The Wanli Sunshine was painstakingly making its way through the lower reaches of the Yellow River.
This stretch of the river was infamous among sailors.
The Yellow River carried vast quantities of silt and sand, much of which settled in its lower course. Over time, this caused the waterway to become shallow and unpredictable. The riverbed shifted constantly, changing its contours from season to season. Even in much later eras, navigating the lower Yellow River remained a daunting task. In the present age, it was nothing short of perilous.
With a draft of three to four meters, the Wanli Sunshine was pushing the limits of what was possible.
One moment of negligence was enough to run the ship aground.
The sailors from Gao Family Village were tense to the point of breathlessness. This was the divine vessel's maiden voyage. If they were to strand it here, how could they possibly face Dao Xuan Tianzun when they returned?
Everyone aboard was gripped by anxiety.
Everyone, that is, except Zhu Piaoling.
He stood at the railing, eyes sparkling, firing questions nonstop. "Are we almost at the sea? Where exactly are we now? I heard the Yellow River has changed its course countless times throughout history. Where does it finally flow into the ocean? I really want to see the sea!"
Shi Kefa, the most learned among them, stepped forward with a faint smile and shook his head. "During the Song Dynasty," he said calmly, "Du Chong, the Prefect of Kaifeng, deliberately breached the Yellow River dikes to halt the southward advance of the Jurchen armies. As a result, the Yellow River was diverted into the Huai River via the Si River."
He continued, "For several hundred years since then, the Yellow River has emptied into the sea through the Huai River system."
Ordinarily, such historical exposition would have lulled listeners to sleep. Yet Zhu Piaoling listened with keen interest, his excitement only growing.
"So that's how it is!" he exclaimed. "Fascinating, absolutely fascinating! Then does that mean we're no longer in the Yellow River at all, but in the Huai River instead?"
Shi Kefa nodded. "Exactly. The Huai River's estuary lies very close to that of the Yangtze River. In fact, the Yellow River's diversion into the Huai has worked greatly in our favor during this journey."
Zhu Piaoling burst into laughter. "Hahaha! To think that without realizing it, I've already traveled through the Huai River as well. Truly wonderful!"
"The sea is just ahead!"
The moment those words were spoken, Zhu Piaoling's excitement surged.
Far in the distance, the ocean came into view. A vast expanse of blue stretched to the horizon, meeting a golden-yellow coastline. This land had been steadily "extended" over the centuries by the Yellow River itself, which year after year deposited enormous amounts of sediment, pushing the shoreline ever farther outward.
The sight of the boundless sea made Zhu Piaoling shout in unrestrained delight.
However, Tie Niaofei, Jiang Cheng, and the others were not admiring the scenery.
Their gazes locked onto a fleet of ships visible on the horizon.
"There's a fleet over there," Tie Niaofei said, pointing toward the sea. "Six ships in total."
"They look like merchant vessels," Jiang Cheng said, lifting his spyglass. "They're carrying cargo."
Tie Niaofei felt a surge of pleasure. "Here I am, a land-based merchant, setting foot on the sea for the first time, and I immediately run into fellow traders. What a stroke of fate! Should we hail them?"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Jiang Cheng's expression changed.
"Something's wrong," he said quietly. "Those aren't ordinary merchant ships."
Tie Niaofei froze.
He quickly raised his own spyglass and focused on the distant vessels. His face darkened at once. The ships were indeed laden with cargo, but there were also numerous people bound tightly on deck.
They were all women.
Tie Niaofei lowered his voice. "There are only two possibilities. Either this is an illegal merchant ship trafficking people, or it's a pirate vessel, and both the goods and these women were seized by force."
Jiang Cheng nodded grimly. "Either way, this is bad news. And they've already noticed us."
Through their spyglasses, both men saw figures on the opposing ships turning in their direction.
Jiang Cheng adjusted his lens and focused on the flag fluttering above the fleet. "I don't recognize that banner," he said slowly. "There are mushrooms painted on it."
"Mushrooms?" Tie Niaofei exclaimed. "Those aren't mushrooms. Those are Lingzhi!"
He squinted and counted carefully. "One, two… eighteen Lingzhi. That's strange. What could that represent?"
At that moment, a familiar voice sounded from the embroidered insignia on Tie Niaofei's chest.
"Eighteen Lingzhi?" Dao Xuan Tianzun said. "That may belong to the Wind and Cloud Eighteen Scholars. That's odd. Their leader, Zheng Zhilong, accepted imperial pacification years ago. That banner should no longer be in use. Let me think."
Li Daoxuan immediately checked his records.
Only after reviewing them did clarity emerge.
At this time, the infamous pirate confederation known as the Wind and Cloud Eighteen Scholars, which had once terrorized the southeastern coast, had already fractured. Their leader, Zheng Zhilong, had submitted to the court and accepted pacification.
However, one of the eighteen remained active.
His name was Liu Xiang.
Liu Xiang acted as a comprador for the Spanish and Portuguese. Backed by Western powers, he showed no respect for the authority of the Great Ming court. Even after Zheng Zhilong's submission, Liu Xiang continued to operate under the banner of the Wind and Cloud Eighteen Scholars, rampaging across the seas with unchecked arrogance.
That said, his end was already written.
In the eighth year of Chongzhen, which was the present year, Liu Xiang would be decisively eliminated by Zheng Zhilong himself, marking the final and tragic end of the Wind and Cloud Eighteen Scholars.
Dao Xuan Tianzun's voice sounded once more from the embroidery. "That fleet is likely Liu Xiang's. The last remnant of the Wind and Cloud Eighteen Scholars."
"So they really are pirates!" Tie Niaofei cursed. "Damnable pirates! Everyone, stay alert!"
Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. "Master Tie, pirates are half merchants and half bandits. You salt smugglers aren't much different. The only difference is that one operates at sea and the other on land. Don't point fingers so quickly."
Tie Niaofei snorted. "That's where you're wrong! We salt smugglers only clash with officials and patrols. The rest of the time, we sell salt honestly. We don't rob people. Since when has robbery ever been more profitable than selling salt?"
Jiang Cheng was left speechless.
"Enough chatter," Tie Niaofei said. "They're closing in."
Jiang Cheng turned to look. The fleet suspected to belong to Liu Xiang was indeed changing course and heading straight toward them.
Nothing good could come of this.
"What should we do?" Zhu Piaoling asked, his expression finally turning serious as he leapt over. "Should we speed up and try to escape?"
Tie Niaofei nodded. "We don't know their exact strength. Retreating is the safest option."
Jiang Cheng agreed without hesitation.
At that moment, Shi Kefa spoke.
"If we flee," he asked quietly, "what about the women on those ships?"
The question hung in the air.
Everyone froze.
Shame flickered across their faces one after another.
That was right.
How could they abandon those women?
Dao Xuan Tianzun's voice sounded again. "Those women must be rescued. This is the very soul of Gao Family Village. It is this spirit that distinguishes us from corrupt officials and ruthless rebels. Think carefully."
"Your subordinate understands," Jiang Cheng said solemnly.
"Shameful," Tie Niaofei muttered. "Truly shameful."
Zhu Piaoling roared, "By Dao Xuan Tianzun's decree, no retreat! Fight them!"
Before he could finish, the sworn guards behind him rushed forward, seized him, and dragged the struggling Zhu Piaoling into the cabin to keep him safe.
Jiang Cheng shouted at once, "Prepare for battle! We're on the open sea now. There's no need to hide our strength. Ready the cannons!"
Shi Kefa suddenly spoke again. "The women are bound on the deck. If we engage with cannons and firearms, stray shots are inevitable. Instructor Jiang, this battle will not be simple."