“You… you two…” Seeing the “shameless pair” stealing intimacy on deck at midnight, Luo Longwen didn’t know what to say.

Speaking of which, after five years, tonight’s battle with pirates brought him once again through the gates of hell and back. Luo Longwen suddenly recalled his past multiple negotiations representing the court with pirate leader Xu Hai regarding amnesty.

Because Luo Longwen and Xu Hai were fellow townsmen, in their youth, Xu Hai was a notorious “flower monk” locally involved in gambling, drugs, and prostitution. His uncle Xu Huaixue was a trusted aide to the great pirate Wang Zhi, and Xu Hai was responsible for managing inland connections and fencing stolen goods. Luo Longwen was a suave and talented ink-making master. The two kindred spirits became good friends.

Later, Xu Huaixue fell out with Wang Zhi and used his nephew Xu Hai as collateral to the lord of Kagoshima, Japan, borrowing one hundred thousand taels of silver as capital to start his own maritime smuggling trade.

As a hostage in Japan, Xu Hai claimed to be the Ming “Living Buddha” Master Mingshan, highly revered by Japanese Buddhists. Foreign monks preach better sermons – they donated much incense money to him. Xu Hai used this money to build large ships and recruit Japanese ronin warriors and fake Ming pirates, forming a pirate group capable of rivaling the great pirate Wang Zhi.

Meanwhile, Luo Longwen became a renowned scholar through his ink-making skills, earning the appreciation of anti-pirate general Hu Zongxian and becoming a military advisor. Hu Zongxian was Yan Shifan’s man, also a core member of the Yan faction. To curry favor with Yan Shifan, Hu Zongxian frequently sent him gifts, including ink made by Luo Longwen that Yan Shifan particularly loved and presented to Emperor Jiajing, who also praised it highly. From then on, Luo Longwen’s name was known before the imperial throne.

Thus, two good friends, through their respective fortuitous encounters, walked completely different paths – one sinking deeper into piracy, the other ascending to success through Hu Zongxian’s promotion and recommendation.

Xu Hai’s pirate group engaged in both smuggling and robbery, rapidly expanding. They frequently clashed with anti-pirate general Hu Zongxian, who found the fighting difficult and sent Xu Hai’s fellow townsman Luo Longwen to negotiate.

Negotiations with pirates weren’t about ceasefire, but talking while fighting. Negotiation was like arm wrestling – when both sides were evenly matched, unable to pin the other down, fighting until both were severely hurt with nearly broken arms but still no winner, both sides would finally attempt negotiation.

Who negotiates when they’re winning?!

So Xu Hai was also badly beaten by Hu Zongxian. Fellow townsman Luo Longwen came to the pirate lair with gifts, including handmade ink that greatly pleased Xu Hai’s concubine Wang Cuiqiao.

Pirate lairs had no rules about separation of men and women. Xu Hai hosted a banquet for Luo Longwen, and his wife Wang Cuiqiao came to thank him for the ink gift.

One was a renowned scholar, the other a former courtesan – both worldly and articulate. They discussed everything from poetry and songs to life philosophy, feeling like kindred spirits.

A friend’s wife should not be toyed with. But a friend’s wife is so fragrant!

Luo Longwen came to negotiate multiple times, unsure whether he was there to see Xu Hai or Wang Cuiqiao. He persuaded Wang Cuiqiao to whisper in Xu Hai’s ear, accepting court amnesty to wash his feet and come ashore, living the life of an official’s wife.

Neither being a prostitute nor a bandit’s concubine was Wang Cuiqiao’s choice. For a woman drifting like duckweed, beauty and talent were more of a disaster. Her life was manipulated by money and violence – she had no choice.

Wang Cuiqiao yearned to reform her life. She believed Luo Longwen. Reformation was the only autonomous choice in her life. She worked hard to whisper in Xu Hai’s ear, persuading him to accept court amnesty and stop mixing with pirates.

Just then, Xu Hai had conflicts with real Japanese pirates like Maye within his group over interests. So Xu Hai beheaded his real Japanese subordinates and presented their heads to Hu Zongxian as proof of loyalty.

After Xu Hai’s internal strife weakened him – when enemies are weak, we are strong – Hu Zongxian was confident he could defeat him and naturally no longer needed to negotiate amnesty. After killing the real Japanese pirates, Xu Hai also sensed the court wouldn’t truly spare him. Before Hu Zongxian could attack, he launched a preemptive strike.

When real fighting began, neither Luo Longwen nor Wang Cuiqiao could do anything. Xu Hai was defeated and committed suicide, while Wang Cuiqiao was captured as spoils of war.

Luo Longwen had spoken with Hu Zongxian beforehand – for defeating Xu Hai’s pirate group, he wanted no other reward except Wang Cuiqiao.

He fantasized about keeping her in a golden house, harmoniously playing music with Wang Cuiqiao, surely making her change her heart and never think of Xu Hai again. A woman needs a man – if she doesn’t follow me, she’ll be given by Hu Zongxian as war spoils to his meritorious soldiers as wives.

Didn’t she always want to reform her life? Following me would be reformation.

Luo Longwen was determined to have Wang Cuiqiao, but when the ship docked, she wasn’t among the spoils of war.

Wang Cuiqiao had already jumped into the sea when the ship passed where Xu Hai was defeated and drowned himself.

It wasn’t necessarily dying for love – she was captured by pirates and forced to submit to Xu Hai, otherwise she would have become a camp prostitute. She died of despair, despair at a life never under her own control, flowing like water and drifting like duckweed.

Xu Hai’s remnants vowed to kill Luo Longwen for revenge, so he left the coast and went north to serve under Yan Shifan, becoming his advisor and retainer.

In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.

Luo Longwen’s brief skirmish with pirates in the Zhenjiang section of the canal reminded him of Xu Hai and Wang Cuiqiao. Leaning on the railing gazing into the distance, he felt a mixture of emotions. After everyone returned to their cabins, his joints ached in the bone-piercing spring wind before he turned to leave.

He stepped on something underfoot. Picking it up, he saw it was a woman’s hair ornament called cuiqiao – a sparrow made with kingfisher feather craft.

Another Cuiqiao, sharing the name with Wang Cuiqiao whom he desired but couldn’t have.

There was only one woman aboard the Shunfeng merchant ship – the sharp-shooting Madam Ximen.

A sailor cleaning cannon barrels mentioned seeing Madam Ximen looking for some jewelry toward the stern. Luo Longwen took the cuiqiao to find her and return it to its owner.

Then he saw Madam Ximen and the traveling physician crouched on deck… kissing.

He also heard Madam Ximen speaking tender words of love:

“I didn’t go anywhere – I’ve always been in your heart.”

“The person I clearly love is you, yet I must hide it from everyone, putting on an act before my supposed husband. I—”

Compared to Madam Ximen’s panic (actually not – Wang Daxia was thinking about how to silence him and steal the five thousand taels of gold to flee), Dr. He remained calm and composed, protecting Madam Ximen while frankly admitting: “Actually, the child in Madam Ximen’s belly is mine.”

In that instant, he actually envied this poor traveling physician! Cuiqiao belonged to Master Ximen, yet this physician had successfully stolen her heart and possessed Cuiqiao!

Wang Daxia reacted quickly. Only by admitting the affair could their earlier behavior be reasonably explained – otherwise they’d be exposed.

Wang Daxia said, “Merchants value profit over parting. My husband is always away on business. I couldn’t bear the loneliness and seduced Dr. He first. If there’s shame, beating, or drowning to be done, come at me – he’s innocent.”

Getting her pregnant and still innocent!

Holding the cuiqiao, Luo Longwen’s gouty hand trembled violently. Both named Cuiqiao, yet how different their characters were – one actively throwing herself into his arms, the other preferring to jump in the sea rather than go with him.

Wei Caiwei bowed. “Please don’t tell anyone, Manager Zhang. She’s pregnant now – if this matter gets out, it’ll likely mean two deaths.”

Luo Longwen suddenly understood. “No wonder a poor physician like you wouldn’t take a cheap passenger boat but spent triple the fare for a merchant ship. Wherever Master Ximen goes, you follow – so your interest wasn’t in wine but in Madam Ximen.”

See how brilliant lies need no effort from the liar to explain – bystanders automatically use their own knowledge to complete the lie, even more perfectly than the liar could.

Wei Caiwei quickly added, “Manager Zhang guessed correctly. Deep courtyards have many inconveniences. This time Madam Ximen insisted on accompanying her husband on business – first because her belly has grown too large to hide, and second because she thought with the wide world outside, we could find a chance to elope. At worst, we’d sail overseas and never return to the Ming.”

An ordinary merchant would surely find Wei Caiwei and Wang Daxia a disgraceful adulterous pair worthy of contempt. But Luo Longwen was different – he had his own unspeakable unrequited love, having fallen for his friend’s woman who didn’t love him back, seeking but unable to obtain.

Therefore, Luo Longwen not only felt no disgust but was deeply moved by the love between the poor physician and the breathtakingly beautiful Madam Ximen.

Luo Longwen handed the cuiqiao to Wang Daxia. “Madam Ximen, rest assured. What happened tonight, I’ll pretend never occurred and won’t tell anyone.”

Wang Daxia: Lucky you’re sensible, or tonight I’d have killed you, stolen the gold, and framed the pirates.

Thinking this but showing gratitude on her face, Wang Daxia tearfully received the cuiqiao with both hands and curtsied in thanks.

Wei Caiwei said, “You should quickly return to your cabin. If you stay out too long, Master Ximen might become suspicious.”

Wang Daxia nodded obediently and returned.

Only Luo Longwen and Wei Caiwei remained on deck, facing each other.

Wei Caiwei glanced at Luo Longwen’s trembling hands and feet, knowing his gout had flared again. “Tonight the wind evil entered your body – Manager Zhang must be uncomfortable. Let me apply cupping therapy to make your joints more comfortable. From now on, I’ll charge nothing and treat Manager Zhang for free, thanking you for keeping our secret.”

Luo Longwen returned to his cabin while Wei Caiwei fetched cupping jars, mugwort, and other items to apply cupping therapy, drawing out the dampness from his joints.

After cupping, Luo Longwen’s furrowed brow relaxed. Wei Caiwei packed up to leave when Luo Longwen stopped her. “I see Madam Ximen’s pregnancy is already showing – time is urgent. After reaching Hangzhou, where do you plan to elope? Is the ship arranged? Which sea route will you take? The coast isn’t peaceful, full of pirates everywhere fighting. Even if you escape the Ming, you’ll encounter pirates. With Madam Ximen’s beauty, she’ll likely be captured as a bandit’s concubine. How can a powerless traveling physician who can’t even use firearms protect such a beauty?”

Wei Caiwei frowned deeply. “This… I haven’t thought it through. I’ve never even been to the south and don’t know local conditions. I’ll take it step by step.”

Luo Longwen said, “If you trust me, I’ll arrange it for you.”

Author’s Note: Won by doing nothing