Chapter 957: Getting Better and Better

"Now is a good time for harvesting palm oil; aren't the pirates busy with that too? Who has the manpower to go out and rob?" Lu Qing'an shoveled rice into his mouth. "In past years at this time, they wouldn't come out to cause trouble either." The eldest son spoke with reason and evidence, but Lu Zhensheng always felt a bitter taste in his heart.

"He bought the Yangshan Archipelago from our hands; if he truly has the ability to dispel evil, then that would really be..." Lu Zhensheng glanced at his eldest son, "making us the laughingstock of the whole world!"

It was also the eldest son who had strongly urged him at the time, insisting that this deal was exceptionally profitable, which was why they had sold the Yangshan Archipelago.

"How could we have known that early?" Lu Qing'an didn't want to take the blame either. "The Yangshan Archipelago was in the Lu family's hands, in your hands, for so many years, and it never produced so many tricks."

The words were too blunt; Lu Zhensheng let out a hum, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"If it weren't for raising grain for the Mou Kingdom, if it weren't for the Mou Kingdom pressing for grain so ruthlessly, why would we have to sell off our ancestral property?" Lu Qing'an added, "Bailie is rich in produce; originally, what we used was more than enough, but if we take it to help the Mou Kingdom fight wars, war is a bottomless pit!"

"Am I just desperately throwing money at the Mou Kingdom?" Lu Zhensheng put down his chopsticks with a *clack*. "This is called being prepared for danger in times of peace! You know very well how poor the environment around Bailie is; I don't need to say more. If you want to keep the territory our ancestors left us, if you want the family to flourish again, you have to look to your second brother, and you have to look at the face of the Mou Kingdom!"

Lu Qing'an's expression changed, and he fell silent.

Every time they argued about this topic, it ended this way.

Both father and son were silent.

In fact, both of their perspectives were reasonable. Lu Qing'an also understood that since Bailie recognized the Mou Kingdom as its protective umbrella, this kind of protection fee had to be paid.

After a long while, Lu Zhensheng picked up his chopsticks again: "Qing'an, I know you have your difficulties. But now is the time for our hearts to think as one and our strength to pull in one direction. Also, I just received a report of victory sent back by Qinglin."

Lu Qing'an looked up: "He won another battle?"

"Yes, he wiped out over two thousand of the enemy at the Six Passes, took the opportunity to cut off the enemy's main army's retreat, and joined General Du in a pincer attack to surround them. Beijia suffered huge losses in this battle, and before long, they started sending envoys to negotiate peace!"

Lu Qing'an beamed: "That is wonderful!"

The Lu family's full support for the second brother in terms of financial and material resources was, in fact, a type of investment.

Since it was an investment, naturally, they hoped for the highest possible return.

The second son was truly as capable as ever.

The more outstanding his military achievements and the higher his status in the Mou Kingdom, the stiffer Bailie's spine would be, and the better the surrounding environment would become.

"The Mou royal court discussed his merits and rewarded him, appointing him as General of the Left Guard and Earl of Ding'an." Lu Zhensheng clapped his hands. "That's a double promotion!"

Lu Qing'an said happily: "Second brother has finally made it! Congratulations, Father."

"This is the fortune of the whole family, and also the blessing of our ancestors' luck." Lu Zhensheng was all smiles. "Qinglin said the war in the west might be nearing its end, and he will be coming home soon."

"We must give him a proper welcome then!" Lu Qing'an looked delighted.

It seems the fortune of this generation of the Lu family has fallen upon Lu Qinglin.

"Oh, by the way, Qinglin also specifically mentioned in his letter that there will be two occurrences of Emperor Flowing Nectar within at least half a month and at most forty days, telling us to prepare early."

Lu Qing'an was startled: "Two in a row? How did he know?"

When the previous two Emperor Flowing Nectars descended, the Lu family hadn't heard a whisper of news in advance.

"The higher one's position and power, the better informed one is. Besides, Qinglin has performed great deeds twice in a row, so the Mou Kingdom naturally rewarded him." Lu Zhensheng smiled. "You go and prepare first. Just let the officials know three days in advance."

In a system like the Mou Kingdom's, as one's status rises, one naturally unlocks corresponding benefits and privileges, gaining access to secrets that commoners never touch.

The descent of the Emperor Flowing Nectar is too important for all living things; even if one knows half a day in advance and can prepare a step earlier, that is a great blessing! "Yes."

Just as Lu Qing'an responded, Lu Zhensheng added: "As for the Yangshan Archipelago, aren't they recruiting craftsmen and commoners on a large scale?"

"That's right, they've taken away many of our people." Lu Qing'an said, "I heard they even recruited Bailong tribespeople from the Ya Kingdom."

Lu Zhensheng made a sound of surprise: "Bailong people? Which branch? Wanzai Zhao or Wanzai Tong?"

"This... I will have someone go and inquire." Such detailed intelligence required special arrangements.

"The Bailong tribe is close to the Mou Kingdom, so their chieftain was killed, and the remnants who refused to submit were driven out. The Mou Kingdom originally wanted to relocate them into the country, but the Bailong tribe did not want to leave their homeland. This tribe is quite warlike; you send someone to make contact and see if they can be used by us."

Lu Qing'an frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then said: "Father, I think we should leave the Yangshan Archipelago alone for now. The Ya Kingdom in the east is stirring again, and there have been several border incursions. This morning, Qingbin already led troops to set out. I heard the Ya Kingdom's monarch is marrying off his daughter again and needs a large dowry."

Lu Laoliu's son, Lu Qingbin, ranked fourth in this generation of the clan and could also fight. With Lu Qing'an not in Bailie, he had to go out to meet the challenge.

Whenever the Ya Kingdom lacked money, they would rob everywhere. Last year, Bailie was punched a few times and ended up paying money to resolve the disaster.

This year, sigh.

Compared to the scourge of war in the east, what is the Yangshan Archipelago? This old father always fails to distinguish between what is urgent and what is not.

Lu Zhensheng was still brooding: "But the Yangshan Archipelago..."

Lu Qing'an had no choice but to reason with him: "Don't say that the one surnamed He can't pull off any tricks; even if he has the ability to uproot the Yangshan Archipelago, it won't do us any harm. If there is a chance to take it back in the future, it will be equivalent to him having cleared the fields, built the docks, recruited the labor, and completed the development for us. When the time comes, we take it all ready-made; what's wrong with that?"

Lu Zhensheng thought about it, and it seemed that was the logic.

As for whether the Yangshan Archipelago could be taken back? Ha, how many people under that surnamed He can actually fight? Those recruited now are all farmers and laborers for planting and harvesting palm.

How fast can a pure outsider develop military power on a desolate island? This question was not something the father and son needed to think deeply about at all.

Lu Zhensheng let out a breath: "Then you must also keep a close eye on that surnamed He and see what else he wants to do later. I always feel that he won't settle down easily."

"I've already started handling it." Lu Qing'an felt annoyed, but he couldn't appear too perfunctory. "He is still purchasing things on a large scale, and the demand is very high. Ordinary merchants certainly can't provide it, so I have also instructed the Chamber of Commerce to join forces and raise prices."

When the Chamber of Commerce raises prices, the Lu family also earns more.

Although the Lu family couldn't spare the hands to deal with the Yangshan Archipelago for now, as the landlord, it was easy to add some trouble for them, and it wouldn't even be obvious. It would be best to stuff a mouthful of coptis into that surnamed He's mouth, leaving him unable to speak of his bitterness.

"The islands that can be developed in the Yangshan Archipelago shouldn't just be those few. That surnamed He has also exposed his own shortcomings; he might be running low on funds."

(End of chapter)