Ten days later, in a small shipyard within the mountains; the Aeolus stood painted anew. As per Ling Qingyu's request, all of the sails had been stored away. A base remained with a flag showing three stripes and five stars. The front of the ship was covered with a statue showing a topless mermaid. Some blade marks on the deck were purposely left there. Originally, two small boats hanged on each side, but they were placed on the deck this time. The tower near the backside of the deck was painted completely black. Viewing from afar, the Aeolus would look even smaller than how it looked before.
Ling Qingyu nodded in satisfaction. She saw that Ding Dong was in position along with those responsible for managing the sails. In the lower level, Gu Yu and the prisoners had changed to an uniform Ling Qingyu designed. Their feet were on pedals and they were sitting in position.
Ding Budong sat on a chair, signed and asked Wu Da. "Will this work? Sailing with these people?"
Wu Da sighed as well. A mixed crowd of people. What kind of composition is this?
The two of them had spent a lot of effort dissuading Ling Qingyu. But, she had invested her entire fortune into it. Ding Dong also needed medicine for Ding Budong's leg. So, the two of them were dead-set on sailing out. Wu Da and Ding Budong could only watch Ling Qingyu and her crew load the ship with worry. Now, everything had been prepared. After government officials inspect the ship, they will be able to sail away. Normally, sea ships must be inspects by Quan Province's port authority before leaving. But, Ling Qingyu asked Zheng Xi to petition for an exemption; stating that the Aeolus was damaged before and would like the inspection done at the shipyard. This was a reasonable request, so it was approved by the newly appointed Quan Province Maritime Officer.
A mistake! Wu Da and Ding Budong were helpless.
Zhou Zhou and another government official walked up from the storage and gave Ling Qingyu a pass stamped with the Quan Province Department of Maritime Affairs' symbol. Zhou Zhou laughed, "Head Ling is quite capable. But, this time it was because Chairman Fan pitied your status as an independent female and gave you a break. There won't be any exemptions next time." It's possible that there may not be a next time, thought Zhou Zhou as he looked at the prisoners shackled to their positions. Their face showed that they were still hungry. It's amazing that a girl lead this ship. Zhou Zhou shook his head.
The Aeolus's flag rose into the air. After Zhou Zhou left, Ling Qingyu instructed Zheng Xi to retract the boarding plank and get ready to sail.
"Start moving!" shouted Gu Yu sitting in the position of group head. Twenty eight oars went into the water, ready to row.
"Wait! Wait!" Three people were running toward the port. One had a bookcase on his back. The other two had short coats and also carried huge cases on their backs.
"Please excuse the trouble, but can we travel on your trip? We will pay rent and the three of us can share a single small room," said the scholar loudly.
After these three, another young man with a large bag also ran up to them while panting, "I, I, I, also want to rent a room."
Zheng Xi widened his eyes. With a crew like this, there were actually people daring to travel on it? The road to Fujian didn't have many travelers. Ling Qingyu had originally wanted to rent out free space. But, Zheng Xi couldn't find a single person willing to travel with them after looking for ten days. It was unbelievable that right before they set sail, there were suddenly four people not afraid of death!
"Let them on." Ling Qingyu smiled. It was rare for people to believe in her; she wanted to help them out.
Wu Da and Ding Budong were dumbstruck as they watched. They subconsciously shook their head. This era sure is hard. So many people were willing to risk their lives.
The ship had slowly traveled ten meters away from the dock when Ding Budong felt a breeze fly by. A shadow floated onto the ship like smoke.
Lu Yao blocked in front of Ling Qingyu before Zheng Xi could get there. So, Zheng Xi glared fiercely at this unwelcome guest.
The men below the deck were working even faster and the ship traveled further.
Ling Qingyu peaked from the side of Lu Yao's body and saw a figure dressed in back standing at the bow of the ship, which had been empty just a moment ago. The man looked at the three of them with a cross-eyed expression as he hugged a sword and stood on the mermaid's head with his coat flying.
Lu Yao tightened his hands. An expert! He could be a new assassin!
"Hey, move a bit."Ling Qingyu pushed Lu Yao aside and said toward the man, "I would like to ask, do you want to rent space or want to find work? If you want to rent, pay the rent first. No negotiations, one hundred silvers. If you want to work, it's one hundred coppers a day."
Zheng Xi glanced at Ling Qingyu. This head really takes advantage of every situation. How can a single ship space cost a hundred silvers. It should be fifty with dividends.
The black clothed man ignored her and raised his head higher.
Ling Qingyu reminded him good heartedly, "This brother, I was planning on removing the statue you are standing on, once we are out of the Quan Province Sea City. You probably know how to swim? Not afraid of drowning when you fall in the ocean?"
The man looked at it. The Aeolus was fast and had already left the shore a couple hundred meters behind. He kicked his foot and flashed in front of Ling Qingyu. The sword in his hand rested on Ling Qingyu's neck as he coldly said, "Give me the best room."
"The best room? Fine. But the rent will be five thousand silvers," said Ling Qingyu as she stopped Lu Yao.
"How that it be so expensive!" The black clothed man was surprised. Before it had been a hundred silvers, but suddenly, it's fifty times more.
"The best room is my own room. I am the navigator. If the navigator doesn't rest well, then we might go the wrong way. If we go the wrong way, we might get lost. Getting lost means we might run out of food and water. Without food and water, people will die. So, the price has to be high."
The black clothed man rested his gaze on her body, including her embroidered shoes, then coldly said, "I, Yan San, charge five thousand silvers for every person I kill. Find me someone, I will kill him for you."
Ling Qingyu pointed to Zheng Xi. After all color drained from his face, she said "This is my vice-navigator. The other is my main helmsman, the few standing there are my sailors. Below deck are my rowers. The little kid is my servant. And this," Ling Qingyu looked at the stone-faced Lu Yao and continued. "This one is my temporary groom. On this ship, you are not allowed to kill anyone. If you kill someone, then our ship wouldn't be able to return."
Yan San glanced at Lu Yao and said, "He is a groom. And temporary too. What use is he?"
"He is the hope of my life! Because of his existence, I know that there are people willing to devote themselves to me. This shows that life has meaning!"
Lu Yao and Zheng Xi were suddenly covered in goosebumps.
Yan San was actually touched and withdrew his sword. "Ai, that's right. If everyone lived as me, who has reached the pinnacle, then life would be meaningless. Your thoughts are not wrong. For a woman looking like you to find a man is quite good. It would be hard to find a second if I kill him. Mm. You must work hard toward your life's goal!" After saying this, he walked toward the tower on the deck.
Ling Qingyu first paused, then her face darkened. He caught up with him and said, "Yan San, if you don't have money, then I don't have room for you. So what if someone is ugly? Ugly still needs to eat. My ship doesn't carry anyone useless!"
"A hundred coppers a day. You are insulting me!"
"Tsch. How are you acting like this when you have no money? I'll give you a choice. You can live in the tower, but, you can't bother me. You are also responsible for my safety. Even if I lose a single strand of hair, you will pay me five thousand silvers!"
"Tsch. To think the yellow hair on your head is worth that much. I will be responsible for keeping you life. I don't care about anything else."
"You also cannot let me be injured. If I am, then you also have to pay me fifty thousand silvers."
"I, Yan San, had already said that I will be responsible for your safety! You're such a long-winded woman."
"There is no proof with words along. We will draw up a contract and you have to sign it."
"A contract. What I, Yan San, say is reality. Don't try to scam me with those things."
Zheng Xi and Lu Yao looked at each other. Zheng Xi patted Lu Yao's shoulder and shook his head, then went inside the tower; leaving Lu Yao standing there along with his heart almost jumping out of his chest. Yan San, the number one assassin in Jianghu rankings actually stepped on this ship.
"Since we are on the same boat now, we must be harmonious!" Ling Qingyu pointed to a small storage room next to her comfortable room and said, "This is it. I will tell Shiyi to set up a mattress for you."
—
Quan Province, Mumian Lane, Xie mansion.
Xie Tingxuan and the Quan Province Magistrate sat drinking tea. The tea was Baiya, worth a thousand silvers an ounce. A faint fragrance rose softly.
The Quan Province Magistrate sighed in his heart. Just this bit of tea, this bit of fragrance, is probably worth a thousand silvers. The wealthy of a maritime merchant is quite apparent.
"I heard that a ship sailed out to sea from back mountains yesterday?" said Xie Tingxuan as he sipped tea with his eyes closed.
The magistrate thought, why are you asking me this when you know more than me? Only with the support of the Wang family did he possess position as a magistrate. But the person sitting in front of him is the brother of the Wang family's Lady Ru. Someone he couldn't offend! So he smilingly said, "Yes. Usually a ship sailing out must leave from the West side port. But since the head of this ship was an independent female, the head of the Maritime Depart gave a special exemption and allowed the ship to sail from the shipyard. I heard that the original captain and crew encountered some misfortunes and couldn't get on the ship. Without a navigator, they wouldn't even be able to get to the West port."
'Magistrate Fan is really doing a bad thing with a good intention. If the ship can't even get to the West port, then how can it find a path within the wide ocean? Isn't this letting them die?" sighed Xie Tingxuan.
The reason they were afraid to go to the West port is because of you. You crippled their sailors. The magistrate laughed, "Sailing is always a risky business. Even if they did get to the West port, they may not come back. Since she wants to sail, Magistrate Fan is simply following the flow."
"I heard that Magistrate Ning bought some prisoners for that Ling person?" Xie Tingxuan put the tea cup down on the table. Within the group of prisoners, there were people that the Wang family wanted dead. He didn't expect them to be sold by the magistrate.
Magistrate Ning wiped his sweat. So, he was waiting here. That Yang Zhao is someone the Wang family wanted dead. Originally, he was following these orders. But the hundred prisoners they brought over only had a few remaining. It was shocking that Yang Zhao didn't die. With this, he received another secret order from the Dong family to save Yang Zhao's life. Magistrate Ning had a dilemma. He was afraid of offending both parties. Now, he can tell the Dong family that he had already given Yang Zhao a chance to live by letting him sail into the ocean. To the Wang family, Magistrate Ning can can say, "Second Master Xie also know the situation with that ship. It hasn't even been completely repaired. It doesn't have a single experienced sailor. It also doesn't have a navigator. Sailing like this, I, Ning Dingbang, will give you my head if they come back alive. Since Yang Zhao has already sailed away, Magistrate Wang won't be blamed. Isn't this two birds with one stone?"
Xie Tingxuan smiled and didn't reveal Magistrate Ning's real thoughts. He had already familiarized himself with the Aeolus and knew that Ding Budong and his crew had remained. Only Ding Budong's step-son and a few first time sailors, along with a bunch of refugees and prisoners went on the ship. It was a ship destined to perish. Furthermore, the ship has that person.
Xie Tingxuan lifted his tea cup, signaling his guest to leave.