Capítulo 1323: Chapter 20: No Whales or Salamanders in the Azure Sea (Double-Length)_2

“Some kids are feeling stifled. Honestly, this is much better than before. Boss Miao should really find a stable job.”

“If this business succeeds, in a few years we could set up a small trade association. At least it wouldn’t be a life of licking blood off the blade. It’s a pity that the sect of the boss was taken over by the Flying Spirit Sect and the East Sea Guard. It’s tough for her to get registered under the East Sea Guard, really tough…”

Wang Anfeng listened to the old boatman rambling on, just smiling without agreeing.

The old boatman, a bit embarrassed, rubbed his reddened, wine-stained nose and said:

“Telling you this, hoping that after you get out there, if you meet a suitable guy, you could introduce him…”

In the distance, Miao Zhiqiao shouted, and the old boatman shivered. He walked over with a dry laugh.

Despite his honest appearance, he harbored some other intentions. This seemingly inexplicable scholar seemed like a true scholar who’d read his books, and it appeared his family background wasn’t too shabby. It would be good to form a positive connection with those who have both family and talent at the edge of the East Sea, leaving a good impression for future times.

In this line of work, without any record in the Government Office, at worst it’s private business, but if it escalated to real piracy, there’d be nowhere to cry injustice. At this point, it’s worth spending some words, maybe it could save a life later. As for being bound to become Boss Miao’s brother-in-law, the old man figured the boss was just drunkenly joking around, in one ear and out the other.

When others made a fuss, he would join in the fun and later just let it blow over like nothing happened.

Some time passed, and somehow, some news was extracted from the seemingly honest old man’s mouth. Miao Zhiqiao, her face flushed with anger, came over, not knowing what to say, awkwardly saying:

“No idlers on this ship, what are you doing standing around here?!”

Nearby, noticing Wang Anfeng, Ma Xiangyu, who was resentful enough to fuss with the seabirds, sidled over and muttered:

“Exactly, don’t flaunt your learning. We don’t do that on the ship.”

“We’re fighting for our lives at sea, it’s all about physical strength, not literacy.”

Ma Xiangyu patted his rib-like chest, feeling it was not convincing enough, and then patted the waist saber tied with hemp rope at his side. The well-used iron saber managed to make a dull clang.

Wang Anfeng thought for a moment, pointed to himself, and smiled gently:

“Actually, I’ve trained a bit in martial arts too.”

Ma Xiangyu snickered and patted his saber again, disdainfully saying:

“You? Alright, let’s just believe you, are you better than your Master? Have you graduated?”

Wang Anfeng honestly shook his head and said: “I’m still far behind my Master.”

Ma Xiangyu, full of pride, lifted his chin and said:

“Then you’re nothing.”

“Back in the day, my Master praised me, even gave a thumbs-up, said I was top-notch. You? Not even close… Can’t even beat your Master, how come you’re getting worse with more training?”

Miao Zhiqiao slapped Ma Xiangyu, who was getting more and more excited, causing him to stagger, cutting off his words. She then glared fiercely at Wang Anfeng, even less convinced that this seemingly frail scholar had any great martial arts skills, waved him off, pointing to the nearby long poles, and harshly said:

“Go fish, no idlers on the ship!”

“If you don’t catch anything, you get no meat today… Go!”

Ma Xiangyu grimaced, thinking this wasn’t right, shouldn’t it be no food at all? What’s with ‘no meat’? Are they really treating him as one of their own? He hasn’t even married in yet…

The skinny fisherman felt a deep sense of melancholy.

Wang Anfeng obediently picked up the fishing rod and walked to the side of the ship.

The crew on this ship would stop at some part of the sea and catch some fish when there were no other catches. Miao Zhiqiao’s so-called cost-free trade wasn’t available every day.

For the literati and refined scholars, night fishing, lake fishing, and sea fishing were seen as elegant activities to cultivate the mind and body.

Their fishing gear was so exquisitely crafted, using purple-gold bamboo and jade silkworm silk, that ordinary folks would treasure it as a family heirloom, passing it down through generations.

Here, it was just the most ordinary kind, plain and uninteresting, with the sole advantage of being sturdy and durable. Ma Xiangyu disliked him and secretly bent the fishhook when giving him the hook and bait, later regretting a bit, thinking this scholar might sarcastically complain to the boss lady.

But unexpectedly, the scholar just changed the hook and began fishing as though he hadn’t noticed.

Ma Xiangyu felt a bit relieved, then a pang of conscience, wondering if he’d been a bit underhanded. He didn’t pay attention to the rod flipping out, where the light fishing line and straight hook shot out like an arrow from a strong bow, extending straight ahead.

Miao Zhiqiao returned to the front, feeling regretful for perhaps speaking too harshly. What if the scholar’s temper flared up, then what could she do? She prided herself on being a good judge of character, and upon seeing this scholar, she felt he matched well with the girl who saved her and the remaining disciples of the Jade Dragon Sect.

Handsome, sturdy, and seemingly not a bad person.

Just when she was berating herself for being too reckless, the boatman standing on the high mast suddenly shouted, holding onto the mast with both hands, sliding down in one breath, his face trembling as he said: “Boss lady, something’s off, something’s coming towards us.”

Miao Zhiqiao’s expression changed, grabbing a superior Fubo Blade retrieved from the remnants of her sect, stepping up a few paces onto the high mast, gripping the thick pole with one hand, the blue seawater below revealing a massive shadow approaching, at least thirty or forty fathoms long, fish-tailed and square-headed, lurking beneath the big ship.