Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 711 - 706: The River Pirates Demand Hostages

Chapter 711: Chapter 706: The River Pirates Demand Hostages

Unlike what Lin Wanwan saw in the film materials, the river pirates did not immediately resort to burning, killing, and looting.

By the moonlight, two boats coming from a tributary approached aggressively, signaling with lights, telling them to lower their sails and stop the ship.

Although Lin Wanwan’s fleet had more and larger ships than the other side, the opposing ships were clearly warships, small and nimble. If a fight broke out, the larger her fleet, the easier they would become targets for fire arrows and stones.

Moreover, the opposing ships were manned by fully armed sailors, while they mostly had inexperienced landlubbers.

The Armed Department Lin Wanwan recruited from Guanzhong included only a few swimmers, and shortly after the ship set sail, half of the people were seasick.

Besides the Armed Department, there were mostly women and children on their side; only Xiao Yixun’s maid had some combat power, but her capabilities were greatly diminished due to seasickness.

Fortunately, before setting off, Lin Wanwan hired a ship from an escort team in Luoyang. Those Escort Masters who guarded escorts at sea were seasoned seamen, equipped with both combat power and navigational skills.

Another good news was that the other side was after money and did not immediately initiate a water battle. Clearly, they prioritized financial gain, giving Lin Wanwan’s fleet a chance to pay for safe passage.

Aboard the most populated ship of the escort team, several lights soon lit up. Lin Wanwan saw a person standing amid the lights, holding a flag and signaling with semaphore.

Lin Wanwan asked the Escort Master accompanying them on her ship, "What are they expressing?"

"Madam, they are negotiating the passage fee with the other party."

Lin Wanwan was somewhat surprised, was the escort team planning to pay the passage fee themselves?

But upon further thought, she understood that any escort team daring to travel long distances would naturally be prepared for such expenses.

Lin Wanwan was sure that these long-standing escort teams must have paid a considerable amount of passage fees to local bandits and thieves along the way.

For Escort Masters, it was certainly better to resolve issues with money than with their lives; after all, the cost was ultimately passed on to the customer.

And for ordinary highwaymen, acquiring money was key. It wasn’t worth risking lives against Escort Masters who had some combat power.

So typically, encountering robbers could be resolved through negotiation.

After a round of semaphore communication, Lin Wanwan saw both sides dispatch a sampan each, setting out on the river and soon meeting up.

Evidently, the people on the two sampans were their respective negotiation experts.

Lin Wanwan tied a sleeve crossbow to her arm, ready to spring into action, and held her pistol, safety off, prepared to fire at any moment.

She wouldn’t place all her hopes on others. She must also prepare for close combat.

An increasing number of servants and colleagues, those not too seasick, gathered around her.

Lin Wanwan’s flagship was protected in the middle of the fleet, with guards at both front and rear. If a battle really broke out, her ship would obviously be safer.

Though the pirate ships were around ten zhang away from Lin Wanwan’s fleet, if they launched a full-speed assault, they could close the gap in a moment.

If money could resolve the issue, Lin Wanwan would naturally prefer to pay. After all, she was wealthy enough to rival nations in the Great Tang, and spending some pepper and glass didn’t bother her too much.

In the Great Tang, pepper and silk could be used directly as money, without needing to be converted, much more convenient than today. Modern times don’t recognize antiques or gold and silver as money; you have to go through the hassle of liquidating your valuables.

Before long, Lin Wanwan watched the two sampans separate, indicating the end of negotiations and the beginning of the passage fee payment process.

Lin Wanwan observed one sampan sailing directly towards her flagship. Was it to report to her for decision-making or to request the passage fee?

Either way, Lin Wanwan felt she could accept it. Of course, if the passage fee was already included in the escort fee paid, that would be even better.

Soon, the sampan docked, and the people on it were brought aboard by Lin Wanwan’s crew.

The Escort Master quickly approached Lin Wanwan, bowed, and got straight to the point, "Madam, I have just negotiated the passage fee with the other side, but..."

Seeing the visitor hesitate, Lin Wanwan impatiently said, "But what? Speak up."

"But they not only demand money, but also want people." The Escort Master replied with a guilty look, "They want us to send over a few pretty maids after paying."

On hearing this, the maids around Lin Wanwan with slightly better looks were all disheartened, some even panicking.

Everyone feared they would be the ones handed over by their master.

This wasn’t surprising; to the Great Tang’s nobility, slaves were considered property, not people. Even the law classified them as "slave law equating livestock," allowing them to be bought and sold.

However, Lin Wanwan was a modern person!

Although she now had an increasing number of slaves, she never treated those who served her as mere goods.

She regarded everyone as employees and caregivers. She could accept spending money to avert disaster but could never tolerate sending people as passage payment.

What the pirates wanted with pretty maids needed no further explanation.

The fate of the maids handed over was all too clear.

"Impossible!" Lin Wanwan firmly refused, "Tell them I can offer a bit more ransom, but I cannot give people!"

"Madam, it’s just a few maids. Once you pass this waterway, you can buy more at a broker," said a native Great Tang member of the escort team, caring little for the maids’ lives.

Lin Wanwan sneered, "If buying slaves is so easy, they can take the money and buy from a broker themselves. But they won’t get any from me!"

"This—"

"Enough! No more talk, my decision is final!" Lin Wanwan coldly interrupted the visitor, resolutely saying, "I can give money, but not people. That’s what you’ll say. And before you leave, prepare your escort team for a tough fight!"

The visitor’s lips moved, wanting to say something but holding back, bowing and answering, "Understood."

Then he withdrew, climbing back onto the sampan, heading towards the main ship of his escort team.

The group of maids surrounding Lin Wanwan burst into tears, hearing her firmly reject handing them over.

At this moment, Ji Yue and Yun Cai stepped forward, suddenly kneeling and bowing their heads, saying, "Madam, I am willing to pave the way for your safety, you can hand me over."

With their lead, other maids also reflected, expressing their willingness to sacrifice.

Treating people like animals will yield animal-like behavior, treating people like national treasures will yield loyalty.

Lin Wanwan protected them, so they naturally were willing to lay down their lives for her.

If faced with river pirates and a fight broke out, with no regard for safety, who could guarantee the master’s safety?