After traveling with the Zuo family fleet for several days, they enjoyed favorable winds and smooth waters. Their position in the center of the formation meant they didn’t need to worry about the front or rear, and everything was handled and managed by Zuo You’s people. It truly saved effort and worry. Therefore, Mo Zi could devote her full attention to this ship.
Although she had defeated the enemy in the Yuzhong battle so thoroughly they couldn’t fight back, the ship was only so large after all. The stockpiled stones and oil had been completely depleted, and they had lost a third of their iron arrows. Moreover, she believed that the Daqiu ships they would encounter in the future wouldn’t be as easy to deal with as those at Yuzhong, whether in terms of numbers or offensive and defensive capabilities. Therefore, she had to design even more formidable weapons.
With ideas in mind and materials replenished by Old Guan, she locked herself in the cabin to draw diagrams. With the Wen brothers on this ship, it gave her a good excuse to maintain distance.
With just the phrase “men and women should maintain proper distance,” Xiao Wei and Wei Jia thought she had changed her ways, but they easily accepted it. Zhong An even joked that apparently she was quite reserved in front of outsiders.
Because of this comment, Chouyu complained to her—who were these people calling outsiders anyway?
This made Mo Zi laugh uncontrollably, once again experiencing how this ship had no problems maintaining harmony in critical moments, but when things were peaceful it split into two factions. One faction was the ship gang people, meaning those she had brought. The other faction was the official family people, Xiao Wei and Zhong An’s people. She had no intention of mediating between both sides or demanding they become brothers. Chouyu and his men had independent personalities that didn’t need to be erased for the sake of one collaboration. As someone close to the Emperor, Xiao Wei also had his own values and duties.
After drinking some water and stretching her waist, her neck ached from bending over the desk for so long. Standing up and feeling stiff, she swung her arms and heard her joints crack.
“Need to move around,” Mo Zi said, suddenly realizing that Chouyu hadn’t come to report to her today, so she walked out to find him.
It was dark outside, the ship moving slowly. In the distance, most of the lights on Zuo You’s ship had been extinguished.
“Brother Mo.” Feixia came toward her. “I was just thinking of having you come out to talk some sense into him. A’Yu only listens to you.”
“What happened?” Something occurred right as she came out—did that mean she attracted disaster?
“A’Yu got into an argument with the eldest Wen brother, but fortunately it was in the rear cargo hold and didn’t disturb the others.” By “others,” Feixia meant Xiao Wei and Zhong An’s people.
“The rear cargo hold?” Mo Zi immediately became alert. “The entrance to the lower hold?”
“The Wen brothers have been walking to that area frequently these past few days. Although I had some suspicions too, they hadn’t made any further moves… so I just had people keep a close watch. A’Yu was impulsive and exploded today.” Feixia described his own brother as a firecracker with a straight face.
“But this is very strange. Everyone who has seen the mechanisms is on this ship. How would the Wen brothers know about them?” And here she had a good first impression of those three brothers. Hmm, Wen Qin wasn’t there?
Feixia shook his head to indicate he didn’t know. He was honest in his speech—if he wasn’t certain, he wouldn’t speculate wildly.
“Moreover… Chouyu isn’t that impulsive. If he exploded, the other party must have made some move.” Mo Zi didn’t believe Chouyu would cause trouble without reason.
Both of them walked quickly, and before long they reached the stern, where they could hear Chouyu’s voice.
“You look like decent people, but how can you do such sneaky things?” He was still cursing.
Feixia glanced at Mo Zi with a helpless expression.
“Feixia, go check where the second Wen brother is. And have Shuishe appropriately pull back some distance to avoid attracting attention from Zuo You’s side.” He was someone who didn’t like joining the excitement or showing his face… which was why she was asked to come mediate.
Feixia didn’t hesitate. With Mo Zi stepping in, he was already at ease and immediately turned to get to work.
“How can you talk like that?” Wen Gui was eighteen years old… the age when one fears nothing.
“Am I wrong though?” Chouyu’s scolding tongue twisted in all directions. “You’re merchants who should be properly staying in your cabins before reaching shore. But I see you’re really quite busy! Ha, you’ve only been aboard a few days and already scurrying around like rats, looking east and west, constantly trying to get into the cargo hold. If you weren’t up to no good when you lifted that board just now, I’ll jump into the river. Don’t think I won’t dare offend you just because you’re guests. If you keep drilling around everywhere, I’ll set out rat traps. Broken hands, broken feet… don’t come blaming me when it happens.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Wen Gui seemed to be the only one engaging with Chouyu.
Wen Feng stood with his hands behind his back, looking out at the river surface as if the scenery were particularly beautiful.
“Why wouldn’t I dare?” Chouyu laughed wickedly, rolling up his sleeves. “Want to try right now? My hands are itching. Catching a rat would satisfy my little urge nicely.”
Wen Gui involuntarily stepped back two paces… his face red with anger. “Where did she find these people? So unreasonable, like crude clubs and sticks.”
Hearing this, Mo Zi raised an eyebrow. Was he talking about her? She had no idea she was so familiar with the Wen brothers that he would speak in such a tone as if complaining about his own family.
“Little punk looking for a beating.” Chouyu’s arms wrapped around like tree trunks, actually lifting up Wen Gui’s slender frame. “I’ll throw you in the river for a bath and we’ll see who’s a crude club.”
Wen Gui cried out, his feet kicking wildly in the air.
Wen Feng could no longer pretend to be oblivious, but spoke smoothly: “Quickly put down my little brother. You’ve misunderstood. We truly meant nothing by it, just wandering around casually. Everyone has to share one boat and one fate. Don’t make things difficult—it won’t be good to face each other afterward.”
Mo Zi’s slender eyebrows couldn’t rise any higher. One boat, one fate? That was her motto, wasn’t it?
Chouyu gave a look, and two men stepped forward to surround Wen Feng from left and right. “One boat, one fate—you dare say that? The more we look at you, the more suspicious you seem. You’re probably spies from some family. Might as well eliminate you.”
Mo Zi was just about to step forward to mediate when Feixia ran back and whispered a few words in her ear.
“How is that possible?” She was startled. “Those locks were made by the best locksmiths in the capital.”
“Brother Mo, go take a look quickly. I’ve had people guard him so he can’t escape. If worst comes to worst, we’ll—” He made a throat-slitting gesture, incidentally glancing at his younger brother. “Looks like A’Yu is just scaring them. Nothing serious here.”
Mo Zi hurriedly ran to the middle section of the ship. Seeing four people each guarding a corner, she nodded and went down the stairs. Glimpsing the opened lock with a green key shaft inserted in the hole, she wondered—did the ancient era also have skeleton keys? She thought as she entered the hold.
The lamps on the walls were all lit, and a person stood before the ball thrower.
Blue robe and square headscarf, white sleeves rolled up, revealing half of a well-formed forearm, his build tall yet solid. Mo Zi’s footsteps were not concealed, but he paid no attention. Bracing with both hands, he actually climbed up along the wooden frame to examine closely the gears that could make the thrower rotate.
“Interesting.” He not only looked but also spoke. “Little Sister Mo Zi’s craftsmanship is exquisite, opening my eyes. My cousin wrote saying you were heavenly and earthly, originally I didn’t take it seriously. Taking a woman as master was already absurd enough, yet she’s someone who hasn’t even passed the master craftsman examination—hard to imagine what superior skills she could have. However, today I admit I was wrong.”
Who was this person calling little sister? Mo Zi laughed coldly. “Second Master Wen, come down. I didn’t know merchants had the skills of thieves. Not only picking locks, but climbing up and down in front of the owner. Even with praise and apologies, I’m afraid this matter can’t just be let go.”
Wen Qin jumped down very nimbly, stepping on the platform. “How does this mechanism rise up? Can you let me take a look?”
“Your skin is quite thick. Exactly how thick—can you let me slice it open to see?” She really hadn’t seen anyone like this.
“Little Sister Mo Zi’s words are also interesting.” Wen Qin turned his head toward her and smiled.
Mo Zi scoffed coldly, flames of anger suddenly leaping in her heart. “I misjudged you, mistaking a lecher for a gentleman. Speak—who exactly are you?”
“Although Grandfather said not to alarm you, having encountered you, how could I hold back? Eldest Brother and Little Brother wanted to reveal the truth that very day. I opposed it at first, but was also curious about the treasures on this ship. I endured these few days, but seeing that area forbidden and this area locked, I ultimately couldn’t resist and used a diversionary tactic. Truly, hearing is false while seeing is believing. Little Sister Mo Zi is indeed worthy of Fifth Uncle’s bloodline, ingenious to the extreme. I admit I’m inferior.” Wen Qin cupped his hands in a bow with his sleeves. “This elder brother admires you.”
“Talking at cross purposes.” Mo Zi could barely contain herself. “What Fifth Uncle? Don’t randomly claim kinship. My father was an only son with no relatives to speak of. I can tell at one listen it’s all fabrication. Let me tell you, if you continue this nonsense, I don’t care what relationship you have with Zuo You—”
Before she could finish, someone cut her off.
“My surname isn’t Wen.” Wen Qin said.
“Of course swindlers don’t use real names.” Mo Zi sneered.
“Wen with a gate radical added—Little Sister Mo Zi, can you guess what character that makes?” Still leisurely interested, seeing Wen Feng and Wen Gui being escorted down the stairs by Chouyu and his men, Wen Qin’s face still wore a smile.
Mo Zi glanced back, then said to Wen Qin, “This isn’t the time for guessing word puzzles. If you’re spies, you should be lying low silently. What’s the point of making such a scene?”
Wen with a gate radical—Min.
She furrowed her brow. This surname was homophonous with another surname she knew well, and when Wen Qin mentioned his cousin taking her as master, she immediately widened her eyes.
“You… you’re… people of the Min family?” If Min was homophonous with that other character. But those words afterward made absolutely no sense.
“Let me go! Did you hear? Elder Sister recognized us. We’re all family!” The one falsely named Wen Gui twisted left and right like a pretzel.
Chouyu just looked at Mo Zi, quite puzzled. “Brother Mo, you really know them?”
“These… three I don’t know, but they seem to have some family relationship with Min Song.” Cousins? But why were they calling her elder sister and little sister?
“A Song?” Hearing Min Song’s name, Chouyu no longer held Wen Gui tightly. “They’re his family?”
Wen Qin walked over, eyes on Mo Zi. “I’m Min Zhen. That one is Min Feng, he ranks third among the brothers. And Min Gui, my own younger brother, ranks eighteenth in the family. I rank tenth, older than Min Song who is eleventh.”
They really were Min family people!
Now without Mo Zi needing to explain, Chouyu released Min Feng and Min Gui. “If you’re A Song’s cousins, why didn’t you say so earlier? Being so sneaky, how could we not think the worst?”
“Did Min Song send you?” Mo Zi’s head felt a bit muddled, the reason being that what Wen Qin—no, Min Zhen—had just said raised far too many questions.
“How could he order us around? We’re of the same generation.” Min Gui immediately denied it.
“Grandfather sent us. He learned from Eleventh Young Master that you were taking a detour through Yuling to Daqiu, so he had us meet you halfway.” Min Feng finally behaved like an eldest brother.
“Old Master Min?” Mo Zi blinked. “But why?”
“Because you’re our long-lost cousin sister. How could we let anything happen to you?” Min Zhen said.
“…” Mo Zi was speechless.