Chapter Twenty-Three: Setting Sail

  A white-haired man with a sturdy physique jumped onto the deck, causing the ship to shake slightly. Several burly men followed him, their faces twisted in scowls. Once he steadied himself, Chen Xin took a closer look and saw that the man had a ring of steel-needle-like sideburns on his face, making his head appear larger than usual. His hair was grayish-white, but his facial features looked like those of a man in his thirties. He glared at Old Wang, muttering curses: "Why didn't you leave earlier? Now the whole sea is filled with official ships. Where's Big Brother?"

  Old Wang said coldly, "The Eldest Master has gone to the Tianfei Temple to meet Mr. Song. When he leaves or doesn't leave is up to the Eldest Master's own judgment. You are the Second Master, but you also have to listen to the Eldest Master." The Second Master snorted, "I naturally listen to my elder brother, but my elder brother also has to listen to Mr. He."

  Turning his head to look at Chen Xin beside him, although he was tall and big, but his skin was very fair, he smiled strangely: "Could it be that Old Wang brought a playboy to relieve boredom?"

  Lao Wang still had that tone: "Second Master, be careful with your words. This is the new Financial Vice President, Chen."

  Chen Xin naturally couldn't stay silent, the people who walked the sea only respected the strong, and in this era, "actor" wasn't a good word. He smiled wryly and said: "Second Master thinks I'm like an actor, but just because you look like one doesn't mean you are, just like Second Master looks like he has white temples, but actually isn't an old man."

  Hei Tan and Ba Lian were just boarding the ship, when they heard this remark. Laughing, Hei Tan said to Er Dang Jia: "Vice Chen is not accurate in his words. You are too clever, Second Master, thinking too much, that's why you've gone white-haired prematurely."

  The Second Master heard this, put away his strange smile, and didn't bother with the charcoal, but instead took a few steps closer to Chen Xin. He stared at Chen Xin, his eyes gleaming with malice, while several of his subordinates also looked unfriendly as they surrounded him from both sides. Meanwhile, Chen Xin smiled and locked eyes with the Second Master, his gaze fixed on the spot between the Second Master's eyebrows, a position that allowed him to exert pressure without being affected by the other's gaze. Lu Zǐzi quietly grasped the hilt of his Japanese sword, while several sailors who were lying on the ground also stood up, sensing the tense atmosphere.

  Lao Wang stepped forward, standing between the two of them, blocking Er Dangjia's path. In a deep voice, he said: "Big Brother and Madam entrusted me to take care of Vice Chen all the way, so please don't make things difficult for me, Second Master."

  The second master's eyes were blocked, and he turned his head to look at Chen Xin, saying: "When did the affairs of the ship become a woman's responsibility? If it weren't for the face of the big master, huh..."

  Hei Tan was still fanning the flames on the side: "I, Hei Pao, will listen to what Madam says. She saved the Eldest Master, so I'll obey her. Chen Cai is a scholar, but you, Second Master, are making a scene and chasing away our teacher. Are you good at math or writing?"

  The second master gave the black cannon a fierce look, knowing that he couldn't do anything to Chen Xin at this time. He turned around and walked towards the lower cabin, walking halfway before turning back to Chen Xin and saying: "The wind and waves are big on the sea, Vice Captain Chen should be careful not to fall into the sea." The sailors next to him followed with strange smiles, and Chen Xin cupped his hands in response: "Thank you, Second Master, for reminding me. Since we're on the same boat, I naturally don't have a reason to fall into the sea first."

  Deng Er disappeared at the warehouse entrance, and Pockmark laughed and said to Chen Xin: "You're a good deputy, you've got guts, better than that soft-boiled egg Old Cai. If anyone gives you trouble, just tell me."

  Chen Xin bowed his hands in gratitude to the two, Hei Pao waved his hand and went straight down to the lower level, shouting as he walked: "Second Master, long time no see, what are you hiding for? We're just chatting about old times."

  After they all left, Old Wang took the two of them to the bottom of the mast at the back of the boat and said to Chen Xin: "When you two are walking around on the boat, try to stay together, especially at night. At night, sleep on the second floor, try to sleep inwards, with the big master there, don't be afraid of him."

  Chen Xinxie said: "Thank you, Brother Wang, for your concern. Although I am just an accountant, I have also been in some tight spots before."

  Old Wang nodded, and this Chen accountant looked more pleasing to the eye than Old Cai. He led the two of them down into the hold of the ship, which was between the size of the first and second Fu ships, with a total of four decks. The bottom deck held ballast stones or heavier cargo to keep the hull stable, and people generally did not live there. The second deck was where the sailors lived, the third deck had a water tank in the middle and a galley at the back, as well as some cabins that could hold cargo. The top deck was the main activity area, where they controlled the sails and rudder and fought battles, so both sides were equipped with protective boards, while the steering house was one level higher than the main deck.

  The three of them reached the second floor, where the warehouse was not high. The middle section was divided into many small compartments by bulkheads. Many cabins were filled with piles of raw silk and other goods. The cabin was filled with the smell of raw silk, sweat, and urine. With the light from the porthole on the third floor, the three of them walked with their heads down. Old Wang chose a cabin near the stern, put down his small package, and this cabin also had a porthole nearby, with better lighting.

  "The hold is full of porcelain, don't go down there if you don't have to." Old Wang instructed the two and returned to the deck. The two stayed in the cabin to rest, Chen Xin took out a package of tea leaves from his luggage, divided a small portion to Lu Lüzǐ, and they both started chewing on it. Scurvy was the greatest enemy of sailors, although going to Japan wasn't as far as Europeans' long voyages, but getting lost and encountering storms could still prolong their journey, so Chen Xin had prepared a package of tea leaves to supplement vitamins.

  Lu Zhuizi chewed on something and asked Chen Xin, "Brother Chen, why does the second master look at us with disapproval?"

  Chen Xinyi heard the words "Second Master" and couldn't help but think of Wu Mengda's image from Journey to the West, a smile spreading across his face. He shook his head and said, "I don't know either, this is my first time seeing him. Not just us, look at how he interacts with Hei Pao and Ba Lian, they don't get along at all. And although he's the Second Master, these two people don't show any respect for him, it's really strange."

  "Who cares who he is? He can't bully us!"

  Chen Xin recalled his past dealings with Tang Chou and advised, "We don't have to be afraid of him, nor do we need to provoke him. Let's just focus on our own affairs. If possible, let's avoid using force."

  Lu Baozi nodded and said, "If Dà Gē were here, who would be afraid of this dog's fart, Second Master? He truly has divine strength. Just that stone table in your courtyard, he can lift it effortlessly over his head." Chen Xīn listened and secretly clicked his tongue. That stone table, he had tried to lift it before, at least over a hundred catties, round and slippery, not like dumbbells that are easy to grasp, he couldn't even budge it. If Dà Zhèng were in the modern era, he would probably be able to participate in the Olympic weightlifting event.

  Lu Luozizi waited for a while before suddenly asking: "Chen Ge, what's it like to kill someone?"

  "Feelings?" Chen Xin had never actually killed anyone, and his fights only dated back to middle school. But when he first made up the story, he boasted that he had killed a few people, so Lu Zi was asking him this way. He just made something up, thinking of some movie scenes, and said: "After killing someone, I feel a bit nauseous, like I want to throw up."

  "What's it like when a knife cuts into human flesh?"

  Chen Xin cursed silently, thinking that Lu's desire for knowledge was too strong. He thought back to his limited knowledge of human anatomy, the outer layer being muscle and the inner layer being the abdominal cavity, which should be less dense. "At first it was a bit obstructed, but after inserting it for a while, it became easier. As for the rest, I don't remember clearly, I was in such a hurry at the time."

  "So it was like this all along."

  Chen Xin asked him back: "I see that you're quite skilled with your hands, surely you often fight with others. Have you ever stabbed someone with a knife?"

  Lu Lu Zi stroked his head and smiled, saying: "Really not, I just use a stick to hit people, Dà Gē said before, at most use a knife to chop once, if directly stabbed, more than half will be fatal, don't know who he heard it from."

  Chen Xin nodded in agreement: "That's right, if it pierces and injures the internal organs, more than half of them will not survive."

  At this time, a commotion came from the deck, and everyone heard seven mouths and eight tongues shouting at the master of the house. It should be Zhao Dongjia who had arrived. Speaking of Chen Xin's arrival for so long, he still didn't know the true name of this Zhao Dongjia, and perhaps even this surname wasn't real.

  As the boss arrived, the two of them also emerged from the cabin and reached the third floor hatch just as they ran into Second Master. He was accompanied by several people who walked to the side of the ladder hole. Seeing that Chen Xin was closer, he hastily rushed over to block the ladder, not allowing the two to go up first. Chen Xin saw his shallow appearance and originally had some worries about provoking an unnecessary enemy, but at this moment, he put down his guard, stretched out his left hand with a smile, making a please gesture. Second Master thought he was yielding, feeling complacent in his heart, and led several people upstairs.

  Lu Zi did not obey and said: "Chen Ge, what are you making him do?"

  Chen Xindan said lightly, "It's not a big deal to let him go for now. Look at his shallow appearance, why bother with this kind of person? I'll take care of him when I have the chance." After finishing speaking, he grabbed the ladder and climbed up onto the deck. The deck was crowded with people, Chen Xindan roughly counted about 40 or more people. A large Fuship like this could hold over a hundred people if it were used as a warship, but now it's mainly for transporting goods, so one more person would mean one more share of water and food, therefore the number of people wouldn't be too many. Everyone was standing around the owner, except for the man who had been sitting at the bow, still not moving, seemingly not liking the commotion. Chen Xindan secretly found this strange and took note of this person.

  The boss of the discount store and Old Wang stood beside Zhao Dong's family, while on the other side of Zhao Dong's family was a man dressed as a scholar, in his thirties, with a beautiful beard, looking very astute.

  The second master now has a different expression, with a respectful face to Zhao Dongjia: "Brother, are you safe and sound? Not seeing each other for several months, I thought my younger brother was dead." Seven or eight subordinates behind him also paid their respects.

  Zhao Dong's family stood still with an air of pride, "Oh?! I couldn't have thought of that, Han Bin. You're even more ruthless than before. What do you think, brothers?"

  Hei Pao and the others immediately burst out laughing behind him, while Er Dang Jia didn't dare to refute Lao Da, so he awkwardly accompanied the laughter and turned to Wen Shi, saying: "Nice to meet you, Mr. Song. You've gone to a lot of trouble this time." Mr. Song smiled and returned the courtesy, saying: "You're working hard too, Er Dang Jia."

  Zhao Dongjia saw Chen Xin and beckoned him to come over, "Everyone knows Mr. Song, let me introduce two new brothers here, the newly arrived financial deputy Chen Xin and his cousin. Once on board, we are all brothers. We sailors must remember the words 'same boat, shared fortune'."

  Zhao Dong glanced at Han Bin with a meaningful look, and Han Bin quickly nodded: "Brother is right, I will definitely work together with Vice Chen to overcome the difficulties." Chen Xin listened and politely said to Zhao Dong: "Second Master had previously taken great care of me, reminding me to be careful not to fall into the sea, I am deeply grateful in my heart."

  The second master hesitated and didn't dare to respond to this topic.

  Zhao Dongjia also stopped him from speaking, waving his hand and shouting: "Don't talk nonsense, set sail."

  The sailors on the deck cheered loudly, pulled away the jump board, and the man on the car finally stood up. He turned the car with several others. The man was of medium build, broad shoulders and narrow waist, his movements were steady and calm. Chen Xin didn't understand any martial arts, but he intuitively felt that this was a person who had practiced martial arts for a long time.

  As several people moved, the winch turned, and the iron chain slowly lifted upwards, making a creaking sound on the wooden roller at the bow of the ship. A huge four-clawed anchor was finally pulled out of the water by several people. As soon as the anchor came out of the water, several sailors holding long bamboo poles pushed against the shore with great effort, their bodies bent low and their feet pushing hard against the deck, shouting slogans in unison. After a moment, they slowly left the shore. The Fuku ship was a sharp-bottomed sea boat, which drew about 12 or 13 feet of water, so it couldn't stop anywhere like flat-bottomed boats. When sailing, they relied on sails and had no oars. When starting up, they could only use bamboo poles temporarily. Once the ship left the shore, two helmsmen held the steering rudder steady, and after a slight adjustment to the bamboo pole, the Fuku ship faced the open sea and sailed downstream. At this moment, gusts of sea breeze blew in, and Second Master Han Bin shouted loudly, "Raise the sails!"

  Another burst of cheers on the boat, Chen Xin was really puzzled why these people were so happy, and felt like going on a free tour. Except for the two steering, everyone else on the deck worked together to raise the mainsail. The hard sail with bamboo ribs was very heavy, but many people shouted loudly and finally pulled up the three mainsails to the top of the mast. The wide sail surface covered the sunlight like dark clouds, and the light on the deck suddenly dimmed, becoming cool. The support of the sail surface mainly relied on the bamboo ribs, with a rope tied to both sides of each bamboo rib, totaling dozens of ropes. After adjusting the direction of the sail surface according to the wind direction, several sailors fixed the ropes on the wooden stakes on the deck.

  The lucky boat, taking advantage of the wind and current, quickly picked up speed, faster than a galloping horse. This section of the river was already the lower reaches of the Wei River, very wide and broad. The lucky boat cut through the surface of the water, creating wave after wave of ripples. The wind blowing against the sail made a whooshing sound, while the wide sail fluttered lightly, and the mast and hull responded with a series of soft creaks.

  Before long, the lucky boat sailed out of the Weihe River estuary and into the Bohai Sea. In front of them, the sea and sky merged into one, stretching endlessly into the distance. Far away, there were sails heading north, and Lu Zizi, who had never been to sea before, looked at the scenery in front of him and exclaimed, "Big brother, I've lived this long and it's still my first time seeing so much water."

  Zhao Dong stood majestically at the bow of the ship, and as long as he was back at sea, everything seemed to be under his control. Other things were no longer on his mind. At this time, Song Xian was standing beside him, and the two were talking about something. Suddenly, Hei Pao walked up to him and said, "Big brother, there's a fast boat coming from over there, it might be from the naval forces, do we want to raise our flag?"

  Zhao Dong looked in the direction that Hei Pao was pointing, and a small sailboat with a Fu-style bow came from afar. He turned his head to look at Mr. Song, who nodded. Hei Pao climbed up the mast using both hands and feet like a monkey, hung up a blue flag, which flapped in the wind. The sailboat changed direction and left shortly after.

  Chen Xin looked at the flag with some surprise, Lu Zi did not recognize the words and asked: "Brother Chen, what's written on it?"

  "Dengzhou Sea Route Bell."