While the people on the beach were resting, He Lingchuan still had an urgent matter to deal with:
He needed to meet Wulu, the Ya Kingdom general captured by Zhu Daniang.
Had this captive not been in hand, the Ya army would never have stood by and watched the Yangshan people leisurely rescue the Bailong tribe.
Presently, Wulu was held aboard a large vessel, with one cabin serving as a makeshift cell.
Layer upon layer of spider silk still cocooned his body, and he had his eyes closed to rest.
The berserk ape had already shrunk back to the form of a small monkey, squatting on a low cabinet and eating a banana.
Dong Rui had ordered it to serve as the jailer here.
When He Lingchuan and Zhu Daniang stepped inside, Wulu was lying on the bunk, snoring softly.
He was actually asleep.
The only sound in the cabin was the berserk ape smacking its lips as it munched on its banana.
Ah, sweet. It peeled open another.
He Lingchuan took a seat. His personal guards promptly brought in a birchwood table, laid out four or five steaming-hot dishes, and carried in a jar of fine wine.
The moment He Lingchuan cracked the clay seal, a rich aroma of wine wafted out, quickly permeating the entire cabin.
Wulu's nose twitched twice. Opening his eyes as though just waking, he turned his head toward the jar. "Good wine!"
"Pardon my neglect earlier, General Wulu." He Lingchuan had been busy on the beach for quite a while, leaving Wulu waiting here. "How about a cup between us?"
Wulu nodded his chin toward the silk binding him. "Drink with what?"
He was still wrapped up like a cocoon, without a hand free.
He Lingchuan smiled and glanced at Zhu Daniang.
The spider demon could now shrink itself to the size of a calf, allowing it to move in and out of the cabin. It stepped forward, extended both pincers, clamped Wulu again, and rolled him about.
Strange as it was, the sticky webs that no one else could tear through were undone by Zhu Daniang in a matter of moments. Her movements were smooth as flowing water, so quick that not even He Lingchuan could see them clearly.
Wulu only knew he had been rolled around like a wine cask until the spider demon gave him a forward shove. "Done."
Rolling to his feet, he found all his bonds gone; not a single strand of spider silk lingered even in his hair.
Zhu Daniang had recovered every bit of it.
Wulu smoothed his hair, shook out his sleeves, and leisurely walked over to sit opposite He Lingchuan.
A few hours ago, the two of them had met with weapons drawn, and He Lingchuan had even pierced and burst his heart.
A few hours later, they sat at the same table sharing drinks like brothers.
He Lingchuan personally poured him a cup of wine.
Wulu picked it up casually and drained it in a single gulp.
Seeing him drink so heartily, Zhu Daniang stepped back a few paces, picked up a jar of wine for herself, and began slowly sipping away.
The jar was too small; it wouldn't even last two mouthfuls.
Wulu set down his cup and let out a breath. "Good wine!"
"This is Blade Harbor's peach blossom wine, aged ten years. If you like it, General Wulu, take a few jars when you hit the road."
Hit the road? For a moment, Wulu could not tell if the words were meant literally or euphemistically.
He Lingchuan leaned back against his chair and crossed his legs. "I only came this time to rescue the Bailong people. Capturing General Wulu by accident goes against my original intentions. Truly, I must apologize."
His lips sounded apologetic, but with that smiling face, where was there the slightest hint of remorse?
Beside them, Zhu Daniang paused for two seconds, reflecting that what he said wasn't actually wrong. He Lingchuan's original battle plan had been a surprise raid, but this man named Wulu had discovered it in advance, turning it into a half-baked mess and forcing an impromptu shift to capturing the enemy leader first.
Wulu put down his cup and leaned forward. "If Island Master He were a clever man, you would kill me right now to eliminate a formidable future enemy. Otherwise, there will be plenty of opportunities for us to deal with each other going forward."
He Lingchuan gestured around the cabin. "'Is it not delightful to have friends visit from afar?' General Wulu, come whenever you wish. Next time, I will entertain you with fine wine and good food just like this."
Just like this?
The youth refused to yield even half a step in a war of words. Yet Wulu felt a weight lift from his heart—a "next time" meant He Lingchuan truly had no intention of killing him now.
The battle was over; as an island master, the other man had to start considering the potential fallout of this clash.
This man named He had come to rescue the Bailong tribe, having no deep grudge against the Ya Kingdom itself. Now that the campaign was over, killing Wulu would not only be pointless, it would mortally offend the Ya Kingdom.
The two were close neighbors; there would be plenty more dealings down the road.
Both He Lingchuan and Wulu were well aware of this.
Waging war was official business; once the fighting ended, that was that. Aside from that, neither side harbored personal grievances, so they could still sit together and drink.
Wulu studied this young master of the Yangshan Archipelago anew:
"Island Master He is very good at conducting himself with people, but not so good at handling affairs. Offending the Ya Kingdom for the sake of a mere Bailong tribe—isn't that picking up sesame seeds only to lose watermelons?"
He Lingchuan picked up a bite of crispy fish with his chopsticks. "The Bailong tribe merely picked the wrong side back then. Why must they be wiped out to the last man?"
Wulu smiled faintly, not intending to explain the inside story to an outsider.
"They have so few people left. Could a nation as mighty as Ya truly fear their resurgence?"
Wulu said impassively, "Our kingdom produces warriors in abundance; we have no fear of a single rebel tribe."
"They haven't had it easy over the years either. When only one or two people made the wrong choice, why should forty thousand innocent clansmen bear the consequences?"
"Your way of thinking is strange indeed." Wulu took a sip of wine. "Where are you from?"
"From the west, a long way away."
"Even Beijia, a superpower of our age, executes entire clans. How can you say that when one or two err, guilt should not extend to the family?"
He Lingchuan did not debate ideals with him, knowing that such arguments yielded no victor. He merely asked out of curiosity, "Before or after the Ya Kingdom was founded, has there ever been a history of wiping out an entire clan?"
"Naturally. There are two instances that I know of. But in warfare between tribes, the losing side is usually made beasts of burden and slaves. My King once exiled two hundred thousand people from two tribes to labor in the eastern district mines."
Such was the true color of this world. He Lingchuan smiled. "Fair enough, then let's be blunt. I am taking the Bailong tribe, and where they go hereafter has nothing to do with the Ya Kingdom. I've cleaned up a big headache on your country's behalf, but no need to thank me—neither of us has to take it to heart."
"Fine. I will be sure to deliver those words." Wulu's eyes glinted slightly. "I heard that your islands also have a branch of Bailong people, and that a few months ago they rebelled to seize the island."
He Lingchuan admitted it openly. "Yes, that did happen."
"You spared them, and now you want to help even more Bailong people?" Letting bygones be bygones—not every ruler possessed such magnanimity. "If you are not dead within five years, I will petition my King to send troops and crush you with everything we have!"
"Thanks for the compliment." He Lingchuan replied casually. "Rest well, General Wulu. You'll be hitting the road shortly."
At that moment, a night owl flew onto the ship, delivering a verbal message from Ding Zuodong:
The Bailong people had finished regrouping and resting.
Having eaten, the people had calmed down and begun mourning their dead and the fallen warriors.
No one wanted to be left behind on such a desolate island, so all the dead were cremated, their ashes sealed in jars to be carried along.
At the same time, the Yangshan Guard and Bailong warriors organized the civilians to board the ships.
The cargo vessels that had just unloaded provisions could also take on passengers. With the massive number of ships brought by He Lingchuan and Bailie, not only could all the Bailong people be accommodated, but several ships even remained unoccupied.
This round of arrangements and logistics took several hours from start to finish.
Each vessel set sail as soon as it reached capacity, without lingering.
Only after the final large ship hoisted its sails did He Lingchuan release Wulu back onto the shore.
Going ashore with Wulu was a large pile of Yangshan Archipelago's local specialties, such as fluorescent spore aphid sugar cakes, dried yellow croaker specially supplied by Longji Restaurant, and four jars of peach blossom wine.
Island Master He was truly a man of his word.
Wulu looked down at the wine jars, then back at He Lingchuan, simply unable to utter the word "thanks"—even though this Island Master He had not humiliated him in the slightest, instead treating him with fine food, good wine, and high respect.
He Lingchuan waved goodbye with a beaming smile as the large vessel got underway.
Dozens of guards rushed onto the beach to escort Wulu back to the army.
One upright guard pointed at the Yangshan specialties on the ground and couldn't help asking, "General, what should we do with these?"
The words were already out; the frantic winks from those beside him were of no use now.
What did it mean for the enemy to give their general local specialties as a gift? That they had parted on delightful terms?
Wulu looked down, his expression impossible to describe.
He had half a mind to kick them away, but he held himself back, keeping his temper in check.
"Pack them up." He turned to gaze out at the ship pulling away from shore.
The Yangshan people had already returned his gear, including the storage ring on his hand.
Aboard the vessel, He Lingchuan could see shadows flitting through the coastal woods, where the army lay concealed, watching.
The soul-snatching mirror clicked its tongue. "You caught him with such effort, yet you let him go just like that. What a waste."
"Not a waste." If he wasn't going to kill Wulu, he had to let him go eventually.
To save everyone from an awkward impasse, it was better to release him sooner rather than later.
...
The large ships took in the greatest number of severely wounded. Dedicated physicians and medics made repeated rounds, and the gazes directed at them were filled with gratitude.
Medicine was also distributed across the smaller boats to prevent wounds from worsening or festering. If that proved insufficient, patients were promptly transferred to the large vessels for treatment.
Many of the Bailong people fell asleep the moment they sat down in the cabins. Months of braving the elements, two nights on tenterhooks, and finally a rare full meal meant sleep came calling instantly.
During the voyage, He Lingchuan had already spoken with Elder Moqi, inviting the Bailong tribe to rest at the Yangshan Archipelago instead of Blade Harbor.
The reasoning was straightforward: Blade Harbor was small with limited supplies, incapable of accommodating such a sudden influx of people.
Looking around, only the Yangshan Archipelago had vast territory; forty thousand people entering it would be like drops of water merging into the ocean, hardly noticeable at all.
Even though their savior had changed destinations mid-journey, Elder Moqi agreed without batting an eye:
All the clansmen were aboard Island Master He's ships; they would sail wherever he directed. Would an objection do any good?
Besides, why would they object? What the Bailong tribe lacked most right now was a place to settle, wasn't it?
Unlike other factions, Island Master He not only refrained from driving them away, but also showed warm hospitality. Who could refuse that?
By the time the final large vessel set sail from Luting Beach, it was already the morning of the third day—just as the first ship to depart arrived at the Yangshan Archipelago!
Compared to the hardships the Bailong tribe had endured over the past six months, the journey by sea was calm and without peril. Heavens smiled upon them, too; the fleet ran into only a single gale without suffering any loss, and the entire voyage went smoothly.
As they neared the Yangshan Archipelago, dusk fell.
He Lingchuan specifically detached several ships to carry Lu Qingbang, his sister, and the elite soldiers of Bailie back to Blade Harbor.
Chapter 1075