Chapter 49: Chapter 49

At the Post Station, dawn had yet to fully break. Zhao Jiu stood holding the reins of a horse while Lu Wenyu, dressed in ordinary clothes, waited before the entrance.

Amid the faint mist, Lu Wenyu stood with his hands behind his back, seeing off the “nephew” he had only recently acknowledged.

“Go quickly and return quickly. There’s no need to come back to Jiangzhou. I’ll wait for you in Bianzhou.”

“All right. Thank you for seeing me off, Fifth Master. Do you need me to bring Shi Huiming’s head back?”

Hearing the hint of teasing in Zhao Jiu’s voice, Lu Wenyu did not grow angry. After a moment of silence, his voice drifted through the hazy mist.

“Go. I’ve paid you, after all. Don’t worry. Your dog will be in exactly the same condition when you return—not a single hair will be missing.”

“All right.”

The horse released a long neigh before its hooves thundered away, splashing mud into the air. Several barks sounded behind Zhao Jiu, and in the blink of an eye, everything returned to normal.

Chuzhou had been renowned since ancient times. The Yangtze River flowed through it. To the west, it connected to the splendor of Shu; to the east, the prosperity of Jiangnan; and to the north, the lingering grandeur of the Central Plains.

The Canal Gang Headquarters was located in Chuzhou.

More than a century ago, the Central Plains had fallen, and the Han people had been little different from pigs and dogs raised in pens. They were not freed until the founding of Great Qi.

Chuzhou occupied a strategic location. Large numbers of towpath haulers, canal workers, and laborers from its docks and ferries gathered together. Over time, they developed into a small gang.

The Yangtze River stretched for an immense distance. More and more such workers joined them, and the gang continued to grow until it spanned seven prefectures and extended along the entire Yangtze River—the Canal Gang.

Over the following thirty years, the Canal Gang underwent internal struggles, leadership changes, and reforms, eventually giving rise to its hierarchy of Chiefs.

Shi Huiming became one of the Chiefs during that period, after which his influence continued to expand. When the previous Gang Chief died, Shi Huiming naturally became the new leader. By now, he had occupied the position for nearly fourteen years.

During those fourteen years, Shi Huiming had worked tirelessly as Gang Chief. He divided the gang’s territory into separate administrative regions, prohibited the sale of Illicit Salt, actively assisted the government in eliminating river bandits, and helped construct river dikes.

Consequently, Shi Huiming’s prestige within the Canal Gang was extremely high. Even if the other senior members joined forces, they would have difficulty shaking his control over the organization.

Jiangzhou was not far from Chuzhou. If a horse’s hooves never stopped, the journey could be completed in just over five days. However, Zhao Jiu was effectively traveling on official business at public expense. How could he possibly force himself to travel day and night?

He proceeded at an unhurried pace and took nearly ten days to reach Chuzhou.

He had accepted money to perform a job, so he naturally had to do it properly. However, he also had to ensure his own safety. Before entering the city, he changed his appearance and assumed the identity Six Fingers had given him.

Leading his horse, Zhao Jiu did not immediately search for an inn or restaurant. Instead, he followed the streets in search of a coffin shop.

According to the Ghost Market’s customs, any shop displaying a distinctive pair of painted Door Gods served as one of its outposts. Six Fingers also operated a coffin shop in Bianzhou, so Zhao Jiu was quite familiar with the arrangement.

He led his horse around for well over an hour before finally finding a coffin shop with the distinctive Door Gods. Zhao Jiu tied his horse outside, covered his face, and entered.

He rapped on the doorframe. An elderly man with a pale complexion and a full head of white hair slowly emerged.

“Sir, what do you need?”

What else would someone need from a coffin shop?

The question was obviously a test. Zhao Jiu smiled and answered in a hoarse voice, “I’ve come to see the King of Hell.”

Understanding immediately, the old man glanced in both directions and closed the door before asking, “Who are you?”

“Nine of Circles,” Zhao Jiu replied. “Something happened on my end, so I came to find our people.”

The old man considered this briefly. “Where’s Six Fingers? Did everyone over in Shu die?”

“No. I left suddenly. Send Six Fingers a letter for me and tell him everything is fine in Jiangnan now.”

Once the door was closed, Zhao Jiu stopped concealing the situation and explained his circumstances in a few brief sentences. The old man said nothing, merely scrutinizing him indifferently. Only after a moment did he slowly nod in agreement.

“By the way, help me investigate Lu Wenyu, Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”

The old man’s eyes widened in fright. “Lu Wenyu? You dared to accept a job involving someone like him?”

“It isn’t a job. It’s a personal matter.”

The old man relaxed. “Four hundred taels. Where should we send the report?”

“Bianzhou.” Zhao Jiu took out the silver, then asked, “How much do you know about Shi Huiming?”

“Chief of the Canal Gang. Extremely prestigious. Lives on Qing Street. Difficult to kill!”

The old man’s answer was concise. He showed none of the intense emotion he had displayed upon hearing Lu Wenyu’s name.

Zhao Jiu did not care whether Shi Huiming was easy or difficult to kill. He had accepted the money, so regardless of the circumstances, Shi Huiming had to die.

Upstairs in a restaurant on Qing Street, Zhao Jiu sat beside a window and observed the Shi Residence diagonally opposite without moving.

The Shi Residence was not large, consisting of only two courtyards, one in front and one in the rear. Several Hitching Posts stood on either side of the entrance, while the doors were made from ordinary black wood and did not even bear a plaque.

Without an explanation, it would have been difficult to believe that this was the home of the Chief of the Canal Gang.

Zhao Jiu had been watching the Shi Residence for nearly two hours, yet his expression remained focused. During that time, only two old women had entered or left, which provided no useful information.

However, Zhao Jiu had not expected to discover much within a few hours. He merely wanted to familiarize himself with Shi Huiming’s face.

For two consecutive days, Zhao Jiu spent most of his time staring motionlessly at the Shi Residence. He managed to recognize Shi Huiming’s face, but something seemed strange.

Why did the mighty leader of such a large gang live according to such a rigid routine?

He left at dawn and returned after dark.

That was not normal.

On the third day, Zhao Jiu awoke before dawn. A fine rain was falling outside, and he did not even have time to eat before silently taking his position beside the window.

As always, Shi Huiming left at daybreak. Zhao Jiu smiled and decided to kill him that night.

A routine this predictable was simply too tempting to resist.

The drizzle continued. Suppressing his discomfort, Zhao Jiu activated Complete Transformation and assumed a different appearance before silently following Shi Huiming.

Fortunately, they were inside the city, so Shi Huiming’s carriage did not travel quickly. Zhao Jiu followed from a distance as they passed through several streets, but he found no suitable place to kill the man.

By the time they reached the docks, Shi Huiming had disappeared from sight. Zhao Jiu did not linger and returned the way he had come.

The continuous drizzle was rather cold. After eating, Zhao Jiu stopped watching the Shi Residence and returned to bed to catch up on sleep. Since he intended to kill Shi Huiming anyway, there was little point in continuing to observe him.

By the time Zhao Jiu awoke, night had fallen and the surroundings were completely dark. He ordered an entire table of food.

Eating and drinking his fill was the most important matter. Everything else could wait. If he did not do it today, there was always tomorrow. If he did not do it tomorrow, there was always the day after.

Why rush?

Credit where it was due: the restaurant’s food was quite good. The wine suited his palate, and the dishes were satisfying.

Zhao Jiu leisurely ate by himself for about an hour. He even enjoyed a cup of tea afterward. It was not until midnight that he finally rose.

He changed into black clothes, climbed out through the window, and instantly vanished into the night sky.

In the rear courtyard of the Shi Residence, Zhao Jiu concealed himself in the darkness beyond the outer wall. It was already half past midnight, and Qing Street was not particularly busy even during the day. The surroundings were now utterly silent.

A faint drizzle began to fall, shrouding the distant buildings in a layer of white mist.

Zhao Jiu knew this was the perfect opportunity. Without hesitation, he climbed over the wall and entered the Shi Residence.

After landing, he saw nothing unusual. There was only a single tree in the courtyard. Viewed from outside, every room was completely dark.

Using a Bamboo Tube, he blew Knockout Smoke into each room in turn before slowly inspecting them.

When he opened the doors to the first several rooms, he found either no one inside or occupants who gave no reaction.

He eventually reached the final room beside the rear courtyard. Before he could open the door, a voice came from within.

“Come in. After all that effort, I assume you’ve come for this Shi.”

Zhao Jiu pushed open the door.

A man who appeared to be around forty was sitting inside and drinking tea. He had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a neatly trimmed mustache. Both his hair and facial hair had been groomed meticulously.

It was Shi Huiming.

“Chief Shi, this is our first meeting. I’m here to kill you, so you may give your final words.” Zhao Jiu’s face was covered, and his voice was quiet.

Shi Huiming instead looked somewhat surprised.

“Little brother, there are no grievances between us. This Shi has always treated others kindly. Could you tell me who sent you to kill me?”

Shi Huiming’s voice was not loud. His tone possessed none of the forcefulness expected of a man in authority. Instead, it sounded gentle and friendly.

Zhao Jiu naturally would not reveal who had paid him. As for Shi Huiming’s claim that he treated others kindly—heh, what the hell did that have to do with Zhao Jiu?

“I’m merely taking money and doing the job.”