A hundred and ten miles downstream of Baisha River, Xu Qing and his two companions carried the corpse of Shi Quan and searched along the case for ferrymen and signs of habitation, intending to return to Linhe.
At Baisha Ferry, Xue, the Government Official who had fled during the battle, led a band of deserters and rowed through the night, arriving at Linhe Pier in no time.
Cai, the steward who had been hiding in the cabin the entire time, was weak in the legs and exhausted, clearly frightened out of his wits.
The government officials, supporting and aiding him, brought the steward all the way to the Patrol Office.
County Captain Dong Heng and Master Tang Zhou, upon hearing the dire news, rushed to the Government Office, disregarding all other matters.
Upon learning that Chief Zhao and others had been harmed by the Daoists of Celestial Wu Temple and were dragged underwater by Water Ghosts with their fate unknown, everyone was profoundly shaken.
