Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: Yangtze River
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The next morning, Dang Mujin's group, now swelled to six members, headed to the banks of the Yangtze River. The fishy smell of the river water wafted from all directions.
As expected of Wuchang, the largest river port on the Yangtze alongside Chongqing, there were more than just a couple of spots to dock ships.
The sailors and porters from the moored ships were busy loading and unloading cargo. A bit further out, other ships floated idly, waiting their turn.
"It's been a while since I've seen a sight like this."
"Yeah."
Dang Mujin's group hadn't decided in advance which ship to take. They hadn't had the leisure to do so.
Yet, as if by some unspoken agreement, all six headed straight for the largest and finest-looking vessel.
That ship was nearly twice the size of the others, and the people on its deck were dressed neatly.
'Mostly merchants.'
Merchants usually traveled with droves of escorts and guards.
But right now, not a single escort was visible beside these merchants, and there weren't many sword-wielding guards either. The fare was dozens of times more expensive than a month's pay for such men.
It was far more economical to dismiss the guards and escorts who had accompanied them to Wuchang before boarding, then hire new ones upon disembarking.
For the same reason, there were no donkeys or packhorses on board. That was why horse markets were always right next to major ports, teeming with job-seeking guards and escorts.
Wang Jincheong was visibly thrilled at the sight of the massive ship.
Well, a street urchin like him had probably never been on a boat before.
"We're taking this one?"
"If there's room, we will. But even if there isn't, we won't settle for a smaller one."
When Hong Geolgae answered, Namgung Myeong chimed in with a comment.
"Wang Jincheong, enjoying boats won't last a day or two for you. Give it a little time, and you'll be dying to get off."
"Nah, no way."
"You'll see. It'll happen for sure."
As Dang Mujin's group approached the ship, a surly sailor eyed them up and down.
His gaze skimmed over the others before lingering briefly on Wang Jincheong. It was rare for a child to board a ship.
But since Wang Jincheong's clothes were fairly neat, the sailor thought, 'Must be from a well-off family,' and moved on.
His eyes lingered longer on Hong Geolgae.
Hong Geolgae's outfit wasn't filthy, but it was worn. He was maintaining his beggar identity by avoiding new clothes.
Still, after sizing up the group, the sailor concluded that Hong Geolgae wasn't your average beggar.
Dang Mujin asked the sailor.
"Where does this ship go?"
"Through Chongqing to Luzhou."
Luzhou lay at the southeastern tip of Sichuan Province.
In terms of distance, it was actually closer from Luzhou to Chengdu than from Chongqing to Chengdu.
But the trip from Chongqing to Luzhou still took considerable time, so as always, getting off at Chongqing made more sense.
"When does it depart?"
"Within about one shichen."
"We six want to go to Chongqing. What's the fare?"
"Fifty silver taels per person."
Dang Mujin's eyes narrowed.
When he had taken a boat down from Chongqing with the masked man, it had been twenty silver taels per person. And when he and Namgung Myeong had boarded in Wuchang to go up to Chongqing, it had been forty taels per person.
That had even been right after winter's end, at the start of spring when fares were especially high.
Understanding Dang Mujin's expression, the sailor explained.
"The fare is pricey, yeah. Other ships would run around thirty taels. But this one's far more comfortable. Bigger ships don't rock as much."
It was a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Besides, with their current flush purses, Dang Mujin's group wasn't hung up on a few silver or gold taels. It was just a mild annoyance at seeming to be taken for fools.
With the misunderstanding cleared, Dang Mujin's expression softened.
"I see."
"No luggage? More baggage means a higher fare."
"What you see is all we have."
"Then three hundred silver taels. Add five taels per person for simple meals on the way to Chongqing."
Dang Mujin did some quick mental math. "Simple meals" probably meant noodles, dumplings, porridge, and pickled vegetables.
It would be three or four times pricier than at an inn, but considering they had to stock food on board, it was fair enough.
"For six to Chongqing, meals included—three hundred thirty taels. Right?"
The sailor nodded, and Namgung Myeong pulled out the money on Dang Mujin's behalf.
Seventeen gold taels. One gold was worth about twenty silver, making it three hundred forty in silver terms.
The sailor took Namgung Myeong's gold and tried to give back ten silver taels in change.
But Namgung Myeong waved it off lightly.
"Keep the change. No need to fuss over it."
"Thank you, sir hero."
The sailor's back bent deeply at once, his attitude turning exceedingly friendly.
He had just pocketed what would take months of work to earn.
Namgung Myeong had grown up wealthy and was generous with spending.
Working as an escort had taught him the value of money and curbed his extravagance, but it had made him even kinder to those who toiled hard.
He knew how desperately they needed every silver tael or copper coin.
Boarding the ship, Dang Mujin remarked.
"Doesn't it feel like a waste?"
"No way. Tip them like this, and you'll get extra side dishes later."
Namgung Myeong replied with a surprisingly mature look.
*
Ocean-going ships must keep moving nonstop until they reach port, but riverboats stop here and there along the way.
That's how they pick up and drop off new passengers and resupply as needed.
Three days after Dang Mujin's group boarded, when the ship docked near Nandou in Hubei,
A group of people on the riverbank whispered while eyeing the vessel.
"Boss, you saying we target that big ship?"
"Yeah."
"It's way bigger than the ones we've hit before. You sure?"
"You doubting me?"
"Of course not, but..."
"It's a once-every-three-years jackpot. Trust me."
They were river pirates from the South Lin Stronghold, one of the gangs prowling the Yangtze.
River pirates had two main ways of making money.
The first: block a moving ship's path with their own boats and extort a "passage toll."
They were ready to board if needed, but most settled for the toll through tacit agreement.
Ship owners usually prepared such payments, making these pirates relatively peaceful—annoying, but peaceful.
The problem was the second type: board as fake passengers at port, then reveal their true colors once underway.
These were the lowest scum among pirates.
Once in a secluded stretch, they'd create chaos to intimidate everyone, stop the ship, and buy time for their comrades to board.
Chaos first, then killing passengers. They didn't stop at tolls—they looted everything, and sometimes slaughtered everyone aboard.
The imperial authorities turned a blind eye to the first type unless they got too brazen, but the second were executed on capture.
Yet some chose the second way despite the danger: one haul could net more than dozens or hundreds of tolls.
The South Lin pirates asked their boss.
"Boss, what do you mean 'jackpot'?"
"Why do you think we don't work often, or only hit small boats when we do? Scared of merchants' escorts?"
The pirates shook their heads. Merchant escorts weren't much to fear; merchants didn't bring dozens aboard anyway.
The real issue was elsewhere.
"You never know if you'll run into a master after boarding."
"Right. But that ship has zero masters. Guaranteed."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
The pirates' boss spoke confidently, prompting baffled questions from his men.
"Every three years, there's a martial tournament in Wuchang. Fighters from nearby regions all flock there. Right now."
"Boss, doesn't that make it riskier? With all those martial artists heading there?"
"Fool. The tournament's still ten days from ending."
"...So?"
The boss lowered his voice.
"The competitors and spectators won't leave Wuchang for the next ten days."
"Ah!"
With everyone tied up until the finals, ships leaving Wuchang now wouldn't encounter any martial artists.
The underlings marveled at their boss's sharp thinking and felt grateful to serve such a civil and martial leader.
"Miss this chance, and no jackpots for another three years. Let's make a killing and live easy for a while. Got it?"
"Yes, boss."
"You two—Dongchul and Hongji—get ready to board with me. The rest, follow at a distance without getting spotted."
"Got it."
The boss and two underlings donned clean clothes prepared in advance. With large packs on their backs, they looked just like ordinary merchants.
Approaching the moored ship boldly, a nonchalant sailor asked the trio.
"Boarding?"
"Yes."
"Where to?"
"Yiling..."
No. Better to say a farther destination than a vague nearby one like Yiling—it aroused less suspicion.
The fare would be higher, but no big deal.
They'd kill and loot everyone anyway; a bit more upfront cash changed nothing. The South Lin boss grinned slyly.
"Actually, to Chongqing."
Of course, the sailor had no way of knowing the pirate boss's sinister intent.
"Forty-five silver taels per person. Add five each for meals."
The boss emptied his pouch, handing over one hundred fifty silver taels, and boarded.
The South Lin boss and his two men set down their packs in a suitable spot and glanced around at the others.
"Good. No martial artists. Just four escorts."
"As expected of you, boss."
The escorts looked like one first-rate and three second-rate.
One was skilled, but the South Lin group was confident they could handle them.
Ship fights differed from land ones, and they had over twenty years surviving on deck blades.
The three sat in a corner of the deck, waiting for the ship to move. They'd reveal themselves once it reached a secluded area. Long swords were hidden in their packs.
Time passed, and dusk fell as sailors lit torches.
It would sail even at night.
Sailing in the dark was risky, of course.
But this was a well-traveled route with gentle currents. No danger for the crew—except for the three pirates among them.
The deck grew bustling; departure time neared. Passengers who had gone ashore to Nandou returned in a rush.
Leading were a fat-bellied merchant and a woman who looked like his concubine.
'Nice. Those merchants look loaded. The ones behind... Huh?'
The boss spotted something odd. Six people trailed the merchants.
They wore clean, simple clothes, but their vibe felt off no matter how he looked.
'...What?'
One kid aside, the rest were strange.
A beggar. One with a weird left arm. Two in neat clothes.
'...Masters?'
You could tell by aura alone. None of the four seemed easy.
Worse, they'd underestimate the South Lin boss.
But the last boarder was far graver.
"Sorry, a bit late."
"Not late yet. Though it'd be nice if you took it easier next time."
As the salgat-hatted man boarded last, the South Lin boss's breathing quickened.
A prowess far beyond ordinary experts. And the salgat. There was only one such person under heaven.
'Why is the Blood Rain Guest here...?'
Just then, the sailor began removing the gangplank linking ship to shore.
The pirate boss's sharp mind judged instantly: get off now.
"W-Wait!"
As he shot up, a soft hand touched his shoulder.
Turning, he found the salgat inches from his face. His heart pounded wildly.
The Blood Rain Guest spoke.
"New face. Just boarded, huh."
"Y-Yes... yes."
"You're a merchant who's also trained decent martial arts. Where to?"
The boss gaped speechlessly, so the sailor, having stowed the plank, answered for him.
"Said Chongqing."
The Blood Rain Guest beamed.
"Perfect. We're headed there too. Let's get along till we disembark."
"...Y-Yes."
The boss forced an awkward smile.
*
"It's moving."
"Follow quietly."
In their skiff, the South Lin pirates trailed the big ship at a safe distance.
Hidden in darkness, no risk of detection.
After about half a shichen, the ship entered a secluded stretch.
The pirates waited for chaos onboard.
"It'll stop soon. Get ready."
They rowed tensely. But the ship sailed on steadily.
One shichen passed. Still no stop. Pirates' arms began to ache.
Two shichen. No halt. Complaints of sore arms rose.
Three, then four shichen later, dawn dimly broke behind them.
The big ship continued peacefully, as if nothing was amiss.
By full sunrise, the South Lin vice boss had unwittingly become the new boss.