Chapter 84. Towered Ship

Chapter 84. Towered Ship

Towered Ship
楼船 (lóuchuán) - towered ship; ship with several decks
look like this :

The young man seemed surprised to see Wu Jiao, and his tough expression changed instantly.
"Ah Jiao..." he somewhat hesitated.
Wu Jiao stared at him.
The young man's face was full of resentment. After a moment, he sheathed his sword with a "clang," indicating that his anger had not yet subsided.
Wu Jiao then surveyed the soldiers again, her gaze sharp and piercing.
The soldiers also began to sheathe their weapons one after another.
Finally, she looked at Pei Qian.
Pei Qian had never moved his blade, standing in place without making a move.
"Biao Xiong seems to be misunderstand a little and offended Jiangjun. One hopes for your magnanimity and forgiveness."
"Who wants his magnanimity..." the young man responded immediately, but a sharp look from Wu Jiao interrupted him once more.
His expression changed, a "hmph" sound escaped his lips, and he turned his horse around, kicking its flank. There was another flurry of noise, and the crowd of onlookers cleared a path as the young man galloped away.
Wu Jiao's expression turned complex. Before long, she turned to Pei Qian.
"Thank you, Nǚjun." Pei Qian bowed to her.
A faint blush appeared on Wu Jiao's cheek, and she seemed a bit embarrassed. "Jiangjun, there's no need for excessive courtesy," she said, then turned to me. "One heard that Fu Furen is also headed to Yecheng?"
"Indeed," Pei Qian replied.
Wu Jiao smiled, "That's excellent then. I've been worried about having no company on this journey. So how about Furen's carriage?"
I was surprised and looked at Pei Qian. He, too, seemed taken aback.
"Nǚjun," Pei Qian pondered and said, "Fu Furen is a member of the Wei clan. If she were to travel with Nǚjun, I'm afraid…"
"It's no problem," Wu Jiao quickly responded. "I regret my earlier oversight that led to Fu Furen's injury. On the way to Yecheng, there will be many inconveniences. Since I have attendants, traveling together could provide better care for Furen." She then turned to me with a smile. "What does Furen thinks?"
Another one who knows how to throw a curveball.
I looked at her, pursed my lips, and said softly, "Nǚjun's kindness is appreciated, it would be impolite to decline."
"Very well, it's settled then." Wu Jiao smiled warmly, looking at Pei Qian, her eyes and brows filled with a cheerful expression.
The attendants dispersed the gathered soldiers, and everyone once again busied themselves with preparations for departure.
"I'll assign a few soldiers to accompany you. If anything happens, I'll come immediately," Pei Qian approached me as I got into the carriage and said.
I nodded, feeling a bit reassured. "En."
"Who is that Lin Chong?" Gongyang Gui, who was nearby, observed and asked in an unhurried manner.
"Lin Chong is a relative of the Wu clan," Pei Qian explained. "He serves as a deputy general under Zhugong's command and arrived in Wancheng just yesterday. He's also heading to Yecheng."
Gongyang Gui's expression seemed half-smiling, half-serious. "It seems he doesn't like you."
Pei Qian glanced at him, a wry smile appearing on his lips, but he didn't respond.
*****
The journey to Yecheng wasn't particularly difficult. After leaving Wancheng, we traveled for a dozen or so miles until we reached the banks of the Wan River. There, a dozen large boats were lined up in a row. The southern waterways crisscrossed, and I heard from the soldiers that once we boarded the boats, we could sail directly to Yecheng along the waterway.
This news had both its advantages and disadvantages. The benefit was that the calm waters and gentle waves would provide a smoother journey on the large boats compared to the carriage, alleviating concerns of a bumpy ride. However, the downside was that Wu Jiao and I would be on the same boat.
While I had agreed to travel with Wu Jiao, once on the boat, it was entirely her domain, and I lacked the courage for that. Before boarding, I delicately mentioned that I wished to share the boat with my attendants, not wanting to be separated. Unexpectedly, Wu Jiao smiled agreeably and allowed both Ah Yuan and the soldiers sent by Pei Qian to board the boat.
Is it truly all in good faith?
Just as I was harboring doubts, Cui Ting suddenly arrived.
He was riding a horse, his butt and residual leg tightly bound with leather straps wound in circles. My eyes lit up as I recognized it – it was the horse saddle that Wei An had made for him.
I glanced at Wei An. He was looking at Cui Ting, then back at the horse saddle, his expression somewhat dazed.
"Mou heard that this boat is quite crowded, so One came to invite Si Gongzi to share the boat with Mou," he said politely.
I looked at him, not understanding his intentions.
"Thanking Gongzi for the kind offer, but Si Shu and Qie will share the boat," I declined.
Cui Ting smiled and then looked at Wei An, pointing toward the river's surface. "Can Si Gongzi see that towered ship over there?"
Both Wei An and I looked over. Not far away, a large ship was slowly approaching. It had multiple levels with a structure resembling a tower, a surprising three stories tall.
"Does Si Gongzi still recall, that last year in Shanyang, we discussed the idea of grand ships with tower-like structures? That ship was constructed based on the methods we talked about that day. Would Si Gongzi be willing to take a look?"
Wei An's eyes lit up, but he didn't speak. Instead, he looked at me.
I felt a slight throbbing in my temple.
"Si Shu shouldn't be separated from us," I reiterated, looking at Wei An.
A shadow seemed to pass over Wei An's gaze as he turned to Cui Ting. "I won't go."
Cui Ting opened his mouth, seemingly about to speak, when Wu Jiao's voice suddenly rang out, "Is that the towered ship crafted by Junshi?" Wu Jiao emerged from the large boat, gazing at the towered ship, then turning to Cui Ting. With a faint smile, she slowly said, "I've long heard of Junshi's extraordinary talents. I wish to take a look aboard the tower ship. Would that be possible?"
The wind on the river was strong, and the two rows of oars on the tower ship sliced through the water with synchronized force, creating a sound like beating drums. The immense hull slowly moved away from the shore.
I stood on the second-floor deck of the ship, the windows open, allowing an unobstructed view of the river scenery and the figures on the deck. Among the group of boatmen and soldiers, the most prominent were Cui Ting and Wei An.
Cui Ting sat on a pushcart, seemingly explaining a part of the ship's railing to Wei An. Wei An stood by his side, his demeanor suggesting he had been silent throughout.
Ah Yuan placed a cushion on the deck inside the cabin, and I sat down on it, stealing a glance at Wu Jiao on the other side.
Unexpectedly, she was also looking at me.
"Is there another cushion available?" she asked the maid beside her.
The maid nodded, "There is."
"Bring it," Wu Jiao instructed.
Once the cushion was brought, Wu Jiao also entered the cabin. She had the maid place the cushion across from me and sat down.
Silence filled the room.
Just as I was about to look away, Wu Jiao spoke up, "You have quite a number of attendants."
Her gaze focused on the three figures standing on the lower deck. Wei Jiao and Uncle Huang were engaged in conversation with the guarding soldiers, while Gongyang Gui stood with folded arms to the side, seemingly observing the scenery.
"We set off in haste, so they are all familiar faces," I said.
"Is that so?" Wu Jiao smiled. "Your attendants even carry precious swords. The Wei clan truly is affluent."
Understanding that she was referring to Gongyang Gui, I didn't explain and simply smiled, saying, "Nǚjun has overpraised."
Wu Jiao continued, "And then there's that Si Gongzi. I've heard that Chengxiang's sons are all exceptional individuals, but who would have thought that a carpenter could also be counted as talented?"
The remark carried a subtle edge, but I remained unfazed and replied calmly, "Si Shu possesses a unique wit. He once shot and killed Liang Heng, the son of Liang Chong, with an arrow in Huaiyang. One assumes Nǚjun've heard of it as well."
Wu Jiao didn't seem impressed and changed the subject, asking, "What does Furen think of this towered ship?"
"It's quite impressive," I replied.
Wu Jiao smiled, "My Xiongzhang also wanted to build towered ships, but unfortunately, the frequent conflicts have kept the shipbuilders too busy. We don't have someone like Cui Junshi to assist either."
I didn't fully understand these matters, so I simply said, "So it is like that."
"Does Furen know the purpose of these tower ships?" Wu Jiao continued, her gaze fixed on me. "Tower ships are invincible. They can ram into enemies, launch projectiles, and transport troops. In the Battle of Qiling, we used tower ships to hurl fire into the Wei camp, obliterating their naval base in a single strike."
There is something behind these words, and I had a sense that she wasn't finished speaking yet. I decided not to interrupt and remained silent.
"Furen does not worried about your husband?" As expected, Wu Jiao's tone shifted.
My heart stirred slightly.
"As a married couple, it's only natural to have concerns," I replied.
"Married couple?" Wu Jiao raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "In the Battle of Qiling, Jiyuan Gongzi was also present. If Furen was to witness him fighting against Da Gongzi, I wonder which side Furen would support?"
A "thud" sounded as Ah Yuan accidentally dropped a water pouch. She quickly picked it up and apologetically glanced at me.
I internally steadied my emotions and calmly said to Wu Jiao, "This is Qie's private matter, and it is unrelated to Nǚjun."
Wu Jiao looked at me mockingly, picked up a piece of candied fruit, and turned her head away.
I couldn't bring myself to like this person, but clearly, she didn't like me either.
She didn't stay seated for long; she got up and walked out. Just as I thought she disdained sharing the cabin with me, not long after, she walked back in.
"Someone, fetch the bedding," she said without even glancing at me. "I need to rest."
*****
The journey to Yecheng could be described as smooth sailing. After enduring a night on the boat and traveling for half a day the next, we had already entered the territory of Yecheng.
Throughout the journey, Wu Jiao didn't give me a hard time and our interactions were few. However, there was something peculiar. Despite her clear dislike for me, she allowed me to stay in the cabin.
Life on the boat was monotonous. Aside from sitting and walking around, what I did most was lean against the window to gaze at the river scenery. And every time I turned around, without fail, I would find Wu Jiao looking at me.
"Furen," Ah Yuan nudged me with her elbow.
I glanced at her, and she signaled with her eyes, speaking in a hushed tone, "That Wu Nǚjun, she imitated you just now."
"Imitated me?" I was surprised.
"She imitated the way you tucked your hair behind your ear," Ah Yuan explained.
I chuckled, puzzled. "Tucking hair behind the ear, isn't that's something everyone knows how to do?"
"It's not the same," Ah Yuan said. "You lift your pinky, use four fingers, turn your back... um, like this..."
I: "......"
Although I thought Ah Yuan was exaggerating, I still became more cautious. Several times, I wanted to touch my abdomen but managed to restrain myself, fearing that Wu Jiao might catch on.
Wei An hadn't returned, and according to Ah Yuan's observations, he had been spending time with Cui Ting. Last night, the two of them had even engaged in a candlelit conversation.
"Why would Si Gongzi appreciate Cui Gongzi? That person is an enemy," Ah Yuan frowned and commented.
I had concerns about it as well. While I didn't know much about Cui Ting, I was aware that he had aided Liang Wen in establishing his own power, indicating he wasn't a simple person. Wei An, on the other hand, had a straightforward nature. The fact that Cui Ting managed to pique Wei An's interest with a towered ship worried me. I was afraid that Cui Ting might have ulterior motives and could potentially manipulate Wei An.
****
Finally arriving in Yecheng, I saw a clear sky stretching for miles and a bustling scene along the shore with people bustling about.
After the boat came to a stop, the boatmen set up wooden planks as a makeshift bridge.
Wei An stood by my side, while Cui Ting went to the edge of the boat. He turned and smiled at Wei An before being carried down by his servants. As he walked on the wooden planks, Wei An kept his gaze fixed on him, appearing somewhat concerned.
"Did Si Shu sleep well last night?" I interjected.
"En, yes," he replied.
Yes? I glanced at the slightly dark circles under his eyes and smiled, "Did Cui Gongzi return the hammer and chisel?"
Wei An shook his head, "No, he said he needed to borrow them for a while."
As I suspected.
"Si Shu," I said softly, "Don't forget that Cui Gongzi is Liang Wen's strategist."
Wei An looked at me with a clear gaze.
"En."
"En?" I was surprised.
"Zhangsao," Wei An said earnestly, "You once mentioned that during times of war, everyone serves their own lord, and Xiongzhang said that debts must be repaid to settle grievances. I've thought about it. Cui Gongzi won before because I hadn't built a towered ship. When I construct one in the future and defeat him, then we will be even."
"Yet Si Gongzi must return to Yongdu for the score to be settled," at this moment, Gongyang Gui interjected softly, nodding toward a line of carriages and horses below the boat, "Wu Kun has arrived."