Chapter 888: The Cleanup Was Indeed Complete

Mei Er's eyes widened instantly at the words: "You! You have gone too far!"

Xiao Ningxun sneered, "Too far? You have occupied the Fiery Nation's territory for thirty‑eight years—does that not count as too far?"

"You raised the tax from ten percent to twenty‑five percent and beat the people with whips if they didn't pay—too far?"

"You kill people with firearms and force the Highland tribe to surrender their ancestral spirit masks—too far?"

"My father didn't hand you over to the locals for punishment; he merely let you come and go as you pleased—how is that too far?"

He said with righteous composure, "Everything has cause and effect. This outcome is already the lightest you could face—where is the excess?"

Mei Er opened his mouth, his face flushing scarlet, speechless.

Kui Yi furrowed his brows, stared at Mei Er and asked, "What did he say?"

Mei Er was about to speak when Xiao Ningchen drew his dagger, lunged forward, and pressed the blade against his throat: "Speak loudly!"

"Let them all hear. If you dare say even one word less, they can leave. You! Don't even think about it."

Cold sweat splashed down from Mei Er.

Kui Yi stepped back a few paces and turned to look at the mountain of firearms piled on the open ground.

Over a thousand Fiery Nation soldiers each stepped forward and shouted in unison, "Speak!"

Mei Er, helpless, trembled and loudly recited Xiao Ningxun's words in the Hualan language.

Kui Yi was left speechless.

Hai Deng suddenly lifted his head, his green eyes filled with humiliation and fury.

He stepped forward a few paces, raised his hand toward the mountain of firearms, and shouted a long string of words in the Hualan language.

Mei Er turned ashen at the words.

Xiao Ningxun looked at him, his voice calm, "Mr. Mei Er, what is he saying?"

Mei Er swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing several times, sighed, and whispered the translation: "He says you are being beaten because your cannons and firearms are inferior to ours."

"It is your own inferior skill. Today we lost—not because we are wrong, but because we were defeated by your weapons."

Beside them, Xiao Ningyuan heard this and laughed, his smile as warm as spring breezes, just like the day he signed the contract at the Governor's Office.

Mei Er felt a jolt in his heart.

The last time Boss Xiao smiled like that, I lost six million taels of silver.

This time, Hai Deng is certainly in for bad luck.

Hai Deng, why are you still not seeing the situation? What's the point of talking more? Can't you just leave quickly?

Sure enough, Xiao Ningyuan spoke, "Lieutenant Hai Deng, what you say makes sense."

Mei Er was stunned.

He had expected Xiao Ningyuan to scold Hai Deng, but instead he directly acknowledged Hai Deng's words.

He hesitated for a moment, then still translated the sentence over.

Hai Deng was also taken aback, his brows slightly twisted, watching Xiao Ningyuan warily.

"In the past, your firearms were stronger than ours," Xiao Ningyuan's fan fluttered again, "which is why you could seize Taiyuan Island and exploit its people."

He paused, his gaze landing on Hai Deng's face; the smile at his lips remained, but his eyes grew cold: "But now, everything has changed; the tables have turned."

"Our cannons fire farther and more accurately, so today, those pointed at by the muzzles are you."

"That is the principle you just mentioned: whoever has superior weapons is right."

"This is what we call the heavenly cycle, karmic retribution," he said, tilting his head slightly, lifting his chin toward Hai Deng: "Now the ones being beaten are you—that's your karma."

Mei Er forced himself to translate the passage word for word.

Hai Deng's stubborn expression froze.

He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and ultimately could not utter a single word.

Bo Erte lowered his head; the soldiers silently stared at the firearms they had thrown down, and no one spoke another word.

Xiao Yuanhang smiled, "All three of my sons are exemplary!"

He glanced upward; the setting sun was slowly sinking into the sea, turning the whole Deep Harbor golden.

He withdrew his gaze, scanning Kui Yi and Mei Er: "Do you still want to leave? Night is falling fast. If you wish to go, hurry! While I haven't changed my mind yet."

Kui Yi's body shivered slightly, and he was the first to step toward the pile of firearms.

He took off the ring on his hand, tossed it to the ground, then rummaged his pocket, shaking out several crumpled silver notes and a few gold coins onto the floor.

He spread his empty hands toward the Fiery Nation soldiers standing nearby, turned his back without looking, stepped onto the gangplank, and headed for the ship's cabin.

Mei Er hurried over, mimicking Kui Yi, and emptied his own pockets one by one.

A tiny copper pipe and several gold coins fell onto the ground.

He was just about to walk toward the gangplank.

"Mr. Mei Er," Xiao Ningxun's gaze fell on his neck, "please undo your collar."

Mei Er halted, his whole body stiffening.

He gritted his teeth and untied the stiff white necktie around his throat.

The black pearl necklace glimmered with deep peacock‑green light in the sunset, its ruby pendant vivid as blood.

Everyone was surprised; no one expected Mei Er to be carrying that necklace.

"Wow!" Tuan Tuan's eyes widened, "Third Brother, how did you know he was wearing this?"

Xiao Ningxun smiled gently, "If this were worn with formal attire it wouldn't be conspicuous, but now everyone is fleeing for their lives and he's still wearing it, I find that odd."

"Third Brother, you're awesome!" Tuan Tuan exclaimed.

Xiao Ze couldn't help but nod; Xiao Ningxun's thoughts were truly meticulous.

Mei Er took off the necklace, lowered his head, lingeringly rubbed the ruby, and handed it to Xiao Ningxun.

Xiao Ningxun took it, "My elder brother gave you three treasures; where are the other two?"

"In the box," Mei Er's voice was hoarse, "I only brought this one on me."

"Which box?"

Mei Er turned and walked to the pile of massive boxes.

Mei Er searched, lifted the lid of an unremarkable large wooden chest, and from its bottom layer pulled out a palm‑sized small wooden box.

Mei Er walked back and handed the small wooden box to Xiao Ningxun.

Xiao Ningxun opened the box; a tea cup and a brocade handkerchief lay peacefully inside.

Xiao Ningxun closed the lid, nodded, "Let's go."

"It's over, everything's gone." Mei Er's face turned pale, his steps floated as he stepped onto the boarding plank.

Next came Bo Erte, Hai Deng…

All the Lan people stepped forward in turn, emptying their pockets.

Gold coins, silver coins, bronze buckles, pipes, rings… piled under the setting sun into a tiny hill, shimmering with mottled fragments of light.

In the final moment before night fell, two large ships laden with Lan people slowly sailed out of Deep Harbor, gradually disappearing into the dark‑blue horizon where sea meets sky.

The soldiers lit torches.

Xiao Ningyuan walked to the pile of boxes and casually opened two of them.

Inside were scattered silver pieces and some lacquerware and bronze items, even the gilt candlestick from the Governor's Office long table lay intact inside.

He couldn't help but laugh, "They really packed everything; now we don't have to search, they've gathered all the valuables for us."

Xiao Ningchen laughed, "If Kui Yi knows, we only have this one functional cannon ship; the rest are lacquered bamboo tubes. I wonder what color his face will be."

Everyone burst into hearty laughter.

Tuan Tuan rubbed his little belly, "Where are we going to eat? My stomach's already hungry."

Xiao Ze said, "Let's go! To the Governor's Office! First, let's fill Tuan Tuan's belly."