MFBOWSBTMT Chapter 29

Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu were beaming with joy. This was nearly five mace of silver in earnings; how could anyone not be pleased?

 

Chen Xiasheng, who had earlier been sent to inquire about the competition order, soon returned with good news: Xiahe Village would be in the first round of races.

 

Each round would consist of six village teams racing together. The top three from each round would move on, and after five rounds, fifteen teams would enter the second stage.

 

The next round would then be divided into three more groups by drawing lots, and only the top two teams from each group would advance. That would leave six teams to contend for the top three spots.

 

This meant each village team had to row three times before the final winner was decided. Being in the first round gave the paddlers more time to rest. Clearly, the heavens were favoring Xiahe Village this year.

 

With one piece of good news after another, the group was in high spirits. None of them noticed the few men lurking behind a nearby tree, including the fulang who had picked a fight earlier. Greedy eyes were fixed on the spot where Qiao Suiman had placed the money pouch.

 

The drawing of lots concluded quickly, and the first round soon began. This year’s dragon boat race course started from a small path near the riverbank, with the turning point of Qinglong River right beside the pavilion where the county magistrate and wealthy merchants were seated.

 

From the turn, the boats still had to row another forty zhang[mfn]丈 : ~3.3 m[/mfn] before reaching the finish line.

 

There were some yayi[mfn]衙役 – a yamen runner, a low-ranking officer in ancient Chinese local government[/mfn] stationed at both the starting point and the turning point to ensure fairness and prevent any foul play.

 

The dragon boats of the first-round village teams were already in the water. Each village’s boat was custom-made by their own people, with the quality depending on how much the village was willing to spend on good timber.

 

Xiahe Village’s dragon boat wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t the worst either. It was built the first year they participated, with money pooled together by the villagers and crafted by a carpenter from a neighboring village. That year, they had given it their all and placed second, earning back the money spent on the boat and winning a substantial amount of grain.

 

Having grown accustomed to it over the years, no one had suggested replacing it, so they continued using the same boat. Xiahe Village was assigned the lane closest to the pavilion and the turning point, meaning their starting position was farther back than the others.

 

Everyone boarded the boat, ready to set off. Lu Dongqing was the lead rower. With his beloved watching from the riverbank, he naturally wanted to seize the chance to impress. At the very least, he wanted to show off his strength and capability!

 

Gripping his paddle tightly, Lu Dongqing sat opposite Qiao Ruifeng, both poised and waiting for the yayi’s signal to begin.

 

“Three!”

 

“Two!”

 

“One!”

 

“Begin!”

 

At the command, the drummer raised his drumsticks and struck the drum rhythmically. The rowers followed the beat, paddling in unison, their voices loud and steady.

 

“One! Two!”

 

“One! Two!”

 

“Charge!”

 

“One! Two!”

 

“One! Two!”

 

“Charge!”

 

Lu Dongqing was no exception. As the lead rower, he had to maintain speed and ensure the paddle sank deeply into the water, so his strokes had to be powerful. His body moved with the rhythm of the paddle, rising and falling. Even coarse hemp clothes couldn’t hide the strength of his physique. When he shouted, veins bulged from his neck and face, a blend of brute force and practiced technique propelling him forward.

 

They didn’t exert their full strength at the beginning. Qiao Ruifeng followed Lu Dongqing’s rhythm. The two lead rowers had to work in harmony, or the boat could tip. Fortunately, their prior training meant they already understood each other’s movements, so coordination wasn’t a problem.

 

The paddlers behind them also rowed vigorously, following the drumbeat and the current while maintaining the same rhythm as the leads. Whether it was the belief that the heavens favored them or the presence of two robust young men like Lu Dongqing and Qiao Ruifeng at the helm, Xiahe Village’s morale was higher than ever, giving them an unstoppable momentum.

 

Though they had started in the last position, by the time they neared the turn, Xiahe Village had already climbed to third place!

 

Their lane had the shortest turning distance. Once they cleared the bend, they were sure to take the lead!

 

Cheers erupted from the shore, with Xiahe Village’s supporters the loudest of all. It was a moment of pride.

 

“This village is so fierce this year! They’ve already pulled so far ahead!”

 

“Well done! That’s our Xiahe Village for you!”

 

“That man in front is really tall. No wonder they shot ahead so quickly.”

 

“Right? And he’s quite handsome too. Wonder if he’s already married.”

 

The surrounding crowd buzzed with chatter, speculating about everything under the sun. Qiao Suiman and the others found it amusing, though they couldn’t tell whether the comments were about Lu Dongqing or Qiao Ruifeng.

 

The turning point was the most thrilling part, testing both the helmsman’s control and the paddlers’ coordination.

 

They had known early on that this year’s race would be held at Hexi Village, so during training back home, they had deliberately sought out a similar curve to practice. Now, Lu Dongqing and Qiao Ruifeng eased their force slightly, followed by the rest of the team adjusting their strokes in increasing magnitude. At the stern, Liu Tian paddled hard to the right.

 

Once the front half of the boat had passed the sharpest part of the turn, Lu Dongqing seized the moment. As the drumbeat sounded, he drove his paddle deep into the water, sweeping it forcefully back and forth, splashing water in all directions.

 

With such seamless teamwork, Xiahe Village emerged from the turn in first place and left the second place far behind. But they didn’t relax, knowing the real sprint was yet to come.

 

Once the boat straightened, Lu Dongqing and Qiao Ruifeng held nothing back, rowing with all their strength to the beat of the drum. Veins bulged on Lu Dongqing’s forehead, his arms straining against the coarse fabric of his shirt. His eyes were fixed on the red marker ahead. At this point, he had no energy for stray thoughts. His entire being was focused on surging forward.

 

“Magistrate Liu, this first round is already so thrilling. It seems the races get more exciting every year,” remarked an elder seated in the lower section of the pavilion, stroking his beard. Beside him sat the young maiden, Miss Xiao He.

 

County Magistrate Liu Ben nodded, setting down his drink. “The young ones are full of vigor. It reminds me of the days when I competed in the Six Arts[mfn]六艺 – refers to the six classical arts of ancient Chinese education: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics[/mfn] with my fellow scholars, racing on horseback and competing in archery.”

 

He then asked, “Which village are these promising youths from?”

 

“Reporting to the magistrate, they’re from Xiahe Village. The tall one at the front, I believe he was among the refugees from Yuntai Town last winter,” the shiye replied, finally recognizing Lu Dongqing. That imposing build and fierce countenance weren’t easy to forget.

 

“Xiahe Village?” murmured a young lad in blue robes beside the magistrate.

 

Noticing his reaction, Magistrate Liu asked curiously, “Mei-ge’r, have you heard of them?”

 

Mei-ge’r nodded. “The drinks Xiao He bought were made by two ge’r from Xiahe Village.”

 

The magistrate raised an eyebrow. He had just praised the fragrant drink, and the merchants below, pleased to see their likenesses on the bamboo tubes, were equally delighted. After all, they funded the event every year so the common folk would remember them. At first sight of those bamboo tubes, everyone had been drawn in by their novelty, and the beverage inside was indeed delicious. No matter the flavor they received, each person was smiling and feeling a sense of excitement.

 

Xiao He, whose full name was Fang Zhihe, now held her chin high with a smile of triumph. Her expression clearly said, “See?” as she looked at Merchant[mfn]老板 lǎobǎn – boss, proprietor, shopkeeper[/mfn] Fang. The drink she had chosen was earning everyone’s praise. Let’s see what you have to say about me when we return!

 

Merchant Fang could only sigh helplessly. His daughter was far too spirited. He just hoped she wouldn’t lead the Liu family’s young master too far astray.

 

 

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