Chapter 951: A Big Ship

Editor: Henyee Translations

As the moon shrouded in darkness, it was a night ripe for mischief.

A shadowy figure flitted across the rooftops, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, it paused, dropped down into an alley, and morphed into Lou Ze, who then walked towards the bustling night market.

In the night market, a group was lively engaged in savoring a variety of dishes—multi-flavor soup, rabbit platters, roasted marrow bones, accompanied by small drinks, creating a scene of merriment.

Lou Ze approached one of the men from behind and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Sit down and eat, don’t be shy.”

Lou Ze’s face was an unreadable mask as he patted the man’s shoulder again. The entire table halted their eating, turning their attention to the man now facing Lou Ze.

Upon realizing who it was, the man burst out laughing. “It’s you! Have a seat.”

The young pickpocket made room for him, eagerly pushing tasty dishes and drinks towards Lou Ze. “Big brother, try this. This stall has the best food in the market, you’ll definitely come back for more.”

Lou Ze stirred his multi-flavor soup with a spoon, his expression a mix of amusement and nonchalance. “What brings you here?”

The young pickpocket hastily explained, “Don’t get me wrong, I just got back to the city. After toiling for several days, I came here to relax a bit. I’ll resume my duties tomorrow, it won’t cause any delay.”

Lou Ze poured a drink for the young pickpocket, setting it before him. “You call this not causing delays?”

Sitting up straight, with the overwhelming presence of Lou Ze subduing everyone at the table, the young pickpocket insisted, “I’ve only had one drink; I won’t be hindered if I’m not drunk.”

A young man at the table offered a toast to Lou Ze, “Big brother, are you the senior of our young pickpocket? Welcome to join us for the late-night meal, really, we are just taking a short break, not slacking off.”

Lou Ze’s gaze swept over the ten people at the table. “Are all of you together?”

Everyone bowed their heads, ashamed to admit their involvement in thievery, an occupation that lacked honor unless necessary.

The young pickpocket cautiously asked Lou Ze, “Big brother, what brings you here?”

“Just passing by and saw you all. Thought I’d say hello.” Lou Ze muttered to himself, realizing that all the petty thieves in the eastern border had gathered together. “Does the theft of the silver at Jianshen Temple have anything to do with you?”

The young pickpocket was shocked. “How did you know about that?”

Lou Ze retorted, “Is there anything in the city that I don’t know about?”

The young pickpocket hung his head low, “Seems like nothing really.”

Lou Ze, enjoying a few bites of his tasty soup, made his intentions clear. “What else is there to say? Obviously, I’m here to take the silver for myself.”

The young pickpocket frowned, “Why does everyone want this batch of silver?”

Lou Ze inquired, “What do you mean?”

The young pickpocket whispered, “So far, no fewer than ten different groups have been trying to find out where this silver is.”

Lou Ze realized that the word was out on the streets; with three hundred thousand taels at stake, it was enough for some to take the risk. “Tell me where the silver is. I can’t let it end up in anyone else’s hands.”

The young pickpocket leaned in closer to Lou Ze and whispered, “It’s on an old boat that the Yun organization hasn’t used for a long time. I’ll take you there right now.”

Lou Ze, “…”

Seeing Lou Ze’s reaction, the young pickpocket grew anxious. “Isn’t it you who said that the most dangerous places are the safest? No one would think to look for the silver there now.”

Lou Ze urged, “Time creates too many variables; let’s go now.”

Nodding, the young pickpocket turned back to his companions, “I’m going to retrieve the silver with my big brother. Continue to enjoy yourselves here; I’ll be back soon.”

One of them protested, “Why should we hand over the silver we got to your big brother?”

The young pickpocket whispered something in his ear, and the next second, the man was petrified in place.

…

Lou Ze and the young pickpocket stood by the riverside, feeling the breeze, staring at the empty river, both doubting their life choices.

“Are you sure their boat was moored here?” Lou Ze took a deep breath; not a boat in sight, not even a ghost’s shadow.

The young pickpocket looked foolish, “The boat was here just this morning; it’s been moored here for a year, I never expected it to be moved today.”

“You seem to have a lot of unexpected events,” Lou Ze remarked, the area around them pitch dark and desolate, with no one to even ask for directions.

The young pickpocket was on the verge of tears, “What do we do now?”

Lou Ze surveyed the river, “We search. One of us heads upstream, the other downstream. We contact each other if we find anything.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“That’s the only option left.” The young pickpocket pointed to the right, “I’ll search downstream. Can I bring my companions to help search?”

“I’m only interested in results,” Lou Ze said, as he started moving upstream. The boat couldn’t have gone far in less than a day; they could catch up.

As Lou Ze departed, the young pickpocket hurried back to gather his friends. After explaining the situation, it took a while for them to grasp the reality, but they eventually agreed to help in the search.

Lou Ze flew along the left bank, the river serene, reflecting the bright moonlight, appearing like a scarf adorned with the moon.

Ahead, a large boat appeared…

Lou Ze silently landed on the deck, quickly subduing the last maid carrying a tray, and took it from her, blending in with the other servants as they moved forward.

The lead maid stopped at a cabin door, knocking softly, “Sir, your meal is served.”

“Come in,” came the response from inside.

The maids entered, placing the tray of exquisite dishes on the table and then retreating to the side, standing by like statues, ready for further instructions.

The room was spacious, with a performance stage at the center where a dance was underway. Seated prominently was a young man, his demeanor exuding nobility and arrogance, surrounded by peers.

A man in green robes addressed the seated prince, “Your Highness, if there’s something you wish to discuss, please feel free. We are here and are loyal to you.”

The young man at the center was the eastern border’s Crown Prince, Li Hongjin. He wrapped an arm around a girl beside him, took a sip of wine, and said with a laugh, “The Governor’s son always knows how to speak well.”

Jiao Liping bowed slightly, “It’s my honor to serve, Your Highness. I will do my utmost.”

“Excellent,” Li Hongjin laughed heartily. “Let’s drink and be merry. We’ll talk business later.”

Jiao Liping raised his cup, “To Your Highness.”

After they drank, the maids quickly refilled their cups and then retreated to the side again, as attentive as ever.

After some pleasantries, Li Hongjin spoke up, “I invited everyone here tonight for two reasons: to strengthen our bonds and to discuss Tang Jinghong.”

“The city of Shang is only two cities away from Shu City. It won’t be long before he reaches here, and that might mean the end of our good days.”

Jiao Liping responded, “Please, Your Highness, speak plainly.”