Minglan hurried to open the window and looked out. In the distance, flames shot into the sky—it seemed one of the large ships had caught fire. Shadows flickered amid the blaze, and faintly, figures could be seen plunging into the water. Carried by the wind, distant shouts and sounds of fighting reached her ears. Changdong leaned against the window, his small face pale with fear. Soon, sharp whistles echoed from their own ship’s deck, likely the lookouts sounding an alarm.
Before long, everyone on board was awake. Minglan roused Danju and instructed her to wake the other girls while she herself pulled Changdong along to find Changwu. Along the way, boatmen, maids, and elderly women crowded the railings, all wearing panicked expressions. Ignoring them, Minglan rushed straight to Changwu’s cabin, where she found Yun’er sitting pale-faced, clutching her slightly swollen belly. The moment Yun’er saw Minglan, she grabbed her hand and said, "Your brother went out to check. I just sent someone to find you all. May the Bodhisattva protect us—I pray everyone is safe!"
Uncertain of what was happening outside, Minglan could only sit beside Yun’er. Changdong craned his neck, eager to venture out, but Minglan swatted him back inside.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Changwu returned, breathless, and announced, "It’s water bandits!" The women gasped in horror. Changwu then briefly explained the situation.
They were currently sailing on the Yongtong Canal, the Huaiyin section of the north-south Grand Canal. The night had been calm, and many vessels had anchored to rest. Besides the Sheng family’s ship, there were two large ships carrying officials and wealthy families, two escort vessels, and several merchant ships from Baochanglong. Since all were moored in the river, they had gathered in this gourd-shaped sheltered area—merchant ships at the front and rear, with escort and passenger ships in the middle.
After everyone had fallen asleep, a group of water bandits had stealthily boarded the ships. They first attacked and looted the merchant vessels at the ends. Unexpectedly, one of Baochanglong’s ships was carrying tung oil. During the struggle, a few young clerks ignited the cargo hold, causing a whole compartment of oil barrels to explode. The ship was immediately engulfed in flames. Not only did the clerks seize the chance to jump overboard and escape, but the fire also alerted the other ships.
Seeing Yun’er trembling uncontrollably, Minglan patted her hand and comforted her, "Sister-in-law, don’t worry too much. From what I see, these bandits aren’t very clever. Experienced ones would know to target passenger ships first—why would they start with cargo vessels? That’s just alerting the enemy..."
Upon hearing this, Changwu, who had been tense, couldn’t help but smile in approval. "Well said, Sixth Sister! Exactly! They’re probably just a scattered bunch of petty thieves. Right now, they’re tangled up with the escort ships. We’ve prepared sampans below—everyone pack your things. Once we reach the left bank, we’ll be safe!"
The women visibly relaxed.
The water bandits were not large in number; their advantage lay in surprise and the confined space of the ships, which made it hard for the attacked to evade. The right bank of the Yongtong Canal was winding and happened to form a sheltered spot where the ships had anchored. In contrast, the left bank was a vast reed marsh, with dense reeds taller than a person. Moreover, it led directly to the nearest Huaiyin guard station. Once they reached the left bank, not only would reinforcements arrive from the barracks, but any pursuing bandits would be too scattered to give effective chase.In this era, the concept of lifeboats did not yet exist. The boats on the shore had long been seized by water bandits under the cover of night. Changwu had managed with great difficulty to procure two small sampans. Fortunately, as a former military officer who had killed before, he knew some strategies for dealing with enemies. He ordered some people to pack and disembark from the large ship while having others light up every room on the entire vessel. He also had people run back and forth to create the illusion of panic on board. Meanwhile, the small sampans were forbidden from showing any light, allowing them to silently reach the shore under the cover of darkness.
In the rush, the maids became increasingly flustered. Changwu urged them repeatedly. Yun'er's face was frighteningly pale as she clutched her abdomen in pain, likely due to a disturbed pregnancy. Minglan glanced at the flickering lights dozens of yards away, where the fighting seemed intense, and said, "Sister-in-law is unwell and may be even less mobile later. Why doesn't Brother escort her and Fourth Brother across first? I'll catch up as soon as I finish packing."
Yun'er and Changwu initially refused, but seeing that the water bandits had not yet arrived, Changwu gritted his teeth and left half the guards and one sampan behind. Before leaving, he earnestly instructed, "Forget about some money and valuables! Hurry and come over!"
Minglan nodded and even left Yancao by Changwu's side.
In truth, she had estimated the distance to the opposite shore. As an ambitious youth determined to endure hardships, even if Minglan retained only half of Yao Yiyi's former swimming skills, she should still be able to swim across. As for the others, Danju could dog-paddle a little, Xiaotao could swim while carrying her, and Lüzhi, along with several maids left by Yun'er, all had some swimming ability.
Changwu was returning home for a funeral. Once Da Lao Taitai passed away, he would observe the mourning period, so he had brought almost all the wealth he had accumulated in the capital over the years—a considerable amount. There was no reason to let those low-skilled bandits take it. Minglan directed the maids to pack lightweight jade, porcelain antiques, and gold and silver jewelry into oilcloth pouches. As they worked, Lüzhi, who was keeping watch at the ship's rail, suddenly cheered, "Serves them right! Shoot them dead!"
Minglan rushed over to look and saw guards on several large ships nearby drawing bows and shooting arrows into the water. Amid the shouts and curses, screams and cries of alarm could be heard. Minglan's heart tightened, and she immediately said, "Bad news! Their ships are blocked, so they've dispersed and are swimming over from the water!"
The girls were terrified. Minglan pondered for a moment, then glanced at Changwu's small boat, which had already reached the middle of the river. She quickly made a decision, pointing at the girls in front of her and commanding in a stern voice, "You three, throw all the lamps from every cabin on this deck into the river! Leave no source of light behind. I'll take Lüzhi to the deck below. Xiaotao and Danju, tie these thin iron chests with ropes. Xiaotao, you're a good swimmer—tie the ropes to the bottom of the ship and submerge the chests in the water! Afterward, meet up in the kitchen on the lowest deck! Hurry!"
"Miss, why don't we just hurry onto the small boat and leave?" one of Yun'er's senior maids asked hesitantly.
Lüzhi glared and scolded angrily, "Nonsense! Do as the miss says! No backtalk! If it weren't for your mistress, our miss would have left long ago! How dare you question her!" Danju, with her gentle temper, quickly explained, "There are bandits in the water now. How fast can we row? If they catch up, one strike could capsize our sampan!"
The girl immediately blushed and lowered her head.Minglan couldn't be bothered to feel angry—after all, this wasn't her own team. She immediately rushed to the outer deck and divided the guards into four groups, each assigned to escort a different group of girls. Soon, the entire ship was plunged into darkness. The heavens were on their side tonight—the moon offered no light, and it was so dark one couldn't see their own fingers.
Minglan hurriedly instructed the maids and servants to hide, while the stronger ones were sent to the deck to confront the enemy. She herself dashed straight to the kitchen, rummaging through it to find an assortment of kitchen knives, sharp forks, spatulas, and iron pestles. When the girls arrived after splitting up, she distributed these "weapons" among them. Xiaotao received an iron pan, Lüzhi was given a kitchen knife, and the other girls were similarly armed.
Once preparations were complete, Minglan ordered the guards to stand watch outside before retreating to an inconspicuous cabin in the ship's hold to hide.
In the darkness, the girls waited silently, the only sound being the occasional gulp of someone swallowing nervously. The wait felt interminable. Knowing the girls were extremely tense, Minglan gently reassured them: First, not all the water bandits would make it across—some would be shot down by arrows. Second, there were three passenger ships in total, so it was unlikely they would all target this one, reducing the number of attackers. Third, the ship had two decks with twelve rooms in all; if the bandits had any sense, they would likely search the cabins first, further dispersing their forces. Additionally, the bandits had swum over, so they wouldn't be carrying fire starters. All the lamps and candles on the ship, as well as the firewood in the kitchen, had been thrown into the river. Unless they tore apart the ship's planks or doorframes to make torches—which wouldn't be easy, as the wood was damp from the river—they wouldn't be able to see clearly and would struggle to search effectively. Finally, there was a hatch at the back of the cabin that led directly to the river, originally designed for fetching and dumping water. If things took a turn for the worse, they could simply jump into the water.
Moreover, the bandits wouldn't linger long on the ship. If they found little of value, they might move on to another vessel. All they had to do was hide and wait it out... With these words, the girls felt somewhat reassured.
After what felt like an eternity, sudden shouts and the clashing of weapons erupted from above. Minglan knew the bandits had boarded. She tightened her grip on a sharp hairpin, and the girls' breathing grew rapid again. As the sounds of fighting and cries for help continued overhead, amidst a suffocating chaos of footsteps, the cabin door was kicked open with a loud bang.
Two dark figures rushed in, cursing under their breath. Minglan, who had been waiting, pulled hard on a rope on the floor with Danju opposite her. With a thud, the first bandit fell. By the faint light from outside, Xiaotao mustered all her strength and slammed her iron pan onto the bandit's head. The man grunted and lost consciousness.The second thief only staggered for a moment. Seeing the room full of girls, he immediately tried to call for help. One of the maids raised the stool in her hands and smashed it down on him with all her might. The thief grunted, swayed, and then another maid leaped forward, crashing into him and knocking him to the ground. Minglan, now free to act, dashed forward in a single stride, planted a foot on his chest, and drove a hairpin straight into the bandit’s breast. Blood gushed out in spurts. Just as the thief was about to scream, a handful of straw ash was stuffed into his mouth, followed by a flurry of indiscriminate blows to his head from who-knows-what. His eyes rolled back, and he too fell unconscious, leaving only the nauseating stench of blood hanging in the air.
Danju, fighting back her disgust, gently closed the door. Minglan directed the girls to bring out the prepared ropes and securely bind the two half-dead thieves, gagging them to prevent any noise. After the task was done, the seven girls in the room, including Minglan, exchanged glances. Having subdued the two thieves, they suddenly felt a surge of courage, and the fear in their eyes faded, replaced by a flicker of excitement.
After a commotion overhead, silence fell. Through the air vent, faint words like "Nothing here! Search elsewhere!" could be heard. The girls’ faces lit up with relief. Just as Minglan was also letting out a sigh of relief, a rough, booming voice suddenly echoed from above. The girls listened intently and realized it was shouting: "...Those women have talked! Hurry to the lower deck! They say the young lady of the house is still on the ship! Come on, lads! Catch her and we’ll strike it rich! There are also a few tender-skinned maids for everyone to enjoy!"
Minglan’s face turned pale, and Lüzhi burst out cursing: "How dare they betray the young lady!" Minglan dared not wait any longer. She barked sharply at the girls, "Take off your outer robes and jump into the water, now!"
It was early winter, and the girls were clad in thick brocade-padded coats. Tearing them off, they leaped into the water. Outside, chaotic shouts and heavy footsteps thundered downward. Panicked, the girls plunged into the river one after another.
As soon as Minglan hit the water, the river’s chill pierced her to the bone. Fortunately, it was not yet the depths of winter. In her ears, she heard angry shouts: "Damn it, someone’s jumped! Go catch them!" Minglan immediately began stroking her arms, enduring the cold that seemed to seep into her heart, and swam vigorously toward the opposite shore. Behind her came a series of splashes as others hit the water, followed by the shrill screams of girls—likely some had been caught. Minglan took a deep breath and submerged, keeping her head below the surface as much as possible.
She had only swum a short distance when something tightened around her waist—an arm had encircled her from behind. Minglan, terrified, kicked out frantically. But the person behind her was incredibly agile, flipping to her side and seizing her arms at some pressure point. Minglan felt a sudden weakness in her limbs, and then her body was completely enveloped. As they pressed together, Minglan immediately sensed that the person behind her was a woman!
The woman kicked her legs several times, and the two of them broke the surface. Minglan gasped in the icy river wind, only to have her chin seized as the woman twisted her face around for a look. Minglan’s skin stung with pain, and she let out a soft hiss. Then the woman shouted triumphantly, "Found her! This is the one!" Her voice brimmed with joy.As soon as Minglan had a moment to spare, she immediately thrust her elbows backward. The woman cried out in pain and tightened her grip. After all, the woman was skilled in martial arts; she pressed Minglan's acupoints and firmly restrained her, chuckling, "Don't be afraid, miss! We're here to rescue you! You're the Sheng family's Liu Guniang, right? The one with a pair of small dimples at the corners of her mouth! ... Hey! Over here, quick!"
Before Minglan could react in surprise, the sound of river water splashing reached her ears. A small boat adorned with several large lanterns approached. The woman, seemingly an excellent swimmer, arched her back and lifted Minglan to the side of the boat, where a pair of strong hands hoisted her entirely aboard.
Once out of the water, piercing gusts of river wind needled into Minglan's body like sharp pins. In an instant, a thick, heavy cotton quilt was thrown over her, enveloping her completely. The woman from the water then climbed onto the boat, and through her dripping wet hair, Minglan vaguely saw a bear-like man wrapping clothes around her.
Shivering all over, Minglan quickly glanced around. The small boat was brightly lit by the lanterns, and several men stood aboard. The man busily wrapping her into a large "rice dumpling" was tall and robust, clad only in a worn black robe. A thick beard covered two-thirds of his face, and he wore no ornaments, but his deep, handsome eyes seemed vaguely familiar.
Minglan blinked hard, and a sudden wave of joy washed over her. She exclaimed loudly, "Second Uncle!"
She finally understood what it felt like to encounter a police officer in a dark alley when faced with a group of ill-intentioned hooligans—even if this particular officer had once fined her without reason.
Gu Tingye's eyes lit up, though his bearded face revealed no expression. He murmured softly, "You recognize me?"
Minglan found it strange. Though the river surface was bustling with noise—shouts, struggles, and wails blending into a chaotic uproar—the moment he spoke, she felt every word was crystal clear. Minglan hurriedly replied, "Of course, of course! I might not recognize anyone else, but how could I not recognize my lifesaver!"
Worried about Danju and Xiaotao, Minglan quickly leaned closer to Gu Tingye. Her delicate, jade-like face wore an ingratiating and obedient smile as she pleaded sweetly, "Second Uncle, my maids are still in the water. Please help fish them out quickly! It's so cold—they shouldn't be soaking for long!" When she needed help, Minglan could always act particularly endearing.
Gu Tingye's dark eyes suddenly deepened, the fine lines at their corners hinting at a faint reproach, like shifting light and shadow on a misty lake. He seemed about to glare at Minglan but held back.
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