Chapter 43: Extra Part 2

Shi Yuning chalked it up to seasickness sapping her prowess—escape too easy.

Relief or regret? She gestured to the medicine. “Now drink. Your Majesty’s remedy is bound to help. Take plenty.”

Both caught the absurdity and chuckled.

Shi Yuning flushed—urging more medicine? She shot Xie Zhaoran an abashed glare; this anomaly had addled her too.

Xie Zhaoran shook her head, tapping her lips anew. “Too quick—I didn’t feel it. Again.”

“You’re cheating.” Shi Yuning refused the bait, convinced seasickness had blunted her grip.

Lean in now? Straight into the snare.

“Drink up. Next dock, we go by land.” Shi Yuning abhorred seeing Xie Zhaoran wan the whole journey.

This trip was for savoring landscapes, righting wrongs, smiting villains—pure jianghu thrill.

Not sickly pallor.

About to query the captain on the next stop, urgent knocks interrupted.

Shi Yuning opened to Qiangdi, face stern.

“Careful, misses. Water bandits have our ship in sight. Canal Gang brothers are watching for now.”

Shi Yuning blinked in surprise. Rumors of Yongzhou pirates abounded. Xiao Liju, newly in charge, aimed to eradicate them. They’d picked this route with her scouts paving ahead.

Because they were only scouting the route ahead of time this trip, they hadn’t brought many people along. That was why they had borrowed the Canal Gang’s name.

Ordinary river bandits wouldn’t dare rob a ship flying the Canal Gang’s flag. These attackers clearly meant business, and they had some serious backing.

“Got it. You be careful too—tell the Canal Gang brothers to stay sharp. I’m on my way.” Shi Yuning hurriedly shut the door and returned to her room to grab her sword.

Shi Chao had specially sought out a master swordsmith to forge it for her from refined black iron, sharp enough to slice through iron like mud.

“You stay in the cabin and don’t come out,” Shi Yuning instructed Xie Zhaoran, worry creasing her brow. In her current condition, Xie Zhaoran looked unsteady on her feet; venturing outside could be dangerous.

Xie Zhaoran didn’t question Shi Yuning’s arrangements. She nodded. “You be careful too. Don’t rush in blindly. If things go south, come back to me.”

Shi Yuning agreed, drew her sword, and headed to the bow.

The moment Shi Yuning left, Xie Zhaoran drained the bowl of medicinal soup in her hand. The bitterness made her grimace, but she swiftly rose and changed into the practical outfit Tu Chunhua had tailored specifically for their journey.

Tu Chunhua had modified loose skirts to fit Shi Yuning and Xie Zhaoran’s figures perfectly. The fabric wasn’t fancy—just tough and durable.

She had kept feminine floral patterns but styled it more like warrior garb. At the waist, she added leather belts on Shi Chao’s suggestion, since leather offered better support.

Thick leather bracers protected the elbows and wrists, and the hem had been shortened dramatically, with high slits reaching only mid-calf.

Even the shoes were upgraded army boots made of deerskin—lighter, warmer, and more agile.

Dressed like this, she looked ready for action at a moment’s notice.

Xie Zhaoran swept her hair into a high ponytail, securing it with a silk cord. She appeared crisp, valiant, and utterly refreshed—save for her pale face and bloodless lips. No one would guess she had been a sickly mess just moments before.

If Shi Yuning were here, she would have been stunned all over again.

Xie Zhaoran knew a bit more than Shi Yuning did. Ordinary river bandits targeted merchants without backing; they wouldn’t tangle with the Canal Gang.

Whether this was coincidence or they were specifically after their group, she couldn’t leave it to chance. She had to see for herself.

Up on the bow amid the pouring rain, a crowd had already gathered. Qiangdi had helped Shi Yuning into a rain cape and was briefing her on the latest.

The ship captain was the Canal Gang’s second-in-command, surnamed Lu. He hadn’t believed the reports of bandits at first, but after climbing up for a look, he confirmed it: someone actually had the guts to target a Canal Gang vessel.

The Canal Gang brothers never took river bandits seriously. Everyone was itching for a fight, eager to let the attackers get close, announce themselves, and then get thrashed.

But as the enemy boat drew near through the blurred rain, it took effort to make out its flag. Then everyone’s hearts sank.

These weren’t ordinary bandits. It was the infamous Ying Ghost Gang.

They were the scum of the river pirate world. Many hailed from Eastern Ying, with no regard for Jianghu codes. They looted any ship they spotted—not just cargo, but people too.

Guilty of every crime imaginable and notorious for it, they were slippery as eels. Even if you smashed their ships, they swam off and escaped barehanded.

Local officials and the court had petitioned about them repeatedly, to no avail. After the Crown Prince ascended, he had shown interest, but no one suitable was found to handle it, so the matter was shelved.

Only now, with the Eldest Princess on the throne, had it finally come up in court for the first time. Advance scouts like them had been sent to gather intel.

Shi Yuning watched the enemy vessel speeding closer, her heart in her throat.

She had no idea how many there were, or if they just wanted money or something more. Worst of all, Xie Zhaoran was unwell and couldn’t swim. Any real danger could spell trouble.

She debated sending people off in a small boat, but before she could decide, the enemy halted within clear view.

“People on that ship! Leave your valuables and women behind, and we’ll let you abandon ship without killing you.”

From the enemy deck, the Horse-Face Bucktooth Man—clad in a black rain cape and conical hat—shouted arrogantly. He grinned at Shi Yuning on the bow, baring a mouthful of yellow teeth.

Shi Yuning felt a wave of revulsion and averted her gaze.

She wiped rain from her face and scanned the enemy deck. Beside the Horse-Face Bucktooth Man stood another figure.

He wore only an odd hat, no cape, with two men respectfully holding umbrellas for him on either side.

He was slim, with a flat face and narrow eyes—nothing like a Great Ye native. His aura marked him as the enemy leader.

He simply watched their ship in silence.

Second-in-Command Lu’s face tightened as he glanced at his deputy, who immediately stepped forward into the downpour to shout back.

“This is a Canal Gang ship. If you value your lives, back off now.”

Someone leaned in to whisper to the Slim Man. Shi Yuning saw him reply, and the messenger dashed to the Horse-Face Bucktooth Man to relay it.

Yellow-Teeth bared his grin again. “I don’t care if you’re Canal Gang or Li Family Gang. We spotted this ship today, so it’s ours. Anyone who wants to live, I’ll count to ten—then jump overboard.”

He raised a hand and began counting down with swagger. “Ten, nine, eight, seven—”

His voice mingled with the rain, echoing over the river.

He counted on indifferently, but no one on Shi Yuning’s side budged.

Second-in-Command Lu wiped rain from his face and snorted. “What lowlife trash dares act bold in front of the Canal Gang? Tell Big Boss Zhao and the others to ship the oars and load the cannons.”

He stepped beside Shi Yuning. “These guys won’t talk their way out. We’ll have to fight. Miss, best head to the cabin—gunfire doesn’t discriminate.”

Shi Yuning shook her head. Being cooped up ignorant was scarier than staying out and knowing what was happening.

Second-in-Command Lu was under Big Boss Zhao’s orders to protect Shi Yuning and Xie Zhaoran. Seeing her refuse to hide, he gained some respect for her and told his deputy to guard her closely if fighting broke out.

As their ship made ready, the enemies stood calmly in the rain, faces serene as if admiring the storm.

This unnerved the Canal Gang men.

Even Shi Yuning sensed trouble. When the enemy doesn’t move but you do—and they still don’t—it usually means they don’t see you as a threat.

Either madmen or overwhelming superiority.

She soon learned it was the latter.

Their ship must have been made of special materials—or perhaps the rain dulled the cannonballs—because Second-in-Command Lu’s shots failed to breach it.

They closed in straight through the barrage.

Raindrops hammered the deck like drumfire as the first bandits boarded.

Second-in-Command Lu bellowed for everyone to engage in close combat.

Shi Yuning joined the fray, fighting fiercely. Thankfully, her gear was lightweight—Tu Chunhua’s handiwork made it perfect for battle.

But the enemy was prepared, every one a skilled fighter.

Soon, Shi Yuning’s side began losing ground. They were just on a routine trip; no one expected anyone to brazenly challenge a Canal Gang ship.

Xiao Liju had been right about the Ying Ghost Gang—they needed to be wiped out before they grew too strong to uproot.

Shi Yuning slashed through an oncoming broadsword, but her swing was too forceful. Her foot slipped on the wet deck, and she staggered, crashing hard to the ground.

In that instant, a sharp curved blade gleamed through the rain toward her head.

Danger!

Shi Yuning rolled desperately. The blade severed the railing where she had been.

The deck was too slick. Before she could rise, the blade hacked down again.

She rolled aside once more, but slower this time—the hem of her skirt was sliced off.

After several dodges, her soaked clothes weighed her down, slowing her movements.

As she spotted a chance to stand, the bandit kicked a railing loose. A splintered piece struck her leg, sending her tumbling hard again.

Shi Yuning let out a piercing cry of pain. Second-in-Command Lu roared, “No!”

The sight that met his eyes made his heart leap into his throat.

It was over. Big Boss Zhao’s mission was doomed.

The bandit’s curved blade arced toward Shi Yuning’s head. No time—no help nearby, nowhere to go.

Second-in-Command Lu kicked aside a foe and charged. If Shi Yuning died, he’d capture the killer to lighten his failure.

He knew he couldn’t save her, so he lunged to tackle the murderer.

Suddenly, a warm liquid splashed his eye, blurring his vision with blood. The air reeked of it.

Dreading the sight of Shi Yuning, he forced his stinging eyes open and glared at her killer.

What he saw froze him.

The bandit who nearly killed her had an arrow through his throat. He toppled backward, pinned dead to the deck by the shaft.

What an arrow!

Shi Yuning, snatched from death’s jaws, spotted the familiar Red Feather Arrow and whipped her head toward its origin.

Through the torrent, a figure in red stood poised, brows furrowed, her lethal aura overshadowing her striking features. She inspired instinctive retreat.

Even Second-in-Command Lu stepped back unconsciously.

Shi Yuning stared at the red silhouette in the storm, her eyes brimming with tears. Others might fear her, but to Shi Yuning, she was the god who had come to save them.