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Chapter 40 - A Price for Freedom

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Zhujiao savoured the warm, savoury aroma of his breakfast, a simple but hearty bowl of rice porridge paired with salted fish and pickled vegetables. The soft murmur of conversation from the inn’s common room created a comforting hum in the background, a far cry from the tense atmosphere of the streets outside. For once, he felt relaxed.

Getting a room yesterday had been far simpler than he had thought – nothing more than a curious glance at the young boy paying for a room by himself. The innkeeper had been more surprised when he paid with a gold crown but, fortunately, was professional enough to keep it to a raised eyebrow.

Things were definitely looking up for him. He had a pouch full of silver and gold, new clothes, a good meal, and a nice place to sleep. Funny how quickly fortunes could shift – he almost had to pinch himself to check if he was dreaming.

The innkeeper, a stout, middle-aged woman with streaks of silver in her hair, bustled between tables, her apron fluttering as she delivered breakfast to the other hungry patrons. The prices were… uncomfortably high, but there were enough people fleeing to the city that the inn was packed regardless.

Zhujiao was getting used to the idea that his financial troubles were over, but that didn’t mean he could stop caring altogether. He still needed to get out of the city as soon as possible – if not to avoid the plague slowly ravaging the countryside, then to avoid the cultivators and gang members searching for him.

With this in mind, he watched the innkeeper for a moment, waiting until she passed near his table before speaking up.

“Excuse me,” he began, “I’m looking to find passage out of the city. Can you tell me where I might find a captain willing to take on passengers?”

The innkeeper’s brow furrowed for a moment as she paused to think. “Hmm, best head down to the docks, young sir,” she replied, wiping her hands on her apron. “Harbour master will know which ships are takin’ on passengers. You might want to move fast, though – plague’s got most folk hunkerin’ down or runnin’ for the hills. I imagine the prices will be getting mighty high and won’t be long before there are no spaces left.”

Zhujiao nodded, taking in the innkeeper’s words. The docks were his next stop, then. He thanked her and finished the last of his meal, the salty fish leaving a lingering tang on his tongue.

The warm interior quickly gave way to the cool, damp air of the early morning streets, the city still slowly waking up. His breath puffed visibly in the air as he adjusted the strap of his bag, feeling the reassuring weight of his coins and supplies. There was no time to waste.

The route to the docks was straightforward, and he followed the main road, where the smell of brine and the distant sound of creaking wood guided him closer to the water. As he neared the harbour, the steady thrum of city life grew louder—dockworkers shouting orders, seagulls squawking overhead, and the rhythmic slapping of waves against the ships.

Zhujiao spotted the harbour master immediately – not a difficult feat, considering the man was standing under a sign with ‘Harbour Master’ written on it. He was a thick-set man with a salt-and-pepper beard, clad in a worn navy coat that looked as old as the sea itself.

Zhujiao straightened his shoulders and approached, weaving through the throng of sailors and labourers. He stopped a few paces away from the harbour master, who had just turned his attention to a minor dispute between two dockhands.

“Excuse me, sir,” Zhujiao called out, raising his voice just enough to cut through the din.

The man turned, his weathered face scrunching up in irritation.

“Aye? What d’you want, lad?”

“I’m looking to book passage out of the city,” Zhujiao said plainly, keeping his tone even. “Preferably on a ship heading downriver. Do you know of any captains taking passengers?”

The harbour master rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then spat to the side. “T’won’t be cheap, son. With the plague and all... ain’t many ships willin’ to take on passengers these days. Captains know they’re in demand, and those that aren’t sittin’ tight are gouging anyone desperate enough to leave.”

Zhujiao’s hand drifted instinctively toward his coin pouch. He’d expected as much—the innkeeper had hinted as much herself—but he had little choice. “I can pay,” he said, letting the words hang in the air for a moment.

The harbour master grunted, clearly dubious.

“I’ve heard that before,” he muttered under his breath, then shrugged. “Alright, lad. There are three ships that might have room left, if you’ve truly got the coin.”

The man pointed to a small, crowded vessel first. “That there’s Captain Wen’s ship, but it’s likely full already. You might ask, but don’t get your hopes up.”

He followed the direction of the harbour master’s calloused hand, nodding slowly as the man continued. “Then, over there—Captain Ahmir. He’s a trader. Strange fellow from far off, but his ship goes to many ports. You’ll find him hard to miss.”

Zhujiao’s eyes flicked to the ship with billowing, dark sails and a bustling crew dressed in vibrant, flowing robes. “And the last?”

The harbour master spat to the side casually before gesturing toward a smaller vessel at the far end of the dock. “Captain Huang’s ship’s leavin’ in the next couple of days. If you’re desperate…” The man trailed off. “Well, best to make sure you’re desperate, is all I’ll say.”

Zhujiao hesitated a moment, but the harbour master didn’t seem inclined to elaborate, already turning to bark orders at some workers who had taken his moment of distraction as an opportunity to slack off. He shrugged to himself and headed towards the first ship.

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As the harbour master had predicted, it was crowded, and the crew was busy hauling crates aboard in a well-practised rhythm. Zhujiao approached Captain Wen, a wiry man with sharp eyes who was overseeing the loading process.

“Captain Wen?” Zhujiao called out, stepping closer.

Wen didn’t even turn to look at him, continuing to bark orders at his men. “Full,” he snapped, cutting off Zhujiao before he could ask.

“Are you sure? I—”

“Full,” Wen repeated, his voice even sharper, making it clear that no further questions would be tolerated. He motioned impatiently for Zhujiao to move on.

There was little point in arguing with the man, so he shrugged and made his way over to the next ship. A man he presumed to be Captain Ahmir was standing on the dock with another man, looking up at the vessel and talking in low tones. Zhujiao walked up behind them and cleared his throat politely to catch their attention.

The captain turned, examining him curiously.

“Good day, young man,” Ahmir greeted, his voice smooth and measured, with an accent that Zhujiao couldn’t quite place. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m looking for passage out of the city,” Zhujiao replied, meeting the man’s gaze. “The harbour master mentioned you might have space.”

“Ah, passage.” Ahmir’s smile widened, though there was a flicker of something uncertain in his expression. “Well, you’ve come to the right place – though I should warn you now that prices have been driven up. I make stops at many ports along the river. But where is it you seek to go?”

Zhujiao hesitated only briefly before shrugging and answering, “Tiecheng.”

Ahmir’s brow lifted slightly, and he leaned back, crossing his arms as he regarded Zhujiao with new interest. “Tiecheng,” he repeated, his tone thoughtful. “Your journey is a long one, my friend, and you’ve chosen an ambitious destination. You’ll be wanting to take a caravan along the Golden Road then, I presume?”

“Uh… I’m still weighing my options?” Zhujiao responded uncertainly, realising for the first time that picking Tiecheng as a destination was all well and good, but that didn’t help him figure out how to get there. He’d… sort of assumed it would be as simple as getting to a nearby port and following the roads. By the way Captain Ahmir was talking, it would be a little more complicated than that.

Captain Ahmir’s eyebrows raised further at his evident uncertainty, but he had the grace not to point it out. “Most, if not all, travelling to the inner reaches of the Empire chose to follow the Golden Road – it is, after all, the safest path through the wilds,” the man explained idly. “If you do choose to travel that path, the best port to disembark at would be… Xifeng.”

Zhujiao nodded along, trying to look like he knew what the captain was talking about. Or at least trying to avoid looking entirely unaware of basic geography. “And how much would the passage cost to Xifeng?”

Ahmir gave a slight, thoughtful hum, stroking his neatly trimmed beard before taking a bracing breath. “Seven gold crowns, my young friend. That includes a cabin for the journey, food, and safe passage. The journey itself would take between four and six weeks – perhaps longer, depending on weather.”

The price was so ridiculously high that Zhujiao couldn’t even find it in himself to be surprised. Not to mention that a month and a half on a boat was significantly longer than he had expected – though, in hindsight, it made sense. This world hardly had engines, after all.

Although considering how modern the plastic case had been, he wasn’t quite as sure of that fact as he once was.

“I don’t suppose that the price is flexible?” Zhujiao asked glumly, already knowing what the answer would be. It wasn’t that he couldn’t afford seven gold crowns, it was that he really didn’t want to. And if this trader was quoting him those prices, chances are that the other captains would be asking for something similar.

Captain Ahmir winced somewhat sympathetically but didn’t budge. “I understand it is no small sum, but it is a simple matter of supply and demand. I only have the one cabin left, and to be honest, I would prefer if it remained empty. Even if it did, supplies would be tighter than I would prefer, so I’m afraid that right now, the cabin is worth seven crowns to me.”

Well… there really wasn’t anything he could do about that. ‘In fairness,’ Zhujiao thought, ‘he’s not wrong. I’m hardly the only person wanting to get out of here, so he’s probably got more people than usual, which would naturally drive the price up.’

“Alright then,” he said aloud, “I’ll have to take some time to think about it.”

“Of course,” Ahmir said, offering a polite bow of his head, though he was clearly surprised that the price wasn’t an immediate deal-breaker. “You know where to find me if you decide. We set off at dawn the day after tomorrow, so assuming no one else claims the cabin, you have until then to make up your mind. Or look for other passage.”

The man clearly knew he was going to be looking around for a better price, but didn’t seem offended. If it wasn’t for the fact that the man represented a significant potential cost, Zhujiao probably would have liked him. Right now, the best he could muster was a forced smile.

The harbour master had only suggested one other ship, and though the man’s warning made Zhujiao cautious, there was minimal risk in asking for a price.

Probably, anyway.

He approached the farthest vessel, Captain Huang’s ship. The ship was smaller than the others, with fewer crew members milling about, but they moved with the same efficiency as the others. Captain Huang himself was standing near the ship’s bow, overseeing the loading of supplies. He was an older man, thin, almost gaunt, with greying hair that looked like desperately needed a wash.

Zhujiao hadn’t said a word to him but was already starting to understand why the harbour master was… dubious. Before he could convince himself to turn around, Captain Huang spotted him and squinted.

“Whad’ye want, boy?” he asked.

“I’m looking for passage out of the city,” Zhujiao said, keeping his tone even. “The harbour master said your ship might have room.”

Huang nodded slowly, his eyes lingering on the pouch at Zhujiao’s side for a beat longer than was comfortable.

“Maybe,” he said after a moment, his tone cautious. “But I’ll need to see what you’re working with before we talk prices.”

Zhujiao blinked. “You want to see the money first?”

Huang’s expression didn’t change, his shoulders rising in a casual shrug. “It’s been a busy time for those of us with ships. A lot of people looking to leave, not all of them honest. Best to make sure we’re not wasting each other’s time.” His eyes met Zhujiao’s again, unreadable. “So, if you’re serious about it, show me you can pay.”

Zhujiao’s hand dropped to his pouch, hesitating.

He wasn’t eager to flash his gold here, especially with Huang’s crew nearby, all within earshot.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass,” Zhujiao said carefully after a moment’s thought, withdrawing his hand and offering a polite smile.

A brief look of frustration flashed across the man’s face, though fortunately, he didn’t seem inclined to press the matter. “Fair enough,” he said simply, turning back toward his crew without another word.

Zhujiao took that as his cue to leave, turning away and walking back toward the busier part of the docks. The conversation had been brief, but the feeling of unease lingered. Perhaps Captain Huang was simply a practical man, but Zhujiao wasn’t willing to risk showing his coin so openly. The last thing he needed was to make himself a target.

Again.

By the time he reached the edge of the harbour and the busier streets leading back to the inn, the weight of his situation hit him again. Seven gold crowns for Captain Ahmir’s ship. Not to mention it was a long journey, to say the least.

Not an ideal situation, but it was looking like the best option he had left.

Lost in his thoughts, Zhujiao barely noticed the flow of people around him as he walked. He didn’t see the man wearing a crimson armband, standing casually against the side of a building. He didn’t notice how the man’s eyes followed his every move, his expression unreadable.

Didn’t see how as he passed, the man tilted his head slightly, the ghost of a smile playing at his lips.