The moment He Lingchuan opened his mouth, Dong Rui cut him off. "Except you've already scraped it completely clean! There's nothing left! Truly, not a scrap!"
"A divine tomb? Were there any living celestial gods inside?"
Dong Rui looked at him as if pitying a halfwit. "What kind of nonsense is that? Of course not! If there were, would they have let me draw their blood and hack off their bone?"
...
By the time Lu Qing'an returned home, it was already late.
His father, Lu Zhensheng, had already returned and was waiting for his report.
Lu Qing'an took out the forty thousand taels in banknotes, but breathed not a word about the mishap during the maritime inspection, claiming only that everything had gone exceptionally smoothly today.
What use was there in mentioning it? The archipelago was already sold.
The only thing the old man could grumble about was that it had sold too cheaply—since the other party had their sights set on the archipelago, they might well have accepted an even higher price.
Come to think of it, had that He fellow been swindling him these past few days as well?
Lu Qing'an felt a surge of irritation.
Upon seeing the banknotes, Lu Zhensheng let out a long sigh of relief, followed by a wry smile. "Bowing our backs for a mere tens of thousands of taels of silver. Alas, to think you and I would ever see such a day."
"Anyone in business knows that everyone comes across a tight spot now and then," Lu Qing'an consoled him. "It's just a half-month hurdle; once it passes, we'll be fine. Next month, as the autumn grain and taxes start coming in, the treasury will be brimming once more."
Bailie's lands were exceedingly fertile, suffering few natural disasters and no warfare, yielding bumper harvests time and again.
Lu Qing'an changed the subject. "By the way, the month after next is the Baishun Festival. What are Second Brother and his wife planning?"
In past years, Lu Qinglin and his wife often returned home during the Baishun Festival to visit family.
"There's fighting in the west, and Qinglin is still on the front lines. It's hard to say at a time like this," Lu Zhensheng said offhandedly. "Most likely he won't be coming back."
Lu Qing'an let out an "Oh," feeling relieved.
His sister-in-law was among the foremost wielders of power in the Mou Kingdom, Xia Lishang, daughter of the Grand General of Yutian. Every time she came to visit family, Bailie had to roll out a reception of the highest standard to show proper respect.
What did "highest standard" mean?
Expensive.
Burning money.
Taxing the people and wasting resources.
Those three phrases had practically become Lu Zhensheng's taboos; mentioning them gave him a toothache.
With the autumn harvest approaching, Bailie would finally be able to scrape together some silver. If Xia Lishang came, who knew how much she would squander away?
If she wasn't coming, everyone would be thrilled.
If it saved a bit of money, Lu Qing'an was more than willing to forgo seeing his second brother; he had no problem with that whatsoever.
The next day was overcast.
The morning sun was blocked by thick layers of clouds, lending a chill to the sea breeze.
Fishbone Reef was tiny, spanning merely thirty to forty square meters. Rather than a "reef," it was better described as a narrow, sloping strip of sandbar. The part jutting above the water was pristine white and fine, shaped like a fish skeleton—hence its name.
At high tide, the entire Fishbone Reef would be submerged.
Today during the Chen hour happened to be the absolute lowest ebb of the tide. He Lingchuan arrived by boat, and his subordinates set up a table and two chairs on Fishbone Reef, placing a flagon of fine wine upon the table.
He Lingchuan sat there waiting, pouring and drinking by himself while listening to the ebb and flow of the waves.
Qiu Hu and the other guards stood behind him with their hands clasped behind their backs, completely motionless.
After an hour passed, Qiu Hu leaned in and murmured, "Young Master, more than half the hour has passed."
He Lingchuan nodded, entirely unhurried.
Why was he so certain the pirates would keep the appointment? Very simple: yesterday, before Lei Ni left the pleasure boat, He Lingchuan had secretly planted an eyeball spider on her.
Sure enough, the girl had found the pirates' Chief of the Second Channel and relayed Young Master He's demand.
The pirate den had instantly erupted into a raucous fit of laughter, cracking jokes at the expense of this new island lord. However, after listening to Lei Ni recount what had happened on Suoding Island, the Chief of the Second Channel decided to come meet him after all.
If nothing else, the location He Lingchuan chose for the meeting showed sincerity.
Fishbone Reef was not on land, nor was it inside Blade Harbor. The sandbar and the surrounding waters lay completely open to view, leaving nowhere to conceal ships, which ruled out any possibility of an ambush.
If one wanted to negotiate properly, one had to choose a place that gave both parties peace of mind.
Another half hour or so went by.
Just as the Chen hour was drawing to an end, a fast vessel approached and dropped anchor, moving with remarkable agility.
Then, over thirty burly, rough-hewn men leaped off the boat and strode toward them.
Their leader was not tall, but he had a large head and a thick neck, with a long scar running across his left cheek from brow and eyelid down to the corner of his mouth. No matter his expression, he looked ferocious.
Their skin was dark and glossy, like seasoned farmhands working the fields. Yet He Lingchuan knew it was the result of long exposure to the ocean wind and sun.
He had told Min Tianxi to bring only five men onto the reef, yet the rascal brought more than thirty. Dark and menacing, they had strength in numbers.
Why would pirates listen to the words of a petty "island lord"?
The pirate chief looked him up and down. "He?"
He Lingchuan waved a hand. "The Chief of the Second Channel has arrived? Please, take a seat."
The man showed no fear and sat down brazenly. The pirates fanned out behind him, using their superior numbers to encircle Qiu Hu and the others, watching them like tigers eyeing prey.
Thirty-five to six: the headcount between the two sides.
Surrounded by the pirates, He Lingchuan remained as calm as ever. "How should I address you?"
"I'm Min Tianxi." He didn't believe for a second that He Lingchuan hadn't already looked up his name.
"Channel Chief Min." He Lingchuan lifted the pot himself and poured him a cup of wine.
The fragrant aroma of wine wafted into the air, but Min Tianxi didn't even lift a hand. Why would he drink wine of unknown origins?
"So you're the grand sucker who bought the Yangshan Archipelago?" Min Tianxi cut straight to the chase, seizing the initiative.
"I bought the archipelago, but I'm no sucker," He Lingchuan replied, refusing to be swayed by his phrasing. "In a few days, you'll know who the real sucker is."
"Oh?" Min Tianxi was slightly intrigued. "Who?"
He Lingchuan smiled without answering.
The surrounding pirates were whispering among themselves, pointing and gesturing at them from time to time.
The more brazen rogues reached out, looking to jab at the shoulders of the Mount Rong men.
"Are these all Channel Chief Min's elites?" He Lingchuan glanced at them. "While their master discusses business, they dare snicker and whisper on the side. Their discipline is rather lacking."
Min Tianxi frowned. While he was in talks, these rascals giggling and muttering among themselves really was unseemly. By contrast, the five men behind He Lingchuan stood firm as pines, silent and motionless, creating a stark contrast to his own men's slovenly insolence.
"Shut your traps, all of you!"
With Min Tianxi's roar, the pirates' muttering finally died down one after another.
Qiu Hu took this in, his eyes flickering slightly.
Only then did the pirate chief ask, "How much silver did you spend to buy this archipelago?"
He Lingchuan did not hide it from him. "Eighty thousand taels."
"Only eighty thousand?" Min Tianxi slapped the armrest of his chair with a smack. "Aiya, if I'd known it was only eighty thousand, couldn't I have just bought it from Bailie? Then these islands and waters would rightfully be mine, fair and square."
A confidant behind him reminded him, "Chief, we run a business with no overhead. We can't be spending money."
Who would rob people on their own territory?
Min Tianxi glared fiercely at him. Playing the fool again? Couldn't he tell he was mocking this kid?
"You think those eighty thousand taels were well spent?" This Island Master He looked like a wealthy young lord, yet his gaze was steady. The guards behind him had cultivation as well, appearing to possess considerable martial prowess.
Min Tianxi's gaze swept over Qiu Hu twice. As a pirate chief, the most important thing wasn't how many men you had under your command, but having a sharp eye and knowing how to pick the right prey.
A man like Qiu Hu, whose fierce toughness was written plainly across his appearance, was clearly a prickly target. The pirates of the Second Channel would never choose him as prey.
And what about his master, Young Master He? Was he also not as foolish as the rumors claimed?
Should he test him?
"Very well spent," He Lingchuan said, raising his cup to sip the fine wine. "Just Longji Island alone—how much farmland can be reclaimed, and how many manors can be built? And there's no need to pay any exorbitant taxes or levies."
Not only did he not have to pay them, he could even collect those taxes from the people who bought property and settled on the island. "Yet all dozens of islands combined were sold for merely eighty thousand taels. If that isn't a dirt-cheap bargain, what is?"
Min Tianxi stared at him for a long while before asking, "You can't enter the depths of the archipelago. You know that, right?"
Because of the yin fiend turbidity.
He Lingchuan didn't even bat an eyelid. "Normally, the yin hui wouldn't swim out to the perimeter to harm people either. Channel Chief Min knows that as well, doesn't he?"
He was referring to the recent changes in the Yangshan Archipelago, and at the same time answering Min Tianxi's previous question:
He knew everything.
"Oh?" Min Tianxi was astonished. "You know the reason?"
This kid knew full well the Yangshan Archipelago was plagued by yin fiends, yet he still dared to buy it? What gave him the nerve?
"Naturally," He Lingchuan smiled. "Without some confidence, how could I have dared to buy the Yangshan Archipelago? Let's put it this way: within a month at most, the yin fiend energy on every island except Longji Island will dissipate."
Min Tianxi's amused expression gradually grew solemn, then he suddenly burst into uproarious laughter.
"Almost! I almost believed you!" Min Tianxi slapped his thigh, helpless with laughter. "You're telling me you can purge all the yin fiend energy from the leylines? If you'd put so much as a couple of peanuts on the table as a bar snack, you wouldn't be drunk out of your mind like this!"
He Lingchuan quietly waited for him to finish laughing.
Qiu Hu took a step forward, unleashing his killing intent.
With several sharp clangs, the pirates surrounding them instantly drew their blades.
The standoff turned razor-sharp in an instant.
He Lingchuan pressed his hand downward, signaling both sides to stay calm.
Once Min Tianxi's laughter ceased, he continued, "If the yin fiend energy across Longji Island hadn't receded on a massive scale, why would the yin hui be dying in droves?"
"Just a fluke," Min Tianxi said, frowning. "In the Yangshan Archipelago, forget about fiend energy occasionally receding—even stranger things wouldn't be unusual. And you want to claim credit for Heaven's work?"
Even if the yin fiend energy receded, that would be due to shifts in the leylines, the handiwork of nature! What could it possibly have to do with this greenhorn?
At most, he had calculated the changes at play. If he thought he could use that to bluff people, he was still far too wet behind the ears!
He Lingchuan knew words alone were hollow and that this bandit chief wouldn't believe him anyway, so he said, "If I say the yin fiend energy will dissipate, then it will definitely dissipate. In that case, the problem between you and me becomes quite prominent, Chief of the Second Channel."
"Oh?" Min Tianxi feigned ignorance. "What problem?"
"You're scraping for food on my turf, but you haven't received my permission." Having reached the main topic, He Lingchuan saw no need to beat around the bush. "In the past, the Bailie people were incompetent and could only turn a blind eye. Now that the Yangshan Archipelago has a new master, I advise you in all sincerity: you'd best give serious thought to whether you stay or go."
Several pirates behind Min Tianxi sneered in derision. "Just with the few of you?"
"The brat talks big! Today we'll chop you up to feed the fish, and we'll take the archipelago for ourselves!"
"With the deed in our hands, anyone who sees our Channel Chief Min from now on will have to respectfully call him Island Master!"
Chapter 903