Remember in one second.
The moon leaped out from the river waves, large as a silver plate.
Under everyone’s waiting gaze, Mo Zi faced the window and said, “This room is simple, but the view is unbeatable. We don’t need to sleep—why not just drink and enjoy the scenery?”
The three brothers and Zan Jin all collapsed onto the table together.
“Brother Mo, your injury is no small matter. No matter what, tomorrow at Ghost Gate, you cannot board the ship.” Fei Xia was the only “medical authority” among the five and firmly opposed Mo Zi personally attempting Ghost Gate.
The small boat had already been completely repaired. According to Mo Zi’s requirements, it was done in a sealed environment. Everything was ready—they just had to wait until tomorrow to see what trial they would draw.
“I must board the ship.” There was no room for choice in this. The parts of the ship that were newly repaired had all been carefully designed by her. Others didn’t know their secrets and would have difficulty bringing out their advantages.
“Brother Mo, you just barely got your life back—don’t just casually throw it away. Besides, us three brothers working together, whether it’s Ghost Gate or Immortal Gate, we’ll definitely pass safely.” Chou Yu was very shocked when he heard that Mo Zi’s wound was only one inch from her heart. Though he knew the injury was serious, he didn’t know it was this serious.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you brothers, but this ship has some special features that can’t be explained clearly—I must board the ship to show you.” Of course, it would be best if they weren’t needed, if they had smooth sailing all the way. But since it was called Ghost Gate, would it be easy? “Don’t worry, the wound only opened a little bit—the bleeding stopped long ago. Besides, you know I’m more comfortable on a ship than on land, and I won’t need to go underwater. Alright, everyone go sleep. Tomorrow morning we’ll see the outcome. We’ve already passed two trials—we can’t let our previous efforts go to waste, right?”
When she insisted on something, who could stop her?
The three brothers were helpless. Thinking she needed rest, they could only return to their own room.
Zan Jin, however, remained sitting without moving.
Mo Zi asked with a smile, “Do you want to drink with me until dawn?”
“Brother Mo, tomorrow I also want to board the ship.” Today at the Sea of Fire, leaving Mo Zi on shore—though he obeyed the order, he didn’t feel good about it. In his view, since Mo Zi was his master, he should follow her at all times. He already felt guilty about Mo Zi’s injury.
Mo Zi said nothing.
“I know my water skills are ordinary, and I don’t know how to pilot a ship, but I know qinggong, I’m strong—if something happens to the ship, at least I can save you.” To be honest, he didn’t care whether the three trials were passed or not, whether the shipyard opened or not. As long as Mo Zi was willing, he could take her away from the capital at any time. From then on, she would be paramount, and she’d never have to listen to anyone else again.
Mo Zi originally had no intention of letting Zan Jin board the ship, because he truly knew nothing about ships. However, hearing him say this, she found some logic in it. This Ghost Gate trial—if they couldn’t pass, losing face was a small matter, but losing lives was a big one. Zan Jin’s other skills aside, his martial arts had never been defeated by anyone.
“Brother Mo—” Zan Jin was about to unleash his complaints.
“Follow along then.” That ship was built for eight people anyway—adding him wasn’t much. “But let’s be clear, once on the ship, you must listen to me.” This was an old rule.
Seeing Mo Zi agree so easily to let him board, Zan Jin raised his thick eyebrows. “Brother Mo, did you agree so quickly because you’re afraid I’d nag?”
Mo Zi was startled—she truly hadn’t had that thought. But she blinked and smiled, saying, “I lucked into the right answer.”
Zan Jin tilted his head, not quite understanding.
Mo Zi explained in detail, “I originally didn’t know you were going to nag, but I felt what you said made sense, so I agreed readily. I didn’t expect it would also spare me a heap of nagging. So you see, I lucked into the right answer.”
Zan Jin said “oh,” understanding now. “Brother Mo, you say you lucked into the right answer—I don’t need to say so many words, which also saves me effort.”
Hey—this Zan Jin was making rapid progress. Mo Zi laughed heartily, pulled him up, and pushed him out of the room.
She organized her thoughts, planning to sleep, when she heard someone knock at the door.
“Has Brother Mo gone to bed?” The voice was Chang Ji’s.
Mo Zi opened the door. “Master Chang arrives at a good time—I haven’t slept yet. If you’d come any later, I’d have been dreaming of the Duke of Zhou.”
Chang Ji smiled cheerfully and didn’t enter, handing over a ceramic bottle. “Old Master Min heard that Brother Mo was injured on the shoulder by bandits not long ago, and specially asked me to deliver some of the Min family’s finest knife wound medicine, for external application. He also asked me to inquire—does Brother Mo truly not need to see a physician?”
The matter of her injury had been blabbed out by Chou Yu’s loose lips after passing the Sea of Fire. As a result, people found her even more impressive.
“Many thanks, Master Chang. It’s just a small injury—no need to trouble anyone.” Chang Ji was a master craftsman, and in the shipbuilding trade, he deserved the respectful address of “master.” Mo Zi accepted the bottle, thinking that since this Min family clan collected treasures, perhaps this medicine was truly useful.
“Before Brother Mo, I cannot bear this title of master.” Having passed two trials consecutively, and both more impressively than them—this Manager Mo was not only not ignorant but was probably a hidden expert. Chang Ji now didn’t dare underestimate her at all.
“Master Chang is a master craftsman, while I’m just entering this trade—if I don’t call you master, what should I call you?” When Mo Zi should understand the rules, she was unambiguous.
“I’m older than you—just call me big brother, I’d be quite pleased with that.” Chang Ji had a straightforward temperament.
“Big Brother Chang.” Mo Zi went with the flow. “How is your injury?”
Chang Ji rolled up his sleeve, revealing half a gauze bandage. “Mild burn—medicine applied, after a few days won’t even leave a scar, it’s nothing. Brother Mo, apply the medicine early, rest early. Tomorrow at Ghost Gate, I’ll watch you display your prowess again.”
“Why only watch me? There’s also Big Brother Chang’s skills.” Risheng would also be attempting it together.
“To be honest, if Old Master Min were leading Risheng’s team, we absolutely wouldn’t have passed so miserably. Young Master Song has only been at the shipyard for half a year. His handiwork rivals a grand master craftsman’s, but he doesn’t like going to the yard and doesn’t understand that a ship can’t be built by one person’s skill alone. If he had your ability to deploy troops and assign generals—” Some words couldn’t be spoken too plainly, after all, their statuses were different.
“Old Master Min is training him. As the saying goes, jade cannot become a tool without polishing. He has a good foundation—if he takes over Old Master Min’s position in the future, you won’t need to worry he’s a young master who can neither shoulder a load nor lift with his hands.” Mo Zi’s eyes saw through to the truth like fire.
Chang Ji wasn’t as optimistic as she was. He shook his head and left.
Mo Zi believed in Old Master Min’s character and truly applied the medicine Chang Ji had delivered, then immediately went to sleep. The next day when she woke, she discovered she could barely feel pain from the wound—it had indeed improved greatly.
After breakfast, they headed to Risheng’s inner bay again. Before getting close, they saw five or six large ships flying banners, their decks crowded with masses of black human heads.
“What’s this all about?” Chou Yu muttered. “You ask me, isn’t it just because we didn’t pay respects to the mountain? Making all these theatrics. I think they’re simply afraid we’ll steal their business.”
Before Mo Zi could speak, she heard someone snort coldly. Turning her head, she saw Min Song. Today he wore a short shirt with bound pants, completely different from yesterday’s superior young master appearance, looking very much like a “shipyard worker,” which made her view him a bit more favorably. This handsome young master seemed to have grown up overnight.
“With our Risheng’s status, afraid you’ll steal business? How laughable.” Since entering the shipyard, this was the first time Min Song had developed a competitive spirit.
“Our Hongyu already has government-recognized business permits—in principle, we can open whenever we want. But you won’t let us hire workers. If you’re not afraid, why create these three trials?” Chou Yu also snorted. “We came to give you face. But don’t take yourselves too seriously—today at this Ghost Gate, we’ll make you lose with utter conviction.”
Mo Zi lowered her head and smiled secretly. Half of these words were complaints she’d made when they came, things she was too embarrassed to say to Risheng’s people herself, but Chou Yu said them quite naturally. Moreover, what was originally just attempting the three trials had become a contest between two shipyards because of Risheng’s participation, which was also beyond her expectations.
“That last line should be mine to say.” Min Song looked at Mo Zi. “Whether I’m a young master who can neither shoulder a load nor lift with his hands, you’ll know soon enough.”
Oh? Getting serious now.
Mo Zi smiled glibly. “Young Master Min, that’s not right. Last night I even praised you, saying you have a good foundation. You can’t just pick what you don’t like to hear and wrongly accuse me.”
Min Song could never figure out how this person managed it—with such a fine appearance, yet that tone of speech, slippery as oil when it reached the ears, making his heart feel annoyed. Too lazy to engage further, he strode ahead.
The third trial, Ghost Gate.
The drawn question was as follows: Pilot the ship repaired in yesterday’s Sea of Fire trial through the five-li left gorge of Hundred Flowers Stream. If the ship survives, the people survive, and you pass.
This was probably the simplest requirement of the three trials—just one sentence.
Chou Yu said, judging by the name, it didn’t match with Ghost Gate.
But Mo Zi noticed that countless people changed expressions upon hearing “Hundred Flowers Stream,” including Min Song and Chang Ji. This Hundred Flowers Stream’s waters probably didn’t match its beautiful name at all.
With the trial set, Min Yu invited Mo Zi and her group to board the ship. It turned out Hundred Flowers Stream was at a tributary of Ya River, half a day’s ship journey from Risheng’s inner bay. And those large ships Mo Zi had seen earlier also followed the main ship, carrying audiences who wanted to watch the excitement.
When the ship stopped, the sun hung high, scorching people’s skin until it oozed oil.
Before Mo Zi, two gorge entrances—one side calmly curved, the other shrouded in steaming mist.
Wang Cheng brought a map for Mo Zi and Min Song to see, explaining, “The entrance of Hundred Flowers Stream to the river is a rare horseshoe shape, high on the left and low on the right. The right gorge is the main passage for ships entering and exiting, while the left gorge is narrow with surging rapids, hidden reefs everywhere, chaotic winds through the gorge, and a low waterfall at the river entrance. Ghost Gate means entering Ya River from that end of the left gorge.”
The main ship moved again, entering through the right gorge and circling to that end of the left gorge.
Min Yu said to Mo Zi and Min Song, “This trial is called Ghost Gate because quite a few people have lost their lives here. If you two are determined to attempt it, sign death waivers on behalf of your respective teams, and then set off.”
Neither showed weakness. They pressed down red handprints and boarded their respective ships.
The small boats were also quite different. Min Song’s boat had a walnut-arc hull bottom, no sail, no mast, only a scull oar, bamboo pole, and paddles. Mo Zi’s was flat-bottomed with three masts of varying heights, bundled sails, no paddles or poles.
Watching the two small boats drift into the gorge with the waves, Min Yu’s brows furrowed deeply. He instructed the ship to return to the other end to await the final result.
Seeing this, Wang Cheng said, “Old Master, in my view, Young Master Song’s boat is certain to pass. Those four controlling the boat have skills no worse than the best river gang members. That Hongyu boat looks strange to me—only sails and masts, and flat-bottomed—how will they control the boat?”
Min Yu’s gaze tightened. “Master Wang, now I believe the saying—each generation produces its own talented people. One cannot refuse to accept one’s age.”
Wang Cheng was stunned, not understanding where this comment came from.
On this side, the water was leisurely, the ship leisurely. On that side, a life-and-death struggle was unfolding, hanging by a thread.