Chapter 18: Pork Head Meat

Influenced by the wind speed and currents, the ship moved sluggishly. The sea was far less stable than the canals; one moment it was calm, the next it was churning with massive waves. Before long, Su Yunqing felt completely dizzy and disoriented.

Knowing now that she was a girl, Ling Yuan felt it inappropriate to share the same room with her constantly. After the ship set sail, he stood on the deck, staring blankly at the vast expanse of the ocean.

From within the cabin came bursts of raucous laughter, punctuated by angry curses—curses directed at the injustice of the world, mocking the corruption of the imperial court and the incompetence of the Emperor.

With a loud clatter, the cabin fell silent. Every gaze turned toward Su Yunqing, who was covering her mouth and rushing out of the compartment. She had no time to explain, sprinting toward the deck as fast as she could. She leaned over the railing, feeling as though she would vomit her very heart and lungs out.

Just as her tears and nose started running in the wind, a sky-blue handkerchief appeared before her.

"Seasick?"

Su Yunqing took the handkerchief to wipe her face, then slid down the railing to slump onto the deck. She nodded at Ling Yuan. "I've never been to sea before."

"Then stay on the deck for now and don't go back in. The fresh air will make you feel much better."

"Thank you!"

Su Yunqing looked up and saw a row of heads peeking out from the cabin doorway, flashing several sets of white teeth at her.

The man with the thick beard muttered, "So effeminate..."

Before he could finish, he was shoved forward as someone behind him drove a knee hard into his backside. He turned around, ready to snap, but the man behind him gestured toward Ling Yuan with his chin, and he quickly shut his mouth. If it weren't for the fact that this effeminate-looking pretty boy was brought along by Young Master Ling, the group would have mocked him relentlessly.

Su Yunqing also harbored a question in her mind: What kind of people were these? Was boarding this ship too hasty a decision? Ling Yuan didn't seem like a bad person, but then again, one can know a person's face but not their heart. It was best to remain vigilant.

The bearded man brought a bowl of water from the cabin and handed it to her. "Rinse your mouth, Young Master Cheng!"

Su Yunqing thanked him, took a sip to rinse, and drank the rest. She had taken the anti-toxin pill left for her by Dr. Ma beforehand. While there was no medicine in the world that could cure every poison, there were preventatives; taking the pill would render her immune to toxins for a certain period. Thus, even if someone on the ship had ill intentions, she was not afraid. At worst, she could jump into the sea; she was a strong swimmer, after all.

*Pfft!*

As she looked up, she sprayed all the water she had just swallowed. Ling Yuan, confused, turned to look and saw the bearded man standing by the railing, relieving himself into the ocean as if no one were there.

Ling Yuan stepped in front of Su Yunqing to shield her, looking at the man helplessly. "Meng Hu, can't you find a more discreet spot to relieve yourself?"

Meng Hu shook himself off, pulled up his trousers, and said, "What's there to be discreet about? Aren't we all the same? There aren't any women on this ship."

His remark sent the men behind him into fits of laughter.

Ling Yuan knew their nature and didn't waste words. He turned to comfort Su Yunqing, "Are you alright? They are a bunch of rough men, accustomed to being vulgar, but rest assured, they aren't bad people..."

Su Yunqing, feeling weak, shook her head quickly. "I'm fine. Just... don't let them find out the truth."

After catching some wind at the bow, she felt much better.

"Young Master Ling, how many days will it take to reach Cen Prefecture?"

"If things go smoothly, ten days should be enough. If we have a tailwind, we might be even faster."

"Will we be stopping on shore to rest along the way?"

"It's hard to say." Whether they could land depended on whether there were government officials searching the docks.

"If we do land, I need to send a letter to my relatives in Cen Prefecture." In this vast sea, even if the Cheng family's ships were heading north, they could easily miss each other if they arrived at the same place at different times. She had to leave word at a post house on shore to prevent them from arriving at Ze River only to find nothing.

Ling Yuan nodded. "No problem. If we can dock, I will let you know."

That evening, a small boat rowed rapidly toward the large ship. The person on board tied it up, climbed the rope ladder to the deck, and hurried to Ling Yuan. "Young Master, we can dock at Goldfish Tail Pier. Shall we go ashore?"

Half an hour later, the ship docked. Su Yunqing felt a wave of relief and hopped onto the shore like a bird released from a cage.

Ling Yuan called into the cabin, "Leave two men to keep watch. Everyone else, come with me to the inn."

Meng Hu leaned against a table, saying, "We're tough—we can sleep anywhere. Why waste the money? You should just take Young Master Cheng to the inn..." Meeting Ling Yuan’s slightly stern expression, he quickly corrected himself, "Young Master Cheng, Young Master Cheng. A slip of the tongue."

Once at the inn, Su Yunqing closed the door and rushed toward the wide bed. She threw herself onto the bedding, feeling a sense of absolute comfort. She hadn't slept on a real bed for many days; everything else could wait—she just wanted to lie down blissfully for a while.

Meanwhile, Ling Yuan went into the town alone. He bought a pile of food at a deli and picked up a jar of local sorghum liquor before heading back to the dock. The men were still gathered on the ship, gossiping.

"Brothers, do you think the Chief sending Ling Yuan out this time means he really intends to groom him as his successor?"

"Successor? Would Brother Leopard agree? The kid hasn't even grown his beard yet. Brother Leopard has been through thick and thin with the Chief for over twenty years—is this kid even comparable?"

Meng Hu chimed in, "I only show him some respect for the Chief's sake. Otherwise, with that flashy, useless look of his, I could take on ten of him."

"Stop bragging. Take on ten? He was taught personally by the Chief since he was a child."

Meng Hu sneered, "Don't believe me? I'll find an opportunity to teach him a lesson and let you all see."

"Forget it. Even if he doesn't take over the stronghold, he's the Chief's future son-in-law. Even if Brother Leopard takes over, he'll still have to show him some respect."

"Son-in-law? It's a waste to give such a gem to him. Miss Song Jiao is so beautiful, tsk tsk..."

"What are you 'tsk-ing' for? If it didn't go to him, would it go to you? Hahahaha..."

When Ling Yuan walked in carrying the wine and meat, the men were clutching their stomachs, laughing uncontrollably. Seeing him, they fell silent, feeling guilty.

Ling Yuan placed the items on the table, and the men's eyes widened.

"Since we aren't resting on shore, let's have a good meal. Don't get too drunk, though; there's cargo on the ship, and we need to stay alert through the night."

Meng Hu stared fixedly at the plate of pig's head meat and jumped up, slurping the drool from the corner of his mouth. "Don't worry, Young Master. With Meng Hu here, this ship is like an iron fortress; no one is getting near it."

"Alright then, thank you all. I'll be going."

The men spoke in unison, "Take care, Young Master..."

Once Ling Yuan left, everyone let loose and began to drink.

One man teased, "Brother Hu, why didn't you teach him a lesson just now?"

Meng Hu, gnawing on the pig's head meat and drinking the sorghum liquor, replied, "For the sake of this pig's head meat, I'll let him off for now."

"You're just bragging, hahahaha..."