On this day, Mo Zi was in the large wooden shed out back leading people to start work. She now had quite a few under her command—besides eight boat craftsmen and Wei Qing, there were over twenty temporary carpenter helpers.
Similar to the method used when building ship models, she divided the carpenters into several groups, each responsible for one process, like an assembly line. Later on, even carpenters who had never built ships became skilled through practice.
Outside, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed with pouring rain, but inside they worked just as vigorously.
“Brother Mo, we don’t have enough wood.” Ding Xiu returned from checking the storage room and reminded Mo Zi.
“How many days’ worth is left?” The budget was something Mo Zi, being capable, had done herself. Because she had little capital on hand, she could only buy materials in batches.
It was also fortunate—Old Guan from the smuggling ship had piloted the Yongfu to rendezvous with her, and along the way happened to encounter a timber merchant. He kindly brought him to the capital to pick up goods, and Mo Zi bought a batch of cedar wood from him with both good price and quality.
“At minimum three days, at most five days.” Because they were building ships indoors without wasting any time, Ding Xiu didn’t need to consider the weather. “However, tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival—everyone’s busy with the holiday, so we’ll probably have to wait several days.”
“No need to wait—I’ll go look around today.” Mo Zi wanted to take advantage of the holiday when the timber market might be slow to negotiate a better price.
The two were discussing this when they heard a commotion outside the door.
“Just go in—who’s going to eat you?” That was Sister-in-law Ding’s voice.
“Does he dare go in? Someone who could do something as embarrassing as running away halfway, and now wants to come back just like that—does he think this is his own home?” Wei Qing showed no courtesy.
Ding Xiu had already guessed and exchanged a glance with Mo Zi, discovering she raised her eyebrows, clearly also knowing.
Ding Xiu said he’d go out to look.
But Mo Zi stopped him, shook her head, and called out loudly, “If you have something to say, come in and say it. This shed is built simply—everyone can hear.”
“Alright, Wei Qing, say less—it’s good he’s back.” Sister-in-law Ding walked in carrying a large bamboo basket—it was time for tea and snacks.
Wei Qing entered humming twice, helping Sister-in-law Ding carry two large pots of cold tea. Seeing Mo Zi looking at him, he jerked his mouth toward the back.
Outside the door, a person slowly shuffled out. As Mo Zi expected, it was Min Song. When he saw Mo Zi’s attire, his eyes involuntarily widened.
“What are you staring at?” Wei Qing’s slight improvement in opinion of Min Song had completely vanished because of his running away. “Ever since returning from Leopard Gang, Brother Mo told everyone about her being a woman. However, the only person who ran away because of this was you.”
Mo Zi today wore no thick eyebrows—her long hair was combed into two simple braids, wearing a simple lake-green cloth skirt, dressed as a young woman.
Min Song had originally thought everything through clearly, but seeing her dressed as a woman, his heart felt awkward again. Others didn’t run because they hadn’t seen her skill in passing three trials. Moreover, he had even knelt and taken her as master, even setting her as a goal to surpass. Apart from his own family’s ancestor, he had never held anyone in such high regard, yet how could he know the other party was actually a woman?
He ran initially because of anger, but it quickly became embarrassment. Actually, he wanted to return after running not far, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. When he finally made up his mind and arrived at Leopard Gang headquarters, the feast had already dispersed and he only met his own grandfather. Hearing grandfather mention that Brother Mo had her neck seized by a crazy woman, he felt extremely regretful for throwing a tantrum and thus failing to stand together with everyone.
“One ship, one life.”
Her words still rang in his ears. He once didn’t believe it, but she truly did it. This woman had a spirit even higher than men’s—what was there to be angry about, what was there to be embarrassed about?
“Brother Mo—” Min Song was too ashamed to meet Mo Zi’s gaze.
“Min Song, come with me to buy lumber. But let’s be clear first—these days you were absent without leave, there’s no wages to collect.” Mo Zi took two sugar cakes from the large basket, walked over, and stuffed one into Min Song’s hand. “Let’s go—the rain just stopped. Go to the riverside and call Zan Jin and Chou Yu, wait for me outside the cart shed. I’ll change clothes and come.”
Min Song stood dazed—was he forgiven?
Wei Qing muttered over there, “Brother Mo is too easy to talk to—if it were me, I’d definitely teach him a lesson.”
The Ding couple pulled Wei Qing aside to drink tea.
Mo Zi returned to her own room and changed into old robes. Just as she was about to leave, she saw a neatly folded black robe with gold thread cloud weave on the bed. It must have been washed by Sister-in-law Ding. Her brows slightly furrowed, she bit her lip white, walked two steps toward the bed, then backed away, smiling bitterly as she closed the door.
After returning, Zan Jin told her that Hu Tao was killed by guards in official uniforms who shot plum blossom needles from the wall into three major acupuncture points. Therefore, there was no struggle—she died on the spot without shedding a single drop of blood. He also said the other party’s strikes were extremely fast and accurate, not wasting a single needle, each needle taking a life.
She listened and only said “oh.” The shock of life dissipating before her eyes had passed, and her heart had hardened another degree from before. Hu Tao’s death merely told her an era’s rule she already knew. Life wasn’t valuable—if one was too careless, it was very easy to lose. And she had no right to manage others—she should take care of herself first.
As for Yuan Cheng’s side, she still needed to personally visit once. She feared he was petty and would break off their friendship over these few thoughtless foolish words of hers. She was a small person—small people should obediently lower their heads to big people, as they should.
Thinking this way, her steps became much lighter. Before long, seeing Min Song looking somewhat awkward cornered by the cart by Zan Jin and Chou Yu, she even felt like joking.
“Chou Yu, Zan Jin, you two move aside.”
With Chou Yu and Zan Jin’s skills, they whooshed several yards away in an instant.
Min Song heard Mo Zi’s imposing voice and hurriedly looked up, but was immediately scared white. He saw a guy with silver teeth and black face gleaming with cold light, chopping toward his head.
He instinctively wanted to close his eyes tightly, but thinking he had already run once and couldn’t lose face again no matter what, he gritted his teeth and held his eyelids firm.
Bang—
The cart canopy wall cracked.
That dark black thing was embedded half an inch from his ear.
“Brother A Song, this is the axe I kept safe for you that day—now returning it to its rightful owner. You must use it well, understand?” Mo Zi blinked, released the axe handle with both hands, and pretended to dust off her hands.
“Can axes be used for jokes?” Min Song had returned from his wayward path, so his confidence was lacking.
“Can’t say about other things, but things like axes, saws, files—absolutely accurate when thrown. As long as you don’t provoke me, you can rest assured.” Mo Zi chuckled and climbed into the cart.
Min Song’s heart was still racing from her treatment.
He heard Mo Zi say from inside the cart, “If there’s a next time you run away, don’t come back. Because that would mean you’re still more suited to hiding under the care of your elders, smoothly taking that lofty master’s position, being a wealthy young master.”
“…” Min Song wanted to retort, but he was in the wrong.
Mo Zi acted so severely because of a letter from Old Master Min. He asked her to definitely be strict with Min Song to achieve the purpose of sending him over for training. Of course, the most attractive part for her was the promise in the letter to introduce customers to her. With Min Song running away once and her suffering no loss, she almost laughed out loud with satisfaction.
Two horses and one cart headed toward the city.
The capital leaned against mountains and water with dense forests. Within a radius of two hundred li, there were several large lumber yards. And timber transported from various places was countless.
This lumber business wasn’t like other trades where buyers could trek through mountains and rivers to see each location personally. In the western city suburbs of the capital, a large plot of land was designated where timber merchants all piled sample materials and opened shops specifically for customers to view materials.
Generally speaking, lumber for shipbuilding was best sourced locally, so these shops were mainly local timber merchants. Unless the business was particularly large with branches in various places.
This large area was called Tianshu Market. Most merchants and shops in the market were related to wood. Customers from south and north came in an endless stream, so other businesses brought along were also quite lively.
This was Mo Zi’s first time here—she suddenly discovered this was heaven. Various wood fragrances permeated the air, everywhere she looked were wooden products, even the wooden relief paintings hanging in a small stationery shop particularly fascinated her. Her hands itched, her heart also itched.
Min Song watched her constantly making sounds of pleasant surprise, wanting to browse every shop, thinking: Where exactly did she come from? Her craftsmanship was so high, yet she wasn’t familiar with these places at all. He naturally didn’t know Mo Zi had been under disguised house arrest for many years.
“If you keep browsing like this, you won’t be able to buy lumber before dark.” Finally unable to bear it, he raised an objection. “Either go directly to timber shops, or wait until after Mid-Autumn Festival—you think it over clearly.”
Mo Zi looked at the big sun overhead—past noon already—and said with a smile, “Almost forgot the main business. Of course, buy the lumber first—I’m still hoping to negotiate the price down.”
Zan Jin and Chou Yu couldn’t interject in such matters—wherever she said to go, they’d go.
Walking all the way to the outskirts of Tianshu Market, after looking at two shops’ cedar wood, Mo Zi wasn’t very satisfied. Not only were the trees young, the prices were also high. At the third shop, the storefront was plain but appeared extremely elegant.
“Ruimuxiang split off from Jichang Lumber Yard. You must know Jichang Lumber Yard, right?” Min Song had followed Old Master Min for half a year and was very familiar with large lumber yards. Just now when Mo Zi insisted on starting from small shops, he had scoffed. To him, the saying went: good goods aren’t cheap, cheap goods aren’t good.
“I don’t know.” Mo Zi honestly shook her head. “Is it very big?”
Min Song rolled his eyes. “Jichang—a timber merchant since the Great Tang’s Taizong era. It operates lumber yards throughout the Great Zhou, with branches near all shipyards. Ruimuxiang was opened by the youngest son of this generation’s Jichang master—seemed to have fallen out with the family and came out to go solo. Without the family’s backing after all, the lumber is said to be inferior.”
“You can say I judge by appearances or am greedy for small bargains—I think this Ruimuxiang is good, looks very pleasing.” Mo Zi was about to ignore Min Song’s “advice” again.
“I really don’t understand why you’re interested in these small merchants and vendors. Jichang is right ahead—I know the manager there and can get you a good price.” The young master of a prestigious family, the prestigious family’s way of doing things.
“Because birds of a feather flock together. My Hongyu is currently a small business, so naturally I should deal with small businesspeople.” Large shops bully customers—an age-old problem.
Mo Zi ignored Min Song and stepped into Ruimuxiang.
Ruimuxiang—even the name sounded appealing.