In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 740 Surprise Attack, Boarding and Inspection!
"Dang-dang-dang!"

A rapid and loud gong sound broke the deathly silence of Zhuxian Town's port.

As night approached, the moonlight was deep and the bright moon hung high in the sky.

Apart from a few lanterns illuminating the area, the harbor was completely dark.

As the gong sounded, orderly footsteps echoed from outside the harbor.

A long dragon of torches rushed into the port and meandered through it.

Some people, awakened by the noise, rushed out of their cabins, ready to hurl insults.
But seeing the officials from the Grand Canal transport office under the torches, he swallowed his curses.

As more and more people emerged from the cabin, casting questioning glances towards the shore,
Port manager Song Yue arrived late.

When they saw the more than a thousand people staying at the port,
His eyes widened suddenly, a look of shock flashing across them. Where did all these people come from?

Soon, he saw Ma Lingchuan, the Right Vice Minister of the Provincial Administration Commission, who was also the Grain Transport Commissioner of the Grand Canal and one of the chief officials of the Commissioner's office, right in front of the crowd.

He was an elderly man in his fifties, short and thin.
Standing there, he was completely inconspicuous.

But Song Yue dared not underestimate him, and hurriedly quickened his pace to get closer, saying respectfully:
"Your humble servant Song Yue greets Lord Ma. May I ask what brings you here so late at night?"

Ma Lingchuan glanced at him and snorted softly:
"Pass down the order: all vessels must immediately undergo flood prevention inspections! Those who delay will have their vessels impounded and be fined!"

Song Yue suddenly raised his head, staring blankly at the surrounding darkness.

He almost thought he wasn't fully awake, and quickly said:

"My lord, it is already late at night, and the port officials have all gone home. I do not have the manpower to inspect the ships."

"You don't need to worry about this. Just bring over the list of ships in Hong Kong."

Ma Lingchuan spoke coldly, his gaze not lingering on Song Yue.
Instead, he looked at the candlelight flickering in the river ahead, his gaze growing increasingly cold.

"Sir, the accounts in Hong Kong are sealed daily."

"It's against the rules to bring it out now," Song Yue stammered.

Ma Lingchuan's gaze pierced through him like a sharp sword, his voice calm, yet sending a chill down one's spine:
"Can it be done? If not, I will find someone else to do it."

"Yes, we can do it!"

Song Yue inwardly groaned but quickly agreed.

Before long, a thick ledger was brought over.

"Sir, this is the list of ships still in port."

Ma Lingchuan took the ledger, nodded slightly, and handed it to the clerk beside him:

"Get to work quickly, search each item one by one, and those who pass the inspection must leave port tomorrow!"

The clerk took the ledger and hurriedly ran to the table that had been moved over to start working.

Song Yue looked at him incredulously and asked:

"Sir, are all the ships that have been inspected required to leave port?"

"Correct!"

"Even those who just arrived today are leaving?"

"Any questions?"

Ma Lingchuan's sharp gaze swept over, making Song Yue shudder.

"No problem."

Song Yue dared not speak and could only stammer in agreement.

However, he was already inwardly cursing the absurdity!

Less than a day has passed; how could ships that have just docked possibly have completed their resupply?

Sending them away hastily now is just inviting trouble for Zhuxian Town.

Moreover, those who can use merchant ships to conduct trade already have deep connections in various regions, and these are people you can't afford to offend.

If the superior blames me...

Lord Ma is naturally unharmed, but the steward is in for a rough time.

The more Song Yue thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, he slowly retreated.

He retreated to a shadowy spot against the wall before giving instructions to his trusted confidant:

"Quickly, go to Lord Wei's residence and tell him what happened here. If Lord Ma does this, we might all be in trouble."

The confidant nodded emphatically and disappeared into the darkness in a flash.

"Quick, quick, come closer."

"Don't squeeze, leave gaps."

With each shout, even the most reluctant merchant ships were finally roused.
They also began to move about in an orderly manner, preparing to welcome passengers for boarding and inspection.

Many people complained, believing that the government's actions were unnecessary, and some even resorted to cursing.
Without a doubt, these were merchant ships backed by the government and were not so afraid of the canal transport authorities.

On the deck of the Wanbao merchant ship, Chen Jingyi was already standing there.
Watching the boats moving along the river in the darkness, his face was extremely grim.

"Sir, what should we do?"

Xu Cheng rushed out of the cabin in a panic, his face full of anxiety.
"A living person like this is not easy to hide."

Chen Jingyi calmed himself down and looked at Manager Sun standing to the side:
Have you experienced something like this before?

"No, I've been a merchant for over twenty years."

I have never seen anyone board a ship for inspection at night.
Even the recent crackdown on smuggling wasn't this high-profile.

Manager Sun confessed the truth.

However, Chen Jingyi interpreted the words differently.
He was now certain that these officials from the canal transport bureau were after the "cargo" in the ship's hold.

He didn't have time to think about where the news had leaked, and said in a deep voice:
"Lord Xu, proceed according to the pre-set plan and hide the goods."

"Okay, I'll take care of it right away." Xu Cheng hurriedly left with his men.

Chen Jingyi took the binoculars and gazed ahead.
A merchant ship was seen moored beside the high platform.
More than twenty clerks in government uniforms jumped onto the boat and began ransacking it.

They hadn't come out for a long time; the inspection was thorough and meticulous.

Chen Jingyi's mind went blank for a moment, and he asked:

"Manager Sun, what will happen if we find weapons and muskets hidden on the ship?"

"This...this..." Manager Sun's face was even more ashen than if he were crying.
"My lord, I know nothing about this matter. I have never experienced anything like it before."

Taking a deep breath, Chen Jingyi reassured him:
"Manager Sun, please don't be anxious."
In this situation, is it possible to bribe the searchers with a large sum of money?

"My lord, isn't this an admission of guilt?"

Chen Jingyi also realized that his actions were inappropriate, and quickly shook his head:
"Manager Sun, prepare the documents from the Beiping Military Command."
If something is indeed discovered, produce the documents to buy some time.

"Sir, aren't we going to take the documents from the Prince of Yan's residence?" Manager Sun asked tentatively.

"They're clearly targeting us. Taking the documents from the Prince of Yan's residence is an admission of guilt."

Chen Jingyi forced a smile, as if trying to comfort himself.

Manager Sun looked helpless and somewhat regretful.
Why don't you hurry up and get on your way? You've just arrived and you're already stuck here.

Soon, the inspection of the merchant ships ahead gradually came to an end.

After the officials filed out...
The lanterns on the mast were relit.
The captain, dejected, directed his crew to sort out the cargo that had been thrown into disarray.

At this moment, the atmosphere around the Wanbao merchant ship suddenly became tense.

All eyes were focused on the small boats that were slowly approaching.

The boat carried the officials responsible for the inspection.

"They're coming!"

Xu Cheng had quietly returned to Chen Jingyi's side at some point, his voice trembling slightly.

Although the two held the same official rank, both being commanders of a guard,

But Xu Cheng was self-aware.

His position as commander was no more than that of a foreman, far inferior to the experienced Chen Jingyi.

Chen Jingyi took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound calm:

"Stay calm and proceed according to plan."
Remember, avoid conflict with them unless absolutely necessary.

As the small boat approached, the deck of the Wanbao merchant ship instantly became bustling with activity.

The sailors pretended to be nonchalant as they sorted through the cargo.

A sense of oppressive tension filled the air, making even breathing feel heavy.

"Wanbaohao, is it? Prepare for inspection!"

An official stood at the bow of the boat and shouted loudly.

Chen Jingyi forced himself to remain calm, leaned forward, and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting:

"Gentlemen, you have worked hard. We will do our best to cooperate."

"Put down the ladder!"

The waiter lowered the ladder.
Without saying much, the officials leaped forward, and soon more than twenty people surged up.

Upon seeing these people, Chen Jingyi clenched his fist behind his back.

Previously, it was too far away to see clearly.

But when they faced each other, he could easily see through it.

These people in front of me are not officials at all, but clearly well-trained soldiers. Especially on the deck, they consciously or unconsciously maintain their formation.

The leader had sharp eyes and exuded a roguish, untamed air unique to soldiers.
He stood at the escalator entrance, glanced around, and chuckled softly:
"There are quite a few people. Spread out and search!"

As soon as these words were spoken, even Xu Cheng felt something was wrong. What kind of official would come up and immediately say "search"?

The group quickly dispersed and began a thorough inspection of the merchant ship.

They all had sharp eyes and practiced movements.
It seems to be aiming to leave no corner untouched.

Such competence is not something that a mere bureaucrat who just coasts through his days in the government office could possess.

Chen Jingyi's heart was in his throat as he kept a close eye on the movements of every official.

Time seemed to stand still, and every breath was excruciatingly painful.

The officials searched the entire cargo hold, checking every corner.
They even thoroughly searched the sailors' luggage.

Chen Jingyi's heartbeat rose and fell with the movements of the officials.

"What is this place?"

Suddenly, an official stopped in a corner of the cargo hold.

He pointed to a seemingly ordinary wooden board, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes.

Manager Sun's body went limp, almost collapsing to the ground; he was clearly panicked.
Chen Jingyi remained calm.

He quickly stepped forward and, feigning composure, explained:
"Sirs, these are the wooden planks we use to secure the goods."
There will inevitably be bumps during the journey, so we've taken special precautions to reinforce it.

The official did not respond, but instead carefully examined the wooden board, as if searching for some flaw.

After a long while, he let out a cold laugh and looked at everyone present:

"Nonsense! The canal you're traveling on, where's the bumpiness? Men, take down these planks!"

Three clerks rushed forward, carrying tools they had prepared beforehand, ready to pry open the wooden planks.

The atmosphere inside the cabin froze instantly.

More than one person stared at the four people with icy eyes, as if they were looking at dead men.

Manager Sun was trembling all over, sweating profusely, and breathing rapidly.

As a merchant and shopkeeper, he had never seen anything like this before.

"It's over, it's over"

As the officials worked, the wooden planks groaned under the strain, prying open one by one to reveal a small but hidden space underneath!
"Sir, we have made a discovery."

The leading official sneered, glanced at everyone present, and stepped forward.

In the ensuing silence, the long package was pulled out from under the wooden board.
There were also some "crackling" sounds during the incident.

"what is this?"

The clerk looked at Chen Jingyi and asked with a smile.

Chen Jingyi's palms were already covered in sweat.
He stepped forward, revealing a pitiful, honest appearance, and whispered:
"Sir, things have been a bit turbulent on the water lately, so I bought this for self-defense. It's just for show, it's not sharpened."

"Oh?"

The clerk's eyes gleamed with amusement, he chuckled softly, and found a gap in the package.
If you gently rub your finger across it, a clear bloodstain will appear.
"Not sharpened?"

Chen Jingyi was covered in sweat and stammered:

"Sir, it's just to scare people."

"Humph"

The clerk snorted coldly, stretched out his blood-soaked index finger, and squeezed out the blood.
It shimmered with a vibrant, almost dripping red color under the candlelight.

Immediately afterwards, the clerk gently rubbed his thumb against his index finger, as if wiping away the bloodstains.
Upon seeing this scene, take action!

Manager Sun, who was about to collapse, suddenly tensed up and rushed forward.
He slipped a money pouch into his hand without leaving a trace.
"Sir, are you alright?"

The clerk's eyes lit up. He touched the money, feeling its heavy weight, and chuckled softly.
"As expected, it wasn't sharpened."

Having said that, he tossed the long package behind him and gave the order:

"Put the stuff back, next ship!"

"Yes!"

A large group of people poured out of the cabin, arriving and leaving quickly.

After they left, more than one person breathed a sigh of relief, their tense bodies relaxing.

Chen Jingyi regained his composure and gave the order:

"Restore it to its original state, don't just stand there."

After saying that, he hurriedly followed, reverting to his trembling and terrifying appearance.

A group of about twenty people gathered on the deck, and said nothing more.
With a wave of his hand, the leader signaled the group to regroup and return to their small boat, gradually disappearing into the distance.

Until their figures came to rest next to another merchant ship,

Chen Jingyi finally let out a long sigh of relief, feeling completely exhausted.

This state did not last long.

Chen Jingyi then took off running into the cabin.

Xu Cheng realized what was happening and quickly followed.

At the bottom of the merchant ship are water tanks used for water storage.

More than twenty water tanks, each as tall as a person and resembling coffins, were inserted at the bottom of the ship's hold and covered with wooden lids.

Upon arriving here, Chen Jingyi's gaze swept rapidly across the area.
At a glance, you can see the water tank in the very center that is not yet fully covered, with a small gap!

He dashed over and ripped open the seal.

A long, narrow pipe extended from the dark, deep water tank, emerging from the water.

Chen Jingyi half-squatted down and scooped it up with force.
"Crash-"

A figure, soaking wet, tightly bound, and with a thin tube in its mouth, was pulled up from the water, accompanied by the continuous splashing sound.

"Hoo hoo."

The man had just been dragged out when he spat out the thin tube he was holding in his mouth and began to curse loudly:
"Xu Cheng, you son of a bitch, I'll never forgive you!!"

"Cough cough cough cough."

The man was cursing and coughing violently, with water constantly gushing from his nose.

Strangely, upon hearing the cursing,

The people who rushed over were not angry at all; instead, they breathed a sigh of relief.

It's good that he's not dead.
Xu Cheng suppressed most of his fear and joked with a smile:

"My lord, you're not dead."

Mei Yi shook his head, suddenly opened his eyes, and stared intently at the people around him, a hint of lingering fear flashing in his eyes.
He almost died.

That dark, enclosed, and congested environment just now...

It made him almost think he was going to die.
Even now that it has seen the light of day again, that deep sorrow still lingers.

If possible, he would rather die on the battlefield.
They didn't want to choke to death in the water tank.

"You just wait, wait until I regain my freedom,"

I'll deal with you all one by one, and lock you all in the water tank.

"Alright, my lord, we've already fooled the inspectors."

You haven't been found, we're still safe.

If all goes well, you should be able to disembark at Yingtian Wharf in about ten days.
"You can figure out how to take revenge on us then."

Chen Jingyi stood up, shook his hand, and gave the order:
"Give him some clean clothes and gag him."
As usual, ten guards, with no gaps allowed even for a moment!

"Yes!"

The men stood tall and proud, their demeanor more imposing than before.

When Chen Jingyi walked back to the deck,
The inspecting officials had already gone quite a distance, and Manager Sun spoke with lingering fear:
"My lord, you are truly wise to leave such an oversight."

"When you're out and about, you always need something to protect yourself. If it's completely hidden, then something's really fishy."

This is called using a small amount to conceal a larger one. But Manager Sun, you're quite clever; you had the money prepared beforehand!

Manager Sun chuckled, flipped his hand, and two more money pouches appeared:

"I carry it with me at all times, just in case of an emergency."

“Excellent. If the goods can be delivered safely, Manager Sun will be credited with a great achievement.”

Chen Jingyi spoke with a smile, but his eyes were somewhat serious.

Although the search was successfully completed,

But Chen Jingyi felt heavy-hearted.

Such a thorough search has already begun upon their arrival in Kaifeng.

What happened next? They left Henan for the capital region.

It is clear that the closer to Yingtian, the more thorough the search will be.

If you can dodge it this time, what about next time?

Chen Jingyi felt uncertain, and a hint of worry was visible in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)