Lin Yuchan greedily gazed at Shanghai from 160 years ago.

Without the crowded, towering skyscrapers from later photographs, the riverbank appeared very open. Muddy marshes dotted the shoreline everywhere, with tall, dense reed beds from which large white birds fluttered out, their wings beating, bringing the unique muddy, moist smell of river water.

Then, with boats moored and wharves built along the shore, traces of human habitation gradually appeared. The large expanse of farmland and water towns on the left should be what would later become Pudong New Area, while on the right riverbank, residential buildings lined up in rows, among them many grand Western-style buildings—the embryonic form of the modern Bund.

Less than twenty years since opening as a port, though administratively Shanghai was still just a “county town,” it had already leaped to become a major commercial center in the Far East, rivaling the established trading port of Guangzhou Prefecture.

Lin Yuchan had often heard Wang Quan complain that business was hard, with all the foreigners running off to Shanghai, which she’d found difficult to understand.

Now she understood completely. Guangzhou’s prosperity relied entirely on past “single port trade” policy benefits, but water transport was quite inconvenient; whereas Shanghai’s geographical advantages were obvious—behind it lay the land of silk, tea, fish, and rice, and facing the sea was the Pacific Ocean. If she were a capitalist, she’d choose the latter, too.

“Everyone says Shanghai is the Mumbai of the Far East,” someone beside her suddenly said. “But if you ask my opinion, it’s more like the Paris of the East. Only Paris is already a sophisticated lady who’s seen all worldly pleasures, while Shanghai is a girl just awakening to love, full of passionate curiosity about this world…”

Lin Yuchan turned her head, surprised: “Mr. Hede, up so early?”

Stealing a glance at Hede—wearing a robe, eyes somewhat hazy, his casual few parallel phrases carrying an Irish accent, she could only catch the general meaning. Normally he spoke in proper London pronunciation like English teaching tapes—probably not fully awake yet.

He probably didn’t know about her nighttime activities.

Nor did he know his ship harbored an unregistered passenger.

Hede gripped the railing, deeply breathing the cold morning air, catching sight of the little white flower atop her head from the corner of his eye, finding it somewhat amusing.

He knew this was Chinese custom—mourning favored white over black. In the entire customs office, only he knew her widowhood was fake, yet she was quite committed to the act, really getting into character.

Gazing at the scenery, he asked kindly: “These past days, has anyone given you trouble?”

This young Chinese girl conducted herself low-key, but her work quality was top-notch, ranking at the top of his evaluation charts.

Though his customs employed women, he’d never hired anyone so young, and couldn’t help worrying that subordinates might become distracted, violating the strict interpersonal regulations he’d established.

Lin Yuchan understood his meaning, thought about it, and answered honestly: “I don’t know what others think, but work collaboration has been quite smooth. Um… that big-nosed Victor, sometimes when he’s had too much vodka, pulls me aside for drunken talk, wanting me to return to St. Petersburg with him… but nothing overly inappropriate. Do you have a prohibition here?”

“No.” Hede didn’t even look at her, answering decisively. “Drinking is Western culture. Victor’s efficiency doubles when he drinks—I don’t plan to prohibit him. Can you handle it?”

Lin Yuchan also smiled, replying in Cantonese: “No problem.”

The expected answer. Of course, she had to figure out such small matters herself. He wasn’t her guardian, not responsible for solving life’s difficulties.

But after a while, Hede added: “After we finish this trip, I’ll organize a Chinese etiquette class for foreign employees.”

Morning dew was slightly cool, the sun still below the horizon, but many boats were already busy on the river. Lights glowed on the Bund shore, and the wind even carried high and low human voices, seeming like fish vendors’ calls, yet not quite.

An attendant carrying a cap approached with a bow: “Sir, we can reach Jianghai Customs this morning. Shall you change clothes?”

Hede waved dismissively: “What’s the rush? Wait until before disembarking.”

Upon reaching Jianghai Customs, he’d inevitably meet a bunch of Qing officials and have to change into Chinese official robes. Those robes constrained the body like medieval armor—he’d delay as long as possible.

The attendant suggested again: “The morning wind is cool. Shall this subordinate fetch a Western coat for you, sir?”

Hede grew even more impatient, glancing at the girl beside him: “There’s a lady here dressed even more lightly—why don’t you get her one first?”

This attendant had previously served a Guangdong county magistrate, attending to his every need with great care, earning his superior’s praise. Recently transferred to serve a foreign official, he still didn’t understand maintaining social distance, frequently earning dark looks, bewildered about what he was doing wrong.

The attendant glared at Lin Yuchan, thinking: a temporary female worker widow—where would I get clothes for you?

Lin Yuchan, caught between mismatched Chinese-Western customs, felt quite bored. Leaving would seem abrupt, so she could only pretend indifference, emptying her gaze to stare at a large ship in the distance.

Hede also noticed that ship simultaneously, suddenly interested, testing her: “Miss Lin, estimating hull length and tonnage by sight, how much tax revenue do you think that ship’s cargo could yield?”

In customs’ eyes, every ocean-going cargo ship was a mobile treasury. Lin Yuchan, diligently learning odds and ends during work breaks, immediately accepted the challenge, squinting to observe—

That ship moved very fast, suddenly turning helm to reveal a row of dark cannon mouths along its side.

Lin Yuchan jumped slightly, suddenly feeling something was very wrong.

Merchant ships carrying cannons weren’t unusual, but…

BOOM!

Fire flashed, and a thunderous roar shattered the peaceful dawn.

Having ocean sailing experience, Hede immediately dropped flat, pulling both Lin Yuchan and the attendant down face-first, shouting: “Return fire!”

Simultaneously, the deck lurched violently. Lin Yuchan stumbled and rolled to the deck’s edge—Hede couldn’t catch her. Muddy river water suddenly loomed close as she fell forward, desperately grasping a protruding handle on the ground.

The deck lurched again, turning her into a flag flapping in air, then slamming her heavily back down in a dizzying impact.

Screams echoed from the hold. People gradually awakened from sleep, rushing to the deck.

The bosun shouted: “Protect Mr. Hede! Protect the officer! All hands alert! Go find Mr. Hede…”

Faintly, she heard Hede choking on water and roaring: “My documents! Cough cough Save my documents first…”

BOOM!

Another tremendous blast raised massive waves, drenching the panicked crowd and extinguishing the steamship’s great smokestack.

This was Hede’s official ship for business travel. Though armed with cannons, they were purely decorative—who would dare touch an official ship flying Qing flags?

A fast boat raced over, its occupants wearing Qing military attire, armor gleaming, swords and bows bristling—a signal boat.

“Taiping bandits are attacking Shanghai County!”

Those on the signal boat shouted at the top of their lungs: “The bandits seized foreign ships and cannons, stubbornly resisting! Shanghai Circuit Intendant orders all official and civilian vessels to retreat immediately, avoiding accidental cannon fire!”

They shouted in Northern Jiangsu dialect—nobody on this ship of Guangdong people understood.

The third cannonball landed right at the steamship’s stern. The electric light on the mast flickered out. Lin Yuchan felt a wave of heat, followed by continuous cracking sounds, as the deck beneath her feet became like a kite with a broken string, freely soaring through giant waves.

People on deck became rolling meat, everyone thrown about dizzy and confused. Lin Yuchan was drenched by cold water, desperately hugging a pillar.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist, shouting in her ear: “I’ll count one-two-three, jump with me.”

Lin Yuchan struggled to open her eyes. It was Su Minguan. After the first cannon blast, he’d leaped from his hiding place. No one paid him attention.

“I… I don’t dare…”

Below her feet was pitch-black water, swirling like a black hole devouring everything. River water poured into the hold, making muffled, strange sounds.

Su Minguan wasn’t very familiar with foreign steamships either, couldn’t figure out its sinking pattern, could only grip her arm tightly to prevent her from flying away.

“Jump down one level!” Amid ear-piercing metal disintegration sounds, he pushed her back. The next moment, a heavy metal plate crashed down, scraping away the little white flower from her hair.

“A’Mei! Jump!”

Lin Yuchan’s breathing couldn’t keep up with her heartbeat. She knew mentally she should abandon ship, but her physiological reaction was to freeze like a stick, unable to take the first step.

Better if he pushed her…

The deck tilted again. Su Minguan simply released her hand and leaped out directly.

Lin Yuchan screamed, finally taking that first step, leaning out to see him hanging from the ship’s rail, swaying, using one hand to unfasten something, waving it at her.

“This is called a life preserver! Made of rubber, doesn’t sink in water! All modern steamships carry them!” he shouted. “A’Mei, come down!”

Lin Yuchan was dazed for that instant, staring at that blue-and-white striped rubber ring, a surge of strong indignation rising in her heart.

Being laughed at by an ancient person again! The ship had over a dozen life preservers ready-made, and she’d completely failed to notice throughout the journey!

She closed her eyes and leaped.

Lin Yuchan surfaced from the river water, gasping heavily.

This was so different from a swimming pool! The river water was icy and murky, whirlpools from the capsized steamship swept beside her, pulling her down.

Fortunately there was the “life preserver”—oh no, life ring, British original import, even a little pig could float steadily in it.

Su Minguan surfaced from the water, using the life ring’s buoyancy to wipe away water droplets and scattered hair from his face, seriously examining Lin Yuchan’s pale face. Confirming she wasn’t injured, he suddenly couldn’t help laughing.

“Always hearing people on the ship say the little widow is bold—today I’ve truly witnessed it.” His volume was normal, but in the rushing river, sounds counted only as a whisper. “This rubber thing is so small, ordinary people wouldn’t dare stake their lives on it.”

Lin Yuchan thought: You flatter me, I’m quite familiar with life rings.

But of course, she couldn’t say that, so after thinking, she said seriously: “Because I trust you.”

Giving the young master a casual compliment—zero cost anyway.

He was startled, opened his mouth, said nothing, then suddenly dove headfirst underwater.

Lin Yuchan: “Hey…”

Was that necessary? So, unable to handle praise?

The steamship had completely capsized, floating in the river like a dying fish, like a large fish caught in a net.

Ship debris floated chaotically on the water’s surface. Wooden boxes, books, clothing, and cold and hot ingredients from the kitchen are now mixed, regardless, drifting aimlessly with the waves.

Su Minguan pushed over a wooden bed board from the crew quarters, tying the life ring alongside.

“Get up,” he commanded authoritatively, “the water’s cold.”

The winter Huangpu River was beautifully frozen. Lin Yuchan climbed up with chattering lips, accidentally bumping into his chest due to inertia, hearing him softly inhale.

Lin Yuchan quickly moved away, balancing herself, and asked: “Does the wound still hurt?”

Su Minguan tensed his brows, enduring that surge of pain, then said hoarsely: “Much better than when you rinsed it with salt water.”

Still holding grudges.

Fortunately this was the river, not the ocean. No surging waves, and the riverbank wasn’t far.

Soon, the cannon fire gradually weakened, and the battle entered its final phase. The military ship the Taiping Army had seized, they obviously didn’t know how to use it well—after firing a few shots, they were intercepted by Qing forces. Turning too sharply, they quickly capsized and ran aground on shore.

Morning stars faded, and naval and civilian boats by the river, noticing the steamship’s capsizing, all sailed over to rescue people.

Many crew members and passengers who’d fallen overboard also found floating objects. Regardless of rank or gender propriety, they pulled and tugged at each other for mutual rescue, shouting for help while desperately swimming toward the Bund.

Lin Yuchan looked around, just thinking of finding something from the water to use as a paddle, when she suddenly saw a large wooden box swaying as it drifted near, with what seemed to be a person lying on it.

That person was motionless, unknown if alive or dead, just hands tightly gripping the box edges, knuckles ghastly white.

The wooden box was slowly taking on water, and he was gradually sliding down.

Lin Yuchan’s heart tightened, her first reaction being to reach down and test the bed board’s water displacement.

Su Minguan watched disinterestedly, commenting coolly: “The female bodhisattva wants to show mercy again.”

She smiled ingratiatingly: “If this board can’t support him, we’ll throw him back down.”

Su Minguan gave her a cold look. Lin Yuchan nodded firmly at him.

Born in the quagmire of the Opium Wars, same age as the Treaty of Nanjing, he’d seen much worldly darkness, cautious instincts when encountering situations. Lin Yuchan completely understood.

She’d only been in the Qing Dynasty for half a year, and her worldview had already been shattered. If she lived here eighteen years, she felt she’d become a seasoned antisocial type.

But at least now, some naive hope remained in her heart.

Following her nature, with a clear conscience.

She untied the remaining rope from the life ring, looped it around the large wooden box, and gradually pulled the person closer.

Seeing her lean half her body out, Su Minguan sighed but still went over to lend a hand, hauling this unlucky fellow onto the board and turning him over.

“Tsk, a foreigner. It’s that customs tax collector.”

Lin Yuchan was also surprised, nodding: “Hede.”

The dignified fourth-rank foreign official wasn’t much luckier than anyone else when the ship capsized.

He wore only a thin foreign cloth nightgown, his complexion pale and still, like a martyred saint statue in a church.

However, Lin Yuchan recognized this wooden box as the one he carried with him for important documents.

When the steamship was under cannon attack, Hede was already on deck and could have easily abandoned ship. He probably went back for this box, unwilling to let go even unto death, thus missing the optimal escape timing.

She also moved the box onto the bed board, roughly draining some water. She knew the documents inside were wrapped in oiled paper and shouldn’t be too damaged.

Su Minguan pressed on Hede’s chest a few times, testing his breathing.

“Look at his glabella. More bad luck than good.”

Lin Yuchan simply “mm-hmmed,” then suddenly her mind buzzed as hundreds of thoughts seemed to burst from Pandora’s box, making her heart pound wildly.

No way, no way, the world line couldn’t collapse here, could it…

If she remembered correctly, Financier Hede still had decades to live. In 1900, when Beijing had the Boxer Rebellion, he was nearly killed, and later wrote memoirs too.

If he died young like this…

With no one at customs, the entire Qing Dynasty’s fate would be unknown.

While she was lost in wild thoughts, she suddenly heard Su Minguan call her quietly.

“A’Mei, a boat’s coming.”

A civilian boat with two sails raised, hesitantly approaching. Someone cupped their hands around their mouth, shouting something loudly.

They spoke in a local dialect that Lin Yuchan couldn’t immediately understand, only sensing they seemed to be asking how many were trapped here.

But Su Minguan immediately straightened up, calling back loudly.

“…Two here, don’t know about the rest.”

Lin Yuchan stood frozen in place. A small wave wet her clothes, but she forgot to dodge.

“You, you can speak Shanghai dialect too…”

Su Minguan looked back proudly: “When I was small…”

“You learned it as a child,” Lin Yuchan said numbly, speaking simultaneously with him. “You learned so many things as a child.”

He smiled imperceptibly, suddenly leaning close to her ear and saying quickly: “My mother was from Huaiyang.”

Then he raised his hand, grabbed the bamboo pole extended to them, and climbed onto that boat.

Morning light brightened, illuminating a flag fluttering on the mast. The pattern on the flag was two copper coins stacked together, with the shop name embroidered below: Yixing.