Ye Shiqi was unaware that her departure had been discovered and that so many were paying attention.
At this moment, she was in the original room on the boat where, following the success of last time’s experiment, she had asked people to bring more items.
Accompanied by the leader, she conducted dangerous item experiments.
The leader had already seen the little master conduct these experiments for the second time. The first time he had watched seriously but didn’t believe it could be successful.
This time, he watched even more attentively and felt that in the future, he would need to be personally involved in making such items.
Ye Shiqi wasn’t afraid of the adage about the apprentice learning the skill and leaving the master to starve.
Over these days, she had seen that these people were loyal to the General.
With this skill, they could teach some apprentices in the future. They could organize a team within the army to punish criminals and teach the invaders a proper lesson.
Many times, the leader moved his lips, wanting to ask about the old housekeeper’s whereabouts, yet he felt it was the little master’s secret.
He might not get an answer even if he asked.
They had spies on the shore too, but still, they had no knowledge of the old housekeeper’s movements these past few days. Discover more novels at novel⁂fire.net
It wasn’t just their spies searching for them—assassins and many others were as well.
This time, the old housekeeper and the little master faced even more danger than before on their journey.
Were these guests intent on a deadly assault, aiming to bring the old housekeeper and the little master to their demise?
After the ship Ye Shiqi was on narrowly escaped another disaster, besides making items for self-defense, they had to fend off enemy attacks daily.
She learned from the leader that for over twenty years, ever since the General and his men had been sent to guard the city outside the border, the soldiers there had been living a harsh life.
They couldn’t rob civilians of their possessions like bandits.
They had to protect civilians from foreign tribes and bandits looting their wealth.
Later, they had no choice but to find a way to buy grain and necessary supplies from various places inside the border, using their own strength.
Initially, it went smoothly, but later, forces from an unknown side started ambushing them on their supply transport routes.
Sometimes they managed to evade, and sometimes when delivering grain abroad, their team suffered injuries and deaths, but they also inflicted injuries on the opposing teams.
From what Ye Shiqi heard from the leader, this was not merely the work of some people—it might not be bandits, it could be the highest authorities, who feared the General’s growing power outside the border.
They also feared failing to defend their lands, so they chose to hinder them yet dared not truly cut off the supply route!
This person’s heart was not magnanimous enough.
Ye Shiqi felt indignant for the General’s team—loyal people treated so poorly deserved to let these perpetrators know and endure some hardship.
The Generals maintained their pure hearts under such arduous conditions, all for the sake of the people of Nanyue Country.
Initially, Shiqi thought to ignore everything and just live in her own world, but now she couldn’t help but think of traveling through the beautiful land outside.
After six relentless days and nights on the river, their ship needed to dock for resupply.
Ye Shiqi wanted to walk on the shore and asked the leader to accompany her ashore.
"Little master, it is safer for the staff to go. It’s too dangerous for you on the shore!"
Ye Shiqi shook her head and said, "On our journey so far, when have we not been in danger?"
The leader... had not found the housekeeper and his group but couldn’t return empty-handed. He hoped to find cheap grain for sale on the shore to buy some supplies.
This was an ancient town known for its textile industry. It was perfect to buy cheap yet high-quality silk here and sell it for a higher price outside the border, to replenish the silver tael needed for the military’s purchases.
Ye Shiqi was unaware of the leader’s thoughts as she had just entered the town with this group of people.
Only then did they realize that this town was livelier than others, and one of the reasons was that, aside from snack and grain stores, most of the shops here sold fabrics.
The silk sold here was especially beautiful, with a greater variety of patterns, and the majority featured hand-embroidered textiles.
Upon seeing the fabrics in these shops, Ye Shiqi also thought about the silk business.
They had a ship lying idle—why not stock up on more goods? Leaving a ship empty was a waste of resources.
At this moment, Ye Shiqi had this idea and also thought that if the ship encountered storms en route, they could still use the "space" to store these goods.
However, with this thought in mind, she wasn’t an expert in that field and didn’t understand the quality of fabrics.
Their leader indeed had a contact point, and the little master entered a shop that sold rice.
After entering the shop, they proceeded into a room.
The shop owner who received them, after taking them into the room, said to the leader:
"Recently, some strangers have come here, supposedly to purchase fabrics, yet they covertly inquire whether any caravans pass through here."
"You mean to say, these people are targeting us? Is there any news of the old housekeeper?"
At the leader’s question, the other party could only shake his head.
Faced with even more confusion, the leader turned to Ye Shiqi, "What the little master said, the old housekeeper’s team set off onshore, which route exactly did they take?"
No matter which route they took, there should be a trail, right?
Ye Shiqi pretended not to understand the look from the leader and shifted the topic, "I wonder if the owner is knowledgeable about the fabric market, the quality of the fabrics?"
The owner glanced at Ye Shiqi, wondering whose child this was.
The leader did not offer an introduction.
"Little master, our contact points here, the owner and the staff all are familiar with the market for rice and fabrics. They’ve been stationed here for many years—just ask them if you need anything."
"Little master?" The owner was puzzled.
"You shouldn’t know what you don’t need to know, and don’t call me little master outside," Ye Shiqi asserted.
"Yes," the leader’s words left the owner both puzzled and pleasantly surprised.
The General had only one concubine daughter who also got married—she married a soldier from the military and had children.
But they did not venture outside, staying within the military’s garrison outside the border.
This child, with an accent from elsewhere, addressed by the leader as little master—could he be the child of the master’s other sons?
Recently, some talk had circulated, sparked by some interesting conversations from those who came from Capital City to do business.
He had gleaned a bit of information from these people’s chatter.
"I want to purchase a large quantity of fabrics here and load them onto the ship at the fastest speed."
"Little master, we cannot stay overnight here," the leader added.
"Then let’s hurry up with the arrangements. Just load the goods onto the ship, and we won’t stay overnight!"
After Ye Shiqi finished speaking, the owner and the leader both left, and then they arranged for the staff to bring food to the little master inside.
The owner told the leader that the previously sent message had already prepared provisions and some fabrics for their ship.
Now that the little master had mentioned buying more fabrics, the owner could only seek more funds and contact the usual business shops.