The scholars of Jiangning Prefecture, seeing Mr. Liang, a national minister with decisive authority in this case, taking the initiative, dared not waver any further and could only accept the decision quietly and honestly.
However, Mr. Liang did not participate in the subsequent land surveying; he simply made a copy of the relevant documents, handed them to Magistrate He, and then took the originals back to the capital.
He knew that turmoil in the Southeast was imminent, and staying would only add to his troubles.
After all, he was the highest official in South Zhili, and if he did not leave, he would undoubtedly end up cleaning up the aftermath in the Southeast.
He might not be good at doing things, but he was certainly good at being an official!
This was the Dao of utter sincerity, to be unaware and unhearing, sensing danger and avoiding it.
As for pressing the Jiangning scholars to settle the case quickly, Mr. Liang understood clearly.
The pirate chaos in the Southeast would inevitably trigger a chain reaction, severely obstructing the land surveying directive. Thus, the affairs of Jiangning Prefecture could only serve as iron-clad evidence to save the face of the Grand Secretary and Your Majesty.
His rapid resolution of the case and return to the capital was also to give an account to the Grand Secretary and Your Majesty.
It would also be conducive to the stability of the court situation.
Now with the Southeast showing signs of losing control, all parties in the Court wanted to quickly end the disputes and deal with the affairs of the Southeast first.
Mr. Liang saw through it clearly: the pirates’ troubles at this time were not the premeditation of just a few influential figures, but rather the eruption of intense conflicting interests that could no longer be contained.
If handled poorly, the national vigor might decline unrestrained.
Of course, he believed in the abilities of the Grand Secretary and the finesse of Your Majesty to maintain some decorum, but dreaming of reviving the Great Yu seemed increasingly like a fool’s dream now.
The more aware Mr. Liang became, the less he wanted to get involved. One must believe in the wisdom of the future generations.
Upon the vast sea, the resounding sound of battle drums was like the wrath of the thunder god.
Two factions were engaged in a maritime battle.
Crossbow arrows, stone-throwing machines, and various naval warfare weapons were being deployed with a tumultuous force.
On one of the battleships, a flag with the character "Lin" fluttered in the wind.
It seemed to have taken control of the situation.
The pirate leader aboard was the tallest and most robust.
This giant man looked as if a Heavenly King had descended to Earth, with eyes like copper bells, long hair over his shoulders, a full beard furrowing his face, and a majestic presence. Holding a nine-foot-long iron staff thick as the mouth of a bowl added to his imposing demeanor.
This pirate was naturally King Lin.
" Gao Gongyuan, you’re just Deputy Gang Leader of the Giant Whale Gang, and you dare to provoke my tiger’s whiskers. If you don’t leave behind this ship’s treasure today, this day next year will be your death anniversary," King Lin snarled fiercely.
These days, the leaders of the Giant Whale Gang and the Sea Sand Gang had been seeking him out.
They even intended to blockade East Island to prevent him from resupplying.
King Lin had bided his time for many days until he finally found a weak point in their blockade and launched a bold attack.
Gao Gongyuan did not expect King Lin to be so fierce, leading his men in an assault as swift and forceful as thunder.
Despite King Lin only bringing a score of men onto the ship, they managed to kill commanding officers and seize flags. On the Giant Whale Gang’s ship, they raised their own standard, abruptly turning the tide of the battlefield.
Gao Gongyuan’s able men were no match for King Lin in a single exchange.
This bandit leader had, since coming to the East Sea, transformed into a dragon, his Fist Intent growing ever mightier, and his Spirit and Body Integration astonishingly profound.
Even the powerful Giant Whale Gang had two internal Refining Tributors defeated and killed by King Lin.
Although two of the Tributors were older and not true warriors of the Martial Arts with Spirit and Body Integration, it still demonstrated King Lin’s formidable power.
Even the leaders of the two major Sea Gangs did not issue a challenge of a life-and-death arena against King Lin without absolute certainty, preferring to grind him down with their substantial resources.
Unfortunately, had Mr. Liang not occupied Wuzhong Harbor, they would have found an opportunity to ambush King Lin while he was resupplying and either killed him or inflicted heavy damage.
Without that, King Lin would not dare to be so arrogantly poised.
Moreover, over time, King Lin had noticed their movements, forcing them to blockade East Island.
In response, they found that this brute discovered the gap left by their main force, which was ordered to raid nearby coastal State Prefectures, and he boldly counterattacked.
"If King Lin takes this ship’s goods, my entire family’s lives will still not be spared, so you might as well just kill me now," said Gao Gongyuan, who had already poured oil in the hold and was standing guard at the cabin door himself. If King Lin acted, his confidants inside would immediately ignite the oil.
This was also why King Lin had not acted immediately.
King Lin knew of Gao Gongyuan’s proficiency in hard Qigong and that, with the protection of Secret Techniques, he could fend off King Lin for a moment—long enough for his men inside to light the oil.
On hearing this, King Lin frowned, "I want your life, but losing this ship’s cargo and the treasures inside would mean I’ve toiled in vain. Where is your family? I’ll find a way to get them out."
Gao Gongyuan gave a bitter smile, "Yingtian Prefecture, King Lin, don’t even think about it."
Among the cargo on his ship, there was a priceless Four-curved Spirit Ginseng. If it fell into King Lin’s hands, the Gang Leader of the Giant Whale Gang would definitely kill his entire family.
It was King Lin’s luck that the cargo had just been transferred from a merchant ship in the Southern Ocean to his vessel, and Gao Gongyuan had not yet had the chance to send it off.