Lu Ying, Wang Daxia and the others were encountering Japanese pirates for the first time. Far from being afraid, they were unusually excited, putting on armor under their clothes and going out to watch the commotion.

On the canal, they found themselves caught between Japanese pirates attacking from front and rear. The pirates piloted over a dozen light boats and small sailing ships, flying flags with blue borders on white background, with a blazing red sun in the center surrounded by three clouds. This represented Fusang Country, the land of the rising sun – a common Japanese pirate flag.

Though they flew pirate flags, only a few men had shaved topknots and long swords at their waists. Despite the cold spring nights in Jiangnan, they stood bare-legged on the small sailing ships wearing only robes, not even shoes or socks.

Most of the pirates were dressed like ordinary Ming men. Clearly this was a pirate gang composed mainly of fake Japanese with real Japanese as support, specializing in robbing merchant caravans.

The Shunfeng merchant ship remained busy but orderly, accustomed to pirate harassment. Sailors immediately became gunners. The ship had ten cannon ports total – four on each side, two front and rear. The dark muzzles were thrust out, ready for battle.

Luo Longwen reacted most intensely: he was carrying five thousand taels of gold! If the pirates stole the gold, how could he face his patron Yan Shifan!

Luo Longwen immediately ordered the escort masters from Santong Escort Agency to join the merchant ship’s defense. The escorts were well-equipped with government-approved matchlock guns and gunpowder – items normally forbidden to civilians. Santong Escort Agency had used money to grease palms, bribing Yan Shifan to obtain usage permits.

Luo Longwen, suffering from gout with inconvenient legs, put on his glasses and came out of the cabin with his cane, asking the ship captain, “How do you plan to fight these pirates?”

The ship captain said, “Fire cannons forward to blast open a waterway, raise all five sails, and charge through. Those small boats are like a mantis trying to stop a chariot – they can’t stop our large ship. Once we reach Zhenjiang Port where Ming naval forces are stationed, the pirates won’t dare pursue, and we’ll escape.”

Luo Longwen had dealt with various pirates for five years before and knew their cunning cruelty well. “It’s not that simple. Pirates don’t fight unprepared battles. These small boats are likely a decoy to lower our guard. We’ve traveled waterways for a month, stopping at ports for supplies each time. We’ve probably been spotted by pirate informants at the ports. They’re certain this ship carries valuable cargo, so they’re waiting for us in this stretch.”

Hearing this, the ship captain realized this refined antique dealer was no ordinary businessman. “In your opinion, how should the merchant ship escape?”

Luo Longwen surveyed both banks of the canal. “If I were a pirate, there would definitely be cannon emplacements on the riverbank ahead. When our ship charges through, they’ll start firing, blasting through our sails and breaking our masts. Our ship is heavily loaded with cargo – too heavy to maneuver. Then the pirates will swarm up like ants, forcibly boarding. They have numbers – no matter how fine our weapons, we’d be outnumbered and defeated.”

Luo Longwen’s words even convinced Lu Ying, who felt he made sense. If pirates were so easy to deal with, they wouldn’t have been troubling the Ming for a hundred years without being eliminated.

Luo Longwen said, “Captain, for safety’s sake, we should turn around and return to the previous port to dock, waiting for daylight before continuing. This night route is too dangerous.”

“This…” The ship captain hesitated. He felt Luo Longwen was overthinking it. Even if there were cannon emplacements on shore, how could their aim be so accurate? Their ship had favorable wind and water, running fast. As long as they gritted their teeth and persevered through the firing line, they could break through the pirates’ ambush and escape to safety.

But what if? Then it would mean ship destruction and loss of life.

With years of experience navigating the world, the ship captain called all the merchants together and explained Luo Longwen’s suggestion. “All aboard are customers, and this concerns everyone’s interests. What do you think? Should we advance or retreat?”

Lu Ying said, “I support Manager Zhang. Caution ensures a lifetime of safe sailing, and my wife is six months pregnant – she can’t withstand shocks.”

Wang Daxia cooperatively stroked her bulging belly. “Exactly, what if it harms the fetal qi? My humble life doesn’t matter, but I must bear sons for the Ximen family.” What a paragon of the three obediences and four virtues Wang Daxia was!

Lu Ying was using the alias Ximen Ying.

Wei Caiwei said, “I feel the same way. Safety first. Saving one life is extremely difficult, but losing one is all too easy.”

Ding Wu said, “I can’t leave the lioness at home alone. I also agree to turn back.”

But the White Lotus Sect’s flower brother strongly opposed: “I disagree. Coming out to do business, how can we let a small group of pirates frighten us into choking on food? Captain, charge forward!”

The passengers had paid half their fare, with the other half due when unloading cargo at port. For money’s sake, the ship captain decided the minority should obey the majority – especially since Luo Longwen paid the most, Lu Ying second, while Ding Wu and the flower brother were individual passengers paying less. Using his toes to think, he knew whose advice to follow.

The ship captain immediately ordered, “Turn the helm! Come about! Head back!”

Following orders, the sailors began bustling about. Seeing their prey trying to escape, the pirates also gave a command, and the pirates on their boats piloted small sailing ships in a unified charge toward the large merchant ship.

Lu Ying and the others watched in confusion: Clearly this was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot – if small boats crashed into them, the pirates would capsize. Why charge forward to their deaths?

Luo Longwen understood pirates best and shouted loudly, “The small sailing ships have explosives! They light the fuses before ramming us, then jump overboard and swim away. Our hull will be blown full of holes by the suicide boats! Quickly fire at the small ships to detonate them early!”

The pirates were truly vicious – if they couldn’t have it, they’d rather blast holes in the ship bottom and sink it to the river bed where no one could have it.

It had reached a life-or-death moment. Sailors, escorts, Lu Ying’s household guards, Ding Wu, and even the flower brother all grabbed firearms and shot at the ramming small ships.

Even Wang Daxia held her belly and aimed a gun at the small ships.

Only Wei Caiwei crouched in a corner using her medicine chest as a shield for self-protection, watching everyone else open fire and fight the pirates. She didn’t know how to wield weapons!

Even the sickly-looking Luo Longwen picked up a firearm and shot with skilled technique – clearly an experienced gunner.

Boom!

Explosions erupted one after another. Sailing ships exploded like blooming white lotus flowers before ramming the large merchant ship, detonated by gunfire.

Seeing their suicide boat attack tactics exposed by Luo Longwen, the pirates realized they’d kicked an iron plate tonight. The pirates didn’t linger in battle, jumping off their ships early to swim to shore and escape, disappearing into the rainy spring night.

The pirates’ appearance and disappearance were equally sudden. If not for the burning small ships drifting on the canal, that life-hanging moment would have seemed like a nightmare upon waking, still frightening in retrospect.

Having their first encounter with pirates, Lu Ying and Wang Daxia both experienced the pirates’ cunning cruelty – coming fast, fleeing even faster. No wonder even fierce generals like Yu Dayou sometimes lost battles against pirates.

The ship captain commanded steadily, turning the bow toward Guazhou Port from whence they came.

Everyone thanked Luo Longwen for his keen eye in recognizing the enemy. Otherwise, tonight they would have either been robbed by pirates or had their ship blasted and sunk to feed the fish – either way, more bad luck than good.

The ship captain brought out his privately stashed fine wine to share with everyone, to ward off the spring cold and celebrate their escape. Luo Longwen declined alcohol, citing medication; Wang Daxia also drank only boiled water due to pregnancy.

The ship captain praised Wang Daxia: “Madam Ximen shows that women need not yield to men – nearly every shot hit its mark. Most admirable!”

Wang Daxia skillfully blew on the hot gun barrel. “This humble woman comes from a military household – it’s all family learning passed down through generations. From childhood I was influenced by what I saw and heard. I can wield all sorts of weapons – swords, spears, staffs, clubs – with proper form. My greatest skill is with firearms. Every time I accompany my husband hunting in the mountains, I bag more game than he does.”

Lu Ying gratefully patted Wang Daxia’s hand. “Other men’s wives are burdens, but mine is different – she can even serve as a bodyguard.”

Ding Wu praised, “To have such a worthy wife truly makes others envious.”

With the crisis resolved, everyone dispersed after drinking and returned to their cabins to sleep. When Wang Daxia returned to his cabin and sat at the dressing table removing makeup, he discovered only one of the pair of golden finch jade hairpins remained in his coiffure. The other had likely fallen on deck while fighting the pirates.

Wang Daxia took up a lantern to search for the hairpin, but saw someone leaning on the railing gazing at the endless dark night. This person wore the shabbiest clothes among all the cabin passengers – it was the traveling physician “Dr. He,” Wei Caiwei.

Looking at her delicate shoulders, Wang Daxia wanted to embrace her from behind, encircle her waist, and warm her back with his chest.

But he could only think about it – look but not touch. Wang Daxia remembered he was a married woman and couldn’t be too obvious. So he approached with the lantern and stopped one foot away. “Dr. He, have you seen a jade hairpin?”

Tonight had been too stimulating. Wei Caiwei felt no sleepiness and came to the deck for fresh air. Hearing this, she turned and said, “I haven’t seen any hairpin. Let me help Madam Ximen search for it.”

Wang Daxia held the lantern while Wei Caiwei bent down searching the deck for the hairpin, asking him, “Madam Ximen, can you remember where you went earlier?”

Seeing Wei Caiwei’s serious expression, Wang Daxia’s heart itched. Noticing no one around, he grew bolder. He also crouched down, pretending to search for the hairpin, but deliberately let his head “accidentally” bump Wei Caiwei’s. He turned his face and planted a light kiss on her cheek like a dragonfly touching water.

Wang Daxia spoke sweet words: “I didn’t go anywhere – I’ve always been in your heart.”

Wei Caiwei suddenly froze, looking behind Wang Daxia.

Wang Daxia remained oblivious, continuing his flirtation: “The person I clearly love is you, yet I must hide it from everyone, putting on an act before my supposed husband. I—”

“Manager Zhang.” Wei Caiwei stood up, interrupting Wang Daxia’s sweet talk.

Hearing this, Wang Daxia’s body immediately stiffened. Oh no! How much had Luo Longwen heard?

Should he silence him permanently? Steal the five thousand taels of gold and frame the pirates?

Wang Daxia felt murderous intent. He slowly stood up and saw Luo Longwen holding a jade hairpin – the very one he’d lost. So he’d come to return lost property with honest intentions.

Wei Caiwei took Wang Daxia’s hand, pulling him behind her, blocking the way with her slender body. “Actually, the child in Madam Ximen’s belly is mine.”

Author’s Note: Luo Longwen: This traveling physician did what I wanted to do back then but didn’t dare.

Looking at the comments, everyone guessed the pirates’ identity correctly, but guessed their purpose wrong. This is a scheme within a scheme, a trap within a trap. After Jinjiang’s real-name system, comments have become so few. Zhou still hopes to communicate more with readers – please leave more comments if convenient!