They came out of the cabin.
Meng Jianqing was suddenly startled.
At some point, Uncle Yanfu, who’d been kicked into the sea, had climbed back up by the anchor chain. Dripping wet and gripping the ghost-head saber thrown on deck, he roared as he chopped at the hardwood post securing the iron anchor.
Meng Jianqing’s thought barely formed before his blade was unsheathed, spinning and whistling as it slashed toward Uncle Yanfu’s waist.
But he was a step too late. Uncle Yanfu’s desperate strike severed the post, and the iron anchor slid into the sea with a broken section of wood. The ship shuddered and suddenly accelerated. Meng Jianqing’s short blade was embedded in Uncle Yanfu’s waist. Uncle Yanfu’s body shook but remained rigidly upright, his face bearing a smile as he glared at Meng Jianqing.
Meng Jianqing swung his long rope to lasso the blade handle and pull it back. Only then did Uncle Yanfu crash backward into the sea.
Fang Fourteen and Fang Seventeen almost simultaneously cried out mournfully and lunged at Meng Jianqing. As Meng Jianqing barely grasped his short blade, he heard movement behind him, spun around abruptly, and swept his blade horizontally. Fang Fourteen and Fang Seventeen collapsed to the ground.
Fang Guohao shouted as he pulled Meihong toward the rope securing the small boat, “This has nothing to do with us—we’re leaving immediately!”
Meng Jianqing watched them coldly as they ran past him.
Meihong suddenly raised her hand and scattered powder toward his face. Caught off guard, Meng Jianqing’s vision blurred, and he quickly retreated. Fang Guohao had already thrust out a blade from the side. If not for Meng Jianqing’s instinctive twisting with the blade’s direction at the moment of penetration, letting it slide along his ribs, this strike could have pierced half his body.
Fang Guohao tried to strike again but had no more opportunity. Meng Jianqing located him by sound, stepped diagonally forward in the direction of his attack, reached out, and slashed his throat open.
Meihong screamed and lunged forward, but was kicked away by Meng Jianqing.
Meng Jianqing retreated several steps and quickly washed his eyes with fresh water. Feeling the powder’s intense fragrance, he was greatly disturbed.
Meihong slowly stood up. The lantern thrown on deck flickered, illuminating the desolate smile on her face, “That was just face powder I normally use—it’s not poisonous.”
Meng Jianqing had also realized there was nothing abnormal after opening his eyes, which reassured him somewhat. He steadied himself and looked at Meihong, “I was letting you go—why did you still ambush me?”
Meihong bit her lip and raised her head. “When we originally let you go, why did you ambush us?”
Meng Jianqing watched her and said slowly, “Because I already knew where you were going. Drifting southeast with this wind, you’d encounter the Black Water Channel. Following the Black Water Current, even a piece of wood without sail or rudder could drift to Japan.”
Meihong was startled and said, “In the Great Ming, I’m a criminal, a prisoner who can never rise again. If I don’t flee to an enemy nation of the Great Ming, where else can I go?”
Meng Jianqing raised his eyebrows, “If you want to leave, I absolutely won’t stop you. But this ship cannot go!”
Meihong said softly, “Only with this ship full of gold, silver, and jewels can we live in luxury and wealth in a foreign land.”
Meng Jianqing watched her intently, “Is that really what you think? Is that really what you all think? The Ke and Chen surnames have intermarried for generations. Chen Youliang once swore to heaven that if the Chen clan ruled the realm, empresses would first be chosen from the Ke surname, and only those born of Ke women could inherit the throne. Japan and Goryeo are separated by only a stretch of water. Chen Youliang’s son Chen Li is currently under Goryeo supervision. Goryeo and the Mongols are separated only by Liaodong, where the Jurchen tribes maintain ambiguous attitudes. Money can move spirits—with this treasure trove, those with ambition could accomplish great things.”
Meihong laughed coldly with self-mockery, “You think I’m dreaming such dreams?”
Meng Jianqing said slowly, “Those in the game are often confused.”
Hence the saying “profit clouds judgment.”
Meihong suddenly raised her head, “Even if you suspect me like this, suspect us like this—but if you came with us, with your abilities, you would certainly become our leader, our master. None of this would happen. This entire ship of treasure would be yours! That’s wealth and honor you could never achieve in a lifetime. Haven’t you thought about it?”
Meng Jianqing answered flatly, “What use is the greatest glory if there’s no one to share it with?”
Meihong was startled and almost blurted out, “Couldn’t I share it?”
But she immediately understood that for Meng Jianqing, she was far from being his everything.
Her sharing alone was far from enough.
She stood lost in thought for a long time before saying softly, “I understand. Wealth without returning home is like wearing brocade at night.”
Meng Jianqing was startled, then realized this was exactly what he meant.
When Instructor Liu had taught “The Records of Xiang Yu,” their class had more than once mocked the Hegemon King’s impulsive words. But here and now, he felt more genuinely than ever that desire to share glory with friends and old companions.