Returning to the Dock
After the injured had been settled, Ye Yurong asked the inn’s attendant to summon a physician to examine them. She also had the physician check the twenty-five women to make sure none of them had suffered any injuries.
The guest rooms in the rear courtyard were arranged according to different standards.
The upper-grade rooms in the main building were elegant and quiet, furnished with tables, chairs, beds, and other essentials. The remaining rooms had the necessary furnishings as well, though they were somewhat more modest.
Sheng Zixu was assigned the room next to Jiang Wan’s.
The floor was laid with smooth bluestone bricks, and the walls had been plastered white. Beside the window stood a carved canopy bed, covered with a clean, coarse-fabric quilt and hung with plain gauze curtains.
There was a square pear-wood table in the room with two chairs featuring backrests. A narrow wooden cabinet stood in the corner.
The two sat facing each other, staring at one another. Neither was willing to speak first.
After they stared at each other for the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Sheng Zixu was the first to crack.
“What exactly are you looking at? Is there an entire Flower-Fruit Mountain on my face? Or perhaps a luminous pearl from the East Sea?”
“You’re staring at me like I’m a thief.”
He raised his head and looked straight at her with an arrogant gaze.
Jiang Wan had originally been wearing an indifferent expression, her wandering thoughts pulled back by his words. Their eyes met for a moment, and her mind-reading ability activated.
Her gaze locked firmly onto his.
Neither of them intended to look away first.
In the next instant, his unspoken thoughts, hidden calculations, and disdainful mutterings flooded into her mind.
She quietly listened to his thoughts without showing the slightest change in expression, still maintaining that calm, indifferent demeanor.
“This is so damn annoying!”
“Why is she still staring at me?”
“I feel like such an idiot.”
“When are we going to eat? I’m going to starve to death. This is abuse! This is absolutely abuse!”
“It was better when I was tied up. At least someone was there to serve me!”
“Could she actually like me? Is that why she keeps staring at me?”
“Definitely…”
“…”
Listening to all this, Jiang Wan’s fingers tightened.
“Looks like you had a pretty comfortable time while you were tied up.”
Sheng Zixu gave two little hums.
“Of course. They were all captivated by my charm, so they gave me plenty of good food and drink.”
The corner of Jiang Wan’s mouth twitched.
“You certainly know how to judge others by your own standards.”
Sheng Zixu didn’t understand what she meant at all and assumed she was complimenting him.
“Of course.”
He reached up and adjusted his hair, revealing his wrist. The red marks and bruises there had already faded considerably.
As he spoke, he rested his elbow on the table and leaned closer to Jiang Wan, propping his entire face up with his hand.
The sudden movement startled Jiang Wan. She frowned and leaned back, putting some distance between herself and this shameless man.
“Sit properly.”
Her gaze shifted away from his, and her mind-reading ability was cut off.
Sheng Zixu rolled his eyes slightly.
“Oh.”
Just then, someone knocked on the door three times.
Knock, knock, knock.
The attendant’s voice came from outside.
“Guest, I’ve brought your food. May I come in?”
The moment Sheng Zixu heard the word food, he sprang to his feet, opened the door, and took the tray and food box from the attendant.
“All right! Enjoy your meal, guest!”
The attendant hurried off to deliver food to the other rooms.
Sheng Zixu carried a food box in one hand and a beautifully crafted wooden tray in the other.
He placed both on the pear-wood table. He seemed genuinely famished as he began taking the dishes out.
The meat dishes included braised beef shank, roasted rabbit, steamed river fish, wine-marinated pork tenderloin, and oil-braised wild duck. Steam still rose from them, making anyone looking at them practically drool.
The tray held the vegetable dishes: chilled tender bamboo shoots, honey-preserved crisp lotus root, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and fresh mushrooms.
They were all light and appetizing dishes, accompanied by two bowls of white rice.
At that moment, Jiang Wan’s stomach suddenly growled.
Grrr.
Her fingers tightened around the hem of her clothes.
A soft laugh escaped Sheng Zixu’s throat. His brows relaxed, his eyes brightened with amusement, and his smile spread all the way to his eyes.
He simply couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Jiang Wan, want to eat with me? But I don’t want to share with you. What should I do?”
“How about you beg me? Just beg me, and I’ll magnanimously—”
He looked like a peacock displaying its feathers, strutting and showing off right in front of Jiang Wan.
Jiang Wan simply stood up, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.
“Keep it for yourself. Stuff it into that dog’s stomach of yours.”
Sheng Zixu’s pupils suddenly contracted.
The smile disappeared completely. His upper lip tightened into a sharp line, his brows furrowed deeply, and a chill spread through his eyes.
He did not lose control or fly into a rage. Instead, a soft laugh escaped his lips, his voice low and carrying clear displeasure at being insulted.
“Do you dare talk about me like that?”
Jiang Wan answered him directly.
“Oh? Then what do you want to do? Fight?”
She thought Sheng Zixu might actually attack and was preparing to strike first.
Yet after hearing her words, he immediately backed down while still trying to maintain his dignity.
“No fighting.”
He then coughed twice.
“Ahem, ahem. There’s too much food. I can’t finish it all.”
Jiang Wan looked at him several times before sitting down.
She certainly wasn’t doing it for his sake. The attendant had gone to deliver food elsewhere, and if she waited for him to return, it would take quite some time.
She sat down and picked up a bowl of white rice.
Regardless of whatever expression Sheng Zixu wore, his somewhat indignant face eventually crumpled into a pout. He sat down as well and quietly and elegantly finished the meal without causing any more trouble.
After both of them put down their bowls and chopsticks, Jiang Wan suddenly remembered something.
She hesitated, wanting to say something but unable to find the right way to phrase it.
She wanted him to stay quiet, not cause trouble, not argue with people, and not run around recklessly.
But then she suddenly realized something and ultimately said nothing.
Jiang Wan managed to squeeze out a dry question.
“Are you injured anywhere else?”
Sheng Zixu replied, “With how weak those people were, they couldn’t possibly do anything to me. I could’ve taken them down in just a few moves.”
Jiang Wan nodded and walked toward the door.
Just before leaving, she suddenly stopped.
“Don’t leave this courtyard.”
He naturally understood what she meant and immediately waved his hand, shooing her away.
“Oh, I know, I know. I’m not a three-year-old who needs someone watching me.”
Hearing that, Jiang Wan felt somewhat reassured.
She closed the door and headed toward Ye Yurong’s room.
She climbed several winding wooden steps, each footstep producing a faint creak. When she reached the second floor, the view beyond the carved wooden railing was much more expansive.
Nearby stood the inn’s tall gray-brick courtyard wall, with vines and weeds crawling over the top. An attendant was currently using tools to clear them away.
Inside the room, Ye Yurong had just finished writing a small note and sent a homing pigeon out with it.
Jiang Wan knocked on the door three times.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Come in.”
Jiang Wan pushed the wooden door open with a creak.
“Boss Ye, how are the sailors? Are any of them injured? Are their injuries serious?”
“And what about those twenty-five women? Have you noticed anything unusual about them?”
Hearing this, Ye Yurong recalled what the physician had told her.
“Nothing serious. The physician said they all have only superficial injuries, none of which damaged any vital areas. They’ve already been treated and bandaged.”
“As for the twenty-five women, the people assigned to keep watch and observe them haven’t noticed anything unusual. They’ve all been moving around within their designated areas, talking among themselves and such.”
Jiang Wan lowered her eyelashes.
“As long as nothing unexpected has happened, that’s good.”
Ye Yurong said, “I plan to send one group of people back to the dock tonight.”
“Also, the few of us may have to leave a little later.”
Jiang Wan raised her eyes and had no objection.
“Okay. I’ll help keep watch too, in case the pursuers come after us.”
That night, when Lin Yuan learned that they would be among the last to leave, his eyelids were half-lowered as he leaned against the wooden doorframe.
He wore a teasing expression.
“Oh? Are you planning to give me a vacation? I can openly slack off without getting scolded, then.”
Ye Yurong dealt him a fatal blow.
“Slack off? Dream on. Once there are fewer and fewer people left, you’ll have to keep watch.”
Lin Yuan answered with a cheeky grin.
“Being a night owl isn’t a problem. But I want extra pay.”
Ye Yurong was speechless and didn’t want to say anything more to him.
“…”
Seeing that she didn’t answer, Lin Yuan didn’t pester her. He simply maintained his position and silently watched their surroundings.
The uninjured sailors helped those who were more seriously injured toward the rear courtyard.
At the same time, three carriages arrived one after another and came to a steady stop.
All three vehicles were made of old, dark-brown wood. There were no carvings, copper fittings, or gilded decorations. The paint was worn and mottled, making them look like ordinary old carts used by rural merchants to transport goods—completely unremarkable.
The carriage compartments were spacious and sturdy, enclosed on all sides with thick wooden boards. Heavy dark-gray coarse-linen curtains hung around the exterior, blocking the light so thoroughly that nothing inside could be seen from outside.
The wheels were broad and solid, with reinforced axles, making them well suited for rough country roads and allowing for a steady ride.
Most importantly, each carriage came with its own dedicated driver, eliminating the need for outsiders and keeping the movement discreet.
There were no copper bells or fluttering ribbons on the carriages. Their appearance was plain and rough, allowing them to blend into the countryside without attracting the pursuers’ attention.
Ye Yurong’s plan was to first send all the injured people back to the dock to be settled and cared for, then arrange for the women to return. Those who were uninjured would ride horses back, while only a few people would remain behind and travel with them.
There were eighteen injured people this time. Once they had all boarded the carriages, the wheels began to turn, producing a steady rumble, rumble.
After watching the carriages disappear into the distance, everyone returned to the courtyard. Except for Sheng Zixu, the other three discussed how to get the twenty-five women back to the dock without attracting attention.
Lin Yuan said, “Why not just send them back in carriages?”
Jiang Wan calmly glanced at him. “That isn’t very safe. We can arrange for them to board carriages at different locations, staggering the times and dates.”
After hearing both of them, Ye Yurong felt that each suggestion had its merits. One was simply too lacking, while the other could still be improved.
“It could still attract some attention. We can have them disguise themselves and rent several spacious carriages. Then we’ll have the carriages stop outside the city, and they can take small carts from there. People under my command can disguise themselves as the drivers of those small carts. That should be safer.”
After hearing this, the other two unanimously agreed that the plan was excellent.
Jiang Wan would explain it to Zhang Qingdai, Lin Yuan would rent the large carriages and also serve as one of the small-cart drivers, while Ye Yurong would be responsible for directing everything and providing the money.
Zhang Qingdai thought the plan was excellent as well. She informed her sisters and had them make preparations.
Early the next morning, Jiang Wan carried the money Ye Yurong had given her to hand over to Shopkeeper Yang. As she passed through the front hall, she heard some people discussing the people and happenings in Mizhao Town.
“Do you know what kind of clothes the people in Mizhao Town wear? Tsk, tsk, tsk…”
“Stop keeping us in suspense. What’s wrong with their clothes? What could possibly be wrong with clothes?”
“The clothes worn by the people in that town are made from extraordinary fabric and have unusual tailoring. They’re all made of fine silk.”
“Huh? When did that town become so wealthy?”
The two people chattered back and forth.
To verify whether what they were saying was true, Jiang Wan met the speaker’s eyes for a moment and activated her mind-reading ability.
She saw his memories.
The people in that town really did dress in relatively expensive and luxurious clothing, and the difference could be recognized at a glance.
After confirming her suspicion, she didn’t hesitate. She asked the attendant where the shopkeeper was. After learning his location, she handed over the things meant for him and then went to find Sheng Zixu.
He was still lying in bed, fast asleep.
Jiang Wan shook him awake forcefully.
When Sheng Zixu saw that it was her, he impatiently raised a hand and brushed hers away. His eyes were filled with arrogance and annoyance.
His voice still carried a hint of hoarseness from sleep, and his tone was cold and cutting.
“Who gave you permission to touch me?”
Jiang Wan felt only a little guilty and didn’t bother beating around the bush.
“Did you hear anything about Mizhao Town while you were being held captive?”
Sheng Zixu thought for a moment.
“No.”
Hearing his answer, which seemed to be within her expectations, Jiang Wan covered him with the blanket before leaving, pulling it over his entire body.
Then she turned and walked away.
At noon, after everyone had eaten and disguised themselves, they began carrying out the plan.
The twenty-five women would leave in two groups, with a two-day interval between them.
They disguised themselves and left the inn in groups, taking different routes. After reaching the predetermined locations and confirming their identities, they were escorted to a place not far from the outskirts.
Lin Yuan counted the people and, after confirming that everyone was present, allowed the women to board the carriages.
Only after the carriages had traveled some distance did Lin Yuan return to report back.
Ye Yurong was relieved that he hadn’t messed things up and felt rather pleased.
As for Sheng Zixu, he remained somewhat lazy and unconcerned about what they were doing. He wandered aimlessly around the courtyard, and whenever he became bored, he would ask the attendant for some storybooks.
Two days passed.
The second group of women boarded their carriages before dawn.
Ye Yurong also received a letter from the dock reporting that everything had gone smoothly and that there had been no problems.
Jiang Wan felt somewhat uneasy. She had a feeling that things being too smooth meant something would go wrong.
But nothing had happened so far, so she could only attribute it to herself overthinking things.
Ye Yurong sent a message by homing pigeon, instructing the people at the dock to settle and take care of the women before they returned.
The remaining group set out on horseback in the dead of night.
Sheng Zixu didn’t know how to ride a horse, so he rode together with Jiang Wan on the same horse.
At night, the dew was heavy and the air was bitterly cold. Sheng Zixu leaned toward Jiang Wan for warmth.
She naturally noticed his movement.
“Behave yourself.”
Sheng Zixu’s body stiffened. He muttered a few words under his breath, but the wind blurred his voice, and Jiang Wan couldn’t make out what he said.
She simply lowered his body a little more so that as little wind as possible would hit him.
When they rode past a bamboo forest, something unexpected happened.
Even Sheng Zixu, who had been feeling somewhat sleepy, immediately became fully alert.
A group of masked men dressed in black surrounded them, long swords in hand, slowly closing in.
Sheng Zixu looked down at them from horseback with contempt. His frivolous tone was practically begging someone to stab him.
“A bunch of uncouth brutes who only know how to use brute force. Dealing with you will take no more than a moment.”
Lin Yuan let out a mocking chuckle when he saw this.
“Oh? Be careful you don’t end up falling into the hands of a real expert later. That would be terribly embarrassing.”
Ye Yurong immediately raised an eyebrow, a trace of anger in her eyes. She crossed her arms and gave him a sidelong glare, her tone blunt and sharp.
“You’re already completely surrounded, and you’re still bragging? Are you tired of living?”
Her back was rigid, and her face was full of disapproval. She practically wanted to verbally beat some of the arrogance out of him.
Jiang Wan whispered into his ear, “We don’t have many weapons. If we can’t beat them later, you can go out and act as a meat shield.”
Sheng Zixu: “…”
Can I take back what I just said?
Jiang Wan activated her mind-reading ability again, predicting the directions of their attacks and dodging accordingly.
Everyone began fighting the attackers.
They didn’t have many weapons, so they struggled somewhat to hold their own.
Ye Yurong pulled out a small cloth pouch from her waist and scattered a handful of white powder toward the black-clad men.
Their movements visibly slowed.
“Go!”
The group didn’t dare hesitate. They spurred their horses and galloped away at full speed.
Sheng Zixu practically flattened himself against the horse’s back, not daring to move even slightly.
Jiang Wan looked back.
The black-clad men had not caught up with them, but cold arrows were already flying toward them.
Ye Yurong, Lin Yuan, and the sailors swung their swords to deflect the arrows. Jiang Wan also wielded her dagger, knocking away the arrows that came dangerously close to Sheng Zixu.
In an instant, sparks flew everywhere.
The sounds of weapons deflecting the arrows rang continuously through the night.
Then, in one careless moment, a cold arrow knocked Jiang Wan’s dagger from her hand.
Another arrow struck her in the shoulder, nearly sending her tumbling from the horse.
Fortunately, she managed to grip the reins tightly and narrowly avoided falling.
Ye Yurong shouted, “Faster! We need to pick up the pace. If we keep going like this, we won’t get away!”
Lin Yuan also replied breathlessly, “As you command, Boss.”
The group suddenly picked up speed, quickly moving away from the area where they had been ambushed.
Everyone had suffered injuries of varying severity, and blood was still flowing from their wounds, but they didn’t dare stop. They forced themselves to keep going until dawn.
At the dock, everyone had been anxiously waiting for their return. When their figures finally appeared within the sight of the people aboard the ship, everyone cheered excitedly.
But when they got closer, they saw that everyone was injured, with some even having been struck by arrows.
The injured were brought back aboard the ship for treatment.
The arrow wound on Jiang Wan’s shoulder was fortunately not in a difficult location. The healer sprinkled an anesthetic powder around the wound, broke off the exposed portion of the arrow, wrapped the area with cloth, and then carefully removed the arrowhead lodged inside.
The others had been struck in their arms, thighs, calves, backs, and waists.
After roughly three days of recuperation, those with leg injuries still couldn’t get out of bed, while those without leg injuries were already able to walk around.
Jiang Wan immediately asked about everyone else’s condition. After learning that no one was in critical condition, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She then asked about Sheng Zixu.
Chunxia thought for a moment.
“You mean the man who rode the same horse as you? He’s fine. Don’t worry.”
“How are Boss Ye and Lin Yuan?”
“The Captain is fine. As soon as she was able to get out of bed, she started handling affairs again.”
“As for Steward Lin, apparently he was shot in the thigh. He says he won’t get out of bed for ten days or half a month.”
“Thank you.”
Chunxia looked somewhat embarrassed.
“It’s nothing. You should take your medicine now.”
Records Department
After receiving the Captain’s orders, the head of the Records Department was instructed to find a woman to speak with and interview the twenty-five women.
He immediately thought of one of his subordinates and sent her over.
An hour later, the woman brought several long pages of recorded statements to Ye Yurong’s study, where she was handling affairs.
Jiang Wan happened to be there as well, so Ye Yurong invited her to read them together.
After reading the contents, the two of them were simultaneously filled with anger.
The first statement belonged to Zhang Qingdai.
She had originally been a young woman from an ordinary family. Her family was poor, and she wanted to help ease their financial burden. Because she was also quite beautiful, she was deceived into signing a contract of indenture.
She was passed from one place to another and repeatedly sold until she eventually ended up in a brothel.
Later, someone took a liking to her and paid to redeem her.
But the person who redeemed her was a devil.
Every time, that devil would beat her until her entire body was covered in blood. He would even bite pieces of flesh from her body.
That devil didn’t even spare young girls.
Torture, whipping, stabbing them with needles—nothing was off-limits. He would even find multiple people to take turns abusing them.
She had tried to resist, but every attempt ended in failure.
After each failed attempt, she would be subjected to even more brutal torture. Her fingernails were torn off.
On one occasion, she took advantage of the demon being drunk and stabbed him with a hairpin.
But he didn’t die.
Instead, the guards discovered what she had done, and she was subjected to another round of inhumane torture.
…
The accounts of the other women were just as heartbreaking, each seemingly worse than the last.
That devil didn’t only abduct women. He also captured men for people with various perverse desires to use as entertainment.
Some victims were even handed over to others with different depraved interests, while others were sold into pleasure houses.
All of this brought the devil a steady stream of wealth, which he used to bribe officials, secure promotions and riches, and obtain protection.
…
Every word was an accusation written in blood and tears.
For some reason, Jiang Wan suddenly thought of Sheng Zixu, then dismissed the thought.
With his martial arts skills, he could probably break someone’s bones.
Ye Yurong slammed her hand heavily against the table.
“A bunch of beasts! We absolutely have to make them pay.”
Jiang Wan said, “They must pay the price. First, we need to collect evidence, and then protect these women.”
“Mm. I had my people send them home, but they refused. Now I understand why.”
“I’ll let them stay aboard the ship and help out for now. I’ll pay them a monthly wage, and they can stay until these scumbags are properly punished.”
Jiang Wan agreed.
“Boss Ye, get some proper rest. I’ll go check on them.”
Just as Ye Yurong had arranged, the women helped the sailors sort the local goods aboard the ship, greatly increasing the speed of the work.
Jiang Wan went through them one by one, checking on and speaking with each of them.
After she had finished speaking with the last woman, Chunxia hurried over.
“Miss, the man you brought back is looking for you. He’s also making quite a scene.”
Jiang Wan followed Chunxia over.
Even from a distance, she could hear him shouting.
“I’m looking for Jiang Wan! I’m not going anywhere! I just want to see her! Let me out…”
“I’m sorry, Young Master. Please don’t make things difficult for us…”
Jiang Wan stopped them, pulled Sheng Zixu into the room, and closed the door.
“What do you want?”
“I’m looking for you! You took an arrow in the shoulder. Who knows whether you’re dead or alive?”
“As you can see, you found me. I’m not dead.”
Jiang Wan paused, but still asked about the time he had been held captive in that courtyard.
“Were you all right in that courtyard? Did anything happen?”
Sheng Zixu thought she was being inexplicable and was about to retort.
But then he remembered something and answered, “No. They actually treated me pretty respectfully. The only problem was that whenever I cursed at them, they would gag me and tie me up to prevent me from escaping. Other than that, there was no problem.”
“Then did you ever see the owner of that courtyard?”
“Does that courtyard actually have an owner? Every day, I only saw those guards wandering around like flies. It was disgusting.”
“The courtyard was also rather eerie. Every night, I could faintly hear crying. I don’t know if the owner of that courtyard is simply too wicked.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wan’s gaze narrowed slightly.
She now had a fairly good idea of what was going on.
“Okay. I have something else to do. I’m leaving.”
Sheng Zixu stopped her.
“Have them arrange my room closer to yours. I need you to personally protect me. I don’t trust anyone else.”
Jiang Wan rubbed her forehead.
“That isn’t something I can decide.”
Sheng Zixu replied matter-of-factly, “Then you can come over here, can’t you?”
For a moment, Jiang Wan didn’t know what to say.
In the end, she simply fell silent and made no other move, staring straight at him.
Her mind-reading ability activated again, allowing her to glimpse the reason behind his behavior.
It turned out that the assassination attempt had left a psychological shadow on him.
More importantly, because he was unfamiliar with the place and everyone around him, he was somewhat frightened.
Chunxia had overheard some of their conversation outside. Through the door, she said to Jiang Wan, “Miss, there are still vacant rooms above the one you’re staying in.”
Upon hearing this, Sheng Zixu immediately straightened his back.
“Let’s go.”