Xiao Baoshan sailed with a ship again. It was a grain merchant who came from the provincial capital. He had been sailing for three days and the offer he gave was five taels of silver. However, Third Xing got half as his share again.
As Xiao Baoshan had been working at the dock for a while he had also been given an attendant called Seven, who was a sort of assistant to Xiao Baoshan at the dock. Seven hated to see Third Xing continue to rip Xiao Baoshan off, so he could not stand any more and had to remind Xiao Baoshan. “Brother Baoshan, why should we put up with Third Xing? You are the one who has made this money by working hard. Even if you just give him one tael, that’s more than enough.”
Xiao Baoshan just answered shortly, “The guest is Third Xing’s so I should give him his share.”
“That’s true but…he is somewhat robbing you. He doesn’t go to sail with the ship but asks for half of the wage. He surely knows how hard life is aboard the ship. We don’t even have hot food to eat unless our employer is willing to pull in to shore. Even if the employer does pull in to shore, we aren’t guaranteed hot food unless he agrees to buy us some, otherwise we’ll just end up eating dry food in the ship. Besides, if we run into some pirates, our heads can be chopped off at any moment.”
Xiao Baoshan just patted Seven’s shoulder. “That won’t happen when you’re with me!”
“…” Seven failed to reply.
Xiao Baoshan was very capable but why should he put up with Third Xing’s bullying?
Meanwhile, when Third Xing had taken the money from Xiao Baoshan he then took his men, including Skinny Monkey, to the town to wine and dine.
The place where they went happened to be “The Xiao’s Cuisine”.
Third Xing did not know that this restaurant related to Xiao Baoshan. They just took it as a coincidence, but that day there were too many customers and no one came to the kitchen to take the dishes, so Ye Xiaoxian took them out on her own.
Ye Xiaoxian put the dish down and was about to turn around when she heard these people talking loudly.
“I say, is Xiao Baoshan stupid or what? I asked him to give me half his wage and he just did what he was told?” said Third Xing.
When Ye Xiaoxian heard the words “Xiao Baoshan” she slowed her pace.
Were they talking about her husband?
She turned around and had another look, finding that these men looked rather familiar. After thinking about it she remembered. Weren’t these the men who stopped Xiao Baoshan in the county suburb last time and suggested he go to work as a dock keeper?
Ye Xiaoxian walked casually over to the counter and listened to what they were talking about.
“Boss, you’re gonna be rich. You just let Xiao Baoshan go sailing seven or eight times every month and you can make ten or so taels of silver out of it. You can buy a house and a plantation by then. You can also eat and drink as you please,” said Skinny Monkey.
Third Xing laughed and said, “This is exactly what I’m thinking.”
“…”
Ye Xiaoxian did not continue to listen and went back to the kitchen silently.
She always knew that Xiao Baoshan was a bit dimwitted, especially to the opposite sex. Or perhaps he was not that dim. Maybe he was just not into her.
However, Ye Xiaoxian did not expect Xiao Baoshan to still be so dimwitted at the dock and allow others steal his wages away. Half of the money he made from his hard work sailing with ships had to shared with others.
It seemed that they were all leading hard lives.
…
In the following month Xiao Baoshan had in fact gone sailing more than ten times. The short trips were one or two days and the long trips were four or five days. Third Xing did not give Xiao Baoshan a single break.
Seven was so furious that he almost quit.
Seven was so speechless that he said to Xiao Baoshan, “Brother Baoshan, although you’re hired by Third Xing to be the dock keeper, the dock doesn’t belong to him. As long as you want you can be your own master, so you don’t have to bear that damn Third Xing anymore. Judging by what’s going on now, you are obviously being used by Third Xing as an ox.”
Xiao Baoshan just said plainly, “Let’s just do the job for now and talk about other things later.”
Time flew by and it was already November.
In Qinghe County, although was located in the subtropical region, the weather was getting colder and colder. Going sailing had become more and more laborious. They had to not only withstand exposure to the elements, deprivation and hunger but also endure the cold.
Seven had been working with Xiao Baoshan for quite a long time but his commission was still barely enough. If it weren’t for Xiao Baoshan, who had rather a reassuring presence, Seven would have quit long ago.
One day, Wen Lei, the businessman from Fu, came there again.
Wen Lei appointed Xiao Baoshan to sail with him, so naturally Third Xing would send Xiao Baoshan over.
The Fu shipping line was rather dangerous and Wen Lei could not manage it without Xiao Baoshan. After he arrived safe and sound at his destination the last time, he could not stop thinking about Xiao Baoshan. He could put his mind at ease and sleep and eat well on the ship with Xiao Baoshan around.
Furthermore, he was always rather curious about Xiao Baoshan. Being a man of such great demeanor and presence, why should he lower himself to working as a dock keeper?
However, to their surprise, Xiao Baoshan had refused this time.
Third Xing found Xiao Baoshan who simply answered, “I can’t go this time.”
“Why?” asked Third Xing.
Xiao Baoshan turned around and said plainly, “I’m afraid I can’t go sailing for quite some some.”
“But…why not? Haven’t you been doing well all this time? Wen Lei has told me that he’ll offer seven taels this time,” said Third Xing worriedly.
“You mean three and a half taels, right?” asked Xiao Baoshan plainly.
“Well…” Third Xing suddenly realized something.
He had heard a story called “Boiling Frog”. When a frog is in a pot, if you make it hot too quickly it will jump out, but if you slowly increase the temperature then it will not notice until it’s too hot to escape.
Third Xing suddenly realized that perhaps he himself was that frog. “Baoshan, let’s get it straight. Is it because of the money? Well…how about you take four taels out of the seven and I’ll get three? What do you say?”
Xiao Baoshan just smiled faintly and did not say a word.
“Baoshan, don’t you forget that you were just a handyman working in the government office. You only earned two taels per month back then. But since you came here you’ve earned five taels of silver per month, all thanks to me. Shouldn’t you repay me for what I’ve given you? I know that maybe I’ve got a bit more of the share before but we can discuss that, but now Wen Lei has apointed you to sail with him. If you won’t go I have to send five or six of my men over.”
That meant that Xiao Baoshan was considered equal to six men. Yet Third Xing still had the nerve to take such a large share.
Xiao Baoshan still smiled faintly.
Third Xing compromised. “What about this? Seven tales, you can have five and I’ll have two. That’s final.”
Xiao Baoshan finally spoke up. “Seven taels. I’ll get six and you’ll get one and that’s how we distribute the wage from now on. No matter what kind of offer you got for me you can at most take one tael.”
Third Xing’s mouth twitched. After a long while he clenched his fists. “Fine, you better get aboard the ship now.”
…
The Xiao’s Cuisine.
Ye Xiaoxian went to the front hall and saw the three of them again. The difference was that Third Xing and the other men were not as happy as last time when they were binge eating and drinking, on the contrary, they looked somehow upset.