Chapter 10: Weighing Anchor

Returning to her own courtyard, Ling Qingyu sat on a stone stool and let out a deep breath. Her hand went limp, and the whip fell to the ground with a thud.

Lu Yao and Ye Shiyi had been practicing their skills in the courtyard and stopped when they heard the door. Seeing Ling Qingyu stagger in, sit down listlessly, and then hear the *thwack* of the whip hitting the ground, Lu Yao held Ye Shiyi back and walked over himself. He picked up the whip, his brow furrowing involuntarily. This whip was actually made of fine steel; although it was coated in a dark layer of dried blood, it couldn't hide the inherent luster of the weapon. He muttered, "The Eighteen Coiling Dragon Whips?"

"Do you like it?" Ling Qingyu glanced at him and said lazily, "If you like it, I'll give it to you. Just remember to wash it clean."

"Where did this whip come from?" Lu Yao asked.

"A gift from twenty slaves." Only now did Ling Qingyu feel completely drained of strength. Facing Zhou Zhou earlier had been nothing less than a massive mental battle for her. Seeing Lu Yao still staring at the whip with a frown, she said, "The bailiffs use these to lash people. I bought some prisoners, and he gave this to me as a bonus."

"Prisoners?" Lu Yao was puzzled.

However, by lunchtime, he understood.

"Miss, look at your sailors," Zheng Xi said, pointing at Lu Yao, who was refilling his rice, and Ye Shiyi, who was eating noisily. "A little brat, a landlubber—ah, no, a bunch of landlubbers! That group of refugees came from the north, and then there's a bunch of dying prisoners! Who knows what crimes they committed to be exiled? If we put those villains on the boat, won't they kill us ourselves? Even if they don't cause trouble, can a group like that even sail the seas?"

"They can," Ling Qingyu said, scraping her bowl clean. She was somewhat surprised that Zheng Xi had actually managed to hold back his complaints until he was nearly finished eating, so she explained patiently, "I've already thought it through. Uncle Ding's accident happened because someone didn't want us to set sail. Therefore, the worse the sailors we find, the more the opposition will underestimate us, and only then will they let our ship out to sea. As for our *Wind God*, the improved sails and maneuverability won't be seen by anyone before we leave the Quanzhou waters—or rather, before we leave the Great Zhou waters. Without that visible power, we'll need to row. And as for the rowing, it's not like what you said; as long as you have enough strength, you can do it. As for whether they'll cause trouble, once they're at sea, without us, they're on a dead-end path anyway. I don't think those people are that stupid." Hundreds of people had been exiled to work as laborers, yet only twenty had survived; Ling Qingyu didn't think these people were simple. Although Zheng Xi was right that they didn't know the others' backgrounds, and people who could survive such conditions were like Gu Sui and his group—living time bombs—she simply couldn't think of a better way right now.

"Send those prisoners to the shipyard. Ask Doctor Shi to examine them, and pay attention to their food and clothing. At the very least, they need to be able to work the oars when they board." After a moment's thought, Ling Qingyu added, "I'll go tell Wu Da to speed things up. We set sail in ten days."

"Ten days? But Miss, you haven't even bought your cargo yet?"

"The one you mentioned last time. Four thousand taels. We'll take the whole lot."

"Are you sure, Miss? That shop's goods are second-rate! The porcelain is low grade, and the silk is faded."

"If they weren't second-rate, they wouldn't be this cheap. Don't worry, other ships go to the major ports, so they naturally want high-quality goods at high prices. By the way, press them down another five hundred taels, and bring more water and grain."

"Press the price even more? Miss, you're really ruthless! I don't think Boss Dai will agree."

"Then you play the role of Tang Sanzang until he does."

"What does Tang Sanzang have to do with this? He's been dead for years! Am I supposed to go find him?"

The "little brat" and "landlubber" Ye Shiyi and Lu Yao, who were biting their chopsticks in silent contempt, watched Ling Qingyu and Zheng Xi walk away while talking. Each of them updated their perception of Ling Qingyu. Ye Shiyi thought: *Sister is amazing! We're going to sea soon, we can see the ocean, and we won't have to hide anymore!* Lu Yao thought: *This woman is losing all sense of shame! We're going to sea soon, we can see the ocean, and we won't have to hide anymore!*

Ten days later, at the small shipyard in the Back Mountain Community, the *Wind God* had been freshly painted. Per Ling Qingyu's requirements, the fore and aft sails were furled, leaving only the masts. A flag with three diagonal lines and five stars was planted on the mast. To disguise the bowsprit, a strange statue of a woman with a bare upper body and a fish tail was fitted over it. Some knife marks on the deck were intentionally left unpatched. The small boats that usually hung on both sides were placed on the deck instead. The cabin at the rear of the deck was painted black. From a distance, the *Wind God* looked even smaller than before.

Ling Qingyu nodded in satisfaction. She looked toward the helm cabin at the front of the deck. Ding Dong was already in position, and several sailors were at their posts. In the rowing cabin below, Gu Sui's group and the prisoners had changed into the uniforms Ling Qingyu had ordered Zheng Xi to custom-make. With their shackles locked into place, they were all seated at their stations.

Ding Budong sat in a sedan chair and sighed, saying to Wu Da, "Can this work? With just these people setting sail?"

Wu Da also sighed. A bunch of misfits—what kind of crew was this?

Both of them had tried their best to persuade Ling Qingyu, but she had already invested all her money, and Ding Dong and the others wanted to find medicine to treat Ding Budong's leg. The two were determined to go to sea. Wu Da and Ding Budong had no choice but to watch Ling Qingyu and the others load cargo and people with heavy hearts. Now that everything was prepared, they were just waiting for the government inspection before they could sail directly. Normally, sea-going vessels had to be inspected at the official Quanzhou docks before departing, but Ling Qingyu had asked Zheng Xi to submit an application, stating that due to the *Wind God's* previous malfunctions, they requested permission to be inspected directly at the shipyard. This unreasonable request had actually been approved by the newly appointed Director of the Quanzhou Maritime Bureau.

It was the will of Heaven! Wu Da and Ding Budong were helpless.

Zhou Zhou and another minor official in government attire came up from the cabin and handed the transit permit, stamped with the official seal of the Quanzhou Maritime Bureau, to Ling Qingyu. He smiled and said, "Manager Ling is quite capable. However, this time it was because Lord Fan felt sympathy for you being a female head of household. There won't be such a special case next time." *There probably won't be a next time,* Zhou Zhou thought. Seeing that the prisoners were still shackled to their seats and looked as though they hadn't even eaten their fill, and seeing a woman leading a ship, Zhou Zhou couldn't help but shake his head. *Yang Zhao, good luck to you.*

The flag of the *Wind God* flew high. After Zhou Zhou and the official disembarked, Ling Qingyu told Zheng Xi to begin stowing the deck planks in preparation for departure.

"Row!" Gu Sui, sitting in the lead position, called out the rhythm. Twenty-eight long oars were lowered into the water, ready to move.

"Wait! Wait!" Suddenly, three people came running toward the pier, shouting. One was dressed as a scholar carrying a book box, while the other two were in short tunics, also carrying large crates.

"Excuse me, please! Can we join the ship? We will pay rent; the three of us only need one small cabin!" the scholar shouted.

Following the three, a young man carrying a large bundle chased after them, panting, "I... I... I also want to rent a cabin!"

Zheng Xi's eyes widened. With a crew like this, people actually had the guts to share a ship? In Fujian, land was scarce and people were many; many landless people and fishermen collaborated to rent cabin space on sea vessels to seek profit with small capital, but for safety, they usually sought out large shipping firms. Ling Qingyu also wanted to rent out the empty cabins, but despite Zheng Xi running around for ten days, no one had been willing to share a ship with them. He hadn't expected that just as they were about to depart, four death-defying souls would appear!

"Let them on board," Ling Qingyu smiled. It was rare for someone to agree with her, and she was happy to provide convenience.

Wu Da and Ding Budong watched in stunned silence as the deck, now occupied by four panting people, slowly pulled away from the pier. They both shook their heads; the world was truly a harsh place to make people willing to gamble with their lives like this.

The ship had slowly moved about ten meters away from the pier when Ding Budong felt a gust of wind pass by him. He saw a figure, as faint as smoke, drift onto the ship.

Lu Yao moved to block Ling Qingyu before Zheng Xi could, leaving Zheng Xi to stand awkwardly beside Ling Qingyu, glaring fiercely at this uninvited guest.

The rowing rhythm below grew more urgent, and the ship had already gained some distance.

Ling Qingyu poked her head out from behind Lu Yao. She saw that at the bow, which had been empty just a moment ago, stood a man dressed in black. After casting a contemptuous, sidelong glance at the three of them, he stood there holding a sword, one foot resting on the head of the beautiful statue, his clothes fluttering as he stared out at the vast ocean with an air of supreme arrogance.

Lu Yao's hands instinctively tightened. *An expert! Is he a new assassin?*

"Hey, move aside," Ling Qingyu said, pushing Lu Yao aside and addressing the man. "Listen, mister, do you want to rent a cabin or work? If you're renting, pay the rent first—no bargaining, one hundred taels of silver. If you're working, it's one hundred wen a day."

Zheng Xi couldn't help but glare at Ling Qingyu again. *What a black-hearted boss. Who rents a cabin for a hundred taels? It should be fifty taels plus a ten percent dividend!*

The man in black ignored her, tilting his head even higher.

So, Ling Qingyu kindly reminded him, "Big brother, that statue you're stepping on—I'm going to take it down once we leave Quanzhou waters. Are you sure you can swim? Are you sure you won't drown if you fall in?"

The man looked around. The *Wind God* was moving fast, and they were already several hundred meters from the shore. With a slight push of his foot, he flashed from the statue's head to stand right in front of Ling Qingyu. The sword in his hand was pressed against her neck as he said coldly, "Give me the best room."

"The best room? Fine, but the rent is five thousand taels of silver," Ling Qingyu said, stopping Lu Yao's movement.

"How can it be so expensive!" The man in black's eyes widened. It had just been one hundred taels, and now it had jumped fifty-fold.

"The best room is my room. I am the navigator. If the navigator doesn't rest well, he might point the wrong way. If he points the wrong way, we might lose our course. If we lose our course, we might run out of water and food. If we run out of water and food, people will die. That's why the price is high."

The man's gaze swept over her face, her body, and even her embroidered shoes, before he said coldly, "I, Yan San, charge five thousand taels to kill one person. Find someone, and I'll kill them for you."

Ling Qingyu pointed at Zheng Xi. After Zheng Xi's face turned completely pale, she continued, "This is my deputy helmsman, that is my chief helmsman, those over there are my sailors, those sitting below are my rowers, that brat is my servant, and this—" Ling Qingyu glanced at the grim-faced Lu Yao and continued, "—this is my prospective live-in son-in-law. On this ship, no one can be killed. If someone is killed, our ship won't make it back."

Yan San's eyes swept over Lu Yao again. "This 'son-in-law' is only prospective. What use is he?"

"He is the hope of my life! Because he is here, I know there is still someone willing to marry into my household. That is how life gains meaning! Only by living can one have something to look forward to!"

Lu Yao and Zheng Xi both broke out in goosebumps at the same time.

Yan San, however, was moved. He sheathed his sword and said, "Ah, true. If life is like mine, once you reach the top, it loses its meaning. It's not bad to have such thoughts. It's good enough that a woman like you has men wanting her; once killed, it's indeed hard to find a second. Hmm, you should work hard for your life's goals!" With that, he walked toward the cabin on the aft deck.

Ling Qingyu was stunned for a moment, then her face darkened. She chased after him, shouting, "I say, Yan San, if you don't have money, I have nowhere to give it to you! So what if you're ugly? Ugly people need to eat too! I don't feed freeloaders on my ship!"

"One hundred wen a day? You are insulting me, Yan San!"

"Tch, if you have no money, why are you acting so tough? I'll give you a choice. You can stay in the cabin, but you cannot harass me, and you must be responsible for my safety. If I lose even a single hair, you owe me five thousand taels!"

"Tch, with those yellow hairs on your head, they aren't worth that much. I'll only be responsible for ensuring you aren't killed; I won't worry about anything else."

"You can't let me get injured either. If I get injured, you owe me five thousand taels."

"I, Yan San, said I would be responsible for your safety, and I will! You women are so talkative!"

"Words are cheap. Put it in writing. Sign a contract for me."

"What contract? I, Yan San, am a man of my word. Don't try to trick me with those black, shady things."

Zheng Xi and Lu Yao looked at each other blankly. Zheng Xi patted Lu Yao's shoulder, shook his head, and walked toward the helm cabin, leaving only Lu Yao standing there, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest. Yan San, the number one ranked assassin in the martial world, had actually boarded this ship.

"Now we are all in the same boat, so we must be harmonious! Do you understand!" Ling Qingyu pointed to a small storage room next to her comfortable room in the cabin and said, "You'll stay here. I'll have Shiyi set up a bed for you later."

***

The Xie Residence, Cotton Alley, Quanzhou.

Xie Tingxuan and the Prefect of Quanzhou were sitting in a water pavilion drinking tea. The tea was White Bud, worth a thousand taels per tael. An incense burner burned nearby, sending up a delicate, elegant fragrance.

The Prefect sighed inwardly. Just this bit of tea and incense probably cost over a thousand taels. As expected of a maritime merchant tycoon.

"I heard that over at the Back Mountain Community, a sea-going vessel set sail yesterday?" Xie Tingxuan took a sip of tea, his eyes half-closed.

The Prefect thought to himself: *Why are you asking me? Don't you know more than I do?* However, he only held the position of Prefect because of the Wang family, while the elder sister of the man before him was the concubine of the Wang family's main branch. He couldn't afford to offend him. He could only smile and say, "Yes. Normally, sea-going vessels must depart from the West Gate Pier, but yesterday, the owner of that ship was a female head of household. The Director of the Maritime Bureau personally granted a special exception, allowing it to depart from the shipyard. I heard that the captain and sailors originally intended for the ship had some trouble and couldn't board. Since there was no navigator on board, they didn't know how to navigate from the shipyard to the West Gate Pier."

"Lord Fan is really something. He's trying to do good but doing harm. If that ship can't even reach the West Gate Pier, how can it find its way in the vast ocean? Isn't he just sending them to their deaths?" Xie Tingxuan sighed.

*They didn't dare go to the West Gate Pier because they were afraid you would interfere, since you've already taken out their sailors,* the Prefect thought privately, but he smiled and said, "Sailing the seas is a life-or-death gamble regardless. Even if they could reach the West Gate Pier, they might not be able to return. Since she insisted on sailing, Lord Fan was merely going with the flow."

"I heard that you, Lord Ning, also sold some prisoners to that woman named Ling?" Xie Tingxuan placed his teacup on the table. Among those prisoners were people the Wang family had repeatedly ordered to be killed, yet the Prefect had sold them off.

Prefect Ning wiped some sweat from his brow, thinking: *Here it comes. He's been waiting for this.* Yang Zhao was someone the Wang family had issued a death warrant for, and he had initially followed that order strictly. However, of the hundreds of people exiled with them, only ten had survived, and Yang Zhao was still alive. Then, he had received a secret order from the Dong family to ensure Yang Zhao's life. Prefect Ning was at a loss; he couldn't offend either side. It just so happened that someone was willing to buy these prisoners to go to sea, which was a blessing in disguise. When he later learned the crew configuration of that ship, he was even more delighted. To the Dong family, he could say he had given Yang Zhao a way out by letting him go to sea. To the Wang family, Prefect Ning took a large gulp of the thousand-tael White Bud tea and smiled, "Second Master Xie also knows what kind of ship the Ling family has. It isn't even fully repaired, they don't have a single experienced sailor, and they have no navigator. If such a ship goes out and actually returns alive, I, Ning Dingbang, will give you my head. But since Yang Zhao has already set sail, Lord Wang won't have to bear a bad reputation. Isn't it a win-win?"

Xie Tingxuan smiled, not bothering to expose Ning Dingbang's thoughts. He had already looked into the *Wind God* and knew that neither Ding Budong nor his men were on board; there was only one of Ding Budong's adopted sons, a few sailors who had rarely been to sea, and a group of northern refugees and prisoners. It was a ship destined for death—not to mention that *that* person was also on board.

Xie Tingxuan raised his teacup, signaling for the guest to depart.