about the rest."

One of the ruffians, who had a dignified bearing, bobbed his head and bowed, saying, "What Brother Chen has instructed, this humble one will certainly handle properly. As long as any suspicious person shows his face, he won't escape our brothers' eyes. That hundred taels, we brothers are sure to earn."

Chen Xin smiled and nodded. Xu Xinsu's guard and the ruffians stood and left. Chen Xin stayed by the second-floor window, watching them disappear into the bustling crowd, heading toward the courtyard in the middle section of the street.

Pu Zhuang, somewhat uneasy, said, "My lord, are these ruffians reliable? I keep feeling they're not as trustworthy as our own brothers."

Chen Xin smiled. "You men carry too strong a killing aura. In a crowd, you're more likely to draw attention. Besides, when it comes to gathering information, you might not necessarily do it better than them."

Pu Zhuang had no choice but to say no more, but being hot-tempered, after waiting a while with no news, he paced restlessly around the room. Chen Xin turned, saw him, and called him over. "Pu Zhuang, a soldier must learn patience, especially an officer."

Pu Zhuang chuckled. "I'm no officer yet, just a sergeant in the personal guard."

"You will be after we return. I'm going to establish a new unit, and you will lead it. Fixed at fifty men. I authorize you to pick soldiers from the entire army."

Pu Zhuang's eyes lit up. Eagerly, he said, "Then I'll definitely pick this time's outstanding soldiers."

Chen Xin shook his head. "Don't pick only veterans. This unit is not for killing on the battlefield. You'll also need to pick some with special skills. I want you to train them into the strongest soldiers under heaven. Your training regimen will be entirely designed by me, supervised by Li Donghua." At the name Li Donghua, Pu Zhuang gulped audibly. He had suffered greatly at the hands of that training officer. But the "strongest soldiers" Chen Xin spoke of filled him with anticipation.

At that moment, Chen Xin suddenly raised a hand toward Pu Zhuang, signaling him to stop. Chen Xin watched the street below through a crack in the window. The guard acting as bait was passing by. He did not even glance up to signal; below, he suddenly quickened his pace and passed by with a normal expression.

In the crowd behind him, one person also began to accelerate. Chen Xin immediately took note of this man. He wore a white short jacket and a straw hat, his back-basket filled with oranges — the picture of a street peddler. Then Chen Xin spotted the two idlers further behind. They were chatting idly with relaxed expressions, seemingly paying no attention at all to the peddler ahead.

Chen Xin smiled faintly. These three idlers were indeed professional snoops, quite skilled at tailing. They had even left one man behind outside that residence.

Pu Zhuang said, "Pity we didn't see his face. My lord, what's our next move?"

Chen Xin walked calmly toward the door, saying as he went, "You all stay here. Hai Gouzi, come with me." He took Hai Gouzi out onto the street and followed behind the two idlers.

That guard had only come to serve as bait and did not go far. He casually bought some snacks at a street stall, then turned and headed back toward the original courtyard. During this time, the peddler set down his back-basket by the roadside, not even hawking his wares. Chen Xin guessed he was thoroughly frustrated.

The two idlers split up. One entered a shop along the approach route; the other continued forward. Chen Xin knew they were positioning men at both ends to facilitate the tail.

Chen Xin, further back, observed the other people, checking if anyone was covering for this peddler. He found nothing all along. It seemed these assassins were indeed short-handed. There were probably others still at the residence gate.

After the guard turned and headed back, the peddler, unexpectedly, did not follow. He looked around for a moment, then continued in the direction he had been going. Exiting the street, he turned west and headed toward Jiacheng Street.

Chen Xin exchanged a glance with the idler, and the two of them, one ahead and one behind, tailed the peddler. The peddler ambled along unhurriedly, in no rush. He kept going without stopping, walking farther and farther, past the Jiacheng Street intersection, then heading toward Zhongzheng Street.

Chen Xin felt puzzled. At the Jiacheng Street intersection, a thought suddenly struck him. He took Hai Gouzi and turned north into Jiacheng Street, abandoning the tail. Hai Gouzi did not ask why. A few dozen paces into the street, they followed Chen Xin and sat down at a wonton stall.

The two ordered wontons. Only then did Hai Gouzi ask in a low voice, "My lord, why did we stop following?"

"There's also a peddler in a hat at the street corner. It's already afternoon, yet his carrying pole baskets are still full. He may be there to cover the man ahead. I suspect their hideout is right here on Jiacheng Street. According to what Xu Xinsu said, that inside man got word and went to notify Zheng Yiguan's people. So they can't be far from Cunyi Street — otherwise they couldn't have reached the Qinhuai River that quickly."

Hai Gouzi scratched his head. He had trouble grasping it anyway. When the wontons arrived, he simply ate with single-minded devotion. After finishing, he wiped his mouth and looked up toward the street corner — just in time to see that straw-hatted peddler from earlier returning, walking straight into Jiacheng Street.