Chapter 615: On the Mudflats

But whether you worked as a pirate or a sea merchant, you had to stop once Mid-Autumn passed, because the autumn winds would rise and the waves at sea would grow fiercer, to the point where ships couldn't even sail. A month or two later, the coast would even freeze over, making it hard just to enter port, so everyone had to return at this time.

The sea opened in the second month, seven busy months of work. After that, you either rested peacefully at home or offloaded the gains from the last few deals. Qingjiangpu would soon enter its quiet season too. If you didn't take advantage of this window to move goods, once the canal transport stopped, you'd have to wait half a year to come again.

"Second Master, Third Master, another bumper harvest this year!"

"Tsk tsk, full warehouses and bursting granaries — just how many fish did you catch? Congratulations and may you prosper!"

A fleet of a dozen or so ships docked. The moment the gangplanks were lowered, people came over bowing and greeting them, fawning with eager flattery. The Niu family's fleet was a big deal in Clam Harbor.

When doing no-capital business on the sea, the rule was to use Cantonese ships — fast and nimble on the water. For legitimate trade, you used Fujian ships and sand ships — big vessels that carried a lot and ran steady on the sea. The Niu family had pirate roots, yet all their ships were large vessels; only two Cantonese ships were in the fleet.

Could it be that the Niu family didn't care about the risk of sea battles, where being a single step slow in chasing and boarding meant trouble? Those in the know understood that the Niu family's rise didn't come from wielding blades, but from buying and selling stolen goods. While everyone else was still fighting it out on the sea, the Niu family had the foresight to set up a shop in Qingjiangpu. Through this, they could sell stolen goods at prices even higher than what people could get selling on their own. Through this, the Niu family — originally an inconspicuous small outfit — managed to connect with the big bosses from Fujian and Zhejiang on the open sea.

From the second half of the seventh month every year until the start of the ninth month, the Niu family's fleet would stay out at sea. Occasionally they'd send ships back for supplies, but the main fleet wouldn't return. They collected stolen goods from every group, and even did business with Japanese, Koreans, and Ryukyuans who came from afar, acquiring their goods. Once the ships were full, they'd return, then ship everything to Qingjiangpu to sell.

Many gangs fought tooth and nail all year and still couldn't match what the Niu family made in a single trip. Truly, there was no comparing one person to another.

The Niu family knew everyone was green with envy, so they kept around two hundred fighting men in their fleet. Though they couldn't count on chasing anyone down, they weren't afraid of a fight at sea either. On shore, they kept over a hundred men to guard the home front. Add in the manpower they could mobilize in Qingjiangpu, and they were truly the biggest force in Clam Bay.

Stories always grew more fantastical the further they spread. The Niu family was big around here, but out in the wider world they became big bosses with a thousand ships and ten thousand men. Still, the Niu family never bothered to correct the rumors — a bigger reputation was never a bad thing.

Niu the Second and Niu the Third were both tough, sturdy men. Weathered by wind and sun at sea, you couldn't really tell their age — somewhere in their forties or fifties, hard to say. Both had somewhat hunched backs and walked a little unsteadily. Everyone knew these two had been injured at sea back in the day. Not only had it left them with lasting ailments, but the real tragedy was that they couldn't father children.

After a few words of flattery, everyone tactfully stepped aside, letting the Niu family's people move and unload the cargo. Ox carts and horse carts had long been waiting on shore to load up. Watching the goods, everyone's eyes burned with envy. These were things bought for the price of stones and sold for pure silver and gold — who knew how much profit lay in between.

But no one went to flatter them further. Qingjiangpu was a two-day journey from Clam Harbor, but news traveled not one bit slower. Who didn't know that the Niu family's sole heir had been dragged to death on the street? The Niu family's two masters probably didn't know yet. Better to keep some distance for now.

Sure enough, the moment Niu the Second and Niu the Third came ashore, several men with terrified expressions went up to them. They hadn't spoken more than a few low words before Niu the Second and Niu the Third erupted in roars. One of the men reporting was kicked to the ground; another was slapped twice across the face before being questioned again.

"Unload the cargo first! After unloading, follow us back to the manor. Anyone who dares go out carousing — I'll chop him up and feed him to the fish!" Niu the Second bellowed.

News of the Niu family young master's death began spreading through the ships as well. Having been out at sea so long, no one knew what had happened on shore. Hearing it today, everyone was shocked. Who had such nerve, daring to touch the heart's flesh of the two masters? The Niu family had only Niu Shengjie to carry on the line. It looked like blood would flow.

The sea was full of desperadoes. Guessing this, far from being afraid, everyone felt a faint excitement. Those weaklings in Qingjiangpu had long gone soft from wealth and comfort — they wouldn't dare fight to the death and were no match at all. After drifting at sea for most of a year, this was the perfect chance to go have some fun. Otherwise, where would they even spend the silver weighing down their belts?

Niu the Second and Niu the Third had dark, brooding faces. Anyone working too slowly got a vicious tongue-lashing. Everyone was eager to get ashore and rest and enjoy themselves. Many hands make light work — the cargo from over a dozen ships was loaded and unloaded in less than two hours. Carts in a long line traveled down the middle, with the sailors and fighters from the ships flanking on both sides, heading toward the manor near Clam Harbor.

"The sea wind's too harsh. Gotta get a few cups of good wine later!"

"Wonder if they've got that Han Well wine around here. That jar we got at sea really left me wanting more!"

"Once we get to Qingjiangpu, what's there to worry about? You can find anything there."

The mood in the column was quite relaxed. Whether Niu Shengjie lived or died didn't matter much to them. Wasn't it all just risking your life wherever you went? Sea folk had long stopped caring about such things.

Only the group walking up front with Niu the Second and Niu the Third was quiet. No one was tactless enough to make noise. After walking in this oppressive silence for a while, Niu the Second said in a hoarse voice, "Shengjie died so horribly. Qingjiangpu has to give us an answer. Do they really think that just because we don't go there, we can't do anything to them?"

"One dead — two lives to pay for it. Otherwise, how can our Niu family business go on? Anyone would think they can bully us," Niu the Third answered in a muffled voice.

The Niu family had a place to live near Clam Harbor, nothing too fancy — just a fishing village converted. Everyone who made a living on the sea in the harbor did the same. The real grand residences were all over in Miaowan Town. This place was just a way station.

It was only a half-hour walk from the port to their lodgings. Niu the Second and Niu the Third's anger seemed to have vented itself fully back at the port. They walked the whole way in silence. Old sea dogs who'd scrapped and struggled on the ocean had long seen life and death come and go. They knew that roaring in rage only wasted strength — better to save it for when it was time to take revenge and kill.

The carts receiving the cargo were supposed to head to Qingjiangpu today, but with this matter cropping up, they'd have to stop at the Niu family compound for a couple of days. Once the two Niu family dragon heads were ready, they'd lead the group over together.

After so many years, it had long become routine. The people left to guard the compound had already prepared strong liquor, pigs, and sheep. As soon as everyone returned, they started lighting fires and cooking. The mood immediately grew much merrier. Though the two Niu family dragon heads were stifled with rage, they didn't want to stop their men from enjoying themselves. After all, they'd been pent up at sea for so long. Before long, many of the local prostitutes from Miaowan Town would arrive too — they all knew this was the best time for business.

Dusk was about to fall. Bonfires were lit near the compound. Laughter, curses, rowdy noise, and the shrieks of women made the whole village bustle with life.

Some of the fishing village's residents also came over to look. They weren't exactly good, honest folk either — quite a few were sea dogs who scrapped on the ocean too. A few words of chat, coming over for a drink — it all happened.

Clam Harbor wasn't just old residents. Occasionally a few boats with strangers would dock. As long as they had the ability to protect themselves, no one paid them any mind. So at the Niu family compound's lively gathering, a few unfamiliar faces were looking on too. But with night falling, who cared about outsiders? Let them be envious if they were envious!

No one noticed two people watching very carefully, who then left the village directly, following a small path south toward the desolate mudflats. This whole area bordered the sea — barren flats and wild land were everywhere, plenty of places unsuited for docking boats or fishing. The reeds and grasses grew very tall. Since Clam Bay didn't even have that many residents, no one bothered cutting them for firewood, so they grew in vast patches like dense forests.

The two walked for a while, and then the sky went completely dark. They had actually brought pine-resin torches with them. Using a fire striker and flint, they sparked a flame and lit them, then continued on holding the torches high. A torch in the darkness was certainly conspicuous, but out in this desolate wilderness, even wild dogs didn't dare come near at night, so naturally no one noticed.

They walked for about an hour, replacing the pine-resin torches twice, before they saw light ahead — as if there were bonfires or something near the mudflats.

Only when they got close did they discover that there were not only bonfires here, but an entire camp. Nearly five hundred men were gathered. The reeds on the outer perimeter hadn't been cut away, screening them like walls. Inside, the reeds had been cleared completely clean. Several large cauldrons boiled and churned — you could see seaweed and shellfish inside.

There weren't many sentries posted. Most people were either gathered around the cauldrons or lying down resting. They weren't lying directly on the muddy ground, but on thick mats woven from the cut reeds.

A heavyset, burly young man sat off to one side, a short blade tucked at his waist and a long blade placed within arm's reach. The two men who had returned from the Niu family compound were brought before him.

"Second Master, the Niu family's people have all returned. They say they'll rest and regroup for two days, then head to Qingjiangpu."

The man addressed as Second Master was naturally Chen Sheng. Hearing this report, he nodded and said in a low voice, "Send someone now to deliver word to Qingjiangpu. There are fast horses waiting at Miaowan Town. We'll eat half an hour before dawn tomorrow, then move on the Niu family's position."

As soon as he spoke, several men standing beside him moved to relay the order. They were called back before they could leave. Chen Sheng added, "Don't skimp on the dry rations. Eat them all in the morning. You can't work on an empty stomach!"

Smiles appeared on the faces of the men delivering the order, and their responses were louder. One told ten, ten told a hundred. Before long, Chen Sheng's command had spread through the entire camp. The previously subdued camp immediately stirred with restless energy — everyone was somewhat excited.

Chen Sheng stood up, blade in hand, and surveyed the camp. Turning to the man behind him, he said, "Li Wu, have the household troops stand night watch again today."

Company Commander Li Wu behind him acknowledged the order. Chen Sheng made a round with his blade. Several times he accidentally stepped into mud pits, his boots covered in muck and filth. Chen Sheng's face showed no expression; he seemed utterly unconcerned.

Thank you everyone. It's the end of the month — cast your guaranteed monthly votes for Old Bai, or they'll just go to waste.