Chapter 57

A Matter of Inches

As night fell, the food stall was set up, and steam rose from the hot dishes.

A bowl of freshly made Yangchun noodles, sprinkled with some chopped green onions, was brought to the table set up on the side of the road.

At the corner of the table, there was a mask of a child from a New Year’s picture, and its owner, a young man with a cheerful and charming face, took the bowl and, using his cold hands, wrapped them around the bowl to warm it, his face showing a simple and satisfied smile.

Zhang Yuehui was sitting by the roadside, eating his noodles, when suddenly the Qi soldiers surrounded him, forcefully clearing the people around him. Hu Sha angrily sat down in front of Zhang Yuehui.

“Everyone’s in a panic, and Zhang Boss is still sitting here eating noodles?!” Hu Sha exclaimed.

Zhang Yuehui chewed on his noodles, feigning surprise. “General Hu Sha, what’s the matter with you?”

Hu Sha was very anxious.

On the night of the Lantern Festival, when there were crowds and a lot of activity, it was easy for secretive schemes to unfold. He insisted on a city-wide curfew, banning all lanterns and boat parties. But Wanyan Jun had a different stance—he wanted to build a ship and needed to rally a lot of people, so he insisted that the Lantern Festival celebrations be held in full swing.

“Officials with more authority crush the smaller ones.” Wanyan Jun was off enjoying himself on the painted boat, while Hu Sha had to patrol, guard the city, and remain on edge to strengthen the defenses.

“Damn it!”

What made Hu Sha most anxious was that his scouts reported that there was unusual activity in the Bingzhu Si, and the target seemed to be the painted boat, but he couldn’t figure out exactly what they were up to.

Once information couldn’t be uncovered, he was at a disadvantage.

He wanted to send more people to the painted boat, but the number of people allowed there was fixed. If he sent his men, guests invited by Wanyan Jun would have to leave. Naturally, Wanyan Jun refused.

He then ordered the only gate out of Lidufu to be closed, and demanded that every ship be inspected before leaving. Despite this, he still wasn’t at ease, feeling that there were still some clues he hadn’t caught.

Hu Sha, anxious, tried to find Zhang Yuehui but couldn’t locate him. When he finally did, the man was sitting there eating noodles.

It seemed like he was the only one in the entire city who was worried.

Enraged, Hu Sha slapped the table, causing oil droplets from the noodles to splatter onto Zhang Yuehui’s face. Zhang Yuehui frowned, hissing in discomfort, and slowly took out a handkerchief to wipe his face.

“General Hu Sha, don’t get angry, let’s take it slow and talk.”

“Zhang Boss, do you know something? Name your price, I’ll buy tonight’s information!”

Zhang Yuehui pretended to hesitate, saying, “General Hu Sha, it’s not that I don’t want to sell, but some information is hard to verify. If I get it wrong, it could damage the reputation of my Gui Lai Tang.”

“Name your price.”

“It’s not about the price.”

“Three thousand taels!” Hu Sha immediately pulled out a banknote and slammed it onto the table.

“But if the information is false…”

“Then I’ll admit I’m unlucky!”

Zhang Yuehui took a large sip of the hot bone broth, feeling warmth spread through his body, and then slowly wiped his mouth. Under Hu Sha’s eager and pleading gaze, he pushed the banknote back.

“General, do you really think I’m a greedy person? Gui Lai Tang doesn’t just do any business. If you really don’t trust me... perhaps you should secure the gate at Sifang Bridge properly, not letting a single fly out.”

His words clearly indicated that he knew something.

Hu Sha, feeling anxious, realized that closing the gate wasn’t a permanent solution. If nothing was found, Wanyan Jun wouldn’t want his plans to be thwarted and would eventually reopen the gate. Frustrated, Hu Sha pulled out another stack of banknotes and placed it on top of the previous one, pushing it toward Zhang Yuehui.

“Zhang Boss, how about five thousand taels? You take the money, I’ll take the information, and I guarantee that the follow-up won’t involve you in any way.”

Zhang Yuehui paused for a moment, then pushed the banknotes back again with a slight smile.

“General, I prefer cash.”

A cunning merchant!

Hu Sha restrained the twitching of his mouth and raised his hand to summon someone. “Go, bring five thousand taels of silver to Zhang Boss’s residence!” — he turned to Zhang Yuehui. “Now, can you tell me?”

Zhang Yuehui casually beckoned, and Hu Sha, like a dog, perked up his ears to listen.

“As far as I know, Xie Zhu has already been secretly sent onto the painting boat, and there’s another person who will also board tonight.”

“Who?”

“King Ling’an.”

Hu Sha’s eyes suddenly widened. This was huge news! No wonder Zhang Yuehui had made him wait so long.

Zhang Yuehui dipped his finger into his teacup and drew a horizontal line on the table, indicating the Qu Ling River. He paused at the middle point and continued, “This is Qu Ling River, and the Yungui Bridge landing is in the center of Lidufu city. Xie Zhu boarded the boat here—”

He then moved his finger to the end of the line. “This is the Sifang Bridge gate, the last checkpoint before leaving the city. According to the plan, the painting boat will stop here, and the last group of guests will board. King Ling’an will get on the boat here, then the boat will drift down the river to the Yangtze… However, the Candleholder Party’s plans are meticulous, and they must wait for confirmation of safety from the people on the boat before King Ling’an boards.”

“How will they send the signal?” Hu Sha asked in a low voice, suddenly becoming tense.

“When the painting boat approaches Sifang Bridge and sees the gate open, they’ll send the signal. But opening the gate is a risky move. We can’t give the enemy any chance, so I suggest you don’t take the risk. Instead, send heavy troops to guard Sifang Bridge and capture King Ling’an on land. The people on the boat will have nowhere to run.”

A cruel smile flashed across Hu Sha’s face. “If the gate is closed, the people on the boat won’t send any signal. King Ling’an is cautious; he won’t show himself without seeing the signal first.”

Zhang Yuehui smiled. “General, are you ready to take the gamble?”

Hu Sha had made up his mind. No risk, no huge reward. He now spoke with confidence. “Zhang Boss, this information is now exclusive to me. Don’t sell it to anyone else.”

“Of course.”

Hu Sha picked up his sword and prepared to leave. “A bunch of crafty dog Han people, I’ll catch them all in one sweep.”

Zhang Yuehui kindly reminded him, “I’m also a dog Han person.”

Hu Sha’s face stiffened. He didn’t bother to make excuses, simply cupped his hands and strode away.

________________________________________

The painting boat departed from the Yungui Bridge landing, filled with guests and bustling with activity.

Everyone was gathered in the main hall, admiring the lanterns along the riverbank, while the side rooms were still empty. At the far end of the boat, there was a private room where Xie Zhu sat.

After some time hiding, he seemed much older, his face pale. He wore a dull gray robe, having disguised himself as a servant carrying miscellaneous items to board.

Everything had gone smoothly up to this point, but it was far from the critical moment. Tonight’s mission concerned his future, so he was tense, not speaking a word, fearing he might miss any important sound or movement.

Chang Yan stood nearby, cautiously opening a crack in the window to check the situation at the landing. She turned back and said, “Lord Xie, please be calm. Madame and the young lady should have boarded the boat by now. I’ll go bring them to you.”

“Chang Yan, be careful.”

Chang Yan took a few steps toward the door. A sense of unease gnawed at her, a feeling that something wasn’t right. Everything had gone too smoothly. If things unfolded exactly as Xie Liu had said, and she turned around and betrayed them, then this trap was perfectly set. The Qi people could wipe out all the Candleholder Party members on the boat, including King Ling’an.

The painting boat was stranded in the river, with no way out.

Xie Sui’an was bold and innocent, but such a big plan couldn’t be carried out by just her alone. Would the entire Candleholder Party be willing to take such a risk?

Holding onto that feeling of something off, Chang Yan decided to take a gamble. She suddenly turned back and stared at Xie Zhu, her tone turning cold. “Lord Xie, we’re all in the same business. Why have you been hiding things from me?”

Xie Zhu was stunned and didn’t immediately react. “Miss Chang Yan, what are you talking about?”

In fact, Xie Zhu’s response was quick; he swiftly concealed the brief flash of guilt in his eyes, but Chang Yan still caught it.

Intelligence, sometimes, comes down to the smallest of details.

Chang Yan responded smoothly, without missing a beat: “This plan is quite risky. If the plan leaks, not only will we die in vain, but His Highness’s safety is also in jeopardy. Lord Xie, you clearly have a backup plan. Why didn’t you inform me earlier so I could be prepared?”

Xie Zhu displayed an expression of confusion. “Miss Chang Yan, what do you mean? When Miss Xie told me the plan, you and I were both present. How could I know anything about a backup plan? Moreover, the Qi people have sealed the city tightly; if we don’t take some risks, how can we send His Highness King Ling’an safely?”

Chang Yan fell silent for a moment, a trace of sadness appeared in her eyes, but it quickly transformed into determination. “Lord, I understand. Tonight, it must succeed, it cannot fail.”

Chang Yan pushed open the door and left. As soon as she stepped outside, her expression changed.

Any normal person would feel uneasy about the execution of a plan, but Xie Zhu was too calm. He had explained himself too smoothly, perfectly following her lead in explaining why there was no backup plan—someone within the operation wouldn’t be so concerned about this. The critical point should have been the safety of King Ling’an.

But strangely, Xie Zhu was focusing not on King Ling’an’s safety, but on persuading Chang Yan to believe him. This was completely inconsistent with Xie Zhu’s usual position!

Or perhaps, he already knew that King Ling’an wouldn’t board the boat, so he didn’t need to worry.

Chang Yan realized then: this was a trap. Perhaps her identity had already been exposed, and Xie Sui’an and the others were just playing along, using her to send out false information. They had grasped the Qi people’s desire to trap King Ling’an. If King Ling’an showed up, letting Xie Zhu board the boat would be no problem—what a great bait it would be.

They had intentionally stirred up a storm in the city, creating an undercurrent and drawing the troops to Sifang Bridge. But what if the Candleholder Party’s goal was simply to send Xie Zhu away?

Then the painting boat wouldn’t stop. As soon as the gate at Sifang Bridge opened, it would drift downstream and leave Lidufu. There was only one exit from the city, and once they were out, it would be hard to chase them.

She had to deliver the message to the boss quickly!

Chang Yan walked down the empty corridor, her hurried footsteps echoing on the wooden floor, creating a rhythmic sound. Suddenly, she realized there were two sets of footsteps!

She quickly turned around, and a shadow loomed over her.