Chapter 727: The Time Has Come (This Chapter is High Energy)

Yu Yunqiu stood on the tower, silently watching the enslaved people walking towards the imperial city. These enslaved people would soon be sent to the factories, into Tie Baisheng's hands. Many of them were from Yu Yunqiu's own household. Although he couldn't recall their names, he recognized the shackles they wore.

"These ungrateful wretches! I have always been lenient with them. The entire capital knows that my Yu family treats the enslaved with both kindness and strictness, showing great compassion. Yet, this is the result I get!"

Ao Shuangqian sighed, "The enslaved are born this way. They only understand the pain of a whip on their backs; they know nothing of gratitude."

"That spineless Tie Baisheng! To earn a few scraps from Li Qi, he's completely disgraced his ancestors!" Yu Yunqiu slammed his fist onto the table. The craftsmanship of the table was so fine that it didn't break.

Ao Shuangqian advised, "Brother Yu, the more critical the moment, the calmer you must be. I am already prepared."

Yu Yunqiu nodded, "You've gone to a lot of trouble, my dear brother."

"Don't mention it. Our two families advance and retreat together, sharing both glory and shame. This is merely my duty."

A slight tremor ran through the corner of Yu Yunqiu's eye. "The great fish the Yu family has raised for so many years, it's time for them to sharpen their teeth."

Li Banfeng was busy assigning the enslaved people. For the past few days, they had all been sent to Tie Baisheng. Now, however, six grandees, including Ban Chiling, had burned the indentures, granting the enslaved their freedom. All of them wanted to request workers from Li Banfeng, so careful distribution was necessary. Those who arrived first would naturally receive more, but later arrivals couldn't be neglected. Eightfold Calculation meticulously worked out the optimal solution, determining the ideal number for each household. Tie Baisheng alone received over five thousand enslaved people. He had acquired a piece of land from Li Banfeng and was preparing to build a new factory.

Tie Baisheng profited greatly, and others grew envious. The next morning, two noblemen came to the imperial city to request people from Li Banfeng. No sooner had Li Banfeng finished distributing the workers than six men arrived at the imperial city gates, requesting an audience with Prince Pingyuan.

The six men bore a striking resemblance to each other: high noses, pointed lips, round heads, and bright eyes. Their voices were remarkably clear. They wore identical black cloaks, black trousers, and white shirts, looking like six swallows.

"We are messengers from Chaoge," said the leader, "and we bring an urgent report for Your Highness, the Prince."

The leader of the swallow-like men presented a letter to Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng opened the scroll, unrolled the letter, and saw that it was from Qiao Yi. After reading it from beginning to end, Li Banfeng's face darkened.

"Was this written by Qiao Yi himself?"

The swallow leader shook his head. "Your Highness, we are only responsible for delivering messages; we dare not inquire further."

Li Banfeng held the scroll, silent for a long time. The swallow leader seemed a little afraid, cautiously asking, "Your Highness, do you have a reply?"

Li Banfeng nodded. "I do have a reply, but there's no need to write it. Go and deliver a verbal message to Qiao Yi. Tell them I will go to Chaoge immediately to see him."

The six swallow-like men immediately bowed and left. Once the palace was empty, the phonograph spoke, "My dear husband, what happened? Why are you so angry?"

Li Banfeng suddenly wasn't angry anymore. He handed the letter to the phonograph. "My dear wife, please take a look."

The phonograph read the letter and was also surprised. The letter's main content was that after several provocations from Prou Province, the Shang Kingdom had run out of patience and was preparing to send troops to conquer Prou Province within three days.

"Was this written by Qiao Yi himself?"

Li Banfeng took out the contract Qiao Yi had signed. "The handwriting is correct, but something about this letter feels wrong."

The phonograph thought for a moment, then asked Li Banfeng, "What do you think, husband?"

Li Banfeng smiled. "First, let me ask what my dear wife thinks?"

The phonograph replied, "This humble servant believes that if one cannot afford clothes, one should not covet hats. If one cannot afford trousers, one should not covet socks. What do you say, husband?"

Li Banfeng embraced the phonograph. "My good wife, I knew you'd think the same as I do."

At noon, Li Banfeng went to Tie Baisheng's shipyard. "Old Tie, prepare a ship for me. I need to go to Chaoge."

Prince Pingyuan's trip to Chaoge was a major event, and Tie Baisheng didn't dare to be careless. "What kind of ship does Your Highness wish for?"

Li Banfeng said, "I want the easiest ship to operate."

"The easiest to operate?" Tie Baisheng was perplexed; this concept was hard to grasp. But he was a clever man after all and quickly had an idea: the Prince wanting the easiest ship to operate likely meant he didn't want anyone else piloting it; he wished to keep his whereabouts secret.

He led Li Banfeng to a dry dock where a passenger ship lay, over twenty meters long with three decks. "This ship is a bit small, perhaps not fitting for Your Highness's status, but it's very easy to operate. Your Highness only needs to mark the destination on the map, and the ship will sail there by itself."

Tie Baisheng led Li Banfeng to the bridge. Inside, there was no helm, no instruments, only a glass map and a specialized marking pen. "Your Highness, I'll mark Chaoge for you now. If I mark it incorrectly, you can just erase it and rewrite." Tie Baisheng finished marking, then pointed to a grandfather clock nearby. "You can select a departure time on the clock, and the ship will set off immediately when that time arrives."

Li Banfeng touched the map and asked, "Is this ship safe?"

"This ship can avoid storms and navigate around reefs. Please rest assured."

"Alright, tow the ship to the harbor. I'll depart at eleven tonight. This matter must not be known to anyone else."

Tie Baisheng bowed in assent.

That night, Tie Baisheng personally escorted Li Banfeng to the ship. To be honest, Tie Baisheng was somewhat worried. From the moment Li Qi boarded until the anchor was raised, he remained silent. Had something major happened in Chaoge? Was it possible Li Qi wouldn't return? If he didn't return, Tie Baisheng would be in grave trouble. He had gained significant advantages in business, and Yu Yunqiu and Ao Shuangqian would certainly not let him off. Fortunately, the departure tonight was quite discreet. The Yu and Ao families wouldn't know Li Qi had left the capital. As long as Li Qi returned soon, those two families shouldn't make a move. But it's better to be safe than sorry. Tie Baisheng quickly returned to his factory and gathered his retainers to heighten their vigilance.

Li Banfeng was on the passenger ship. Not long after it set sail, two sharks quietly followed.

Yu Yunqiu stood on the shore, listening to the echoes of the tide, and smiled faintly. "We've found him. He certainly tried to leave discreetly."

Ao Shuangqian praised, "No matter how discreet he is, he cannot escape Brother Yu's eyes and ears. However, I've heard that wandering cultivators have techniques for riding wind and clouds. I fear he might fly away."

Yu Yunqiu said, "Brother Ao, don't worry. My great fish can fly. It's just that Tie Baisheng's ship is a bit sturdy, and I fear the great fish won't be able to capsize it."

Ao Shuangqian chuckled, "Since Brother Yu is going all out, how could I, Ao, be in the least bit hesitant? The Ao family's strongest combat force is already waiting for orders in the sea."

Li Banfeng sat on the deck, his expression solemn, not uttering a word. According to Tie Baisheng, this passenger ship was very fast, no slower than the city of Tianyi, and could reach Chaoge in less than half a day. After sailing for more than two hours, sudden strong winds and waves rose on the sea, causing the ship to pitch and roll violently.

In the bridge, the glass map rustled, and the old grandfather clock chimed, marking the time. It wasn't on the hour or half-hour. The reason the old clock chimed was that the storm mechanism had been triggered. The ship would now actively avoid storms. The glass map displayed the climate conditions of the surrounding sea, and guided by the map, the ship was automatically searching for a relatively safe area. The cabin door opened automatically, inviting Li Banfeng to take temporary shelter inside. Li Banfeng remained on the deck, letting the waves crash against him, his expression calm.

After sailing for a while, the wind and waves subsided slightly. The ship slowed down and was planning a new course.

Far away on the shore of the capital, Yu Yunqiu smiled. "He's taken the bait."

Ao Shuangqian said, "Don't rush, elder brother. Let me go first."

Yu Yunqiu nodded. "Brother Ao, be sure to act carefully and win in a single strike."

Ao Shuangqian closed his eyes and slapped the seawater, seemingly transmitting some signal.

As Li Banfeng's ship sailed, a gigantic claw suddenly emerged from the sea, gripping the vessel across its midsection. The passenger ship ran at full power, trying to break free, but the claw had serrated edges that held on tightly.

"This ship is indeed tough," Ao Shuangqian said. He slapped the water faster and faster, and the giant claw in the sea continuously increased its grip. Cracks appeared in the ship's hull, and the old grandfather clock chimed incessantly—a final warning to Li Banfeng that the ship was about to give way. Li Banfeng remained composed, his expression unchanged.

*Crack!* With a tremendous crash, the ship broke apart, and Li Banfeng fell into the sea.

Ao Shuangqian smiled. "Elder brother, the ship has been crushed. Allow this younger brother to claim the first merit and deal with that fellow as well."

Yu Yunqiu frowned slightly. "My dear brother, don't be reckless."

Li Banfeng, now in the sea amidst the waves, saw an enormous mantis shrimp. He couldn't see the entire mantis shrimp, only able to estimate its size from the claws and antennae that appeared before him. The estimation was quite astonishing: the shrimp's size exceeded Li Banfeng's ship, likely two or three times the length of the hull, if not more.

This mantis shrimp had more than just one pair of claws; beneath the large claws were many smaller ones. One of these smaller claws clamped onto Li Banfeng's body. The claw tightened its grip, and Li Banfeng bled profusely. As his blood touched the mantis shrimp's antennae, Ao Shuangqian suddenly felt a wave of dizziness.

"Poison!" Ao Shuangqian exclaimed, startled. "This is bad, elder brother! Li Qi is poisoned, and the giant shrimp has been severely poisoned!"

"My dear brother, quickly make the giant shrimp retreat." Yu Yunqiu's face showed great concern, but inwardly, he scoffed. Ao Shuangqian continued to warn Yu Yunqiu, "Elder brother, be careful! That fellow is extremely cunning. I don't know what method he used to conceal the poison, but it's very potent. The giant shrimp can't hold on. Whatever you do, don't touch his body—"

Before he could finish, a large fish surged towards Li Banfeng and swallowed him whole. Ao Shuangqian perceived this scene through the giant shrimp's eyes. He couldn't understand Yu Yunqiu's actions. "Brother Yu, I just said that Li Qi is severely poisoned, so why did you still order the great fish to swallow him?"

Yu Yunqiu didn't bother to explain. "Let's see what fate brings." He could sense the great fish's pain, but he knew the great fish could endure it.

Ao Shuangqian continued to warn, "Elder brother, wandering cultivators have many other evasive techniques. I'm afraid this single move might not be enough to hold him."

Yu Yunqiu said, "He may have countless tricks, but the Yu family's war fish have also been tempered by countless trials. Let's see who outlasts whom." Ao Shuangqian felt a tremor of fear in his heart.

Yu Yunqiu smiled. "When my Yu family fought alongside our ancestors, we used this very tactic. No matter how many fancy tricks he has, I only need one strike to kill the enemy. Let alone him, even a peddler who falls into this fish's belly won't be able to escape!"

With Yu Yunqiu so confident of victory, Ao Shuangqian didn't press further. "Brother Yu, next we should deal with Tie Baisheng."

Yu Yunqiu first declared his stance: "This matter concerns the honor and shame of the capital, the ancestral foundations, and even our very lives. The rebellion of enslaved people is a danger that shakes the very foundations of the state and has always required severe punishment. Regarding today's events, let me first make it clear to Brother Ao: all privately escaped enslaved people are guilty of heinous crimes and will be executed without exception. Tie Baisheng and others will be stripped of their titles, have their assets confiscated, and be demoted to commoners! After the matter is dealt with, we will report to Chaoge. Regardless of what Chaoge says, you and I must not show any mercy!"

Ao Shuangqian said, "I will follow all your commands, elder brother. However, there is one matter I wish to discuss: Tie Baisheng has five thousand enslaved people under his command, which is no small number. As the saying goes, the best strategy is to conquer minds. When engaging with rebels, one should first pacify them before resorting to force. How we handle it then, naturally, will be up to you, elder brother."

Yu Yunqiu nodded slightly and told Ao Shuangqian to quickly assemble the retainers.

Shun and Huan walked together towards the shipyard. As they reached the entrance, Shun whispered, "Last night, you were so good..."

Huan snapped angrily, "How dare you even mention it! If you ever tell anyone, you can forget about it ever happening again!"

Shun lowered his head and said, "Then I won't say anything. Today, I want to work two extra hours, save some money, and rent a better house."

Huan shook her head. "Don't work extra. Just leave when you finish your shift. Where we live now is perfectly fine."

Inside the shipyard, Shun hurried into the workshop and started working. Although he was just a junior worker, he often sought out senior workers to learn skills, and they were happy to teach him. He gradually became proficient with some of the equipment. Such situations were common, and Tie Baisheng noticed them all. He called these workers "top workers"—junior workers who could handle tasks—whose income was significantly higher than regular junior workers, and who also had the possibility of being promoted to senior workers.

At noon, Shun went to find Huan to go to a restaurant. As he reached the entrance, Shun suddenly shivered. He saw the flag he feared most. On a black flag, a large fish with a gaping maw was depicted. This was the Yu family's flag, his former owners.

Yu Yunqiu stood beneath the flag, leading over a thousand retainers, and walked towards the shipyard. On another black flag, a massive mantis shrimp was depicted. Ao Shuangqian walked beside Yu Yunqiu, and his more than a thousand retainers had also arrived. The capital had over ten thousand retainers in total. These retainers usually served various grandees, and in times of war, they were the most reliable fighting force.

Shun was still dazed when Huan stepped forward, grabbed him, and urged, "Quick, let's go!" The two immediately retreated into the shipyard and closed the main gate.

A worm informed Tie Baisheng, who climbed onto the top of the wall and shouted, "Brother Yu, Brother Ao, what is the reason for this action?"

Yu Yunqiu angrily retorted, "What are you to presume to call us brothers?"

Ao Shuangqian sighed, "Old Tie, you made one mistake, and then another, and another. For a mere pittance, you've completely disgraced your ancestors and squandered their legacy!"

Tie Baisheng was never afraid of an argument. "I abide by the laws set by the city lord. What wrong have I done? If you two brothers believe I have done anything amiss, we can discuss it with the city lord. But to come here openly with weapons—this is surely..."

One of Yu Yunqiu's retainers picked up a stone and hurled it, striking Tie Baisheng on the forehead. Don't underestimate that stone. It was a flying stone technique, the retainer's renowned specialty. The stone was thrown with immense force and weight, and it was both precise and ruthless. Tie Baisheng's head bled profusely, and he fell from the wall, unconscious. Yu Yunqiu immediately ordered an attack on the shipyard.

Over two thousand retainers charged forward. Those at the forefront operated enormous siege engines, ramming their massive battering rams against the factory's main gate. Tie Baisheng also had retainers under him, but not many—only two hundred. These two hundred retainers notched their arrows and stood ready, yet not a single one made a move. They certainly had been loyal to Tie Baisheng in ordinary times and should have fought for him. But now Tie Baisheng lay on the ground, his fate uncertain. Should this battle still be fought?

Just as they hesitated, a whistle suddenly roared from above the iron gate, and high-temperature steam erupted from within. The steam was extremely hot and under immense pressure, unbearable even for inner-province inhabitants. The retainers in the front ranks quickly retreated, and the siege engine also pulled back. Tie Baisheng had long anticipated this day. He knew many grandees disliked him, so he had put considerable effort into his defenses. This large iron gate was extremely sturdy. After being rammed several times by the siege engine, it only had a dent, without any serious damage, and the steam pipes around the gate continued to continuously spew steam.

Yu Yunqiu still wanted to order a charge, but Ao Shuangqian spoke up. "Elder brother, it's not that we fear his iron gate. This younger brother just believes we shouldn't sacrifice our retainers' lives in such a place."

"What do you propose, Brother Ao?"

"The last enslaved person to enter the gate seems to be from Brother Yu's household. This person might still be useful."

Yu Yunqiu chuckled. "What use could a foolish, enslaved person be?"

Ao Shuangqian said, "Precisely because he is foolish, he is of great use. Enslaved people are like sand; if one grain moves, the others will scatter."

Yu Yunqiu nodded slightly, then turned and asked Gong, an enslaved person beside him, "Do you recognize that enslaved person from earlier?"

Gong, prostrating himself on the ground, replied, "Yes, I do. His name is Shun."

Yu Yunqiu shouted towards the shipyard, "Shun, I know you've been wronged. I've come to take you home. All past matters are forgotten. Shun, you are a member of my Yu family. You are different from them. Those of the Yu family are protected by me, and I will bear any burden, no matter how great. Shun, open the gate, and I will take you home."

Everyone's gaze fell upon Shun. Shun stood bewildered. Gong, hiding behind Yu Yunqiu, shouted, "Shun! How good Master has been to us! Without Master, how could we have lived to this day? One must not forget their roots! Listen to Master and quickly open the gate!"

For a long time, there was no movement inside the shipyard. The steam pressure in the pipes was insufficient, and the steam flow had significantly reduced. Some retainers stated they could withstand it. Yu Yunqiu waved his hand, signaling the siege engine to advance. The retainers slowly advanced with the siege engine. Yu Yunqiu continued to shout, "Prince Pingyuan has gone to Chaoge to deal with matters in Prou Province. He is from Prou Province; he will not return to the capital. He simply doesn't care whether you live or die."

The siege engine once again reached the gate and began to ram it.

*Boom!* The massive gate shuddered, each impact striking the hearts of those inside.

Yu Yunqiu said, "Shun, we shared a master-servant bond, and I haven't forgotten that connection. If you open the gate now, all inside will be forgiven. This gate won't hold much longer. If you persist in your delusion, once the gate is breached, not a single person in the factory will be spared!"

These words sent shivers through everyone in the factory.

An old shipwright looked at Shun and slowly said, "Son, go open the gate. Lord Yu has presided over the capital for many years; I trust him." Several older enslaved people also urged him: "Open the gate, Lord Yu won't lie to you." "The city lord is gone. What are we doing here? If we don't open the gate, we'll all die here!" "Shun, go open the gate. Don't cause harm to everyone!"

Shun shuffled his body and slowly moved towards the gate. Among the retainers on the wall, a few aimed their arrows at Shun, merely for show. The others remained indifferent; none of them wanted to risk their lives over this.

Shun reached the gate. The gate's turning wheel was right on the door; two turns and the gate would open. Opening this gate meant survival, meant putting on shackles and returning to the sheds, living until the day he died.

Yu Yunqiu shouted, "Shun, if you don't open the gate now, our connection will be severed!"

*Boom!* The main gate had already cracked.

Shun looked at Huan, who kept her head down, silent. Behind Huan was the old shipwright. Shun had always learned his craft from the old shipwright, who had told him that in another year, he could become a senior worker. And there was Tie Baisheng, lying on the ground, who had promised Shun a raise—this very month. With the raise, Shun and Huan could rent a better house.

Another crack appeared on the main gate. Just a few days, like a dream, so beautiful, unrealistically beautiful, about to shatter along with this gate.

Shun looked at the gate's turning wheel. Gong, outside the gate, shouted, "Shun, you ungrateful beast! Why aren't you opening the gate? What are you waiting for?"

Shun touched the turning wheel. Then he let go. He turned around, his back pressed firmly against the gate.

*Boom!* Shun's body trembled.

He looked at Huan, at the shipyard, at the wages that had fallen from his pocket.

*Boom!* His vision swam, and a thought echoed in his mind: *Is all this real?*

*Boom!* *It's real.*

*If I push a little longer, it will still be real.*

*Boom!* *If the gate doesn't break, it's still real!*

*Boom!* Shun let out a cry and collapsed to the ground; he couldn't hold on any longer.

Huan rushed forward and pushed alongside Shun. A dozen young enslaved people also rushed forward, desperately pushing against the gate. A crowd of enslaved people piled on, one on top of another, pushing against the gate together. The older enslaved people were terrified. "What are you doing? What are you trying to do?"

*Boom!* A group of enslaved people were pushed aside, but more rushed forward. More and more enslaved people gathered at the gate. They didn't know how long they could hold out, nor how long the gate would last. But as long as the gate didn't break, they would keep pushing. If the gate broke, they would push with their own flesh and blood.

After waiting for a while, they realized the gate hadn't broken, and the sound of ramming had also disappeared. Why wasn't the siege engine ramming the gate anymore? Had the battering ram broken? The enslaved people couldn't see, but the retainers on the wall could see clearly. The battering ram hadn't broken. The person driving the siege engine was dead.

Li Qi stood on the wall, lifting the brim of his hat, and smiled as he looked at the enslaved people. They understood: the time had come. The enslaved people craned their necks, looking at Li Qi. Was that the city lord? Didn't they say he had gone to Chaoge? Didn't they say he wouldn't return?

Li Qi turned around, looked outside the wall, his smile gone, and pulled his hat brim low. He looked at Yu Yunqiu and Ao Shuangqian and asked, "Gathering a mob to commit atrocities, do you confess your guilt?"

Ao Shuangqian looked at Yu Yunqiu. Yu Yunqiu had said that Li Qi was already inside the fish's belly, which was why Ao Shuangqian had dared to bring his retainers to battle.

Li Banfeng asked again, "Harming the innocent, do you confess your guilt?"

Yu Yunqiu didn't know what was happening. He was certain that the great fish had swallowed Li Qi.

Li Qi stood on the wall, drawing his Tang blade. "Your wickedness is complete, your crimes unforgivable. What more do you have to say?"

Yu Yunqiu and Ao Shuangqian had much more to say, but Li Qi didn't give them the chance. His wife changed the record, and a resounding battle anthem began to play, its song echoing throughout the entire capital. A swarm of shadows moved freely, and wherever they passed, flesh and blood splattered.