“Hahaha… Yun Gao, it’s really you!”
As soon as Mei Tianzhou and his group entered, Pan Longmen greeted them with laughter.
“Yun Gao” was Mei Tianzhou’s alias.
Mei Tianzhou found it strange in his heart. Pan Longmen knew his identity, so it would be appropriate for him to show respect as a lower ranked official. He temporarily set aside his doubts and smiled, saying, “Master Pan, how have you been? I came to this vicinity for official business and decided to drop by and visit you. I hope I’m not unwelcome?”
“It is my utmost honor,” Pan Longmen said, leading him to the study and having someone serve tea. “I’m afraid recent official duties have kept me quite busy, and I may not have been a good host to an old friend.”
Mei Tianzhou’s doubts deepened. He was dressed casually, but as a state magistrate, his sudden appearance in the subordinate county should be because of an issue. But Pan Longmen deliberately avoided mentioning his identity and purpose, which was obviously abnormal.
“I wonder where my friend is staying? I will treat my old friend to a meal at Zuixian Pavilion as a welcoming gesture.”
The young servant by Pan Longmen’s side never left. Pan Longmen couldn’t find an opportunity to send a hidden message to Mei Tianzhou and didn’t want him to leave Lujiang County too soon. He could only seize an opportunity to invite him for a meal and then act accordingly. He only hoped that the tacit understanding between old friends still remained.
Unexpectedly, a voice came from outside the door at this time, and a person stepped in. “My Lord, after so many years of not seeing each other, it would be inappropriate for you and your old friend to entertain guests outside. Why not arrange a feast in the yamen? My Lord and his old friend can enjoy a hearty drink together. If you get drunk, you can also rest in the guest rooms.”
Pan Longmen’s smile slightly stiffened.
“Who is this?” Mei Tianzhou asked.
Without giving Pan Longmen a chance to speak, Guan Batian bowed and said, “I am Guan Renjie, Master Pan’s steward.”
Mei Tianzhou stood up, cupping his hands and smiling slightly. “So it’s Steward Guan. Nice to meet you.”
Guan Batian asked Pan Longmen, “My Lord, what do you think?”
Pan Longmen had no choice but to say, “The steward’s suggestion is reasonable.”
Mei Tianzhou said, “With such warmth from an old friend, how can I, Yun Gao refuse? However, there are also my nephew and his family who came with me to Lüjiang this time. They have already gone to find an inn. I will inform them so they don’t have to wait too long.”
Pan Longmen said, “What relationship do you and I have? Your nephew is also my nephew. Naturally, we should invite them to join us for the meal, so as not to appear stingy. Otherwise, they might think the county magistrate is being too frugal to even treat a few more people to a meal.”
Everyone in the study laughed, and the matter was settled.
Mei Tianzhou nodded and took his leave.
Meanwhile, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen finished securing rooms at Ping’an Inn and went out for a stroll. Yan Jin knew they had important matters to attend to and didn’t follow along, and Sun Jiang took him to play.
Heading west along the riverbank, several exquisite leisure boats floated on the water. The sound of women’s laughter, men’s lascivious chuckles, and the accompanying music drifted out from the boats, creating a sharp contrast with the tired boatmen resting not far away with their heads hanging low.
A middle-aged boatman briskly walked over. “Are the two young masters planning to cross the river?”
Yan Ge had a more amiable appearance compared to Huangfu Yuchen, so he often took the lead in inquiring about information. He deliberately used the accent of the capital and said, “We came from the north for sightseeing and it’s our first time seeing boatmen. We find their work quite unique. Could this brother kindly tell us more?” He handed over five taels of silver.
The man/steward happily accepted the silver. “Judging by your accent, you are from the north. Here in the south, rivers are everywhere and boatmen are considered a characteristic of our southern region. With many rivers flowing in the south, there are times when the water level is too high or too shallow, or when sailing against the current means you’ll meet dangerous sandbars and treacherous waters. In such cases, one can only rely on the boatmen’s strength to row the boats.”
Yan Ge said, “I can see at least seventy to eighty boatmen within sight, so the number of boatmen in this entire county must be even more astonishing.”
The steward nodded. “Yes, I estimate it to be close to two thousand.”
“Seeing how hard they work, I assume their wages are quite high,” Yan Ge commented.
The steward said, “Um… the wages for the boat gang vary, and I’m not sure. Young Masters, are you planning to cross the river? I still need to find more passengers.”
It turned out there was a “boat gang” involved. It seemed that the power dynamics in Lujiang County were indeed quite complex. Yan Ge didn’t want to arouse suspicion, so he reluctantly allowed the man to leave.
Unconvinced, he said to Huangfu Yuchen, “I refuse to believe that we can’t gather any useful information.”
Huangfu Yuchen smirked and handed him a silver note. “I look scary, so I can only support you financially, my dear.”
“You’re being humble. Isn’t your smile quite charming?” Yan Ge teased, rubbing his face playfully.
“I only smile for you,” Huangfu Yuchen replied seriously.
Yan Ge smiled mischievously, looked around, and noticed a young man in his early twenties staring at him, as if wanting to say something. Amused, he raised an eyebrow and beckoned him over.
The young man ran over with a beaming smile. “Young Masters, are you planning to cross the river?”
Yan Ge casually waved the silver note that Huangfu Yuchen had given him. “The waters of the Lujiang River can be treacherous. If we hire a large boat and enjoy the scenery along the river, it will surely be a unique experience. Would you be interested in this opportunity?”
The young man greedily glanced at the silver note and chuckled. “I can’t read many characters, but I do recognize the characters ‘one hundred taels.’ Young Masters, rest assured, I will serve you well.”
With that, he quickly ran off and said a few words to a man who seemed to be in charge in the distance, pointing towards Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.
The man nodded and walked over with the young man.
“If you wish to admire the scenery along the river, there’s no problem. Our large boat has VIP cabins, and we have attentive servants to take care of your needs, ensuring your satisfaction,” the man said.
Yan Ge pointed at the stern-faced Huangfu Yuchen. “I’m easy to please, but this one is difficult to serve. Your servants must be clever and quick-witted. Otherwise, if he becomes unhappy, I won’t be able to help you.”
The man inadvertently looked at Huangfu Yuchen, meeting his cold gaze. He trembled inwardly, cleared his throat to avoid embarrassment, hesitated for a moment, and pushed the young man forward. “This child is called Yun Fei, the most clever and agile. He will take good care of you.”
“Very well,” Yan Ge tossed the silver note to him. “If he performs well, I will generously reward him.”
“Yes, yes!” The man patted Yun Fei’s head, warning him, “You better be smart, or I won’t spare you!”
Yun Fei bowed to Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen respectfully and said, “Young Masters, please follow me. Our boat is right ahead.”
A luxurious large boat was docked by the shore, securely tied to the large trees with several ropes, ensuring minimal swaying. The river waves rolled forward, causing only a slight movement in the boat. Two boatmen placed a wooden ladder on the side of the ship and silently stepped back. The ladder was identical to the stairs in the inn’s restaurant, with each step sturdy and equipped with a handrail. The top of the ladder was securely wedged into the ship’s side.
On the boat, two neatly dressed servants placed a red carpet they were holding onto the stairs, gently shaking it to spread it out, and then used a specially crafted wooden board to press and smooth each step. Following that, two maidens sprinkled colorful flower petals from a basket, and a faint floral fragrance drifted in the air.
Yan Ge nodded in satisfaction and, along with Huangfu Yuchen, stepped onto the stairs, finding them quite secure indeed.
After boarding the ship, two pretty maidens approached. They were well-trained, one held a white towel in each hand, while the other held a wooden basin filled with water emitting a faint steam, indicating it was warm.
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen washed their hands, and Yun Fei led them to a small hall. Almost as soon as they sat down, the boat began to move. It was evident that the people on board and those below had excellent coordination.
Moments later, several maidens entered in an orderly manner. Some carried tea sets, some carried snacks, and others held fruits.
Yan Ge glanced at Huangfu Yuchen.
Huangfu Yuchen kicked away a bothersome table with one foot and coldly said, “I thought there would be something special on this boat. Don’t you have anything fresh to offer?”
Yun Fei was startled by his kick.
Yan Ge patted Huangfu Yuchen’s shoulder to calm his anger and said to Yun Fei, “Quickly tell us what interesting things there are on this boat.”
Yun Fei hurriedly responded, “Oh, yes, there are. Here’s a list. The Young Masters can choose to watch a play, listen to the zither, enjoy music, appreciate dancing, and if you wish, you can have a maiden or a ‘young master’ accompany you…”
“What’s so extraordinary about these?” Yan Ge raised his chin disdainfully. “Haven’t we seen enough of these in the capital?”
“This…” Yun Fei quickly came up with an idea. “How about I tell you some legendary stories about Lüjiang County? I guarantee you haven’t heard them before.”
“Fine, it can just pass the time,” Huangfu Yuchen swept a cold gaze over the others and said in a low voice, “Why haven’t you all left yet?”
“Yes, yes…” The other servants and maidens hurriedly left the small hall.
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen listened for any other sounds outside and returned to their normal state.
Yan Ge glanced at Yun Fei with a half-smile and picked up a cup of tea, taking a sip.
Yun Fei stood by silently, afraid to speak up. After a while, he nervously swallowed his saliva and moved the snacks in front of the two, cautiously saying, “May I dare ask, are both of you from Fancheng?”
“How many boatmen are there in Lüjiang County? And how many boat factions are there?” Huangfu Yuchen replied with a counter-question.
Yun Fei cautiously looked toward the direction of the entrance.
Yan Ge said, “Rest assured, there is no one outside the door or by the windows.”
Only then did Yun Fei speak, “There are nearly two thousand boatmen, and there are more than ten boat factions of various sizes. If the two young masters wish to get involved, it might not be easy.”
Yan Ge chuckled inwardly, “Young man, we haven’t even asked you anything, and you’re trying to probe our background. You’re still quite inexperienced.”
“What about the wages of the boatmen?” Huangfu Yuchen asked again.
Yun Fei replied, “It varies among different boat factions, and the wages for those rowing large boats are different from those rowing small boats. As far as I know, in the most influential boat faction called ‘Pingwen Faction,’ the boatmen earn fifty coins for each row of a large boat and twenty coins for each row of a small boat. Other boat factions offer even less.”
Yan Ge was very surprised, “So low?”
Yun Fei glanced at him and said, “On the one hand, it’s because of the boat faction leaders, and on the other hand, it’s because of County Magistrate Pan… By the way, looking at the two young masters’ splendid attire and extraordinary demeanor, you must have come from Fancheng, right?”
“Why do you think we are from Fancheng?” Yan Ge asked.
Yun Fei explained, “It’s like this. I heard that someone recently went to the prefectural government office in Fancheng to file a complaint against Master Pan, and your demeanor clearly doesn’t resemble that of people from small towns. So, I made a random guess. If I’m wrong, let’s just take it that I’ve amused the two masters.”
“Oh,” Yan Ge smiled faintly, “Someone went to the prefectural government office in Fancheng to complain about Master Pan but he didn’t notice it, it’s quite surprising that you, a mere servant, discovered it.”
Yun Fei’s expression changed slightly but quickly concealed his emotions well, “There’s a saying that goes, ‘Dragons have their paths, while snakes have theirs.’ Even us common people occasionally have our own sources of information.”
“Then why do you think we have any connection with the magistrate?” Yan Ge lowered his head and assessed himself. “Do we look like officials?”
A hint of disappointment appeared on Yun Fei’s face, but he forced a smile, “Actually… no, compared to officials, you look more like noble gentlemen or the young masters of wealthy merchant families.”
Yan Ge nodded inwardly. This kid is quite clever. If he’s guessed correctly, Yun Fei must know the inside story of the person who went to the prefectural government office to complain.
