Jiang Jin glanced at him, then turned to look at Wang Liang and Xin San, who had just emerged from the cabin: "Can this ship still be saved?"
Wang Liang shook his head: "If it had been leaking at the very start, it might have been salvageable, but now there's no way. It's a shame about the supplies inside."
Xin San gave a cold snort: "They've only been learning for a little over a year and already think they're hot stuff. Hah."
Which of their shipwrights hadn't spent several years, even a decade, learning before they could take on responsibility alone?
Besides, these Qu Zhao people had forced them to teach their skills—how could they possibly teach the real techniques?
The shipwright was the first to react: "Han slaves! It's you! You filthy slaves, how dare you deceive us Qu Zhao!"
Xin San let out another "Hah": "You were stupid enough to be fooled, who's to blame for that?"
Wang Liang also felt immensely satisfied: "Is the water cool down there? Who knows, maybe a big fish will come along and eat you, and you'll turn into shit."
"You—you—" The shipwright jumped up in fury, which only made the ship sink faster. Startled, he quickly hugged the post near the railing.
Dao Hu finally realized what was happening too: "Slaves!—
He didn't spend much time at the docks, so he wasn't that familiar with Wang Liang and the others, and with their completely changed demeanor, he hadn't recognized them at first.
He turned to Jiang Jin, eyes blazing with anger: "So the night raid on our docks really was your Jinyang Army!"
Dong Si rolled his eyes silently: "So what if it was? You'd better jump into the sea now."
Dao Hu was both shocked and terrified, knowing full well that his chances of survival today were slim. He waved his hand: "Loose arrows! Kill them all!"
But before his words even faded, before anyone else had even moved, there was a loud bang.
"Ahh—" A scream of agony rang out.
It turned out that one of the Qu Zhao soldiers had just drawn his bow to shoot when the bow itself snapped!
The broken limbs of the bow and the snapping string lashed back into his face, blood spraying everywhere as the soldier let out a harrowing scream.
Dao Hu turned his head stiffly to look at the soldier, utterly dumbfounded.
At the same time, Jiang Jin took a step back, and the shield-bearers surged forward in a flash.
The crossbowmen hidden behind the arrow slits on the third and fourth decks loosed their bolts almost simultaneously.
This was a battle with no suspense whatsoever. Jiang Jin had held back at first only because she didn't want to dirty the ship.
Since the enemy refused to jump into the sea, she would just have to deal with them herself.
By the time the fighting was over, the sinking ship still hadn't fully gone under. The seawater had risen to Qu Rong's chest, and he and the surviving Qu Zhao soldiers were clinging desperately to the sail.
Suddenly a wave crashed over, and a few more soldiers, caught off guard, were swept away, crying and flailing in the water.
Another wave rolled over, and they vanished from sight.
"Help! Save—save me—" Qu Rong was shivering uncontrollably from the cold. Facing death head-on, he lost his nerve.
But no one paid him any attention.
The people on the Gefeng were ecstatic, busily boarding the ship to clear away the bodies, tidy up the vessel, and inventory the cargo.
Before long, Dong Si came over to report: "Master, they're carrying salt—about one hundred twenty thousand catties."
The Qu Zhao must have had doubts about their own shipwrights' reliability, and with the poor weather, they hadn't loaded the ship to full capacity.
Jiang Jin nodded, then looked at Xin San: "How's the ship's condition?"
Xin San said with a smile: "Not bad. The hull is solid—it'll function fine for now. But since it's been out of service for a long time, it'll need a proper inspection once we're back."
Only then did Jiang Jin relax: "Good. Arrange for someone to sail this ship. Let's move out."
Watching the Jinyang Army's fleet slowly sail away, Qu Rong broke down: "Help! Save—sob—"
Another wave crashed over, and seawater flooded into his mouth and nose, reducing him to choked, gurgling sobs.
He clung desperately to the top of the mast, with only the shipwright beside him still fighting to hold on.
Both of them were numb with cold, teeth chattering, utterly consumed by despair.
By the time the fleet had fully passed, the sea had returned to its calm, and no one would ever know that a sea battle had taken place here, that a ship had sunk, that an entire vessel's worth of people had gone down with it.
As night fell, part of the fleet split off toward Xunfeng Island. When they returned, there were far fewer people aboard—there was no need for the "empty ship" to take the long way around back to the island.
Watching the departing fleet, Jiang Jin was about to head back into the cabin when she heard light footsteps.
Under the dim, warm glow of the lantern, Hua Ruo also spotted Jiang Jin standing on the deck. She froze for a moment, then her expression turned excited as she stepped forward and saluted: "Master, I am Hua Ruo, from Sizhou."
Jiang Jin smiled and nodded: "Yes, I know who you are. You performed well this time."
Hua Ruo straightened her back: "Thank you, Master, for giving me this chance."
She knew full well that everyone Jiang Jin had brought along this time were elite soldiers. If not for special consideration, there was no way she—a "newcomer"—would have been selected.
Jiang Jin shook her head with a soft smile: "Gold shines wherever it is. I just moved the timing up a little."
Hua Ruo felt a warmth in her heart—a satisfaction at being recognized, a gratitude at being appreciated, and a quiet pride as well. She hesitated for a moment, then asked: "Master, may I write a letter to my father?"
"Please don't worry—I won't reveal anything about the Jinyang Army or you." She added.
She had only learned of Jiang Jin's true identity a couple of days ago.
Actually, that last part needn't have been said. Her letter would only reach Sizhou through Gefeng's channels, and the intelligence group could inspect its contents at any time.
Jiang Jin nodded: "Of course you may. Take it to Mu Ning when it's ready, and she will make the arrangements."
By next spring, once she had taken the entire Fengzhou, her identity would be impossible to conceal.
And that would be when she truly entered the vision of all the various powers, and began her path to supremacy.
Hua Ruo's face lit up with joy: "Thank you, Master."
Jiang Jin glanced down at the twin blades hanging at her waist: "Those knives of yours—when you have time, you might bring them to the weaponsmith's workshop for tempering."
Hua Ruo was startled for a moment, and then it quickly dawned on her what Jiang Jin meant. Her excitement got the better of her composure: "Really?"
She knew exactly how formidable the Jinyang Army's weapons were—especially the officers' blades, which were specially forged by the workshop and were countless times stronger than ordinary weapons!
And now her Blood-Tang Twin Moons were going to be tempered and strengthened as well. How could she not be thrilled?
Realizing she was letting her emotions show, she felt a little embarrassed: "Please forgive my outburst."
Jiang Jin smiled: "Keep up the good work. I believe in you."
Hua Ruo's heart swelled with ambition. After a moment's hesitation, she asked: "Master, if a friend of mine also wished to come to Fengzhou, would that be possible?"
Jiang Jin was intrigued: "A friend of yours?"
Hua Ruo felt a little sheepish: "Yes. They are like me—they have a heart to serve the nation, but alas..."
Birds of a feather flock together, and that was certainly true here.
The few close friends she had made were all just as "rebellious" as she was, but they had no way to serve, wasting away their years.
When she'd left Sizhou, she had done so with reckless courage, knowing nothing of what lay ahead, and had told no one except her father.
Now that the path was clear, she believed her friends would want to build a career just as much as she did.
Jiang Jin nodded: "That's fine. We are in great need of talent here—we don't discriminate between men and women."
According to her plan, by next year she would swiftly take East Lake Prefecture, which contained several counties. Magistrates, deputy magistrates, and all kinds of civil officials and clerks would be needed.
They arrived back at Gefeng three days later.
The setting sun was blood-red, and the chill was like frost.
At the Martyrs' Cemetery, the atmosphere was solemn.
Row upon row of coffins, each draped with the banner of the Jinyang Army.
