Chapter 33

"Alright, alright, if you want copper coins, I'll go back and get them, okay? I'll just put these two fish aside for now..." At this moment, someone on the large ship behind them was shouting. The middle-aged man turned back and responded, a smile reappearing on his face.

"Cash on delivery, no credit. I'll wait for you for a quarter of an hour, not a second more!" Hong Tao didn't understand what the person on the large ship was shouting, but he knew that without the money, no piece of fish would leave his hands.

"Alright, alright... I've never met a boatman like you before. Don't you even look at the flag on the ship? Do you know the Luo family of Qiongzhou?" The middle-aged man was amused by Hong Tao's stubbornness. He had no idea what to do with this tough guy. At this moment, Bo Xiaoer and Bo Xiaosan had finished reeling in the rolling hooks and were rushing over. Four boatmen on the sea were not someone anyone wanted to provoke. They were poor and their lives were cheap, but if provoked, they would fight to the death.

"A quarter of an hour..." Hong Tao had never heard of the Luo family of Qiongzhou, and even if he had, it wouldn't matter. Who would travel from Qiongzhou to Zhenzhou just to take revenge over a few fish? That would be ridiculous.

The middle-aged man directed the sailors to row the small boat back. Then, another person climbed down from the ship, along with two baskets. The small boat rowed back again. Hong Tao kept a close eye on their every move. If the large ship showed any signs of raising its sails, he would have Bo Jiao raise the sails and run away. Fortunately, the large ship remained stationary, and a few more figures appeared on the stern deck, seemingly watching them closely.

"Here, 50 strings of copper coins. Can you count? Count carefully! The fish are mine now, right?" When the two small boats bumped bow to bow, the middle-aged man placed a bamboo basket with a thud on Hong Tao's side. It sounded heavy, filled with strings of copper coins, and it looked like quite a lot.

"Bo Jiao, put the copper coins in the cabin and pack these fish fins in a basket for them." Hong Tao casually picked up a string of copper coins with the tip of his fish spear, examined it, and confirmed it was copper before instructing Bo Jiao to start working. He felt there should be enough, but the person who had come down from the large ship made him more cautious. The middle-aged man in his thirties, wearing a blue silk robe embroidered with flowers, had no hat but a silk wrap on his head. His complexion was neither dark nor light, and his three strands of beard were well-groomed. He stood with his hands behind his back, staring at Hong Tao intently, as if examining an object.

"I have two more large fish in my boat. Do you want them? I'll give you a good deal!" Seeing Bo Xiaoer and the others approaching, Hong Tao thought it would be better to sell all his catch to them. It wasn't easy to find such a big customer. Regardless of their motives for buying so many fish, the money was real.

"Ha ha ha ha... You're too cunning. These 50 strings of copper coins are more than enough for your fish. You're giving us a good deal?" The middle-aged man was amused by Hong Tao's greed. He probably hadn't seen such a money-hungry boatman before and glanced back at the person behind him.

"Yes! If you help me bring them to the ship, I'll give you another 50 strings! Dare you?" The man in the blue robe finally spoke. His voice was lighter, and his speech was neither too fast nor too slow, exuding the air of a high-ranking official.

"Let's skip that. We'll keep these two fish for ourselves. Thank you, gentlemen. If you want to buy large fish in the future, wait in Zhenzhou. There will be some every few days!" Hong Tao wasn't the type to risk his life for money. Delivering the fish to the ship was out of the question. What if they didn't let him leave? But he didn't want to lose this big customer, so he left a hint.

"Brother, I am from the Luo family of Qiongzhou. I have no intention of taking your fish. I just noticed your accent is unfamiliar, so you're not from around here, nor are you a refugee from the north. I am a sea merchant and enjoy making friends with interesting people. I saw you fighting the shark alone, and you were very brave. That's why I'm curious and would like to invite you on board for a chat. What do you think?" The man in the blue robe bowed to Hong Tao and explained his reasons in a refined manner, looking at him sincerely, waiting for his response.

"Please wait a moment. I'll ask my brother first..." Hong Tao felt he wasn't lying. What could a poor fisherman like him offer? But to be safe, he wanted to consult Bo Xiaoer and find out more about the Luo family of Qiongzhou.

"The Luo family are big officials in Qiongzhou and have large ships in Zhenzhou. They are the biggest merchants on the island." Bo Xiaoer's answer disappointed Hong Tao. It seemed he didn't know much about the Luo family either.

"Second Brother, have Third Brother take Bo Jiao to find Brother Huang Lang. You follow this large ship, and I'll go up and take a look. If possible, we might find a big customer, and we won't have to sell fish piecemeal anymore." Hong Tao thought for a moment. Since they were the largest sea merchants in Hainan, it was worth a chat. He wasn't afraid to talk to merchants. As long as there was profit, merchants were good partners, a principle that held true in any era.

"Alright... How about I go with you? Two people can look out for each other! Grandpa told me to watch over you..." Bo Xiaoer agreed with Hong Tao's plan but was worried about him going alone, remembering Bo Fu's instructions.

"No need. If anything happens, you can sail away on your own, which is better than being captured together. Don't worry, I can handle four or five people. If it comes to it, I can jump into the sea and swim. You can pick me up, and they won't catch me. I'm a boatman, after all." Hong Tao couldn't explain much to Bo Xiaoer and had to bluff.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I've made the arrangements. Let's go. I'll help you drag the fish!" Hong Tao was decisive. Since he had made up his mind, he acted. He stepped over the bow, reached into the sea, grabbed the tail of a shark, and straddled the side of the boat.

The large ship looked big from a distance, but up close, it was even more impressive, towering like a three- or four-story building. To board it, there was no gangway or basket, just a rope net to climb. Despite the man in the blue robe's refined appearance, he was quite agile, climbing faster than Hong Tao.

"The cabin is too stuffy. Let's sit on the rooftop, shall we?" On the deck, Hong Tao's eyes couldn't take it all in. This was the first time he had closely observed a sailing ship from this era. He didn't understand many of the small details and was too embarrassed to ask, so he just pondered them in his mind. The man in the blue robe gestured towards the stern, leading the way up the wooden stairs. Hong Tao followed, his head turning left and right, like a country bumpkin entering a grand garden for the first time.