…Skinny Monkey went to inform Xiao Baoshan and he came over in a minute.
Xiao Baoshan did not speak but only watched Third Xing as if seeing something written across his face: What’s the matter?
He knew that Xiao Baoshan was good at kung fu and had a rather stiff personality, but there was one more thing; Xiao Baoshan was an honest man who could be be persuaded by reason but not be cowed by force. As long as one spoke to him nicely, Xiao Baoshan could be manipulated by them completely.
“Baoshan, have you been doing well on the dock?” asked Third Xing.
“Not bad,” said Xiao Baoshan.
“So do you want to take some extra work?” asked Third Xing. “Like going to sail on a ship?”
Xiao Baoshan’s primary role was to take care of the dock but “sailing on a ship” was more like escort work.
On the land there were bandits and burglars while on the waters there were pirates. Once those pirates laid their eyes on the shipment of cargo they would catch others off guard and rob them. Some traders often hired a couple of hands to sail onboard the ship to frighten off the pirates.
Xiao Baoshan said immediately, “Sure.”
He knew that he would get paid for it. After making it successfully the trader would pay him directly.
However, Third Xing became silent again and just squinted towards Xiao Baoshan with a grin.
Xiao Baoshan knew that Third Xing was asking for a share and he knew the rule, so he asked Third Xing frankly, “How many shares do you want?”
There was a hidden rule at the dock. When those who sailed in the ship finished their job they had to divide the reward between themselves the one who was in charge of the dock and as for the actual share, they could discuss this amongst themselves.
Third Xing patted Xiao Baoshan on the shoulder and suddenly smiled. “You’re very well informed of the rule here. A businessman from Fu Province came to me a couple of days ago and he has a ship that needs somebody to sail with to the dock at the other side. It takes around six days to return and the reward is eight taels. So when you come back with the money, fifty-fifty. How does it sound?”
Half of them?
Even Skinny Money was taken aback.
Third Xing was demanding an exorbitant price. Wasn’t this a bit too much?
Still, Third Xing was looking at Xiao Baoshan rather calmly as he could tell that so long as he did not use force against Xiao Baoshan, Xiao Baoshan would never bargain with him.
“Baoshan, the businessman from Fu became acquainted with me first and if it weren’t for me you’d never know him, am I right? In this case, I don’t think I’ve asked for too much with the four taels of silver. What’s more, as you sail aboard his ship he’ll provide you with accommodation and food, and within six days you’ll earn four taels. I don’t see why not?”
Third Xing kept bargaining with him.
Xiao Baoshan nodded. “Okay. When is the sailing time?”
“At noon tomorrow,” said Third Xing.
After Xiao Baoshan turned around and left, Skinny Monkey then turned to Third Xing. “Boss, have…Isn’t that a little bit too much of the share you’ve asked for?”
“Is it?” said Third Xing. “Does what I just said not make sense? Without me how would he even know a businessman from Fu?”
“But I heard that midway to Fu there were pirates causing trouble and those pirates were very savage. I’m just thinking, what if Xiao Baoshan comes across any danger during his trip?”
“Then it depends on his fate!” Third Xing finished talking and looked at Skinny Monkey displeased. “Why on earth should you worry so much about that? Hurry up and keep a close eye on your domain.”
“I, I’m on my way!”
…At noon the next day, as per his appointment, Xiao Baoshan went on board with the businessman from Fu. This businessman was called Wen Lei and what he was transporting was a shipment of ironware which was counted as precious goods.
Wen Lei met Xiao Baoshan for the first time and did not fully trust him at first sight, but as he saw Xiao Baoshan looking so tall and muscular and as strong as an ox he then asked, “Have, have you practiced martial arts? How many can you take down on your own?”
“I have practiced martial arts!” Xiao Baoshan replied. “It depends on how capable the others are.”
Wen Lei also touched Xiao Baoshan’s arms and still did not rest at ease until he’d felt Xiao Baoshan’s swelling triceps and biceps. “Well, well come up with us then. I heard from Third Xing that you’re good at fighting. I hope that he didn’t give me the wrong person.”
Xiao Baoshan got in Wen Lei’s ship.
It was the usual sort of cargo ship and all of the cargo was covered with oil paper. The ship’s cabins were at the bottom where there were two rooms which could accommodate four or five people.
The ship moved off smoothly when it set out from the dock of Qinghe County.
Xiao Baoshan sat on the deck in the daytime and only went below into the cabin to take a nap in the evening. The fog came down like a curtain over the river but he looked rather peaceful.
They had food on board also since Wen Lei was afraid of bumping into any kind of trouble, so even when they passed by some docks they would not be allowed to get off the ship, but ate dried food instead.
Xiao Baoshan followed them to eat the dried food as well.
The night before they were due to reach Fu Province, Xiao Baoshan suddenly felt a thrusting motion in the hull of the ship and sensed that it did not bode well, so he lunged for the deck.
However, Xiao Baoshan then heard the “swoosh” sounds of arrows and began protecting others going down to the cabin. After he was sure that nobody was missing he asked everyone in the cabin to keep quiet.
He himself grabbed a shield and went back on the deck once again. It was dark and aside from the burning lantern nothing was visible.
What was worse, the lantern had been shot down by the pirates.
Xiao Baoshan did not panic but began to feel his way through the darkness. The noise of people and arrows shooting came from the same direction but there should also be pirates beneath the ship.
The order of pirates robbing the goods was firstly slaughtering the people and then taking over the ship, so they normally would not damage the hull. Therefore Xiao Baoshan did not worry about the ship being damaged by them. He was just waiting quietly for the pirates to come on board.
Finally, there was some sound from astern made by a man climbing onto the deck.
In the dark Xiao Baoshan dashed towards him like a spirit and after he found the pirate’s neck, Xiao Baoshan snapped it right away.
Once those pirates had become thieves they would not mend their ways even if they were arrested and put in jail. Xiao Baoshan did not mind sending them to hell.
Furthermore, they were not ordinary robbers. If someone stole something in the street, perhaps he could be locked up and educated, but not these pirates as they all had murder to their names, so no matter how long they stayed in jail their corrupted souls had long become incorrigible.
After Xiao Baoshan had taken down this one he heard another one climb on board. He dashed towards the other and did the same thing again until the pirate was sinking beneath the water without a sound.
The pirate boat was not far away.
The pirates’ plan was to send several of these men to the ship and after everyone on board had been killed the other pirates were able to land on the ship. However, they had fired arrows and sent sailors to the cargo ship but there was nothing happening.
After quite some time someone shouted, “Hey, anyone there?”
There was not a single sound in this empty water.
The pirate’s boat was quiet again as all the men found it rather spooky. Even if their men had been taken down they would have at least screeched. Therefore, men in the pirate boat lit torches which illuminated the cargo ship.
However, the cargo ship was still quiet without a trace of light or footsteps, as if it were a ghost ship.
The pirates were bold and actually moved towards the cargo ship. There were still ten or so of them in their boat and when the cargo ship drew nearer they found that there was still no sound coming from it. Once again some reckless guys carried their blades and climbed onto the cargo ship…
