Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"Lord Li's insights have truly impressed me."

Song Yin took a deep breath, suppressing his shock, and his tone became more respectful.

"His Majesty's decision to send you and me to Quanzhou is truly a wise choice. In Quanzhou, the local gentry are deeply entrenched, and smuggling is rampant despite repeated crackdowns."

"This journey may be fraught with danger. I wonder if Lord Li is afraid?"

Li Changqing stood up, straightened the wide sleeves of his official robes, and a faint yet confident smile appeared on his lips.

"Those in positions of power must fulfill their duties. Now that I have accepted the seal of this Imperial Inspector, I am here to inspect the coastal borders on behalf of the Emperor. Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents; danger is inevitable."

Li Changqing walked to the door of the duty room and looked back at Song Yin.

"However, I have heard that the Ming Dynasty's naval cannons have a range of ten li. With such powerful national weapons backing us up, what are there to fear from demons and monsters?"

After saying this, Li Changqing gave a slight bow and strode out of the Minister's office.

Song Yin stood alone, watching Li Changqing's receding figure.

The early summer sunlight shone on the man's blue official robes, revealing to him a profound and majestic aura of a master.

"This Ming Dynasty truly is a place where hidden talents abound."

Song Yin muttered to himself.

He shook his head, returned to his desk, and felt no longer worried about his trip to Quanzhou.

With such a person as an assistant, those local clowns are nothing but grasshoppers in autumn.

Three days later, on the Grand Canal.

An official ship bearing the dual banners of the Minister of Revenue and the Imperial Inspector broke through the water and headed south.

Li Changqing stood at the bow of the boat, the river breeze blowing through his long hair.

He gazed at the receding green hills and clear waters on both sides of the river. He had seen this magnificent landscape countless times throughout his hundred years of life.

But each time he assumes a new identity and embarks on a new journey, it always brings him a different state of mind.

"Quanzhou..."

Li Changqing silently pondered the place name in his heart.

That was the southern gateway of the Ming Dynasty to the vast ocean, a vortex of wealth and bloodshed.

There, as Li Changqing, he will once again make his most decisive move on this enormous chessboard called "The World".

……

The waters of the Grand Canal have flowed majestically from north to south for hundreds of years.

The landscapes on both sides of the strait gradually transformed from the ruggedness of the north to the gentleness of the south, and finally incorporated the unique humid heat and salty tang of the Minyue region.

A 500-ton official ship bearing the dual imperial envoy flags of the Ministry of Revenue and the Censorate was cutting through the gently rippling river, sailing slowly southward.

On the deck at the bow of the ship, there was a deck chair made of purple bamboo.

Li Changqing was wearing a light, moon-white silk Taoist robe, his hair casually tied in a Taoist bun, his eyes half-closed, enjoying the river breeze.

He waved the old, worn-out folding fan in his hand intermittently.

[Ding! Today's attendance complete. Attribute point gained +1.]

"Add to the spirit."

Li Changqing silently recited this in his heart.

A wisp of pure energy, like a cold spring on a mountain peak, gently wafted from the depths of the mind, flowing through the eight extraordinary meridians throughout the body.

The sticky, humid heat brought by the southward migration of early summer vanished completely at this moment.

He slightly opened his eyes, looking at the merchant ships shuttling back and forth on both sides of the river and the laborers carrying and unloading cargo at the dock, a deep and distant look flashing in his eyes.

He had traveled this canal countless times.

When he was serving as Right Vice-General Pei Yuan, he rode on a magnificent ship with a capacity of a thousand liang (approximately 500 tons), full of vigor and ambition.

It was laden with real gold and silver extorted from the wealthy gentry of Jiangnan.

Now, dressed in the blue robe of a seventh-rank compiler and bearing the title of a fifth-rank physician, he sits on this ordinary official boat, yet his state of mind is more peaceful than ever before.

The world is like a game of chess that never ends.

The schemes he orchestrated have now yielded fruitful results.

The number of merchant ships traveling on this canal is more than ten times greater than when he was the Grand Secretary.

The lifeblood of the Ming Dynasty beats with unparalleled strength because of the continuous influx of silver from overseas.

"Lord Li is in high spirits."

A steady set of footsteps came from behind.

Song Yin, the Minister of Revenue, dressed in casual clothes and carrying two cups of freshly brewed Wuyi rock tea, slowly walked onto the deck.

Li Changqing did not get up, but simply turned his head slightly and smiled calmly.

"Why is Minister Song out here in the sun instead of resting in his cabin?"

Song Yin handed one of the teacups to Li Changqing and then sat down on the embroidered stool next to him.

"The further south we go, the hotter and more humid the weather becomes, and it's really stuffy in the cabin. I've noticed that Lord Li has been spending these past few days either admiring the scenery on deck or reading travelogues and anecdotes from previous dynasties in the cabin. He's truly living a carefree life, which is enviable."

Song Yin picked up his teacup, his gaze seemingly casually falling on Li Changqing.

During their time together these past few days, Song Yin had been secretly observing this Hanlin compiler who had suddenly been selected by the Emperor.

The more he observed, the deeper his doubts became.

Li Changqing's conduct was completely devoid of the rigid and pedantic air of ordinary civil officials.

He was unconcerned with formalities and his spending on food and drink was extremely casual.

Even when facing himself, a high-ranking official of the second rank, he remained neither humble nor arrogant.

That composure and relaxation ingrained in his very being was something a young editor from a humble background could never fake.

What alarmed Song Yin even more was that whenever the two chatted about the taxes and levies of the prefectures and counties along the way, as well as the waste from the canal transport, Li Changqing would occasionally chime in with a few words, always hitting the nail on the head regarding the advantages and disadvantages.

He's as shrewd and experienced as an old fox who's spent half his life navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom.

Li Changqing took the teacup, blew on the tea leaves on the surface of the water, and took a small sip.

"Lord Song is too kind. I am but a scholar, and I am quite flustered to suddenly be entrusted with such an important imperial mission."

"Instead of worrying about those incomprehensible ledgers in the cabin, why not enjoy the scenery along the way and relax?"

Song Yin chuckled softly, put down his teacup, and his expression gradually became serious.

"Lord Li is too modest. How could someone who can write such a powerful edict not understand a few account books?"

Song Yin reached out and pointed to the horizon where the water met the sky.

"Once you leave Zhejiang, you'll be in Fujian. Quanzhou, formerly known as Citong City, has been the largest port in the country since the previous dynasty. The depth of the water there doesn't lie in the sea, but in the hearts of the people."

"Lord Li, do you know what the biggest obstacle is to our task of overseeing the construction of the new Maritime Trade Office?"

Li Changqing waved his folding fan, his eyes half-closed, and said in a lazy tone, "This humble official would like to hear the details."

Song Yin lowered his voice, his face frosty.

"Imperial power does not extend to the county level, but clans are above all else. In the Minyue region, which is mostly mountainous with little arable land, the people have a long-standing tradition of going to sea to trade in order to make a living. Several major clans are entrenched there, secretly colluding with pirates and Japanese pirates to control the huge profits of smuggling."

"Our purpose in establishing the Maritime Trade Office is to cut off their source of income and bring the rules of the sea under the control of the imperial court."

"These local bullies have protégés and former officials backing them up in the imperial court, and clans and local militias serving them in the countryside. On the surface, they are respectful to the imperial court, but behind the scenes, who knows how many shady methods they are using."

"This trip was extremely dangerous."

After Song Yin finished speaking, he stared intently at Li Changqing's face, trying to find a trace of hesitation or fear on the young official's face.

However, Li Changqing simply yawned lightly.

He closed the folding fan and tapped it twice in his palm.

"Lord Song, even the most venomous snake in this world is vulnerable to being struck at its vital point. No matter how powerful a clan may be, it is still made of flesh and blood."

Li Changqing turned his head to the side, a casual smile playing on his lips.

"They smuggle because they want money. If it's about money, it's easy. With a knife to their throat and silver in front of them, they choose between having their entire family executed or obediently paying taxes to the court for their safety."

"The clan leaders understand this better than anyone else."