Chapter 97: Smuggling

Ding Li bid farewell to Miao Cuihua, Li Shan, Blade-scarred Wei, and the rest of the escorts one by one. Yang Hongwen expressed his deepest gratitude for their timely assistance and entrusted the captive Ding Li had taken, along with the bearded man, to the custody of the Miao Escort Agency. He arranged for them to be delivered to the East Camp under the cover of his personal letter once the agency returned to Fuxu Town the following day.

Miao Cuihua was naturally delighted by this task. Yang Hongwen was a favorite of the Regional Commander; by performing a service for him, her agency’s standing would surely rise significantly. Perhaps she might even become acquainted with an officer within the East Camp, opening new doors for the future.

Yang Hongwen and Ding Li selected two sturdy horses from the bandits’ mounts, packed a few pieces of meat that the lead escort, Li Shan, had carefully cut from the red-haired wolf, and filled two waterskins. Under the cover of night, the two set off toward Guangzhou Prefecture.

"Boss, I never imagined Ah Li was so capable!" Watching Ding Li and Yang Hongwen disappear into the darkness, Li Shan remarked with a look of envy. Even though their silhouettes had long since faded into the night, he kept his eyes fixed on the horizon, speaking softly to Miao Cuihua beside him. His eyes, shimmering with an unusual light, remained motionless. "So young, yet he has ties to both of our 'Two Virtues of Guangzhou,' and it seems to be more than just a passing acquaintance!"

Hearing the excitement in his companion's voice, Blade-scarred Wei glanced at Li Shan with disdain, curled his lip, and muttered mockingly, "Old Li! Stop envying him; you’ll never have such luck in this lifetime! When you were that age, you were probably still running errands for Old Master Miao at our agency!"

"Nonsense! Pure rubbish!" Hearing his friend expose his past, Li Shan turned to glare at him, wanting to retort, but his tone lacked any real bite. "Who—who said that! At that time, I was already able to—to accompany Old Master Miao on escort missions!"

"Hahaha! Escort missions? You were probably just trailing behind Old Master Miao, serving tea and water!" Blade-scarred Wei scoffed at the weak rebuttal, showing no mercy. Li Shan, however, did not take offense. He merely shook his head, as if unwilling to argue further, and sighed, waving his hand. "Sigh! Based on my years of experience in the martial world, I suspect that before long, the 'Two Virtues' of our Guangzhou Prefecture will become the 'Three Virtues'!"

"Oh? I hadn't noticed that, but it is quite a coincidence—Ah Li’s courtesy name is Ziyi!" Miao Cuihua paused, immediately catching the implication. She nodded in sudden realization, though her tone remained largely playful. "Perhaps, in the future, it really will be the 'Three Virtues of Guangzhou'!"

"Exactly, exactly! If that happens, this old face of mine will have something to be proud of!" Li Shan nodded repeatedly, blurting out his thoughts without hesitation. He immediately realized his words might have been slightly inappropriate and looked around at the others, who all wore expressions of surprise. He hurriedly let out a sheepish laugh, waving his hands to explain in a low voice, "I mean, even when I’m old, it’ll be a point of pride to tell people! After all, I, Li Shan, knew two of the Three Virtues of Guangzhou! And Ding Li, Ding Ziyi, has even called me Brother Li a few times!"

"Look at how pleased you are! You look happier than if you’d earned ten taels of gold!" Blade-scarred Wei shook his head helplessly, not forgetting to chide his companion. Li Shan offered no rebuttal, simply smiling indifferently. Although they were the two lead escorts of the agency, Li Shan’s advantage was his seniority—as he had said, he had been with the Miao Escort Agency for over twenty years, while Blade-scarred Wei had transferred from another region a few years prior. Their abilities were roughly equal, differing only in title. Having fought side-by-side for years, their bond was extraordinary, and they spoke to one another with complete candor.

"Alright, I’m tired. Everyone should get some rest tonight. Leave two brothers to watch the captives; there must be no mistakes!" Seeing her two capable assistants bantering, Miao Cuihua did not intervene. She smiled and gave them instructions before walking toward the bonfire. Though she laid out a reed mat to rest, she did not close her eyes immediately. Instead, she stared into the dark, profound night sky, lost in thought about the future of the agency.

After Li Shan and Blade-scarred Wei exchanged a few more barbs—a pastime they enjoyed—they both felt the creeping onset of sleep. Having agreed on a night watch rotation, they fell silent.

***

The night wind blew in gusts. Unlike the city, the wilderness at night carried a bone-chilling cold, especially under the influence of the sea breeze. For Yang Hongwen, however, the chill helped dull the pain of his various wounds.

The two men rode through the night without torches, relying only on the faint moonlight to find their way. Fortunately, Yang Hongwen was a native of Lingnan, and with him leading, they soon reached the main road. Their tension eased, as the road was flat and they no longer had to worry about hidden pits or their horses stumbling.

"Brother Yang, thank you for what happened last time!" Only then did Ding Li have the opportunity to express his gratitude for being saved previously.

Yang Hongwen was clearly taken aback, then realized Ding Li was referring to the incident outside Master Liu the Third’s residence. He shook his head and replied in a resonant voice, "No need for thanks! You saved my life just now, which proves I didn’t make the wrong choice! Otherwise, I wouldn't have survived today."

"You are too modest, Brother Yang. That was merely a small effort on my part; it cannot be compared to the situation you faced that day," Ding Li replied with a faint, humble smile, though he meant it sincerely and without a hint of flattery.

"That day, I was acting on behalf of Shouyi. For me, it was truly a small matter," Yang Hongwen said, not seeking credit. It was indeed nothing difficult for him; leading the Regional Commander’s guards to the residence of a gang leader, and finding them in the act of committing a crime—Yang Hongwen had been quite restrained by not arresting them on the spot.

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Ding Li turn as if to speak again, so he quickly waved his hand and said with a smile, "Ah Li, let’s not keep thanking each other. What happened just now can be considered one life for another; we are even!"

"Uh, very well. Since you say so, Brother Yang, I won’t insist," Ding Li replied with a sincere smile, turning his gaze back to the road.

"However, Ah Li, I must warn you of one thing!" Yang Hongwen seemed to recall something. After a moment of hesitation, he glanced at Ding Li, his expression turning grave.

"Please, Brother Yang, speak your mind!" Ding Li did not look back, unaware of the change in Yang Hongwen’s expression, and even offered a light smile as he responded.

"The South Sea Gang has not been established for long, but its reputation at the docks is quite respectable." As he said this, Yang Hongwen’s expression softened, but as he shifted his tone, his face suddenly turned cold and his voice dropped. "I am well aware of why Shouyi supports your South Sea Gang. If it is purely to deal with the Cao Merchant Guild or Liu the Third of the Chaozhou Gang, as long as things don't get out of hand, I won't interfere! But if you use this as an opportunity to expand your own power and intend to follow in the footsteps of the Chaozhou Gang, then don't blame me for forgetting today’s favor!"

Ding Li was stunned. He slowed his horse, looked at Yang Hongwen with confusion, and asked, "Brother Yang, I only understood half of what you said. I truly don't understand what you mean by 'following in the footsteps of the Chaozhou Gang'?"

"Hmph!" At the mention of this, Yang Hongwen let out a cold snort and questioned Ding Li with dissatisfaction, "Do you remember the cause of the incident at Liu the Third’s residence?"

"Scar-faced Wu! Wasn't he a lackey for Master Liu the Third? Naturally, when I dealt with him, Master Liu wouldn't let me off easily!" Ding Li looked at Yang Hongwen as if it were obvious, slowing his horse further, but suddenly realized Yang Hongwen was not referring to that.

Before Ding Li could add anything, Yang Hongwen took over, his voice cold. "Scar-faced Wu was indeed his lackey, but Liu the Third wouldn't dare make such a scene in the city over a mere lackey!"

"Liu Fu! The sea merchant caught smuggling at the docks, Liu Fu!" Ding Li was sharp; he had long suspected that Liu the Third was more concerned with Liu Fu than Scar-faced Wu. However, because he had been recovering from his injuries, he had ceased paying attention and had put the matter aside.

"Correct! It was Liu Fu!" Yang Hongwen nodded, his tone remaining severe. "The Chaozhou Gang was originally supported by the Cao Merchant Guild. But the bold Liu the Third tried to escape the Cao family’s control, using Scar-faced Wu’s small faction at the docks to smuggle goods. Liu Fu was the witness who was caught!"

"Liu Fu is in your hands? Then why not let him testify? Wouldn't that allow you to follow the trail all the way to the Cao Merchant Guild?" Ding Li was shocked. He had not expected that Liu Fu, whom everyone suspected he had taken, was actually with Yang Hongwen. He immediately regretted speaking, realizing that if it were that simple, Yang Hongwen wouldn't be lecturing him now.

"It is not that simple. A small figure like Liu Fu might make Liu the Third wary, but it is not enough to convict him!" Yang Hongwen shook his head, a bitter smile touching his lips. He sighed and continued his analysis. "Liu Fu is indeed in my hands, but he refuses to testify! Because his family is in the hands of the Cao Merchant Guild! Without the safety of his family guaranteed, he would rather die than reveal the truth. With his family as leverage, the Cao Merchant Guild has once again brought Liu the Third under their control. After all, in the current situation, if Liu the Third goes too far, the Cao family could at any moment sacrifice Liu Fu’s entire family, leaving Liu the Third to die without a burial place!"

"I see! How truly complicated!" The balance and hidden struggles between these factions made even Ding Li, who considered himself well-traveled, sigh. He had not expected that a minor sea merchant could play such a pivotal role in the power struggles of these great factions.

"Now, do you understand what it means to follow in the footsteps of the Chaozhou Gang?" Yang Hongwen had not forgotten his earlier point, his cold voice cutting through Ding Li’s contemplation.

"Rest assured, Brother Yang. Smuggling hurts the people and the nation; I will never engage in it! If you discover that I have, you may deal with me as you see fit!" Ding Li despised smuggling, so he patted his chest and gave Yang Hongwen a sincere, solemn promise.

Seeing this, Yang Hongwen looked at the determined face in the night. He hesitated, then chose to believe him for now. He gave a slight nod, though he added a final, unrelenting warning: "That is for the best! I hope I never find a trace of evidence to the contrary! Otherwise, our relationship will not be as it is tonight!"