Chapter 1019: Pressure Drop

Wang Fubao looked at his master, several times wanting to speak but stopping himself, ultimately not daring to disturb him.

He Lingchuan didn't open his eyes, leisurely saying, "Speak."

"Huh?"

"What do you want to ask?"

"Master, since you don't want to fall out with Beijia, why did you, why did you... humil-" Wang Fubao meant to say "humiliate," "why did you force Yu Zecheng to eat the entire wolf leg?" Wasn't that making an enemy for life? Wouldn't Beijia be enraged and humiliated?

"Why was Yu Zecheng so fearless before?"

This was easy to answer; Wang Fubao blurted out, "Because he's a Beijia military official?"

Lu Qiuwei added from the side, "He thought no one would dare offend Beijia, and everyone would have to give Beijia face."

"Face?" He Lingchuan scoffed slightly, "Let me ask you, if Yu Zecheng arrived on the island and you knelt by the roadside facing him, kowtowing and shouting that you wanted to give him face, how would Yu Zecheng react?"

Imagining the scene, Wang Fubao's face showed disgust. "That's utterly nauseating. Would he just walk past, ignoring us?"

"If you gave face like that, would he accept it?"

"No, probably not?"

"Why?"

Wang Fubao thought for a long time but couldn't find the right adjective. It was Lu Qiuwei who picked up the thread: "Because that kind of 'face' isn't worth anything; he wouldn't value it."

"Exactly." He Lingchuan pointed at him, "You want to give him face, but your 'face' is inherently worthless, so he won't take it seriously. The more humble you are to him, the more he'll look down on you. So, under what circumstances is your 'face' valuable?"

This time, Wang Fubao answered quickly: "When I'm strong!"

"Your 'face' is valuable when he 'knows' you are strong, when he 'knows' he cannot easily manipulate you." He Lingchuan gave him an approving smile. "So, the premise for both sides' 'face' to be valuable is a mutual display of strength, which then leads to mutual respect."

Wang Fubao let out a long "Ohh," feeling that what he said made a lot of sense.

But he still didn't quite grasp it, feeling that something wasn't fully clear.

"You've all heard the saying, 'When you beat a dog, you have to consider its owner,' right?" He Lingchuan poured himself another cup of wine. "Yu Zecheng is that dog belonging to Grand Master Frostleaf. We must both treat the owner well and beat the dog well to convey the message correctly!"

He was the main character in tonight's play; Yu Zecheng was just a supporting act.

All this effort, singing and acting, who was it for?

Of course, it was for the person with the most say in the entire matter—

Grand Master Frostleaf!

Grand Master Frostleaf had to know that He Lingchuan truly respected him, but also wasn't afraid of trouble!

The Master then said something that even Lu Qiuwei didn't understand:

"This is actually a form of respect, mutual respect."

Wang Fubao was stumped. Dealing with Grand Master Frostleaf's subordinate was actually a sign of respect for Grand Master Frostleaf? His mind couldn't quite straighten out the logic.

He Lingchuan smiled, explaining no further.

Only this way would the 'face' he gave Grand Master Frostleaf be valuable;

Only this way would he be qualified to tell Grand Master Frostleaf, "I saved Beijia's reputation."

This time, He Lingchuan's journey along the Azure Cloud Path was finally smooth and peaceful, arriving at Sording Island's pier without any hitches.

He didn't head straight for the Stone Gate Warehouse. Instead, he dismounted his carriage, walked into the main street, and then proceeded all the way to the pier from there.

After the massive explosion, the entire Sording Island pier and commercial-residential area were in chaos.

Especially as travelers continuously arrived from the Azure Cloud Path, spreading rumors that a riot had broken out on the island and Island Master He was dead.

As these rumors spread, guests arriving on the island became even more alarmed.

Reini and others were prepared beforehand and tried hard to calm everyone down, barely managing to control the situation. However, many guests still demanded to set sail immediately.

On a hurricane day, this was certainly not a rational decision. But people in fear are impulsive and unreasonable.

Many guests crowded the pier and docks, getting into arguments with the guard team, making the scene noisy.

When He Lingchuan arrived, he saw a scene of agitated crowds.

If he had come any later, a conflict might have erupted.

This was all expected. He had personally blown up the boardwalk and warehouse by the pier, so he naturally had to bear the consequences.

Upon seeing the Master appear, Reini was almost moved to tears.

Heaven knew, she and Ding Zuodong had explained until their mouths were practically sore, but all the guests insisted on one point that left them speechless:

If Island Master He wasn't dead, why didn't he appear to prove it himself?

Now he had arrived; he walked in, bearing everyone's hopes.

He Lingchuan directly jumped onto the wooden platform at the pier, channeling his inner energy and shouting loudly, "He Lingchuan is here!"

His one voice had to counter dozens below, needing to resonate throughout the entire area.

With the Island Master present, the person in charge was here, and the surrounding commotion quickly died down.

The guards behind him quickly rushed to open an oiled umbrella for him, but he waved them off. He then addressed the crowd below: "The explosion just now was not a riot; it was merely a foreman illegally storing blasting explosives in the warehouse, which accidentally detonated! Malicious individuals are spreading rumors everywhere, but I am perfectly fine, and nothing is wrong on Sording Island. Everyone can rest assured tonight; do not believe or spread rumors!"

However, the explosion had indeed disturbed the travelers, so he changed his tone, promising all guests a complimentary lavish breakfast and a local specialty from the Yangshan Archipelago to calm their nerves. He also cracked a few jokes, which earned him hearty laughter from the guests.

The rain on Sording Island was getting heavier. The guests were drenched to the bone, and the soaking made them more sober. With Island Master He's appearance and reassurance, most were too weary to press the matter further and returned to their rooms to rest.

Only a few guests had personally witnessed the earlier confrontation at the pier, which involved clear displays of weapons.

No riot happened? Heh!

But what if they had seen it? Wasn't everything back to normal now?

For most of the guests here, the truth was utterly unimportant.

The crowd dispersed, and He Lingchuan stepped down from the platform, letting out a long sigh of relief.

This night had truly been long.

Ding Zuodong, Guan Ke, and others also gathered, reporting on the situation at the pier.

He Lingchuan was unstinting with his praise, followed by words of encouragement.

"Next, there's a big, tough battle to fight, and the main battlefield is right here!" he said solemnly. "I'm counting on all of you!"

Tonight's main events had two parts: the first, with He Lingchuan and the spider demon sisters, was a man-made disaster;

The second part, at the pier, on Sording Island, and throughout the entire Yangshan Archipelago, was a natural disaster!

Both parts presented He Lingchuan with challenges of different dimensions.

But he had to endure through them all.

Only after arranging the next tasks here did He Lingchuan stretch and say to Wanqifong, who was waiting nearby:

"Let's go to the Stone Gate Warehouse!"

The Yangshan Guard had already assembled, and Min Tianxi led them, following closely behind him.

The Stone Gate Warehouse was less than a hundred *zhang* from the pier, but it was much quieter here. A single lamp flickered before the warehouse gate, and beneath it stood Wanqifong's more than three hundred subordinates.

Seeing them, He Lingchuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Honestly, if Wanqifong and these three hundred-plus men had stubbornly refused to surrender and waged guerrilla warfare against him on the island, even though He Lingchuan was certain he would be the ultimate victor, Sording Island would undoubtedly suffer destruction—especially with the impending Imperial Flow Nectar tonight.

To make them surrender without bloodshed was truly the best outcome.

Beneath the solitary lamp, the Bailong people looked at him with eyes full of despair and anger.

But He Lingchuan saw loyalty in their eyes, and also Wanqifong's influence over them.

Otherwise, why would the Bailong people willingly walk into a trap?

He Lingchuan first stood under the eaves to avoid the rain, then said to Wanqifong, "It's up to you."

Wanqifong was silent for a moment.

Then he walked to the front of the Bailong people, knelt directly before He Lingchuan, and stretched his hands forward.

"We are willing to surrender. Please, Island Master He, show us mercy!"

He led the way in kneeling, and the other Bailong people didn't seem particularly surprised. They merely dropped their weapons and reluctantly knelt in the mud and water on the ground.

Without waiting for a signal from He Lingchuan, the Yangshan Guard grabbed ropes, tied them up one by one, and quickly confiscated the Bailong people's weapons.

Wanqifong urgently said, "We have surrendered. Please spare my old uncle's life!"

He Lingchuan walked up to him and said meaningfully, "His death would only benefit you."

Wanqifong lowered his head and said, "If you spare his life, I am willing to pay with my own!"

The Bailong people behind were shocked, crying out, "Young Master, no!"

"Young Master, don't be foolish!"

"Oh?" He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow and asked the soldiers behind Wanqifong, "Between Wanqisong and Wanqifong's lives, which one do you want to spare?"

The Bailong people's reaction was fervent:

"Wanqifong, Wanqifong!"

"Don't kill our Young Master!"

"Please spare the Young Master's life!"

He Lingchuan clapped his hands and laughed, "Very well, very well—Wanqisong, you heard that, didn't you?"

Everyone was startled and turned to look, only to see two figures emerge from the woods. One of them was indeed Wanqisong, tied up like a dumpling!

The other end of the rope was held by Dong Rui.

Wanqisong looked disheveled, but the look in his eyes was indescribable.

He had heard the Bailong people's choice loud and clear.

Almost everyone had chosen Wanqifong, wanting him, their leader, to die!

The Bailong soldiers felt awkward and instinctively turned their heads, avoiding eye contact with him.

Seeing that he was indeed alive, Wanqifong visibly relaxed. "Uncle!"

Wanqisong glanced at him, then lowered his head.

He Lingchuan asked the uncle and nephew, "Betraying kindness with enmity, and rebellion—do you know what crimes those are?"

Wanqisong bowed his head.

Winners take all, losers lose all. What was the point of discussing crimes now?

"Then, I'll give you a choice. This time it's for real, so you must think carefully." He Lingchuan pointed to Wanqisong, then to the kneeling Bailong people. "Come, choose one."

Wanqifong suddenly looked up, his eyes wide with fury and desperation. "Island Master He!"

Of course he wanted to save his uncle's life, but weren't the lives of these hundreds of subordinates also lives?

They were all brave men who had faced life and death with him, and had bled and sacrificed for him.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Didn't you say, say..."

"I said I would give you a chance to choose." He Lingchuan spread his hands. "Now you have it."

"If you let them go, I'll pay with my life!"

Dong Rui scoffed from the side, "Oh, you still want to bargain?"

The rules of the power struggle game are like this: the winner takes all, and the loser gets nothing.

Now that Wanqifong's life wasn't even his own, how could he use it as payment?