[concluding chapter 4]
"Here is what I am suggesting," Wen
told the assembled crew of the Jade
Maiden. Several of the soldiers from
the merchant ship just taken, he noted, had joined. "I have not lost my interest in sailing
with you. What I have lost—besides my
left eye—is my interest in serving under Chin Gwai. However virtuous he may be—and we have it on
the highest authority that he is a virtuous man—he did try to sacrifice me to a
demon, and I find I am rather unwilling to forgive that." Chin was, Wen was pretty sure, upset about
the way things had ended up, but he still had the decency to look
embarrassed. Sullen, too, but still
embarrassed.
"Plus, although I would be lying if I said that I was
dedicated to the idea of restoring Fusang to a proper government that has the
mandate of heaven, I would also be lying if I said that I was opposed to the
idea. As I've said before, I see no
reason why Fusang can't have a proper government so long as we can get rich in
the process." Someone he couldn't
see gave a small cheer, and Wen felt his smile broaden.
"So I intend to strike out on my own. More specifically, I intend to leave Chin to
that ship"—he pointed to the fuchuan,
to which he'd had Chin's two cannon transferred—"and sail away with the Jade Maiden and whichever of you wish to
serve under me. I do not need a large
crew," Wen said, "but I do need a crew that believes that serving a
noble cause is no reason in itself why a man might not become rich."
In the end Chin was left with a small crew scarcely adequate
to the requirements of sailing the fuchuan,
whereas Wen had so many volunteers he knew he was going to have to set many of
them ashore at Penglai before he could set out on his new piratical course. One volunteer, however, presented him with a
problem that might not be so easily solved.
"I would like to come with you—captain," One-Eyed
Lum said as Wen was about to step from the captured trade-ship onto the Jade Maiden, the transfer of treasure,
supplies and personal possessions nearly complete.
Wen turned to look at him.
He seemed in earnest; but he was Chin's first mate. Were his loyalties always this easily
swayed? "Step onto my ship,"
he said, putting just enough emphasis on the "my", "and answer
me some questions before I make my decision."
As soon as they were safely on the Jade Maiden's deck, Lum spoke up, not waiting for the
question. "I suggested giving you
to the dragon," he said, "because I was a little bit confident you
could talk your way out of being eaten."
"Only a little bit confident?"
"All right, then, somewhat confident. Whereas I knew with absolute certainty that
you could not talk Chin out of hanging you by the neck until you were
dead."
"Oh." Well,
it was hard to argue with that. "So
are you saying, Lum, that you are prepared to serve under me?"
"I'd be a lot happier," he said, "if you put
it some other way than that. But
yes. I said earlier that I had decided
you were right, and I meant that. I'm
more than willing to get rich with you, Wen Xia." He smiled, and his eye-patch vanished for a
moment before reappearing on the opposite eye.
"What is our first task, captain?"
"Our first task," he said, and loudly enough now
that those of his crew nearby could hear him, "is to cast off from Chin's
ship and sail south-west as fast as we can."
"Why?" Lum asked.
"Because," he said, dropping his voice,
"about forty li to the north of us is a heavily armed government fuchuan, and it would be better for us
if we were not here when they find Chin.
Oh, and there's a fat, four-masted treasure ship about fifty li south of
here, moving slowly to the east."
"How do you know this?" Lum asked. "Did the dragon tell you?"
"No," Wen said. He touched the eye-patch, and the emerald eye
the dragon had cast a spell on as part of his reward. "I have seen them for myself."
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