The patron commanded a maritime ban on the Dengzhou area, with rumors circulating that Su Baoheng was training troops and repairing ships there, preparing to strike Lin'an directly via the sea route and annihilate the Song dynasty in one fell swoop. Wang Chongyang traveled north to Cangzhou, to see if she would find a ship here to set sail. The vast East Sea churned with swirling waves, red clouds and green billows separating the sky's hues. Still in her Daoist robes, Wang Chongyang, observing this scene, felt a sense of carefree wandering on water. Recalling Qin Dynasty's Xu Fu leading young boys and girls to set sail from here, seeking immortal mountains and spiritual elixirs, she mused why she herself shouldn't drift to Yingzhou. Smiling, she lowered her head, noticing the ground covered in shells, powdery as congealed cream, their edges rimmed with purple and silver. If fashioned into a hairpin, to adorn her fragrant, cloud-like tresses, it would be a beautiful thing.
After two days of visiting, she finally learned of a Goryeo merchant caravan that had hired a boat to cross the sea from this village to Fuzhou in Liaoyang. After much persuasion and a considerable sum of silver, the boatman agreed, under the pretext of inviting a Daoist priest for blessings, to ask the caravan for permission to board. The boatman planned to set sail stealthily under the faint crescent moon tonight. With three hours remaining until departure, Wang Chongyang went to a small shop at the village entrance for dinner and to prepare provisions.
Just as she instructed the shop owner on her needs, two men dressed as fishermen entered and took seats at the tables to her left and right. The man on the left, as soon as he sat down, repeatedly urged, "Really? Really?" The man on the right slowly replied, "Not only did the Jin envoys indiscriminately arrest young men along the way, but upon reaching Lin'an, they publicly humiliated the Song Emperor." The man on the left, unable to contain himself, tapped the table, exclaiming, "Preposterous." The man on the right immediately glanced at him and continued, "That envoy even demanded that ministers be sent to Kaifeng to discuss terms for a truce: ceding Huaihan, with the great river as the border between Song and Jin..." Wang Chongyang furiously struck the table. With the Yangtze River as the border, ceding Huai'nan's eastern and western roads, Jingnan's western road, and Lizhou's eastern and western roads to the Jin, wasn't that leaving the gates wide open for anyone to enter and take at will! Better to perish than to endure castration and humiliation with dignity. Wang Chongyang's insides burned, anger surging to her temples. It took multiple calls from the shop owner for her to regain focus and look at him, by which time the two men had vanished like mist.
Wang Chongyang, cupping a bundle filled with cakes and steamed buns in her hands, ambled towards the ferry landing. In her heart, she hated herself for not helping Meng Tiankai slay that dog envoy that night. She also wrestled with whether to return to the Song territory immediately and try to prevent the peace talks. But now, with no talent in literature and no generals in military affairs, what grounds did she have to contend with the strong and warlike Jin patron? To rouse the people's will to resist, even if she exhausted herself, she feared it would be easily ruined by a single word or action from the current Emperor. After pausing and walking several times, turning back and then pressing forward, a sense of indignation churned within her. If she were by her side, without needing to speak, she would know her heart's deepest thoughts... she shouldn't fail her or betray her... That's right, as Sun Bole had said, discovering information about the Jin rear forces might help those on the front lines resist. If she could persuade her grandmother to abandon the dark and embrace the light, it would surely put the Jin patron in a position of being attacked from both front and back!
On the connecting small boat, swayed by the rising and falling tides, Wang Chongyang's resolve wavered again. The boatman urged her three times. She made up her mind to board the large ship, but after it set sail, she leaped onto the stern, gazing back at the shore with a sigh.
"It's not too late to go back now." You chose me repeatedly along the way. Even if you give up now, there will be no regrets. Carrying the moonlight, she shielded her expression from his sight, fearing to see the look on his face as he made his decision.
Wang Chongyang gazed at the dark silhouette under the sliver of a crescent moon, unable to recall what she wanted to ask, her intended words caught on her lips. All she could do was silently embrace her.
He still walked towards me, holding me! Lin Chaoying nestled in his warm embrace, her heart filled with joy and triumph.
After a long moment, "You've been following me?" he asked.
"You've been chasing me," she replied.
Yet, in their hearts, they both thought, "We're together anyway."
The so-called boatman's pretext of a Daoist priest for blessings, and the appearance of the two men in the shop, were all part of Lin Chaoying's plan to test Wang Chongyang. The next morning, seeing him change out of his Daoist robes as she had instructed and don the clothes she had prepared, standing before her with his heroic vigor restored, Lin Chaoying's heart couldn't help but flutter.
The two chatted with the Goryeo merchants. Lin Chaoying observed as he meticulously inquired about their experiences from Beijing Road to Shandong's Eastern Road. In the afternoon, they sipped tea by the porthole, Wang Chongyang listening with a smile as she repeatedly refuted his views on Huai'an tea. In the evening, they circled the mast practicing swordplay, then climbed to the canopy to cool off. The next day, they continued to chat with the guests, discuss flowers and incense, and spar. Riding the strong east wind, the ship rapidly reached the center of the Bohai Sea. The waves were also high due to the strong wind, and the ship was tossed about. Everyone retreated to their cabins to rest. Lin Chaoying was alone in the stern cabin. Just as she resented the day's long hours, night had fallen in an instant. Gazing at the moonless northern night outside the window, she felt both worried and annoyed that he had not yet appeared. Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door. "You haven't left your room all day, I came to see how you are," Wang Chongyang said. Lin Chaoying gave a cold smile and replied through the door, "How could I be? Haven't I encountered even more perilous waters?" The two couldn't help but recall that time in the stone basin.
"Then, I'll return to my room." I understand it shouldn't be like this, but I can't help it.
There was no further sound from outside the door. Lin Chaoying immediately felt both anger and indignation. As she reached out to open the cabin door, his words echoed again. "Now, I should be by your side at all times, to rely on when you need it, and not leave you alone. But I fear it would damage your reputation. How about this, I will wait outside the door. If anything happens, I can come in immediately."
In the quiet night, the two exchanged no further words. Lin Chaoying did not push open the door to observe his movements, for her heart was constantly watching him. Wang Chongyang also did not offer her comfort, for his heart had already gone to be with her.
As the ship entered the harbor, it gradually stabilized. Lin Chaoying, however, felt a growing turmoil within her—she could reunite with her long-missed grandmother by disembarking, but she also wished to retreat and savor the romance they had built during this period.
Upon arriving at Fuzhou, the two bid farewell to the merchant caravan. One of them said to Lin Chaoying, "Your father truly treats you well, guarding your door day and night." Another quickly corrected, "They have different surnames; they are merely uncle and nephew." Wang Chongyang showed nothing at that moment. After parting, he strolled with Lin Chaoying on the outskirts. The guilt he had felt earlier about delaying resurfaced. Lin Chaoying guessed his thoughts and dismissed them, saying, "Uncle and nephew is uncle and nephew. Who says uncle and nephew cannot be..." Realizing her slip of the tongue, she quickly stopped. Wang Chongyang, bewildered, asked, "Cannot be what?" Lin Chaoying, misunderstanding him as trying to take advantage, swept her palm towards his face. Wang Chongyang stepped back to the side. After a moment's thought, he understood why she was angry but found no way to resolve it. Her palm strikes continued relentlessly. The two exchanged about thirty moves. Wang Chongyang used a move to clap hands and gracefully moved away, creating distance. Lin Chaoying also ceased her glare and calmed her anger. They exchanged knowing smiles and walked side-by-side towards the town.