Chapter 885: This Place I Want to Settle In

It was already dark, and standing on the shore, one couldn't see the vast expanse of blue water. However, the fishing lights in the harbor flickered like scattered stars, as if the Milky Way were reflected from the sky.

Each light told the story of an ordinary family.

With his keen hearing, he could often hear the low murmurs and occasional laughter from nearby boats.

A simple life, simple joys.

A gentle breeze carried the unique dampness of the sea. He Lingchuan took a deep breath, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

No cargo was being unloaded at the dock tonight; the entire Blade Harbor was at rest.

The beach was deserted as he walked along the sand. "Are you really set on this place?" asked the Soul-Snatching Mirror.

"This place is even better than I imagined," He Lingchuan said, cracking his knuckles. "The land is fertile, and the waterways crisscross it. What's more, it has a harbor that can handle goods from all directions and welcome visitors from everywhere. It's clear the ancestors of Bailie had great foresight to buy such an excellent piece of land. Unfortunately, their descendants have mismanaged it, squandering a perfectly good hand."

"No prosperity lasts forever," the cultured mirror sighed, reflecting the moonlight. "It's quite remarkable that the Lu family has managed to endure for so many years."

"The way of heaven is constant; all things are born and die," He Lingchuan said. Constantly moving between history and reality, he had a broader perspective than others. "The decline of the Lu family is only natural."

This family had already outlived most nations. But from the perspective of time and history, it's normal for human families to decline with each generation, gradually fading away or even disappearing.

The Dao follows nature, and nature does only one thing: elimination.

Even with the protection left by their ancestors, the Lu family would likely not escape this fate in the end.

However, from He Lingchuan's personal perspective, if the Lu clan continued to operate like this, Bailie would be ruined!

He avenged the original body's mother, Lu Xiaoyun, and reclaimed the ancestral property as compensation—that seemed perfectly reasonable, didn't it?

Besides, the large group of people who had followed him across the ocean also needed a place to settle and a good start.

Therefore, he was determined to claim this territory of Bailie!

The mirror asked him, "Lu Zhensheng's family has controlled Bailie for a long time, taking advantage of its favorable location. What's your first step?"

"First, establish a foothold, then find the Lu family's weaknesses," He Lingchuan replied. "After existing for six hundred years, whether a family or a nation, there will be many flaws. Even with frequent reforms, it's merely patching things up. Only by addressing their needs can I quickly get close to Lu Zhensheng!"

He and the mirror didn't even discuss the possibility of striking directly at the heart of the Lu family, killing the father and son, and seizing their ancestral property.

It didn't make sense logically. The Lu clan still had other members, who were the original body's relatives. Besides, he himself was not yet strong enough; how could he hold such a large territory?

Hmm, it wasn't time yet. Not yet.

The mirror asked him, "Did you bring Ding Zuodong here because you want to set up businesses? I also saw you wrote a letter to Li Qingge of Songyang Prefecture."

"Of course," He Lingchuan replied. He had done a fair bit of business in Dunyu, Yuan Country, but after falling into the Han River, all those properties had naturally been taken over by He Chunhua.

Since he had parted ways with this convenient father, he didn't care about such details.

But Bailie was where he wanted to establish himself; building a foundation and establishing a career were essential.

"But merely dealing in shops and land, or taking over some small businesses, as I did in Dunyu, would be too slow and wouldn't attract the Lu family's attention," He Lingchuan said, stroking his chin. "If I'm going to do something, I need to make a big splash."

What he did in Dunyu was at best acting as an investor, putting money in for appreciation.

But here, he had to lay a solid foundation.

If he started small, or began with a small business, he would only need to register with the authorities. The only people who would then come knocking would be local thugs or gangs seeking protection money.

Want to approach the Lu family? That would be too slow!

"I asked the Prefect of Songyang if she wanted to open a branch here, and I gave her the address. If she agrees, the people she sends will probably arrive in a few months." Bailie was too far from Yuan Country and Beijia; Songyang Prefecture's reach had never extended this far before.

"Whether we want to make a living or establish our own base, we'll need Songyang Prefecture's artifact-refining capabilities," He Lingchuan said. "I've inquired, and there aren't any renowned artifact-refining sects nearby."

The mirror chuckled, "That's right, you're still an honorary elder of Songyang Prefecture."

He Lingchuan picked up a small, round stone and skipped it across the water.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh"—it skipped ten times.

"I need information," he declared. "The more, the better; the more detailed, the better; the more varied, the better!"

Three days later.

When Ding Zuodong found He Lingchuan, the latter was slurping raw pickled blood clams.

If pickled well, the blood-like juices offered a fresh, aromatic, and rich flavor that few other live seafoods could match. However, those with sensitive stomachs could easily end up with explosive diarrhea.

Lingguang tried one but shook its head, refusing to eat more. It couldn't stand the taste; dates were much better.

"Master, something interesting happened a few days ago in the outskirts of Qucheng," Ding Zuodong began. Qucheng was where the Lu family resided and was also the capital of the Bailie territory.

"Oh? Tell me more," He Lingchuan prompted.

"A large manor was sealed off over a month ago; it was said to be sold by the authorities. However, five days ago, someone tore off the seal and even fought with the constables."

"What's strange about that?" He Lingchuan asked, prying open another blood clam. "They even have a special tool for opening these; how convenient! Property forcibly seized by the authorities, and the original owner isn't happy about it, I suppose."

Ding Zuodong chuckled, "Guess who the original owner was?"

He Lingchuan paused. How could he possibly guess that? They had just arrived in Bailie after crossing the ocean; how many people could they know?

Hmm, if Ding Zuodong put it that way, the owner's fame must extend beyond Bailie, right?

"Could it be a high official from Qing Country or Mou Country?"

"From Beijia."

He Lingchuan was surprised. "Beijia? People from Beijia are buying manors here?"

Between Beijia and Bailie lay a vast Mou Country. These Beijians certainly had long arms.

Excluding some maritime nations, Mou Country ranked third in area among known land countries and was quite vast.

"Not just three or five either," Ding Zuodong continued. "It's said that many prosperous shops and manors in Qucheng are registered under the names of high officials from Beijia and Mou Country. Six months ago, Beijia confiscated the assets of a large number of officials. These people were either imprisoned or exiled, a truly miserable fate, and they couldn't possibly manage their foreign and overseas assets anymore."

He Lingchuan let out a long "oh." He understood.

Once some officials were arrested, their careers were over. Others had a worse fate, perhaps never getting out for a lifetime, or simply disappearing, like Nian Zanli...

Their family assets in Beijia might have been confiscated or divided, but some overseas assets remained untouched because they were out of reach.

These fertile lands and beautiful residences, which their original owners might never be able to inquire about again, thus became unowned assets.

"So Bailie targeted these fallen officials and confiscated their assets?"

"According to the grapevine," Ding Zuodong replied, "it's very likely the case."