Chapter 40: Roll Call
Early the next morning.
The ship workers returned one after another on the small boat from the flower boat, fully satisfied.
As soon as they boarded the ship, they saw Lin Qian standing quietly at the railing in front of the stern cabin, gazing at them.
After experiencing several storms, Lin Qian had already gained considerable prestige among the crew members.
Seeing Lin Qian’s serious expression, the ship workers held their breath and stood neatly in the center of the deck without delay.
Roll call every day at Maoshi First Quarter, this is the rule on the ship.
However, there are no timing tools on the ship, so although it is called Maoshi First Quarter, there is no exact time; roll call is done after sunrise each day.
However, after half a month of drifting at sea, the ship workers rarely had the chance to indulge themselves on the flower boat.
Returning to the ship for roll call was half a shichen later than usual.
Lin Qian was not usually very strict with people, and since all the ship workers had indulged all night, everyone harbored a fluke mentality that the law does not punish the masses.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they returned to the ship, they saw the helmsman with an unfriendly expression, knowing that a round of scolding or punishment was inevitable today.
The first batch of ship workers to return to the ship felt uneasy, yet also somewhat fortunate, since they had come back the earliest and figured that even if punished, it would be lighter than for those who returned late.
After half a quarter of an hour, another small boat came from the flower boat side, and from far away, the sound of laughter and revelry on the boat could be heard.
“……Damn it! Southern girls have skin that’s too tender! A little force leaves a bruise……
When others ask what happened, she just cries and whimpers, making them think I did something bad……
If you ask me, northern women are more straightforward……
As the voices drew nearer, Lei Sanxiang and several ship workers also came aboard.
“Lin Laodi!” As soon as he boarded, Lei Sanxiang saw Lin Qian and waved in greeting.
Lin Qian was usually very warm toward his sworn brothers and would definitely smile back with “Third Brother.”
But today Lin Qian ignored him completely, slowly shifting his gaze toward Lei Sanxiang, leaving him awkwardly frozen in place.
After a moment of silence, Lin Qian spoke: “In the future, during duty hours, address by position.”
Lei Sanxiang glanced at the ship workers standing silently on the deck like cicadas in winter; though rough, he sensed the atmosphere was off.
He just muttered: “Yes, helmsman.”
Then he walked toward the group of ship workers.
But Lin Qian said: “You are an officer, stand behind me.”
Lei Sanxiang acknowledged and walked behind Lin Qian.
Upon reaching the stern cabin, he realized Chen Jiao, Zhou Xiucai, and Bai Langzai were already standing there.
“What’s going on today?” Lei Sanxiang asked in a low voice.
Chen Jiao spoke: “Don’t talk, just watch.”
The other ship workers who returned with Lei Sanxiang saw the situation and felt guilty, standing there unsure what to do.
Lin Qian said nothing, letting them continue standing.
After more than an hour like this, another five or six boatloads returned one after another; seeing the scene, none dared speak and stood on the deck.
The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.
By now the sun had risen halfway into the sky, and everyone was sweating profusely from the exposure.
Fine sweat covered Lin Qian’s forehead, and the clothes on his back were soaked through, sticking uncomfortably to his body.
But he held firm without moving.
Seeing Lin Qian like this, the ship workers didn’t dare wipe their sweat and endured together.
After another half hour, no more people were coming aboard, and at a glance, basically all the ship workers had arrived.
Lin Qian said: “Boatswain, begin today’s roll call.”
Lei Sanxiang was dazed when Bai Langzai nudged his arm; he reacted at once, acknowledged, went down to the deck, and loudly ordered the ship workers to form ranks.
After all, they had been standing under the sun for nearly two hours; Lei Sanxiang just wanted to quickly finish the roll call so he could return to the cabin and take off his sweat-soaked clothes.
After counting, only 62 people; there should be 64 ship workers on the ship.
Lei Sanxiang counted twice more; indeed two were missing.
Lei Sanxiang had no choice but to report to Lin Qian: “Helmsman, two are missing.”
Lin Qian nodded slightly.
Lei Sanxiang returned to the stern cabin, looked at the ship workers, and whispered to Lin Qian: “Helmsman, how about letting everyone disperse first.”
Lin Qian: “Wait a bit more.”
Chen Jiao grew alert: “Helmsman, those two didn’t run away, did they?”
Lin Qian thought for a moment and shook his head: “Probably not. Bai Langzai, take a few men to check the flower boat.”
“Yes.” Bai Langzai drew his knife, cupped his fists, went down from the stern cabin, picked three good hands, and called over a small boat from the flower boat at the ship’s rail.
Then he climbed down the rope ladder to the small boat.
The sun climbed higher, gradually reaching midday.
It was now entering the hottest period, with high temperatures; the sun at sea was especially scorching, and standing long made sweat sting the exposed skin painfully.
The ship workers grew restless but didn’t show it on their faces, cursing inwardly.
After a long time, the small boat returned.
Bai Langzai and the three who went with him boarded first, followed by one ship worker who looked ashamed, with three scratches on his face.
Then another crawled up the rope ladder very slowly, steps unsteady, completely soaked, and from afar reeked of alcohol; clearly he had passed out drunk and just been doused awake.
By now all the ship workers’ dissatisfaction was directed at these two, glaring at them angrily.
The one with scratches on his face felt even more ashamed upon seeing this and knelt down directly, head bowed, not daring to look at the others on the ship.
The drunk one also collapsed limply; whether kneeling or passing out again was unclear.
“What happened?” Lin Qian asked.
Bai Langzai pointed at the drunkard: “This one passed out on the flower boat and wouldn’t wake no matter what, so I threw him into the sea to rouse him.”
Then Bai Langzai pointed at the one with scratches: “This one went wild last night, beat people indiscriminately, seriously injured a girl who couldn’t get out of bed; the flower boat held him, cost three taels of silver to redeem.”
Lin Qian indicated he understood, then said solemnly: “Absent for roll call, five whips. Bullying women, five whips.”
Then Lin Qian looked at Lei Sanxiang: “You are the boatswain; from now on, sailors’ punishments will be administered by you.”
Lei Sanxiang hesitated: “Helmsman, there was no such rule on the ship before……
Lin Qian interrupted him: “Rules have a first day; today is it.”
Lei Sanxiang wanted to argue more, but Chen Jiao stopped him: “The helmsman is right; without rules, nothing can be accomplished.”
Having been rebuked twice, Lei Sanxiang looked displeased, pushed Chen Jiao aside, cupped his fists, went down from the stern cabin, took a whip from the storeroom, and walked to the deck.
The one who injured the girl immediately begged for mercy repeatedly, saying things like “momentary confusion,” “drank too much,” “never again.”
The other drunk wanted to beg too, but upon opening his mouth, a stench of vomit poured out.
Lei Sanxiang roared: “Tie them up.”
Ship workers brought rope, bound the two to the mast, stripped off their upper clothes, exposing their backs.
Lei Sanxiang clenched his teeth, gripped the whip, and swung with full force.
One whip tore skin and flesh; the man let out a shrill scream.
The second whip, and snot and tears smeared his face.
The ship workers watched the punishment nearby; not one pleaded for mercy.
The third whip, and his body shook like chaff as he cried and begged: “I was wrong, I know I was wrong; I’ll pay those three taels of silver, please stop, have mercy……
Lei Sanxiang snorted angrily: “When you beat that girl, did she beg you, and did you show mercy?”
Speechless, the fourth whip fell, his cries even more piercing.
After ten whips, his voice was hoarse; once untied, he collapsed like a pile of rotten meat.
Lei Sanxiang signaled ship workers to carry him back to the cabin.
Then he began whipping the drunk.
He only needed five whips, and with alcohol numbing his senses, he didn’t cry as miserably.
After finishing and untying the rope, he too was carried back to the cabin.
Punishment complete, Lei Sanxiang tossed the whip and stood behind Lin Qian again, face full of resentment.
