The Martial God who started at Mantuo Manor

Page 163

Thus, a fleet escorted by almost all the escort agencies in Jiangnan, the Emei Sect, a major martial arts sect, and the Beggars' Sect, the number one gang in the world, entered the waters of Jiangning Prefecture in an almost "invading" manner.

However, the fleet sailed unimpeded all the way.

Its speed gradually decreased until it came to a complete stop on the river surface.

Jiangning Prefecture, Jinchuan Gate Water Gate.

A massive sluice gate, ten zhang wide, was constructed from thick bluestone and cast iron, lying across the canal like a silent behemoth.

Normally, this place is jointly controlled by the elite navy and the Jiangning government. Patrol boats patrol the waters, and soldiers stand guard on the gate walls. All passing ships, whether they are grain transport ships flying the flag of imperial merchants or official ships carrying high-ranking officials, must stop here, respectfully hand over their documents, and accept inspection and clearance.

When the terrifying fleet of hundreds of giant ships, along with the fifty imposing vanguard riders on the shore, arrived a hundred feet from the water gate like dark clouds pressing down on the city, the entire Jin Chuan Gate fell into an eerie, suffocating silence.

The sluice gate did not close. The patrol boat did not attempt to stop it.

The soldiers on the wall didn't even issue a warning. They were all tense, their palms sweating, gripping their weapons tightly, staring blankly at the endless fleet of ships that looked like a moving city.

The air was filled with the scents of Jiangnan, which mingled with the wind, creating an extremely dangerous aroma.

In the riverside pavilion, which is located right next to the gate wall and has an excellent location, Wei Cheng and Wei Bairu, the prefectural magistrates of Jiangning Prefecture, were leisurely using a small ivory spoon to put four kinds of freshly made tea snacks, including pine nuts, walnut shortbread, and candied kumquats, into the white porcelain dish in front of them.

Wei Bairu was about forty years old, with a fair complexion and a slightly plump appearance, but his eyes were unusually clear, as if he could see through people's hearts.

Inside the official pavilion, the water gate commander, the patrol inspector, and their subordinates were already pale with fright and stood uneasily.

Only Wei Bairu remained calm and composed, as if the fleet outside the window that could easily flatten the entire Jiangning Prefecture was nothing more than a flock of wild ducks that had accidentally wandered into the pond in his backyard.

He picked up a candied kumquat with his long fingernails, put it in his mouth, and savored its sweet and sour taste. After a while, he smiled at a captain who was about to step down and said, "Captain Li, what's the rush?"

The sky won't fall down.

"Sir...sir..."

Li, the commander, was trembling: "This is no merchant ship, and those cavalry... Look at their armor and murderous aura, what... what are they trying to do?"

Are we about to attack the city?

Wei Bairu spat the orange seed into the dish with a "pfft," wiped his mouth with a silk handkerchief, and said slowly, "Attack the city? Commander Li, you're overthinking it."

Millions of dan of grain, and so many ships still aren't enough!

He changed the subject, his gaze falling on the overwhelming banners bearing the character "王" (king) outside the window, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "However, although the higher-ups have given instructions, the scale of the operation is quite impressive."

Rules must be followed, not broken.

Wei Bairu neither ordered the gate to be closed nor ordered it to be opened.

He just left it there, letting the massive fleet get stuck in the narrow river, unable to move forward or backward.

The fleet remained stationary outside Jinchuan Gate for a full hour.

As the sun gradually set in the west, the ripples on the water were tinged with a restless golden hue.

On the shore, the fifty elite cavalrymen remained motionless like statues, but the white breath exhaled by the men and horses carried a hint of suppressed sparks.

In the river, hundreds of ships had become somewhat scattered due to the long wait. The whispers of the boatmen and sailors blended into a buzzing background sound, much like the commotion of a swarm of bees before a storm.

On the lead three-story ship, in the most luxurious cabin on the top floor, the window was wide open, and a young man dressed in a dark brocade robe stood by the window, his hands behind his back, gazing at the small official pavilion in the distance.

This person is naturally Wang Meng.

Behind him, besides Elder Qian of the Beggars' Sect, stood a stunningly beautiful Taoist nun dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe.

"A mere seventh-rank magistrate dares to put on airs here and waste time."

Fang Yanqing's voice was like jade beads falling onto a plate, clear and melodious, but its content was cold and piercing.

"Please calm down, nun."

He turned around, looked at Fang Yanqing, whose phoenix eyes were filled with murderous intent, and Elder Qian, who looked completely understanding, and slowly explained: "It's been almost half a month since we set off from Jiaxing and arrived here. These hundreds of ships and thousands of people, the daily expenses for food and supplies for the people and horses are astonishing."

I've calculated it. If we don't resupply here and just send the supplies directly to Xiangyang, at least 70% of the grain will be lost along the way.

We're going to deliver grain, not to send an empty shell for Chief Huang to laugh at!

Fang Yanqing frowned slightly: "You mean...?"

Wang Meng's voice was calm and even: "He may look like a fly, but he's actually a stick-out bird, someone who's there to test us."

He held up two fingers and gestured lightly: "Time, money."

In the eyes of this Lord Wei and the officials behind him.

These are two magic weapons that can control 99% of the people in the world.

Unfortunately, these two things are precisely what we care about least right now.

Wang Meng took two steps, the hem of his brocade robe drawing an elegant arc on the expensive carpet.

"I had originally planned to stop in Jiangning Prefecture to resupply food."

He wants to stall, so I'll stall with him and get the business done in the process.

But then I thought about it again!

Wang Meng's gaze fell on the lonely official pavilion outside the window, his eyes looking at it as if it were an ant: "It's not worth delaying my enjoyment of the scenery along the way for such a fly."

It's still best to spend a little money and get it over with.

After we enter Jiangning Prefecture, we'll find a dock to stop and resupply.

Elder Qian and Fang Yanqing were both stunned.

They didn't expect Wang Meng's mind to change so quickly. One moment he was preparing to use a counter-strategy, and the next he decided to solve the problem in the simplest and most brutal way.

Just then, the small government speedboat rowed over, and the clerk's shouts were clearly heard on the ship.

"Young Master Wang, this old beggar will accompany you on this journey."

Elder Qian bowed and said.

Wang Meng nodded: "Master, keep an eye on the fleet."

Elder Qian has the travel permit given to me by Chief Huang; it would be best if he accompanied me.

As he said this, he subtly winked his right eye at Fang Yanqing's stunningly beautiful face, which was always covered with a layer of frost.

Fang Yanqing's phoenix eyes, as cold as stars, twitched slightly, her long eyelashes drooping down to conceal the fleeting understanding in her eyes.

The unspoken understanding between the two speaks for itself.

Elder Qian has a travel permit, which makes it easier for him to negotiate with the government. This is just a polite way of putting things for outsiders.

The real key lies with Zhao Min, a Mongolian princess on the ship who has a special status and is under strict guard.

Now, we have arrived at Jiangning Prefecture, a capital city in Jiangnan with a population of one million and a diverse mix of people.

No one can guarantee how many skilled spies sent by the Prince of Ruyang's mansion are lurking in the water, trying to take advantage of the chaos.

Wang Meng's words were meant to tell her to keep an eye on the entire fleet, but the real instruction in his eyes was for her to keep a close watch on the biggest troublemaker.

Besides Wang Meng himself, only she, the highly skilled Emei sect leader, was capable of undertaking this task.

"Don't worry, leave it to me!"

Fang Yanqing nodded slightly, her voice still cool, which completely put Wang Meng at ease. He then turned around and, with Elder Qian in tow, slowly walked off the ship.

A moment later, Wang Meng and Elder Qian, guided by a clerk, went ashore and entered the riverside pavilion.

Upon entering the pavilion, a warm breeze, a blend of precious incense and delicate tea, immediately greets you.

Wei Bairu had already stood up, a warm smile on his face, and when his gaze fell on Wang Meng, a hint of admiration and greed flashed across his face.

"Oh my, it's Master Wang of Mantuo Manor! Your presence is an honor. I have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"

Wei Bairu warmly cupped his hands and personally led Wang Meng to the main seat, saying, "The reputation of the manor lord is renowned far and wide, please take a seat!"

Try this pre-rain Longjing tea, and these snacks as well; they're all made by local master chefs.

He never mentioned the fleet's passage through the pass, but kept urging people to drink tea and chat about strange tales and events in the martial arts world, as if he were not an official but a wandering swordsman.

Wang Meng picked up his teacup but didn't drink it. He simply used the lid to gently stir the tea leaves and said calmly, "Lord Wei, let's not beat around the bush."

This batch of grain is destined for Xiangyang.

If there is a delay of even one day, hundreds of soldiers will go hungry.

"What are your plans, sir? Please speak frankly."

Wei Bairu's smile remained unchanged. He exclaimed "Hey!" and seemed even more anxious than Wang Meng.

"Master Wang is truly a great hero, with his country and family in his heart. I admire him!"

However… the laws are as solid as a mountain, and even I, this official, am not free to act against them.”

He sighed deeply, his face showing difficulty: "Hundreds of sand ships, so much grain. According to the laws of the imperial court, every ship must dock, open its warehouses, weigh the grain, and verify the documents... not a single procedure can be omitted."

Otherwise, if anything goes wrong, losing my head is a small matter, but delaying the rations of the Xiangyang garrison would be a crime deserving of ten thousand deaths!

He picked up his teacup and said slowly, "I've done a rough calculation. With the limited manpower at our water gate and this method of inspection, it's probably going to take at least ten days to half a month to get it done."

Moreover, the brothers are working overtime to check the checkpoint, so their tea and meals must be taken care of, right?

The treasury... has been quite strained lately.

He paused here, picked up his teacup and took a small sip, his gaze seemingly glancing at Elder Qian.

The entire pavilion was so quiet that only the sound of the wind blowing through the eaves could be heard.

Wang Meng smiled.

He wasn't angry; he just found it somewhat amusing.

He turned to Elder Qian and said, "Elder Qian, Lord Wei works hard for the country day and night, and his men have also had a tough time."

"We're in the business of the underworld; we can't be ignorant of the rules."

Elder Qian understood immediately, took out a bulging brocade pouch from his pocket, and seemingly casually placed it on the table.

The brocade bag was half-open, revealing not gold ingots, but a thick stack of silver notes from Datong Money Shop, with the top note clearly worth one thousand taels.

This seemingly insignificant bag is probably worth several months' worth of tax revenue for an ordinary state government.

"A small token of my appreciation, for the adults and brothers to have some tea."

Elder Qian chuckled and said, "We would appreciate it if Lord Wei would do us a favor and let the brothers go through the trouble. They can stop eating now, since this grain is intended to be transported to Xiangyang. It's a special case!"

Wei Bairu's eyes lit up instantly, several times brighter than when he saw the gold ingot, but then they returned to their usual clarity.