Chapter 1094: You Love Me, I Love You

**Chapter 1083: Mutual Willingness**

Yet, these were, after all, houses that offered shelter from the wind and rain.

That very day, He Lingchuan, accompanied by Elder Wanqi and Wanqi Feng, inspected several temporary housing areas, assessing living conditions and gathering feedback from the tribal members. His elegant demeanor and lack of self-congratulation endeared him to the Bailong tribe, who felt a strong sense of gratitude towards their savior. Upon seeing him, some immediately knelt and kowtowed.

A little girl nearby handed He Lingchuan a small flower, smiling exceptionally brightly, a front tooth missing—a loss from a fall while climbing in Storm Bay. "For you!" she chirped. He Lingchuan chatted amiably with everyone, inquiring about their daily needs. When the Bailong people presented issues, he resolved them on the spot, without hesitation, demonstrating his profound sincerity. He didn't leave until the bright moon hung high in the sky.

As the lord of Yangshan, He Lingchuan had accumulated a significant backlog of duties over the past few days, making it impossible for him to stay for an extended period. Time flew by; seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Throughout these days, He Lingchuan consistently made time to visit the Bailong tribe's residential area. Even without specific matters to attend to, he would chat and converse with the people. He integrated well with everyone, never putting on airs or claiming special status as their savior. Everyone grew fond of their island lord.

Elder Wanqi expected him to make a demand. There was no such thing as selfless generosity in this world; how could anyone treat the Bailong tribe with such utmost kindness without expecting anything in return? Elder Wanqi remained clear-sighted. However, He Lingchuan said nothing.

Over these past few days, dissenting voices among the Bailong tribe had gradually increased. With full stomachs and warm clothes, people began to entertain different ideas. Some tribesmen found work on Centipede Island and Suoding Island, just like Wanqi Feng and his uncle had done previously. Others began inquiring about rental prices for fields and shops. Life here was good—prosperous and stable. As long as one worked diligently, there was food to eat and a place to live. For refugees and displaced people, wasn't this the greatest temptation? The children of the Bailong tribe always drooled over the gourds and crispy pancake skewers sold at the stalls. Delicious food, however, required money.

The thought of the entire tribe's future, whether to stay or leave, made Elder Wanqi uneasy. These good days, free from hunger and danger, felt like the moon's reflection in water—an illusion that might shatter the moment they left the Yangshan Archipelago. Furthermore, with so many Bailong tribespeople, while they could eat and drink for free for seven days on the Yangshan Archipelago, could they do so for an entire year? He had heard that the Yangshan Archipelago originally had fewer than eighty thousand inhabitants; how much heavier a burden would it be to accommodate the Bailong tribe? Wanqi Tong had once agonized over the tribe's food supply, and Elder Wanqi knew precisely how much grain forty thousand mouths consumed daily. For these seven days of food and lodging, how much would the Yangshan Archipelago charge them? If they had any decency, they should depart once they were rested and avoid causing further trouble.

That afternoon, Wanqi Feng once more invited Elder Wanqi to his home for a drink and a quiet conversation. Elder Wanqi had already visited twice. Wanqi Feng's residence was a detached courtyard house, modest in size but immaculately clean and well-kept. The canopy of an old camphor tree outside extended into the courtyard, shading half of it. In the past few days, Wanqi Feng had hosted many newly arrived tribesmen at his home, each one green with envy. Only permanent residents of the island were eligible for a private house with its own courtyard.

The two sat under the camphor tree, drinking. On the stone table lay four or five dishes, all freshly prepared at a small restaurant just a few dozen feet away, still steaming when brought to them. Elder Wanqi picked up a golden-fried eggplant fritter and sighed emotionally, "Seven days ago, how could I have imagined myself sitting here, enjoying such a delicious meal?" Just seven days prior, they had been hunted like wild dogs. Seven days later, life was peaceful, with wine and food. Alas, it felt like a world away.

Wanqi Feng raised his cup to him. "It will come, everything will come to pass," he said.

After draining his cup, Elder Wanqi remarked, "Afeng, you've changed so much. You've become wiser and more decisive." Wanqi Feng's manner of speaking and conduct had changed. Elder Wanqi saw confidence in his eyes.

"After several brushes with death and rounds of displacement, anyone would change," Wanqi Feng said softly. "Thanks to Island Lord He's guidance, I'm diligently working to overcome my habit of hesitation and overthinking."

Elder Wanqi couldn't help but raise his white eyebrows; those eight words perfectly described the former Wanqi Feng. He then took the opportunity to inquire about Wanqi Song's whereabouts, a topic he had avoided for the past seven days. Wanqi Song had angrily left the tribe, taking his nephew Wanqi Feng with him. Now, after so many days on the Yangshan Archipelago, he hadn't seen Wanqi Song appear, only Wanqi Feng busying himself with tribal affairs. This suggested something was amiss.

Elder Wanqi felt uncomfortable asking Wanqi Feng directly, so he sought information from Wanqi Feng's subordinates. What he learned was astounding!

"Uncle is working in the mines," Wanqi Feng said, picking up a piece of braised pig ear and slowly chewing it. "You must have heard about what happened to us last autumn, right?"

Elder Wanqi looked embarrassed and offered no reply.

"After that incident, Uncle was punished and sent to work in the mines," he continued. "I've visited him a few times and brought him some food."

Elder Wanqi couldn't help but ask, "You're allowed to visit him?"

"Yes, Island Lord He never stopped me; he allowed me free visits from the very beginning," Wanqi Feng said with a bitter smile. "The first two times, Uncle's resentment was so deep he wouldn't even speak to me." That night, at the critical moment of the rebellion to seize the island, Wanqi Feng had withdrawn first, taking most of the manpower with him. It would have been strange if Wanqi Song hadn't been furious. Moreover, He Lingchuan later orchestrated a scheme to sow discord between the uncle and nephew, and between Wanqi Song and the Bailong people.

"Later, I brought a few children from the tribe to visit him. You know Uncle loves children. This time, he accepted the wine and meat I brought."

Elder Wanqi gasped, "That stubborn old man actually softened up and came to his senses?"

"Uncle isn't rigid; it's just that the burden on his shoulders was too heavy during that period, making him inevitably extreme," Wanqi Feng explained. "Island Lord He's decision to send him to the mines might not be a bad thing for him. It's a chance to shed heavy responsibilities and live a quiet life." Life in the mines, though arduous and monotonous, was precisely what Wanqi Song needed for reform and reflection. Wanqi Feng knew his uncle too well. "As long as he doesn't bear the tribe's heavy responsibilities, the knot in his heart will slowly unravel," he said. "I visited him last month, and Uncle even seemed to have put on a little weight."

Elder Wanqi smiled and whispered, "My visit today is also about the future of our entire tribe."

Wanqi Feng immediately sobered his expression.

"We were driven out of Ya State, and Atong unfortunately died in battle. This tribe, old and young, what will become of us now..."

Both fell silent. The future of the Bailong tribe remained a significant concern.

"I am old and cannot last much longer; nor can I bear such heavy responsibilities," Elder Wanqi said, sadness in his eyes. "Afeng, the tribesmen all trust you, so I came to ask: Are you willing to take on Atong's heavy mantle and safeguard the entire tribe?"

It had been Wanqi Song who had fallen out with the tribe previously, not Wanqi Feng. The fraternal bond between Wanqi Feng and the former young chieftain, Wanqi Tong, remained profound. In the recent battle at Luting Beach, Wanqi Feng had also led from the front, fighting bravely—a fact observed by all the tribal warriors. More importantly, Wanqi Feng was thriving and well-regarded on the Yangshan Archipelago, held in high esteem by the island lord. He would certainly not stand idly by and allow his tribesmen to be bullied. From every perspective, they had no better alternative.

Wanqi Feng immediately stood up and stated solemnly, "I will not shrink from it, even if it means death a thousand times over!" At this crucial moment, he was taking on not just honor, but a heavier burden. Therefore, he needed no formalities; simply expressing his resolve was sufficient.

Elder Wanqi's brows relaxed as he repeated "Good, good," several times, before continuing, "There is one more matter."

"Please, speak freely."

Elder Wanqi's voice was a little muffled. "We are all very pleased that you are willing to assume the chieftain's position. But... but what about the issue of the tribesmen's future—whether to stay or leave?"

The Bailong people's respite on the Yangshan Archipelago was only temporary. Where would they go from here? This question would have to be faced sooner or later. Wanqi Feng immediately understood the implication of "stay." "Forgive my frankness," he said, "but Mou State sent Bailei to assist our tribe only out of a slight sense of guilt and obligation. Do they truly care? Even if our tribe enters Mou State territory, where these tens of thousands of people will settle and how their livelihoods will be sustained remains a significant problem."

The Bailong tribe had historically been close to Mou State and received its support, opposing Ya State's current royal family. After Ya State's founding, it was natural for them to settle old scores. Therefore, Mou State still bore some responsibility for the Bailong tribe's plight. However, Wanqi Tong and the leading elders could all sense their reluctance.

Wanqi Feng continued, "We are outsiders, after all. Even if Mou State has good intentions, it's unknown whether the local officials assigned to accommodate us will treat our tribe kindly. Ya State has only been established for a short time, yet its bureaucratic habits are already fully apparent, and you've witnessed many of those corrupt practices. Mou State, on the other hand, has a history of 150 to 160 years; how much better could their official conduct be than Ya State's?"

Elder Wanqi nodded. "Bailei is indeed a challenge. Commander Lu Qingbang certainly fought alongside our tribe; he's a good man. But I've been asking around in the Yangshan Archipelago and Blade Harbor these past few days, and the Bailei clan head's reputation isn't good. Furthermore, Bailei has neglected its own people's livelihoods for years; how could they possibly have the resources to settle us?"

Mou State had originally offered the Bailong tribe a choice: settle in Mou State itself or in Bailei. Now, however, neither option seemed particularly reliable. Mou State used to send money and weapons to the Bailong tribe, brimming with enthusiasm. Now that the Bailong tribe had lost power, Mou State was indifferent. Such was the way of the world: when people left, the tea grew cold.

The conversation had reached the point where the final, unspoken truth was just about to be revealed. Wanqi Feng, however, had grown more patient than before; he held his composure, refusing to be the first to break. Both men lowered their heads, drinking and eating in silence. No matter how abundant the dishes, they couldn't last long with two big eaters sharing them. Only when the last scraps around the braised pig's head were almost gone did Elder Wanqi finally break the awkward silence, taking a sip of wine to clear his throat.

"Afeng," he said, "the burden you have taken on is immense. The livelihoods of our forty thousand people will all rest in your hands from now on."

Since Wanqi Feng had now assumed the chieftain's role, planning the future for the entire tribe was his rightful duty. Elder Wanqi had just shifted all responsibility onto himself, a move that didn't surprise Wanqi Feng in the least. He openly inquired, "Elder, what do you think of the Yangshan Archipelago, where we are currently residing?"