Zhang Heng knew better than anyone that the maiden voyage was extremely important for a new captain. Besides, many from Nassau were hoping that Zhang Heng would fail his first sail. He had to prove them wrong. The moment he returned to Nassau, he noticed that a lot of people were paying attention to him. The combination of a mighty battleship and the overly young captain seemed like vulnerable prey to a lot of people.
Once the Jackdaw pulled into shore, Zhang Heng had to consider his worst-case scenario. He did not doubt that Billy and the rest of the old crew members were loyal to him, and after the Kidd's treasure incident, Zhang Heng knew that all 16 of them would not betray him–for now, at least. That said, he had to consider the possibility of them being manipulated by others.