In any case, Superintendent Wu had no proof.
To claim a mortal could command yin hui? Ha, what a joke. Nobody had managed such a feat in several thousand years; on what basis did Superintendent Wu dare assert that He Lingchuan, an outsider and spoiled young master, had accomplished it?
"Adapting as the circumstances shift—heh, very nicely put." Superintendent Wu swallowed his temper and simply altered his line of questioning. "Does your master possess a method to drive back the yin hui and ensure the safety of ships?"
"The He family fleet shuttles frequently through the archipelago and has never suffered an attack by the yin hui, which is not merely due to good fortune." Ding Zuodong smiled. "My master says he is willing to share this method with friendly neighbors, so that we may all make money together in harmony henceforth."
To be called "friendly neighbors," relations naturally had to be cordial.
And how could relations be cordial? Cooperation, of course.
If Superintendent Wu continued to give the Yangshan Archipelago a hard time as he was doing now, he could abandon all hope of keeping his own vessels safe.
Recalling the three fine ships that had been holed and sunk, Superintendent Wu felt as though a knife were twisting in his heart. Even so, he had to clear his throat lightly. "Assistant Commissioner Zhao, take Steward Ding on another inspection run. They have carried out conscientious rectifications multiple times and shown considerable sincerity. I trust the findings this time will bring joy to everyone."
"Understood." Assistant Commissioner Zhao grasped the profound meaning behind "joy to everyone" at once.
Ding Zuodong, however, pressed further: "Lord Wu, we plan to open several shops in Blade Harbor to sell various local specialties of the Yangshan Archipelago. When opening day arrives, we would also be deeply honored by your gracious presence."
His presence? That man He even expected him to attend and drum up publicity? Superintendent Wu could not help letting out a long, heavy breath before answering, "Very well, very well. If I have time then, I shall certainly go have a look."
Beaming, Ding Zuodong bowed once more before departing alongside Assistant Commissioner Zhao.
Only after their footsteps had faded beyond the covered corridor did Superintendent Wu slam his fist onto the table. "This is intolerable!"
Those people had sunk his ships, yet he still had to swing the doors wide open to accommodate them? That man He opens shops, and expects him to show up and applaud? What could be endured if this could not?
Instinctively, Superintendent Wu reached out to smash something, only to remember that he had already broken his favorite teacup moments earlier.
Half an hour later, Assistant Commissioner Zhao returned to report:
"The permits have been issued, including the business permits for all of the Yangshan Archipelago's shops in Blade Harbor."
Superintendent Wu glared at him. "And the crucial part?"
The crucial part? Assistant Commissioner Zhao blinked before replying, "Ding Zuodong said the storefronts were renovated long ago and will be ready for business soon. He invites you..."
Superintendent Wu slammed the desk in fury. "Who gives a damn when he opens for business! Will the yin hui attack my ships again or not?!"
Assistant Commissioner Zhao jolted. "Yes, yes, I asked about that! Ding Zuodong said that while yin hui know nothing of human sentiment, the He family fleet has mapped out a safe route. So long as passing vessels travel along this line, they will not suffer attacks from the yin hui."
"A route?" Superintendent Wu's heart stirred.
Assistant Commissioner Zhao dipped his finger in water and sketched a rough map across the desk. Looking at it, Superintendent Wu could not help pressing his temples, laughing in sheer exasperation.
"Doesn't every bit of it pass right by the Yangshan Archipelago?!"
This so-called route hugged right up against several of the newly developed islands of the Yangshan Archipelago!
All passing ships would have to pass by their supply posts, pass by their islands—wouldn't that just funnel passengers straight to his doorstep? Merchants and crew members embarking and disembarking, dining, lodging, and sight-seeing—wasn't all of that foot traffic? That man He's abacus clicked far more cunningly than his own!
Assistant Commissioner Zhao asked softly, "Then... do we take this route or not?"
"We take it!" Superintendent Wu ground the words out between his teeth. "Switch all traffic entering and leaving the port to this shipping lane!"
In the end, whether the yin hui attacked or not was entirely up to He Lingchuan. To ensure his ships remained safe and sound, he had to follow the course He Lingchuan dictated. Even if that man He insisted someone stand at the bow and dance in a grass skirt for the yin hui to watch, Superintendent Wu would have no choice but to comply. Besides, this new route was not much of a detour; he was merely bitter inside.
The news that the Wu family's merchant ships had switched routes to evade the yin hui would spread across all of Blade Harbor in no time through the loose tongues of boatmen and sailors. Superintendent Wu knew there was no concealing it.
With the Wu family's vessels setting the precedent, other passenger and cargo ships would soon follow suit. After all, who did not want to eliminate the danger of yin hui destroying their ships and harming their crew?
Ah, that man He had scored a massive win this time. Superintendent Wu could already envision the sea route before the Yangshan Archipelago flowing with an endless stream of traffic, bustling with travelers and freight alike.
In the past, because of the pirates and the yin hui, large ships on the main shipping lanes had refused to dock at the Yangshan Archipelago unless caught in heavy winds or thick fog. Ordinarily, only small and medium local craft occasionally stopped by the islands to take on supplies, and Lei Ni's shabby little post had never once been full.
Now, how marvelous: Superintendent Wu had personally used his own large ships to advertise for the Yangshan Archipelago. The bitter truth was that he had picked this fight himself, and by all reason and circumstance, he had lost.
He had lost to the man's seamless parry and counterpunch.
Superintendent Wu picked up an official memorial and a letter from the desk and handed them to Assistant Commissioner Zhao. The seal of the letter was already secured with red clay wax. His hand trembled slightly—shaking with rage.
Assistant Commissioner Zhao glanced down and saw that the final two strokes on the envelope were not yet dry.
"Submit this memorial to the royal court alongside the silver remittance. A villainous neighbor has appeared in Blade Harbor, suspected of controlling yin hui to attack passing merchant vessels; this matter must be reported upward. In addition, deliver this letter to Noble Consort Yu."
As it happened, the Qingyu, which the yin hui had holed and sunk, had actually been bestowed upon Superintendent Wu by Noble Consort Yu. The spices, sweet teas, Concentrated Fragrance Dew, and other tribute goods aboard were originally supposed to be sent to the palace upon docking, including a modest token of his personal devotion to Noble Consort Yu. Now, all of it had gone down the drain. Such a loss was something Superintendent Wu naturally had to bring to Noble Consort Yu's attention.
Just then, however, a clerk from the Maritime Trade Office came sprinting inside, panting as he yelled:
"My Lord, My Lord! Min Tianxi of the Yangshan Archipelago sent word that three sunken ships, including the Baoji, have been discovered inside the inner bay of West Gorge! They're all run aground on the beach, perhaps carried there by the ocean currents!"
His ships! Superintendent Wu shot to his feet. "Found them? How bad is the damage?"
All three ships had been attacked near West Gorge Bay, so the idea that an undercurrent had swept them into the nearby inner bay seemed plausible enough on the surface. Yet Superintendent Wu understood at once whose handiwork this was.
He had only just issued the permits, and Min Tianxi had arrived with the report right on cue. The timing was uncannily precise.
"Inspectors have already been dispatched to examine them."
Three double-hours later, as Superintendent Wu waited on pins and needles, the Maritime Trade Office's shipwright returned from White Dolphin Bay to report the damage.
Several holes had been punched through the hulls, all requiring repairs.
The good news was that the hulls had sustained no structural damage; once patched, their seaworthiness would be unaffected.
The bad news was that the repairs would take considerable time, meaning these three vessels would miss this year's autumn harvest season.
Hearing this, although Superintendent Wu had anticipated as much, he let out a long breath of relief, the stone hanging over his heart finally dropping away. The ships were recovered, and they could be used once repaired. Clearly, this was the positive feedback given in return for ceasing his harassment of the Yangshan Archipelago.
As for the cargo on board, almost nothing remained. The shipwrights had found only scattered remnants—a few sets of cosmetic powder and a dozen-odd bottles of Concentrated Fragrance Dew, which had been sealed so well that they had taken on no water at all. Still, given that the ships had sunk, what was so strange about losing the bulk of the cargo? What bizarre occurrence had not taken place at the bottom of the sea?
Chapter 948