As for why that rouge and powder had been spared, it was mostly because the boxes were engraved with phrases like "Crafted for the Great Qing Court" or "For Imperial Use at Wenzhuang." Wenzhuang was an imperial retreat of the monarch of the Qing Kingdom; goods bearing such inscriptions could never be circulated openly on the market.
Superintendent Wu had already braced himself for the total loss of three ships. Hearing now that the vessels were back, he felt a wave of relief instead.
That man He had shown mercy.
Indeed, even if He Lingchuan kept those three ships, he couldn't easily put them to use in the Yangshan waters or Blade Harbor. Even if the markings on the hulls were painted over, seasoned sailors had sharp eyes and would recognize Superintendent Wu's vessels at a glance.
Seeing that was the case, He Lingchuan had simply returned the ships after the fact, taking only the cargo as punishment to leave both sides room to maneuver. It was a classic blow followed by a sweet date—a gesture of goodwill and a warning all in one:
If he wanted the ships to sink, they sank; if he wanted them to float, they floated.
As long as Superintendent Wu's ships still wished to sail out of harbor, and as long as Superintendent Wu still wanted to earn this money, he had better cooperate nicely with the Yangshan Archipelago.
If everyone lived in peace, everyone made money.
What did a rap on the knuckles mean? It told a clever man: stop being stubborn, back off, or I'll keep coming after you, and I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve!
Provided, of course, that the man was clever.
Superintendent Wu relaxed, then suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked Assistant Commissioner Zhao, "Have the memorial and the letter been sent out yet?"
"I was just about to hand them to the courier."
"Bring them here."
Assistant Commissioner Zhao retrieved them. Superintendent Wu snatched them away and tore them to shreds without hesitation.
Assistant Commissioner Zhao was speechless.
Superintendent Wu sat down, dipped his brush in ink, and dashed off a new memorial and secret letter. Sealing them, he handed them to Assistant Commissioner Zhao. "Send them out."
"Yes." Utterly baffled yet not daring to question his superior, Assistant Commissioner Zhao took them and hurried out.
Superintendent Wu massaged his temples and muttered under his breath, "I nearly made a fool of myself."
The rewritten letters were largely identical to the originals, except that he had scrubbed any mention of the yin hui being suspected of acting under the control of the Yangshan Archipelago, simply reporting the events as a straightforward matter of fact.
Earlier, blinded by rage, he had actually put his inner suspicions onto paper. Once he came to his senses, he hurried to erase them.
Reporting such things up the chain brought not a shred of benefit. The Qing royal court and Noble Consort Yu would at most tell him to find a way to deal with it, kicking the ball right back into his lap, and then he would have no choice but to resolve it.
Why make life difficult for himself?
***
The afterglow of the setting sun filtered into the jungle of Heiye Island.
The shack-like supply post had long since been torn down, replaced by neatly aligned bamboo huts and wooden houses.
Behind them stretched contiguous oil-pressing workshops and warehouses.
Having wrapped up a hard day's work, the farmhands and laborers could head over to the new commissary, buy a small horn of weak wine along with a little pouch of salt-roasted peanuts, and enjoy a comfortable half of an evening.
With work done for the day, the beach was packed with people.
Just then, more than a dozen burly men emerged from behind the cabins. Four or five of them wore several braids hanging from the backs of their heads.
Without them needing to say a word, the bystanders had the good sense to move aside, giving up the best spot.
The two leading men sat down on a long log. The younger one had a scar across his face; he raised a wine gourd and passed it over. "Uncle, the guard unit starts recruiting tomorrow. I hear lots of people have signed up."
The older man turned and jutted his chin toward the crowd on the beach. "A bunch like this is nothing to worry about."
"I've caught wind that Island Master He subdued three pirate bands in the Yangshan Archipelago—at least five hundred men. Tomorrow they're trying out for the guards alongside us."
The older man took the gourd, downed a deep gulp, and said in a gruff voice, "Pirates are just a rabble. How loyal could they possibly be? Feng, you're not getting cold feet, are you?"
Ah Feng gazed toward the west. "I just think we should be more prudent. At least scout out the archipelago's true strength first."
*The setting sun holds boundless beauty, yet twilight draws so near.*
Alas, had their clan reached its dusk as well? "Uncle, we can't afford another mistake."
"Shrinking back and hesitating—how can you ever accomplish anything that way?" His uncle scoffed and spat on the sand. "The Bailong people need a secure foothold, and this place fits the bill!"
Far from the mainland yet rich in resources, capable of producing grain, and vast enough to accommodate their branch of the clan.
Just then, someone walked toward them, dressed like a laborer as well.
Though the burly men were broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, looking exceedingly dangerous, they did not stop him from approaching.
Bowing obsequiously beside the two men, the newcomer sat down on the ground. "Brother Moqi, could you spare a mouthful of wine?"
The older man tossed him a gourd. "Old Yu, you weren't on the island today?"
"Ah, I went to lend a hand on Suoding Island. More and more guests are arriving there and they're short on help, so the wages are a bit higher." Old Yu shook his head with a sigh. "Working myself to death day in and day out, and the money I make isn't even enough to buy two peanuts."
The younger man tossed half a packet of peanuts over. "Here."
When they were recruited, Old Yu had already been laboring on the island. A native of Suoding Island who knew these islands inside out, he had provided the uncle and nephew with considerable help.
Old Yu had also gone out of his way to flatter them with smooth words. Over time, the two sides had grown familiar.
"Ah Feng is truly kind." Old Yu pinched a peanut between his fingers and asked the pair, "Are you two joining the guard unit?"
"Yes." Everyone knew guards were paid handsomely.
"All your men are strapping brawn. I figured you'd join." Old Yu smiled. "Using the Bailong people as guards—what an extravagance."
Neither uncle nor nephew spoke.
Given their identities, those words were hardly a compliment.
Old Yu glanced left and right, then lowered his voice. "You're all heroes. Do you really want to spend your whole lives playing bodyguards to that Island Master He?"
"Is that any of your business?" Moqi Feng instantly sensed something was amiss. Why would an old island farmer poke his nose into this? "Who are you?"
Two burly men behind them stepped forward, boxing Old Yu in between them.
He frantically waved his hands. "Don't hit, don't hit! I'm just a messenger!"
The older man sneered. "A messenger? You've been cozying up to us all these days just to deliver a message?"
"You are Moqi Song. If I hadn't made friendly overtures first, would you even have looked me in the eye?"
"Interesting." Moqi Song took another gulp of wine. "Speak. Who sent you?"
"My master's surname is Lu. Knowing that Mister Moqi had arrived in Blade Harbor, he specially dispatched me to pay his respects."
"Lu?" Moqi Song paused. "The Lu family, Lords of Bailie?"
"Precisely."
Moqi Feng interjected, "When did your master find out?"
"Some time ago," Old Yu replied. "The Ya Kingdom was oppressing the Bailong people, and the chieftain's son, Moqi Tong, couldn't tolerate you, so you led these clansmen south. It just so happened the Yangshan Archipelago was recruiting on a massive scale, so here you came.
"But did you really come to this island just to serve as someone else's guards?"
Moqi Song's eyes glinted with ferocity. "Spit it out! Play games with me again and I'll chuck you into the sea."
A chill ran through Old Yu under that glare. *These Bailong savages are truly barbaric,* he thought, before continuing, "Island Master He used some underhanded tricks to get his hands on the Yangshan Archipelago. Our master is furious, yet reluctant to wage open war."
Moqi Feng pointed a finger at him with a laugh. "I've heard about it. Your Lu family sold off this godforsaken archipelago thinking you got the better end of the bargain. Who would have guessed Island Master He would develop it so well, the earth miasma would recede, and visitors would come pouring in?"
Old Yu looked a bit embarrassed. "The fading of the miasma is a natural phenomenon; it has nothing to do with Island Master He. He just got lucky, that's all."
Moqi Song grunted. "Meaning Bailie wants to renege?"
*He really knows how to kill a conversation,* Old Yu grumbled inwardly, though he kept his smile intact. "My master hopes to cooperate with the Bailong people."
Moqi Feng sneered. "What a joke. You've already been outplayed..."
Moqi Song raised a hand to cut him off. "What kind of cooperation?"
"He has only just secured the Yangshan Archipelago, his footing is far from stable, and his guards are an uneven lot. This is precisely when he's easiest to deal with." Seeing that these Bailong men were blunt, Old Yu laid all his cards on the table. "Neither of you was willing to serve under the chieftain's son, so why come here to be lackeys for a green youngster? As I see it, you and my master should hit it off right away."
Put simply, these Bailong people had harbored bad intentions from the moment they set foot on the island. That man He thought he was lucky to recruit so many formidable guards, completely oblivious that every single one was a debt collector sent to claim his life!
"The Lu family wants to keep their hands clean while having us swing the blade?" Moqi Feng sneered from the side. "They signed an agreement; going back on it would look atrocious. Besides, even if we take down Island Master He, how do we know Bailie won't be the mantis stalking the cicada, waiting to strike from behind?"
Old Yu said solemnly, "If you two are worried, the Lu family can sign an agreement with you. As long as you bring down He Lingchuan, the Bailong people will have all the silver and land they could ever want!"
He pressed on immediately: "Didn't you lead your people away because you were desperate for a place to settle? You came to the Yangshan Archipelago seeking a haven. All of this, the Lu family can provide.
"Island Master He sees you as mere guards, but the Lu family knows you are heroes." Old Yu smiled. "Heroes deserve the treatment of heroes."
Moqi Song fell into contemplative silence.
Old Yu added, "The several hundred men under your command are all elites; they will definitely make the guard unit. But the Yangshan Archipelago won't feel at ease leaving you together—they'll break the Bailong people up, assign you to separate squads, and dispatch you across different islands on patrol. Once that happens, your opportunities to gather will be scarce. Furthermore, Island Master He will recruit more and more guards around him. If you want to make your move, you can't afford to wait too long."
Moqi Feng reminded his uncle, "So we take all the risks, and the Lu family reaps all the rewards?"
"Rewards? That Island Master He is rolling in wealth. He bought the islands and set up such an enormous operation without batting an eye. Just think how rich he must be!" Old Yu chuckled. "My master conservatively estimates Island Master He's net worth to be over a million. If you take him down, won't you have struck a mountain of gold and silver? Would you ever need to worry about money again?"
*A fortune worth over a million?* The uncle and nephew exchanged a glance. Why were the Bailong people drifting, destitute, with nowhere to call home? In the end, it was a lack of money. In chaotic times, a lack of money was the most fatal affliction of all. If they captured a fat sheep like this man He, the entire clan could feast on fine meat and wine, freed from financial worries for a very long time.
"As for the funds, rations, weapons, and intelligence for the operation, we can provide it all. Oh, right—my master says Emperor's Flowing Dew will descend in a few days. The archipelago will surely descend into chaos. Won't you seize this opportunity?" Old Yu set a cloth bundle on the ground. "Fortune favors the bold. If you aren't willing to take a risk, you can stay someone else's guards for the rest of your lives."
Chapter 949