Chapter 895: Old Seven's memorial arrived yesterday

Feng Zhou's expression immediately turned solemn.

He carefully took out the small firearm from his pocket and clicked his tongue in admiration: "It's really a fine thing."

"When I first saw it, I thought, these red-haired barbarians are truly clever with firearms; how did I not think of that!"

Tuan Tuan poked her head out to look and asked: "What's good about it? Feng Zhou."

Feng Zhou replied: "This little thing can ignite just by holding it in your hand, far more convenient than those big firearms."

"If we could mass-produce it, soldiers could carry it on their person—it would be a great self-defense weapon, far stronger than wearing a saber."

He gestured with his finger at the muzzle: "Although it's small, it's loaded with extremely fine gunpowder, firing tiny lead pellets."

"Although the aim is a bit off, the power is not small; within ten steps it can easily pierce a layer of cowhide."

He grew more excited as he spoke, lightly tapping the trigger with his finger: "The crucial part is this—the catch here is exquisitely crafted."

"I've pondered it for a long time, but I couldn't bring myself to take it apart."

"No destruction, no construction!" Xiao Ningchen said sternly: "Go ahead and take it apart; if you break it, it's on me."

"Just this one piece—if we don't take it apart, keeping it is of little use; only if we mass-produce it as you said will it truly benefit the nation and the people."

"Good!" Feng Zhou nodded firmly: "With the Second Young Master's words, I can boldly take it apart; in a few days I will surely figure it out."

Tuan Tuan furrowed her little brow: "Feng Zhou, we've saved you a meal; go eat quickly—it's Uncle Luo's cooking, with fish and meat! Eat first, then take it apart, okay?"

Feng Zhou felt warm in his heart, nodded and said: "All right! I'm going now!"

He rubbed his stomach, a little embarrassed: "Looks like I'm really hungry."

Everyone couldn't help but laugh.

The next day, when the pacification notice was posted, the entire Taiwan Island erupted in joy.

The appointments of Lin Jiang, Ma Li'an, and Cai Tong were also posted at the same time.

Under the big tree at the village entrance, in front of the market gate, beside the harbor dock—anywhere the notice was posted became crowded with people.

Those who could read stood in front and read it aloud loudly; those who couldn't read tiptoed to listen carefully, and after hearing it they couldn't believe it, urging a second reading for fear of missing a single character.

"Five years tax-free, never to raise taxes." As soon as these eight words were spoken, many commoners on the spot dropped to their knees and wept.

Adai lifted her face and asked: "Mother, why are they crying?"

Lin Xi wiped the tears from her face, held her daughter tighter: "Because they're happy."

Ma Li'an dragged Cai Tong to the open ground of the hunting ground and had him shout the pacification notice from beginning to end at the top of his lungs three times.

Cai Tong's voice was almost hoarse from shouting; after hearing it, the indigenous people erupted in thunderous cheers.

Ma Li'an put on the mask again and started the ancestral spirit dance; the tribespeople gathered around him, singing and dancing together.

The next day, Lin Jiang and Cai Tong appeared in Relanzhecheng before dawn.

Lin Jiang held up a stack of registers: "Your Highness, Seventh Prince, do the household registrations of each jia need to be re-surveyed?"

"Your Highness, Seventh Prince, please listen—is there anything still amiss?" Cai Tong held up a draft trade protocol hastily written overnight and read it aloud clause by clause.

Xiao Ze took them, flipped through briefly, then handed them back: "You handle it as you see fit."

The two exchanged a glance, clearly uneasy.

The second day, the two came again early in the morning.

"Is it all right to build the irrigation canals for the sugarcane fields like this?"

"Should we issue a sign for merchant ships entering and leaving the harbor?"

Xiao Ze replied: "You can decide on these matters yourselves."

The two responded with an acknowledgement, but as they withdrew they still wore anxious expressions.

On the third day, the two arrived even earlier, still asking about every little matter.

Xiao Ze was helpless: "No need to run back and forth on everything—just go ahead and do it."

The two bowed respectfully and withdrew, but the next day they still came early as usual.

"They're just not used to it yet." Xiao Yuanhang laughed: "After working for so many years under the red-haired barbarians, they had to wait for their approval on everything."

Xiao Ningxun nodded: "Yes, suddenly letting them make their own decisions now makes them uneasy instead."

Xiao Ningyuan shook his fan: "Take it slow; with time, they'll naturally let go."

Xiao Ze rubbed his forehead, stood up: "No, we need to hide first."

Xiao Ningchen thought for a moment: "Then let's go to the hunting grounds of Machushe—Tuan Tuan can play with those deer, and we can go hunting."

Xiao Ningyuan snapped his fan shut: "Great idea!"

Everyone packed up their belongings and rushed nonstop to the hunting grounds of Machushe.

The racks for drying deer hides were gone, replaced by several rows of newly woven bamboo baskets holding thinly sliced wild fruit drying inside.

Several indigenous women sat in the shade weaving mats; seeing them arrive, they lifted their heads, smiled, then lowered their heads and continued weaving.

Tuan Tuan was overjoyed; as soon as she arrived she called out to the deer herd, a doe came up to her, bent its foreleg, and let her climb onto its back.

Ma Li'an cleared out several large thatched huts, and everyone moved in.

The morning deer calls were long and melodious; the wild boars and rabbits in the mountains became sizzling, oil-dripping roasted meat on the evening bonfire rack.

The indigenous people gathered around the bonfire, humming ancient ballads.

Tuan Tuan also learned to weave small trinkets from vines, giving the first little basket she made—a lopsided, twisted little basket—to Ma Li'an.

Ma Li'an solemnly hung it in his own thatched hut.

The indigenous people lacked the formalities of Zhongyuan; upon seeing us they merely waved and nodded, never bowing on a whim.

The group felt entirely relaxed and at ease.

That morning, the morning glow dyed the entire mountaintop a golden-red hue.

Xiao Ze and Xiao Ningyuan sat side by side under a large tree.

They looked down at the village below, where a few wisps of cooking smoke rose curling upward; in the distance, small boats were moored in the harbor, their sails gently swaying in the wind.

Tuan Tuan's clear laughter faintly came from the woods.

"What a secluded paradise," Xiao Ze said softly, "if I could, I wouldn't want to leave."

Xiao Yuanhang reached out, his broad palm landing steadily on his shoulder: "Your Highness isn't unwilling to leave; he just wants to enjoy this simple, carefree life for now."

"But as a prince born, Your Highness's burden is innate."

"Just as I, a military officer, will fight for country and people on the battlefield until my last breath as long as I can still lift my spear and raise my sword."

Xiao Ze nodded: "Let's go, let's go see Tuan Tuan."

At the same moment, in Jingcheng, at the morning court.

Xiao Jieyun gently placed Xiao Ze's memorial on the Dragon Desk, looking down at the officials below the steps: "The seventh prince's memorial arrived yesterday."