IDWBE -Chapter 87 An Open Demotion

To his surprise, the wealthy and powerful families of Sanhe began arriving at his doorstep in an endless stream. And not a single one came empty-handed.

Gold and silver jewels—those went without saying.

They claimed they had come to congratulate him on moving into his new residence.

If he believed that, then pigs would fly.

In the past, when he was the second-generation sea bandit, the kingpin of the salt smugglers, with a fortune worth millions, the gentry of Sanhe had never once given him a proper glance.

Let alone visiting him of their own accord—even if he invited them specially, they would not deign to come.

As the saying goes, “No one visits the Temple of Three Treasures without a reason.”

These people merely wanted to inquire about matters at sea.

But without Prince He’s permission, how could he dare reveal the agreement between Prince He and Du Sanhe? So he simply laughed things off and brushed them aside.

Whether they left disappointed was none of his concern.

All he cared about was whether he and Prince He could make money—and whether Prince He was pleased.

When the guests had all departed, the courtyard filled with the sounds of children shouting as they practiced martial arts.

There were over forty children from Shangshui Bay studying in Baiyun City. Besides his own eight sons and daughters, the rest were the children of brothers who had followed him through life and death.

His men stood around the children, watching them punch and kick, their faces glowing with excitement—an expression he had never seen on them before.

Liu San said, “Boss, you really had a great idea. Since sending my boy to Baiyun City, he’s completely changed!”

He laughed wildly, nearly to the point of tears.

“Don’t say it—this Prince really does have some ability. In the past, to teach that little rascal boxing, I had to kick him twice before he’d behave. Now look at him—so obedient, saying it’s for strengthening the body!”

The speaker was the tall Wan Cheng, Tian Shiyou’s right-hand man. From beginning to end, his gaze never left his beloved son—not once did he look at Tian Shiyou.

“It’s a good thing that the children are willing to work hard,” Tian Shiyou said.

He felt both pleased—and faintly uneasy.

But why he felt uneasy, he couldn’t quite explain.

“Father!”

“My good son!”

Tian Shiyou lifted up his fourth son, Tian Junhua, only eleven years old.

In this short time in Baiyun City, the boy had already entered the Huajin stage (mastery of internal force)!

Could it really be as the rumors said?

That Prince He’s residence taught superior martial techniques?

Otherwise, how could this be explained?

Among the children sent from Shangshui Bay, three had already reached Huajin.

According to their ancestral methods, in Shangshui Bay, those who reached Huajin before thirty were exceedingly rare!

His eldest son, Tian Junhao, whom he had personally and carefully trained since childhood, was already twenty-one—and still had not reached that level.

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that sending the children to Baiyun City had been a wise move.

As the sun set, he glanced at the sky and shouted, “Prepare the horses! We’re going to the Prince’s residence!”

He rode at the front. Behind him followed ten carriages, each loaded with chests.

Lin Yi had just finished dinner. Holding a homemade bamboo swatter, he furiously swung at the swarms of mosquitoes before him.

“If I don’t wipe you out, my surname isn’t Lin!”

He was genuinely enraged.

The sun hadn’t even set yet, and these measly mosquitoes were already trying to force him into bed under a mosquito net.

He was not someone who surrendered easily.

Tian Shiyou knelt on the ground, watching Prince He wage war against mosquitoes, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

When Lin Yi grew tired of swatting, he took a sip of tea and glanced at the chests filled with silver.

After a long silence, he said, “Take them back.”

“Your Highness…?”

Tian Shiyou suspected he had misheard.

He had personally witnessed just how much this Prince loved money!

Lin Yi smiled and said, “In business, money should make more money. What’s taboo is dividing profits the moment you earn them. So take it back—let it continue breeding.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

Tian Shiyou nearly jumped with joy.

The more capital, the better business would be.

This time, they wouldn’t have to worry about empty cargo holds.

Lin Yi waved him off. Watching Tian Shiyou leave the courtyard, he sighed.

“I really wish I could meet a woman—alive, rich. I truly don’t want to struggle anymore. She earns the money, I’ll just be beautiful.”

After all, with his looks…

Mingyue and the others behind him were speechless with laughter.

Their Prince always spoke in the most unexpected—and amusing—ways.

Zixia smiled and said, “Your Highness need not blame yourself. It’s simply their misfortune.”

Lin Yi sighed again. “The Grand Princess has money… but unfortunately, she’s my aunt…”

Mingyue and Zixia wisely fell silent.

That topic was not one they could discuss.

Wang Qingbang and a group of elderly men suddenly appeared.

Lin Yi immediately knew his dear younger sister’s letter had arrived on schedule.

Since he had clearly expressed his dislike for pigeon droppings and cooing, Wang Qingbang and his disciple had thoughtfully moved the pigeon coop to the Military Commissioner’s Office. Whenever there was a letter, they personally delivered it.

“Go on,” Lin Yi said indifferently. “What great affairs of state am I unaware of now?”

Wang Qingbang replied, “Shan Qi has been reassigned—from Right Vice Censor-in-Chief to Governor of Sanhe, concurrently appointed Military Commissioner.”

Chen Desheng, once Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, sighed. “Though a Provincial Administrator or Governor holds rank two, becoming a rank-three Deputy Censor-in-Chief is considered a promotion.”

Lin Yi asked curiously, “You mean going from fourth-rank Right Vice Censor-in-Chief to a second-rank constitutional post like Governor isn’t necessarily better? It’s an open demotion?”

He only remembered that a rank-three Deputy Censor-in-Chief could openly berate a rank-one Commander-in-Chief.

His own uncle, General Who Pacifies the North and Governor of Zhenbei, Yuan Ang—a rank-one Commander—was often scolded like a grandson by the Censorate officials, and the worst part was he couldn’t talk back.

In short, remonstrance officials were a special breed.

Official rank meant little to them.

Whether Shan Qi came to Sanhe or went to some prosperous land, he was still losing out.

Chen Desheng nodded. “Precisely.”

Lin Yi sighed. “I don’t get along with Shan Qi. If that bastard comes here, won’t he just make trouble for me?”

Xing Keshou hurried forward. “We elders are sworn brothers with Shan Qi. Surely he will be reasonable!”

Lin Yi snorted. “You caused this trouble—you solve it yourselves. If he dares cause me problems, I’ll beat him!”

He had that confidence.

In Sanhe, his word was law.

Unless his imperial father was willing to spend money to rebuild the frontier army for Shan Qi.

But thinking about it carefully—that was nearly impossible.

The national treasury was so empty that even rats could run through it.

The troubles in Chuzhou and Yuezhou were still unresolved.

Besides, He Jin, as Commander of the Imperial Guard, would not let Shan Qi live easily.

If that old fox didn’t have Shan Qi killed halfway here, that would already be fortunate.

Chen Desheng bared his teeth in a smile. “Your Highness need not worry.”

For Shan Qi to take this step, he must have thought it through.

Originally, he had not needed to take sides. But for Dongyang Island—for the sake of his clan—he had no choice but to choose one.

Otherwise, the day Prince Yong ascended the throne would be the day Dongyang Island was exterminated.

As for why Shan Qi chose Prince He—that was something even these old men could not figure out.

There had been no real need for him to come to Sanhe in person.