The few days on the ship were the most peaceful since Ling Qingyu appeared in this world. After crossing over, she had been overwhelmed by changes that occured one after another. Her mother’s passing filled her heart with anger and sadness. Even though she crossed over from another world, this world’s mother looked the same as her own. More so, she had inherited the previous owner’s memories. During their brief time together, the mother focused on how her daughter could live a better life, even as her own health declined. This love of a parent for her child quickly merged the two different mothers in Ling Qingyu’s mind. In the end though, she could not protect her mother from dying of anger. Ling Qingyu felt an angry remorse that filled her heart with the thought of revenge.
Ling Qingyu spent all of her time in the cabin. Even meals were brought over by Shan Yao. She silently focused all of her attention on planning.
These actions gave Shan Yao an even more favorable impression of this quiet little miss. Considering the presence of her master and the sixth young master, many servant girls were having lively thoughts. Two days ago, Shan Yao worried that this little miss might do something inappropriate. Who would have thought that she wouldn’t take a single step out the door. This made her mission of watching the girl much easier. So when Ling Qingyu followed Zheng Xi off the ship and bowed once again, Shan Yao informed her, “My master is the new director of the Quan Province Maritime Affairs Department. You can find me at the Fan mansion in the future.”
Ling Qingyu thanked her. “Thank you sister Shan Yao. If I can be of any assistance in the future, please let me know as well.” She grabbed a few more silver ingots and gave them to Shan Yao. Waving her hand, she jumped off the ship’s docking plank.
—
Ling Qingyu held a list that detailed goals she wanted to accomplish. As she read, she murmured, “Find a small house to settle down.” She raised her head and looked at the house in front of her. It was not big; only three main rooms and two side rooms. There was also a stock room and a kitchen. The courtyard contained a huge tree. Its branches were like clouds sheltering the courtyard from the burning sun. Underneath the tree also stood a stone table and four stone stools. In the west corner of the courtyard, there was an old well. The courtyard itself was covered with bluestone. The entire yard was small, but clean and tidy.
Ling Qingyu nodded in satisfaction. She jotted down “one hundred liang” after the item on her list. Then she continued reading, “Find the Aeolus and ask about how to obtain a license for sea shipping. Query prices. Find crew. Buy commodities. Draw a navigation chart. Hmm. I did this already.”
She placed a map on the table in the courtyard. She started creating this map from the moment she had the desire to participate in maritime trade. Using many years of sailing experience, she drew the world map with islands, ocean currents, and monsoons; along with longitude and latitude. She also labeled foreign port names that Zheng Xi was able to learn and those from her own memory. Since she was afraid of people stealing this information, everything was written in pinyin or simplified characters.
Ling Qingyu checked the map carefully for omissions. Even though it’s a parallel world, there could be differences in land masses and the divisions of countries. She was so focused on the map that she didn’t notice Zheng Xi bringing someone into the courtyard to wait behind her.
“Is this Master Lin’s navigation chart?”
“Ah!” Ling Qingyu jumped as she suddenly heard a deep voice behind her back. She quickly rolled her map (it was definitely the right choice to use silk instead of paper!) and yelled, “Who is this thief! My big brother is about to be back. You better disarm and surrender!” She dodged behind the table, then saw that behind her, no, right now it is in front of her, that a man stood there, with a shocked expression, facing herself.
“Miss, this person is the former captain of the Aeolus. He is currently Master Ding of the Du shipyard in the back mountains,” said Zheng Xi with embarrassment behind Ding Budong.
“Ding Budong? Ling Qingyu stared at this person in front of her, whom Zheng Xi had been speaking about the entire trip. According to him, this person is capable of anything. He was also a loyal and righteous man. Facing him, she could see that he was barely 170cm tall. His upper and lower bodies are thick. His head is covered in gray, messy, short hair. His pair of small eyes were shining, which gave his ageless face an enticing look.
“Master Ding, it is a pleasure.” Ling Qingyu started reaching out her hand, then immediately changed it to a bow as she remembered people in this era did not shake hands. But, before she could bow down, her hand was grabbed by Ding Budong. As she was registering this surprise, the map in her hands had already been taken and spread on the table.
“You have the abilities of a navigator?” Ding Budong asked with a glance at Ling Qingyu as he stared at the sea map.
“Of course.” Ling Qingyu nodded. A navigator is equivalent to the modern pilot. Ling Qingyu participated in a sailing club in college and competed in many global amateur competitions. Her role during those competitions was the pilot.
Ding Budong kept looking at the map, but subconsciously frowned. Even though Lin Jiashen protected his sea map well, Ding Budong had seen the map once during a storm. It was far inferior to this map’s details. Could it be that Lin Jiashen added more to it afterwards? But, he had seen all the routes Lin Jiashen traveled. Yet, this map actually contained many locations he never visited before.
“You want to fix the Aeolus?” Ding Budong asked as he rolled up the sea map and returned it to Ling Qingyu.
“Yes. Not only do I want to fix the Aeolus, but I also want to invite Master Ding to sail again.” Ling Qingyu paused to think about Ding Butong’s expression when he saw the map. “Master Ding should have seen my father’s map before and know that my sea map contains many locations father had not traveled to. I wonder if Master Ding has the ambition to do so?”
Ling Qingyu decided to take a gamble. Other than herself, no one could understand this map. But Ding Butong’s expression showed a general understanding. There was no doubt of his experience. But, since she still had yet to figure out why her father died and why this Master Ding disappeared a year after, there could be a secret involving him. However, her main goal now was to sail. She required the best help. The only person suitable was this righteous and daring Ding Budong.
“Girl, do you know why your uncle agreed to give you the Aeolus and the shipyard?” Ding Budong asked as he stared at Ling Qingyu. Seeing her consider this, he faintly shook his head and said, “Come with me. Take a look at the Aeolus.”
—
Quan Province, back mountains. Here stood the best ship construction yard in the province; maybe even the kingdom. But when they arrived, the entire complex had been abandoned. The only things left were construction debris and a small dock with more than half of a large ship tilted toward it. Even considering it as a large ship was more than deserving. The main mast had broken in half. Both sides of the hull had large holes. The bulkhead plate splintered into pieces. There were also blade and axe marks everywhere.
Ling Qingyu laughed coldly, “It really was a bloody storm.”
“The Aeolus was filled with outstanding people. They were all companions of Head Lin. With the number of people on the Aeolus, if the opponent did not have three times more, there was no way the entire ship’s crew could have been killed.”
“Girl.” Ding Butong glanced at Ling Qingyu, then said softly, “Miss Lin, are you sure you want to run sea shipping again? The money needed to fix this ship can buy you a few hundred acres of farmland and help you find a man to marry. Wouldn’t that be better?”
“I had originally wanted a peaceful life. But, enemies wouldn’t let my mother be. They probably don’t have a good plan for my future either.” Ling Qingyu gazed at the Aeolus. She imagined that night must have been filled with wind and waves; the ship sailing in a bloodstorm. She closed her eyes and said, “Besides. Even if I can have a peaceful life, I cannot forget about this blood feud. The reason Lin Jiaxuan left this Aeolus for me to see is to warn me that he was able to kill my father, so to kill a little girl is nothing.”
Ding Budong couldn’t help but laugh. “So you know that you’re just a little girl. What can you do to take revenge? Two years ago, I had told Head Lin not to participate in politics. We were only after money. Enough is enough. Your father also wanted to retire from this line of work. No one could have imagined it to end this way.”
So it wasn’t just Lin Jiaxuan and the Wu Family? Ling Qingyu keenly detected a conspiracy. She looked towards Ding Budong. Seeing that he did not want to continue, she realized that he was afraid of dragging her down the hole as well. His good intentions warmed her heart. “Uncle Ding, I know the road to revenge will be difficult. Right now, I have no power nor influence. I won’t participate in a senseless struggle. As for my father. He lived for maritime trade and died for maritime trade. As for me…”
Ling Qingyu raised her head and gazed at the distant coastline with seagulls flying above the snow-white spray.
Ling Qingyu’s arms gestured at the sea, “This world is so vast. I want to see the world that my father traveled. Uncle Ding, please believe me. I will become a navigator who surpasses my father.”
“Ancient teachings states that women are not allowed on ships.” An elderly voice sounded from the side. An old man banged his pipe against the stone table as Ling Qingyu suddenly turned her head. He took a deep breath and blew out a circle of smoke. While squinting with enjoyment, he slowly said, “With women on the ship, it will be sure to capsize. Even if you are Lin Jiashen’s daughter, the sea god will still flip your ship.”
“Old Wu? You didn’t die?” exclaimed Ding Budong happily.
“I was supposed to die. But, before getting on the ship, I caught a cold. Everyone pitied me and made me stay behind. Because of this, I kept my life.” The old man looked at Ling Qingyu, “Miss. The head was a good man. Please don’t end his bloodline.”
Ling Qingyu asked Zhen Xi in a low voice, “Who is this person?”
Zheng Xi’s face was full of celebration, “Master Wu. The Aeolus was built by him. He is Quan Province’s best shipwright.”
Ling Qingyu showed a positive expression. She tidied her dress and bowed deeply. “Greetings to elder Wu.”
“No need to be polite. Your father, Head Lin, is my benefactor. I cannot watch while his only offspring loses her life,” said Wu Da in a low voice while glaring intensely at Ding Budong.
Ling Qingyu coughed, “Elder Wu, I heard that the Aeolus was the fastest ship in the Quan Province.”
“Of course.” Wu Da subconsciously raised his head as if saying, “You should consider who built it.”
“I can see the skeleton of the Aeolus is still good. How much money and time do you think it will take to fix it?” asked Ling Qingyu with a smile.
“Mm. With Elder Wu, I think more than half a month should do it. The mast has to be replaced. Adding on the deck, it will take at least three thousand silvers,” said Ding Budong when he saw Wu Da frowning and keeping quiet.
“Women cannot step on a ship,” said Wu Da as he cleaned his pipe.
“Elder Wu. Women should be referring to mature women right? See, I have not had my first period, so I don’t count as a woman yet. I don’t think anyone has said that children are not allowed on a ship?” said Ling Qingyu while grinning. But the three men were so surprised that their eyes were bulging.
Wu Da re-evaluated this girl in front of him. She had a ponytail behind her head. Her clothes were fresh and clean. A smile full of sincerity filled her round face. Even her freckles and acne appeared friendly. He couldn’t believe a girl like this could talk so easily about menstruation.
Ling Qingyu held her smiling face. She was so stiff that she felt her face was about to fall off. Finally, Wu Da said, “After the ship is fixed, Ding Budong can set sail.”
“But we don’t have a navigator,” said Ding Budong before Ling Qingyu could speak. How could a woman step on a ship? When Zheng Xi found him, he had thought all he needed to do was find a place to settle this orphan girl; definitely not to take her out to the sea. But, after seeing that sea map and her focus towards it, he felt his heart move in response. Many unexpected events brought Ling Qingyu to this situation.
“If you were to step on the ship, no one would consider you a woman or a child.” Wu Da sighed. He also knew that the most important thing for sailing was a navigator. In the vast ocean, if they lost their way, they were as good as dead. A good navigator could greatly increase their chances of survival. If Ding Budong trusted this girl, then she must have her special points. Otherwise, it could be that Head Lin had kept more secrets than he knew.
“I understand. I have already chosen this path, so I won’t act like a woman or a child. Also, I have already started my own household. The Lin family can kill my father, my brother. But I, Ling Qingyu,l ensure my Ling family’s sea flag will stand until the end of the ocean!” proclaimed Ling Qingyu with a laugh like the rising sun.
Although Wu Da still believed a girl should stay at home to tend the farmland and live a peaceful life, this little girl had said such rousing words. More so, the very act of fighting to obtain revenge for her mother and father’s death was quite admirable. He may not have accepted it completely, but he decided to give all the support he had in his old bones.
“If Elder Wu doesn’t have any objections, I have a few small suggestions.” Seeing Wu Da’s expression, Ling Qingyu decided to strike the iron while it’s still hot. “When big brother came home last time, he told me a few thoughts. If the ship can have an additional front sail and another triangular back sail, the ship will be able to sail much faster. An iron helm can also be added and the ship’s hold can be raised.”
Ling Qingyu bent down to pick up a rock and draw the blueprint of a tower ship (tl: a type of ancient Chinese ship that contains a tower on its deck).
As the blueprint became clearer, Wu Da and Ding Budong began to focus more. They were both experienced sailors. After considering every detail, they immediately understood that these were tremendous changes and improvements to current sea ships.
—
Ling Qingyu let out a sigh as she sat down in the horse carriage and lowered its curtains. She understood that her display did not resemble the actions of a fifteen year old girl. But it was unavoidable since she was a woman reaching her forties deep inside. Also, her personality wouldn’t allow her to act like a little doll. Good thing Lin Huiniang was hidden away while growing up and her father’s subordinates didn’t have a chance to meet her. They may harbor doubt within their hearts, but with trust in her father, they would still look after her. Also, whether it be Ding Budong or Wu Da; both were capable people. She initially thought that since the tower ship she described would not appear for a few hundred years, they may not accept it. Yet, not only did they accept her suggestions but added their own opinions as well.
This was better. Foreign commerce had always been the most lucrative in history. Only by accumulating enough wealth could she become more influential.
Ling Qingyu closed her eyes and considered which trade route would help her earn the greatest profit.
