Sister-in-law Li San poured out everything like beans from a bamboo tube, speaking crisply and decisively, afraid she might leave something unsaid. She racked her brains to fill in all the details, then deliberately straightened up to look at Song Chuyi: “On that night, we’ll put drugs in the food beforehand. Everyone on the ship will fall into a deep sleep, unable to move. As for those who switch shifts and don’t eat, the ten people planted on the ship will take care of them and kill them all. I heard the ones the river bandits sent are all ruthless killers who don’t even blink when taking lives. Today when I tried to go upstairs, that woman who infiltrated almost strangled me to death.”
Song Chuyi nodded with satisfaction, her voice gentle, as if she wasn’t angry at all. She even looked at Sister-in-law Li San with a somewhat comforting expression: “Then I’ll have to trouble Sister-in-law. You still need to go back to the kitchen and happily continue your shift and receive your reward. Together with Li San, put on a show for the bandits.”
Sister-in-law Li San stared at her blankly, completely failing to understand what she meant. She opened her mouth wide in bewilderment: “But… but what are you trying to accomplish?” Everything would be fine if they just captured all the river bandits on the ship right now. Why continue this trouble and keep luring more people onto the ship? Was she afraid of not dying fast enough?
Song Chuyi’s jade-white face was hidden within her cloak’s hood, so small it was barely visible. She adjusted the hood and revealed that excessively delicate face, but the words from her mouth were not at all as pleasing to the ear as her appearance: “However Sister-in-law acted in front of me before, continue acting that way in front of those bandits. Before, you were helping the river bandits kill me, but now you’re helping me capture all the river bandits in one net. If you agree, you can leave through this door. But if you don’t agree—”
Sister-in-law Li San didn’t dare refuse. She hadn’t lived enough yet. The new floral cloth she’d bought for New Year’s clothes had only been worn once, and she’d washed it and hung it out to dry but it wasn’t dry yet. She still had so many good days ahead—how could she be willing to die now? Therefore, without even knowing what Song Chuyi really wanted to do, she hurriedly nodded in agreement: “I’ll do it, I’ll do it! Whatever Sixth Miss says, I’ll do it all!”
“Good. Then Sister-in-law Li should compose yourself now. However you came in happily just now, leave the same way now. Qing Ying will teach you how to deal with those people.” Song Chuyi looked at her, clearly with a hint of a smile in her eyes: “But Sister-in-law must also know that your every word and action will be watched by someone nearby.”
Sister-in-law Li San shuddered and bowed repeatedly, making constant assurances. She tidied herself up to look the same as when she came in, then spat twice on her hands and patted her face to bring out some color. Only then did she put on a happy expression and opened the cabin door to go downstairs.
As soon as she reached the lower level and before she could turn into the kitchen, she was dragged into a corner by a tremendous force. The same fierce woman from earlier now stared at her with thick, messy black eyebrows, asking viciously: “Where did you go for so long? You didn’t betray us, did you?”
Sister-in-law Li San’s heart trembled, but she forced herself to appear nonchalant on the surface. She pushed the woman’s hand away with some impatience: “What are you pulling and tugging for?! This is newly bought cloth—don’t ruin it for me!” Seeing the woman about to lose her temper, she sneered coldly and scolded boldly: “Enough! What’s all the fuss about? The young lady knows my husband went to shop, so she wanted to ask him to buy some little trinkets. Of course I had to cater to her wishes and comfort her. You’re really no fun—why do you always shout about killing? I’m already in cahoots with you people, a grasshopper on the same boat. Would I harm myself? The better I coax her now, the more convenient it’ll be when we take action. Don’t you even understand this reasoning?!”
The woman dubiously released her but didn’t forget to warn: “Don’t play any tricks! In a few more days we’ll pass Swallow Valley, and all our people will come out. If you dare try anything funny, you’ll be the first one killed as a sacrifice!”
She’d heard the word “death” so much today her ears were about to grow calluses. Sister-in-law Li San’s heart trembled, but when she looked up, she inadvertently noticed Qing Ying above seemingly airing bedding. She immediately got a jolt through her whole body, repeatedly said she understood, and shook off the woman’s grip.
Li San patted a rough man who was writing a letter and called out “Blind Eye.” The man looked up, staring at him warily and asking in a thick dialect with furrowed brows: “What is it?”
Li San slammed a jug of wine down in front of him and asked as if sighing: “Really not planning to use stones to smash them? Why use knockout drugs? Just flatten them with a barrage of stones and everything would be done, wouldn’t it? You people could also report back to your boss.”
Blind Eye curled his lips disdainfully. He opened the stopper but didn’t drink, pointing at the wine jug and gesturing to Li San: “You drink first!”
These people’s vigilance had always been terrifyingly strong. Li San didn’t hesitate to pick up the wine jug and pour a full bowl into the bowl beside him, drinking it all in one breath. He wiped his mouth and looked at Blind Eye: “Would I harm you? You’re being overly suspicious!”
Blind Eye lifted the wine jug with one hand and poured it into his mouth, drinking more than half the jug in one breath before stopping to wipe his mouth. His hands continued their movements. After finishing writing, he grabbed the gray pigeon that had been wandering on the tabletop, stuffed the letter into the bamboo tube tied to its leg, and with a wave of his hand released it.
“What the hell do you know!” Only now did he have the mind to chat idly with Li San. One hand covered the back of the roast chicken while the other pulled down a leg, putting it in his mouth to take a big bite first before looking at Li San: “With so much gold, silver, and cloth, how much would be left if we smashed it with stones?! These escort agency people don’t have much ability. My brothers are each worth ten men, especially skilled in water. They’re incredibly strong swimmers, one better than the next, like fish, moving freely in water. Who among ordinary people could be their match? When this group falls into their hands, it’ll be like cutting vegetables… Why waste effort with stones and make such a big commotion? It would be hard to clean up afterward too.”
Li San looked outside as if inadvertently, nodded and echoed him: “What you say makes sense. The goods we’re carrying this time are really plentiful. After robbing this haul, you people will have covered half a year’s earnings, won’t you? Plus there’s the payment from that side… Did you just send a message to tell the big boss everything is normal?”
Blind Eye lifted the corners of his mouth with some pride: “One report every two days, right on schedule. My big brother knows about the slightest disturbance! My big brother does things carefully. If I don’t send a message back for even one day, he’ll definitely know something went wrong.”