Chapter 20

The tragedy unfolded too quickly. Eldest Young Master Cui’s gaze was still fixed on the Eldest Miss’s retreating figure. Due to years of chronic illness, her frame appeared frail and sickly, as if a mere gust of wind could topple her.

Sometimes, the things one fears most are the very things that come to pass. Seeing her suddenly collapse into the arms of the Seventh Miss, Eldest Young Master Cui felt his heart leap into his throat. He instinctively took a step forward, crying out, "Ah-Ling..."

"Cut the gangplank!" Qian Tong, unable to bear the sound of his wretched voice a moment longer, pulled herself from her grief and rasped, "Retreat!"

As her command fell, the gangplank connecting the two ships was hoisted high.

Eldest Young Master Cui shouted urgently, "Ah-Ling!" What had happened to her?

Qian Tong looked up, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the man standing at the edge of the deck, posturing in his hypocrisy. She spat with hatred, "She had already promised me she would divorce you. When she went to find you, why did you have to bring up the past?"

"Did you save her all those years ago just to use her today, to secure your own survival and cling to a pathetic life?" Qian Tong demanded. "Cui Wanzhong, how did she ever wrong you? You already have concubines and children; why did you have to take her away..."

"That’s not true..." a voice interjected from the side.

It was Chunliu, the maid who served the Eldest Miss.

Having accompanied the Eldest Miss all the way from Yangzhou to the sea, Chunliu had believed that once they reached the Qian family’s ship, her mistress would be truly saved. She never imagined her mistress would choose to pay with her own life.

"The child wasn't the Eldest Young Master's!" Seeing her mistress dead, Chuntao had already broken down. She turned to the Eldest Young Master Cui across the gap, screaming through her tears, "My mistress knew everything! She knew the child wasn't his. Even when he saved her, she knew he could never have children of his own. When you came to propose, she agreed anyway. Your 'phantom incense' on our wedding night, the cover-ups that followed—she knew it all. When you sacrificed her to protect your own status and reputation, it was she who bore all the suffering for you. Every bowl of medicinal soup she drank was just to repay the life you had 'saved'..."

The distance between the two ships was widening, yet Chunliu’s piercing cries carried clearly across the water.

It was a scandalous, horrifying truth.

Even the Cui family’s men were stunned. A subordinate quickly regained his composure and stepped forward to warn Cui Wanzhong, "Eldest Young Master, the big picture matters. The Eldest Mistress is gone, and this situation is dire. The Seventh Miss is filled with hatred; she will never let us off..."

Cui Wanzhong remained motionless, as if his soul had been snatched away. His face was ghastly, as pale as if it had been soaked in seawater.

As the Qian family’s ship drifted further away, the subordinate ignored his state and dragged him toward the interior of the ship. "Retreat! Pull back! Ready the bows, the ammunition..."

Qian Tong watched their death throes with cold eyes.

She was filled with such agonizing hate. What did it matter if her sister had lived a dozen years longer? It had been nothing but misery.

How could she have ever encountered such a scumbag as Cui Wanzhong?

A nest of cowards—let them all perish.

The ship opposite was scrambling to deploy archers; a fight was imminent. Qian Tong calmly pulled a signal flare from her robes and called out to Eldest Young Master Cui one last time, "Cui Wanzhong, who hasn't seen fireworks before? The Qian family returns the favor tonight!"

As she finished, a streak of light shot from above her. Splendid fireworks tore through the night sky, the red glow illuminating her face, her eyes—reddened by sea mist—cold as blades.

---

In the dark sea in the distance, several official government vessels had been circling for some time.

They had expected the Qian and Cui families to clash, but for some reason, they had not seen either side open fire. The two ships had lingered close together for a while. Though the four great families fought in the shadows, they were all somewhat intertwined, and fearing some deep conspiracy, Wang Zhao asked, "Young Master, shall we intervene?"

Only by capturing the Cui family’s Eldest Young Master could the smuggling case be solved.

Ahead lay the territory of the Park family. Once the Cui ships crossed over, the official vessels would be in direct confrontation with the Parks. Not yet ready for that, Song Yunzhi ordered, "Beat the drums! Signal the Qian ship to approach..."

Before he could finish, he saw a bright light rise in the distance. The brilliant colors instantly illuminated the sky above the deep sea, converging into the clear shape of a copper coin.

A signal flare meant something major had happened.

Wang Zhao could not tell if it was the Cuis or the Qians calling for help.

Song Yunzhi, however, stared silently at the distant sea. The moment the firelight flared, his expression changed drastically. "Retreat!"

Hardly had he spoken when "Boom!"—a ship in the dark sea suddenly exploded. Before the men could recover, they witnessed a shocking sight: clusters of firelight, like stars in the night, were ignited one after another. The Cui family’s cargo ships, one by one, began to detonate. Eleven vessels turned the Golden Corridor of the strait into a scene as bright as day, forming a long sea of fire.

Shen Che, shoved into the sea, felt as though he were dying.

It had been his turn to stand watch on the Cui deck that night. He had been admiring the fireworks when someone from the female thief’s crew grabbed his collar and said, "Young Master Song, off you go!" and pushed him into the water.

"You audacious dog..." The bone-chilling seawater instantly engulfed him, filling his nose and mouth. He struggled to climb out of the water, only to hear another heavy splash nearby.

Shen Che turned to see the person who had pushed him jump in as well. Before he could even curse the man for his madness, he saw him push a piece of driftwood toward him and shout urgently, "Grab the wood! Use every ounce of strength you have and swim forward!"

Shen Che paused, immediately sensing something was wrong.

The moment he grabbed the wood and turned, the ship behind him exploded. Fragments large and small rained down around him like hail. Heat waves seared the back of his neck, his head feeling as though it were being roasted, while his lower body remained trapped in the icy sea.

The waves churned several feet high, obscuring his vision.

On land, he might have been able to fight back, or perhaps drag his opponent to the grave with him, but in the water, he was helpless. He did not know how long he had been swimming; his limbs were numb, and his chest felt ready to burst.

As his consciousness blurred, that same hand gripped the back of his neck again.

He could no longer struggle.

Father, Mother, your son is unfilial; I go first.

He died for his country; his death was worth it. They need not grieve for him. His aunt should no longer call him a good-for-nothing. If only the Young Master could be safe, kill that female thief early, and avenge him.

---

Several miles away, everyone could feel the heat wave hitting them.

Watching the Cui cargo ships burn to ash, Song Yunzhi’s face turned livid. After retreating to safer waters, he commanded Wang Zhao, "Block them. Capture the Qian family’s Seventh Miss for interrogation."

The scale of tonight’s events—the gunpowder, the manpower—was enough to shock the imperial court.

Just how capable was she?

Did she intend to tear the sky asunder?

Most crucially, with over a dozen Cui cargo ships burned, all evidence of the smuggling had been destroyed completely.

By dawn, Wang Zhao had cornered the Qian ship. He called out to those on board, "The Imperial Court’s Ministry of Justice is investigating a case. Seventh Miss, pray accompany us."

But the person who emerged was not Qian Tong.

Song Yunzhi sat in the cabin, observing through the window. He recognized this man; he was one of the other "four gate gods" of the Qian family, named Ah Zhu. His name sounded like a girl’s, but in reality, he was a hulking, brawny man.

"This commoner greets the official," Ah Zhu said, kneeling to salute. Seeming confused as to why a government ship would block them, he asked politely, "Officer, may I ask what you require?"

Wang Zhao asked, "Is this the Qian family’s ship?"

"Yes, we are fishermen for the Qian family."

"Where is the Seventh Miss?"

Ah Zhu blinked. "The... the Seventh Miss is not on board. Why do you seek her, Officer? You can go directly to the Qian residence to find her; a young mistress like her usually stays at home."

Not here?

Wang Zhao almost looked behind him but restrained himself. He asked, "The Cui cargo ships were blown up—was this the work of the Qian family?"

"How could that be!" Ah Zhu seemed terrified by the accusation and shook his head vigorously. "We are but simple, honest fishermen. Even if we had the heart, we wouldn't have the capability..."

Wang Zhao scoffed and demanded, "So, you are saying you don't know about the disaster that befell the Cui ships last night?"

"This commoner does know." Ah Zhu’s expression suddenly turned sorrowful, and he lamented, "The Cui family is utterly devoid of conscience. Poor Eldest Miss of the Qian family—she was such a wonderful mistress..."

"You don't know, Officer, but before the disaster, the Eldest Miss wanted a divorce. But the Cui Eldest Young Master wouldn't agree, and during her escape, he secretly dragged her away. We only got word at the alley entrance, and though we rushed to catch up, we were a step too late. To escape the Cui family, the Eldest Miss took poison. Seeing that she would rather die than follow him, the Eldest Young Master died of a broken heart..."

What complete fabrication!

Song Yunzhi could not listen any longer and signaled to Wang Zhao outside.

"Search the ship!"