Chapter 9, You Chase, I Escape

Although the pirate ship is continuously approaching, the pursuit of a merchant vessel by the pirates on the sea is not as simple as Yu Xiaotian had imagined. Both sides are sailing ships; even though the pirate ship is lighter in weight and has a certain speed advantage, catching up to the ship where Yu Xiaotian is located is not something that can be accomplished quickly.

This situation left Liu Chuan Dong and the boatmen on board deeply worried, wishing they could find a paddle to skim the water's surface, increasing the boat's speed to quickly shake off these two pursuers

The pursuit by the pirates continued, and after nearly an hour had passed, it was evident that although the distance was closing, the ship on which Yu Xiaotian was located was quite slippery, consistently preventing them from successfully closing in. One of the pirate ships seemed to gradually lose patience and ultimately chose to give up. It first lowered its sails halfway, causing its speed to noticeably decrease, and then began to gradually adjust its course, ceasing the chase and slowly disappearing from the surface of the sea. This was undoubtedly like a shot of adrenaline for everyone on the Liu family's ship, invigorating them all, with some even beginning to cheer.

After careful consideration, Ma Biao expressed his opinion to Captain Liu. He stated this in order to be more prudent; if they were to be pursued by pirates and engaged in combat, it would be best to repel the pirates. However, if they were unable to defeat the pirates, they would have no way to retreat. In such a case, if the pirates seized the ship, they could escape by abandoning the vessel when close to the shore. Although they would lose the cargo, at least they could preserve their lives. This consideration was not solely for their own sake, but also took into account the shipowner and the crew on board. However, if they were unable to defeat the pirates, they would have no way to retreat. In such a case, if the pirates seized the ship, they could escape by abandoning the vessel when close to the shore. Although they would lose the cargo, at least they could preserve their lives. This consideration was not solely for their own sake, but also took into account the shipowner and the crew on board.

If you all can help me get rid of the pirates today and drive them back, I, Liu, will certainly not treat you unfairly! After returning, each person will receive a reward of one tael of silver!

Although the waves on the sea are still quite large, causing the ships to experience significant turbulence during navigation, they do not pose any threat to the two pirate ships. Therefore, the two pirate ships continue to cling to their wake like a persistent parasite, relentlessly pursuing them.

Everyone quickly turned their gaze back to the surface of the sea at the stern of the ship. At this moment, the two pirate ships had indeed drawn closer, and their shapes could be seen more clearly.

Otherwise, we will be finished, and you will not fare well either! In this world, only the pitiful you remain, who would take you in. If you were to fall into the hands of pirates, they would surely make you wish for death rather than life! You must know how to be grateful and repay kindness, do you understand?

In the event that they jump over, you can use this to fend them off. As long as you do your job well, after today, Yu will certainly not treat you poorly. You will definitely be provided with good wine and fine meat. Do you understand

Therefore, although Captain Liu does not wish to die, he equally does not want to lose the cargo on this ship. The value of this cargo, if lost, would not lead to bankruptcy for someone with the surname Liu, but it would certainly take a long time to recover from such a loss

At this moment, upon seeing a pirate ship abandon the chase, the situation at sea began to change. The strength of the pirates was effectively reduced by half, meaning that the number of pirates on the remaining pirate ship was not very large. Even if this pirate ship caught up, they would still have a fighting chance. If luck was on their side, they had a significant possibility of driving this pirate ship away. Consequently, they no longer felt the same fear as before.

Very well! Let us do as you say and steer towards the shore! If that fails, we can abandon the ship and go ashore; it is certainly better than being killed by them all

After Liu Chuan Dong called it off, the spirits of the boatmen seemed to be somewhat stirred, responding in a scattered manner, each gripping their tools tightly in hand

As soon as Liu's voice fell, the people on the ship immediately became busy again, and the vessel turned around once more, heading towards the shore. However, was their decision still effective this time? Yu Xiaotian leaned over the ship's railing, gazing at the pirate ship at the stern while pondering to himself.

Moreover, he also wishes to obtain that, in the event of a confrontation with the pirates, there is no guarantee that there will not be casualties. However, Captain Liu does not mention any compensation for injuries or deaths at all. With this alone, he expects the crew to risk their lives for him. Is this not a bit too presumptuous?

Yu Xiaotian secretly despised this person with the surname Liu. Now this guy considered himself to be his benefactor, but Yu Xiaotian was very clear about what this fellow was after. To put it bluntly, this person was eyeing his physical strength, wanting to take advantage of him as a free laborer to work like a horse. Given the current dangerous situation, he began to use these words to ensnare him, trying to make him serve as cannon fodder. Bah!

According to the maritime navigation regulations, if a ship encounters pirates at sea and the disparity in strength between the two parties is significant, the guards may, based on the ship owner's opinion, choose to abandon resistance. This not only preserves their own lives but also safeguards the lives of others on board, including passengers and crew. Therefore, even if the ship's cargo is plundered, they will not face any repercussions from the owner afterwards

Bags of sand were placed by Yu Xiaotian around the ship's railing, while buckets of seawater were drawn up onto the deck using ropes and arranged in convenient positions. Several bamboo suction tubes were also found by Yu Xiaotian, who leaned over the side of the ship to draw in seawater, which was then placed on the deck.

Moreover, the situation is not as simple as he imagined. As long as merchant ships encounter pirates, they are certain to be hijacked. If pirates wish to successfully intercept a ship, they must invest considerable effort and time, and the success rate is not particularly high.

Yu Xiaotian quickly nodded, pretending to be foolish, and ran to stand in front of him, waiting for his orders. The man surnamed Liu pointed to two long poles, a rusty broken saber, and a rattan shield placed by the ship's side, and instructed him: "Mute! You are tall and strong! If the pirates catch up and try to board our ship, use this long pole to push against their ship, forcefully keeping their vessel at bay, preventing the pirates from boarding and jumping onto our ship

Taking advantage of the time before the pirate ship catches up, Captain Liu shouted loudly to the crew on board: "Everyone listen! I have always treated you well. Today, we have encountered pirates, and this is the time we need you! You all know what pirates are; if our ship falls into their hands, no one will benefit!"

Another period of pursuit and evasion has passed, and in the blink of an eye, over an hour has gone by. It is now past noon, yet the pirate ship has still not managed to catch up with the vessel where Yu Xiaotian is located

Conversely, if they suffer casualties while engaging with pirates, the employer must also provide a sum of money as compensation for their families

While Xiao Tian was idly pondering beside the mast, he heard Liu Chuan Dong shouting at him: "Mute! Stop dawdling! Go help move the sandbags on the ship to various places and set them up. Also, find all the water buckets, fill them with seawater, and place them properly! Additionally, bring over the few suction tubes at the stern and fill them with water. If pirates happen to chase us and attack, they might launch fire arrows, so keep an eye on extinguishing any arrows that land on the ship!"

Both pirate ships are also two-masted vessels, and they indeed appear to be quite similar in design to the Fujian boats. However, their size is relatively smaller, and their speed is not very fast; they are only slightly quicker than the ship depicted in the illustration. Nevertheless, this modest speed advantage is sufficient for the pirate ships to catch up with them before nightfall

The shipowner and the crew on board clearly had some experience in dealing with such situations. To increase speed, they continuously adjusted their sailing angles and the sails on the ship to catch the wind as fully as possible, thereby maximizing their speed. As a result, although the pirate ship was gradually closing the distance, it was never able to catch up with them

The people on the ship became even more tense at this moment, starting to gather towards the stern. One by one, they found suitable weapons and gripped them tightly in their hands, causing Xu Xiaotian's heart to feel a bit uneasy.

Liu Chuan Dong hoped that the sea winds and waves would intensify, allowing the two pirate ships trailing behind to retreat in the face of difficulty. However, this beautiful wish was not realized. After they turned to flee, for a period of time, the winds and waves on the sea did not strengthen; rather, as Liu Lao Liu had anticipated, they weakened slightly.

However, the people on the ship next saw that the pirates on the remaining pirate ship seemed to be much more patient. Although Liu's ship was constantly changing direction to evade them on the sea, they persistently followed behind. What was even more disheartening was that at this moment, the wind on the sea began to weaken, and the waves gradually started to diminish, which was not a good omen

After listening to Ma Biao's words, the man with the surname Liu thought for a moment, his face turning pale as he nodded and sighed: "What you say makes sense. At this rate, it seems we won't be able to shake them off! They are faster than us, and it's still early before dark. It seems unlikely that we can delay until then. If they were to follow the rules, it would be manageable, but if they don't, then we are finished!"

At this moment, the lookout on the mast shouted: "The pirate ship is getting closer!"

If they can truly delay until the evening, then this pirate hijacking operation can only be declared a failure. It is estimated that many times, those engaged in maritime trade escape pirate interception by employing such methods, thereby resolving this kind of crisis

As the pirate ship drew closer, Liu Chuan Dong suddenly thought of Yu Xiaotian and called out to him, "Mute, come here!"

At this moment, Liu's expression was also very poor. He realized that it was probably impossible to escape today. The remaining pirate ship was clearly determined to capture them. If they continued to flee, they would definitely be caught before nightfall.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Tian thought, "Alright! This guy really thinks he can treat me like a donkey! No wonder there are sandbags piled on the ship; it turns out they are for this purpose!" Thus, he had no choice but to start working according to Captain Liu's instructions. After all, he was now a member of the crew, and if the pirates came aboard, he would not benefit either.

Time seemed to have frozen in this pursuit, and with a layer of dark clouds now covering the sun, it became increasingly difficult for him to judge the time. He only had a rough idea that it was definitely past noon, as his stomach had already begun to rumble. The bowl of rice he had eaten in the morning had long been digested, leaving him feeling hungry

However, Xiaotian is quite skeptical about the value of one or two taels of silver. He does not have a clear understanding of the current price and wage levels in the Ming Dynasty, but one or two taels of silver is certainly not a large sum! This Liu, the shipowner, is indeed quite stingy. Since he is offering a reward, why not set it a bit higher? At least, a generous reward would attract brave individuals. It truly makes one wonder what he is thinking.

However, today it is destined that they cannot have their meal on time, because at this moment, Liu Chuan Dong's entire focus is on the pirate ship behind, leaving him no mood to care whether the people on board are hungry or not

"Damn it, boss! Are these pirates planning to take us down today? At this rate, it won't be long before they catch up! With our current speed, we definitely won't shake them off before dark. If we get caught like this and they decide to get rough, we might be in serious trouble! I suggest we steer closer to the shore!" Ma Biao, rolling up his sleeves, looked at the two pirate ships rapidly approaching from behind, his face pale as he spoke to the shipowner, Mr. Liu. As a bodyguard hired by the Liu family, Ma Biao bore the responsibility for the safety of this vessel.

Liu Chuan Dong's expression softened slightly. If today two pirate ships were to catch up with them simultaneously and coordinate to attack from both sides, given the current manpower and strength on their ship, they would have virtually no ability to fight back once caught. Because if they did resist, the other party would certainly not show them any mercy; after seizing the ship, they would definitely kill everyone on board.

Therefore, if they are pursued simultaneously by two pirate ships, the only option is not to resist, but to lower the sails and stop the ship, allowing the pirates to board and plunder. If the pirates adhere to certain rules, then generally speaking, they seek wealth rather than lives, and will not easily kill the people on board. However, it goes without saying that the goods on the ship will no longer be a consideration.

Upon witnessing this scene, the people on the ship began to regain their confidence, and their morale seemed to improve somewhat

However, at this moment he is a "mute," and naturally cannot say such words. Even if he were not mute, he would not dare to utter such statements at this time. Thus, he can only nod repeatedly to indicate his understanding, all the while harboring a belly full of resentment.

Such circumstances made Yu Xiaotian understand why the Liu family could operate at sea for such a long time without going bankrupt due to pirates. It turned out that when encountering pirates at sea, they had quite a few strategies and were not merely helpless lambs waiting to be slaughtered, allowing the pirates to plunder at will

However, upon further reflection, pirates are essentially outlaws. At sea, where there are no villages in front and no shops behind, the sailors have nowhere to escape except to jump into the water. If pirates were to board their ship, it could very likely threaten the sailors' lives. Therefore, it can be assumed that the sailors would not want the pirates to board, making it possible for them to fight back.

However, in today's situation, after one pirate ship gave up the chase, only one pirate ship remained unwilling to relent. Thus, this scenario clearly does not constitute a disparity in strength. Therefore, if they are caught by the pirates, those hired as escorts, like Ma Biao, must take on the responsibility of preventing the pirates from boarding. Otherwise, even if they abandon resistance and ultimately save their lives, the cargo will be plundered. Upon returning, their reputation will not only be tarnished, but they will also face claims for compensation from their employer. In such a case, even if they were to lose everything, they would still be unable to compensate the shipowner for the goods and the vessel. Moreover, if word gets out, they can forget about continuing in this line of work in the future.

However, these ships rely on sails for propulsion when at sea, and there are no oars on board. Even if there were, they would not reach the water's surface to row. Therefore, once the ship has accelerated, it stabilizes at a certain speed and can no longer increase its speed. The crew can only watch helplessly as two pirate ships trail behind them, gradually closing the distance, yet they are powerless to do anything.

Moreover, the pirate ship must be faster. During the ensuing chase, the distance between the two parties gradually decreased significantly. More importantly, the pirates on this ship seemed to be highly determined this time, exhibiting an attitude of not giving up until they achieved their goal, and they began to close the distance even further, showing no signs of wanting to relent.