Chapter 1098: Mutual Willingness

But after all, these were houses that could shelter them from the wind and rain. On that day, He Lingchuan inspected several temporary residential areas with Elder Wansai and Wansai Feng, checking living conditions and listening to the opinions of the clansmen.

He was graceful and didn't boast about his merits; the Bailong tribe all had a good impression of this life-saving benefactor and were full of gratitude.

When someone saw him coming, they knelt down and kowtowed on the spot.

"Give you a flower." A little girl beside him handed a small flower to He Lingchuan, smiling brightly, with a missing front tooth—that was lost when climbing the mountain in Storm Bay.

He Lingchuan chatted cordially with everyone and asked about their needs. The Bailong people raised problems on the spot, and he could solve them on the spot without any hesitation, showing his sincerity.

It wasn't until the bright moon was high that he got up and left.

As the Master of Yangshan, He Lingchuan had accumulated a pile of affairs to deal with in these few days and couldn't stay here for long.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

During these few days, He Lingchuan would find time to go to the Bailong tribe's residential area to take a look, even if there was nothing to do, he would chat and talk with people.

He got along well with everyone, didn't put on airs, didn't consider himself a life-saving benefactor, and everyone liked this Island Master.

Elder Wansai thought he would make a request.

There is no kindness without reason in this world; how could someone do their utmost for the Bailong tribe without asking for a return?

Elder Wansai was very clear-headed.

However, He Lingchuan just didn't mention it at all.

In these few days, the noise in the Bailong tribe gradually increased.

When people are full and warm, they have different ideas. Some clansmen found work on Centipede Island and Suoding Island, just like the Wansai uncle and nephew back then, while others began to inquire about the rental price of fields and shops.

Life here is good, prosperous, and stable.

As long as you work seriously, you have food to eat and a place to live. For refugees, isn't this the greatest temptation?

The Bailong tribe's children always drooled at the candied haws, crispy cakes, and grilled skewers at the stalls.

Delicious food has to be bought with money.

At the thought of the whole tribe's stay or leave, Elder Wansai felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. This good life of having enough to eat and being safe was like a flower in a mirror or the moon in water; as soon as they left the Yangshan Archipelago, it might be shattered.

And with so many people in the Bailong tribe, they could eat and drink for free in the Yangshan Archipelago for seven days, but could they eat and drink for free for a year?

The Yangshan Archipelago originally had less than eighty thousand residents; receiving the Bailong tribe was such a heavy burden? Wansai Tong had originally racked his brains for the rations of the whole tribe, and Elder Wansai knew best how much food forty thousand mouths had to eat every day. How much money would the Yangshan Archipelago charge them for these seven days of food and accommodation? If they had any face, they should set off after resting enough, so as not to cause trouble for others.

In the afternoon, Wansai Feng invited Elder Wansai to his home for wine and a chat.

Elder Wansai had been here twice; Wansai Feng's residence was a small courtyard with a single door and a single house, not large but clean and tidy.

An old camphor tree outside stretched its crown in, covering half of the courtyard.

In these few days, Wansai Feng had received many new clansmen at home, all of whom were envious to the point of green eyes.

Only permanent residents of the island were qualified to enjoy a small courtyard with a single house.

The two sat under the camphor tree drinking wine, with four or five dishes on the stone table, all made by a small restaurant a few zhang away, still steaming when brought over.

Elder Wansai picked up a piece of golden-fried eggplant box and sighed: "Seven days ago, how could I imagine myself sitting here, eating such delicacies?"

Seven days ago, they were hunted down like wild dogs.

Seven days later, the years are quiet and good, with wine and food.

Sigh, like a lifetime ago.

Wansai Feng toasted him: "There will be, everything will be."

After drinking a cup, Elder Wansai said again: "A-Feng, I see you have changed a lot. You have become smarter and have your own ideas."

Wansai Feng's speech and behavior were different from before. Elder Wansai saw confidence in his eyes.

"After several life-and-death situations and several rounds of displacement, anyone would change." Wansai Feng said softly, "Thanks to Island Master He's awakening, I am trying my best to correct the problem of being hesitant and thinking more but deciding less."

Elder Wansai couldn't help but raise his white eyebrows; this eight-character comment was truly appropriate for the Wansai Feng of the past.

He took the opportunity to ask about Wansai Song's whereabouts. He hadn't mentioned this for seven days.

Back then, Wansai Song left the tribe in anger, taking his nephew Wansai Feng.

Now he had been in the Yangshan Archipelago for so many days, but he hadn't seen Wansai Song show up, only Wansai Feng busy for the clansmen.

There was a hidden story here.

Elder Wansai was embarrassed to ask Wansai Feng directly, so he inquired about the news from Wansai Feng's subordinates, and this was incredible! "Old Uncle is working in the mine." Wansai Feng chewed a piece of braised pig ear slowly, "You heard about our business last autumn, right?"

Elder Wansai was embarrassed and didn't answer.

"After that incident, Old Uncle was punished to dig in the mine. I went to see him a few times and sent him some food."

Elder Wansai couldn't help asking: "Can you visit him?"

"Yes, Island Master He never stopped me, and allowed me to visit freely from the beginning." Wansai Feng smiled bitterly, "The first two times, Old Uncle was still resentful and didn't say a word when he saw me."

At the critical moment of the rebellion to seize the island that night, he retreated first and took away most of the manpower; it would be strange if Wansai Song wasn't angry.

Not to mention that He Lingchuan later set up a scheme to alienate their uncle-nephew relationship and alienate Wansai Song from the Bailong tribe.

"Later, I found a few children in the tribe to visit him. You know, Old Uncle likes children. This time, he kept the wine and meat I sent."

Elder Wansai said "Ouch": "That old stubborn guy has a day when he wants to soften and think it through?"

"Old Uncle is not stubborn, it's just that the burden on his shoulders was too heavy during that time, and it was inevitable that he would be extreme. Island Master He punished him to dig in the mine, which might not be a bad thing for him, just right to unload the heavy burden and live quietly."

The life in the mine is tiring and boring, just right for Wansai Song to reform and reflect.

Wansai Feng knew this uncle too well: "As long as he doesn't bear the heavy burden of the whole tribe, his heart knot can slowly open. I visited him last month, and Old Uncle seems to have gained some weight."

Elder Wansai smiled and said in a low voice: "I came to find you today, also about the way out for the whole tribe."

Wansai Feng immediately straightened his face.

"We were driven out of the Ya Kingdom, and A-Tong died unfortunately. These old and young in the tribe, from now on..."

Both were silent.

The way out for the Bailong tribe has always been a big problem.

"I am old and can't last long, and I can't bear such a heavy burden." Elder Wansai's eyes showed sadness, "A-Feng, the clansmen all trust you, so I came to ask you, are you willing to take over A-Tong's heavy burden and guard the safety of the whole tribe?"

Back then, it was Wansai Song who fell out with the tribe, not Wansai Feng.

Wansai Feng and the former young tribal leader Wansai Tong still had deep brotherhood.

In this Luting Beach battle, Wansai Feng was also at the forefront, fighting hard, which the warriors in the tribe all saw.

More importantly, Wansai Feng was doing well and open-minded in the Yangshan Archipelago, and was valued by the Island Master, so he wouldn't sit by and watch his clansmen being bullied.

From all aspects, they had no better choice.

Wansai Feng stood up immediately and said sternly: "I will die without regret!"

At this special moment, what he took over was not only glory but also a heavier burden, so he didn't need to be polite, just expressing his heart was enough.

Elder Wansai's brows relaxed, and he said "Good" several times, then continued: "There is one more thing."

"Just tell me."

Elder Wansai's voice was a bit muffled: "You are willing to take over the position of tribal leader, and we are all very happy. But, but, the stay or leave of the clansmen..."

The Bailong people's rest in the Yangshan Archipelago is only temporary; where will they go from now on? This problem will have to be faced sooner or later.

He said "stay or leave"; if he was unintentional, how could he bring a "stay" word? Wansai Feng understood in a second: "Forgive me for being blunt, the Mou Kingdom sent Bailie to meet my tribe, only because of a little guilt and obligation, where is it really caring? Even if my tribe enters the territory of the Mou Kingdom, where will these tens of thousands of people be settled, and how will their livelihood be maintained? It is still a big problem."

The Bailong tribe was close to the Mou Kingdom in the past and was supported by the Mou Kingdom, opposing the current royal family; after the founding of the Ya Kingdom, of course, it had to settle this old account.

But this unwillingness, Wansai Tong and the elders and other leaders could feel it.

Wansai Feng continued: "We are outsiders after all. Even if the Mou Kingdom has the heart, can the local officials in the designated reception area treat my tribe well? It is unknown. How long has the Ya Kingdom been founded, and the bureaucratic habits are fully displayed? You have also seen those many dirty things; the Mou Kingdom has a history of 150 or 160 years, can their official style be better than the Ya Kingdom?"

Elder Wansai nodded: "Bailie is also bad. That Lu Qingbin, the Lu commander, did fight side by side with my tribe and is a good one. But I have inquired about it in the Yangshan Archipelago and Blade Harbor these days, and the reputation of the Bailie family head is not good. And Bailie hasn't been able to take care of its own people's livelihood in recent years, where is there any spare energy to settle us?"

The choice given by the Mou Kingdom to the Bailong tribe was to choose between the Mou Kingdom and Bailie.

But now it seems that neither choice is very reliable.

In the past, the Mou Kingdom sent money and weapons to the Bailong tribe, full of enthusiasm; now that the Bailong tribe has lost power, the Mou Kingdom is indifferent.

People go and tea cools, the world is like this.

Speaking to this point, it was almost breaking the last layer of window paper. Wansai Feng was better than before, and at this time, he calmed down and refused to break the work first.

Both of them lowered their heads to drink and eat, not saying a word.

No matter how rich the dishes are, they can't stand two big bellies eating one by one.

Until the peanuts next to the pig's head meat were almost picked out, Elder Wansai finally couldn't stand this embarrassment of silence, and drank wine to moisten his throat:

"A-Feng, the burden you take over is very heavy, and the livelihood of these 40,000 people will be handed over to you from now on."

Since Wansai Feng succeeded as tribal leader, planning the future for the whole tribe was his duty.

Elder Wansai threw all the responsibility on himself, and Wansai Feng was not surprised. He asked generously: "Elder, what do you think of the Yangshan Archipelago we are staying in now?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 1099 =====