Chapter 789: It's Master Who Wants to See

Thousands of warships rode the wind and waves, and soon after noon they finally neared the Eastern Sea coast.

Zhao Tieshan stood at the bow, looking toward the shore through the Thousand‑mile mirror, and the gray stone wall grew larger inch by inch.

"Give the order!" he shouted, turning sharply, "All gunships, cross over! Load the heavy cannons!"

The flagman climbed the mast and signaled the ships with flag codes.

Hundreds of heavy‑cannon‑armed warships slowly turned their hulls on the sea, the side gunports flung open in unison, and the dark mouths of the cannons all aimed at the gray stone wall on the beach.

Zheng Wucheng stood beside Zhao Tieshan: "Commander Zhao, fire two rounds first; if that's not enough, add more. We still have to conserve the shells."

"I understand." Zhao Tieshan took a deep breath, raised his right hand high, and then swung it down sharply: "Fire!"

The ship's side shuddered, and hundreds of heavy cannons simultaneously hurled their massive shells outward.

The cannon fire rolled over the sea like thunder, making everyone's ears buzz.

Xiao Yuanhang led the generals, standing at the rail and holding the Thousand‑mile mirror to watch closely.

Xiao Ran's foot slipped, and he almost lost his grip on the Thousand‑mile mirror.

Chen Hao hurriedly grabbed his arm to steady him.

Feng Zhou shook his head, his ears filled with the booming sounds.

Zhang Wu'an watched with great satisfaction: "Beautiful!"

Xiao Ningchen nodded: "The display is impressive."

Xiao Ningxun saw his lips moving, stood beside him but couldn't hear what he was saying, and shouted: "Second brother! What are you saying?"

Xiao Ningchen rolled his eyes, reached out and turned his younger brother's face toward the beach.

In the cabin, Xiao Er clutched Tuan Tuan tightly, his large hands cupping her little ears.

Tuan Tuan's tiny hands pressed against Xiao Feifei's ears: "Be good, don't be scared."

She lifted her head and looked at Xiao Er, Lu Qi and Chu Yuan: "Is Xiao Feifei's fur useful?"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi exchanged a glance, both smiled and nodded: "Useful."

Tuan Tuan swayed her little head proudly: "Luckily I used Xiao Feifei's fur to plug your ears, right!"

Chu Yuan was both amused and exasperated; his own disciple had actually thought of such a method—truly a trouble for her.

The first row of shells whistled as they struck the stone wall, the blue bricks cracking and shards of stone scattering.

Zhao Tieshan's hand fell again: "Again!"

The second volley of shells roared out immediately.

The stone wall shuddered violently under the bombardment, blocks of slab breaking apart and crashing into the sand below, raising plumes of dust.

The sharpened wooden stakes were blown to pieces by the shells, the splintered wood and broken stakes swept by the waves onto the beach.

The wrecked ships packed with stones at both ends of the coast shattered in the fire, their planks exploding upward and then smashing back onto the sand.

The smoke from the two rounds of heavy cannons rose, blotting out the sky.

"Boom!"

A deep, thundering crash came from the shore, the dust from the collapsing wall mixing with the smoke and rolling upward.

"The wall's down!" Xiao Ran shouted excitedly.

A deafening cheer erupted from the warships.

A moment later.

The smoke thinned, and the scene on the beach became clearer bit by bit, as if a veil were being lifted.

"That's not right!" Xiao Ran raised his hand and pointed to the beach, "Look, why is there still a gray patch in the distance?"

Zheng Wucheng opened his mouth wide: "Could it be that there's another wall?"

Everyone's grip on the Thousand‑mile mirror tightened, and they all looked carefully.

Behind that stone wall, there truly was another wall!

It was nearly a zhàng shorter than the first, but its surface was studded with embrasures.

Rows upon rows of bowmen appeared in the embrasures.

They drew their large bows to the full, the arrowheads forming a trembling line of light in the sun.

A massive banner rose slowly, unfurling gently in the sea breeze.

On the deep‑blue field, the pattern of bamboo‑dragon‑gall spread across the whole banner, teeth and claws exposed.

The lines of bamboo leaves and dragon‑gall flowers were especially striking in the sunlight.

Zhao Tieshan licked his lips: "General Zheng, what is that chaotic thing on the flag?"

"It's the banner of the Seii Taishogun," Zheng Wucheng's voice was hoarse as he stared at the flag, "the current shogun of the Eastern Sea, the Minamoto clan's emblem, the bamboo‑dragon‑gall pattern."

Zhao Tieshan slowly lowered the Thousand‑mile mirror and looked at Xiao Yuanhang: "Prince, the second wall is too far; our cannons can't reach it."

Xiao Yuanhang kept the Thousand‑mile mirror raised before his eyes, unmoving.

In the cabin, Tuan Tuan placed Xiao Feifei on her lap, intermittently stroking its soft long fur on the back.

The cannon fire outside had already ceased for a while.

"Uncle," she lifted her head and tugged Xiao Er's sleeve, "Why is it quiet outside? Did Father win? Shall we go out and see?"

Xiao Er replied softly: "Miss, since the Prince hasn't returned, the battle outside must still be ongoing. Let's wait here for the Prince to come back, okay?"

Tuan Tuan pouted, her eyes darting, and turned to look at Chu Yuan, who sat nearby with his eyes closed, resting.

"Master!" she set down Xiao Feifei, ran pattering to Chu Yuan's front, lifted her little face and asked earnestly, "Do you want to go take a look?"

Chu Yuan slowly opened his eyes, meeting his disciple's big eyes that seemed to say "please say you want it," and couldn't help a smile at the corners of his mouth.

He reached out and gently rubbed the top of Tuan Tuan's hair.

"Alright," his face bore a hint of helpless indulgence, "Master wants to see."

Tuan Tuan instantly turned, puffed with pride and lifted her chin toward Xiao Er: "Uncle, it's Master who wants to see, I'll go with him, that should be fine, right?"

Lu Qi couldn't hold back, lowered his head and let out a silent laugh.

Xiao Er glanced at Tuan Tuan, then at Chu Yuan, and his Adam's apple rolled up and down once.

What else could he say?

He sighed helplessly, his dark face bearing a look of "once again being toyed with by this little ancestor," and, resignedly, bent down and lifted his own lady steadily into his arms: "National Preceptor, please."

Chu Yuan stood up, smiled, and walked outward.

Xiao Er followed right after.

Tuan Tuan perched on his shoulder, waved at Lu Qi: "Uncle Qi! Hold Xiao Feifei for me! And also the Thousand-mile mirror that Feng Zhou made for me, bring that too!"

Lu Qi smiled in response, scooped Xiao Feifei into his arms with one hand, and with the other hand lifted the palm‑sized Thousand-mile mirror from the table, then stepped forward to follow.

As the few of them stepped onto the deck, a choking smell of gunpowder instantly hit them.

Tuan Tuan wrinkled her little nose, waved her small hand in front of her face, squinted, and looked toward the line of silhouettes along the ship's rail.

She instantly recognized her father's tall silhouette, and with a crisp shout called: "Dad!"

Xiao Ningchen turned back, his brows slightly furrowed: "Tuan Tuan, the smoke is thick here, it's choking you; go back to the cabin."

Tuan Tuan leaned her little head against Xiao Er's shoulder and pouted: "I won't!"

Xiao Yuanhang turned around, looked at his daughter's crumpled little face, and stretched out both hands toward her.

Xiao Er took a few quick steps and handed Tuan Tuan over.

Xiao Yuanhang firmly embraced his daughter, lowered his head and gently brushed the top of her hair: "It's fine, let her stay here."

Tuan Tuan, satisfied, clutched her father's neck, and curiously scanned the crowd standing by the ship's rail.

She, with a strange expression, asked: "Why is everyone looking so worried?"