Chapter 4, Provocation

Yu Xiaotian watched as the arrogant Ma Biao pressed forward step by step, a glint of coldness flashing in his eyes. He thought to himself: "This is something I can endure, but not my uncle; my uncle can endure, but not my aunt! You, with the surname Ma, are truly too arrogant. If I don't show my power, do you really think I'm just a sick cat? If I don't let you know how formidable I am today, you won't even know which leg to step forward with!"

As for the matter of not allowing him to sleep in the cabin, it coincided with Xiaotian's intentions. Through observation over the past two or three days, he discovered that Captain Liu and the crew on the boat clearly did not pay much attention to the hygiene of the vessel. In fact, the boat was not as dilapidated as he initially perceived; it simply lacked regular maintenance, which made both the interior and exterior appear dirty. This gave the boat an older appearance than its actual age. Moreover, due to the neglect of hygiene issues on board, garbage and filth were strewn everywhere, the cabin was infested with fleas and mosquitoes, and there were occasional sightings of rats, all contributing to a foul odor permeating the space. In fact, the boat was not as dilapidated as he initially perceived; it simply lacked regular maintenance, which made both the interior and exterior appear dirty. This gave the boat an older appearance than its actual age. Moreover, due to the neglect of hygiene issues on board, garbage and filth were strewn everywhere, the cabin was infested with fleas and mosquitoes, and there were occasional sightings of rats, all contributing to a foul odor permeating the space

Gradually, the people on the ship became less vigilant towards Yu Xiaotian and no longer viewed him with such hostility, which made Yu Xiaotian's days somewhat easier

Yu Xiaotian possesses an innate spirit of optimism, which could even be described as somewhat reminiscent of the A Q spirit. Such circumstances have not defeated him; rather, they have inspired him to rise again.

The reason why Yu Xiaotian understands these matters is that he was originally a ship model enthusiast in the old timeline. Since his youth, he has enjoyed making ship models in his spare time, and his interests are quite unique. His favorite ship models are various types of traditional Chinese and Western sailing ships, which is why he has a considerable understanding of ancient Chinese and Western sailing vessels.

Not allowing him to sleep in the cabin, he is quite pleased with the tranquility. The air on the deck is fresh, and there are not many mosquitoes or fleas to disturb him. At night, he does not have to listen to the snoring and flatulence from inside the cabin, nor endure the foul odors. Instead, he can quietly gaze at the starry sky and use this time to contemplate his future path.

Through observation, Yu Xiaotian discovered that this boat was neither a standard Fuchuan type nor a standard Guangchuan type; rather, it resembled an ancient sailing vessel known as a "bird boat" that he had seen before.

At the very beginning, when Xiao Tian was rescued, the reason he was mistaken for a pirate indicates that the risks of sailing in this era are significant. Pirates frequently appear at sea, which is why there are dedicated escorts on board to ensure the safety of the vessel's journey

However, despite these drawbacks of Chinese sailing vessels, the hard sails of Chinese boats possess commendable advantages. Specifically, Chinese hard sails can utilize wind direction and wind power more effectively than Western soft sails. For sails of the same area, the efficiency in harnessing the wind is slightly higher. Most importantly, the use of hard sails in Chinese sailing vessels significantly reduces the number of crew members required to operate the sails, thereby lowering the labor costs of the vessel

On this ship, Yu Xiaotian's temporary days can hardly be described as comfortable. Although the shipowner, surnamed Liu, has kept him on, it does not mean that he fully trusts him. Some of the people on the ship also harbor a sense of distrust towards him

Although this vessel appears to be a fishing boat on the surface, it has actually undergone a certain degree of modification. The cabin of the boat has been enlarged, allowing it to carry more cargo

Ma Biao is the leader of the four ship guards. This individual has a rough personality, is short and stocky, and possesses relatively solid muscles. It is evident that he is skilled in some forms of martial arts. Relying on his physical abilities and the fact that he was hired by the ship owner as the head of the guards, he tends to be somewhat arrogant on the ship

After becoming familiar with the situation, Yu Xiaotian gradually understood the division of labor and identities of the crew on the ship. This vessel, including Captain Liu, had more than ten people on board. Among them, there were two helmsmen responsible for steering, six sail hands specifically in charge of operating the sails, and two anchor hands. One of them, Li Caozi, also took on the role of cook, while the other anchor hand worked in conjunction with a lookout, primarily responsible for climbing the mast to conduct observations and lookout duties.

Therefore, prior to the time of Xiaotian, the operational techniques for sailing ships were merely limited to models, and there was a complete lack of understanding regarding how to operate such vessels

However, Yu Xiaotian's behavior of running around the ship did not go unnoticed by others on board. Instead, it transformed into the perception that this mute was quite diligent and not a lazy person. Moreover, he had no understanding of sailing at all, which gradually alleviated the crew's doubts about him. The idea that a pirate would not know how to sail was simply laughable. A discerning person could tell at a glance that Yu Xiaotian had never been on a ship before, and very few would still believe he was a pirate.

The idle boatmen, having nothing better to do, immediately heard that the mute had accepted the challenge. Thus, one by one, they rushed towards the center of the boat, eager to watch the spectacle. Even Liu, the boat owner, joined the crowd and, after taking his position, looked towards Ma Biao and Yu Xiaotian.

The mindset determines everything; this statement is indeed very reasonable. After Yu Xiaotian understood his current situation, he was only momentarily stunned. After all, when he awakened, he had already prepared himself psychologically to a considerable extent. Therefore, once he fully grasped his circumstances, Yu Xiaotian was not significantly troubled by it, but instead began to actively plan for the next steps.

As for the heavy, laborious, and even dirty work on the boat, the boatmen all prefer to call upon Yu Xiaotian for assistance. Even Li Caozi, who cooks on the boat, often seeks to play tricks on Yu Xiaotian

However, his status remained quite low. The people on the ship saw that he was tall and strong, seemingly possessing considerable strength, and thus they liked to shout orders at him, directing him to do this and that. After his body recovered, the rough and laborious tasks were basically all assigned to him.

Moreover, this person has a rather malicious disposition. Perhaps it is because he sees that Yu Xiao possesses a naturally good physique, which might make him feel somewhat inferior. Although everyone has basically concluded that Yu Xiao and *Tu* Shitian are not remnants of pirates, this person still enjoys creating trouble for Yu Xiao.

Isn't it just a matter of having crossed over to the late Ming Dynasty during the Tianqi era? It's nothing to be concerned about! People in this era can survive; how could someone like him, who possesses hundreds of years of advanced knowledge from the future and is physically healthy and robust, not be able to survive? When no one was paying attention to him, this guy even raised his middle finger to the sky, secretly greeting the heavens.

In the past two or three days, Captain Liu has secretly arranged for people to keep an eye on Yu Xiaotian, and he has prohibited Yu Xiaotian from easily entering the cabin. Even at night, as long as it is not raining, Yu Xiaotian can only find a place to sleep on the deck.

This is more reasonable, as it can at least ensure the health of the crew while effectively increasing the ship's speed. However, at this moment, Yu Xiaotian has no interest in doing this, as this ship does not belong to him. Who knows how long he can stay on this ship? It is quite possible that once they dock, he will make a quick escape, so let things be as they may!

Thus, when many people on the ship, having eaten their fill and with nothing to do, sought ways to tease Xiaotian for their amusement, the most excessive among them was undoubtedly that Ma Biao.

Therefore, he did not have much objection to the unjust treatment he received, nor did he dwell excessively on the matter with the group of boatmen, but instead focused all his energy temporarily on this boat

Now, the heavens have cast him into this time and space, and he has fortuitously been rescued onto this ship. Naturally, he will not miss such a great opportunity. Therefore, after his body has slightly recovered, he begins to rise and move around the ship, touching and looking at everything. He even personally lends a hand to the sailors, taking the opportunity to familiarize himself with and learn how to operate such a sailing vessel

The bow of this ship is sharply pointed, resembling a bird's beak. The length of the ship is approximately 20 meters, and its width is about 4 to 5 meters. With these dimensions, the ship's displacement is at most several dozen tons. There are two masts on board, with the main mast located in the middle of the ship and the other mast at the front. At the stern, there is a low poop deck, which serves as the position for the helmsman to operate the rudder and also as the cabin for the shipowner to rest, while the crew rests in the ship's cabin. The main mast is positioned in the middle of the ship, and the other mast is at the front. At the stern, there is a low poop deck, which serves as the position for the helmsman to operate the rudder and also as the cabin for the shipowner to rest, while the crew rests in the ship's cabin.

Although the people on the ship have gradually abandoned their hostility towards Yu Xiaotian, there are still very few kind-hearted individuals among them. This is because Yu Xiaotian is mute and also appears somewhat foolish, being curious about everything. Naturally, this group of people will not miss the opportunity to find some amusement in the desolate sea at the expense of someone who is both mute and simple-minded.

For Yu Xiaotian, who had spent a few days on a cargo ship, the sailing speed of this vessel was truly a bit overwhelming. Additionally, during this period of summer, the prevailing winds were mostly from the southeast, and the ship was sailing southward, facing headwinds. To harness wind power for propulsion, the ship had to constantly adjust its course, navigating in a zigzag pattern on the sea, which further slowed down its speed

If this had happened to Yu Xiaotian in the past, given his temperament, he would certainly not have missed the opportunity to teach this fellow a lesson. However, considering his current situation, Yu Xiaotian could only endure time and again, hoping to settle the matter peacefully. This only emboldened Ma Biao, who repeatedly pressed Yu Xiaotian to confront him.

Unfortunately, he is still pretending to be mute at this moment and cannot ask questions, so he is currently unable to learn much. He can only lend a hand to the boatmen, assist them, and do some odd jobs.

After a moment of contemplation, Yu Xiaotian secretly resolved to adopt the strategy of pretending to be weak while actually being strong. He then put on a smile, imitating Ma Biao by clasping his fists in greeting, and proceeded to walk towards a spacious area in the middle of the boat, thereby agreeing to Ma Biao's request and formally accepting the challenge

However, these matters did not trouble Yu Xiaotian much. To him, it is a normal phenomenon for a stranger to be somewhat resisted by a group. He believes that given time, he can be accepted by these people. Life cannot always be like this; he will eventually have his day in the sun.

Relying on his knowledge of martial arts, after Yu Xiaotian's body had recovered, he insisted that Yu Xiaotian had calluses on his knuckles as evidence that he was a practitioner. Time and again, he pressured Yu Xiaotian to spar with him, claiming he wanted to expose his true nature. He insisted on demonstrating in front of everyone on the ship who was stronger, himself, Ma Biao, or Yu Xiaotian, the "mute".

After two or three days, although Yu Xiaotian was unclear about the navigation route, he estimated that the actual distance covered by the ship was not far.

Due to limited conditions, in the old time and space he inhabited, sailing ships along the Chinese coast had virtually disappeared. Even if there were some motorized sailing vessels, they were difficult to access, let alone personally experience such traditional sailing ships. If such ancient sailing ships still existed in that old time and space, they would likely have long been collected as antiques. It would certainly be very challenging to have actual contact with such ancient sailing ships.

Yu Xiaotian fundamentally cannot endure such an environment. He finds it somewhat incomprehensible how these people can withstand such conditions after spending extended periods at sea. Not to mention the discomfort, merely being in such an environment can easily lead to illness. The fact that these individuals can thrive and remain lively in such circumstances is indeed quite remarkable

Due to the materials or design, ancient Chinese and even ancient world maritime vessels generally had a large length-to-width ratio, appearing short and stout. Therefore, even under favorable wind conditions with full sails, the sailing speed of such ships was not significantly high

In addition to these individuals, there are four others on the ship who have little to do, yet their work is also very important, as they are all specially hired guards by the shipowner. In simple terms, they are the dedicated bodyguards on board, responsible for ensuring the safety of the vessel while it is at sea

When Xu Xiaotian had nothing to do, he even imagined that if this ship belonged to him, the first thing he would do would be to order all the boatmen to conduct a thorough cleaning of the entire vessel, ensuring that it was completely clean. Moreover, he would also have the bottom of the hull cleaned, removing all the barnacles, oysters, and other miscellaneous items attached to the hull.