Chapter 886

Kui Yi and Mei Er suddenly lifted their heads, glaring at the pink little person held in Luo Zhenjiang's arms on the warship, their eyes almost spitting fire.

Red-haired ghost?

People on this island call them that behind their backs; they all know it, but no one has ever dared to say it to their face!

Kui Yi's eyes flashed with a vicious light as he glared fiercely at Tuan Tuan.

Luo Zhenjiang's face darkened, he pulled Xiao Tuanzi into his embrace, moved the speaking tube from her lips to his own: 'What are you looking at! My child is not something you can look at!'

Kui Yi looked at his face, and immediately froze: 'This person, he's been to my governor's office!'

Immediately after, his and Mei Er's eyes widened more and more.

Only to see that beside the little child, several people slowly walked over, all standing beside her.

The three Xiao brothers—Xiao Ze, Feng Zhou—none missing, all present.

Several people stood side by side at the ship's rail, smiling lightly, composed.

Mei Er's eyes almost popped out.

He opened his mouth several times before managing to shout: 'Xiao, Xiao boss? How are you on the ship?'

Tuan Tuan tilted her little head, pulled down Luo Zhenjiang's hand holding the speaking tube, and brought it to her lips.

She looked strange and shouted at Mei Er: 'He's my big brother!'

'Where is our father,' she raised her little hand pointing at Xiao Yuanhang, full of pride, 'He is the War God Prince Ning!'

'We are all father's children; father is here, so we are naturally on the ship!' She paused, 'Do you also want to come up?'

Mei Er trembled all over, 'Father?'

Is Xiao boss the son of Prince Ning?

He stared at Tuan Tuan's smiling little face, and his mind buzzed with an explosion.

It turned out that, starting from Jiangzhou, the endless silver being smashed, the cut-off cargo sources, were all this Prince Ning's doing!

They came all the way just for Taiyuan Island!

Taiyuan Island looks hard to hold, but the contract has been signed, the business continues!

As long as this deal can be done, when I return to Helan I will still be the winner!

Mei Er snatched the speaking tube from Kui Yi's hand and shouted loudly: 'Xiao boss! I don't care whose son you are!'

'The contract has been signed, and in black and white it writes your name!' He paused, staring dead at Xiao Ningyuan: 'Do you intend to deny the debt?'

Xiao Ningyuan unfolded his folding fan, swayed it slowly, his face still bearing that genial, profit-bringing merchant's smile.

He took the speaking tube from Luo Zhenjiang's hand, lifted his eyelids to look at Mei Er: 'Mr. Mei Er, I am indeed surnamed Xiao, but my given name is Ningyuan.'

'The one who signed the contract with you is called Xiao Yuan.'

'So that contract,' he paused, curling the corner of his mouth: 'What does it have to do with me?'

Mei Er opened his mouth, unable to utter a word.

Xiao Ningyuan looked at his bluish-white face, then leisurely added: 'By the way, I still haven't thanked Governor and Mr. Mei Er for letting my cargo ship leave port.'

'That cargo ship never returned to Jingcheng; it went back to Quanzhou to deliver a letter to my father.'

He tilted his head, pointed his folding fan at the black mass of warships on the sea: 'Do you see? As for the cargo to Jingcheng... Mr. Mei Er, you're still dreaming.'

Mei Er's face completely collapsed.

Kui Yi stood beside him, anxiously jumping: 'What is he saying?'

Mei Er's face turned ashen: 'Xiao boss is the son of Prince Ning; his name is completely different from the one on the contract.'

Kui Yi stared, speechless: 'So that contract is just a piece of waste paper? All our wealth, those six million taels of silver, are gone too?'

Mei Er, like a defeated rooster, slowly lowered his head.

Kui Yi turned his head to look at the black mass of warships on the sea, and from his throat came a low, muffled howl.

Xiao Yuanhang took the speaking tube from his son's hand, raised his hand and stroked his daughter's head.

He raised the speaking tube and shouted loudly: 'Less than two hours until dark, I have no time to listen to your nonsense!'

'If you lay down your weapons, you can still save your lives and crawl back to your Europa.'

He paused, his face darkened: 'If you don't leave, then just wait to sink to the seabed and feed the fish!'

Mei Er quietly translated his words to Kui Yi and Haiden.

The sea wind blew Kui Yi's gray-white hair into a mess, and he didn't bother to smooth it.

Haiden stepped forward quickly, stood straight: 'Governor! Relanzhecheng still stands!'

'The defenses are strong, supplies ample.' He paused, a hint of stubbornness flashing in his green eyes: 'If we retreat to defend the city, we can at least hold out for several months!'

Kui Yi raised his head, gazing at the castle perched on the rock hill.

The angular fortress had gun emplacements stacked in layers, and on the top of the walls a cannon was placed every few steps.

He certainly knew Relanzhecheng was impregnable.

'Several months...' he murmured, repeating it, then lifted his eyes to Haiden: 'And after those several months?'

Haiden opened his mouth, not knowing how to respond.

'Sending news from here back to Helan, even a fast ship takes at least two months.' Kui Yi's voice grew heavier: 'Then, when the warships arrive here, another two months.'

'Can we hold out for four months?' He raised his hand toward the black mass of warships on the sea: 'Even if the warships come, there's no way they could be that many!'

'Their cannons fire farther than ours; even if they come, what can they do? They can't possibly save us!'

Haiden fell silent.

On the warship, Tuan Tuan looked toward her father: 'Father, what are they doing? Why aren't they leaving yet?'

'They're settling accounts,' Xiao Yuanhang said with a slight smile: 'Once they figure it out, they'll leave.'

Kui Yi withdrew his gaze, looking at the broken bricks and tiles under his feet: 'Relanzhecheng can be held for a time, but not forever.'

Mei Er listened silently, gave a bitter laugh: 'Governor, the silver is gone, the island is lost.'

He spread his hands: "How are we going to report back when we return?"

Kui Yi lowered his head, looking at those spread palms, and remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he let out a long sigh: "Mr. Mei Er, Prince Ning hasn't arrived yet, but those islanders have already made up their minds not to pay taxes."

"Now that Prince Ning has come, can they still levy taxes on us?"

Mei Er was stunned; his mind was full of those six million taels of silver, and he hadn't even considered this aspect.

Kui Yi raised his head and looked at him: "A Taiwan Island that can't collect tax silver is completely useless."

"Our silver is gone, the island is lost, but at least our lives remain."

He paused: "When we go back, we'll say the islanders refused to pay taxes, we killed a batch and another batch sprang up, the Fierce State navy arrived again, we had no choice but to abandon the island."

"As for those six million taels of silver, we'll say they were robbed by them; surely the superiors won't blame us too harshly."

Mei Er stared at him, his lips twitched, but in the end he didn't retort, and slowly nodded.

Kui Yi bent down, picked up the megaphone from the ground, and handed it to him: "Tell him they can only land after we leave."

Mei Er raised the megaphone and shouted: "We agree to withdraw, but you must wait until we leave before landing on the island."

Xiao Yuanhang snorted into the megaphone: "This is not up to you! I, the prince, will land now."