After the people left, those on the ship began to move the cargo.
Fu Zhen and his companion sneaked into the cabin, and indeed, it was stacked full of silk fabric, rolled up in bundles placed on the deck.
They pulled out a knife and sliced open a few bolts, and sure enough, it was all silk.
The ship had two levels, both loaded with cargo, and only a few rooms on the top level were for living quarters.
Pei Zhan, holding Fu Zhen’s hand, bypassed the rooms and found the entrance to the lower cabin, then quietly descended the stairs.
In the dim light, a cough made them imdiately stick to the wall and stop moving. Until the sound ceased and their eyes adjusted to the light, they saw a boatman sitting in the corner, with the character "宁" on the back of his vest. Exchanging a glance, they stealthily moved to the back of the cargo.
They sliced open the outer packaging again, and inside it was still silk fabric.
Unwilling to give up, Fu Zhen prepared to cut open and inspect each piece, when footsteps sounded above, and soon two lanterns poked in at the head of the stairs.
"...These stairs are narrow, be careful you two."
The boatman holding the lanterns spoke with flattery in his tone. By the ti he landed on the deck, the ones behind him had followed down: first was He Qunying, followed by two scholarly dressed n, none other than Xu Yin and Lian Rong by his side!
Exchanging a glance with Pei Zhan, Fu Zhen held his breath and hid behind the stacks of cargo.
After Xu Yin landed, he surveyed the fully loaded cargo, saying, "You’ve got quite the business going here, with so much silk on two ships. Have you found buyers?"
"Demand exceeds supply," He Qunying said with a smile, his arrogance unmistakable even without seeing his expression. "With the General Mansion’s brand, how could custors not co knocking?"
Xu Yin smiled knowingly, "Indeed."
He Qunying led the way, "This way."
The two bypassed the stairs, reaching the other stairway, and descended to the bottom level.
Fu Zhen wanted to follow, but Pei Zhan pulled her hand, "He Qunying’s martial arts are not low, don’t alert the snake, let’s wait."
Fu Zhen retreated.
Looking around again, all she saw was still stacks of silk.
At this ti, the guards who had gone down to the bottom level gradually ca up. Fu Zhen counted one by one, seeing that all the people brought by Xu Yin and He Qunying had co up and were heading to the top deck, but Xu Yin, his attendant, and He Qunying did not co up.
"Let’s go."
Pei Zhan softly uttered the word, and Fu Zhen followed his steps around to that stairway entrance.
The lanterns were left below, and through the gaps in the wooden boards, they could see the brightly lit scene below.
Below, too, was full of cargo; however, this level had three small rooms, likely where the boatn lived and also served as positions for guarding the goods.
Though they had all co up, theoretically, only Xu Yin, his servant, and He Qunying remained below. Yet under the light, there was another person in front of the three!
If there were still a boatman below, it wouldn’t be surprising, but this person, disheveled and dirty, knelt on the ground, bound hand and foot with hemp rope, couldn’t possibly be a boatman!
"So this is Xu Yin’s goal," Pei Zhan conveyed the ssage to Fu Zhen with his eyes.
Fu Zhen bit her lip tightly, her eyes unblinkingly fixed on the captured person.
Who is this person? She couldn’t discern any clues.
But Xu Yin’s gaze was fixed tightly on him, extending his well-manicured hand, grabbing the person’s hair and lifting his face up.
Fu Zhen could only see half the face, but the face under the disheveled hair was unrecognizable.
"I have a few questions to ask him first, Brother He, may I have a mont?"
He Qunying nodded, "He’s yours, do as you wish."
With that, he stepped onto the stairs and ca up with a thud.
Pei Zhan covered Fu Zhen’s nose and lips with one hand, and they silently vanished into the darkness like shadows.
He Qunying’s footsteps disappeared on the top deck.
Below, Xu Yin had already pulled apart the person’s tangled hair and to better see the face clearly, had also pulled out the rag stuffed in his mouth.
Without obstruction, the person imdiately began to breathe heavily, like a fish out of water. And a vague phrase erged from his mouth.
"That’s right, it’s him!"
As Xu Yin was still observing the person, Lian Rong took the rag and stuffed it back into his mouth.
"I’ll take him up and bring him back to the mansion right away."
"Hold on!"
Xu Yin, with a chilling look, tore out the rag again and gazed steadily at the man, "What’s your surna? What were you doing in Tanzhou?"
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