Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 116 Duel Opening Stance: Kill Him One Day Ahead!

"Ee-hiss-ha-hiss-ha"

The next day, when Lu Yunchen excitedly arrived to ask Wang Cheng to accompany him on his shipboard internship, he only saw a courtyard wall with a large hole that had not yet been repaired.

There were also the wealthy brothers, who had just gotten up and were slowly pacing with one hand on the wall and the other on their waist, still grimacing.

"What happened? Did an elephant trample you?"
Let me tell you, in our Jade Capital City there is a Washing Elephant Pool, and a scholar once wrote a poem about it: "The empty pavilion in the back garden presses down on the city moat, the splashing waterfall leaps and the sluice gate is firm. Just as I was about to lean on the railing to watch the washing of the elephants, the Jade River's new waters rose high all at once."

When I was a child, I witnessed a mahout accidentally get trampled by an elephant; that unfortunate fellow looked just like you.

Wang Cheng, with a dark circle under one eye and body aches all over, said irritably:
"I successfully broke through to the sixth rank yesterday. Even if I lay there and let a group of elephants trample on me, they would not be able to step on me, a mere scholar and court official."

Dude, this guy got stepped on by a dragon, okay?

"Don't worry, Young Master Lu, it won't delay your boarding. Come with me."

Lu Yunchen's mind conjured up the image of Yan Yunxiao. She had clearly misunderstood something. He gave her a thumbs up and gave her an ambiguous smile. Geniuses should not follow the conventional path. Speaking of which, "sister stepping on me" can be considered a new track.

Little did he know that Wang Cheng had not lied to him at all; the process was not erotic at all, and he almost lost his life.

As I slowly stretched my body, I felt fortunate:

"I was truly prescient; I didn't ask her for the dragon's molt until after I broke through to the sixth rank."

Otherwise, yesterday next year would be the anniversary of my death, Master Wang.

In fact, not to mention that he is only a sixth-rank official now, which is one rank lower than Yun Xiao, a fifth-rank dragon girl.

Even a fourth-rank official would not gain any advantage if he came to Yuegang, a place now belonging to Madam Yan's Daoist temple.

Although Wang Cheng was already on guard against being hit when he made the request, he still couldn't dodge in time and was sent flying by her shy and timid push.

Fortunately, he managed to wrap himself in a dragon robe and python robe in time, activate the [Transformation into a Dragon] technique to shrink to the size of a cannonball, and have Qingfeng and Honglong slow down as much as possible, thus escaping disaster.

However, yesterday Yunxiao eventually went back to her room and took off her undergarments for him, with a slight sense of relief on her face.

Wang Cheng didn't know what she was celebrating, nor did he know what he had missed.

Yesterday, Yunxiao went back to her room in Guiyuan to change her clothes, then threw the dragon skin she had taken off at his face, pouting her cherry-pink lips as she gave him a fierce warning:
"Xiao Chengzi, I'm warning you, you can only use my dragon molt to practice the Ocean Star-Connecting Technique, you are absolutely not allowed to do any strange or weird things."

In the past, she didn't understand matters between men and women and never took them to heart. In her eyes, romantic love between men and women was no different from watching dog or monkey movies.

Wang Cheng is completely different from a monkey.

【Crossing the Ocean Star-Connecting Technique】After cultivating the natal star official Jiao Wood Dragon, wearing dragon clothes gives one the destiny of a dragon, plus a dragon aura even stronger than a real dragon, so in her eyes it is another dragon.

The only difference is that her transformation was from a dragon to a human, while Wang Cheng's transformation was from a human to a dragon.

She handed over her personal belongings to him to practice magic, and for the first time in her life, she felt the emotion called "shyness," but strangely, she didn't feel the slightest bit of anger.

Wang Cheng, however, was not afraid of being scalded by boiling water. After all, he had seen Sister A Xiao's obsession with her family and knew that she would not be willing to kill him.

He carefully kept the dragon's molt close to his body, then deliberately teased her:

"What strange things are you doing? I've read the Spring and Autumn Annals, and I don't understand what you're saying at all."

Sigh, the adult world is so complicated. I think I'll just call you Aunt Yan from now on.

Yunxiao was speechless, unable to respond to his words:

"It's just... it's just that all we can do is refine techniques."

The naive dragon girl thought Wang Cheng was genuinely simple-minded and clueless about matters between men and women, and that she had misunderstood him. Little did she know that although Wang Cheng had zero practical experience, he was a seasoned expert in theory.

If he were truly to live a dissolute life, the Orchid School would probably place him alongside their founder and worship him.

Seeing the usually aloof and dignified Dragon Girl break down and become shy like a normal girl, Wang Cheng found it very amusing.

There was a strange sense of accomplishment from the reverse of the expected development.

What was that saying again? It's that gentle lowering of the head, like a water lily shyly trembling in the cool breeze, that makes even the wounds on my body feel much better.

He immediately set up an altar and performed a ritual, offering the dragon's molt from Yunxiao to the coin hole of Sihaitongbao, waiting only seven days to use it to upgrade his dragon robe and python robe.

He also got his hands on the secret and orthodox method of Chao Fenglang, the Five Emperors Coin Sword. He was just waiting to gather a batch of "Five Emperors Coins" that would shatter his master's and the others' eyes and create something unprecedented before he would start refining the method.

Soon, Wang Cheng and Lu Yunchen arrived at the dock together.

They saw a massive fleet led by the sailing warship "Qingyi," with more than a dozen 400-ton main warships all flying the same flag.

It belongs to the "Green Robe Escort Agency," which has only been open for a short time.

Having boarded the training ship, the "Blue Robe," Lu Yunchen, who had been completely absorbed in reading foreign language books for some time, could no longer contain himself.

He put his arm around Wang Cheng's shoulder, his face full of resentment:
"Old Wang, when we first met you, my third uncle and I both thought you were just an ordinary hereditary centurion."

I didn't expect you to stop interacting with us as an ordinary person so quickly.

When I got to Yuegang, I realized that you were not honest at all.

Zhi Suitang's disciple, one of the three big ship captains, has his own fleet. The crew members who help me are readily available. I can just call them over with a word. You are the real big shot!

You are much more powerful in Yuegang than I was in the capital.

"Hey, do you know any connections to get a few more sailing warships for our Baoshan Thousand Household Garrison? So the brothers can show off a bit!" Wang Cheng pushed him away, saying irritably.

"Young Master Lu, you really dare to dream big. Do you think sailing warships are like cabbages? You can just buy them with money? Even if you have a ship, how will you manage the sailors?"

Our native land of Dazhao doesn't have this kind of soil.

While other Western countries initiated the Age of Exploration with the help of their nations and royal families, we here are imposing a maritime ban.

They've been banning it again and again, but it's still not working. They've made the local gentry so greedy they're practically drooling over it, and ironically, these very gentry are the least inclined to explore the open seas."

The world outside the Great Zhao Dynasty is changing rapidly, but the people of Great Zhao are still clinging to the old ways and the government is cruelly suppressing those who spontaneously venture into the sea.

How did Da Ying transform from a tiny city into a world-dominating maritime power?
The government's support and the "Fish Eating Day" policy played a crucial role in this success.

Two days a week are designated as "Fish-Eating Days," during which all citizens are only allowed to eat fish and are not allowed to eat meat.

By 1563 AD, which is two years later in the 42nd year of the Shaozhi reign, the "Fish Eating Day" will be increased to three days a week.

In addition to the existing Ember Festival and Lent in April, half of the year is a day for eating fish, which has spurred a large number of adventurers and fishing boats to the Newfoundland fishing grounds.

While creating the iconic fish and chips combo, Britain also trained a large number of well-trained sailors capable of ocean voyages, laying a solid foundation for the British Empire.

"It's already very difficult to get on a ship as an ordinary sailor, let alone become a naval officer."

When officer candidates sign up to board ships at the age of 12, the Navy will conduct a strict political review of these 12-year-olds, checking their family history up to their great-grandfather.

They lived, ate, and fought alongside the sailors in hellish cabins, and when they were too young and weak, they even had to play the role of 'gunpowder monkeys'.

They learn on the job, and before the age of 17, they must complete an education equivalent to a first-year undergraduate degree in general applied mathematics, including calculus and various principles of mechanics.

Through countless battles, as long as one survives, one can grow into an outstanding captain capable of standing alone.

This is the essence of "survival of the fittest"!

"Not to mention, having people also requires oak wood to build warships."

Only oak trees that have grown calmly for a hundred years and reached a height of over 20 meters can produce a section of wood from their trunk that can be used to build the ribs of warships.

One can easily imagine how much robust timber would be needed to assemble such a fleet of battleships, how long the growth cycle would be, and how staggering the procurement price would be.

Under normal circumstances, it would be a long-term plan to rise to power by sailing fleets, and it is impossible to accomplish in one or two generations.

Even sailing fleets are disposable; once they're all gone, even with money, they can't be rebuilt due to a lack of raw materials.

The emperor has banned the sea his entire life. If you have any connections, why not try to get through to the crown prince and see what his attitude is?

Lu Yunchen was somewhat discouraged by what Wang Cheng said. He couldn't believe that the world outside of Da Zhao had become like this, and he couldn't help but feel a little envious of the vastness of the world and the desire to go and see it.

Once the warship weighed anchor and set sail, slowly heading out to sea, he changed the subject, lowering his voice:

"Oh, right, there's something I need to tell you."

Our commander, Xing Baichuan, has a dirty reputation and a personal relationship with Pu Shouying. If it weren't for his high official rank, he would have been stripped of his official position and sent home to farm long ago.

The last time he came to me, he wanted to recruit me to join them in their evil deeds, but I ignored him.

But it's clear he wasn't up to any good.

My third uncle said that, thanks to the intercession of the Imperial Censor Wang Bengu, the Ministry of War allowed some of the dismissed centurions and chiliarchs to compete for recruitment positions.

Three days later, on the first day of the third lunar month, Zhenhaiwei will integrate all its troops and begin training. The group of hereditary officials he has gathered will definitely find an opportunity to challenge the recruited officers.

Especially since you're young and close to me, they'll probably make things difficult for you on purpose. You'd better be careful.

Wang Cheng already knew that among those who carried out the ambush on his father, the corrupt officials of Zhenhai Guard were also involved.

I also saw the name of Xing Baichuan, the commander of Zhenhaiwei, on the list in Pu Shouying's secret room.

As for Wang Bengu, who sought fame and fortune, only cared about gaining a reputation for himself, and disregarded the lives of the coastal people, causing chaos along the coast, he was also part of the same faction.

Since entering officialdom means inevitably clashing with them sooner or later, it's a good opportunity to settle scores and avenge past grievances.

After hearing Lu Yunchen's words, he waved his hand dismissively:

"Young Master Lu, don't worry, I have made all the necessary preparations."

Lu Yunchen was stunned for a moment:
"Safe?"

Even if you have been promoted to the sixth rank, unless the other party's trusted confidant is dead, there is no way to be completely sure about such a thing.
Lu Yunchen was unaware that while the Qingyi was setting sail, the Babao had already arrived near Zhenhaiwei City, located on the northern coast of the Jiulong River, under the cover of a feigned retreat.

The warship that originally belonged to Pu Shouying has now undergone a complete transformation. It has been repainted, and a black skull and crossbones pirate flag is flying high on the mainmast!

They looked almost no different from those outlaws who had fled from Southeast Asia.

Anyone who sees them would assume they are a well-equipped pirate group.

The malevolent spirit in the guise of the Crown Prince, who was acting as a celestial inspector, and Yun Xiao in her human form, the Pearl-Diving Girl, each held up a brass telescope and looked towards the garrison.

Influenced by Wang Cheng's unique skills, the ever-growing white-headed eagle Aji has already spread its wings and soared high, overlooking the entire Zhenhaiwei from the sky.

Wang Cheng's so-called "thorough" preparations were actually quite simple and straightforward.

What should you do if someone deliberately challenges you to a duel, and from the beginning they have ill intentions and are planning to break your limbs?
Send him good luck a day early, and he'll be driven to his death!
(End of this chapter)