xymnovel Chapter 24 The "Scrap" from the Imperial Stables
Chapter 24 The "Scrap" from the Imperial Stables
March 28th, 47th year of Wanli (1568), night, 1-3 AM.
Luokou Wharf in Jinan.
The cold night wind of late spring felt like a damp, cold file scraping back and forth across the dark river surface. Thick river fog rose from the water, shrouding the newly acquired dock in a deathly gray-white hue.
Although Luk Kee had taken over the dock, most of the area remained silent so as not to disturb merchants and travelers. Only a few "ghostly" lamps hanging high up cast pale yellow halos in the mist, like will-o'-the-wisps.
But in the shadows, pairs of wary eyes were fixed intently on the river.
Ever since swallowing up the Wei Shui Gang and finding the ivory waist tag engraved with "Imperial Horse Stables" and the secret letter, Lu Yan knew that this shoe would drop sooner or later. The letter said that "valuable goods" would arrive at the end of the month, and that Master Ma should be prepared to receive them without fail.
Tonight is the deadline stipulated in the letter.
"Master, they've arrived."
Zhao Changying lay behind the wet pillar of the pier, her voice extremely low, as if squeezed from her chest.
On the river, there were no boatmen's calls as large ships docked, nor any lights. Three deep-draft, completely black flat-bottomed sandboats, like a group of silent ghosts, took advantage of the fog to cut off the sound of the water and silently glided towards the hidden "black dock" that the Wei Shui Gang used to operate.
The ship was not flying a flag, and even the boatmen were dressed in dark night clothes.
This style of operation exudes a sinister, clandestine air, as well as an arrogant sense of privilege granted by the emperor—because in the Ming Dynasty, only ships that carried out private business for the palace dared to operate so brazenly in the shadows.
"Squeak—"
The boat gently brushed against the mooring bollards. Before the gangplank was even properly erected, several men dressed in dark cloaks with bulging waistbands cautiously jumped ashore.
"Where's Ma San? Why hasn't that cripple come to light the lamp?"
The leader, dressed in black, lowered his voice and cursed, his tone revealing the ruthlessness of someone who had spent years in the underworld, "Don't you know the rules? You dare leave a man's boat idle? You don't want to live?"
Silence reigned all around, and no one answered. Only a few distant barks sounded particularly mournful in the fog.
"Something's not right." The man in black, hand on his dagger, took a sharp step back and hissed, "Retreat! Weigh anchor!"
"Since you're here, why rush to leave?"
A clear, cold voice suddenly pierced through the thick fog, as distinct as the clash of metal.
"Click click click—"
A series of synchronized mechanical clicks rang out.
Behind the piles of goods around the pier and on the rooftops, a dozen specially made spotlights suddenly lit up. These were "searchlights" modified by Zhao Tie using polished copper mirrors as reflectors.
A powerful beam of light pierced through the mist, enveloping the three black ships and the people on the shore.
In the interplay of light and shadow, fifty "Lu Ji security guards," clad in grey tunics and wielding powerful crossbows, emerged from the darkness. They stood like a silent, iron wall, firmly blocking all escape routes. Every crossbow bolt was cocked, and every arrow gleamed coldly.
Lu Yan slowly emerged from the darkness.
Tonight he wore a tacky blue cloth robe, the cuffs tightly bound, and thick-soled boots. He wasn't carrying a folding fan, but rather his ever-present flintlock pistol (though now it served more as a deterrent).
"What gang are you from?" The leader of the men in black, blinded by the bright light, shouted fiercely, his voice trembling with fear. "This is... the goods from above! If you mess with this shipment, you might have nine heads and still not be enough to chop them off!"
"The goods on top?"
Lu Yan walked to the edge of the pier, not deterred by the other party's intimidation. Instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke calmly as if he were checking an ordinary logistics document.
"Master Ma is busy repairing the road. The Luokou Wharf is now under the management of Lu Ji."
Lu Yan pointed to the cabin, his voice devoid of any warmth: "According to Lu's new rules, all ships entering the port must undergo quarantine and registration. Your ship is not flying a flag, has no lights on, and is acting suspiciously. I have reason to suspect that you are transporting—contraband, or... a source of disease."
"Insolence! This is for the Imperial Stables..." The man in black was about to reveal his trump card, but suddenly realized there were too many people around, and swallowed the rest of his words. "This is a task for a distinguished guest! If you know what's good for you, get out of the way!"
"The Imperial Horse Stables?"
Lu Yan caught the word, and the smile on his lips grew even colder.
"Since this is a palace matter, we must investigate even more thoroughly. What if there are thieves hiding inside, alarming His Majesty? Who could bear the consequences?"
Lu Yan waved his hand: "Changying, board the ship. Investigate!"
"yes!"
Zhao Changying waved his hand, and a squad of fierce-looking servants rushed forward. The man in black wanted to draw his sword, but looking at the dense barrage of crossbow bolts around him, he finally spat angrily and let go.
They were just escorting the goods; it wasn't worth risking their lives for this batch of "junk."
As several servants pried open the sealed hatch, a suffocating stench assaulted their nostrils.
The smell was so strong it was like opening a morgue. A mixture of horse manure, rotting hay, festering wounds, and the stench of death instantly diluted the mist on the river.
Standing downwind, Hu Jingshui couldn't hold it in and bent over to dry heave.
"What...what's that smell? Are they transporting corpses?"
Several servants carrying lanterns jumped into the cabin, and a moment later, screams came from inside.
"Boss! It's all horses! They're all horses!"
Lu Yan frowned, took a handkerchief to cover his mouth and nose, and strode onto the diving board.
By the light of the lantern, he could see the scene inside the cabin.
This flat-bottomed boat, originally used for transporting grain, has now been converted into a makeshift stable, crammed with dozens of horses.
But these horses... are in such a terrible state.
Due to the bumpy long-distance water transport, the cramped space, and the poor sanitation, most of these horses were listless and emaciated. Some horses were covered with mange the size of coins, oozing yellow fluid; others had injured legs that swelled up like radishes, making them unable to stand and lying dying in their own excrement.
Their eyes were dull and lifeless, devoid of any of the fierceness of warhorses, only showing a numb wait for death.
"This is the Imperial Stables' 'precious goods'?" Hu Jingshui covered her nose, looking incredulous. "This is clearly a ship full of junk destined for a mass grave! Did Master Ma get ripped off?"
"Scrap metal?"
Lu Yan did not find the stench offensive. He went into the cabin, avoiding the filth on the floor, and squatted down in front of a fallen black horse.
The horse was so thin that you could see its ribs, its eyes were filled with sleep, and its breathing was weak. But when Lu Yan's hand touched its neck, he could still feel the originally robust skeleton under the fur, and the weak but tenacious heartbeat.
He pried open the horse's mouth to look at its teeth, and then touched the joints of its legs.
"A five-year-old. In the prime of life."
Lu Yan stood up, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes, but more so the anger and calculation of an engineer discovering wasted resources.
"Changying, come and take a look."
Zhao Changying strode over. He came from a military family in Liaodong and grew up on horseback, so he was closer to horses than to people.
Zhao Changying's pupils contracted sharply after just one glance.
Ignoring his filth, he reached out and stroked the black horse's back, his voice trembling slightly: "Brother... this is a fine horse! This is a genuine Liaodong horse! Look at its broad chest, its hooves... this is a top-tier warhorse capable of charging into battle! How could it have been so ravaged?!"
He abruptly turned to look at the leader of the men in black, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "You beasts! Are you trying to suffocate them alive?"
Although the leader of the men in black was bound, he still stubbornly snorted, "These are all sick and useless horses rejected by the higher-ups. They were originally destined for the south to be skinned and made into donkey-hide gelatin. So what if they died? What's the big deal?"
"Peeling the skin to make glue?"
Lu Yan sneered.
He roughly guessed what was going on.
This was the art of "drifting" in the Ming Dynasty's officialdom, and also the way the eunuchs in the inner court made money. The Imperial Horse Administration was in charge of all the imperial horses in the country, and there were bound to be some corrupt officials who would report strong warhorses as "sick horses" or "dead horses," write them off from the books, and then secretly smuggle them out for resale.
For those eunuchs, as long as these horses weren't completely dead, they were worth a fortune once they reached the south. Their hides could be made into glue, their bones into soup, and their meat sold on the black market. Whether the horses suffered or were fit for battle was none of their concern.
This is a bloody gray industry chain.
"How many horses are there in total?" Lu Yan asked.
"Forty-two horses are still alive, and eight... have already died," Zhao Changying reported through gritted teeth after checking the horses.
Forty-two warhorses.
In the horse-scarce interior, and in the impending chaos, this is a strategic resource that would make any power envious. With these horses, Lu Ji could assemble a true cavalry scout unit, resulting in a qualitative leap in mobility.
"Boss, this batch of goods..." Zhao Changying looked at Lu Yan with eager eyes.
"The goods belong to the Imperial Horse Administration; we can't steal them."
Lu Yan wiped his hands, his tone suddenly becoming businesslike, even carrying a hint of anxiety about "sharing the country's burdens".
"However, according to the Great Ming Code, any livestock entering the country that are suspected of having a disease must be forcibly quarantined. Since these horses are said to be sick, we cannot allow them to bring the plague into Jinan City."
He turned to the man in black and said, "Brother, you heard that too. It's not that I'm going to confiscate your goods, it's that this horse is sick. For the safety of the people of Jinan, I have to detain the ship and the horse for 'quarantine' observation."
"You! You dare to detain the Imperial Horse Stables..."
"I'm just following the rules," Lu Yan interrupted him, his voice turning cold. "Who is your master? Let him come with official documents to collect the people and horses. As long as the paperwork is complete and the quarantine is passed, I, Lu, will not make things difficult for you."
"Take him away, lock him in the cellar, and treat him well. Don't let him escape, and don't let him die."
"yes!"
After dealing with the people, Lu Yan looked at the ship full of "scrap" and gave Zhao Changying the real instructions.
"Unload the horses. Transport them to the abandoned quarantine yard behind the main camp overnight. It's secluded there, nobody goes there."
"Changying, Uncle Zhao, from today onwards, you two don't need to do anything. Bring out the best bean cakes, eggs, and concentrated feed from our camp. Even if it means calling the best veterinarian and using the best medicine, you have to save these horses!"
"Master, what are you going to do..." Zhao Changying seemed to understand something.
"That upcoming chief eunuch is definitely here for this shipment."
Lu Yan gazed at the dark river in the distance, his eyes deep and thoughtful. "He thinks this is just a pile of rotten flesh worth a few hundred taels of silver. But if we can turn this pile of rotten flesh into a vibrant and powerful cavalry force right before his eyes..."
Lu Yan smiled, a smile that revealed the shrewdness of a businessman and the patience of a hunter.
"That'll be a different price."
"Remember, keep this to yourself. Tell everyone we're just helping the Imperial Stables deal with 'garbage'."
The wind ruffled Lu Yan's clothes. On this fog-shrouded dock, a rescue operation targeting "scrap" quietly unfolded.
Lu Yan knew that this was not just about saving the horses, but also about saving his own future. These forty-two horses were the key to unlocking the gates of the Imperial Stables and entering the core of power in the Ming Dynasty.