RPAGF Chapter 541 Chaos at the County Town Wharf
Chapter 541 Chaos at the County Town Wharf
When passing the county town's dock, Xu Yiyi noticed that it was unusually bright there, with many people and noise coming from across the water.
This is a shallow, small dock where large ships cannot usually get in, and it is especially deserted at night.
Tonight, however, many boats of all sizes were moored together, their lights shining brightly.
She quickly took out her telescope and brought it close to her eyes to look.
The dock was packed with people, pushing and shoving, with cries, curses, and shouts all mixed together.
Many constables, carrying lanterns and carrying knives, weaved through the crowd, shouting and driving something away, their expressions tense.
It wasn't lively at all; it was clearly chaotic.
Xu Yiyi put down her telescope and frowned: "Something's not right."
She suddenly remembered what A-Yue had said when she returned from her vacation, and combined that with what had happened in the past two days.
First, pirates approached the sea outside the city on the day of Lin Ke's wedding banquet, and then they witnessed the pirate raids today. When you think about it, it is probably not a coincidence.
That gang of pirates has probably come again, and this time they're causing even more trouble, even disrupting the county's docks.
Ping'an Town...
Xu Yiyi's heart tightened.
Although Ping'an Town is not as large as the county seat, it has a natural harbor with deep water and wide banks, which can accommodate large ships. Every day, there are many cargo ships coming and going, making it a very prosperous commercial town.
Because it wasn't a major military and political center like the prefectural city, its defenses were far less robust than those of the other side...
[It seems we've really caught the eye of pirates.]
Upon realizing this, a cold sweat suddenly broke out on her back.
The island's inhabitants, and Anyang, who can't stay idle, are very likely to have opened restaurants today as well, given the limited number of patrol officers in the town...
If pirates launch a surprise attack, by the time the city's navy arrives, the pirates will probably have already vanished.
"Uncle Qingshan!"
She called out urgently, her voice trembling, "Quick! Tell the helmsman to stop the boat! Don't go back to town yet!"
Xu Yiyi handed the telescope to Lao Lu beside her.
Wang Pangzi was already in a daze, but when he heard this voice, his heart jumped again.
He climbed off the bed in no time.
Qingshan naturally noticed the unusual commotion at the county town's dock. Without Xu Yiyi urging him, he immediately ordered the helmsman, "Quick! Stop the boat and steer it over there first."
As soon as he finished speaking, the helmsman immediately turned the ship around, the sailors changed the sails, and the cargo ship slowly docked at a secluded bay that was still a long way from the county town's dock.
Qingshan's face was solemn. He thought to himself that he was having a bad day. He cursed under his breath and, with two boatmen, lowered the small sampan that came with the cargo ship and rowed toward the dock.
Everyone on the ship held their breath, afraid of hearing bad news.
Xu Yiyi crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes fixed on the direction in which the small sampan had disappeared.
Old Lu put down his telescope, glanced at the calm Xu Yiyi, and already understood.
"You and your brothers stay in the county town tonight," he said softly.
Xu Yiyi didn't respond, her eyes fixed on the dock ahead.
Sanchuan, Sihai, and Wuyuan were fast asleep in their cabin, completely unaware of the tension outside, as if time was stretching out endlessly.
After an unknown amount of time, the small sampan finally emerged from the dark, murky water.
Aoyama and two boatmen climbed onto the large ship, and the three of them were instantly covered with the chaotic atmosphere of the dock.
The torchlight illuminated Qingshan's face, which appeared ashen, making it difficult to see clearly.
The boatmen crowded around, but Xu Yiyi and Lao Lu remained standing on the upper deck without moving.
Qingshan gasped for breath a few times, his voice hoarse, each word sounding as if it were being ripped from his throat.
"We've found out everything. Damn it, it's pirates! Huge numbers of pirates have come to rob us. Ping'an Town, and Wanghai Island, which is closer to the sea... they've all been ravaged!"
When he mentioned Wanghai Island, he specifically looked up at Xu Yiyi before continuing:
"The people at the docks say that these pirates suddenly appeared before nightfall. They have many fast ships, and they rob any ship they see and kill anyone they encounter... The town's docks, and even the fishing villages on Wanghai Island, are all..."
Qingshan hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
"It probably hasn't calmed down yet," one of the boatmen said.
Another boatman chimed in, "I heard from people who escaped from the dock that... a lot of people died over there."
As soon as he finished speaking, the deck fell into a deathly silence.
The only sounds were the crackling of burning torches and the clamor emanating from the dock.
"How about we turn back? Go back to the prefectural city, where there's a naval force stationed, so it's safe."
A suggestion was made, but it was quickly rejected.
"Sailing at night is not safe, and can you guarantee that you won't encounter pirates on the way back?"
……
Xu Yiyi stood there, the night wind brushing against her cheeks, cold and biting.
She slowly closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were filled with a deep, icy silence.