Chapter 1623: Managing Numerous Affairs

Chapter 1607: Extremely Busy

"Yes."

"With so many ships, it's hard for us to search for the main vessel. Unlike traveling by carriage on land, if Bai Ziqin stays below deck and out of sight, who knows which ship he's on?"

He Lingchuan gave a thumbs up. "Mr. Peng is very thorough; his concern is valid."

Then he said, "That river isn't wide. Riverboats are narrow and have a shallow draft. This season, each vessel can carry a maximum of ten thousand jin. If you include supplies like equipment, miscellaneous items, and food, it's more suitable for each ship to carry twenty to thirty people."

"So the fleet will consist of more than ten ships?"

"The main ship Bai Ziqin is on should be larger and more comfortable than a regular riverboat, making it easy to identify, and it will likely be protected in the middle of the fleet." He then added, "However, if he's also on a regular riverboat, making it difficult to distinguish from the outside, besides searching among the ships in the middle of the fleet, you can also pay attention to which ship is unusually bumpy."

"Bumpy, why?"

"They're on passenger ships, not cargo ships. The one Bai Ziqin is on will have the fewest people, so even with ballast, the hull will be bumpier," He Lingchuan continued. "Bai Ziqin enjoys traveling by boat and is not particular about details; he likely wouldn't waste divine magic to stabilize the ship."

He had traveled with Bai Ziqin before and understood his style. For someone of his status as a Ducal Envoy, Bai Ziqin was quite casual and unpretentious. It wasn't that he disliked comfort, but that he simply didn't care about it.

Peng Mao and the other person didn't ask why the number of people would be the fewest. The higher one's status, the greater the private space they naturally occupy.

But Maogong asked another question, "Is there a chance he won't take the waterway and will choose the land route instead?"

"There is, but it's very small. Water travel is safe, comfortable, and convenient; it's the preferred choice for merchants and travelers." He Lingchuan had another thought he didn't voice: Bai Ziqin's return trip was likely aimed at him, so why would he choose a longer route?

He said earnestly, "Bai Ziqin is cautious and suspicious. He might even feign weakness and set up illusions in advance to specifically draw you out..."

Maogong interrupted him, "Do you think his previous flight, being chased all over the place, and the death of two of his subordinates were all an act?"

His expression showed a hint of displeasure. Did this person named He think they were weak?

Peng Yukui waved his hand. "Island Lord He is merely saying that this possibility cannot be ruled out."

He Lingchuan maintained his sincere tone. "Brother Mao, please don't be angry. I just feel that Bai Ziqin is difficult to deal with. Before you make your move, please think twice!"

"Thank you, Island Lord He." Peng Yukui also knew that He Lingchuan himself couldn't leave Tianshui City. He immediately stood up, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said, "There's no time to lose; we'll depart now."

"Wait." He Lingchuan stood up and gave two instructions to Wan Sifeng, who immediately hurried out. Before long, he returned with a thin man.

"I've found a guide for you. Before he joined the Yangshan Chamber of Commerce, he worked independently on this route and knows the roads and local conditions like the back of his hand. However, he can only take you to Zhuxian Pier; he can't help with the rest."

With such thoughtful arrangements from their host, Peng Yukui naturally thanked him repeatedly.

He Lingchuan escorted them out of the manor and waved goodbye. Only when the dust raised by their mounts was no longer visible did he turn around, hands clasped behind his back, and slowly walk back to his study.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror chuckled. "You repeatedly urged them not to be overconfident and to be careful. What do you think is the chance they won't be overconfident?"

"Not high," He Lingchuan replied pragmatically. "If people always did exactly what I told them, and straightened up just because I said so, my words would be more golden than an emperor's decree. Heh, if I could achieve this effect just by talking, would I need to bother with all that painstaking strategizing in Shanjin?"

How do ordinary people usually react to advice from others? They dismiss it as if it were nothing. Moreover, the pride of the Ling Mountain people runs deep, just like those from the Heavenly Palace. He Lingchuan had interacted with them for years and felt this keenly.

"Ling Mountain must have other informants planted in Yaoguo, but their positions aren't high enough to get information on Bai Ziqin, which is why Peng Yukui came directly to me," He Lingchuan shook his head. "It seems they're very confident in their methods."

The mirror asked him, "How likely do you think Peng Yukui is to succeed?"

"It's hard to estimate. Do you remember Bai Ziqin specifically came to me before he left, saying he was going to Xiaotao Manor to investigate a case? That trip wasn't just to verbally probe and intimidate me; he also revealed his whereabouts, possibly hoping to lure me into making a move. There are only one or two suitable ambush points on the road from Tianshui City to Mangzhou. Do you think Bai Ziqin wouldn't know that?"

"Uh." The mirror paused, then immediately cackled. "Bai Ziqin didn't lure you out; instead, he lured out the Ling Mountain people. He probably never expected that himself!"

"So Bai Ziqin most likely made some preparations, but he targeted me, and his arrangements were specifically against me. Now, however, Ling Mountain is going after him. If they can catch him by surprise, they might have a chance of winning," He Lingchuan narrowed his eyes. "Bai Ziqin still thinks he's completely in control. Heh!"

Let Ling Mountain go and tangle with him.

"And about these Ling Mountain people. They don't entirely trust me either. Not only do they hold back, but they probably only told me half-truths, maybe six-tenths of the truth."

"Half-truths? Are you referring to yesterday's discussion?"

"Yes. The clues he gave yesterday about True Lord Qianhuan, those should be real. They were also further instructions from Ling Mountain conveyed through his mouth." He Lingchuan had a good idea. "Aside from that, Ling Mountain doesn't want me to know too much. So, since they haven't revealed their true strength, I can't make an assessment."

However, with Ling Mountain sending a team to bring trouble to Bai Ziqin on his behalf, he naturally welcomed it.

"The day the Emperor's Dew descends is getting closer," He Lingchuan glanced towards Tianshui City. "It's not just Qingyang; I also don't want any unexpected complications to arise in my own plans."

At this moment, Wan Sifeng arrived and immediately bowed upon seeing him. "My Lord."

Seeing him, He Lingchuan remembered that he had originally meant to find Wan Sifeng, but his conversation with Peng Yukui had nearly made him forget. Wan Sifeng had been waiting outside.

"Come, let's talk in the study."

The two entered the study, and He Lingchuan picked up a letter from the desk.

"A letter from the Julu Port branch. This time, four ships arrived from Yangshan. On one of them, the Bailong tribesmen and Shanjin people had a dispute, resulting in four conflicts over a five-and-a-half-day voyage, almost causing deaths. It was even fiercer than the contention between Wan Siliang and Wang Fubao back then. Heh, these fellows aren't particularly skilled in combat, but their eagerness for a fight comes out first."

Despite his words, he wasn't genuinely blaming them. Good warriors have tempers, and good armies have a wolf-like spirit. If they were as gentle as sheep during peacetime, how could one expect them to suddenly become daring and fierce in battle? After all, there aren't many two-faced people like He Lingchuan in the world. The army he wanted to build needed to be like the Great Wind Army, like the Black Armored Army: fierce but restrained, like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

Wan Sifeng straightened his back. "My Lord, how many Shanjin and Bailong people are on that ship?"

"On that particular ship, there are only a little over seven hundred Shanjin people, mostly sent to Yangshan for training two months ago. There are about two hundred Bailong warriors and three hundred logistics personnel."

For a long time now, the Yangshan Chamber of Commerce has been recruiting extensively in the Shanjin Plain, needing talent from all walks of life. Among them, anyone with the potential to be a good warrior or some command ability was asked by the branch to sign an agreement, then sent back to the Yangshan Archipelago for systematic training and intensive drills.

In its early stages, the Yangshan Chamber of Commerce also secretly trained troops in the Shanjin Plain, but the results were mediocre, and it was easy for observant individuals to discover, so it could only be conducted under the guise of training guards. Since the Chamber had already made a fortune and was flush with cash, it simply decided to transport all the chosen promising recruits to the Yangshan Archipelago for rigorous refinement, then ship them back to the Shanjin Plain after a few months. They could only train for a few months, focusing on cultivating only the most basic military literacy. Other aspects would be addressed later.

He Lingchuan had experience leading the Seymour Legion in the Panlong World, and Yangshan's own army had long been established, possessing a relatively mature assembly-line method where veterans guided new recruits and honed old skills, achieving twice the result with half the effort.

He Lingchuan added, "Among the Shanjin people who caused trouble on the ship, several used to be 'tooth generals' for mountain bandit chiefs in the Shanjin Plain." Mountain bandit chiefs always had one, two, or three particularly capable and fierce enforcers under their command to intimidate their remaining followers. In western Shanjin, these were called "tooth generals," likened to the canine teeth of a wolf king.

It must be said that the population base of the Shanjin Plain was enormous. With Yangshan picking and choosing from all over, the personnel sent to the archipelago came in ship after ship, seemingly without end.

However, this naturally led to friction between the Shanjin people and Yangshan's original army. Many of the Shanjin people brought to the Yangshan Archipelago were murderers and bandits who simply changed their way of life and risked their lives because their previous line of work had no future. After arriving at the archipelago, some inevitably reverted to their old bad habits: loving to fight, stealing, and tricking. Fortunately, the islands served as natural barriers, and Qiu Hu confined them to the islands, drilling them harshly, under the pretext that "jade unpolished cannot become a vessel."

Wan Sifeng understood. "It seems they've recognized a new leader. This ship wasn't properly arranged; their small groups weren't broken up."

While these enforcers were warlike, they could only unleash their combat effectiveness if they obeyed leadership and organization.

"I'll look into it," He Lingchuan smiled. "Do you know who led the Bailong people who got into a dispute with the others on the ship?"

Wan Sifeng immediately had a premonition. "Please tell me, My Lord."

"It was your old uncle."

"..." Wan Sifeng froze, then chuckled awkwardly. "So Uncle was on *that* ship?"

It takes two to tango; no wonder.

Years ago, Wan Sishong led hundreds of Bailong people wandering to Blade Port, intending to seize the Yangshan Archipelago as a foothold. Instead, he was thoroughly defeated by He Lingchuan. His nephew, Wan Sifeng, led their tribesmen to surrender, while Wan Sishong himself was sent to a distant island to mine, under the surveillance of Yin Hui. This mining lasted for several years. The mine had reported several times that Wan Sishong worked extremely hard and never caused trouble. He kept to himself, only showing a smile when the Bailong children came to visit him.

Wan Sishong never ate or slept with others, and his mining output was always first, with the second, third, fourth, and fifth places combined not matching him.

Although He Lingchuan was extremely busy, he had always remembered this person over the past three years.