Chapter Ninety: The Ship Pavilion

In the secret chamber of the old mansion within the city—the very boat pavilion where Xu You had nearly been taken in by Bai Hua last time—every ounce of strength the organization had built since its inception was now being mobilized, operating at a breathtaking efficiency rarely seen in ordinary times. The interior of the chamber was vast, somewhat resembling a modern air-raid shelter. The decorations avoided any hint of luxury, simply coated in white paint, looking no different from ordinary civilian dwellings. Shaped like the Chinese character for a grid, it was divided into five distinct rooms. In each room, a dozen or so boatmen dressed in black military attire were busy recording, transmitting, arguing, or conferring. Most of them never stopped moving, looking hurried yet efficient and composed. Each performed their duties methodically, without the slightest bit of chaos.

From time to time, maidservants dressed in green pleated skirts shuttled between the rooms, gathering the intelligence they had received into a small bamboo basket. Walking to the east side of the secret chamber, they pressed a hand against the wall, causing an invisible secret door to slowly open. Through the bright light of white candles, one could see a whole new world hidden inside.

Unlike the outer area, this space, though narrow, was exceptionally elegant. Sealed stoves were placed in the four corners, connected to dedicated ventilation pipes. Several exquisite sheepskin carpets covered the floor, blocking the damp and cold Qi rising from the ground. Eight white candles, as thick as a wrist, were inserted into bronze tortoise-and-snake candlesticks, illuminating the room as brightly as day.

The maidservant in the green skirt stepped in lightly, placed the bamboo basket onto the four rosewood desks in the very center, bowed, and quietly retreated.

Four people sat behind the desks—three men and a woman, ranging in age from thirty to forty. These were the four chief boatmen of the pavilion. Their task was to sort, compile, and summarize the most valuable content from the information pouring in from all over, condensing it into briefings of dozens or even a few characters. After discussing it among themselves and attaching their handling suggestions, they would hand the documents over to Qian Qin, who sat behind a folding screen.

Ever since the publicity campaign for *The Legend of the White Snake* began, they had not stepped a single half-step outside this place for ten days. Aside from brief moments of rest, almost all their time was spent dealing with various emergencies. Stacks of intelligence reports piled up like mountains on the desks—at least one-third of this was useless information, another third was outdated, and only the remaining third could actually aid those in power in making decisions.

Knowing how to accurately extract that usable one-third from such tedious and massive amounts of information handling was a highly technical task. Unassuming as the four chief boatmen appeared, they had been handpicked by Qian Qin from among thousands of veteran boatmen to assist her in running the entire underground operation of the boat pavilion.

Behind a three-legged folding screen, Qian Qin buried herself in a pile of official documents more than a foot high. Briefings lay stacked next to her hand one after another, seeming to have no end. Glancing over them with a single sweep, she immediately had to distinguish their priority levels: unimportant ones went to the bottom, moderately urgent ones were placed on top, and for urgent matters, she would take up her brush to write a swift character denoting urgency, before having the waiting maidservant place it into a special iron box to be passed on to a specific boatman for execution. If her opinion differed from that of the four chief boatmen, she would write a secondary marker in the lower left corner, meaning the matter was to be rejected and discussed anew before a decision was made.

The secret door suddenly opened, and Zhan Wenjun and Xu You walked in one after another, followed closely by Wan Qi. The four chief boatmen were startled; they hastily stood up, knelt to the ground, and chorused, "Mistress!" Zhan Wenjun rarely came to the boat pavilion, and it was no easy feat for them to see this young mistress—the true master of the Guo family nowadays.

Hearing the commotion, Qian Qin hurriedly put down her writing brush, stood up from behind the screen to welcome them, and smiled, "Mistress, why have you come?"

"I knew everyone has been working hard lately, so Xu Langjun and I came to see you all together." Zhan Wenjun looked at Qian Qin, noting her disheveled hair, exhausted expression, and clothes that looked like they hadn't been washed in days. She said softly, "You've worked hard too..."

"There's no hardship in this. What we do is tedious, but they are all trivial matters. How can they compare to the mental toll of worrying about the overall situation, as you do, Mistress?"

Zhan Wenjun smiled slightly and said, "Everyone has their own hardships; your role here is equally crucial. Without you all, wouldn't I be both blind and deaf? How could I possibly consider the overall situation?"

For the sake of the clan, Qian Qin was naturally willing to endure such hardship, but hearing Zhan Wenjun's empathy still warmed her heart. She led her and Xu You behind the screen, where maidservants had already brought straw cushions for them to take their seats.

"How is the situation everywhere? Are there any anomalies?"

"Everything is under control!" Qian Qin replied decisively.

"Good... But we must remain extra vigilant and avoid any carelessness. Now that the net is cast, until the moment we pull it in, the enemy might realize what is happening and flee!"

"Understood!" Qian Qin responded respectfully, then smiled, "Everyone in the boat pavilion will certainly not let Mistress down."

Xu You had remained silent, casting his gaze around the layout of the secret chamber. Earlier, he had observed the boat pavilion's operational methods outside. Although it still could not escape the simple and disorderly organizational structure typical of ancient times, at least it recognized the importance of a linear hierarchy, with top-down grading gradually becoming clear, though it lacked detailed division of labor and collaboration down to specific departments or individuals.

As he glanced casually, the briefing placed at the very top caught his attention: "At noon, Yuan Da went out, reached the lakeside, and captured two people to bring back." The handling suggestion appended by the four chief boatmen was: "Order investigation to verify and report back."

Xu You picked it up, read it carefully, and asked, "Was this just delivered?"

Qian Qin glared at Xu You, highly displeased by his unauthorized handling of the briefing, but in Zhan Wenjun's presence, she dared not say much. She took the briefing, looked it over, and said, "It should be; I haven't had time to look at it yet..."

Zhan Wenjun also took it, looked at Xu You, and asked, "Is something wrong?"

With a solemn expression, Xu You asked, "Who did Xi Yuanda arrest?"

Zhan Wenjun signaled for Qian Qin to answer the question. Qian Qin turned her head and said, "Qin Chong!"

Qin Chong was forty years old, the eldest among the chief boatmen. His face was the color of dates, and he sported a long black beard. He was usually exceptionally sloppy, and having stayed in the boat pavilion for many days, oil stains even stained his sleeves and beard. Hearing Qian Qin's summons, he immediately stood up, first bowed to Zhan Wenjun, and then respectfully said to Qian Qin, "What are the lady's instructions?"

Qian Qin handed the briefing over and asked, "Who did Xi Yuanda arrest?"

Qin Chong replied, "We don't know the details yet, but we have stationed over a dozen people to monitor Xi Yuanda day and night. Whatever actions he takes must be reported immediately. This is just the first piece of feedback; I estimate the next one will be delivered shortly..."

Before his voice faded, the maidservant with the bamboo basket delivered several more intelligence reports. The other three chief boatmen looked through them, picked up a piece of paper, and handed it to Qin Chong. Glancing over it briefly, Qin Chong calmly said, "Reporting to the lady: the two people Xi Yuanda captured live in Walnut Alley on West Street. They set up stalls at the alley entrance to do small business, have no background, have their own families, and are adequately clothed and fed. They probably got implicated with the Celestial Masters while discussing *The Legend of the White Snake*, which provoked Xi Yuanda's wrath. At present, their fate is unknown."

Qian Qin intentionally remained silent, looking toward Xu You to see how he would handle it. Xu You pondered for a moment, his expression gentle, and asked Qin Chong, "What is your view?"

Qin Chong had never dealt with Xu You before, but he knew Xu You was a favorite in Zhan Wenjun's inner circle and dared not be careless. He cupped his hands in a deeply respectful bow and said, "Xi Yuanda must have caught wind of something. Arresting these two people is at most to inquire about market rumors; after a beating, they'll likely be released without excessive torture. I believe we simply need to continue monitoring them. After all, Qiantang is not Wu County, and Xi Yuanda cannot cause any massive chaos."

Qian Qin also nodded, agreeing with Qin Chong's opinion. Xu You stared at Xi Yuanda's name. After a moment, he suddenly asked, "Which boatman is responsible for West Street?"

Qin Chong and Qian Qin exchanged glances, both shaken by Xu You's sharp mind. There was indeed a boatman hiding on West Street, inciting public hatred against the Celestial Masters among the common folk.

Qin Chong hurriedly said, "The boatman on West Street is called Liu Mingyi. He studied in his youth, but later both his parents died and his family fortunes declined. To beg for food and survive, he joined the boat pavilion half a year ago. He is a fine seed for gathering intelligence!"

Xu You suddenly turned his head and said, "Wan Qi, have Zuo Jun come in."

Zuo Jun was sitting in the northwest corner outside, surrounded by no one, hugging his sword to his chest, leisurely closing his eyes to rest his mind. Because so many personnel had been dispatched—especially top-tier martial artists sent to personally protect storytellers scattered everywhere—Xu You feared the boat pavilion might face sudden emergencies it couldn't handle, so he had asked Zuo Jun to leave Mingyu Mountain and come to the city to oversee and help out. However, Qian Qin had a sharp temperament and frequently spoke with sarcasm; Zuo Jun disdained listening and even more so disdained bickering with her. Thus, during the five or six days he had been at the boat pavilion, unless there was a special situation, he usually stayed outside just to keep his ears at peace. Xu You's detour to the boat pavilion this time was also to see how he had been getting along these past few days.

"Zuo Langjun, Xu Langjun invites you inside!"

Zuo Jun opened his tiger-like eyes, a premonition stirring in his heart as he gently stroked his sword scabbard.

Are we going to kill someone?

They had already exchanged greetings outside, and given their relationship, polite formalities were unnecessary. Xu You directly stated, "Feng Hu, you and Wan Qi go to West Street immediately and safely bring back a man named Liu Mingyi. If you encounter interference from people of the Celestial Masters, try not to fight if possible. If it's truly unavoidable, use your own discretion. Wan Qi, you will take orders from Feng Hu."

Wan Qi's cold, clear voice sounded without a shred of hesitation: "Understood!"

Xu You rarely spoke in this tone; the situation must be extremely urgent. Zuo Jun did not ask for details and said, "Please have the Langjun provide me with a guide. Once we reach West Street, just point out Liu Mingyi to me!"

Xu You nodded, turned to look at Zhan Wenjun, and said, "Mistress!"

Although Zhan Wenjun did not directly manage the boat pavilion, she knew the four chief boatmen. Without seeking Qian Qin's consent, she spoke in a clear voice, "Feng Niang, did you hear Xu Langjun's words? Go make arrangements, handle it securely, and don't let any mistakes happen!"

Feng Niang was the only woman among the chief boatmen, dressed plainly with ordinary looks. If one hadn't met her here, she would have seemed like any ordinary village woman. Perhaps only someone like this, unpretentious and keeping a low profile, could be a true master of intelligence.

She acknowledged the order and left with Zuo Jun and Wan Qi. Qin Chong secretly observed Qian Qin's expression, pondered for a moment, and said, "Langjun, do you mean that Xi Yuanda will go out of his way to trouble Liu Mingyi? This... under Qiantang County's jurisdiction, Magistrate Gu's laws are strict. No matter how bold Xi Yuanda is, he wouldn't dare to provoke a scholar in broad daylight... Liu Mingyi has quite a reputation on West Street; after all, his status is different from those two peddlers..."

Before Xu You could answer, Qian Qin said sarcastically, "Some people come to the boat pavilion for the first time, yet seem to know better than those of us who have lived here for years how things should be handled. Why don't we just hand the management of the boat pavilion over to them in the future? As for me, I can just stay safely by Mistress's side and be a maid who makes beds."

"Qian Qin!" Zhan Wenjun rebuked sharply. Xu You waved his hand to indicate it didn't matter, and said, "Brother Qin, what you said is not wrong in theory. Liu Mingyi is a scholar, and normally no one would provoke him. But you overlooked one point—Xi Yuanda's personality!"

He patiently explained, "Liu Mingyi has joined the boat pavilion for less than a year, so his actions are inevitably hasty. Coupled with the venomous tongues of scholars, he must have instigated those two merchants to say something overly provocative that enraged Xi Yuanda. As the disaster-relief libationer of the Yangzhou jurisdiction, Xi Yuanda holds high power and enjoys the protection of Du Jingzhi. His handling of matters has always been eccentric and arbitrary. If my guess is right, those two merchants are likely in grave danger right now... As for Liu Mingyi, if I were Xi Yuanda and found out from the merchants who instigated them, how could I let it go? Never mind that he is a scholar; even if he were a member of the gentry, he would still be arrested. Don't forget, when Mistress went to Fuyang County, the Celestial Masters dared to intercept and assassinate her on the river. What evil deed is beyond these lawless people?"

So-called intelligence was essentially peering into human hearts, deducing a person's style of action from clues, and then formulating a response. Qin Chong was won over completely by this reasoning. Daring not show it in front of Qian Qin, he could only cup his hands, retreat to the side, stroke his long beard, and remain silent.

Qian Qin sneered, "You heard just this little bit of information and made baseless speculations about what Xi Yuanda will or won't do. If handling intelligence were this simple, why does Mistress keep the rest of us around? Might as well send us all to the fields to become tenant farmers..."

Xu You smiled slightly and said, "Every trade has its masters. You are an expert in intelligence, and sending you to farm fields would indeed be a waste of talent. However, Lady Qian Qin seems to look down on tenant farmers. I don't care much for that; farming is actually a highly technical profession, and if you tried it, you might not be able to pull it off..."

"You!"

Every time Qian Qin argued with Xu You, she lost the upper hand and ended up boiling with anger, especially since Zhan Wenjun stood on his side. Finding it utterly unbearable, she raged, "Fine! Since you're so confident, do you dare make a wager with me?"

"What are we wagering on?"

"If Xi Yuanda really sends people to arrest Liu Mingyi, I will immediately leave the boat pavilion and no longer interfere in its affairs. If not, from now on, you are forbidden to set foot in the boat pavilion ever again."

"Absurd!"

Just as Zhan Wenjun was about to speak, Xu You interrupted her. With a beaming smile, he said, "Alright, but let's change the stakes. If I win, you must obey my instructions henceforth. When I tell you to go east, you go east; when I tell you to go west, you go west. No talking back, and absolutely no cursing me in your thoughts. If I lose, I will keep a respectful distance of three hundred paces whenever I meet you, and if there is nowhere to retreat, I will salute you as a disciple. How about that?"

Qian Qin looked suspicious. Xu You's smiling expression really didn't look like that of a good person, but such stakes offered her far more benefits than risks, and the temptation was too great. How could she refuse?

"It's a deal!"

"It's a deal!"