Chapter 691: Thanks to You!

At present, the canal still did not have inspection departments such as customs posts or tax bureaus; only river bridge offices and canal management offices were set up at important strategic points. Even the tax officials in various prefectures dared not ignore imperial laws and interfere with the canal routes. Along the thousands of miles of canal, except where locks and drawbridges required ships to stop, the passage was generally unobstructed. Because of this, Zhu Zhanji could travel by boat smoothly. With ample food and water on board, along with generous rewards, and by hiring porters to pull the boat in shallow waters and rowers in deep waters, they made rapid progress and easily crossed Dezhou.

It was early morning, yet the sun had already risen. The rising sun shone on the city walls and towers of Dezhou, casting a golden glow over them. Standing at the bow of the boat and watching Dezhou shrink in the distance, Zhu Zhanji finally felt somewhat relieved. He casually opened the Xianxi paper and Xiangfei bamboo folding fan in his hand. After fanning himself a few times, Chen Wu teased, “Young master, you painted this fan face in Nanjing but never inscribed anything on it. Since you’re in the mood today, why not…”

“My father is seriously ill—I have no time to inscribe anything! Besides, don’t you see we’re on a boat?”

Seeing Chen Wu retreat awkwardly, Zhu Zhanji still felt a bit inspired and gazed thoughtfully at the fan face. It was painted by him in Nanjing, featuring just a few branches of flowers, a clump of green bamboo, and a couple of peculiar rocks—yet it was one of his proudest works. It was already summer, and although they were on the canal, the heat was quite intense. After a moment’s thought, he began to recite:

“Mist and clouds over Xiangpu blend with greenery;
Flower rain from Xianxi brings fragrance.
It sweeps away the heat of the world,
Bringing back the coolness of heaven.”

Yuan Fang, who had come out of the cabin, smiled upon hearing these four lines. He knew well that Zhu Zhanji was not only skilled in horseback riding and archery but also highly accomplished in poetry and prose. He praised, “In the scorching heat of midsummer, just these four lines from you seem to cool down the entire boat. If Young Master Zhang were here and saw this fan face, he would surely ask to have it.”

Since they had been traveling quickly by horse all along, there had been no need for such an elegant item as a folding fan, so Zhu Zhanji had kept it in his luggage bag without using it. Hearing Yuan Fang’s words, he gently closed the fan and said, “I always thought you were an upright person. I never expected you to make such a joke… I’ve been worried all the way. Now that we’ve finally crossed Dezhou, I’ve relaxed a bit, so I’m just finding some joy in hardship.”

Seeing Zhu Zhanji’s expression darken instantly, Yuan Fang naturally stopped bringing up any refined topics—after all, he wasn’t Zhang Yue; how could he discuss poetry and literature with this crown prince who was skilled in both calligraphy and painting? Besides, now wasn’t the right time. So, he silently observed the scenery along the canal, pondering over the matters Zhang Yue had discussed with him earlier.

After passing Dezhou, deciding where to switch to land routes and which ones to take would be up to him. During their few days of travel by water, they only encountered patrol boats occasionally, and the inspections were quite superficial. Seeing their small group and the genuine goods in the cargo hold, they were quickly let pass. If things continued like this, traveling by water all the way to Tongzhou wasn’t bad—although it might take a few extra days, safety was what mattered most.

Yuan Fang was planning the route, while Chen Wu kept an eye on Zhu Zhanji’s feet and the boat’s progress, fearing any mishaps—after all, he still remembered how the second son of the Yangwu Bo family had been knocked into the water by the Han King’s boat. He had traveled along the canal before, but back then there were imperial boats with guards everywhere, unlike now when boats passed by just a dozen steps away.

The three important figures here each had their own thoughts, while the five lesser figures gathered together, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings, afraid of any danger. They had been borrowed from the Meng family by Zhang Yue and sent to wait in Huangcun. Initially, they were a bit confused about the situation, but after Zhang Yue gave them instructions that night, they immediately felt immense pressure. This was about escorting the crown prince—safely delivering him ensured rewards, but any accident could bring disaster to their entire families!

“Elder brother, why did such a task fall on us?”

Ling Yu, whose left elbow was broken, looked up at the sound. Seeing that everyone, including the brother who spoke, was looking at him, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly. He too wondered why this task had fallen on them—in terms of family status, the Baoding Marquis family was indeed among the highest-ranking nobles, but still slightly inferior to the Mu and Xu families. In terms of ability, those servants seemed quite capable; knowing who they were escorting, they would surely fight to the death. Even within the Baoding Marquis household, although he had boasted before, there were a few servants with considerable skills.

Why them?

Though he thought this way, all he could say to everyone was, “At this point, don’t overthink it. The young master’s integrity is beyond doubt. As long as we reach the capital safely, we can easily turn things around… If I hadn’t been young and reckless enough to defy our lord back then, you all wouldn’t have wasted so many years. Now that we finally have this chance, we must give it our all when the time comes!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than a man sitting at the edge suddenly jumped up and whispered, “Look! There are many ships blocked at the suspension bridge ahead—seems like they’re checking them!”
By the time he spoke up, Yuan Fang had already seen what was happening. With his sharp eyes, he noticed that there seemed to be a ship at the suspension bridge, checking each grain and merchant ship that passed by in turn. He immediately stepped forward and asked Zhu Zhanji to return to the cabin. Inside, he initially planned to use the same excuse as before, but suddenly an idea struck him, so he said something different to Zhu Zhanji and gave Chen Wu a series of instructions. Only after everything was arranged did he turn to Ling Yu and the others, scanning them one by one with his gaze.
“I won’t say much else. All of you stay inside the cabin. No matter who asks questions later, just respond as you did before. Remember, you are tough men who were once part of the northern expedition and returned injured—be fierce when needed, and don’t lose the face of warriors! No matter what happens, I’ve got you!”
Under that cold gaze, Ling Yu felt a chill run down his spine. It wasn’t until Yuan Fang turned back to the bow that he finally breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, he heard one of his comrades muttering, “Sure enough, he was once the leader of the Jinyiwei. His gaze is like a knife—really scary!”
The people on the ship stayed on high alert. Soon, the ship checking along the way came from the other end of the canal. From Yuan Fang’s direction, he could see the suspension bridge rising slowly, with the dozen or so ships in front quickly passing through. Seeing several soldiers in dark blue battle robes standing on that ship, Yuan Fang’s heart skipped a beat.
As the two ships drew closer, someone immediately set up a plank bridge. An officer dressed as a commander, along with two soldiers, swiftly jumped onto the ship from the plank. When he saw the ship’s captain approaching with a smile and a pass, he gave it a casual glance before pointing at it and saying, “There are eight people in total up there. Have them all come out so I can take a look!”

Seeing the ship’s captain freeze in shock, Yuan Fang stepped forward with a beaming smile, bowing respectfully and saying, “General, you’ve come to inspect. My young master was supposed to be waiting here, but unfortunately he fell ill suddenly a few days ago. He’s too sick to leave his cabin at all and is currently lying in bed inside. The others are guards hired by my master—each one extremely tough. If it’s convenient for you, General, could you please go into the cabin and take a look?”

Upon hearing the word “sudden illness,” the captain frowned and was about to lose his temper, but when he heard the last sentence, which didn’t imply refusal, Yuan Fang quickly slipped in a few new banknotes. This calmed the captain’s expression slightly; he tucked the money into his sleeve and nodded politely. Once inside the cabin, he narrowed his eyes to adjust to the change in lighting. Sure enough, he immediately spotted six men standing like pillars nearby—some with broken arms, some blind, and others with terrifying long scars on their faces. He stepped back two steps, then, upon regaining his composure, glared fiercely at Yuan Fang.

“Hired guards? They clearly eat from the same military trough as us!”

“General, your eyes are truly sharp,” Yuan Fang said with a laugh, nodding. “They all fought alongside our great ancestor Taizong against the Mongol Tatars. Later, they were severely injured and left the army, allowing other relatives in their family to fill their military positions. Though they’re no longer in the army, their combat skills remain intact. That’s why my master hired them at such a high cost!”

Seeing Yuan Fang make a gesture, the captain remained skeptical but still sent people up to ask a few questions. Finding no further suspicious points, he went over to the bed and stared at the young man covered in rashes for a long time. Then, with a displeased frown, he turned to Yuan Fang and asked, “So it’s just rashes. That’s quite troublesome on a ship. But with your master so ill, why are you still rushing on?”

“It’s easy for you to say, General. Our family elders are very strict. If my master fails to focus on his duties, he’ll surely get a good beating when he returns.”

As he spoke, Yuan Fang carefully took out a handkerchief and wiped the man’s forehead. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a soldier beside the captain examining the man’s face repeatedly before shaking his head. Seeing this, he breathed a sigh of relief. But the next moment, the captain reached over, picked up the folding fan from the bed, and studied it closely.

“This fan is quite well painted!” After staring at it for a long time with narrowed eyes, the officer casually closed the fan and slipped it into his sleeve. With a fake smile, he said, “After all, you’re merchants. Fans made of Xiangfei bamboo and Yanxi paper are quite expensive—only you can afford them. Our superior, the thousand-household lord, is very refined. I was worried about what to give him for his birthday, but this fan is just perfect. With such a generous gift, maybe you’ll be able to pass through Tianjin smoothly. You should know that the canal there has been completely sealed off for inspections. Without connections, it might take ten days or even half a month just to get through!”
Seeing the officer talking to himself and taking the fan, Yuan Fang was terrified, but he didn’t dare show it on his face. What was more important were the words that followed. Learning that the canal in Tianjin had been sealed for inspections, he didn’t dare mention the fan again. Instead, he smiled and escorted the officer out, trying to indirectly inquire about the situation in Tianjin.
“Who knows? When Emperor Yongle passed away, they did the same thing in Tianjin. Who knows what’s going on now… Well, how can we figure out what the higher-ups are up to? Even us are sent by the thousand-household lord to prevent thieves from causing trouble on the canal!”
As he spoke, the officer sent two soldiers away to investigate the stern of the ship. He then stood at the entrance to the cabin. Once there were no one else around, he slowly took out the fan from his sleeve. “This fan is worth at least a hundred strings of new currency. Is your young master really willing to let me take it?”
Yuan Fang had already been thinking about how to get back Zhu Zhanji’s beloved item. Hearing this, he realized there might still be hope. He quickly smiled and said, “What are you saying, sir? It’s just a fan. If you like it, please take it. Consider it a small token from us.”
“If I were to give a fan to the thousand-household lord, he’d surely doubt where it came from!” As he spoke, he roughly shoved the fan into Yuan Fang’s hands, staring straight into his eyes. “Do you understand?”
With no choice, Yuan Fang put the fan in his bosom and then reluctantly took out a purse, handing it over with some reluctance. Only then did he see the officer press it firmly before showing a satisfied smile.

With this generous gift, the chief officer’s expression improved significantly. As they prepared to leave the ship, he said in a low voice, “Since your young master is so ill, disembark at Anling ahead and find a doctor right away. It’s impossible to make it to Tianjin in less than half a month; it will only cause further delay, and your master can do nothing about it.”

After expressing his deepest gratitude and seeing the man go, Yuan Fan ordered the shipmaster to speed up, then returned to the cabin. Seeing Chen Wu, who was lying in bed, already sitting up, he didn’t have time to deal with him. Instead, he went straight to Zhu Zhanji, who was touching the “scar” on his face, and bowed deeply, saying, “Your Highness, please forgive me. If I hadn’t resorted to such a drastic measure just now, we likely wouldn’t have been able to deceive them.”

“I owe you a great deal this time! Who would have thought that someone there would recognize me!” Hearing that there were many checkpoints along the canal ahead, Zhu Zhanji let out a long sigh, his face immediately darkening. “It seems that Tianjin isn’t just acting under orders from the capital. It’s likely that someone has accepted bribes and made promises, which is why there are so many checkpoints along the canal here.”

Yuan Fan presented the folding fan, saying, “The three garrisons in Tianjin control both the canal routes and the land roads. Since the situation there is unclear, it’s better to switch to the land route upon arriving at Anling. Let’s avoid Jinghai and Tianjin Garrison and take the route through Zhuozhou! As soon as we disembark, I’ll send someone on horseback back to the capital to report, so they can prepare and send people to greet us early.”

“Good!” Zhu Zhanji pushed the fan aside casually and nodded without hesitation. “From now on, you’ll arrange everything along the way. This fan is bestowed upon you. Once we return to the capital safely, I’ll personally inscribe a message on its surface for you!”