Volume 1: Mission in Danger Chapter 68: The Rascals Were Captured
This can't be considered a water fight at all, it can hardly even be called a fight, it's simply a farce.
Seven or eight small boats came on the water. When they approached the Hua Cha, these people couldn't even get on the ship, and they imitated the clumsy calls of birds.
Deng Dachang asked in a low voice: "What is this for?"
Zhou Yijin smiled: "It's probably a signal we agreed on. Throw the ladder down and let them come up."
So the sailors and boatmen made way for them and threw down the ladder - fearing that the other side would climb too slowly, they threw down four or five more ladders.
Dozens of people climbed onto the surface from more than a dozen small boats. When most of them had come aboard and gathered on the pitch-black deck, the leader asked, "Where's Ke Twenty-Eight? Why can't we find him?"
A man said, "I know where the gold and silver are. I will take you to find them."
It was not known whether these people had a low level of vigilance or were blinded by greed, but they continued to act without seeing anyone to pick them up. The leader then assigned people to three groups: one group would go to the forecastle to control the sailors, one group would prepare to set fire to the ship, and the last group would follow the man to rob the gold and silver.
Deng Dachang secretly heard this and was shocked. "Although these guys are not very powerful, if Master Zhou hadn't predicted their plot, we would all be in trouble if they suddenly sneaked into the cabin while we were sleeping. But then again, how come Master Zhou knew their situation so well?"
Dozens of thieves divided into three groups, but unexpectedly they stepped into the traps set by the boat people. Soon, various voices of "Oh my God!" "What!" "Your mother!" were heard one after another.
Hooks hook the feet, fishing nets cover the head, followed by sticks.
The boatmen who stayed on the boats all looked up when they heard the noise. Some said, "They acted so quickly." Another experienced one said, "But the noise doesn't sound right."
Suddenly, the lights on the Huachai lit up, which expanded the view of the nearby sea. An old boatman shouted, "Oh no! What is that!"
Only then did they realize that dozens of fishing boats had surrounded them, blocking their way.
The ambush and catching operation was over in less than half an hour, and all the thieves on board were caught. The "battle" was not fierce at all. After seeing that they were outnumbered, most of the thieves simply surrendered. Only a few brave ones fought back, but they could not stop the siege of dozens of people. The boatman guarding the boat below also surrendered when he saw the situation was not good. The two who tried to jump into the water to escape were also caught by the young boatmen who cast fishing nets.
There were a total of fifty-three people on and under the boat, all tied up with ropes and piled on the deck. Under the light, Deng Dachang recognized that three of them were indeed the sent-away servants. He couldn't bear to look at these traitors who were greedy and ungrateful, so he couldn't help but make a "Puh" sound and spit on them.
Weng Xiong asked Zhou Yijin: "Master Zhou, what should we do next?" He was now convinced by Zhou Yijin's brilliant strategy.
Zhou Yijin said, "Tie them all up and drive them to the sandbar. Keep them trapped for two days."
Weng Xiong asked, "What about two days later?"
"Tomorrow is Mr. Wu's birthday party." Zhou Yijin said, "At the latest the day after tomorrow, even if Chengjian doesn't come back, he will send someone on board. Let him handle it then."
This farce lasted less than an hour. After the thieves were taken away, peace returned to the Hua Cha.
Tan Sanniang stayed in the cabin the whole time, and didn't feel relieved until everything was settled. She invited Zhou Yijin into the cabin, warmed a glass of wine, and calmed him down - but Zhou Yijin didn't look scared at all. Tan Sanniang had known him for several years and knew that he was knowledgeable and meticulous, but she never knew that such a weak scholar could have such means.
"Sanniang probably has something to ask." Zhou Yijin said, "If you have anything to ask, just ask directly."
Tan Sanniang asked, "Yi Jin, who are these people from?"
Zhou Yijin chuckled and said, "It's just a group of people from several small gangs in and around Guangzhou."
Although the Qianlong period was known as a prosperous era, there were a lot of vagrants in society. In Guangzhou, one of the largest cities in the country, the number of vagrants was difficult to count. The better-off ones would go to work in the dock workshops, while those with worse character would idle around. If they really had no connections, they would join various gangs or even resort to petty theft.
Zhou Yijin said: "The Huacha is a large ship. Although there are not many people on board, at least there are dozens of people on board. It is isolated in the wind and waves of Baietan Lake. Ordinary thieves dare not come on board. If they want to attack it, they can only form gangs. When the Wu family was powerful, those street gangs did not dare to attack. Once the Wu family lost power, I saw that some people on the ship had some ideas, so I sent them away. These people knew the strengths and weaknesses of the ship. After being sent away, they became resentful. After landing, they couldn't help it, so they colluded with gangs and persuaded some low-class people to prepare to rob the ship tonight."
"I have guessed all of this," said Tan Sanniang, "but what I don't understand is how you know everything about them."
Zhou Yijin smiled: "Because I taught them."
"ah?"
Zhou Yijin said, "As the saying goes, there is only a thief who can steal for a thousand days, but there is no such thing as a thief who can be on guard for a thousand days. Instead of being on guard against them and not knowing when they will attack, it is better to have control over their actions. So I sent a reliable servant out to connect with those guys with ulterior motives, and taught them how to recruit people and how to act. When these people got together, they became a large gang. When the large gang wanted to act, they would secretly suppress the small gangs of thieves. Therefore, we have been safe and sound these past few days."
"But those gangs were deceived by our scheme, so are they willing to let it go?"
"Of course I won't." Zhou Yijin said, "But so what? There will be a big change in Xiguan tomorrow. After tomorrow... if Chengjian can turn the tables, these scumbags will not only offend us again, but will have to come to kowtow and confess their crimes. If Chengjian can't turn the tables... then..."
"Then...what should we do?"
"Then let's burn this boat." Zhou Yijin said, "Without Yi and the Wu family, this boat cannot be saved - even if all the boat villages in Guangzhou Prefecture come forward, they cannot save it."
Wu Guoying’s sixtieth birthday finally arrived.
Manager Liu asked Manager Dai to go with him to celebrate the old boss' birthday. Early in the morning, just as he got dressed, Manager Dai arrived.
The two men bowed and greeted each other. Manager Liu asked, "What's the situation outside?"
Shopkeeper Dai Er said, "Fortunately, Yihehang's businesses are all fine for now."
Upon hearing this, Manager Liu sneered, "Of course it's fine . Even though the old owner is going to fail, how could the new owner be willing to receive a batch of junk? Someone has long spread the word that outsiders are not allowed to ruin these properties. How dare those scoundrels do that?"
The two of them went out together and met more than twenty guys at the door - these people were the backbone of Yihehang.
When Manager Liu saw them, he was shocked: "Everyone, what are you doing?"
He knew the character of these people and knew they would never come to ask for their wages, and Wu Guoying had already made arrangements for them.
On the third day after the second business protection meeting, Wu Guoying began to summon some old friends to his house in batches. Each of them received a letter of recommendation from him. If Yihehang was no longer around after half a month, they would take the letter to their new employer.
At that time, there was no bank business with sufficient credit in Guangzhou, but all major insurance companies would exchange some things and deposit them with relatives and friends for emergency use. The Pan family, the Ye family, the Cai family, and the Wu family all deposited silver. Wu Guoying did not count on the silver deposited with the Pan and Ye families, but Wu Guoying expected that Pan Youjie would not be so mean, so he wrote notes to several old friends and asked them to go to Pan Garden to collect it in half a month, which could be regarded as a severance pay.
When the employees received the note, they all burst into tears and bid farewell to Wu Guoying in tears. At this time, after hearing the question from the shopkeeper Liu, a middle-aged shopkeeper named Ou Jiafu came out and said, "Shopkeeper, we are going to celebrate the birthday of the old shopkeeper!"
More than twenty shop assistants said in unison: "Yes, let's go and celebrate the old shopkeeper's birthday!"
Ou Jiafu said: "Yihehang has suffered an unexpected disaster this time. It was lost at the hands of a villain, not because of war. The old boss and the two young business owners have not let us down, and we cannot let the Wu family down. Although we can't help much, we still have to join in the fun and let the old boss happily drink a glass of birthday wine."
Now the news has spread throughout Xiguan, and they have all expected that after today, the Wu family will face a miserable end.
"Okay, okay." Manager Liu had worked at Yihe Bank for many years and had deep feelings for both the bank and Wu Guoying. He shouted, "Let's go and pay our respects. Let's go and toast the old boss a glass of wine."
Dozens of people formed a group and walked towards Wu's house in Xiguan.
In the past few days, the gate of Wu's house was closed and there were soldiers guarding the door, so not even a dog could get in.
Until early this morning, the Wu family decorated with lanterns and the main door was wide open. Several bannermen were invited to the side and a table of delicious food and drinks was prepared. Master Chuan Longci stood at the door, dressed in a bright suit to welcome guests from all directions.
Although Manager Liu and others arrived early, they saw people constantly bowing their hands to enter. They did not expect that the house would be deserted. When they got closer, they felt that the Wu family's house was crowded with people and it was unexpectedly lively.
Ou Jiafu was a little surprised and a little happy: "The old boss is really popular. They say that human relationships are as thin as paper, but today it seems that this saying is not quite right. To this day, there are still so many people coming to celebrate the old boss's birthday."
Manager Liu thought to himself, "There are a lot of people here, but not necessarily to celebrate the birthday." But thinking that this was a good day for the old boss, he didn't say anything, but led his employees and went up.
