2.12 You Sanjie: Just take them all and be done with it.

Mid-June, off the coast of Songjiang.

A fleet of over ten ships had sailed out of the Yangtze River channel. Adjusting their formation with steady, practiced movements along the coastal route, they soon reorganized and, catching the favorable southeasterly wind, unfurled their sails to accelerate toward the north.

In the forward cabin on the second deck of the lead passenger-cargo ship, Lin Rui pushed open the window and took a deep breath of the moisture-rich sea breeze. He was immediately struck by the unfamiliar, pungent scent of the ocean, which nearly took his breath away.

"Giggle—" Xue Baoqin, following behind him, couldn't help but laugh. She stepped forward to do the same, her pretty face glowing with enjoyment. "Brother Rui, you haven't been to sea before, so it's normal to find it strange. If you stay long enough, you'll surely come to love this feeling."

"That’s highly unlikely in this lifetime," Lin Rui shot her a playful, exasperated glare before breaking into a smile.

Back in his modern life, he had seen plenty of such things and had wanted to try them himself, only to be hit with the harsh reality of seasickness. The pungent smell inherent in sea water was not something everyone could endure. For many, so-called "seasickness" after setting sail was not just about the rocking motion, but also caused by this very scent.

"What a pity," Xue Baoqin remarked with a hint of regret. "I've loved the water since I was a child. Ever since I can remember, I've been traveling with my father; I think I’ve spent more time on boats than on land. If I were ever forced to stay off the water for too long, that would be truly uncomfortable!"

Lin Rui looked at her in surprise, at a loss for how to respond. He knew, of course, that she didn't just say these things—she lived them. She had extensive experience in deep-sea travel and, as mentioned in the *Dream of the Red Chamber*, she had even dealt with the "Red-Haired" people, counting a Red-Haired girl among her close friends. The term "Red-Haired" was how the Great Zhou referred to the various European nations.

"Brother Rui!" Noticing his lingering gaze, the young boatwoman felt shy and flustered.

"Ahem!" Lin Rui realized he was being rude and quickly looked away.

"Master, Miss Qin, please have some tea and refreshments!" Fortunately, the You sisters entered the hall at that moment, each carrying a tray. You Erjie held the tea set. "I have never heard of life at sea. I once thought the Yangtze was vast enough, but I never imagined it was nothing compared to this."

"That’s just the beginning!" Lin Rui used the distraction to shake off his embarrassment. He returned to the long couch and picked up the conversation. "The ocean is truly boundless. It is common for ships to go days or even a month without seeing land, and that’s only while sailing along the coast."

"Brother Rui is right," Xue Baoqin said, regaining her composure. She turned and picked up a peeled and sliced apple from You Sanjie’s tray. After one bite, a look of satisfaction crossed her face. "I've been on several long-distance voyages, and the life there was much harsher than this."

"Harsher?" You Erjie asked with curiosity. "How so?"

"Take this, for example," Xue Baoqin gestured with the apple. "On a long-distance ship, this would be more precious than gold. Gold bars can just be loaded on board; they won't spoil or get lost. But this—it stays fresh for three to five days at most. After that, you can forget about having any."

"If you can't even eat a piece of fruit, what's the point of that life?" You Sanjie immediately complained. "If you ask me, it's better to stay comfortably at home. Why should a young lady be running about on the high seas when there are men to do it?"

"Sister!" You Erjie’s expression changed.

"Don't take offense, Miss Qin, my sister spoke out of turn!" You Sanjie quickly knelt down.

"Sister Juan'er, what are you saying!" Xue Baoqin quickly helped her up. "Actually, I know you're right. Isn't that the lot of a woman? It's just... I have my own aspirations. I don't want to spend my whole life confined to the inner chambers, seeing only a tiny patch of sky above me."

The You sisters fell silent, not knowing what to say. They simply could not understand.

"Alright!" Lin Rui smiled and intervened. "A person should have their own interests; there's nothing wrong with liking the sea. As for the hardship you mentioned, I don't think it's unsolvable. Just as we have ice cellars at home, why not have an 'ice ship' at sea?"

"The ocean is boundless; besides the ships, there is only water. Who would waste precious cabin space on such a frivolous thing? As long as we don't go hungry or thirsty, that's enough," Xue Baoqin retorted with a playful roll of her eyes. "Every cabin has its use. One cabin of cargo can be traded for half a cabin of silver."

"Then there's no way around it," Lin Rui said, not pressing the point. He chuckled. "You have to choose between silver and comfort. If you want both, you have to build bigger ships, which brings us back to the start—big ships are more expensive to build."

"Big ships? How could I not want that?" Xue Baoqin sighed softly. "Even our largest ships today are only seven or eight hundred *liao* in capacity. I’ve heard that during the former Ming dynasty, a eunuch named Sanbao (Zheng He) sailed the seas, and his largest treasure ships were several thousand *liao*. With those, who would fear a lack of space?"

"You, you just think too much!" Lin Rui habitually ruffled her hair. Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Oceans? That was the absolute peak of Chinese maritime history, and it was a singular, fleeting achievement. Everything before and after had been in vain.

"Hmph!" Xue Baoqin glared at him, skillfully retying her hair and securing it with a tortoiseshell pin. "The fleet has just entered the sea, and I have arrangements to make. I won't disturb Brother Rui’s rest."

"Rest?" Lin Rui pointed toward the sun, which had just passed its zenith. "Now?"

Xue Baoqin’s face flushed red. She shot a lingering look at the You sisters before hurrying out. The two maids' faces turned crimson instantly.

"Be careful!" Lin Rui rushed to the cabin door to see her off.

He saw that on the west side of his ship, a vessel noticeably different from the other passenger-cargo ships—and a size larger—was sailing alongside them. As the two ships drifted close, the young boatwoman gave the three of them a sweet smile and simply jumped across the gap.

Boarding by leap! The first time he saw it, Lin Rui couldn't have imagined that this girl was so daring. Now, he was "accustomed" to it, and he merely smiled at Xiangling, who had rushed to the door with a worried expression.

The two ships adjusted their speeds, and soon they separated, Xue Baoqin heading to take command of the lead ship.

"Master, she's gone, are you still looking?" You Sanjie’s teasing voice came from behind him. Since there were outsiders on the decks of both ships, the sisters hadn't ventured out.

Lin Rui turned and closed the cabin door, then pulled them both toward the long couch.

"I thought you had changed after apologizing to Miss Qin just now, but no sooner had she left than you revealed your true colors?" He pinched the maid’s cheek in mock annoyance. "If you don't have a proper explanation, prepare to stay on your knees for a while!"

"I am here to serve you, Master. If I lose my manners in front of outsiders, it's not just my own reputation I'm losing," You Sanjie said, gracefully kneeling before him. "But if I were to be so formal in front of you, Master, it would be utterly exhausting."

"Oh?" Lin Rui was stunned, then smiled. "I'll let it slide this time!"

"Master, you say that!" You Erjie leaned into his arms, her face flushed. "How long has it been since the fleet left Jinling? Even an outsider like Miss Qin can tell... goodness knows what people are saying about us sisters!"

"Don't you like it?" Lin Rui smiled, his hands beginning to wander.

"Everything I am belongs to you, Master—mmm!" You Erjie closed her eyes. "What does it matter if I like it or not? I am here to serve you. Besides, if people want to talk, let them talk. I will just pretend... I don't know... I don't know..."

"But how long can this 'outsider' status last?" You Sanjie suddenly asked.

"You little thing!" Lin Rui paused. "Jealous?"

"Am I even fit to be?" You Sanjie rolled her eyes. "It's just that between Miss Lin and Miss Pan, you are already busy enough, Master. If you add Miss Qin to the mix, I truly don't know what will happen in the future."

"You, just worry about serving me well!" Lin Rui thought of the constant back-and-forth these past few days and couldn't help but offer a wry smile. Both young ladies were a bit temperamental and demanding, and offending either was a nightmare, leaving him with a genuine headache. The reason the You sisters were being "tormented" was precisely because he could look but couldn't quite "eat."

"Pfft—" You Sanjie couldn't help but laugh. "If you ask me, why not just take them all? They are all sisters anyway. Whether this one kneels or that one stands, let's see who would have the face to complain then."

"Hmm?" Lin Rui’s expression brightened. Miss Lin was indeed someone he couldn't bear to push too hard, but the other one... perhaps? Since they had been "clashing" for so long, what was the worst that could happen?

"Master?" You Erjie quickly tried to dissuade him. "Don't listen to her nonsense. We are here to serve, and we follow your lead, but those two are young ladies of noble birth. How could we disregard their dignity like that? Don't let your cleverness lead to a disaster!"

Lin Rui thought about it and agreed that he shouldn't go too far.

"You don't want to make a move, yet you can't talk your way out of it; you're just looking for trouble, Master," You Sanjie said, returning to her usual self. "In my opinion, they are all women. Once they give their bodies, isn't that the same as giving themselves? Why deliberate so much—"

"Sister!" You Erjie interrupted, "If those two ladies find out, will you even be alive to talk about it?"

You Sanjie’s face changed, and she dared not say another word. She was sharp-tongued and stubborn, but not truly stupid. Those proud young ladies would likely be the mistresses of the house in the future, far above the likes of them. Offending one was difficult enough; offending both would be fatal. If they decided to sell them off while he was away, even if he found out later, would he ever buy them back? A woman’s reputation, once stained, might cost her life!

"Let's leave it at that for now!" Lin Rui didn't want to think about such dark possibilities, but he had no choice but to stall. "There is still a long way to go, and plenty of time to figure things out. What about you two? Think about what you might need, so we can prepare when we dock next."

"We have everything we need!" You Erjie shook her head gently. "Master, don't worry too much."

"Better to think about which restaurant we'll eat at for lunch," You Sanjie couldn't resist adding.

"No matter where we go!" Lin Rui scooped her up into his arms, "It will be your treat!"

Watching the two shameless ones head into the room, You Erjie could only sigh in resignation.