IDWBE -Chapter 133 Different

If he weren’t wary of Zhang Mian’s so-called “official etiquette,” he would have stormed over and killed them outright!

Shan Qi stroked his beard and smiled without speaking.

A commandant entered and reported, “My lord, Jiang Kan, Superintendent of the Nanzhou Navy, requests an audience.”

Shan Qi said in surprise, “So soon? I thought he would hold out a few more days. Since he’s already here, let him wait a few more hours. Someone come—prepare a banquet. I’ve been here for days and haven’t properly shared a drink with everyone. That is my fault.”

Everyone was delighted, and a grand feast was laid out.

By the time Jiang Kan entered—after waiting a full two hours—Zhang Mian and the others were feasting heartily, not sparing him a glance.

Jiang Kan snorted at them before turning to Shan Qi, seated at the head of the table. He clasped his fists.

“Lord Shan, we meet again.”

As a military officer, he needed to kneel only to his commanding general—not to just anyone.

Shan Qi smiled. “Lord Jiang, please sit.”

Inwardly, he sighed at how ritual propriety had decayed.

“Thank you, my lord.”

Jiang Kan stepped forward without hesitation and sat at Shan Qi’s lower seat. He raised his wine cup.

“A toast to you all.”

He drained it in one gulp.

Shan Qi applauded lightly. “Lord Jiang has an impressive capacity for drink. I truly admire it.”

Jiang Kan smiled. “Lord Shan, I am a blunt man. I never speak in riddles. May I ask what you mean by sealing the harbor?”

Shan Qi replied, “As Provincial Administration Commissioner, it is my duty to ensure the safety of the region. Sanhe is poor, bandits run rampant. If they escape from Fangniao Island into the sea, it will be troublesome. At that time, how could I answer to His Majesty?”

“Our Nanzhou Navy is also acting under imperial orders to suppress bandits,” Jiang Kan said darkly. “Why, then, do you forbid us from landing?”

“If I hadn’t seen Lord Jiang in person,” Shan Qi said calmly, “I might have thought these were pirates impersonating you—daring to intercept passing merchant ships.”

“Lord Shan is indeed thorough,” Jiang Kan said with a sudden smile. “Since you have verified our identity, might you now reopen the harbor?”

“Aren’t you also suppressing bandits?” Shan Qi replied lightly. “Have you finished investigating the merchant ships you’ve intercepted en route to Fangniao Island?”

Although many large ships entered Baiyun City through the West River, ever since the road from Baiyun City to Fangniao Island was completed, more merchants preferred to land at Fangniao Island and travel overland.

Fangniao Island was now Sanhe’s most important gateway to the South Sea.

The Nanzhou Navy had intercepted merchant vessels for a full month, causing immeasurable losses to Sanhe—the most direct impact being on tax revenue.

The Provincial Administration had collected less money.

That was the true reason Shan Qi had rushed here.

“Pirates are cunning. We must be cautious,” Jiang Kan said sternly. “If we allow them to plunder freely and something happens, can Lord Shan bear the responsibility?”

“Roving bandits from Chuzhou, Yuezhou, and Hongzhou have already fled into Sanhe,” Shan Qi replied, lifting his teacup. “I bear responsibility as well. If the bandits grow too strong, I will not be able to bear it either.”

Shan Yin gestured. “Lord Jiang, please.”

“Lord Shan, take care of yourself.”

Jiang Kan flicked his sleeve and strode away.

That night, the Nanzhou Navy sent fifty or sixty skilled men to force a landing.

Wen Qian (eighth rank) and Shan Yin (seventh rank) held the line. The Nanzhou Navy suffered fifteen casualties.

The next day—

Shan Yin hurried in. “Uncle, the Nanzhou Navy claims they’ve captured the pirates.”

Shan Qi nodded in satisfaction. “Then lift the blockade. Let them resupply—and they must leave port today.”

Shan Yin hurried out to carry out the order.

The very day the Nanzhou Navy’s twenty-three large ships departed Fangniao Island, more than seventy merchant vessels of various sizes entered the harbor.

The streets of Fangniao Island returned to their former bustle, lively and prosperous.

On the return journey, Shan Qi did not take a large ship. Instead, he traveled by carriage along the newly built road, accompanied by over a hundred soldiers.

The scenery along the way was magnificent; people everywhere were cheerful.

The Li tribespeople in the mountains, having worked alongside Sanhe soldiers during road construction, no longer feared them. They came out with goods to sell.

Shan Qi faintly sensed how different Sanhe was from other places.

Ancient generals spoke of “not taking even a thread from the common people.” How many truly achieved that?

Sanhe’s soldiers were nobodies—but they had truly done it.

Even without stopping, the journey still took half a month before they returned to Baiyun City.

Once again, Shan Qi marveled at how vast Sanhe was.

When Lin Yi heard Shan Qi had returned, he paid little attention.

He was currently troubled by monkeys coming down from the mountain.

Next to Prince He’s residence had once been an orphanage. As the number of orphans grew, it was relocated elsewhere.

The abandoned space was incorporated into the residence after Lin Yi demolished the dividing wall, turning it into quarters for servants and guards.

But a new problem arose.

The orphanage children had secretly fed the monkeys from the mountain. Over time, the monkeys grew accustomed to people and fearless, arriving daily in large groups.

If you bared your teeth at them, they would scratch you.

Looking at the two golden-furred little monkeys playing on his shoulders, Lin Yi felt helpless. No matter how he chased them, they wouldn’t leave!

“You think I won’t eat monkey brains?” he muttered.

He carefully brushed them off his shoulders—not daring to use force. The older monkeys were watching from the wall.

These creatures held grudges.

People are called clever as monkeys—but no one says monkeys are clever as people. That shows how troublesome monkeys truly are.

Even Xiao Huang and Da Hei—both fierce dogs—walked around them.

The two little monkeys landed and immediately bounced back onto the table, chattering pitifully at Lin Yi.

“Go home,” Lin Yi pointed at an older monkey on the wall. “Your mom’s calling you to dinner.”

Mingyue burst out laughing. “Your Highness, shall I chase them away? If they won’t listen, a beating will fix it.”

Lin Yi pondered. “Set up a feeding point on the mountain. Don’t let them come down freely anymore.”

Otherwise, he couldn’t even eat in peace—turn your head once and your food was gone.

These creatures had no shame at all!

Mingyue arranged for guards to scatter corn and bananas on the mountain daily.

The monkeys coming down indeed decreased.

But one little monkey still took up permanent residence in Prince He’s manor—riding Xiao Huang and Da Hei like mounts, strutting about arrogantly.

If not for the prince’s restraint, it would have been kicked out long ago.

Lin Yi welcomed his second Spring Festival in Sanhe.

As expected, he once again stared blankly at a table full of dishes—alone.

“Let’s set off a thousand taels’ worth of fireworks for the noise.”

After dinner, Lin Yi had the fireworks he’d purchased arranged throughout the garden.

When lit together, they exploded brilliantly in the sky, drawing the attention of the entire Baiyun City.

Standing at the gate until midnight, he suddenly smiled.

“This prince has now turned twenty!”

“Congratulations, Your Highness!”

More than a hundred guards and servants knelt in the courtyard.

Lin Yi said to Mingyue, “Everyone has worked hard coming to Sanhe with me. Give each person one tael of silver as a red envelope. May everyone in the new year be healthy, happy, have their wishes fulfilled, and enjoy great fortune.”

“Thank you, Your Highness! May Your Highness live for a thousand years!”

“Get up,” Lin Yi waved. “It’s a holiday. Be happy—no need to be so solemn. Han Deqing! Bao Kui!”

“Your subordinate is here!”

“Light the lamps. Bring out the big table. I’ll bankroll the Pai Gow—if you’ve got the skill, win from me!”

He set down a tray carried by Hong Ying—filled with gold and silver.

Everyone’s eyes lit up. There were even gold melon seeds among it!

At the gambling table, there was no hierarchy.

That night, Lin Yi lost five hundred and thirty taels.

The next morning, after sobering up, the pain in his heart nearly stopped his breath.

Under Lin Yi’s strict supervision and Ye Qiu’s careful tending, the garden bloomed splendidly.

As Lin Yi bent to smell a begonia blossom, Fang Pi ran over.

“Your Highness, there’s a woman here. Very beautiful.”

“Very beautiful?” Lin Yi’s eyes lit up. “Did she give a name?”

Fang Pi scratched his head. “She did. I think it was Liu Ruyan.”

“Liu Ruyan?”

Ever since confirming that the Liu Ruyan of Baiyun City was the same as the one in Ankang City, Lin Yi had lost interest.

After all, she was Jiang Chong’s adopted daughter—connected to the secret guards.

“Let her in,” Lin Yi said after a pause.

Holding a teacup, he watched as Liu Ruyan walked in gracefully, like a painting brought to life. He swallowed involuntarily.

“Ruyan greets Your Highness.”

She spoke as she stepped directly before him.

“You’re still as beautiful as ever. I’ve missed you,” Lin Yi said, pointing to a chair.

Mingyue quietly withdrew, muttering “vixen” under her breath.

“Your Highness teases me,” Liu Ruyan said coquettishly. “I’ve been here so long, yet you never once came to see me.”

“Is that so?” Lin Yi said. Knowing her identity, he could never return to the past. “Tell the truth. Why did you come to Sanhe?”

“Your Highness, I missed you. So I came.”

She sat to his right.

“Tell the truth,” Lin Yi said coolly. “A woman’s mouth is a lying ghost. I don’t believe you.”

She froze. The prince had never spoken so heartlessly before.

With feigned grievance, she said, “Your Highness left the capital and may not know. Last year, Ankang City selected a new courtesan queen. I am aging and fading—how could I compete? So I came to Baiyun City.”

Lin Yi snorted inwardly.

Though twenty-three, she was still breathtaking.

At worst, she could have married some wealthy, honest man in Ankang City.

“You’ve earned enough money for two lifetimes. Why struggle like this?” Lin Yi calculated silently. Even someone as frugal as he was had probably spent two thousand taels on her—in just two years.