Persuasion

Min Tianxi stepped before the pirates, pressing his hands down to signal for silence. The moment he stepped forward, the pirates' clamor died down. "Listen to me, all of you, listen!" Min Tianxi coughed lightly. "Young Master He just took us deep into the archipelago and killed dozens more yin hui. I give you my word on one thing: Young Master He can dispel the yin fiend energy of the Yangshan Archipelago!" A loud buzz went through the crowd; the news nearly set the pirates off like gunpowder. Everyone began clamoring at once, and the loudest shouts rose above the rest: "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" "What kind of hallucinogenic dope did that little bastard feed our Channel Master?!" "If the archipelago's yin fiend energy could be dispelled, I'll stand on my head for three days!" "Channel Master, if you're being coerced, just blink!" Min Tianxi had spent hours exposed to the sea wind, and his eyes were parched. He had actually wanted to blink, but hearing that, he had to force his eyelids wide open to avoid any needless misunderstanding. He Lingchuan made a point of looking at "Three-Day Headstand," memorizing his face. Once pirates started raising a ruckus, the place turned into a noisy fish market, impossible to quiet down for quite some time. Accustomed to it, Min Tianxi showed plenty of patience. In this regard, they were entirely different from an army governed by strict orders and discipline. Only after they quieted down did Min Tianxi continue, "He Xiaoliu, Daopian, Lao Du—they all saw it with their own eyes and can vouch for what I've said." The few pirates who had accompanied He Lingchuan on his ship nodded like chickens pecking grain. "It's true! All the yin fiend energy over the sea and across the island was sucked away by Young Master He! We saw it plain as day; there's no mistake about it!" "We sailed all the way to the shores of Longji Island and even heard the roar of the king of the yin hui!" "We killed heaps of yin hui along the way! We even brought one back, tied behind the ship!" The yin hui was bobbing in the waves, concealed by the vessel's hull. Zhu Daniang hopped down into the water and shoved it onto the sandy beach. Had the pirates not scrambled back in time, a whole crowd of them would have been flattened. Before anyone could even turn to curse, they drew in a collective sharp breath: What an enormous spider demon—and alive! What a colossal yin hui—and d-dead! Over the past few days, remains of yin hui had been continually washing ashore, and everyone was sick of looking at them. But a yin hui nearly fifty feet long was a truly rare sight. What did fifty feet mean? That was the size of a medium whale. Stretched out, its serpentine body measured nearly half the length of Fishbone Reef. An hour ago, when they captured this ridiculously strong beast, it had thrashed wildly with such violence that He Lingchuan's ship nearly capsized. Even someone as mighty as Zhu Daniang had fumbled; losing her hold for an instant, the ship was nearly dragged into the sea. At the crucial moment, Young Master He drew the Soaring Dragon spear, dove into the water, and drove the spear clean into the crown of its head, piercing straight through the yin hui's skull. The round puncture wound still remained right in the middle of its forehead. Silence fell over the area. Watching the pirates' round, staring eyes, He Lingchuan knew he had achieved the desired effect. The shock of this behemoth's carcass sprawled before their eyes carried far more persuasion than any words could. The pirates of the Second Channel knew all too well that these were the very monsters that had crawled ashore by night a few days earlier, inflicting heavy casualties on the First and Third Channels. Yet He Lingchuan and his crew had captured one out at sea, where the difficulty was many times higher. What was more, they had slaughtered dozens of giant hui in one breath! Such strength, such efficiency... Everyone glanced back at Zhu Daniang, who was built like a small mountain. Yes, and with backing like that... Could what Channel Chief Min said be true... perhaps, possibly, probably? The gazes the pirates directed at He Lingchuan shifted, turning wary and guarded. Mysterious powerhouses of unknown origins always inspired fear. Not to mention, just hours earlier, they had defeated the Second Channel and abducted Channel Chief Min. Seeing the shift in his men's attitude, Min Tianxi drew a deep breath and projected his voice: "Young Master He has purchased the Yangshan Archipelago from the Bailie people and intends to develop it properly. Right now, a hundred tasks await, and he is only short on hands. Therefore, I have decided—" Here came the crux: "to join Young Master He's banner." To He Lingchuan's surprise, the pirates' reaction this time was not nearly as explosive as before; instead, they looked at one another in uncertainty. "Most of you here have stood by me through thick and thin for over a decade. Those willing to stay will continue to share in good fortune; for those who wish to leave, I won't stop you. We were brothers once—go and pursue your own fortunes!" "Three-Day Headstand" stepped forward again. "Our Channel Master is still in their hands! I fear his heart isn't in his words!" Someone beside him corrected, "The saying is 'his words don't come from his heart'!" He Lingchuan chuckled. "You lick blood from your blades every day and risk your lives raiding, but how much coin do you really make? If your hands get too bloody, the authorities will come looking for your necks. Better to follow me and put in honest work; before long, you'll be living comfortably, eating well and drinking deep." Someone shouted, "What would we be doing if we follow you?" "Plenty, but all honest business. Didn't your Channel Chief Min just say it? A hundred things are waiting to be built across the archipelago; there's work aplenty." He Lingchuan pointed toward the Yangshan Archipelago. "I am the lawful and rightful master of the Yangshan Archipelago. If you follow me, every copper you earn and spend will be completely aboveboard." He patted Min Tianxi on the shoulder. "Talk some sense into them. I'm heading back to Blade Harbor first." Min Tianxi immediately turned, bowed his head, and answered, "Understood." He Lingchuan boarded the ship and sailed away from Fishbone Reef with Qiu Hu and the others, leaving room for debate to Min Tianxi. Watching the dense crowd of pirates on Fishbone Reef recede into the distance, Qiu Hu remarked, "Young Master is awfully lenient with these pirates." "We already gave them a heavy blow earlier and killed dozens of their men." At this point, He Lingchuan recalled that Qiu Hu alone had taken down six of them, nearly a third of the tally. "Now it's time to offer some sweet dates." Carrot and stick working together produced wondrous results. He Lingchuan added, "Besides, a bandit band's structure is different from a regular army's. An army has distinct ranks and clear hierarchy, demanding strict discipline and obedience. Bandits, however, are loose. Even if they have a chieftain surrounded by loyal confidants, internally they demand fairness. What they call 'eating meat from big bowls and weighing gold on big scales' hinges entirely on that word 'share.' If a chieftain divides the spoils unfairly, the men lose heart and scatter; they won't stick around to follow you. "Such an organizational structure cannot withstand pressure. Min Tianxi understands this well, which is why he cannot coerce his men into defecting to my banner—he can only persuade them." He Lingchuan smiled. "I am lenient with them because we truly are in dire need of manpower right now." The water bandits knew the Yangshan waters well, were hardy, possessed excellent seamanship, and were familiar with coastal settlements—exactly what He Lingchuan needed at present. The biggest variable was nothing more than their loyalty. No matter. People's expectations could be manipulated. Qiu Hu and the others mulled it over and nodded inwardly. Wang Fubao scratched his head. "Young Master sees through it all so clearly." He Lingchuan gave a slight chuckle. "Few people can match my understanding of bandits." Even during his nights entering Panlong City, he was racking his brains trying to resolve the water bandit scourge along the Longchuan. Wang Fubao asked again, "Even if we win over the Second Channel, what about the First and Third Channels?" Their Young Master had now become the master of the islands; there was no way he would allow pirates to roam freely across the archipelago preying on passersby, but suppressing bandits had always been a headache. Even the Bailie rulers of old had never managed to eradicate the pirate menace. "By then, it won't be up to them." Those words sounded rather ruthless. Wang Fubao asked curiously, "You'll coerce them then?" "Whether one acts or yields depends on the momentum of circumstances," Qiu Hu said, swatting the back of Wang Fubao's head. "You'll understand when the time comes." At that moment, the soul-snatching mirror asked from inside He Lingchuan's lapel: "Aren't you worried Min Tianxi is just fobbing you off again? Once he gets back to his own lair, he might toss his oath right out the window." After all, its master and this Min fellow had never been bound by the Chain of Oaths. "Maybe," He Lingchuan said, shifting his position against the wind. "Nothing in the world is absolute. "But if he is a smart man, he ought to weigh the consequences of making an enemy of me," he said coolly. "My paperwork for purchasing the archipelago is in order—completely lawful and legitimate—and I can dispel the yin fiend energy. That means I hold the absolute initiative in the Yangshan Archipelago. They are nothing more than a ragtag rabble. If they dare break faith or raid my guests, I certainly won't treat them with kid gloves." Today's meeting with Min Tianxi had not only been the other side trying to intimidate him; He Lingchuan had also meant to flex his muscles. Neither side had come with pure goodwill. Otherwise, why would the powerhouse enforcer Zhu Daniang have tagged along? Only by letting the pirates realize that he was someone they could neither cross nor hide from would they truly submit. The carrot and the stick remained the supreme formula for winning people over. "If you can't beat them, join them—that's basic survival etiquette for pirates." Otherwise, where would Min Tianxi have gotten so many men? "They'll see the light." *** Once night fell, the wind picked up. He Lingchuan had been run off his feet over the past few days. After finishing the account books Wen Daolun had sent over, he finally remembered he hadn't visited Lu Xun in two days. He had just arrived outside the post house in Yuheng City when Lu Xun also happened to return, calling out to him at the entrance: "Commander He!" "Where did you go, Mr. Lu?" Seeing Lu Xun strolling at an easy pace, he seemed in quite good spirits. "I'll be leaving in a few days, so I needed to buy some souvenirs for my clan." Lu Xun pulled a jade pendant from his sleeve with a casual flick, displaying it to him. "Ah, take a look at this jade!" They were standing beneath the fluorescent spores outside the post house entrance; the light was bright, and the pendant in his hand gleamed with a warm, lustrous sheen. "Beautiful. Looks like lychee jelly." No sooner had the words left his mouth than He Lingchuan froze. Why did the shape and luster of this jade pendant look so remarkably familiar? "In a little over three months, my grandson will turn one," Lu Xun said with a smile. "I'd like to give this top-grade Tongshan jade to him." "Is such fine jade sold in Yuheng City?" Jade was the easiest thing to counterfeit; he hoped his ancestor hadn't been duped. Lu Xun started, then burst into laughter. "This was a gift from Commander Zhong before he left, not something I bought in the city!" "..." Wouldn't your earlier phrasing naturally cause a misunderstanding? Lu Xun held the pendant up toward the light. "I'll have someone carve a character onto it later." He Lingchuan blurted out, "'Lu'?" He remembered—wasn't this the very keepsake left behind by his original self's mother, Lu Youyun? Only right now, it was merely a blank jade pendant, not yet bearing that conspicuous red character "Lu". Lu Xun said, "I was thinking of carving my grandson's name." "Why not make it an heirloom to pass down through the family?" Lu Xun was swayed by the idea. After a brief hesitation, he nodded. "Very well, very well. May Commander He's auspicious words come true."