Welcome to another edition of Time Sucks Short Sucks.

I'm Dan Cummins, and today I will be sharing the fascinating story of the pirate queen.

If you like me, when you think of famous pirates, names like Blackbeard, Black Bart, Calico Jack, Sir Francis Drake, maybe Captain Kidd, those are the first that come to mind, at least out of real historical pirates.

But the most successful pirate in history, the one who very likely, if not almost certainly

accumulated the most power and wealth during their lifetime, was neither a man, nor were they

from the UK. The most successful pirate was Chinese and a woman. Changxi, born as Xi Young. She's also known by about

five other names. I'm just going to refer to her by her birth name of Xi Yang today to keep things

simple in a bit less confusing. She was born in southern China and grew up in poverty. She was

forced into sex work as a teenager and seemed destined for a life that was short, hard,

and historically, completely forgettable.

But she had a sharp, shrewd mind and an ambitious spirit.

And beginning with an advantageous marriage

and then exhibiting an unexpected gift for military prowess,

she became one of the richest women in all of Asia.

At the height of her power, she may have even been mightier than the emperor of China.

Words and ideas can change the world.

I hated her, but I wanted to love my mother.

I have a dream. I'll plead not guilty right now.

Your only chance is to leave with us. I don a dream. I'll plead not guilty right now. Your only chance is to leave with us.

I don't know why it surprised me that China had pirates when I first came across

Xi Young's story, but it sure did.

But of course, China had pirates.

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