The deep of night.
Uncertain if it was the calm before the storm or for some other reason, though it was early spring, the air felt oppressively hot, as if it were the height of summer.
Xie Miao’er tossed and turned, as if something within her was pulling at her, making it impossible to fall asleep. Next to her, Yue Chuang was lazily fanning her with a moon-shaped fan.
The unease in her heart was verified just a moment ago.
Lu Huaihai had paid them a hurried visit late at night, instructing them to stay in their cabin and not to leave unless he returned.
He seemed to be stealthily tracking someone. Xie Miao’er had some vague guesses but refrained from pulling him back to ask for clarification.
This was clearly not the right moment to investigate further.
Unable to lie still any longer, Xie Miao’er sat up, retrieved the whistle and short knife Lu Huaihai had given her earlier, and, together with Yue Chuang, blocked off the window completely.
Yue Chuang, who was unaware of the situation, grew even more anxious and lowered her voice to ask, “Madam, has something happened?”
At this point, Xie Miao’er did not conceal the truth from her: “There are Japanese pirates hidden on the ship.”
Yue Chuang’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth, yet a muffled sound of surprise still escaped through her fingers.
She had no time to remain shocked for long; outside the cabin, the sound of footsteps had already begun to echo, chaotic and noisy, unsettling everyone’s nerves.
Lu Huaihai returned a second time. Pulling her and Yue Chuang, along with Lu Hong from the neighboring cabin, he leapt directly onto the roof of the cabin and ran toward the stern of the ship.
The rain had begun to fall. Xie Miao’er had no time to marvel at the mixed scent of blood and moisture because as they sprinted along the roof, she caught glimpses of what was happening on the deck in her peripheral vision.
Roughly thirty Japanese pirates, each carrying long swords on their backs, were climbing onto the ship via ropes. Many had already boarded. Holding oil lamps, they ambushed the night-watch sailors patrolling the deck. Some sailors hadn’t even realized what was happening before they were stabbed through the stomach.
Had she not glimpsed the horrors of a battlefield in dreams before, Xie Miao’er might have already fainted at the scene below. Yue Chuang was still holding on, having grown up in a poor household, but Lu Hong, who had never even seen chickens or ducks slaughtered, had already fainted. She was carried on the back of one of the guards.
Lu Huaihai’s expression was grim, his silence unbroken, until he ushered them into a space beneath the stern deck. The ship, to ensure stability while sailing, typically had a bottom layer filled with sand and gravel to act as ballast.
Pirates were robbers, so they were surely here for profit. Sand and gravel were worthless, making this place relatively safe.
Lu Huaihai left four guards to protect them, but Xie Miao’er objected: “We don’t need so many people here. We’re hiding, but you’re out there facing danger. If something happens to you, where would we even run to?”
Her tone was not calm. She had been dragged along by Lu Huaihai earlier and was still catching her breath as she spoke, almost gasping. Lu Huaihai gazed at her deeply for a moment.
Everything was conveyed in his eyes. He quickly turned and left two guards behind before resolutely walking out.
The most dependable person had left, and Yue Chuang immediately panicked, gripping Xie Miao’er’s arm unconsciously. “Madam…”
Xie Miao’er had no time for her own fear. Suppressing it, she instructed the two guards to help her lay Lu Hong down, cushioning the back of her head before pinching her philtrum to wake her up.
Fainting at a time like this was too dangerous.
Xie Miao’er forced herself to calm down.
The situation was not optimistic.
Most of the people on this ship were ordinary civilians. Apart from Lu Huaihai and his men, there were probably not even a handful of knives available. The Japanese pirates who had crossed the sea were samurai—each armed with a sword and skilled in combat, ruthless to the core…
They were in the lowest layer of the stern, so close to the waterline that they could hear the waves slapping against the ship. Yet they could hear nothing from the deck above.
The silence above only made the terror more profound.
Lu Hong had just woken up. Once she understood what had happened, she started crying.
The two guards were men Xie Miao’er had met before. The older one was surnamed Chen Dong, while the younger one was surnamed Yang. Both looked visibly anxious, seemingly eager to rush back up and assist Lu Huaihai.
Xie Miao’er thought that they had to find something to occupy themselves with, or they would be scared to death by their own fear.
So she said, “Xiao Yang, Uncle Dong, we can’t just sit here and wait for death. Why don’t we check around here to see if there’s anything we can use? Even if it’s just finding a stick for self-defense.”
Lu Hong, like a drowning person clutching at a lifeline, immediately stood up and said, “Right, we can’t just sit here and wait for death.”
Xiao Yang was about to explain that they already had swords, but Uncle Dong stopped him.
Uncle Dong seemed to understand what Xie Miao’er meant. With a thoughtful look, he said, “Understood.”
They began searching among the sand and gravel and eventually found some useful items: a pile of discarded wood and nails left from ship repairs.
Each of the three women picked up a stick—it was better than nothing.
Uncle Dong examined the materials carefully and proposed an idea: “We could nail shut the way we came. That way, even if the pirates find us, we might be able to hold them off for a while.”
Yue Chuang’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea!”
For a moment, Xie Miao’er also thought it was feasible, but she quickly regained her composure and said firmly, “We can’t do that. We’re probably not the only ones who thought of hiding here. If there are others on the ship trying to escape to this place, wouldn’t we be cutting off their last chance of survival?”
Uncle Dong had thought of this as well, but his duty was to protect Xie Miao’er and the others. The lives of others weren’t his concern. However, since Xie Miao’er had spoken, he said no more.
It seemed Xie Miao’er’s words were immediately proven true, as the sound of chaotic footsteps came from the stairs leading down. The group tensed up, the hairs on their bodies standing on end. Uncle Dong and Xiao Yang stepped to the front, with Uncle Dong—being the more experienced—tilting his head to listen carefully for a while before saying, “It doesn’t sound like they know how to fight.”
Hearing this, everyone felt slightly relieved. Soon, the wooden cover above them was lifted, and a few women hurriedly climbed down.
When the women saw Xie Miao’er’s group, including two men holding swords, they were startled. Fortunately, Xie Miao’er spoke quickly to calm them down.
The woman at the front, with tear-filled eyes, said, “He’s dead… my husband is dead…”
Xiao Yang quietly went to check the situation above and sealed the wooden cover again.
Uncle Dong stayed close to Xie Miao’er, not leaving her side for a moment.
Five or six women had climbed down, all of them middle-aged. Through their tearful and fragmented words, Xie Miao’er was able to piece together some information about the situation on the ship.
She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms, listening intently to their words.
“There were so many of them… they went door to door, knocking, and killed whoever opened the door… Later, people realized what was happening and didn’t dare open their doors. They barricaded them, but the pirates started breaking them down…”
“There were people running everywhere on the ship. A young man dressed in black, leading a group of his men, fought back against the pirates. Other men joined him when they realized what was happening…”
Xie Miao’er held her breath and asked softly, “And then? And then? What happened to them?”
The speaker was the youngest of the women, with a babyish face. She seemed the least frightened and was still able to speak coherently. “He’s very skilled. He killed quite a few of the pirates, and the others followed his lead. He seemed to know how to command, organizing them into formation. For a while, they weren’t at a disadvantage. After that, I don’t know. This lady’s husband knew martial arts and helped her escape here, and we were lucky to come along with her.”
Xie Miao’er already knew that Lu Huaihai’s renowned battlefield achievements and lasting fame were not due to mere brute strength. No matter how skilled a fighter he was, no one could single-handedly hold off an army.
She wanted to believe from the depths of her heart that he would be fine, but she couldn’t stop herself from worrying about him.
The young woman seemed to notice her expression, looked her over carefully, and grabbed her hand. “That man—is he with you? I saw you traveling together earlier on the ship.”
Before Xie Miao’er could answer, Lu Hong responded for her, “Yes, he’s my cousin.”
The young woman smiled faintly and let go of Xie Miao’er’s hand.
She certainly had a big heart, still able to smile in such a situation.
But soon, no one could smile anymore.
From above, in the direction of the lower deck’s communal sleeping area, came the loud sounds of chopping and hacking, as if with knives and axes. The noise was so jarring that the group huddled closer together in fear.
No matter how composed she tried to be, Xie Miao’er was still just fifteen or sixteen. She glanced at the two guards, and their presence brought her a slight sense of security.
The wooden walls of the cabin were soon hacked open. Chen Dong and Xiao Yang stood protectively in front of Xie Miao’er and the other women, alert and ready.
“Damn it, they’re really ruthless…”
A faint male voice could be heard.
Moments later, four men dressed in foreign attire stepped through the broken cabin wall, entering the place where they had been hiding.
Noticing the people there, the man in the lead narrowed his eyes and smirked. “Oh? We’ve stumbled upon some lambs hiding here.”
When Xie Miao’er saw him, her pupils contracted, and she gripped the wooden stick in her hand tightly, refusing to let go. She knew her own limits—the short knife in her possession was no better than a toy. Unless she could strike unexpectedly, it wouldn’t even scratch anyone. That’s why she had been keeping it hidden.
This man was not wearing a hood this time, but his figure and voice made it unmistakable—he was the same person who had brushed past her and Lu Huaihai back in Jiaxing.
No wonder he spoke fluent Mandarin. No wonder they had credentials to board the ship and stay at the inn.
Looking closely at his face, he was clearly not Japanese!
Such people were even more despicable than real Japanese pirates.
Behind him, his three subordinates had already engaged in combat with the two guards. Meanwhile, he slowly and leisurely approached the women, seemingly enjoying the nervousness and fear on their faces.
No… this couldn’t go on…
Xie Miao’er didn’t know where her sudden burst of courage came from, but she grabbed a handful of sand and gravel and hurled it at him with all her strength. The other women seemed to snap out of their daze and, instead of retreating further, adopted a defiant stance, gripping their sticks tightly and preparing to strike him.
It was like ants trying to stop an elephant.
But even ants in large numbers could be annoying.
On the guards’ side, Chen Dong and Xiao Yang were distracted, wanting to break away to protect the women. This left them at a disadvantage. Chen Dong was still holding his own, being a veteran with years of experience following Lu Huaihai’s family, but Xiao Yang, with less skill, had already taken several blows from the three Japanese pirates.
For Xie Miao’er and the others, not becoming a burden was already their limit. Seeing the dire situation, Xie Miao’er felt her scalp tingle with anxiety but could do nothing. The fake Japanese pirate was already right in front of her.
He looked at her with a mocking expression. “Little beauty, who are you waiting for?”
As he spoke, he casually broke the sticks being swung at him by the women, one after another, as if snapping twigs. “Waiting for your little lover to come save you?”
Xie Miao’er dug her nails deeply into her palm, using the pain to keep herself calm.
Don’t panic. Don’t be afraid.
In a flash of inspiration, she came up with an idea and spoke quickly, more decisively than usual: “And what about you? What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you’re here to steal sand and gravel.”
This question was meant to buy time, but as she said it, something suddenly clicked in her mind. She stopped retreating and stood her ground. “We’re hiding here, and so are you.”
She hit the nail on the head.
The fake Japanese pirate sneered and raised a hand, signaling his men to stop fighting.
Freed from combat, Chen Dong and Xiao Yang didn’t even bother tending to their injuries. They immediately rushed to stand in front of Xie Miao’er and Lu Hong, shielding them with their bodies.
“Your little lover has some skill, I’ll admit,” the fake Japanese pirate sneered, his lips curling into a sinister grin. “But I’m only here for the money. There’s no need to fight to the death. Let him deal with the chaos above while I lie low, take the money, and slip away.”
Xie Miao’er took a deep breath and said, “Then why aren’t you running now? Are you waiting for the others to come down, surround us, and trap you here too?”
The fake Japanese pirate leisurely cracked his knuckles one by one, the sound echoing eerily in the dim cabin. “No rush. They’re not all dead yet. I might as well kill a few beauties to send them some company on their way. Even King Yama in the underworld would commend me for being considerate.”
By “them,” he must have meant the pirates on the deck above…
Standing so close to such a person, Xie Miao’er feared that if Heaven sent down lightning to strike him, she would be caught in the blast.
Avoiding his snake-like gaze, Xie Miao’er stared at the ground and enunciated slowly, “Don’t kill us.”
From his crouched position, Xiao Yang suddenly forced himself to stand, shielding the women. “Pah! You treacherous scum! You’ll have to get through me first!”
The fake Japanese pirate laughed uproariously, as if he’d just heard the most amusing joke. He glanced at Xie Miao’er and said mockingly, “Don’t kill you? And why not?”
As he spoke, he drew his sword and swung it through the air, slicing off the hairpins of several women.
Skimming so close to death, the women screamed and cried in terror. The fake pirate, however, seemed to relish the chaos, even making a mocking “please” gesture toward Xie Miao’er.
This man had no moral compass whatsoever. Xie Miao’er knew that in the next instant, he would have no qualms about cutting off their heads.
Even with the guards present, would they really be able to hold out long enough for someone above to notice something was wrong?
They were only human, not gods. Lu Huaihai and his men were already fighting for their lives. How could they possibly account for the absence of just four pirates?
Thus, Xie Miao’er played her last card. She didn’t know if it would work, but she had to try.
Even if it only bought them a little more time.
“This is a draft note from Jinlin Merchant House for 3,000 taels of silver. It can only be cashed in by the holder. You can take me with you. Didn’t you say you’re here for money? If you kill us, kill me, this banknote will be worthless. I’ll tear it apart.”
—In reality, she couldn’t cash it in. It had been entrusted to her for safekeeping by Lu Huaihai, who was preparing to travel to the capital for an official appointment. The Lu family had converted their liquid funds into silver drafts for him to bring along.
A spark of excitement flickered in the fake pirate’s eyes—not so much for the 3,000 taels, but more for Xie Miao’er herself. To her surprise, he agreed.
“No—”
Lu Hong and Yuechu tried to rush toward Xie Miao’er, but the fake pirate struck them down with the hilt of his sword.
The two guards, despite being injured, refused to stand idly by. However, they quickly realized they couldn’t move—paralysis swept through their bodies as they collapsed to the ground, black blood seeping from their noses and eyes, their faces turning a ghastly blue.
Chen Dong and Xiao Yang, one old and one young, lay dead, their eyes wide open, filled with unfulfilled determination.
Xie Miao’er’s face turned deathly pale.
In that moment, she suddenly realized that, in her desperation, she had made a very, very dangerous decision.
—
Blood, from friend and foe alike, further darkened Lu Huaihai’s black robes.
His face was grim as he crouched down to check the breathing of two fallen men.
Lu Hong, tears streaming down her face, ran toward him but stumbled after just a few steps. Falling to the ground, she cried, “Big Brother, Miao’er was knocked unconscious and taken by that villain!”
The baby-faced woman, seeing Lu Huaihai arrive, didn’t wait for him to ask a single question. Like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube, she spilled everything that had just happened.
Lu Huaihai pressed on with his questioning: “How long ago did they leave? Which way did they exit?”
The baby-faced woman pointed him in the right direction. They hadn’t left through the same route the women had come from. Instead, it seemed there was a hidden passage that led directly to the water.
Without hesitation, Lu Huaihai led his men to follow the trail.
As expected, there was a valve that had been pried open, as well as traces of a small boat that had once been moored there.
Lu Huaihai returned to the ship’s side and called for a spyglass. The vast expanse of water was before him, but the heavy rain that had fallen earlier tonight had significantly reduced visibility. His field of vision was far too limited.
The chaotic rain began again, pelting against the lens, against his blood-soaked clothes, and pooling in a crimson puddle beneath his feet, as if the heavens themselves sought to cleanse the blood from his body.
One of the ship’s sailors, now aware of the situation, came over to persuade him. “There’s no use looking anymore. The odds are slim that she’s alive. Tonight, there’s sure to be strong winds and waves. This is where the river meets the lake—whether their little boat can even make it to shore is questionable.”
The sailor spoke earnestly, given that their ordeal had already forged a life-and-death camaraderie.
Lu Huaihai finally lowered the spyglass. When he turned around, his eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging visibly on his neck. Yet, when he spoke, his tone was remarkably calm.
“Find me a boat,” he commanded.
At that moment, from behind him, a sharp whistle pierced through the pouring rain, cutting through the night with a crisp clarity.