In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 774 Surprise Attack, Caught Red-Handed

As evening approached, at the port of Yingtianfu River.

The golden sunlight shone down, making the water ripples on the entire river surface sparkle.
The clouds in the sky looked as if they had been set ablaze, turning crimson red...

On the river surface,

Merchant ships lined the waterway, waiting to dock.

Even at night, the port remains bustling with activity.

Among the hundreds of merchant ships, several enormous ones stood out, towering at least half again as tall as the others, resembling colossal figures stretching across the riverbank.

The four large characters "Yingtian Trading Company" on it were particularly eye-catching, and the fluttering flags drew envious glances from many people waiting to enter the port.
They all maneuvered their merchant ships to make way.
Let the merchant ships of Yingtian Trading Company enter the port first.

This is a new rule that has emerged in the past year; previously, merchant ships from the imperial estates would enter the port first.

Now even the imperial estates are avoiding it.

Just because in the previous few times,

Yingtian Trading Company's ships were targeted and unable to enter the port.

The trading company then used its connections with the Governor's Office to acquire several decommissioned warships from the navy, which were then converted into merchant ships.

If they are not allowed to enter the port and dock first,

Once these "warships" stop,
Other small boats faced immense difficulties leaving the harbor, forcing everyone to make way for them and allow them to dock first.

"Berth number one, slow down, slow down."

The officials waved flags and shouted through megaphones, using at least 80% more force than before.
They were afraid that these huge "warships" wouldn't hear them and would damage the port.

Not far away, a group of people dressed in the uniforms of Yingtian Trading Company waited quietly.

The leader was a young man in his twenties, handsome and dashing, holding a folding fan and exuding elegance.

He was Liu Zixian, who was in charge of the waterway trade between Yingtian Trading Company and the northern trade, and was also a popular figure in the capital.

At this moment, those surrounding him,
Most of them were shopkeepers from various parts of northern China who hoped to join the supply chain system of Yingtian Trading Company and achieve a leap in business.

Even some local officials traveled thousands of miles to the capital.

The hope is to open up trade routes and achieve political success.

Liu Zixian, however, remained aloof and ignored the chatter around him.

Instead, they watched the merchant ships slowly entering the harbor.
A hint of excitement flashed in his eyes.

Standing beside him was another young man, Yu Qilun.

At this moment, he was in high spirits.
The father's timely "jumping ship" not only preserved the family's survival but also made them even more influential in the navy.

Without Zhao Yong's protection, some generals had no choice but to seek his help.

These past few days, the house has been packed with people.
They were all generals who held military power in their respective regions…

He looked at Liu Zixian beside him and said with a smile:
"Brother Liu, the navy still has many warships that are about to be abandoned. Although they can no longer be used for combat, they are sufficient for transporting goods."

Interested?
If you want them, I can use my connections to get you two.
As for money... a token amount will suffice.

Listening to his loud, secret plot, Liu Zixian glanced at the numerous shopkeepers and officials around him who all seemed to be pretending not to hear, and said softly:
"You should be careful when you're out and about, lest others overhear you."

"Hey~ what's there to be afraid of? It's just making use of waste, it's a good thing."

Yu Qilun didn't care at all.

"We'll discuss this later, after the port on the Yingtianfu River is expanded."

Liu Zixian inadvertently revealed another secret, which made everyone prick up their ears and listen intently.

Yu Qilun was also somewhat surprised:

"A real expansion? Is it decided?"

"It's settled. Yingtian Construction Firm will handle the project, taking care of all the raw materials and hiring laborers. Construction will begin after the autumn harvest."

Liu Zixian spoke with certainty.

"Great... By then, we'll replace all the merchant ships with warships!"

Yu Qilun was very excited.
It was as if I saw gleaming silver flashing before my eyes.

Liu Zixian, on the other hand, was much more composed and waved his hand:

"We'll discuss this later; everything within the business must follow proper procedures."

To add cargo ships, the accounting department must calculate the costs.

Subsequent purchases will only be considered when transportation capacity reaches its limit and cannot cope with unforeseen circumstances.

Otherwise, the shopkeepers wouldn't have agreed.

Yu Qilun smiled and nodded:

"Of course, of course, we'll talk about this later."

The two chatted and laughed.

Many people behind him were greatly shocked, especially those who listened to the process.
Many shopkeepers felt like cavemen.

Some businesses can't function without their manager.

But when they heard this, they realized that it was unbelievable that Yingtian Trading Company could still operate perfectly well without a manager.

Once the warships docked, Liu Zixian smiled and said:
"The amount of goods sent from Beiping this time is considerable, given how deep the water is."

Yu Qilun nodded meaningfully, his hands hanging at his sides, rubbing them together incessantly, his palms soaked with sweat.

He knew all too well how much money he could make from this round trip.

"Yes, the trading company is going to make a fortune again this time."

Liu Zixian smiled slightly, waved his hand, and signaled the waiting shop assistant to come forward and receive the goods.

The two then leisurely walked to a nearby shed and sat down.

"I heard you had some conflict with my brother-in-law?"

Yu Qilun held a bottle of cola, took a sip, and the faint medicinal aroma and coolness instantly filled the air.

Just as he was about to feel a surge of pleasure, upon hearing this, a feeling of resentment arose in his heart. "Why bring him up? It's bad luck."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Liu Zixian laughed.
"Do you want me to help you set up a meeting and play matchmaker?"
This constant commotion isn't a solution; making money together is the right way forward.

"Hmph... No need."

At this point, Yu Qilun's arms throbbed with pain, and a shadow crossed his eyes.

Liu Zixian continued to persuade him:

"My brother-in-law married my sister and rose to a high position through our Liu family."

I'll go and mediate; it'll definitely work.

Upon hearing this, Yu Qilun, despite his deep resentment towards Lu Yunyi, found the statement utterly absurd.

But thinking that they were all young people and it was normal for them to brag, he didn't take it to heart and shook his head instead.
"Forget it, the grievances have their source, and the debts have their debtors."
"Things have escalated to this point; even if I wanted to mediate, my father wouldn't agree."

"That's a real pity. I was planning to take advantage of his stay in the capital to get together with you all and do a good deed."

Liu Zixian flicked his folding fan and fanned himself gently, his face full of high spirits.

"Brother Liu, Lu Yunyi's whereabouts are currently very unpredictable."

Even the six ministers couldn't find him, how could you possibly do that?

Yu Qilun's tone carried a hint of teasing.

Liu Zixian scoffed:
"What's so difficult about that? If he can't give face to others, why wouldn't he give face to the Liu family?"

"hehe…"

Yu Qilun didn't refute, but simply smiled and agreed, "That's true..."

"Brother Liu, with so many goods this time, I hope nothing bad will happen."

Yu Qilun's tone carried a hint of worry.

"What could possibly happen? Who would dare investigate Yingtian Trading Company's channels?"

Liu Zixian didn't care.
He grabbed a can of cola from the side, opened it, gulped down two mouthfuls, and exclaimed with a sigh, "Ah...so refreshing!"

"Thump thump thump..."

The sound of hurried footsteps suddenly rang out in the already noisy port of Yingtianfu River.
Chaos erupted instantly, with shouts and screams filling the air.

Many people's expressions changed drastically when they saw the orderly group of people arriving.
They all avoided it as if they had seen a demon.

Soon, a group of nearly five hundred people had rushed to the edge of the port!
Upon seeing the newcomer, Liu Zixian's eyes widened slightly, and he immediately spat out the cola he had just drunk. A look of shock flashed in his eyes, followed by confusion.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard? What are they doing here?"

Yu Qilun, standing to the side, was already stiff and unable to move. Looking at the flying fish uniform and the standard longsword, his lips were dry and pale.
"Brother Liu... this... this... could it be that something has happened?"

"Why panic!"

Liu Zixian gave a low shout, suppressing his panic as he stood up, as if trying to bolster his own courage.
"Who dares to inspect the goods of Yingtian Trading Company!"

Yu Qilun was also infected by his fearlessness and relaxed a little.
But when the two stepped out of the shade and saw the people coming out of the separated line,
He started trembling all over, cold sweat poured down his forehead, and fear filled his eyes. How could it be him?

Upon seeing the newcomer, Liu Zixian stiffened, his steps slowing considerably.
They even stopped there from a great distance.

"The Imperial Guards are handling the case; all unrelated personnel, please retreat!"

One person took out a megaphone and shouted.

The people around him retreated like a receding tide, and Liu Zixian quickly turned around, wanting to leave as well.

Yu Qilun followed closely behind, both of them with their heads down, trembling with fear.

"stop."

"Where are you two young masters going?"

At this moment, a calm and steady voice suddenly rang out.

Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, watched the two men trying to slip away with a cold expression.
He had no expression, as if he were looking at a dead person.

The two men froze on the spot, drenched in sweat. Mao Xiang stepped forward, glanced at the onlookers, and said loudly:

"I am Mao Xiang, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Someone has reported that the merchant ships used by the Yingtian Trading Company are involved in smuggling. I have come here to investigate!"

"Wow—"

The surrounding people immediately erupted in an uproar.

One by one, their faces showed shock and disbelief.

Did the Yingtian merchants engage in smuggling?

This is an absolutely major event.
Moreover, it was personally overseen by the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard...

Many intelligent people immediately thought of the widely circulated Market Transaction Bureau.

The speculation is that the imperial court is going to target the Yingtian Trading Company first!

Many people looked around, while others immediately turned and quickly left.

The deathly silence instantly turned into a cacophony!

Mao Xiang saw this scene,
A slight smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

He did this on purpose, facing a behemoth like the Yingtian Trading Company.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard alone is absolutely unshakeable.

We still need to make a big fuss about it.

The bigger the commotion, the less likely the imperial court will take sides.

There will likely be countless people lending a helping hand!

Mao Xiang looked at the two people who were stunned and at a loss, sizing them up before finally fixing his gaze on Yu Qilun:

"Young Master Yu, what are you doing here?"

Yu Qilun froze, and stammered as he answered:
"To play here."

Mao Xiang nodded and said in a deep voice:

"Since you're here for leisure, let's hurry home. The Imperial Guards need to investigate a case."

Yu Qilun suddenly raised his head, a flash of surprise in his eyes, followed by ecstasy and gratitude. He repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting:

"We're leaving now, we're leaving now... Lord Mao, please investigate at your leisure."

After saying that, he hurriedly fled away.

Liu Zixian, trembling, forced a smile:
"Lord Mao, me too...me too..."

"You can't go."

Mao Xiang abruptly interrupted him, his expression growing increasingly cold.

He looked at the merchant ships that had already docked and let out a loud shout:
"Search!"

"Yes!"

More than a hundred people responded in unison and rushed onto the boat.

Time ticked by, and as the sky turned a deep blue,
Qian Xinghuai, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, rushed off the ship with an extremely solemn expression.

He approached Mao Xiang and bowed deeply.
"Sir, unregistered smuggled goods have been found in the lowest hold of several merchant ships."

The quantity was enormous and horrifying!

Mao Xiang gave a light snort, glanced at Liu Zixian who was slumped on the ground, and ordered:
"Find the port laborers to move all these smuggled goods out and pile them up here!"

"Yes!"

After Qian Xinghuai ran away, Liu Zixian finally realized what was happening and scrambled to his feet.

"Lord Mao, I am Liu Zixian. My second uncle is the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, and my brother-in-law is the Commander of the Northern Expeditionary Army..."

"Noisy!"

Mao Xiang gave a sharp rebuke, glanced discreetly around, and then suddenly raised his voice:
"Do you think you can escape the laws of the Ming Dynasty just because you have powerful backers?"
Can't the law govern you?

"Guards, tie them up tightly and gag them!"

"Yes!"

Several Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward and tied Liu Zixian up without saying a word, ignoring his cries of pain.

As darkness fell, a thick curtain seemed to cover the sky.

The entire Yingtianfu River was lit with candles, lanterns, and torches, remaining brightly lit.

Liu Sili, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, arrived late.

He was dressed in a scarlet robe, his steps were hurried, and his face was extremely solemn.

Beside him were not only a deputy from the Court of State Ceremonial, but also two managers from the Yingtian Trading Company who were in charge of daily affairs.

The group had just arrived and immediately noticed the bustling port.

One by one, the Imperial Guards and laborers were mingling together, unloading goods from a huge merchant ship.

Rows of wooden crates were neatly stacked in the not-so-spacious square, taller than a person and longer than some ordinary merchant ships…

To the side, more than thirty open boxes were lined up, revealing the "contraband" inside.

Upon seeing this, the group's expressions changed drastically.

Liu Sili's expression became extremely serious.

He stared intently at Liu Zixian, who was cowering to the side, trembling.
A feeling of disappointment and frustration welled up inside me!

Upon seeing the group arrive, Liu Zixian immediately began to struggle violently, his eyes pleading for help clearly visible even to those who were not involved!
But Liu Sili only glanced at him before looking away, showing no concern whatsoever for his beloved nephew.

He looked at Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who was walking over, and spoke in a deep voice:
"Lord Mao, what has happened?"

Why are you seizing my Yingtian Trading Company's merchant ships?

Mao Xiang, with a calm expression, handed over a document and said:

"Lord Liu, take a look. Someone has reported that Yingtian Trading Company is using the guise of exchanging goods to engage in smuggling."

This is merely a routine inspection.
But unexpectedly... I actually made a profit.

These are all precious items that are not registered.

"Lord Liu, take a good look and think carefully about how to explain this."

Upon hearing this, anyone with a brain could sense the hostility in the words, and their expression turned serious.

Liu Sili quickly glanced at the document; it bore the official seal of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and all procedures were in accordance with regulations, causing Liu Sili to sigh inwardly…

He waved his hand and gave the order:
"Go and see what those scoundrels are transporting on our merchant ships!"

Two men rushed forward to check.

After a closer look, their faces turned deathly pale. One of them turned to Liu Sili, his voice trembling with tears:

"Sir, this...this is definitely not one of our registered goods!"

Liu Sili frowned, took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and looked at Mao Xiang again, trying to keep his tone calm:

"Lord Mao, there may be a misunderstanding here."

Yingtian Trading Company has always been law-abiding and honest, so why would it engage in smuggling?

Someone must have framed him maliciously.

Mao Xiang sneered, his gaze fixed intently on Liu Sili:

"Lord Liu, the evidence is conclusive, how can you deny it?"

These smuggled goods are right before my eyes; could I possibly have fabricated them out of thin air?

Liu Sili stepped forward, met Mao Xiang's gaze, and showed no sign of backing down:
"Lord Mao, Yingtian Trading Company has been operating for a year. As a big tree attracts the wind, it is inevitable that it will be envied by others."

To conclude that my merchant business is smuggling based solely on these goods is far too hasty.

Moreover, the merchant guild carries a large variety of goods and has a complex registration process, making oversights inevitable.

Perhaps someone with malicious intent exploited this to smuggle contraband among them.

Mao Xiang's lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of mockery:
"Lord Liu, you make it sound so easy for you to say that."

An oversight?

How could such a large quantity of smuggled goods be covered up by a mere oversight?
Now that I am here, I am determined to investigate this matter thoroughly and give the court an explanation.

Liu Sili inwardly cried out in alarm.

He knew the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard well; once they got on his heels, it would be difficult to escape.

He rolled his eyes, trying to change the subject:

"Lord Mao, this matter is of great importance. Why don't we find another place to discuss it in detail?"

There are too many people here, it might be inconvenient.

Mao Xiang remained unmoved, arms crossed, and coldly said:

"Lord Liu, there's no need for that."

I will conduct this case right here, so that everyone can see whether Yingtian Trading Company has any problems.

If there is truly an injustice, I will certainly deliver justice for you.
But if it really is smuggling, then there's no way they can escape punishment.

"Lord Mao, the Yingtian Trading Company has always cooperated with the imperial court."

In this matter, we hope Your Excellency will show leniency and allow the merchant to investigate thoroughly and provide you with a satisfactory answer.

Liu Sili's tone carried a hint of pleading.

Mao Xiang sneered:
"Lord Liu, do you take me for a three-year-old child?"
Self-investigation?

If you were to investigate on your own, would you still be able to find out the truth?

"I will personally oversee today's matter; no one is permitted to interfere."

He didn't give Liu Sili a chance to speak, pointed at Liu Zixian who was slumped in the corner, and snapped:
"Take him back, torture him severely, and get the truth out of him!"

(End of this chapter)