Chapter Ten: A Risky Move

But he was suddenly pulled back.

There was a missing link in tonight’s plan—the location of the new granary. The stable’s men had already been sent to inquire, but Di Ying wasn’t sure if they would succeed before nightfall. Now, with Meng Zhenyao, who knew the details, standing right before him, Di Ying had no choice but to take a gamble and trust him just this once.

It was always a risky move…

Truth be told, Di Ying knew that Meng Zhenyao was grateful to him, but he didn’t accept the sentiment. He had merely freed an innocent man. Yet the situation tonight was truly exceptional. Seeing Meng Zhenyao’s usefulness and feeling he was a decent person, Di Ying simply assigned him the task.

This favor, Di Ying now owed.

The role Meng Zhenyao would play tonight was the most crucial and indispensable.

…

However, as the torchlight drew nearer across the river, Di Ying couldn’t help but feel a surge of anxiety. Had something gone awry? Did Meng Zhenyao have second thoughts halfway through? After all, he would have to bring his wife, Dong Yani, along and face such peril.

After his release, Meng Zhenyao had brought Dong Yani home, moving out of the Prefect’s residence to live independently. Originally, Di Ying had intended to arrange for a courtesan to assist Meng Zhenyao, but Meng Zhenyao refused, and Dong Yani volunteered herself. With time running short, Di Ying had no leisure to argue and simply nodded his assent.

He was worried, of course. If something happened, the whole family would be lost…

If the two of them truly abandoned the mission halfway, Di Ying would understand, and bear no resentment. At worst, he would let those villains carting away stone sacks trample right over him.

Wasn’t that always the plan?

Di Ying took a deep breath, straightened his back, and raised his torch higher.

…

As the flower boat drifted closer to the embankment, Meng Zhenyao completed his task. He watched as Ma Xinggui was stabbed to death by She Yanbo, while Wu Xiongcai, still dazed, continued grappling blindly. Meng Zhenyao gave his wife Yani, who was hiding behind him, a nod.

Yani turned and went to another cabin by the passageway, changed into ordinary clothes, donned a bamboo hat, and covered her face with a veil.

She sat quietly in a chair, waiting for news from outside.

After his wife left, Meng Zhenyao shouted, “Murder!” Then he rushed in to break up the fight, getting himself covered in blood as well. He toppled cups, plates, and wine onto the floor in the chaos.

The flower girls had already fled to the rear cabin when Ma Xinggui and the others began fighting, terrified. They belonged to no one, merely accustomed to avoiding trouble whenever guests brawled. Self-preservation and prudence—they wanted no part in the matter.

The guards assigned to prepare the embankment breach, however, could not avoid involvement. Their masters were enjoying themselves in the main cabin, and the guards stood outside on the deck. Hearing sounds of fighting inside, they paid little heed—there were beauties inside, the men had drunk too much, brawling was to be expected. No orders were given.

It wasn’t until the cry of murder rang out that they panicked and burst through the windows.

The scene before them made them gasp.

Four young gentlemen, all covered in blood. Young Master Ma lay motionless, Young Master She still brandished his dagger, Young Master Wu clung to She’s leg, while Young Master Meng jumped up, grabbed a water bucket from the corner, and splashed it over the three.

Utter chaos.

…

Within the prefectural city, at the Governor’s residence, in the study of the front courtyard.

Ma Guangjin, Governor of Bingzhou, and She Jianhong, Prefect of Bingzhou, sat cross-legged on the couch, playing chess.

“The rain is getting lighter and lighter…” She Jianhong picked up a black piece and placed it on the board. He listened to the diminishing rain outside, a hint of worry in his voice.

Ma Guangjin, unconcerned, smiled and lightly pressed down his white piece, then picked up his teacup and gently blew away the foam before speaking:

“It doesn’t matter if it stops. Once the embankment is breached and the floodwaters released, the memorial to the court will say whatever we wish it to say, won’t it? When Xinggui and the others return, we’ll just wait for the court’s disaster relief grains and funds.”

“I can’t shake a sense of unease, Brother Guangjin. Do you think forcing fate like this might have unforeseen consequences?” She Jianhong, seeing his chess strategy blocked, lost interest in the game. He leaned by the window, gazing into the pitch-black night, troubled.

“What consequences could there be? We’ve worked together for five years now, haven’t we? Everything has gone smoothly. This year, the grain supply faltered for a while—that’s a trivial matter. When the court’s relief grains and silver arrive, we’ll distribute them generously, and those lowly folk might even kneel and thank us, presenting us with the Canopy of Ten Thousand People. People only show their best in desperate times. In previous years, we made things too easy for them; they even dared call us corrupt and wicked behind our backs. Hmph, this time, let it be a lesson! After this, no one will dare stir up trouble again.”

Ma Guangjin, triumphant after winning, took another sip of tea, then set down his cup and began gathering the chess pieces.

“Brother Guangjin, your foresight is remarkable. Listening to your analysis, it seems we really can profit from disaster.” She Jianhong, thinking of receiving the ‘Canopy of Ten Thousand People,’ no longer worried. He turned to help tidy the chessboard, his oily face breaking into a grin.

Tonight was momentous; neither could sleep. So they came together to play chess and talk, waiting for news of the embankment breach. Once the message arrived, they would dispatch swift riders to inform the court.

Ma Guangjin, collecting chess pieces and glancing at She Jianhong’s smiling face, suddenly thought of something and asked,

“My troops can’t enter the city in large numbers. You must maintain good relations with Chen Jun of the city defense battalion. The court’s grain and pay won’t arrive for at least half a month. If the troublemakers keep rioting, your prefect’s jail won’t hold them all. Keeping them locked up isn’t a solution. If someone dares to petition the capital, it’ll bring us unnecessary trouble. Stay close to Chen Jun, best if you can win him over. Last time you acted too rashly—wasn’t it just that one of your stewards took his tenant’s wife? You should have given more money. But you insisted on beating up Chen Jun’s father when he came to complain. Why do you dislike him so much?

A man must have breadth of mind. We’re prudent in great matters; let’s not leave too many traces in small ones, lest it harm our careers.”

“Brother Guangjin, I know you’re speaking for my sake.”

When Ma Guangjin mentioned Chen Jun and old Chen, She Jianhong grew angry. He stopped collecting chess pieces, slapped his leg, and said,

“That old bastard is infuriating. So what if a tenant’s wife was killed? Is it really such a big deal? I paid him, and said I’d give the man another wife. Isn’t that just to get on better terms with his son Chen Jun? Who’d bother otherwise? But the old bastard wouldn’t budge, absolutely wouldn’t, demanded I execute the steward. How can I? If I do, what happens to my reputation?”