The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 1: Xiaolang, can I borrow your wall?

Hesitation in the waves, fear and dream turn into nightmare.

Shang Mingshu, who had broken free from her dream, hurried to Yuliang Dam. From afar, she saw officials holding torches as if searching.

Wasn't the fire that burned the tea a deliberate attempt to frame the merchants? Was it an accidental injury during an arrest by the government?
Or was it just a dream that she couldn't take seriously?

Full of doubts, Shang Mingshu quietly sneaked into the houses built on the shore. Since the prosperity of trade in Huizhou Prefecture, many courtyards have been built on the shore, most of which were built by merchants themselves for their servants to guard the warehouses at night.

There was also a merchant's house, but it was not on this side, so Shang Mingshu could only find a small courtyard opposite.

"My lady, this is..."

Shang Mingshu had just jumped onto the top of the wall, with half of her body hanging on the high wall, when she heard a clear sound.

Turning around, she faced the sharp arrow that was ready to be shot, and the tall young man drew his bow and aimed it at her.

"Young man, I'm not a bad guy. You're the guard here, right?" Shang Mingshu tried to be kind, guessing his identity based on his attire. "I'm not entering the yard. I'm just borrowing the wall."

The bow and arrow were put down. Shang Mingshu took this as permission, took off an earring and threw it to the boy in the yard, then nimbly turned over and hid on the roof.

She came out in such a hurry that she only had time to put on a pair of earrings and was penniless.

Cheng She caught the flying golden light and spread out his palm. It was the simplest plain gold earring. Cheng She, who had traveled all over the country and had a pair of sharp eyes, could estimate that the earring was worth at least one or two taels of silver at a glance.

Holding the gold earring, he looked up and saw Shang Mingshu clinging to the wall. He asked with a smile, "Madam, do you need a ladder?"

Shang Mingshu's eyes were fixed on the front. She didn't answer the person behind her. She just threw the other earring behind her: "Thank you."

The bamboo ladder was set up, allowing Shang Mingshu to put her feet on the ground and lie down to save energy. The dock officers had not given up after searching the entire area. It seemed that the person they were looking for was not an ordinary person, and they were certain that the person was hiding in these warehouses.

Shang Mingshu believed the fire in her own warehouse in her dream to be real, and guessed that the fire was caused by the wanted criminal making a diversion and chose her warehouse as his target.

The criminal must be far away from her warehouse or in the opposite direction.

He scanned the area and finally locked onto a few suspicious places. Those places had been searched by officials before, but as long as the person hiding was alert, it would not be difficult to bypass them through the dark places.

If the criminal set fire, he would reveal his identity. It would be difficult to break through the encirclement of so many officers and soldiers.

Accomplice!

The criminal has accomplices!

Where are the accomplices hiding?

"Madam, are you observing the police officers on duty?"

Shang Mingshu was lost in thought when a voice rang in her ears. She turned her head suddenly and realized that the young man had been lying next to her without her noticing. When she turned her head, the two were so close that their breaths almost touched.

This young man has a good-looking appearance, but Shang Mingshu has no intention of appreciating it at this moment.

Thinking of this, she asked, "How are Xiaolang's boxing skills?"

"Guarding the house is still competent."

"I promise you a hundred taels of silver. You help me go to that house and make some noise." Shang Mingshu whispered to Cheng She as she stretched out her slender jade fingers over the wall.

Cheng She extended his generous hand.

"You do the job first. Whether it succeeds or not, you won't lose any money." Shang Mingshu didn't bring any money.

Cheng She's eyebrows twitched slightly. "If I succeed, where should I go to find my wife to get the money?" "The merchant's mansion in the east of the city. You can go there with the pair of earrings I have and yours."

As Shang Mingshu finished speaking, she felt a gust of wind sweep past her ears, and in the dark night, she saw the tall and straight figure of the young man beside her, walking like the wind in the night, agile and silent.

He moved extremely fast. In just a few breaths, he had already entered the courtyard designated by Shang Mingshu. Soon, Shang Mingshu could faintly hear the sounds of fists and feet fighting.

After confirming the location of her accomplice, she glanced at her own warehouse with a heavy gaze. It was not difficult to guess the location of the hiding person. She picked up the bow and arrow that Xiao Lang had dropped aside. It was a bit heavy in her hand, so she tried it and was barely able to pull it open.

He aimed at the spot she guessed and shot the arrow.

The arrows whizzed in, alarming a large number of officers and soldiers, and also scaring the hiding people to show up. Shang Mingshu breathed a sigh of relief and was about to hide her achievements and fame and sneak away when something strange happened.

With a dull and strange whistle, groups of hidden black-clad and masked men rushed out of the calm water, holding big swords and slashing at the police, trying their best to create a gap for the criminals who were surrounded by the police.

Shang Mingshu suddenly lowered her head. Although she had learned a lot of martial arts, she didn't want to expose herself, and she didn't want to be involved in such an obviously complicated situation.

A qualified businessman does not make strong enemies.

A pair of eyes peeked out from the top of the wall stealthily. Shang Mingshu decided to improvise. Fortunately, she used the bow and arrow left by Xiaolang.

The two sides were evenly matched and the fight was fierce. The officials who went to ask for external help could not arrive for a while. The place where the confrontation took place was far away from her family's warehouse. Shang Mingshu drew her bow and shot two arrows to help a group of officials, then threw away the bow and arrows and quickly evacuated.

She often came here and knew the terrain by heart. She took many turns and made her way to the small courtyard she built here.

Just as she was about to get home, she suddenly felt a heat wave coming from behind her. Shang Mingshu turned around and raised her hand to punch, but the person behind her dodged it and grabbed her wrist. Just as Shang Mingshu was about to fight back, a familiar voice rang out.

"Madam Shang, it's me."

Shang Mingshu had spotted the young man from the courtyard from the corner of her eye. Furious, she didn't hold back. She spun around nimbly and spun behind Cheng She. Using her arms, she pressed Cheng She against the wall with his back facing her. "You young man, you knew the thieves were ferocious, yet you still lured them here. You have bad intentions!"

Cheng She was furious at being blamed.

Shang Mingshu became even more angry when she heard the footsteps of the pursuers: "These thieves are fierce. You and I should separate and deal with them separately."

After letting go of Cheng She, Shang Mingshu took a step forward, but before she could step down, her wrist tightened. She reacted quickly and spun around and kicked Cheng She with his force. Cheng She had already prepared for it, raising his leg to block, pressing down hard, and exerting force with his hands to pull Shang Mingshu into his arms and restrain her with his iron arms.

He leaned close to her ear from behind and said, "Madam Shang, is Cheng's bow and arrow useful? Madam Shang wants to stay out of trouble. Instead of being aggressive, why not say a few soft words?"

"With you? Are you worthy of me speaking softly to you?"

With a cold sneer, Shang Mingshu turned her head and raised her leg to kick Cheng She in the face. Cheng She had to loosen his hands and cross them to block it. Before Shang Mingshu's foot landed, her freed arm bent back and accurately hit Cheng She's side of the waist.

Right in the middle where Cheng She was injured.

Cheng She groaned softly, covering his wound and leaning against the wall.

At this time, the man in black chased to the entrance of the alley. Shang Mingshu glanced at Cheng She, and ran back the way she came without looking back.

The reinforcements were coming from the city, and this was the only route she could take to meet up with them the fastest.

She thought so, and Cheng She thought so too.

Cheng She was seriously injured and was caught up several times, but he gritted his teeth and shook off the man in black. Seeing that Shang Mingshu was at the front, he threw out the rope he had taken while escaping, tied a slipknot on the rope, and accurately trapped Shang Mingshu. He pulled hard and locked Shang Mingshu's slender waist.

　It's been a year and a half since I started writing a new novel. I'm soliciting submissions for a novella with a total length of about 60 words. It's about ancient business wars, a strong female lead, and the male protagonist doesn't have many roles.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)