CCWAD – Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Guest Boat, Night Rain

Epigraph:

“Leaving Liangshan Marsh was like a bird escaping its gilded cage. But the world outside this cage was even more tempestuous, with fiercer winds and rains. When the boatman’s murky eyes roamed my neck, I finally understood that the law of the jungle, the strong preying on the weak, was the only rule in this world.”

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Three days later, a small boat departed the waters of Liangshan Marsh, heading downstream directly towards the Eastern Capital.

Yan Qing stood at the bow, watching the silhouette of the water fort gradually blur behind her, eventually disappearing into the vast expanse of mist and water. Her heart was a whirlwind of emotions – a sense of lightness at escaping the cage, a bewilderment about the unknown road ahead, and a solemn resolve as she ventured alone into an unfamiliar world.

Lu Junyi personally saw her off, offering many earnest instructions before her departure. The concern in his eyes mingled with a subtle, hidden scrutiny, finally coalescing into a single phrase: “Return soon.” Song Jiang and Wu Yong, among others, also came to bid her farewell, their words filled with encouragement for her endeavor to “gain merit while ill.” Only Li Kui shouted at the top of his lungs, “Little Brother Yi, when you get to that world of pleasure, don’t forget to bring back some good wine for your Iron Ox!”

Her current identity was that of a young master from a wealthy family, traveling to the Eastern Capital to “visit relatives and friends, and incidentally seek medical advice.” Lu Junyi had provided her with ample funds, complete clothing and necessities, and even a few forged letters of recommendation from acquaintances in Daming Prefecture, for any unforeseen circumstances. Tucked away in her luggage, carefully wrapped in oilcloth and hidden at the bottom of her trunk, was the “Wild Goose Feather Gold Bell Cord” that had not yet been reclaimed. This item was a memento of Lu Junyi’s, and a sword hanging over her head.

The boatman was a lean old man in his fifties, taciturn and with eyes that held the shrewdness honed by a lifetime of livelihood on the water. Seeing Yan Qing’s fine attire, excessively handsome features, and the subtle hint of frailty in her movements, he mistook her for a pampered young master from a prominent family out for a tour, and harbored a degree of disdain.

The first two days passed peacefully. Yan Qing spent most of her time in the cramped cabin, partly to avoid unnecessary interaction with the boatman and the risk of saying something wrong, and partly because she was consciously trying to “familiarize” herself with this body and attempt some extremely subtle recovery exercises.

Facing the blurry bronze reflection on the cabin wall, she practiced controlling her facial expressions and lowering her voice. She quietly stretched her muscles and bones, testing the limits of this body’s flexibility, and the faint foundation that seemed to still linger beneath its delicate exterior, belonging to the original host. She dared not make any large movements, fearing the boatman would detect any abnormality.

However, trouble eventually found its way to her.

That evening, the sky changed abruptly. Dark clouds pressed down, and a torrential rain began to fall. The river water turned turbid and swift, and the small boat pitched and rolled in the wind and waves. The boatman struggled with all his might to guide the boat into a secluded river bend to shelter from the rain.

The night rain pattered against the canopy, amplifying the surrounding desolation. Inside the cabin, the oil lamp flickered like a bean, casting dim light.

Yan Qing was perusing a casual book by the lamplight when she suddenly felt a gaze fixed upon her. She looked up and met the boatman’s murky eyes. The look was no longer one of simple disdain, but held an undisguised greed and covetousness, sweeping over her face, her neck, and her luggage placed nearby.

Yan Qing’s internal alarm bells blared, but her expression remained calm. She simply closed the book and said lightly, “Old man, you’ve worked hard. If the rain stops tomorrow, we should set off early. Your fare will not be lacking.”

The boatman chuckled dryly, revealing a row of yellow teeth. “Young master speaks the truth. But this rain is heavy and the wind is fierce, and we are between villages. This old man has rowed all day and is truly thirsty and hungry…” He rubbed his hands, his eyes fixed on Yan Qing’s water skin and food bag.

Yan Qing understood and pushed the food bag and water skin towards him. “Old man, help yourself.”

The boatman did not stand on ceremony, grabbing the food and beginning to eat, but his gaze remained fixed on Yan Qing. After a few bites of cold, hard biscuits, he seemed to gain some confidence and leaned closer, a scent mixed with sweat and river water assailing her.

“Young master, looking at your fair skin and delicate flesh, are your family at ease with you traveling so far alone?” the boatman asked, grinning probing.

Yan Qing’s stomach churned. Suppressing her discomfort, she leaned back, her tone growing a little colder. “My family has its arrangements; it’s not for you to worry about, old man.”

“Heh heh,” the boatman’s boldness grew as he saw her retreat. His gaze fell upon her collar, which had slightly opened as she leaned away, revealing a stretch of fair neck that was particularly striking in the dim light. “Young master, your appearance is truly more beautiful than the fairies in paintings… This old man has been a boatman for decades and has never seen anyone like you…”

As he spoke, his calloused, grimy hand reached out towards Yan Qing’s cheek!

Yan Qing’s hair stood on end! If the original host were here, she could probably throw this disgusting old man into the river to feed the fish with a single move! But now, she was powerless, alone in the wilderness on the river, with no one to call for help!

Fear washed over her like ice water, but faster than fear was a surge of ferocity from the depths of her heart! She could not expose her female identity, nor could she die here!

Just as the dirty hand was about to touch her, Yan Qing abruptly turned her head to avoid it. Simultaneously, her right hand moved like lightning (perhaps an eruption of potential in a moment of crisis), grabbing the thick, thread-bound book by her side and smashing it with all her might towards the boatman’s outstretched wrist!

“Crack!” A sharp sound, accompanied by the boatman’s cry of pain.

The corner of the book was hard and struck the wrist bone squarely. The boatman cried out in pain and instinctively retracted his hand.

Yan Qing seized the opportunity to stand up abruptly. Although the cabin was low and prevented her from standing fully upright, her stance brought a semblance of authority. She held the book tightly, like a short dagger, her eyes cold and sharp, staring intently at the boatman. Her voice trembled slightly with anger and fear, yet carried an unassailable resolve:

“You old scoundrel! How dare you be so disrespectful! Do you know who I am? I am a trusted confidant of Steward Lu of Daming Prefecture in Beijing! I am on an important mission to the Eastern Capital! If you dare to touch a single hair on my head, let alone the heroes under Steward Lu’s command, even the outlaws along the Yellow River will not spare your corpse!”

She spoke with fierce urgency, invoking the names of Lu Junyi and Liangshan. Lu Junyi was renowned throughout Hebei, and Liangshan Marsh held immense prestige. Ordinary individuals would not dare to provoke them lightly.

The boatman was indeed taken aback. He clutched his wrist, looking at Yan Qing with surprise and uncertainty. The “young master” now had eyebrows like shooting arrows (though he mistook her anger for fury), and her phoenix eyes flashed with ferocity. Although her face was pale, the sudden burst of aura made even this old hand feel a sense of trepidation. Looking at her luggage and equipment, she truly didn’t seem to be from an ordinary family. Could it be… she had indeed kicked an iron plate?

Greed and fear warred in the boatman’s mind. Ultimately, his fear of Lu Junyi and Liangshan Marsh prevailed. He retreated a step resentfully, muttering, “Young master, please calm your anger. This old man… this old man was just momentarily confused, drank too much cold water and lost his head… You are magnanimous…”

Yan Qing felt a slight relief, but remained cautious. Clutching her “book-dagger,” she said coldly, “Get to the bow of the boat! If you dare to step into this cabin again tonight, don’t blame me for being impolite!”

The boatman dared not say another word. He scrambled out of the cabin shamefacedly and huddled under the small awning at the bow, keeping company with the wind and rain.

Yan Qing slowly sat down, her back thoroughly soaked with cold sweat, her heart pounding wildly. Her hand, still gripping the book, trembled slightly.

Outside the cabin, the rain did not cease, its incessant drumming unsettling her.

Leaning against the cold cabin wall, she gazed at the flickering lamplight, an unprecedented sense of loneliness and vulnerability washing over her.

It had only been a few days since she left Liangshan, and she had already encountered such a perilous situation. The road ahead was long, and she didn’t know how many open attacks and hidden arrows awaited her. She possessed a modern soul and some quick wit, but in this true world of the strong preying on the weak, she felt so pale and powerless.

Strength… For the first time, she desperately yearned for the ability to protect herself. Even just ten percent of the original host’s strength, no, even half of it!

But this body…

She looked down at her still slender hands, a deep sense of powerlessness gripping her.

Li Shishi… that name, at this moment, became the only faint light in the darkness. Would meeting her offer a glimmer of hope for breaking this predicament?

Yan Qing did not know. She only knew that she had to keep going, regardless of whether the path ahead was a mountain of knives or an abyss of ten thousand fathoms.

Guest boat, night rain, a solitary lamp like a bean. A soul from another world, in this strange time and space, began her true journey of solitary survival.

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(End of Chapter 8)