CHAPTER 436: CHAPTER 433: NO GOOD END

Steward Jiang looked at the person arranging the meeting; it was Hu Qi from under Pu Shou, and Steward Jiang felt surprised. The person meeting him should have been Hu San, but somehow it had changed to Hu Qi.

"Why didn’t Third Young Master come?" Steward Jiang asked.

Hu Qi replied, "Something happened at sea. Mr. Li brought Manager Pu and third brother there."

Under Pu Shou, there were quite a few people. Hu Family brothers were not originally needed, yet even Hu San was taken away this time.

Steward Jiang exclaimed enviously, "Third Young Master will certainly be put to significant use when he returns. It might not be long before Lord Qi also works alongside Mr. Li. Both Third Young Master and Lord Qi will flourish; don’t forget the small ones."

Hu Qi felt joyful from Steward Jiang’s words and only said, "My third brother is good at boxing and kicking; he will undoubtedly make a great contribution this time."

Steward Jiang confirmed his suspicion; Mr. Li indeed has big plans at sea.

"So will Lord Qi also head there?" Steward Jiang inquired amid Hu Qi’s good mood.

Hu Qi said, "People like us cannot go. I must first deliver the goods onto the ship and leave here to avoid being watched."

The large ship was to leave the shore and hide so that people on land couldn’t discover their trail, and then they’d wait for news there.

Rarely praised by Steward Jiang, Hu Qi was pleased. His staff was also short-handed after his third brother left allowing him to handle smaller matters. Quickly deciding, he instructed Steward Jiang, "Do you want to take a look at the sea?"

Steward Jiang’s eyes lit up, and he hastily agreed.

Hu Qi said, "There are quite a lot of goods this time. Take a few people and come aboard with me to help."

Steward Jiang immediately beamed, "Don’t worry, my people are reliable."

While they were talking, Hu Qi suddenly noticed someone unknown, carrying a box, approaching them closely. They had just been conversing here, and surely this person had overheard.

Hu Qi instantly frowned. Steward Jiang followed Hu Qi’s gaze; initially tight, but then he smiled and said, "Fear not, Lord Qi, this is a person I saved from a group of mountain bandits. He’s deaf, unclear in speech but strong. I took him in, and he’s ranked nineteenth in my charge."

Hu Qi nodded and said, "Let’s go, select a few people to come aboard with me."

Steward Jiang happily obliged and hurried off to arrange personnel.

Steward Jiang brought along a few trusted confidants and boarded the ship with Hu Qi while his remaining men went off to rest. Meanwhile, his newly recruited brother continued busying himself in the yard. As a newcomer, he naturally handled the dirtiest jobs. Inside the house, snoring resounded while he fed hay to the mule.

Contrary to appearances, he could hear all sounds; the movements in the house all fell within his ears. Waiting until the room echoed with snoring from all sides, he quietly walked out to a large tree where he slipped a note within.

The note stated the direction of Steward Jiang’s ship’s course.

...

Far away from Daqi at sea.

Hu Qi and Steward Jiang stood side by side. Steward Jiang had been to sea before; he knew his master’s fleet was exceptionally powerful at sea, though he had never seen it firsthand.

Hu Qi was delighted today: "I guess Mr. Li is not far away; otherwise, he wouldn’t let us wait here. After the tasks over there are done, our ship can go forth and then transfer goods to Mr. Li’s vessel."

Steward Jiang responded, but still showed curiosity, "Is it because some sea merchant was disobedient requiring Mr. Li’s presence for punishment?"

Hu Qi chuckled, "Which sea merchant dares oppose us? Even if pirates come, we won’t fear them. Let me tell you, Mr. Li is capturing people."

Steward Jiang asked, perplexed, "Capturing people?"

Hu Qi replied, "Nearby are some small islands. The people there are either fishermen fleeing from Daqi or vassal people with strange appearances. They live by fishing, trading. These people, like your newly recruited nineteenth, are not bright but are strong. Mr. Li offered them a chance to come over. Who knew they wouldn’t agree? Hence, we can only deploy manpower to capture and imprison them, then send them to serve labor."

Steward Jiang finally understood: "These people also lack discernment. What unwillingness can they have when working for Mr. Li?"

Hu Qi also laughed and patted Steward Jiang’s shoulder: "Do your job well; you’ll have a bright future."

As they spoke, the large ship had arrived at the designated place.

Hu Qi ordered, "Stop here."

Not far off was a small island, black smoke billowing; Hu Qi peered ahead: "Looks like those people are causing quite a stir." Yet, no matter how fierce, they were weaponless and would soon be subdued by Mr. Li.

Li Tao watched the island’s people being bound and thrown onto the large ship without expression; bringing them back, the men would mine, and the women handed over to Zheng.

All military preparations instructed by Prince Lu must be perfect, without error. Lacking manpower, they simply captured them instead of calling a doctor to attend to those cheap laborers.

"Master," Pu Shou said, "Almost settled."

They’d already boarded everyone usable onto the ship.

"Let’s go," Li Tao gazed at the corpses scattered ashore, at sea, "Burn it down with a fire, dispose cleanly. Even if investigated, it can be attributed to pirates."

Pu Shou said, "You can rest assured, this place is a distance from Daqi. Naturally, no one manages it, and pirates arriving are usual. Nobody will trace it to us."

Li Tao commanded indifferently: "Once it’s cleaned up, set sail. We have other tasks pending." He couldn’t waste too much time on those lowly people.

Pu Shou instructed people for cleanup, and two watches later, the large ship finally slowly departed the island.

A rancid smell of burning corpses wafted from the island.

In a partially collapsed house, a little girl tightly held her brother’s hand, faces of the siblings streaked with tears. Their parents had hidden them here, instructed them never to emerge no matter what.

They listened to the screams outside, their minds filled with their kin’s tragic demise.

The sister bit her lips firmly; she wanted to rush out, but she had to protect her brother, ensuring her brother survived safely.

Finally, the outside noises gradually faded. The sister took her brother and ran out.

Not far were their mother’s remains; the siblings sobbed bitterly, then searched for other relatives.

More kin’s bodies piled together, consumed by the blaze.

The two sat nearby watching the scorching fire, as though they could hear their kin wailing amid the flames.

"I know who they are," the sister said, "When... Someday I must avenge father, mother."

The siblings embraced each other.

After what seemed an eternity, footsteps drew near and reached them.

The sister instinctively protected her brother.

"Don’t be afraid," Chang Tong stooped down, "I am not a bad person."

The sister remained wary.

Chang Tong said, "Do you know who those people are? Such heinous acts, they will surely meet a grim fate."

Chang Tong searched within his coat, found some dry food, and placed it at the children’s feet: "I’ll go see if others can be saved."

Just as Chang Tong was about to leave, the sister suddenly stepped forward and clung to his leg: "I know who they...they are."