Linhai River Transport was extensive, merchants coming and going like ants, so naturally the profession of the helmsman was indispensable.
This merchant before Xu Qing had drowned during the journey with the helmsman.
But it wasn’t an accidental fall into the water.
Xu Qing was not interested in how the merchant made his fortune, hoarded goods, and profited through deception. He only wanted to end this tedious slideshow quickly and receive the reward.
As the Sutra of Salvation flipped pages, the scenes from the merchant’s life rewound, in a blink reaching three days ago.
The merchant’s name was Zheng Deli, a sly character who made a fortune through deception and swindling.
His principle for doing business was ’proper appearance’.
As the saying goes, people rely on clothing, and gods rely on golden attire.
To do business with others, and buy their goods on credit, you must look wealthy!
Thus, Zheng Deli wore a cherished long-held brocade robe, making himself look like a wealthy merchant.
Only by doing so could he, at the wharf, use his eloquent tongue to get more credit on goods.
In other words, if you dressed as a sun-beaten, ragged fisherman, who would give you the benefit of the doubt?
To make his act believable, Zheng Deli even picked heavy river stones from the riverbank before boarding and placed them in his money pouch, disguising them with copper coins.
As soon as the helmsman saw the brocade robe, his eyes lit up.
This was a wealthy man!
It was Zheng Deli’s fate to encounter a helmsman who wasn’t an ordinary helmsman, but a water bandit who preyed on lone travelers under the guise of ferrying.
The helmsman had an assistant named Yuan Hu aboard.
Seeing Zheng Deli traveling alone, Yuan Hu was suspicious.
By logic, a wealthy merchant traveling far would have servants to guard against unforeseen events.
Though Zheng looked like a wealthy person, why wouldn’t he bring even one guard?
Yuan Hu usually engaged in dangerous business, testing his sight and judgment.
A strong, armed person was not a target, nor was a group with more than two companions due to potential trouble.
Aside from these, the remaining were lone travelers.
Even if a lone traveler boarded, you must check if they had martial skills.
Otherwise, encountering a "Funeral Star" could mean getting eaten instead.
Facing such circumstances, Yuan Hu had ways to discern.
At this moment, the helmsman was at the bow, using the pole to steer; Yuan Hu was inside, chatting idly with Zheng Deli.
Suddenly, Yuan Hu’s hand shook, dropping the wine cup, which rolled noisily to the floor.
At the same time, the steady boat began to sway violently, causing Zheng Deli to stagger, bewilderedly shouting inquiries.
"Helmsman! Why is the boat swaying so much?"
Seeing Zheng Deli’s pitiful state, Yuan Hu knew this merchant was an ordinary person without martial skills.
"Don’t worry, the boat will stabilize soon."
While speaking, Yuan Hu stomped, causing the boat to indeed calm.
Standing steadily, Zheng Deli was amazed.
"The boat listens to you; it stops swaying with your stomp!"
As he finished, the helmsman outside laughed loudly.
"With the pole in my hand, I decide if the boat sways or is steady!"
Hearing that, Zheng Deli realized he was being toyed with. Yuan Hu’s stomp was a signal to the helmsman to stop shaking the boat.
Yuan Hu gave a sinister smile, taking out a long rope, while the helmsman rushed in and blocked Zheng Deli inside.
"What do you think! Haven’t you heard riches and wealth shouldn’t be exposed?"
Yuan Hu laughed, "Blame yourself for boarding our boat."
"Misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding! I have no wealth; this pouch is filled with copper coins and stones. This brocade robe is secondhand from a clothing shop; not my wealth... I’m really not wealthy..."
"You think I’m blind? Who in their right mind would carry a bag of stones!"
Yuan Hu ignored the words; such lies might fool others, but not him.
Without another word, they strangled Zheng Deli to death with the rope.
Yet the slideshow didn’t end there.
Xu Qing knew the cause had only one possibility: Zheng Deli wasn’t dead from strangling but unconscious.
In the cabin, Yuan Hu picked up the money pouch and weighed it in his hand.
"Haha, we’re rich! Feels like three or four hundred taels of silver!"
The helmsman also smiled, eagerly opening the pouch, but found river stones and gravel under the copper coins.
"It’s really stones!"
Yuan Hu poured out all the stones, cursing aloud, while the helmsman consoled, "Though the silver’s fake, there are copper coins and bits of real silver; it’s not totally wasted."
"His clothes look good too; selling them could bring two taels of silver."