Returning to her own courtyard, Ling Qingyu sat on a stone stool, exhaled deeply, and her hand went limp, causing the whip to fall to the ground.
Lu Yao and Ye Shiyi were practicing martial arts in the courtyard. They stopped when they heard the gate open.
They saw Ling Qingyu sway in, then sway down onto the stool, and then, with a thud, the whip fell to the ground. Lu Yao stopped Ye Shiyi, walked over himself, picked up the whip, and couldn't help but frown.
This whip was actually made of refined steel. Although its surface was dark with dried blood, it couldn't hide the inherent brilliance of the whip itself. He couldn't help but ask, "Eighteen Coiling Dragon Whips?"
"Do you like it?" Ling Qingyu glanced at him, then said lazily, "If you like it, it's yours. Just remember to clean it thoroughly."
"Where did this whip come from?" Lu Yao asked.
"A gift for twenty slaves." At this moment, Ling Qingyu felt utterly exhausted. Facing Zhou Zhou earlier had been nothing less than a major mental battle for her.
Seeing Lu Yao still frowning at the whip, she said, "This was used by the yamen runners to whip people. I bought some prisoners, and he gave this to me as a gift."
"Prisoners?" Lu Yao was puzzled.
However, by lunchtime, he understood.
"Miss, look at your sailors," Zheng Xi pointed to Lu Yao, who was serving himself more rice, and Ye Shiyi, who was eating noisily, and said, "One is a little kid, one is a landlubber—ah, no, a group of landlubbers.
Those refugees are also from the north. And then, a bunch of dying prisoners! Who knows what crimes they committed to be exiled? Those evil people, if we put them on the ship, won't they harm us? Even if they don't cause trouble, can such a group of people go to sea?"
"Yes," Ling Qingyu finished the rice in her bowl. She was quite surprised that Zheng Xi had managed to hold back his complaints until almost the end of the meal, so she patiently explained, "I've already thought about it.
Uncle Ding's accident this time means someone doesn't want us to go to sea. So, the worse the sailors we find, the more the other party will underestimate us, and the more likely they will allow our ship to set sail.
And our Wind God, with its improved sails and engine power, cannot be seen by anyone before we leave Quanzhou waters, or rather, before we leave Great Zhou waters. Without that part of the power, we'll need to row, and for rowing, it's not as you said, as long as they have enough strength, they can do it.
As for whether they'll cause trouble, at sea, without us, they'll just die. I don't think those people are that foolish." Several hundred people were exiled to do hard labor, and only twenty survived. Ling Qingyu didn't think these people were simple.
Although Zheng Xi was right, she didn't know their backgrounds, and people who could survive such circumstances, like Gu Sui and his group, were ticking time bombs. But right now, she couldn't think of a better solution.
"Send all those prisoners to the shipyard. Ask Dr. Shi to treat them, and pay attention to their food and clothing. At least when they board the ship, they need to be able to row." After thinking for a moment, Ling Qingyu added, "I'll go tell Wu Da to speed things up. We're setting sail in ten days."
"Ten days? But Miss, you haven't bought your goods yet?"
"Just that one you mentioned last time, four thousand taels. We'll take all of it."
"Are you sure, Miss? Their goods are substandard! The porcelain is low-grade, and the silk has faded."
"If they weren't substandard, they wouldn't be so cheap. Don't worry, other ships go to major ports, so they naturally need high-quality, high-priced goods. Oh, and try to negotiate another five hundred taels off, and bring more water and provisions."
"Negotiate the price down even further? Miss, you're truly ruthless! I don't think Boss Dai will agree."
"Then you be like Tang Sanzang until he agrees."
"What does Tang Sanzang have to do with this? The man died many years ago, where am I supposed to find him?"
The little kid and landlubber Ye Shiyi and Lu Yao, who were directly scorned by Zheng Xi, bit their chopsticks and watched Ling Qingyu and Zheng Xi talk as they walked out. They each had a refreshed understanding of Ling Qingyu.
Ye Shiyi thought: Sister is so 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 becoming more and more outrageous! 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 Houshanshe, the Wind God had been freshly painted. As per Ling Qingyu's request, the fore and aft sails were furled, leaving only a base. On the base, a flag with three diagonal lines and five stars was planted. To disguise the bow ram, it was covered with a strange statue of a topless woman with a fishtail.
Some sword marks on the deck were deliberately left unrepaired. The small boats that were originally hung on the sides were also placed on the deck. The aft cabin was painted black. From a distance, the Wind God on the sea looked even smaller than before.
Ling Qingyu nodded in satisfaction. She looked at the helm cabin at the front of the deck. Ding Dong was already in position, and several sail handlers were also in their places. In the oar cabin below, Gu Sui's group and the prisoners, all wearing the unified uniforms Ling Qingyu had Zheng Xi custom-make, had their leg shackles secured in place and were seated in their positions.
Ding Budong sat in a sedan chair, sighed, and said to Wu Da, "Will it work? Going to sea with just these people?"
Wu Da also sighed. A motley crew, what kind of combination was this?
Both of them had earnestly tried to persuade Ling Qingyu, but Ling Qingyu had already invested all her money, and Ding Dong and the others also 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 her crew load goods and people with worried hearts.
Now everything was ready, and they just waited for the officials to inspect it before they could set sail. Usually, seagoing vessels had to be inspected and depart from Quanzhou's official dock.
However, Ling Qingyu had Zheng Xi submit an application, stating that because of the Wind God's original malfunction, could they be allowed to be inspected and depart directly from the shipyard? This unreasonable request was surprisingly approved by the newly appointed Quanzhou Shipping Commissioner's Chief Clerk.
It's fate! Wu Da and Ding Budong were helpless.
Zhou Zhou and another minor official in government attire came up from the ship's cabin, handed the pass stamped with the Quanzhou Shipping Commissioner's official seal to Ling Qingyu, and said with a smile, "Boss Ling, you have great skill.
However, this time Lord Fan took pity on you being a female household head and granted a special exception. There won't be such good fortune next time."
There probably won't be a next time, Zhou Zhou thought, recalling the prisoners he had just seen, still shackled to their seats, their faces looking underfed. It was actually a woman leading the ship. Zhou Zhou couldn't help but shake his head. Yang Zhao, good luck to him.
The Wind God's flag flew high. After Zhou Zhou and the minor official disembarked, Ling Qingyu told Zheng Xi to start retracting the gangplank and prepare to set sail.
"Heave ho!" Gu Sui, sitting in the lead position, shouted the chant. Twenty-eight long oars entered the water, ready to row.
"Wait! Wait!" Three people, however, were shouting loudly as they ran towards the dock. One, dressed as a scholar with a book satchel on his back, and the other two, dressed in short clothes, also carried large boxes.
"Excuse me, may we travel with the ship? We'll pay rent. The three of us only need a small cabin space," the scholar shouted.
Behind the three, a young man with a large bundle on his back also came running, panting, and said, "I, I, I, also want to rent a cabin."
Zheng Xi's eyes widened. For a ship with such a crew, someone actually dared to share a cabin? Fujian Circuit had little land and many people, so many landless individuals would cooperate with fishermen to rent cabin space on sea vessels to go to sea, seeking small profits.
However, for safety, they usually sought large shipping companies. Ling Qingyu also wanted to rent out the empty cabins, but Zheng Xi had run around for ten days outside, and no one was willing to share a cabin with them. Unexpectedly, just as they were about to set sail, four fearless individuals showed up!
"Let them board," Ling Qingyu said with a smile. It was rare for someone to agree with her, and she was happy to accommodate them.
Wu Da and Ding Budong watched, somewhat dumbfounded, as the deck with the four panting people slowly pulled away from the dock. They both shook their heads. This world was truly difficult, making so many people willing to risk their lives.
The ship had already slowly moved about ten meters from the dock when Ding Budong felt a gust of wind sweep past him, and then saw a figure, as faint as smoke, float onto the ship.
Lu Yao stepped in front of Ling Qingyu before Zheng Xi could, leaving Zheng Xi to stand awkwardly beside Ling Qingyu, glaring fiercely at the uninvited guest.
The rowing chant below grew more urgent, and the ship had already moved a good distance with the current.
Ling Qingyu peered out from behind Lu Yao, only to see a man standing on the ship's bow, which had been empty moments before. He was dressed in black, looking down at the three of them with a disdainful, sidelong glance. He held a sword, his foot resting on the head of the beautiful woman statue, his robes fluttering, and he looked out at the vast sea with an air of immense arrogance.
Lu Yao's hand unconsciously tightened. A master! Could it be a new assassin?
"Hey, move aside," Ling Qingyu pushed Lu Yao away and said to the man, "I say, sir, do you want to rent a cabin or work? If you want to rent a cabin, pay the rent first, no bargaining, one hundred taels of silver. If you want to work, it's one hundred copper coins a day."
Zheng Xi couldn't help but glance sideways at Ling Qingyu again. What a black-hearted boss! Where could you rent a cabin for one hundred taels of silver? It was always fifty taels of silver, plus a ten percent share of the profits, right?
The man in black ignored her, holding his head even higher.
So Ling Qingyu kindly reminded him, "Brother, that statue you're stepping on, once we leave Quanzhou waters, I'll be taking it down. Are you sure you can swim? And won't drown if you fall into the sea?"
The man looked around. The Wind God was moving very fast, and by now, it was already several hundred meters from the shore. With a tap of his foot, he flashed from the head of the beautiful woman statue to Ling Qingyu's front. His sword was already at Ling Qingyu's neck, and he said coolly, "Give me the best room."
"The best room? That's fine, but the rent is five thousand taels of silver," Ling Qingyu said, stopping Lu Yao's movement.
"How can it be that expensive!" The man in black's eyes widened. It was just one hundred taels a moment ago; now it had multiplied fiftyfold.
"That best room is my room. I am the Naval Commander. If the Naval Commander doesn't rest well, he might give wrong directions. Wrong directions could lead to getting lost. Getting lost could mean running out of water and provisions. Running out of water and provisions could mean death. So the price is high."
The man in black's gaze roamed over her face, her body, including the embroidered shoes on her feet, and he said coolly, "I, Yan San, charge five thousand taels of silver to kill one person. Find someone, and I'll kill them for you."
Ling Qingyu pointed at Zheng Xi, and after Zheng Xi's face turned completely pale, she said, "This is my co-helmsman, that one is my main helmsman, those few over there are my sail handlers, and those sitting below are my oar handlers.
That little kid is my servant, and this one," Ling Qingyu looked at the stern-faced Lu Yao and continued, "This is my provisional live-in son-in-law. On this ship, not a single person can be killed. If someone is killed, our ship won't be able to return."
Yan San's gaze swept over Lu Yao again and he said, "This live-in son-in-law, and only provisional, what's the use of him?"
"He is the hope of my life! Because with him, I know that there are still people willing to marry into my family. This way, life has meaning! There is something to live for!"
Lu Yao and Zheng Xi both got goosebumps simultaneously.
Yan San, however, was moved. He put away his sword and said, "Ah, yes, if life is like mine, once you reach the top, there's no meaning left.
It's good that you have such thoughts. It's good enough for a woman who looks like you to have a man want her. It would indeed be difficult to find another if he were killed. Hmm, you must strive for your life's goal!" With that, he walked towards the cabin on the aft deck.
Ling Qingyu was stunned for a moment, then her face darkened. She chased after him and said, "I say, Yan San, if you don't have money, I have no place for you. What if someone is ugly? Even ugly people need to eat. I don't support freeloaders on this ship!"
"One hundred copper coins a day? You are insulting me, Yan San!"
"Hmph, if you have no money, why are you showing off? 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 a single hair, you owe me five thousand taels of silver!"
"Hmph, those blonde hairs on your head, are they worth that much? I'm only responsible for you not being killed by someone; I don't care about anything else."
"You also can't let me get injured. If I get injured, you also have to compensate me five thousand taels of silver."
"I, Yan San, said I would be responsible for your safety, and I will be! You women are so nagging!"
"Words alone mean nothing. Let's put it in writing. You sign this contract for me."
"What contract? I, Yan San, am a man of my word. Don't try to trick me with those dark, obscure things."
Zheng Xi and Lu Yao exchanged a blank look. Zheng Xi patted Lu Yao's shoulder, shook his head, and headed to the helm cabin, leaving Lu Yao standing there, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.
Yan San, the number one assassin in the martial arts world, had actually boarded this ship.
"Now we're all on the same ship, so we need to be harmonious! Understand?" Ling Qingyu pointed to a small storage room next to her comfortable room in the cabin and said, "This is it. Later, tell Shi Yi to set up a bunk for you."
Xie Residence, Mianxiang Lane, Quanzhou.
Xie Tingxuan and the Prefect of Quanzhou sat in the waterside pavilion drinking tea. The tea was the thousand-taels-a-liang White Bud, and an incense burner nearby emitted a faint, elegant fragrance.
The Prefect of Quanzhou sighed inwardly. Just this bit of tea and incense probably cost over a thousand taels of silver. Sea merchants and wealthy magnates, as expected.
"I heard a sea vessel set sail from Houshanshe yesterday?" Xie Tingxuan took a sip of tea, his eyes slightly closed, and said.
The Prefect thought, why ask me? Don't you know more than I do? But he relied on the Wang Family for his position as Prefect, and this man's elder sister was the esteemed lady of the Wang Family's main branch.
He couldn't offend him! He could only smile and say, "Yes, normally sea vessels set sail from the Ximen Dock, but yesterday, the owner of this ship was a female household head. The Chief Clerk of the Shipping Commissioner personally granted a special permit, allowing it to depart from the shipyard.
I heard that the original captain and sailors hired for that ship had an accident and couldn't board, and there was no Naval Commander on board, so they didn't know how to navigate from the shipyard to the Ximen Dock."
"Lord Fan is truly… this is good intentions gone wrong. If that ship can't even reach the Ximen Dock, how can it find its way in the vast ocean? Isn't that sending them to their deaths?" Xie Tingxuan sighed.
They didn't dare go to Ximen Dock precisely because they feared your obstruction. You've already gotten rid of their sailors, the Prefect thought to himself, then smiled and said, "Which seafarer doesn't face nine deaths and one life?
Even if they could reach Ximen Dock, there's no guarantee they'd return. Since she wants to go, Lord Fan merely went along with it."
"I heard that Lord Ning, you also sold some prisoners to that Ling Family?" Xie Tingxuan placed his teacup on the table and said. Among those prisoners were people the Wang Family had repeatedly ordered to be killed, but the Prefect had unexpectedly sold them.
Prefect Ning wiped a bead of sweat, thinking, here it comes, this is what he was waiting for. That Yang Zhao was someone the Wang Family had issued a death warrant for, and he had initially strictly followed that order.
However, out of the hundred or so people exiled together, only ten had survived, and Yang Zhao still hadn't died. Then he received a secret order from the Dong Family, insisting that Yang Zhao's life must be preserved.
Prefect Ning was troubled; 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 good thing, wasn't it?
Later, knowing the crew configuration of that ship, he was even more delighted. To the Dong Family, he could say that 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-taels-a-liang White Bud and said with a smile, "Second Master Xie also knows what the Ling Family's sea vessel looks like.
The ship isn't even fully repaired, there isn't a single skilled sailor, and there's no Naval Commander. If such a ship goes out and manages to return alive, you can have my head, Ning Dingbang. But Yang Zhao has already gone to sea, and Lord Wang doesn't need to bear a bad reputation. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"
Xie Tingxuan smiled, not bothering to expose Prefect Ning's thoughts. He had already investigated the Wind God and knew that Ding Budong and his subordinates had not boarded the ship.
There was only Ding Budong's adopted son and a few sailors who had only been to sea a few times, plus a group of northern refugees and prisoners. It was a ship destined for death, not to mention, that person was also on board.
Xie Tingxuan raised his teacup, signaling his guest to leave.