Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 239 Your Majesty, may I send my greetings?

On the second day after setting sail, the wind and waves gradually subsided.

The sea was smooth, the sun was warm, and everything seemed so normal and peaceful.

This calm allowed the two groups, who had just experienced the horror of their escape, to completely let down their guard.

suddenly
"Boom boom boom!"

"Grand Secretary Qian! Grand Secretary! Something terrible has happened!"

The door was pushed open, and Qian Longxi was sitting with several confidants around a sea chart, dreaming of a comfortable and wealthy life in Hirado. Hearing this, he was startled.

"Why are you so alarmed?"

The boat captain, Yang Fan, looked grave. He cupped his hands in greeting and said in a low voice, "Your Excellency, please come with me."

He led Qian Longxi to one side of the deck, pointing towards the bottom of the ship, his voice filled with just the right amount of worry and urgency:

"Your Excellency, after you rested last night, a strong wind arose at sea. Perhaps due to the large waves, the sailors discovered during their inspection that the main keel of the ship seems to have struck something in the water and suffered a hidden injury. Seawater is currently slowly seeping in! Although it is not fatal, if we continue to brave the wind and waves and force our way to Hirado, I fear... I fear the keel will not be able to withstand the weight, and there is a risk of the ship sinking and all lives lost!"

"What?!" Qian Longxi was shocked, his usual composure completely gone.

The ship sank and everyone on board perished!

All the comfort and wealth he enjoyed in his later life were built on the fact that the ship was able to reach Hirado safely!

He grabbed Yang Fan's arm and asked anxiously, "Then... what should we do? Is it possible to fix it?"

Yang Fan shook his head with a troubled expression: "There's nowhere to get leverage at sea, how can we repair it? The best course of action now is..."

He turned around and quickly retrieved the nautical chart, spread it out in front of Qian Longxi, and pointed to a lone ship marker on the chart.

"Your Excellency, please look around. We are now in the middle of nowhere, with no village in front and no shop behind, surrounded by the vast sea. There is only one way to survive."

His finger moved slowly across the nautical chart, finally landing heavily on the name of a port that was all too familiar.

"Turn northwest and sail into... Ningbo Port."

"Ningbo?" Qian Longxi's pupils suddenly contracted.

“Exactly.” Yang Fan’s expression was one of helplessness. “Only there can it be fully repaired. This is the only foolproof solution!”

"But...but that's the imperial naval port!" Qian Longxi's voice changed.

Throw yourself into a trap?

How is this any different from courting death?!

Yang Fan seemed to sense his concerns, patted his chest, and said with a righteous expression, "Don't worry, Your Excellency! For others, it's a den of dragons and tigers, but for you, it's a smooth road! I have a few close friends over there, all officers in charge of the port. As long as we have enough money, we'll just repair the ship, not ask anyone for help, and certainly not report it. Once the ship is repaired, we'll set sail again without anyone noticing, ensuring absolute safety!"

Qian Longxi's face showed a mixture of emotions.

Reason told him that there might be a trap involved.

But the fact that the hull was leaking water and the immense fear of the ship sinking and everyone dying threw him into a panic.

More importantly, Yang Fan's words once again precisely struck at his most stubborn belief—that money is omnipotent.

Yes, what can't money solve?

Aren't the officers and soldiers in Ningbo also human beings?

Torn between the fear of death and a superstitious belief in the power of money, after a fierce internal struggle, Qian Longxi finally gritted his teeth.

"Very well! As you say! Let's head to Ningbo! Just name your price, and I, Qian, will not be stingy!"

"Your Excellency is wise!" A barely perceptible sarcasm flashed in Yang Fan's eyes. He then clasped his hands in a deep fist salute, turned around, and strode away to deliver the order.

……

At almost the same time, in another seemingly calm sea area.

On the Wende, Kong Zhaoyuan held the manuscripts of sages in his hands, silently comprehending the essence of the Dao while facing the vast and boundless energy between the sea and the sky.

Suddenly, the hatch was violently kicked open.

Several Korean sailors, who had previously been respectful, now barged in with cold and fierce expressions on their faces and drew their swords.

"What...what are you going to do?!" Kong Zhaoyuan was shocked, and several members of the Kong family immediately shielded him behind them.

However, the sailors did not answer at all, but instead forced them out of the cabin with knives.

The deck was already in complete chaos.

Dozens of core members of the Kong family, regardless of age or gender, were forced out of their cabins by the fierce sailors and gathered in the center of the deck.

They were dressed in Goryeo attire, but their faces were filled with the fear and bewilderment typical of the Central Plains gentry.

"Boatman! Where is the boatman?! What's going on? Are you rebelling?!" Kong Zhaoyuan trembled with anger as he shouted sternly.

Not far away, on the accompanying auxiliary ships, the same scene was unfolding.

The deck was filled with the Kong clan members who had been driven out. They shouted in terror from dozens of feet away, but their voices were broken by the sea breeze and could not be heard clearly at all.

All I could see were faces contorted with fear!
Just then, Chen Hui, the tall North Korean ship's bowman, slowly walked out of the captain's cabin.

The honesty and worry on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by a playful and cold expression, like a cat toying with a mouse.

The sailors behind him drew their swords with a clang, the gleaming blades shattering the last vestiges of hope for the Kong clan.

Panic spread through the crowd like a plague. It's over!

We've encountered pirates!
Kong Zhaoyuan's heart sank to the bottom.

He never imagined that, despite all his precautions and evasion of the imperial court's henchmen, he would fall victim to a group of greedy pirates at sea!

Kong Zhaoyuan forced himself to remain calm, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, "Brave warrior! We are merchants from Goryeo, and our ship is loaded with goods. As long as you do not harm any people, you may take all the gold and silver you own!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Hui let out a low, cold laugh.

He slowly walked to the terrified Kong Zhaoyuan and looked the elder of the Kong clan over.

Then, he leaned close to Kong Zhaoyuan's ear and whispered:

"Mr. Kong, there's no need to panic."

His voice was as soft as a lover's murmur, but the content of it made Kong Zhao'an feel as if he had fallen into an icy abyss.

"Your Majesty, may I convey your greetings?"

Kong Zhaoyuan's mind went completely blank for a moment!

Your Majesty...which Your Majesty?
That legendary young and cold face instantly appeared in Kong Zhaoyuan's mind.

Kong Zhaoyuan's legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground. The manuscript of the sages in his hand fell to the deck with a thud. His eyes, which were looking northwest, were filled with endless despair!
……

When the familiar coastline of Ningbo Port appeared at the bow of the Kunpeng, Qian Longxi felt a sense of control, like returning home.

Money paves the way; there's no problem in this world that can't be solved.

The fleet slowly entered the port.

"Kunyi to Kunwu, enter docks one and two. Wende and its auxiliary vessels, enter docks three and four." Flag signals came from the port pilot ship, giving precise instructions.

Qian Longxi noticed that another fleet flying the Goryeo flag was also entering the port with them. He felt a little strange, but he didn't think much of it and just assumed they were ordinary merchant ships.

However, as the Kunpeng slowly approached the dock, the confidence on his face began to freeze inch by inch.

It's too quiet.

The entire Ningbo Port was as quiet as a ghost town.

In the past, this place was filled with masts, hundreds of boats raced, and the dock was noisy.

But today, the port is empty, with only their few ships and the surrounding stationary warships.

The wide pier was deserted, with only the monotonous sound of waves crashing against the stone base and the naval flags fluttering in the wind.

A chilling and oppressive atmosphere swept over us.

"What...what's going on?" Qian Longxi's voice was a little hoarse.

“That’s strange,” Yang Fan said, a hint of confusion appearing on his face. “Perhaps the naval camp is under martial law because of a drill today. It’s alright, Your Excellency, I’m here.”

His composure gave Qian Longxi a last shred of false comfort.

Accompanied by Yang Fan, Qian Longxi descended the gangway with a heavy heart.

He saw that the Korean merchant ships in the adjacent docks number three and four had also docked, but strangely, apart from the expressionless sailors, there wasn't a single merchant in sight.

It was as if those ships had come carrying only air.

The thought sent a chill down his spine, and a strong sense of foreboding washed over him.

Just as he was filled with doubt and uncertainty, the deathly silence around the dock was completely shattered by the sudden sound of footsteps!

"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!"

In an instant, a strange change occurred!
The huge warehouse doors on both sides of the dock burst open, and countless foot soldiers surged out, completely surrounding the dock!
On the deck of the warship, countless figures surged about, wearing flying fish robes and embroidered spring knives, with the flags of the Imperial Guards fluttering in the wind!
At the horizon, dust billowed, and armored cavalrymen stood like a forest!

At this moment, the sailors on the ship instantly changed their attitude and drove the more than 300 members of the Qian family to the shore!

Amidst the horrified gazes of all the Qian clan members, a massive twelve-patterned dragon flag rose defiantly against the sea breeze!
Under the banner, a person stands silently with their hands behind their back.

Wearing a dark robe with a dragon motif and a winged crown, his posture was as upright as a pine tree. He was looking down at the group of prey who had walked into his trap on the dock with the same gaze one would give an ant.

That young yet cold face... who else could it be but the emperor?!

The moment Qian Longxi saw that face clearly, it was as if a real lightning bolt had exploded in his mind!

All the plans, all the wishful thinking, all the beliefs, were crushed to pieces by that cold gaze at this moment!

He finally understood.

From the moment he stepped out of the Wuxi city gate, every step he took landed precisely on the opponent's chessboard!
The so-called ocean, the so-called freedom, the so-called shedding one's skin...

"Pfft!"

Qian Longxi's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground like a rag doll.

He looked up at the god-like figure, at the dragon flag fluttering wildly in the sea breeze, and felt as if all the strength in his chest had been drained away, leaving only boundless regret and despair.

With his last ounce of strength, Qian Longxi forced out a desperate roar from the deepest part of his throat:

"His Majesty--!!!!"

(End of this chapter)