Chapter 40: Morning Roll Call

Early the next morning.

The boat workers returned one after another on the flower boat's small launches, thoroughly satisfied.

The moment they boarded, they saw Lin Qian standing before the railing of the sterncastle, quietly watching them.

Having weathered several storms, Lin Qian already commanded considerable authority among the crew.

Seeing Lin Qian's grave expression, the boat workers held their breath and steadied themselves, not daring to delay, and lined up neatly in the center of the deck.

Roll call at the beginning of the mao hour each day—this was the rule aboard ship.

Only, the ship had no timekeeping instruments, so although it was said to be the beginning of the mao hour, there was no precise time; each day roll call was simply held after sunrise.

But having endured nearly half a month adrift at sea, the boat workers had rarely had the chance to indulge themselves on the flower boat.

Returning to the ship for roll call, they were an hour later than usual.

Lin Qian was not usually harsh with people, and since all the boat workers had caroused all night, everyone harbored the lucky thought that the law could not punish the many.

Unexpectedly, the moment they returned to the ship, they saw the helmsman's displeased expression, and figured that a scolding or punishment today was certainly unavoidable.

The first batch of boat workers to return felt anxious, yet at the same time somewhat relieved—after all, they had come back earliest, and figured that even if punished, they would be penalized more lightly than those who returned later.

After the space of half a ke, another small launch came from the flower boat's direction, and from far off one could hear the people aboard laughing and joking boisterously.

"... Damn whore's spawn! Southern girls have skin too tender! Use a bit of force and it leaves a blue mark...

When someone asks her what's wrong, she just sobs and sniffles, as if I'd done something bad...

If you ask me, northern women are more straightforward..."

As the voices drew nearer, Lei Sanxiang and several boat workers also came aboard.

"Brother Lin!" The moment he boarded, Lei Sanxiang saw Lin Qian and raised his hand in greeting.

Lin Qian was usually warm with his sworn brothers, and would surely smile and reply with a "Third Brother."

But today Lin Qian acted as if he hadn't heard, only slowly shifting his gaze toward Lei Sanxiang, leaving him awkwardly frozen in place for a moment.

After a moment of silence, Lin Qian spoke: "From now on, when on duty, address me by my position."

Lei Sanxiang swept a glance at the boat workers standing on the deck, silent as cicadas in winter; though he was thick-skinned, he too sensed the atmosphere was off.

He could only mutter sullenly: "Yes, helmsman."

Then he too walked toward the ranks of boat workers.

But Lin Qian spoke up: "You are an officer. Stand behind me."

Lei Sanxiang acknowledged with a grunt, then walked behind Lin Qian.

Climbing up to the sterncastle, he discovered that Chen Jiao, Scholar Zhou, and Bailangzai were all already standing there.

"What's going on today?" Lei Sanxiang asked in a low voice.

Chen Jiao spoke: "Don't talk. Just watch."

The other boat workers who had returned with Lei Sanxiang, seeing this display, all felt their hearts sink, standing there at a loss for what to do.

Lin Qian said nothing either, letting them continue standing.

Thus it went for over two hours, and five or six more boatloads of people returned one after another; seeing the scene, they all likewise dared not speak and stood on the deck.

The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

By now the sun had risen to mid-sky, and everyone was drenched in sweat from the heat.

Lin Qian's forehead too was covered in fine sweat, and the clothes on his back were soaked through, clinging uncomfortably to his skin.

But he bore it stiffly, not moving a muscle.

Seeing Lin Qian like this, the boat workers did not dare wipe their sweat either, and could only endure miserably together.

After another an hour or so, no more people were seen coming aboard; taking a look around, the boat workers were essentially all present.

Lin Qian said: "Boatswain, begin today's roll call."

Lei Sanxiang was still in a daze when his arm was nudged by Bailangzai; he quickly snapped to attention, acknowledged with a grunt, then went down to the deck and loudly ordered the boat workers to form ranks.

Having already stood in the sun for nearly four hours, Lei Sanxiang now only wanted to finish this roll call business quickly so he could return to the cabin and strip off his sweat-soaked clothes.

After a round of counting, he could only count 62 people—yet the ship clearly had 64 boat workers.

Lei Sanxiang counted twice more, and indeed two were missing.

Lei Sanxiang could only steel himself and report to Lin Qian: "Helmsman, two are missing."

Lin Qian nodded slightly.

Lei Sanxiang returned to the sterncastle, looked over the boat workers, and said quietly to Lin Qian: "Helmsman, how about letting everyone disperse for now?"

Lin Qian: "Wait a while longer."

Chen Jiao grew alert: "Helmsman, those two couldn't have run off, could they?"

Lin Qian thought briefly, then shook his head: "They shouldn't have. Bailangzai, take a few men and go check the flower boat."

"Yes." Bailangzai clasped his fist with his blade in hand, descended the sterncastle, picked three skilled men, and went to the ship's side to hail a small launch from the flower boat.

Then he climbed down the rope ladder to the launch.

The sun climbed higher and higher, gradually reaching its zenith.

It was now the height of summer, the temperature quite high, and the sun at sea was even more vicious; standing for so long, sweat ran over sun-exposed skin, stinging painfully.

The boat workers grew restless—not daring to show it on their faces, but cursing inwardly.

After a long while, the launch sailed back.

Bailangzai and the three who went with him boarded first, followed by one boat worker with a shamefaced expression and three scratch marks on his face.

Then there was another who climbed the rope ladder very slowly, his steps unsteady, soaked through, and reeking of alcohol from a distance—clearly he had drunk himself senseless and had just been splashed awake by someone.

By now the boat workers' dissatisfaction had fallen entirely upon these two men, and they all glared at them with angry eyes.

The one with scratch marks on his face, seeing this, grew even more ashamed and knelt straight down, head lowered, not daring to look at the people on the ship.

The drunk one also collapsed limply—whether he knelt or fell back asleep, no one could tell.

"What's going on?" Lin Qian asked.

Bailangzai pointed at the drunkard: "This one drank himself senseless on the flower boat and couldn't be roused no matter what. I had to throw him into the sea before he woke up."

Then Bailangzai pointed at the man with scratch marks on his face: "This one lost his senses last night, lashed out wildly, beat a girl so badly she's bedridden. The flower boat detained him, and it cost three taels of silver to buy him back."

Lin Qian nodded to show he understood, then said sternly: "Failing roll call, five lashes. Bullying women, five lashes."

Then Lin Qian looked at Lei Sanxiang: "You are the boatswain. From now on, sailor punishments will be carried out by you."

Lei Sanxiang hesitated: "Helmsman, the ship never had such rules before..."

Lin Qian cut him off: "Every rule has a beginning. That beginning is today."

Lei Sanxiang wanted to argue further, but Chen Hong stopped him: "The helmsman is right. Without rules, nothing can be accomplished."

Cut off twice in a row, Lei Sanxiang's face darkened. He pushed Chen Hong aside, clasped his hands in a perfunctory salute, descended from the stern deck, retrieved a whip from the storeroom, and walked onto the main deck.

The man who had beaten the girl immediately began begging for mercy, spouting things like "a moment of confusion," "drank too much," and "I'll never dare again."

The other drunkard also wanted to beg for mercy, but the moment he opened his mouth, a wave of vomit reeking of alcohol surged out.

Lei Sanxiang roared: "Tie them both up."

The shiphands fetched ropes, bound the two men to the mast, stripped off their shirts, and exposed their backs.

Lei Sanxiang clenched his jaw, gripped the whip, and swung it down with all his might.

One lash alone split the skin open, and the man let out a shrill scream.

By the second lash, snot and tears had smeared all over his face.

The shiphands watched the punishment from the sidelines; not one pleaded for mercy.

By the third lash, the man's body was trembling like a sieve, crying and begging between sobs: "I was wrong, I know I was wrong. I'll pay back those three taels of silver. Please stop hitting me, have mercy..."

Lei Sanxiang snorted angrily: "When you were beating that girl, did she beg you for mercy? And did you spare her?"

The man was left speechless. The fourth lash fell immediately after, and his wails grew even more piercing.

By the time all ten lashes were finished, the man's voice was completely hoarse. The moment the ropes were untied, he collapsed like a pile of rotten meat.

Lei Sanxiang gestured for the shiphands to carry the man back to the cabin.

Then he began whipping the other drunkard.

That one only had to take five lashes, and with the alcohol numbing much of his senses, he didn't wail nearly as miserably.

After the flogging, the ropes were untied, and he too was carried back to the cabin.

With the punishment complete, Lei Sanxiang tossed aside the whip and resumed his position behind Lin Qian, his face full of indignation.

Yahei

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