Chapter 78: The Chancellor Should Let Go

Everyone stood on the deck, watching Chen Cang return to the room at the very front of the two-deck cabin; moments later the great ship began to move slowly.

The Great King and Wei Shen, two land-ducks lacking experience, exclaimed repeatedly; everyone had been tense, but in an instant they ruined the atmosphere.

The ship's movement was clearly felt, but being huge and stable, the Great King could still run and jump on it without hindrance.

"As long as the ship is big enough, it's hardly different from being on land~"

"Exactly, you can still run, jump, and play!" Wei Shen agreed.

Chen Huai didn't raise the sails; with the help of the other two NPCs he backed the ship out of the berth, moving forward only a short distance.

This was enough to shock the crowds of onlookers on the shore—a ship as big as a mountain could actually set sail!

Especially the seaside fishermen were extremely excited!

"It-it-it really can set sail!"

"This big guy can't be overturned by any wind! Truly mighty..."

"Which shipwright could build such a huge ship, from the south? How could something this big stay afloat?"

"Mustn't this giant ship have taken over a decade to build? It must cost hundreds of thousands of taels, right?"

"Could this be the Great King's recruitment of fishermen?"

"What? The Great King didn't buy several ships, but just one ship?"

"For five hundred people, is this one ship enough?"

As for the treasure ship, not only the commoners of You Prefecture, but even their subordinates, whose experience far surpassed theirs, had their perceptions overturned. Everyone's expressions were actually quite complex—there was astonishment and bewilderment, and even the Chancellor's usual unflappable composure, as if Mount Tai could collapse before him without changing his face.

Today the various posts weren't fully staffed; Chen Cang had been out wandering awhile and just returned. The Great King's craving for ships was unsated; he asked Chen Cang: "The 550 fishermen are ready; I, the king, will probably bring along two or three hundred personal troops as well. How many days will you need to train them here? Can we set sail for a trip before the year's end?"

"Your Highness, aside from our three positions, the other posts involve little technical difficulty; just three to five days to learn the procedures."

Upon hearing this, the Great King was overjoyed.

Zhao Bao glanced at Minister Xue and said, "Your Highness, didn't you hear? The prince intends to go out to sea himself to catch fish—quickly come stop him!"

Minister Xue had indeed heard the prince's recent rise in stature; before all his subordinates, the crafty old fox decided to give the youngster face and speak to him privately.

How could the Great King know he was so composed and giving him face, only thinking that Minister Xue had given up resistance?

He waved his hand, smiling with satisfaction, and said, "We'll test the ship five days from now, return before the year's end, and add a dish to the New Year's feast for the people of You Prefecture."

The Great King made a hasty, happy decision, never considering what to do if they caught no fish. Seeing his second cousin sidle up, constantly giving him meaningful looks, the Great King declared boldly, "Second cousin, come with me too!"

"Good younger brother!"

The two men, vastly different in height, struggled to put their arms around each other's shoulders; Minister Xue was anxious, wondering if this could be persuaded.

After returning to the mansion, Minister Xue indeed went to the Great King's study to request an audience; upon seeing him enter, the Great King showed an expression… as if everything were under his control.

The Great King had learned to interrupt; he raised a hand to stop Minister Xue's speech and said, "Chancellor, do you also want to go?"

Minister Xue: "……Your servant……"

The Great King immediately interrupted again: "It's not that I, the king, won't bring you; if we two leave You Prefecture, what then? If we're away from the mansion for so long, the Grand Tutor must come too; if you all leave, how can state affairs be managed?!"

Minister Xue was shocked…… "Your Highness, are you also planning to bring Xu Zhi?"

The Great King's face lit up with delight: "Can we not bring him?" Wouldn't that mean no need to study?

Minister Xue also came to his senses; having been interrupted twice in a row, this time he wouldn't let the Great King lead him astray. He spoke firmly: "Regarding the prince's going to sea with the ship, I have something to say! I believe this is overly dangerous; I implore Your Highness to give it three thoughts!"

The Great King propped his chin with his two plump hands, blinked, and looked at his Chancellor: "More than three thoughts—I've had five, six thoughts already; I've pondered deeply; the treasure ship needs me, the king, to preside over it!"

He kept saying "I, the king" this and "I, the king" that, yet relied on no authority to intimidate the Chancellor; Minister Xue firmly believed the Great King should not risk his person.

The Great King produced his thick, dictionary-like handbook of marine edible creatures and said, "I, the king, bear an important mission: to find various edible fish to alleviate You Prefecture's hunger. Minister Xue, don't say more—no one can substitute for me; I, the king, must go myself."

Minister Xue changed tack: "Your Highness, have you considered what to do if, once the ship is far from shore, it encounters a great storm? At that point it would truly be praying to heaven with no answer, to earth with no response—Your Highness, don't just say the ship is big; I've read that the sea can have towering waves."

The Great King sighed: "Those are just exaggerations! I, the king, say studying kills me every day, yet I'm still alive and well~"

Minister Xue: "……"

"Your Highness wants to turn back only before the year's end—that's about twenty days. Being at sea that long, I, your servant, truly cannot rest easy. Even if your maternal grandfather were here, he wouldn't agree." Having been backed into a corner, the Chancellor began to play the family card.

The Great King pondered for two seconds, feeling he understood the Chancellor's meaning: "You mean… I should kick Wei Shen aside and take him on the adventure instead?"

Minister Xue: "……How could you understand it like that?"

Before he could say anything, the next second Wei Shen burst through the door, pointing at Minister Xue and shouting, "You old bastard! The precious You King, Your Highness, can go, so why can't I?! My grandfather wouldn't be so timid! Your Highness, you can't abandon your cousin—if your cousin doesn't go, who will personally protect you?! If my grandfather knew you were going on an adventure and I didn't go to protect you, he'd break my leg!"

Minister Xue sighed inwardly; the Great King's illogical, stubborn ways were already enough to give him a headache, and now this—today reason could not be made clear.

His intuition was correct; despite failing to convince him, the Great King was determined to go.

Finally, as a recurring theme, Minister Xue knelt on the ground to beg forgiveness: "It's all my inadequacy; I cannot share the lord's worries."

The Great King personally helped the Chancellor to his feet; like a little adult, he let out a long sigh: "The world must advance, the later surpasses the former; Chancellor, you need to let go~"

After the Great King finished speaking and saw Minister Xue had no reaction, he couldn't help but feel deeply disappointed. Really, if the Grand Tutor were here he'd surely be pleased—these two lines, put into practice, huh?! Another day feeling cultured, pinching his waist!

Minister Xue: "……"

After the Great King finished speaking and saw Minister Xue had no reaction, he couldn't help but feel deeply disappointed. Really, if the Grand Tutor were here he'd surely be pleased—these two lines, put into practice, huh?! Another day feeling cultured, pinching his waist!

The matter of the Great King personally accompanying the treasure ship to sea was ultimately settled as such.