Chapter Twenty-One: Saving a Female River Bandit

After seeing Yang Xiu off, Qin Song led his men, pulling dozens of wagons loaded with supplies, to the garrison of the Yuezhou Naval Fleet.

Standing at the entrance of the naval base, he looked out to see nearly a hundred wooden warships of various types docked in the harbor, some standing as tall as twenty or thirty meters.

"Well? Don't they look particularly imposing and majestic?" Zhang Pengyuan’s voice came from afar as Qin Song inspected the vessels.

"They're alright, I suppose." Seeing Zhang Pengyuan’s proud expression, Qin Song didn't have the heart to dampen his spirits. In Qin Song’s eyes, these wooden warships, which represented the pinnacle of human technology, were at best just oversized fishing boats.

"Men, move everything Master Qin brought inside!"

"Understood!"

The naval base was a restricted area, and unauthorized personnel were strictly prohibited, but the men Zhang Pengyuan brought quickly moved the dozens of wagons of supplies into the garrison.

"The Admiral is busy today, so he has tasked me with hosting you, Master Qin!" Zhang Pengyuan said. "Would you like to come inside for a tour?"

Zhang Pengyuan was in a rather good mood today. After returning from the provincial capital yesterday, Chu Haiyuan had informed him that he had uncovered evidence of his superior embezzling military pay. The man who had been skimming the pension funds had been dragged out and beheaded by Chu Haiyuan the night before, and the funds had been returned intact to Zhang Pengyuan. Although the pensions were recovered, Zhang Pengyuan clearly had no intention of returning the one thousand taels Qin Song had given him.

"Certainly!" Intrigued by the invitation, Qin Song, accompanied by Hu Shangdong and a few guards, entered the naval base under Zhang Pengyuan’s guidance.

As they walked, Zhang Pengyuan explained the operations, and Qin Song gradually became more interested. The warships of this era were primarily driven by a combination of human power and wind. When the wind was favorable, sails were raised; when sailing against the wind, human labor was required. As for combat, the tactics were simple: long-range attacks were conducted with bows and crossbows, while close-quarters combat involved ramming smaller vessels or, if the ships were of similar size, boarding the enemy vessel once they were close enough for the soldiers to jump across.

"Brother Qin, I happen to be leading my men out on a patrol today. Would you be interested in joining us?"

"I would love to!" Wishing to witness the combat capabilities of the era's warships, Qin Song followed Zhang Pengyuan onto his flagship.

Zhang Pengyuan’s fleet was centered around a medium-sized warship, and by the time Qin Song boarded, the sailors had already assembled.

"Brothers, this is Master Qin of the Qin family in Yuezhou!" Zhang Pengyuan announced. "Master Qin has come today specifically to reward you all!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Song felt dozens of pairs of fervent eyes fixed upon him.

"Greetings, Master Qin!" A thunderous roar echoed through the air, startling Qin Song with its intensity. After Zhang Pengyuan returned yesterday, he had distributed the thousand taels Qin Song had given him directly to the men, explaining exactly where the money had come from.

To these sailors, Qin Song was now like the God of Wealth.

"We are all brothers here, no need for formalities!" Zhang Pengyuan shouted. "Men, Master Qin will be joining us on our voyage today. Let’s show him what we’re capable of! Sound the order: set sail!"

"Set sail!"

Following Zhang Pengyuan’s command, the crew began to move like a precision instrument. After a brief vibration and the rhythmic chanting of the sailors, the warship slowly began to move, pulling away from the dock.

Once out of the harbor, the ship traveled up the great river.

"The wind is picking up!" Zhang Pengyuan, standing at the bow, felt the breeze and turned to shout, "Raise the sails!"

"Raise the sails!"

As the sails were hoisted, the warship’s speed increased significantly under the power of the wind. Watching the scenery fly by on both banks, Qin Song’s previously heavy heart felt a little lighter.

"Yang Xiu has left. He went to the northwest alone to join the army," Qin Song said, gazing at the vast, endless river.

"I know. He came to see me early this morning," Zhang Pengyuan replied, standing beside him. "I wonder when we will meet again."

After the events of the previous day, the bond between the three had grown much deeper.

"Indeed," Qin Song agreed. "There will be a chance to meet again."

"Sir, there is something ahead!" A sailor standing on the high lookout point suddenly pointed toward the river surface in the distance.

Following his gesture, they saw a faint silhouette in the water.

"It looks like a person!" Zhang Pengyuan, experienced in such matters, quickly made his assessment.

Sure enough, as they drew closer, it was a person clutching a wooden plank, with blood streaming from several wounds.

"It’s a river pirate!" Zhang Pengyuan’s expression turned cold upon seeing the stranger's attire. "Pull them up and let’s see!"

The pirate was quickly hauled aboard.

"Master!"

As the group examined the pirate, Hu Shangdong, who was standing nearby, spoke up. "I recognize him! He was among the pirates who attacked our boat that night!"

After confirming he was not mistaken, Hu Shangdong added, "He was definitely there."

"What?" Qin Song was shocked.

Beside him, Zhang Pengyuan’s eyes were filled with murderous intent; he had lost over a dozen men protecting the Qin family’s cargo that night.

"However, this group of pirates left after realizing the cargo belonged to the Qin family, and they even got into a significant conflict with another group of pirates along the way," Hu Shangdong continued.

"What do you mean?"

Qin Song was even more confused. Hu Shangdong then recounted the events of that night in detail. As the captain of the Qin manor’s guard, he had been accompanying Qin Song’s father, Qin Yuanhuai, on a ship heading north to the capital. Not long after setting sail, they were surrounded by countless pirates. When the pirates boarded, Qin Yuanhuai had identified himself. Upon realizing the shipment belonged to the Qin family, this particular pirate had intended to leave, but another group refused to let them go. A conflict broke out, and the guards led by Hu Shangdong were caught in the crossfire. Faced with hundreds of pirates, the Qin family’s forces were quickly overwhelmed. Qin Song’s father was killed, his body falling into the river, never to be recovered. It was only when Zhang Pengyuan’s naval forces arrived that the rest were saved.

"So, he’s a pirate leader, then!" Qin Song looked down at the unconscious pirate. "Keep him alive and treat his wounds. I have questions for him when he wakes up."

"Understood. He won't be going anywhere," Zhang Pengyuan said, his expression cold as ice.

In recent years, river piracy had become increasingly rampant. These pirates exploited the geography to ambush passing merchant vessels. The most brutal among them would not only steal the cargo but slaughter the crew and kidnap the women.

The unconscious pirate was carried to a room, and Zhang Pengyuan summoned the ship’s physician to tend to the wounds.

"What? It’s a woman?"

"A female pirate?"

A moment later, unexpected news arrived: the pirate leader was a woman. The ship’s physician, a stubborn old man, refused to treat a female pirate, even at the cost of his own life.