Chapter 1272: Transporting Treasure

## Chapter 1258: Transporting Treasures

This meant Fu Liushan was willing to stay.

“Stories of Boh Country?” He Lingchuan knew Fu Liushan was likely captivated by Consort Mei's past. Men understood such things, but it wouldn't do. “Tell him to start with the Battle of Cotton Village, focusing on the demise of Ghost King Xuanlu. That battle just ended recently, and it was a major event on Situ's territory, closely related to the common people. News, after all, needs to be timely.”

The true body of Ghost King Xuanlu had died in the underground palace of Howling Forest, but the common people were unaware. Even Situ's army believed Ghost King Xuanlu was slain at Cotton Village, as countless people had witnessed it in broad daylight. So, this would be the official narrative. The Ghost King had been eliminated and would not reappear.

The key point was: The Ghost King had perished at He Lingchuan’s hand. Whether in the story of the Battle of Cotton Village or the reality of Jueyu’s underground palace, he had personally defeated the Ghost King! Ever since acquiring the Clanging Dragon Armor, He Lingchuan had wanted to conduct another experiment.

Dou Wenguan immediately replied, “Alright, I’ll inform him shortly.”

“Have the storytellers been recruited?”

“Only thirteen were recruited from the surrounding ten li and eight villages,” Dou Wenguan said, shaking his head. “The common folk are struggling, and few make a living this way. It’s unlike Bailie or Qing, where even a small city can have four or five.”

“The poorer and more distressed the people are, the more they need spiritual solace.” He Lingchuan was well aware that these initiatives would require initial funding. “Fu Liushan knows what kind of stories he needs to tell, and you’ll need to oversee them.”

Dou Wenguan nodded in agreement.

The mirror in He Lingchuan’s arms grumbled, “Even organizing a few storytellers requires your personal attention. What a hassle. Is its master complaining about not being busy enough?”

He Lingchuan smiled, an unspoken understanding between them: The fundamental purpose for Yangshan hiring Fu Liushan and other storytellers was “propaganda.” Legends and stories held the most fundamental power among the common people, spreading knowledge and enlightening them. He needed to leverage this power, commonly known as ‘smuggling in private goods,’ to allow his own influence and Yangshan’s to permeate every place they touched. This method seemed harmless and wouldn't incur the displeasure of local authorities. After suffering a setback in Yuheng City, he deeply understood the importance of public relations. Furthermore, with the Clanging Dragon Armor, this was a crucial step in paving the way for his future plans.

No sooner had Dou Wenguan left than Dong Rui arrived. “Wan Qifeng’s troops have all arrived. Shall we depart?”

“Let’s go.” The main event was about to begin, and He Lingchuan immediately stood up.

The Prosperous Martial Arts Association had two hundred people on external duty, while Wan Qifeng led the remaining 1,100-plus individuals to Jucheng. He Lingchuan then led them to Howling Forest, thirty li away, to transport Ghost King Xuanlu’s treasures! Those mountains of treasure couldn't be moved by him and Dong Rui alone; a mere few storage spaces wouldn’t suffice. With the help of the Divine Bone Necklace, all the Yin evil within a ten-li radius was absorbed, allowing the transport team to enter. The mere act of transporting the treasures out of the underground palace lasted for over ten hours. All of Yangshan Merchant Association’s convoys were fully loaded, yet only half of the underground palace’s treasures had been removed. There was no other way; they would have to return for the rest later.

Thus, the Prosperous Martial Arts Association commenced its largest armed escort operation since its establishment! This combined convoy was mighty and spectacular. Given the immense importance, He Lingchuan and Dong Rui had to personally oversee the escort. Transporting such a vast quantity of treasure through this chaotic region—who would have dared to imagine it just half a year ago?

The Prosperous Martial Arts Association was very familiar with the route from Howling Forest to Julu Port. Wan Qifeng knew precisely where to stop, where bandits lurked, and which treacherous terrains were prone to ambushes. The Yangshan Merchant Association had even established dedicated outposts along the route to facilitate the transport of its own merchant and guard teams. During this escort, the Prosperous Martial Arts Association successively killed or drove off three groups of bandits. The reason for only three attacks was that the escort team numbered over a thousand, was imposing, well-equipped, and its formation was comparable to that of a small nation’s army. Common bandits, upon seeing them, would mostly retreat. Secondly, on previous trips, Wan Qifeng had led the Prosperous Guards in escorting allied army provisions, effectively ‘plowing’ the route multiple times to clear out robbers. He had impaled at least three hundred unfortunate souls along the roadside, turning them into human banners, which improved road safety, making no one dare to rob the Prosperous Martial Arts Association’s escorts.

Yangshan’s own fleet was already docked at Julu Port, awaiting loading. He Lingchuan boarded the ship with Wan Qifeng and a portion of the guard, while the rest returned to the Prosperous Martial Arts Association’s main camp in Julu Port.

It was already spring, and He Lingchuan needed to return to the Yangshan Archipelago before the hurricane season arrived. In another two months, with sea hurricanes appearing, it would not be a good time to transport wealth. The return journey benefited from a southwest wind, making the ship travel swiftly. He Lingchuan had been away long enough; it was time to return to his base.

Firstly, the Yangshan Archipelago was located above an exit for terrestrial evil energy. He needed to return to replace the Punishing Dragon Pillars; otherwise, the evil energy would overflow, making it impossible for humans and animals to survive. Secondly, Yangshan’s industries were still flourishing, and he couldn’t truly be a hands-off manager. He needed to return periodically to oversee things. Anyone who had run a business understood that efficiency differed greatly depending on whether the boss was present or not. The organizational structure of the Yangshan Archipelago had not yet reached a complex stage, and precisely for this reason, many matters still required his personal decision. Sending avian demons to transmit messages back and forth between Yangshan and the Glimmering Gold Plains was neither sustainable nor secure in the long run. Thirdly, Ghost King Xuanlu’s treasures had to be transported back to Yangshan! With Ghost King Xuanlu, who had guarded the underground palace, gone, its security was greatly diminished. Moreover, money only became money when it circulated; hoarding it underground was useless. He Lingchuan decided to let them serve their proper purpose.

The moment the Yangshan Archipelago appeared on the horizon, the guards on board cheered. Nerves had been frayed throughout the journey, and even He Lingchuan felt utterly exhausted. Back on his own territory, both he and the treasures were finally safe.

The scene on the day of unloading the cargo on the island was magnificent. Crates upon crates of treasure were unloaded from the large ships, piled into mountains within Yangshan’s deep secret vaults. This trip to the Glimmering Gold Plains had been immensely fruitful. Leini and others, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, gasped in awe. “No wonder it’s called the Glimmering Gold Plains; it’s truly rich!”

He Lingchuan only needed to deliver the treasures back to the Yangshan Archipelago. The subsequent tedious tasks of sorting, organizing, and cataloging would be handled by Ding Zuodong. It was good to have subordinates; it was even better to have capable ones. Even with Ding Zuodong assigning extra personnel and working overtime, it still took five full days to count and catalog the treasures.

According to the final report, the estimated actual value of the Ghost King’s treasures He Lingchuan brought back was approximately 5.2 million taels of silver! Given Ding Zuodong’s current knowledge, his eyes gleamed as he reported these figures. Truly worthy of his master; he had pulled off something huge without a sound! Crates of gold and silver were, of course, the easiest to count. The shimmering, colorful gems included both raw stones and finished jewelry.