Chapter 785: The Promise of That Day, What Now?

Xiao Yuanhang lifted the Thousand-mile mirror and furrowed his brows.

Zheng Wucheng gasped a cold breath: "My god!"

"What did you see?" Xiao Ran, hearing that, grew anxious: "Speak up! You've really made me anxious."

"Eh‑ya!" Feng Zhou slapped his forehead: "I brought a lot of Thousand‑mile mirrors, but I forgot to give you any."

After saying that, he turned and ran toward his own cabin.

Soon, Feng Zhou came back carrying a small box.

He looked around: "Where's the Alliance Leader?"

As soon as the words fell, Xiao Er, holding Tuan Tuan, had just stepped onto the deck, with Lu Qi behind him, a Xiao Feifei perched in his arms.

Feng Zhou opened the box, raised a small Thousand‑mile mirror, and shouted at Tuan Tuan: "Alliance Leader! Come quickly! I made this especially for you!"

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up: "Made for me?"

Xiao Er hurriedly took her and came over.

"Yes!" Feng Zhou handed Tuan Tuan a Thousand‑mile mirror no larger than a palm, "Alliance Leader, try it quickly; Prince and the others seem to have seen something extraordinary."

Tuan Tuan took it, placed it before her eyes to try, the size just right: "Wow! So good! Feng Zhou, you're great! Thank you!"

Feng Zhou grinned: "Glad you like it."

After that, he handed each person a Thousand‑mile mirror from the box.

Tuan Tuan raised her hand, pointed to the sky, and shouted excitedly: "Wow! Look!"

"What's wrong?" Xiao Ran asked hurriedly, "What happened again?"

Everyone lifted their Thousand‑mile mirrors and looked in the direction Tuan Tuan pointed.

"What a huge bird! There's a gray tuft on its tail!"

The others: "……"

Xiao Yuanhang smiled: "Indeed, it's not small."

"Xiao Er, take Tuan Tuan somewhere else to look; maybe we'll even see fish in the sea."

"Fish? Right!" Tuan Tuan was delighted: "Dad's really smart!"

Xiao Er understood: "Let's go, miss, we'll head over there to see fish."

"Okay!" Tuan Tuan hugged his neck, and together with Lu Qi, walked to the other side of the ship.

Everyone's gaze returned to the shore.

A gray stone wall stretched across the gap between the beach and the land, extending endlessly with no visible end.

The wall was built from massive slab stones, over three zhang high, with no openings on its surface.

On the water before the stone wall, countless wooden stakes could be faintly seen, each exposing a shaved sharp tip, appearing and disappearing with the waves.

Both ends of the coast were blocked by many broken, rickety ships, tightening the wide shore so that only large vessels could pass through the middle.

The beach was littered with iron thistles, sparkling with tiny lights under the sun.

"Is that… a stone wall?" Xiao Ran's face was full of disbelief.

"Seems so, indeed." Chen Hao was shocked: "They actually sealed the coast with a wall!"

Zhang Wu'an's mouth gaped: "Wow, such a high wall!"

"What a brilliant idea!" Feng Zhou exclaimed, "Who thought of this? Using a stone wall to completely block the coast!"

He held up the Thousand‑mile mirror, watching with relish: "The gaps between the slab stones are filled with gray mortar, truly solid!"

The others couldn't help but set down their mirrors and all turned to give him a sideways glance.

Feng Zhou, oblivious, said: "The iron thistles on the beach are just to keep soldiers from walking onto it, that's all."

"Why do those broken ships beside us have no ropes?"

"Without ropes there's no anchor; how can they stay still?"

A thought sparked in everyone's mind, and they raised their mirrors again to look.

"Got it!" Feng Zhou grasped the key point, excitedly: "They must have put stones inside the ships!"

"Since the wall is built from slab stones, there must be plenty of waste, just thrown into the ships to fix them in place—truly not wasteful at all!"

Xiao Ran could no longer hold back: "Shu Dazi, think quickly how we can get across!"

【5】 "Huh?" Feng Zhou finally reacted, "Oh, let me think."

"Ah?" Feng Zhou only then reacted, "Oh, let me think."

After a moment, he set the mirror down, shook his head: "Can't get through."

I really want to punch you!

Xiao Ran's hand was already raised, and Chen Hao hurriedly grabbed him.

Xiao Ningxun said: "These weren't built in a day. It seems that whether we come or not, they have long prepared their defenses."

"They must have prepared this before the surprise raid on Goryeo." Xiao Ningchen nodded: "Indeed, when you go to seize someone's territory, you have to make the worst‑case preparations."

Zhao Tieshan said: "This construction leaves not a single gap; they deliberately want us to retreat in the face of difficulty."

Xiao Yuanhang set the Thousand‑mile mirror down, pondered briefly, and ordered: "Send the word—all warships drop anchor and cease moving!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Tieshan replied, turned, and went to give the order.

Chen Hao furrowed his brows: "What should we do now?"

"Don't rush." Xiao Ningxun patted his shoulder: "Let's go back and discuss; there'll always be a way."

Everyone returned to Xiao Yuanhang's cabin.

Xiao Ran stared straight at Xiao Ningxun: "Fox, think of a solution quickly!"

Xiao Ningxun was stunned, half‑laughing, half‑crying: "I'm thinking!"

Zhao Tieshan looked at Zheng Wucheng: "General Zheng, do you have any good ideas?"

Zheng Wucheng shook his head: "Frankly speaking, Governor Zhao, when I saw that stone wall, my head almost exploded."

"I really never thought it would be possible to build a wall on the beach."

Everyone fell into silence for a moment.

Xiao Yuanhang stared intently at the sea chart on the table: "If there is no clever plan to take it by surprise, we will use heavy cannons for a strong assault."

"Those ships, wooden piles, and stone walls can all be blasted into fragments."

"Father," Xiao Ningxun said, "if we bombard with cannons, the beach will surely be littered with broken wood and scattered stones, plus those iron caltrops—let alone the soldiers, even horses couldn't get ashore."

He paused: "Cleaning up would take a lot of effort."

"Once the stone wall collapses, their cavalry and crossbowmen will rush in; they will definitely not just watch us clear the beach and prepare to land."

"Moreover, if we use heavy cannons for everything, our ammunition will likely be depleted heavily, leaving us short-handed for future sieges."

Xiao Yuanhang fell silent for a moment, then said: "Everyone, go rest; we're not landing today."

"Yes."

Everyone, faces full of worry, silently departed.

The next morning at chen hour, Kamakura Castle, the shogun's residence.

The residence covers about two hundred mu, with over thirty large and small courtyards, corridors winding like a labyrinth, the grounds paved with white sand and blue stone, and the pines and cypresses trimmed to perfection.

The main gate is a two-story wooden tower gate, five zhang wide and four zhang high, coated in black lacquer with bronze-edged trim, and two stone lions stand before it.

Dozens of warriors lined up left and right of the main gate, wearing battle hats, black armor, and with long swords at their waists.

In the council chamber, Tengyuan Liangxin and other senior ministers sat upright on the tatami, silently awaiting the arrival of Commander-in-Chief Yuan Guangyi.

Shortly after, an attendant emerged from the inner chamber, drawing out his voice to announce: "General, your presence—!"

The paper door of the inner chamber was slowly opened, and Yuan Guangyi stepped out slowly, walking to the principal seat on the tatami and sitting down.

All the ministers bowed simultaneously, fingertips touching the mat, foreheads resting on their fingers, the rustle of clothing rising in unison.

Yuan Guangyi nodded slightly: "Please rise, everyone."

The ministers slowly rose and returned to their seats, sitting upright.

Yuan Guangyi scanned the ministers: "Everyone, what matter are we discussing today?"

The official in charge of diplomacy and documents, Yitiao Jianliang, placed both hands on the ground, bowed to Yuan Guangyi, then straightened his upper body and looked toward Tengyuan Liangxin.

"The Goryeo demand was originally advocated by Lord Fujiwara in front of the general, who also said this battle would surely be victorious."

"Now the hundred-thousand-strong army..." he paused deliberately, "... only two ships returned, a total annihilation."

"The Goryeo prince even ascended the throne as king and formed a brotherly state with the Fierce State."

"Now that Lord Fujiwara has shown his face, I wish to ask: what should become of that day's promise?"