MSW Chapter80

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As it turned out, this was Mu Peixuan’s first time at sea, and it was also Duan Linzhou’s first time sailing on a Duan family merchant ship in the three years since he fell ill. The Duan family’s merchant ships were meant to travel far to foreign lands, and Duan Linzhou had put a lot of effort into selecting the vessels. The Duan clan also had its own dock. For this voyage, Duan Linzhou naturally chose the best among them: a three-decked ship capable of holding hundreds of people. Aside from Mu Peixuan’s personal guards, all the other people on board were skilled individuals from the Duan clan. Four more merchant ships followed behind, making for an impressive convoy.

 

The helmsman of the ship was a man in his thirties named Zhang Chao. He had grown up by the sea and was an excellent helmsman, as well as a trusted confidant of Duan Linzhou.

 

Duan Linzhou’s shoulders were draped with a snow-white fox fur, and Mu Peixuan stood beside him on the deck. Duan Linzhou chuckled, “Fifth Brother Zhang is a sea dragon. The folks in the pugilistic world all say that once Fifth Brother Zhang enters the sea, he can go to the Dragon Palace and pluck the Dragon King’s pearls.”

 

Zhang Chao’s face was tanned dark, but when he smiled, he revealed a set of bright white teeth. He waved his hand and said, “It’s just the brothers giving me face, how could I possibly be that good?”

 

He continued, “If I could go to the Dragon Palace and pluck pearls, why would I still be steering ships? I’d have brought back baskets and baskets of pearls for our boss long ago.”

 

Duan Linzhou smiled, and Mu Peixuan laughed too. Duan Linzhou pointed to the Kunze beside him and said, “This is Jiang Yu, the second-in-command of our ship, and also Fifth Brother’s spouse.”

 

“Don’t let the fact of Jiang Yu being a kunze fool you; his skills are excellent. Even Sanjiu might not be his match.”

 

Mu Peixuan followed his gaze and saw that the Kunze named Jiang Yu had a thin face and unremarkable features, but his calm demeanor commanded respect. Hearing Duan Linzhou’s praise, he simply nodded and said, “Our boss is exaggerating. If it truly came down to a fight for life, I wouldn’t be Sanjiu’s opponent.”

 

Zhang Chao and Jiang Yu already knew Mu Peixuan’s identity. Most people in the martial arts world dislike dealing with the imperial court, but since this man was Duan Linzhou’s husband, they naturally treated him with courtesy out of respect for Duan Linzhou. After chatting for a few moments on the deck, Zhang Chao and his spouse departed. The sea wind was salty and carried a biting chill. Duan Linzhou warmed his hands in his hand warmer and asked Mu Peixuan, “Do you feel uncomfortable?”

 

“Many people get seasick their first time out at sea,” Duan Linzhou said with a smile. “Liu Guang threw up until he was green in the face the first time he sailed.”

 

Mu Peixuan turned slightly to block the wind blowing towards him and said, “It’s acceptable; I’ll adapt to it.”

 

“It’s windy on deck; let’s go inside the cabin.”

 

Duan Linzhou nodded and replied, “Alright.”

 

Mu Peixuan wasn’t seasick, but several of his personal guards were. Zhou Zijing had also come along this time. This young man was usually tough, but unexpectedly, he was the one who suffered the most from seasickness on the ship, almost throwing up bile and looking completely wilted. However, when he saw the other personal guards slowly getting used to it, and he still couldn’t adapt, he grew anxious. His purpose for coming was to protect Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou. In his current state, he couldn’t even hold a sword steady. If they encountered an attack at sea, how could he protect his Highness?

 

So Zhou Zijing gritted his teeth and moved to the bow of the ship every day, forcing himself to stare at the churning waves and endure the sea breeze.

 

After several days of this struggle, it actually started to work.

 

The sea was vast and boundless. For two or three consecutive days, the weather was fine, with the sun hanging high, its light spreading across the sea like an infinite expanse of shimmering, broken gold. Mu Peixuan and his group had never been to sea before, and even the usually steady Mu Peixuan found this vast ocean quite novel. Duan Linzhou merely smiled at his reaction. The boundless sea, after a long journey, felt as if one could get lost in its vast blue waves. If they encountered bad weather, it would be extremely perilous, yet it also brought immeasurable opportunities and wealth. Duan Linzhou, in his youth, had gone to sea once and had fallen in love with the feeling of walking the line between life and death and achieving the impossible.

 

Young men like Mu Peixuan would surely enjoy this.

 

The Duan family’s merchant ships followed the routes charted by the Duan family members. Every path the Duan family took was personally explored by Duan Linzhou. He was experienced in navigating the martial arts world, and even though his body was now frail from illness, discussing old tales still made Mu Peixuan’s eyes light up as he listened quietly.

 

Mu Peixuan thought, if not for this ‘Jian Huangquan’ poison, with a few more years, how could the Duan family’s merchant fleet have stopped here?

 

No matter what, he had to find the medicine for Duan Linzhou.

 

Duan Linzhou meticulously explained everything about the sea to Mu Peixuan, leaving out nothing, occasionally even interweaving the Duan family’s secrets. Mu Peixuan even vaguely sensed that Duan Linzhou’s actions were tantamount to entrusting the Duan family and this entire sea region into his hands.

 

Mu Peixuan gazed at Duan Linzhou, who maintained his usual expression and a smile on his lips. Although they cared for him diligently, perhaps due to the constant sea travel, Duan Linzhou’s body, which had just recovered somewhat, weakened again. Duan Linzhou was a thoughtful person; as long as the ‘Jian Huangquan’ poison remained, he wouldn’t let down his guard and habitually arranged everything meticulously.

 

Mu Peixuan sometimes wished that Duan Linzhou wasn’t so intelligent, that he were a little more dull, like an ordinary Kunze or Zhongyong, then it would be better.

 

Though the sea view was magnificent, after a few days, especially for the Mu family’s personal guards, who were accustomed to land, the initial novelty faded, and it became somewhat monotonous and boring. The weather in winter wasn’t as unpredictable as in midsummer; they encountered no storms along the way. They smoothly sailed out of Ruizhou and Qiongzhou waters, passed Nanwang Sea, which was adjacent to Yuezhou, and finally, when passing through Ningchuan County under Yuezhou’s jurisdiction, Duan Linzhou and his group finally disembarked.

 

During this time, they switched to another ship on a small island. This ship wasn’t a Duan family vessel; it flew a large flag with the character “Jiang.”

 

The Duan and Mu families were one, so if they disembarked from the Duan family’s merchant ship, it would inevitably attract attention. Moreover, they had already reached Ningchuan County, and beyond Ningchuan County lay Yuzhou.

 

“The Duan family and the Jiang family have business dealings,” Duan Linzhou said after the two disembarked. “The Jiang family is also in the spice business, and most of the spice brought back by the Duan family’s merchant ships is sold to the Jiang family.”

 

Mu Peixuan asked, “Why not open a Duan family shop here?”

 

Duan Linzhou smiled and said, “Actually, ever since the Duan family was handed over to me, we no longer primarily deal in spice. Instead, we’ve transitioned to itinerant trading. While itinerant trading carries higher risks as we travel north and south, it yields greater profits than being a fixed merchant in one place, especially with sea trade.”

 

The dock was bustling with people, and many fishing boats were moored there, selling various seafood. This was unlike Ruizhou, which was situated by the Qing River. Although Ruizhou’s dock also had seafood, the variety was far less, leaving Zhou Zijin and others who disembarked with them marveling.

 

Mu Peixuan’s gaze swept around, listening thoughtfully to Duan Linzhou’s words. The previous dynasty was corrupt, and collusion between merchants and bandits in several coastal prefectures led to rampant sea pirates, causing immense suffering to the common people. Therefore, after its founding, the Daliang dynasty issued a sea ban to strictly guard against sea pirates. King Xin’s faction in Yuzhou guarded the region, training a naval force specifically to counter these pirates.

 

The issuance of the sea ban severed all sea trade, cutting off commerce with foreign nations across the sea.

 

Both Emperor Taizu and Taizong of the Daliang dynasty deeply detested sea pirates and abhorred merchants who traded with foreign nations for profit, actively suppressing them. At that time, the people, still reeling from the brutal acts of rampant sea pirates invading borders and slaughtering civilians during the late years of the previous dynasty, naturally blanched at the mention of sea pirates and dared not engage in transactions with them. However, as time went on, the sea ban gradually loosened, and even foreigners began to land on the shores of Daliang.

 

A hundred years ago, Emperor Mingzong, the lord of Daliang’s revival, lifted the sea ban and established maritime trade bureaus in several coastal prefectures, no longer prohibiting merchant ships from entering the sea. The maritime trade bureau in Ruizhou was established fifty years ago, but Ruizhou had little tradition of venturing out to sea for trade. This bureau had largely been a mere formality, known as a notoriously idle government agency.

 

That is, until Duan Linzhou stepped into the Ruizhou Maritime Trade Bureau ten years ago.

 

Mu Peixuan said, “During the previous dynasty, the problem of sea pirates was most severe around the South-Gazing Sea. Although Ruizhou is near the sea via the Qing River, it’s a relatively wild and desolate area, rarely troubled by sea pirates. Now, the seas are becoming increasingly chaotic. While Ruizhou’s naval force has the name, from top to bottom, they’re all incompetent good-for-nothings. They should be thoroughly purged upon our return.”

 

Indeed, Ruizhou’s naval force, much like its maritime trade bureau, was famously idle. When people spoke of Ruizhou, they almost always thought of the Southern Army, nearly forgetting that Ruizhou also had a naval force.

 

Three years ago, Mu Peizhi, due to the loss of disaster relief funds, remembered that Ruizhou still had a naval force and ordered the naval commander to rectify it. But even so, Mu Peixuan had spent a lot of effort recently suppressing sea pirates. Those individuals were merely a disorganized rabble, yet they caused the naval force significant losses. If the sea pirates were to grow stronger and attack Ruizhou’s coastal areas, it’s feared they might not be able to resist, much less contend with King Xin’s naval force.

 

Duan Linzhou was slightly taken aback, surprised that Mu Peixuan would directly connect sea trade to the naval force. Ever since the great chaos began and the young emperor moved to Yu’an, Duan Linzhou had considered that if King Xin became wary of Ruizhou, a naval battle would be inevitable. Ruizhou’s naval force—Duan Linzhou truly looked down on them. The soldiers in the naval force were often passed down from father to son, generation after generation, and were usually lax in training, even less brave than the sailors in his own fleet.

 

Whether Mu Peixuan was vying for control of the land or dealing with sea pirates, training a naval force was imperative.

 

Duan Linzhou was amused for a moment, then quietly said, “Ruizhou really should have its own naval force.”

 

Mu Peixuan nodded and said, “Linzhou, I might need to borrow a few people from you then.”

 

Duan Linzhou glanced at Mu Peixuan, scoffing with a smile, “My people aren’t lent out easily.”

 

The two walked side by side, and Mu Peixuan played along, saying, “I wonder what Boss Duan has in mind?”

 

Duan Linzhou feigned deep thought, replying, “I’ll have to think about that carefully.”

 

A hint of a smile appeared on Mu Peixuan’s lips. He scratched Duan Linzhou’s palm and said, “But I’m just a mere prince in name, and I have to support my troops as well. I’m dirt poor, so Boss Duan, please be merciful.”

 

Duan Linzhou also laughed, saying, “Xiao Junwang’s princess consort is the richest person in Ruizhou. How can you be dirt poor?”

 

Mu Peixuan earnestly replied, “Every single penny of Junwang Fei’s fortune belongs only to Junwang Fei.”

 

Duan Linzhou said, “Xiao Junwang is pedantic. I’ve heard that Boss Duan is quite fond of beauty, especially those like Your Highness. If Xiao Junwang were to set aside your tianqian self-restraint, act a bit spoiled, and speak softly to him, perhaps he’d give Your Highness everything.”

 

Mu Peixuan’s smile deepened as he whispered, “Then perhaps Boss Duan could teach me how to act spoiled and speak softly?”

 

Duan Linzhou also lowered his voice, “The tuition fee for that…”

 

“That’s easy to say.” Mu Peixuan said.

 

Mu Ke looked at the backs of Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou with a troubled expression and said, “…Weren’t they discussing serious matters just now?”

 

Zhou Zijing was already used to it and said, “Our Highness and Boss Duan have a good relationship.”

 

Mu Ke sighed, “Is this what married tianqian are like?”

 

Zhou Zijing was puzzled, so Mu Ke said, “Back in Liangdu, your Xiao Junwang once threw a delicate, soft little kunze into the water, such a harsh way to destroy a flower! Everyone in Liangdu knew your Xiao Junwang had no romantic sensibility whatsoever.”

 

“Oh?” Zhou Zijing’s eyes sparkled, indicating he was eager to hear more. Mu Ke began, “Well, that’s a long story. Back then…”

 

Before he could finish, Mu Peixuan turned his head and shot Mu Ke a glance. Mu Ke lightly coughed and changed the subject, “Never mind, never mind. Let’s not bring up past events.”

 

“Fifth Brother Zhang, what’s good to eat in Ningchuan?”