In no time at all, a month had passed. The days had become hotter in Quan Province as the summer rolled in.
On this day, Ling Quanyu didn’t go to the shipyard but sat at the stone table under the tree, studying a products list that Zheng Xi had brought to her.
Recently, Ling Qingyu visited the shipyard every few days in order to monitor Wu Da’s progress on fixing the ship and to plan detailed improvements. At the same time, she ordered Zheng Xi to communicate with merchants in Quan Province to find products they could bring onto the ship.
Lu Yao recovered quickly. He started asking for jobs after only ten days. Ling Qingyu didn’t let them go outside, so they mostly split wood and cleaned the courtyard. They even started cooking. But as expected, the food didn’t taste too good.
“Hmm. Lu Yao, did Zheng Xi not buy any salt?” Ling Qingyu held the products list in one hand and tasted a dish using chopsticks in her other hand.
Didn’t you say salt cost money and thought I added too much salt? Lu Yao stared at Ling Qingyu but didn’t respond. He went to get some water in order to wash the courtyard. The weather was extremely hot. After pouring water onto the pavement, one could feel the heat rising up.
Ling Qingyu just casually said what was on her mind. In her previous life, there were many subjects that she didn’t learn very well. But ever since she started school, there was one thing that everyone had disliked about her and that was her cooking. She made porridge into crackers, fresh vegetables into paste and even charred fish would be raw inside. After hearing forced praise from her parents, her classmates, her previous boyfriends and her husband, she finally gave up on cooking.
So, even though she had a delicate stomach and knew how delicious food should be made, she was still very grateful when others cooked for her. No matter what, it would still be better than her own.
Compared to Lu Yao, the last few days were very comfortable for Ye Shiyi. Even though Ling Qingyu didn’t let him out the door, she also didn’t order him to do anything. She bought some books and writing supplies to teach him to write. She also obtained a large wooden bucket to help him practice holding his breath underwater.
After getting back from the shipyard, she usually helped Lu Yao change his medicines. Afterwards, she would chat with Ye Shiyi about stories that she had never heard of before. Ling Qingyu never touched on who he really was and who his enemies were. But sometimes when he had a nightmare, she would hold him to sleep. If he couldn’t fall asleep, she would discuss the possibility of obtaining revenge and what he would do to his enemies. For example, digging a large hole for his enemies to jump into, streaking through the streets and many other possibilities that a normal girl wouldn’t be able to imagine.
Of course, Ye Shiyi didn’t believe Ling Qingyu to be a normal girl. Otherwise, how could she calmly undress Lu Yao to change his medicine. Any other girl would have had a bright red face. Ye Shiyi asked Zheng Xi about this situation as Lu Yao instructed, but Zheng Xi responded, “What can we do? I’m so busy that I am about to die of exhaustion. Do you have the ability to help him? Also, didn’t you say the other day that you wanted this guy to become Miss’s groom? If he is already a groom, then why care so much?”
Truthfully, Ye Shiyi didn’t understand the whole idea of a groom. What he said before was from gossip he had heard. If undressing someone made him a groom, then wouldn’t he be one as well? Considering Ling Qingyu helped him bathe, slept with him and saw him naked. Good thing he was smart and didn’t share these opinions with anyone else.
Ling Qingyu didn’t care. Zheng Xi ignored it. Ye Shiyi didn’t understand. The only one who really cared about it, Lu Yao, was living in tragedy. There were some days that when he heard Ling Qingyu’s voice, he would be afraid of her not stopping at undressing but would take further advantage of him. After worrying for a few days, he finally understood that this girl really didn’t care. She didn’t even think of herself as a girl.
“Sister, when will we be able to get on the ship?” asked Ye Shiyi after eating and cleaning his bowl and chopsticks.
“Hmm, another few days.” Ling Qingyu flipped to the next page on the list and recorded the product and quantity on a piece of paper. “Did you train yourself to hold your breath like I asked?”
“I trained. I can hold my breath for very long now,” answered Ye Shiyi happily. He came from the north and didn’t have any knowledge of swimming. After finding out that these two were dry ducks, Ling Qingyu almost gave up on bringing them onto the ship. In the end, Zheng Xi said some words that changed her mind: “On the ship, knowing how to swim doesn’t matter. Anyone who falls will end up dead anyway.”
Ling Qingyu patted Ye Shiyi’s head as congratulations. After organizing the list in her hands, she calculated that after subtracting 3000 silvers for repairing the ship, 2000 silvers for obtaining a sailing license, and expenditures on expendables and sailor fees, she only had around 4000 silvers to buy commodities. This much money was only enough to buy the cheapest porcelain. It wasn’t enough to load an entire ship. So it seemed that she would have to do as Zheng Xi said and rent out some cargo space.
Seeing Ling Qingyu writing in characters that he could not read, Lu Yao asked Ye Shiyi to go into the room for martial arts training.
Ling Qingyu watched as Lu Yao quietly closed the door. After Lu Yao recovered somewhat, he started to secretly teach Ye Shiyi. Ling Qingyu guessed that it must be martial arts. She pretended that she didn’t care. After seeing Lu Yao’s careful attitude, Ling Qingyu decided to accept it. After all, they were all wanderers. There was no need to investigate too deeply.
Moving her gaze, she saw that Zheng Xi had quietly stepped into the courtyard. After turning to check outside, he softly closed the front door.
“Miss.” Zheng Xi’s expression was ugly. Without caring for his head full of sweat, he hurried in front of Ling Qingyu, glanced at Lu Yao’s room, then said in a low voice, “There is trouble.”
—
Ling Qingyu rose and walked with Zheng Xi to the main room. Closing the door, she asked, “What happened?”
“Master Ding was attacked last night. He is injured,” said Zheng Xi as he wiped his sweat.
“What!?” Ling Qingyu yelled softly and covered her mouth. She whispered anxiously, “How is he? I need to go see him.”
“No. Master Ding said that he’s being targeted. Miss can’t go see him now. If the enemies of Head Lin learn about Miss, there will be even more tragedy.” Zheng Xi continued, “Master Ding’s life is not in danger. He just broke a leg and may have to rest for a while. Master Ding had already found some sailors. Also, there are merchants who learned of his plan to sail and wanted to rent some cargo space. But now that Master Ding has been injured, there may be some changes with the sailors and merchants.”
—
There were many luxurious residential complexes on Mu Mian Lane in Quan Province. One of the biggest, that took up half a street, was the travel home of the Xie family from Guangzhou. They founded their family on maritime trade. After a few decades, they were one of the powers in this area with countless treasures.
At the moment, the Xie family head, who is Xie Tao’s second son, Xie Tingxuan, was listening to a report by his underling.
“Both of Ding Budong’s legs have been broken. He won’t be able to step on a ship during the next half year. His sailors have mostly agreed to sail with our ship instead. There are some who have yet to decide. Those small merchants don’t dare to rent any more cargo space now that they know it is Second Master Xie’s intention.”
“Mmm.” Xie Tingxuan nodded his head in satisfaction and tossed a perfume into the incense burner. A refreshing smell slowly drifted out. Xie Tingxuan waved his hand toward his underling and leaned comfortably against his couch.
He couldn’t believe that even when the Aeolus was damaged to that extent, Ding Budong was still able to fix it. Furthermore, Ding Budong had quite the influence; to be able to gather so many people. Originally, rumor had it that he would never sail again. That’s why he escaped when Lin Jiashen was dealt with. Yet, he didn’t want a peaceful life but dared to sail again. Now that Xie Tingxuan had come to the Quan province, no one else will be allowed to stand out. Elder brother had been managing Guangzhou too well. If he could take over the Quan Province while his father was still alive, then this Xie family would end up being his.
—
Ling Qingyu spent the day as if it were a year. Finally, it was night time. She sneaked into Ding Budong’s house through the backdoor with Zheng Xi.
“Didn’t I say not to bring the Miss?” Ding Budong looked reproachfully at Zheng Xi.
“It is not his fault. I wanted to come. Uncle Ding, it’s all my fault. I got you involved in this mess,” said Ling Qingyu apologetically.
“It has nothing to do with Miss. They were underlings of the Second Master Xie. His movements have been big in Quan Province. He wants to take over the entirety of its maritime trade. I probably became an obstacle to him,” said Ding Budong. If it had something to do with Lin Jiashen, those people wouldn’t have stopped at breaking his legs, but would have taken his life. It seemed like Master Xie only wanted to prevent him from sailing.
“But Miss, Ding Budong has betrayed your expectations. Most of the sailors I found have been taken away by Master Xie’s people. Only a few are left. Why don’t we sail after my legs recover?” said Ding Budong.
Ling Qingyu looked at Ding Budong’s legs that were outside the bed covers. They were bent in weird ways and probably not as simple as being broken as Zheng Xi and Ding Budong had said. After focusing for a bit, she said, “Uncle Ding, recover first. Don’t rush.”
After speaking a few more words with Ding Budong and seeing his exhaustion, Ling Qingyu said her goodbyes and left.
After she was outside the door, Zheng Xi asked, “Miss, should we wait?”
Ling Qingyu shook her head. She turned and glanced at the light in Ding Budong’s room and said, “We can’t trouble Uncle Ding anymore. That Second Master Xie is watching him. If Uncle Ding makes any movements, it won’t end at broken legs next time. We will definitely sail this time. I remember Shi Fan saying that there are some rare medicinal herbs in Borneo. They can be turned into great medicines for bone and tendon injuries. If we can find some, Uncle Ding’s leg should recover.”
“If Miss Ling can find such medicine for my step-father, I am willing to be your helmsman,” said a young man, who walked out from the shadows near the door with a group of people behind him.
Ling Qingyu was surprised. She couldn’t have imagined that there were so many people standing quietly at the door. But she relaxed somewhat upon hearing his honest words.
“This is Master Ding’s step-son, Ding Dong,” introduced Zheng Xi.
Ding Dong looked at this young girl in front of him and frowned. To think that the navigator step-father thought so highly of would be this little girl. Is she really reliable? But remembering his step-father’s twisted legs… just as Shi Fan said, if he does not receive medicine, it is likely that step-father will never be able to stand again. He asked, “Miss, are you really able to go to the sea?”
“I can!” Ling Qingyu said as she silently looked at Ding Dong.
“That’s good. I am a helmsman. Zhang San and others can manage the sails. But, we don’t have a single sailor who can take the lines.” Ding Dong pointed to the few young men standing on the side. They were all raised by Ding Budong. After Ding Budong’s trouble, they knew that they didn’t have the power to contend with Master Xie, but still wanted to get revenge.
“Sailors who manage the lines should only require strength right?” asked Ling Qingyu. She remembered Zheng Xi’s descriptions of the sailing positions they would need. Controlling the wheel and managing sails were technical work. However, the position that requires the most number of people are those who manage the lines. They required the least skill, only strength and the ability to follow orders.
“That is true. But right now our goal is medicine. Miss Ling, do you know how to get to Borneo?” asked Ding Dong. The furthest he had been was when he followed Head Lin Jiashen to Srivijaya. Borneo was a place that even his step-father had never visited before. But this time, his step-father had excitedly said that they could follow Miss Ling to even further places than Borneo. His step-father had looked forward to this journey so much. Old-man Xie, just you wait; this master will go look for you one day.
Ling Qingyu laughed. She guessed that these young men were waiting here to support her journey into the sea. “Of course we will go. If it were not for me, then Uncle Ding wouldn’t have encountered this tragedy. Brother Ding, you guys should prepare in secret. Don’t attract that thief Xie’s attention. We will prepare the rest.”
