Chapter 885: Are you looking for me?

The shout hadn't even finished before it was drowned out by a huge cannon blast.

"Boom——!"

The thunderous cannon fire rolled over from the sea, one blast after another.

The soldiers lowered their sabers, turned their heads, and looked toward the harbor.

In the distance, clusters of orange‑red firelight rose, and smoke slowly rose from the sea surface.

The tax official's face completely changed; the soldiers all grew tense—it was obvious someone was attacking the harbor!

We need to hurry back and see!

The tax official glanced at the crowd on the ground, no time to deal with them, and shouted loudly: "Go back!"

All the soldiers followed him to the village gate, mounted their horses, and rode off quickly.

Lin Shan leapt up, helped Lin Jiang to his feet, wiped the cold sweat from his face: "The Imperial Court's navy has finally arrived!"

The villagers all jumped up, cheering loudly.

At the same moment, inside the Governor's mansion.

Kui Yi, who was raising his wine cup to whisper with Mei Er, still had a smile on his face when a cannon blast slammed in.

The wine cup slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor.

Mei Er sprang up, her knee hit the table edge, pain twisting her whole face.

The two glanced at each other, then turned and ran for the door.

Boerte stood at the door, pointing outside and shouting: "The harbor! The harbor! Quick, look at the sea!"

Kui Yi and Mei Er looked far off and both froze.

On the sea, thousands of warships lined up, masts like a forest, red battle flags covering the sky.

"Boerte! Guard Relanzhecheng!" Kui Yi shouted back: "Haiden! Take the men and follow me to the dock!"

"Yes!"

The soldiers instantly scrambled into action.

Soon the horses arrived; Kui Yi and Mei Er mounted, Haiden led several hundred soldiers close behind, and they galloped all the way to the dock.

Countless dark cannon muzzles protruded from the ship sides, densely packed, sealing off the entire bay.

On the harbor, the orange‑white‑blue tricolor flag had already fallen.

The dock was already in ruins; the once mighty cannons lay tilted and fallen.

One of the stone watchtowers had half its side sheared off; the other was belching thick smoke outward.

Kui Yi dismounted, grabbed a guard by the collar, and hoarsely yelled: "Why aren't you returning fire?"

The guard dared not struggle: "We can't! Their guns outrange ours—our shells can't reach them!"

Mei Er glanced at the endless sea of warships, each bristling with rows of cannon ports, layer upon layer, flashing cold light in the sun.

He swallowed, his voice dry: "So many warships and cannons! No wonder…… no wonder they could take Korea and Japan."

"With this kind of firepower, what can we use to block it?"

As his words fell, the largest warship slowly moved out of the formation.

Its prow cut the waves, the red battle flag at the main mast billowing like clouds.

A tall figure stood on the bow, clad in black armor, holding a dragon‑chant spear—none other than Prince Ning Xiao Yuanhang.

He raised his hand, took an iron speaking tube from a nearby sailor, held it to his lips, and his voice thundered like a bell: "Everyone listen!"

"I am Prince Ning Xiao Yuanhang of the Fierce Kingdom! I order you to lay down your weapons and leave Taiwan by sunset today!"

"Otherwise, I will open fire and level Taiwan Island!"

Kui Yi stared at the countless cannon ports on the warship, all color draining from his face.

Mei Er took a deep breath, snatched the speaking tube from a nearby soldier, and shouted with all her might: "Prince Ning! I've heard you always claim to fight with righteousness and never harm innocents!"

"If you bombard Taiwan today, aren't you afraid of earning the eternal infamy of slaughtering civilians?"

Xiao Yuanhang didn't care, laughing loudly: "Hahaha! You've been sucking the people's blood for years, yet you accuse me of massacring the innocent? What a joke!"

He stopped laughing: "How many of you are there? The people far outnumber you!"

"Even if I kill you all, the people will still have survivors—they'll be glad, not upset!"

"As long as I drive you out of this land, my name will naturally last for ages."

"As for you." He slightly tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over Kui Yi and Mei Er's faces.

Both involuntarily shivered.

Xiao Yuanhang snorted: "If you die here, you'll only leave a stench for eternity!"

"History is written by the victors! My reputation needs no concern from you two dead ghosts."

Mei Er listened, her face paling bit by bit.

He slowly lowered the speaking tube, turned to Kui Yi, his Adam's apple rolling several times: "Governor, what now? This Prince Ning doesn't care about the people here at all!"

"He says we must withdraw from Taiwan by sunset, or he'll fire."

Kui Yi's teeth ground together, a flash of killing intent in his eyes: "Inn! Quick to the inn! Grab those Jingcheng wealthy merchants and bring them here!"

Haiden said nothing, waved his hand behind him, and led dozens of soldiers sprinting toward the inn.

Mei Er stared blankly at Haiden's disappearing back, face full of disbelief: "What's the point of catching them? The contracts just signed—do you not want those goods?"

"First seize them to block the Prince Ning!" Kui Yi shouted, cutting him off, eyes bloodshot: "They have so much silver; in Jingcheng they're definitely rich or noble!"

"Worth a hundred times these islanders! You still thinking about business?"

"If you and I die today, there's no point talking about any trade!"

Mei Er opened his mouth, speechless.

Kui Yi stopped looking at him, snatched the speaking tube from his hand, and shouted toward the sea: "Prince Ning! We need to talk!"

Xiao Yuanhang gave a slight smile: "Good! I, the Prince, will give you half an hour."

Kui Yi glanced at the sea, where black warships loomed, and kept pacing back and forth.

Sweat kept appearing on Mei Er's brow, wiped away only to return.

Finally, the sound of horse hooves came from afar—Hai Deng had returned.

Kui Yi halted, his gaze nervously turning toward the sound of hooves.

Hai Deng rode up with his men, leapt off his horse, sweat covering his head.

"Where are they?" Kui Yi glanced behind him and demanded.

Hai Deng panted, shaking his head: "None left!"

"The folks at the inn said they set out early this morning and still haven't come back."

"I've searched everywhere, yet found nothing."

Mei Er lunged forward, seizing Hai Deng's arm: "Where are the hunting grounds? The market? Aren't they usually out and about every day?"

"None."

Suddenly Mei Er's eyes brightened: "What about Cai Tong? He's always with them—go ask him!"

"I've already checked." Hai Deng said in a subdued voice, "Cai Tong is gone too—I even went to his house, but found no one."

"I've asked everyone I could—today nobody's seen them!"

Kui Yi slowly turned his head, locking eyes with Mei Er.

"Can't find them? Tai Yuan is an island! How could we not find them?"

"Where did Boss Xiao's people go?"

"Are you looking for me? Red-haired devil!"

A clear child's voice rang out through the speaking tube, coming from the warship.