Chapter Seven: Catching the Thief

Because there were so many boats, the process of passing through customs was excruciatingly slow. Some grew impatient and attempted to exercise their privileges as gentry, sending servants with passes to the checkpoint to request special treatment, only to be turned away without the slightest courtesy, prompting a wave of mockery from those nearby.

Within the ranks of the gentry, there were distinctions of purity and status; though some had their faces slapped, it provided others with an opportunity to showcase their own noble standing. Xu You’s boat followed the main procession obediently, moving forward at a snail’s pace. From time to time, he saw servants, dressed accordingly, approach the checkpoint, holding passes and tallies, announcing themselves:

“Cheng Yi of Badong...”

“Liu Wang of Linhuai...”

“Qi Baozhi of Nankang...”

“Yan Zhen of Langya...”

Many among them were from moderate or even lesser noble houses, influential in their own prefectures or neighboring counties. Yet all their usual swagger was met with indifference at this humble river crossing. Though the gatekeeper spoke humbly and politely, his answer was always the same, no matter who pleaded:

“This is a direct order from Magistrate Liu of Yangzhou, written in his own hand to the various counties of Wu and Kuaiji. All embankments, piers, crossings, and ferries along the river are strictly forbidden to privately permit any boats through. Regardless of status, everyone must be thoroughly searched; any who bend the rules will be executed.”

Liu Quan, the Magistrate of Yangzhou, hailed from the illustrious Liu clan of Hedong. His cousin was none other than the current Secretary of the Imperial Chancellery, Liu Ning. With such a family and such power, not only those at this river crossing, but across the entire state of Chu, there was hardly anyone who could disregard his command.

After seven or eight nobles had been snubbed—most notably when even the Yan clan of Langya failed to cut in line—the rest, knowing their rank was no higher, became subdued and queued up quietly for inspection. It was clear that from ancient times to the present, the privileged classes are not incapable of following the law; they simply have never been forced into an environment where the law applies equally to them.

After who knows how long, it was finally the turn of that ostentatious Golden Banner Boat. It drifted slowly to the checkpoint, and twenty soldiers clad in black linen and armor, the provincial troops, boarded via seven gangplanks, long blades drawn, eyes wary as if confronting a mortal threat.

Xu You’s boat followed closely behind, just to the left, so he witnessed the scene and whispered, “Are those the Yangzhou Provincial Troops?”

The armies of Chu were broadly divided into Central and Outer forces. The central army garrisoned the capital, forming the core of the kingdom’s might—six armies in all, each headed by a general: Commander, Protector, Left Guard, Right Guard, Cloud Cavalry, and Roaming Cavalry. In addition, there were the Tuntian Cavalry, Infantry, Yue Cavalry, Changshui, and Archery units, as well as the Arrow Division and Crossbowmen. The Left and Right Guards protected the palace; the rest garrisoned the capital, and went to war at the emperor’s decree, returning to their posts when the campaign was done.

The Outer Army, by contrast, included the regional, county, local militia, and private troops. The regional troops served the various military governors, who often also held the post of provincial magistrate—commanding troops in war and governing civilians in peace—thus they were known as Provincial Troops. That was why Xu You asked.

Zuo Wen’s eyes flashed with surprise. “That’s right. Magistrate Liu of Yangzhou once handpicked three thousand elite troops, outfitted in black banners, black armor, and black-feathered arrows; from afar, they look like ink clouds sweeping the sky—they call them the Ink Cloud Corps. Odd though, the earlier boats were only boarded by a few inspectors. Why dispatch the Ink Cloud Corps for Guo Mian’s boat? And why would troops this elite be sent after a mere book thief? Something here is not as it seems.”

Xu You’s gaze lingered on Guo Mian, who still sat high in his ornate nest on the second deck. Though he did not know the man’s temperament, to remain seated while the Ink Cloud Corps invaded his boat—either he was calm and self-assured, or simply putting on a brave face while harboring guilt.

He smiled faintly. “As the saying goes, when Xiang Zhuang performs a sword dance, his true aim is Liu Bang. I fear catching a thief is just a pretext; robbing the wealthy is the true purpose!”

Almost as if to confirm Xu You’s suspicion, a sudden shout rang out, “Here he is!” Immediately, there was a clash of blades and metal. Before anyone nearby could react, a figure cloaked head to toe in blue burst through a side cabin window on the lower deck, tumbled onto the gunwale, with five or six Ink Cloud soldiers in hot pursuit and a storm of razor-sharp blades flashing behind him.

Yet the man was quick. He landed lightly, sprang up with peculiar footwork, narrowly dodged a sweeping saber, and without hesitation vaulted over the railing, plunging into the icy river with a splash.

“Catch him!”

“Where’d he go?”

“He’s in the water—no sign of him.”

Only then did the surrounding crowd realize what had happened, and cries of alarm spread. The timid didn’t even stay to watch the commotion, but rushed into their own boats for safety. The shrewder ones, recognizing the deeper implications, quietly slipped away with their servants.

After all, both Guo Mian and Liu Quan were not men to be trifled with. In such murky waters, one would be wise not to get involved—not even to stand by as a spectator, lest endless troubles find you.

Three navy warships emerged from the checkpoint, pushing aside the boats around them and forming a wedge to surround the Golden Banner Boat, cutting off its escape. After some time—whether Guo Mian had given up resistance or struck a deal with the officer in charge—the Golden Banner Boat, under the watch of the warships, slowly moved to the right bank, opening the passage at last.

With the excuse of searching for book thieves gone, only cargo was counted and taxes collected; the speed of passage increased tenfold. Ding Ji was an old acquaintance of the customs officer; after some casual conversation, their boat passed without difficulty and continued swiftly downstream.

The events they’d just witnessed left everyone wide awake. Xu You’s habit of midnight snacking flared up. Ding Ku’er went to prepare food and sat opposite Zuo Wen, with Qiufen serving tea at his side.

“My lord, what do you make of Magistrate Liu’s intentions? Is catching the book thief just a ruse to deal with Guo Mian?”

Since the night was long and idle, Xu You smiled, “It’s hard to say. I’m not too familiar with Yangzhou affairs. But all things in the world follow patterns, and we can infer from the details. As you said, for other boats, only a few inspectors were dispatched, but for the Golden Banner Boat, it was twenty armed Ink Cloud soldiers.”

Zuo Wen nodded. “Clearly, their target was Guo Mian.”

“Guo Mian’s reaction was strange too. If he really was hiding a book thief, with his status, he could have stopped them from boarding. The Ink Cloud Corps, after all, is not Magistrate Liu himself—he needn’t fear them. Unless...”

“Unless he didn’t know the thief was on his boat?”

“Precisely. Unless the thief was planted by someone else.”

Zuo Wen’s eyes lit up. “A frame-up? So the so-called thief is actually working with the magistrate’s office?”

“Perhaps. Notice after the thief plunged into the river, the Ink Cloud soldiers only glanced at the gunwale and didn’t bother searching the banks. Instead, they turned their attention to Guo Mian...”

As soon as he finished, the boat suddenly rocked. Ding Ku’er called out, “Who’s there? You—” followed by Ding Ji’s frightened shout, “There’s a thief—my lord, be careful!” Then, abrupt silence.

Zuo Wen’s expression turned grave. He glanced at Xu You, reached down for his ever-present sword, drew it half a foot from the scabbard, the flickering candlelight glinting coldly off the blade.

Xu You knew what Zuo Wen was thinking, for he too had thought of the same person instantly—An Yao.

Could it be that even after leaving Jinling by hundreds of miles, they still couldn’t escape An Yao’s pursuit?

Xu You maintained his composure, stood up, and drew Qiufen behind him protectively. “Let’s go see.”

The three stepped out of the cabin. On the deck sat a man, soaked to the skin, legs splayed, wringing water from his sleeve, puddles pooling at his feet. Next to him lay Ku’er and Ding Ji, eyes closed but chests rising—clearly unconscious.

This man bore no resemblance to the An Yao they had encountered in Jinling, but Zuo Wen dared not be careless. Who knew how many guises An Yao possessed? He stepped forward and asked in a low voice, “Who are you?”

The man grinned, lifting his head. “Didn’t you see my heroic escape from that old cur Guo Mian’s boat just now? If you missed it, you must be blind. If you saw and still can’t guess who I am, then that’s troublesome—perhaps you’ve got a problem... right here.” He tapped his temple.

Xu You observed coldly. The man was not handsome—narrow, slanted eyes, high nose, thin lips, a sharp, mean-looking face. Yet his slanted brows, arching into his hairline, gave him an air of dashing energy, like a finishing touch on a painting. Combined with his irreverent attitude, he exuded an indescribable charm and charisma.

Zuo Wen was no stranger to the ways of the world; he was neither offended by the man’s insolence nor convinced he was truly the book thief. Instead, he grew more vigilant. “Since you’ve escaped from the Golden Banner Boat, why not keep running? The Ink Cloud Corps are not ordinary provincial troops—no one who’s been targeted by them has ever gotten away unscathed.”

“Keep running? Ha! If I take off, you’ll go straight to the authorities, and those mad dogs will be after me again. Who’d that hurt but me?”

“We have no quarrel with you, nor are we likely to meet again. We’re all travelers on the same river; less trouble is better than more, more friends better than more enemies. Leave now, and I swear on my life not to breathe a word to anyone.”

The man stood, and only then did they realize how tall he was, with limbs longer than most. His gaze passed over Zuo Wen, settling on the silent Xu You. “You had so much to say earlier—why so quiet now?”

So he’d been eavesdropping on their conversation. Xu You smiled, “I’m a bit shy. Meeting you for the first time, without even exchanging names, I really don’t know what to say.”

The man sneered, “You’re crafty, trying to worm my name out of me. But there’s nothing I can’t tell you—if you’ve got the guts to hear it.”