“We'll just have to catch up with them,” Charles said. “We can do it. I have the fastest boat in all China.”
“You mean that foreign sailing vessel at the bottom of the hill?” NgGung asked. “It might be fast on open water, but that tall mast and large sails won't do you any good on the Grand Canal. There is far too much traffic. You would have to row. Also, there are hundreds of low bridges spanning the canal. That mast will never fit under them.”
Charles frowned.
Malao scratched his head. “Why are Hok and Ying looking for dragon bone in the first place? I know Ying likes to drink that stuff with fresh snake blood, but what would Hok do with it?”
“I think I can answer that,” PawPaw said. “While it might just be a wives’ tale, some people believe that dragon bone has special healing properties. Properties that might allow the deaf to hear”—she glanced at Seh—”or the blind to see.”
“That's great!” Malao said, slapping Seh on the back. “It sounds like something Hok would do. She's always thinking of others.”
Seh paused. “Yes, that sounds like something Hok would do, but Ying wouldn't. He wanted to abandon me back inside the fight club tunnels because I couldn't see. He is up to something.”
“I saw Ying get shot by Tonglong's men,” Charles said. “Maybe Hok is treating his injuries.”
Seh shook his head. “That might be part of it, but there has to be more. Ying is a loner. I am betting he is afraid to show his face, so he's letting Hok do all the shopping. Hok is probably doing most of the work handling the boat, too. If I know Ying, once he has everything he needs and he feels he can handle the boat alone, he will take it for himself and abandon Hok. NgGung, where were they last spotted?”
“Several It north of the city of Xuzhou,” NgGung replied.
“How far is that from the end of the Grand Canal?” Seh asked.
“About one-third of the way down,” NgGung said. “Why?”
Seh didn't reply.
NgGung grinned. “You're thinking about the dragon scroll map, aren't you? Your father told me about it. He has done some research and believes it leads somewhere far south, perhaps the end of the Grand Canal. Ying is indeed heading in that direction.”
“Ying wants the treasure,” Fu growled.
“Most likely,” NgGung said. “We've learned that Tonglong also wants that map.”
“We?” Charles said. “You mean the bandits?”
“Precisely,” NgGung said. “Me, Mong, Hung, Gao, Sanfu, plus others you've never met. If we had the resources, we would have sent a team to stop Tonglong from getting his hands on the map. I still remember Tonglong shouting to Seh about the dragon scroll map before he opened fire on you during the Dragon Boat Festival. In hindsight, we probably should have taken the map from Seh for safekeeping.”
“The map doesn't matter anymore,” Charles said. “I saw Ying burn it out in the center of the Yellow River.”
“Ying memorized it, Charles,” Seh said. “He has some remarkable skills. He'll know exactly where to go.”
“Then we should head south immediately,” Charles said. “I know a different route we can take. The Grand Canal ends at the city of Hangzhou, where it spills into the Qiantang River. I've been there. We can take the Yellow River from here all the way to the sea, then follow the coast down to the Qiantang River. From there, we will head up the river to the Grand Canal. My sloop is loaded with supplies and ready to go. She isn't the biggest vessel around, but she is the fastest and can hold the four of us.”
“Four of us?” Seh asked.
“That's right,” Charles said. “Me, you, Fu, and Malao.”
“You want us to go with you?” Malao asked. “I thought all those supplies you were loading into your boat were just for you.”
Charles shook his head. “I'll need assistance. You want to help Hok, don't you?”
“Of course,” Malao said. “But—”
Fu growled, “Count me in.”
“Thank you, Fu,” Charles said.
Malao began to fidget. “If Fu is going, I am going, too.”
Charles nodded his thanks to Malao.
Seh turned to NgGung. “You mentioned my father. Where is he now?”
“Mong is with the Governor,” NgGung replied, “back at the Governor's village. They are making plans.”
“What sort of plans?” Charles asked.
“Plans to stop Tonglong,” NgGung said. “We believe his ultimate goal is to overthrow the Emperor. While we have no love for the Emperor, we cannot let this happen. It would send the entire country into chaos.”