Chapter 51: The vassal of my vassal is not my vassal

Since that day at the market, another half-month has slipped by, and the weather in Beijing has turned completely cold.

A bone-chilling wind wanders the streets, and all sorts of heating items like coal and warm quilts have begun to sell well.

Just past noon today, scattered snowflakes began to drift from the sky, falling to the ground and quickly merging with it.

A carriage slowly pulled up in front of the Northern Suppressing Faction office; the coachman stopped the carriage, smiled, and called inside: "Young Master, we have arrived."

Zhang Yunxiu opened his eyes, lifted the carriage curtain, and stepped down while holding onto the carriage frame.

The wind outside was bone-piercing; he shivered involuntarily, wrapped his cotton robe tighter around himself, and headed straight into the office.

Zhao Yong had been locked up for a month now; half a month ago, Han San said the lad's spirit had broken. Zhang Yunxiu had intended to come and see, but he had been busy with the Emperor's affairs, and one delay dragged on until today.

Stepping into the room, Han San and Zhao Yong were already waiting there.

Han San hurriedly stood up, cupped his hands, and said: "Young Master."

Zhao Yong glared coldly at Zhang Yunxiu without saying a word. Han San, beside him, grew anxious and scolded: "Zhao Yong, don't you forget what you promised me! Do you still want to learn martial arts or not?"

"Young Master." Zhao Yong stood up and called out most reluctantly.

Zhang Yunxiu waved his hand with a smile, not minding it at all, and gestured for the two to sit.

After they were seated according to host-guest etiquette, Zhang Yunxiu tilted his head to look at Zhao Yong and asked: "Have you thought it through? Are you ready to go home?"

"I'm not going home." Zhao Yong shook his head.

"Not going home?" Zhang Yunxiu was taken aback and looked at Han San, full of confusion.

Han San scratched his head, stood up with a smile, and explained: "Young Master, look at this lad; there is a streak of ruthlessness in him, and he doesn't look like a scholar either. Why not just keep him by your side—"

"Absolutely not." Zhang Yunxiu hurriedly stopped him. "I saved this lad's life; that was already an act of extraordinary mercy. If I keep him by my side and he acts like a fool, and one day he does something to Feng Bangning, who is to be held responsible?"

Han San fell silent upon hearing this.

Zhao Yong shouted with a flushed face: "I am learning martial arts from Brother Han, not from you. Do I need your permission?"

"Insolent!" Han San's expression changed violently; he knit his brows, slapped the table, and cursed: "You little brat, have you gone mad? How dare you speak to your savior like that?"

Zhao Yong shivered and shrank his neck, stepping backward.

"Young Master, it is my fault for not teaching this little brat well. Give me some more time, and I will certainly discipline him properly." Seeing Zhang Yunxiu's increasingly gloomy expression, Han San cursed his luck inwardly and hurriedly began to explain.

Zhang Yunxiu's expression was gloomy, but not because he was angry; rather, he was frustrated.

This fellow Zhao Yong feared Han San, yet he did not fear him in the slightest.

It made him, the leader, lose a lot of face. The vassal of my vassal is not my vassal?

"Young Master..."

Han San was about to persuade him further, but Zhang Yunxiu waved his hand, refusing firmly: "Before the New Year, he must leave Beijing. If he is still here by then, you can handle the consequences yourself."

"By what right?" Zhao Yong shouted with red-rimmed eyes.

Zhang Yunxiu narrowed his eyes, shot two cold glares at Zhao Yong, and laughed sinisterly: "By what right? Heh heh, by the right that I am in charge, by the right that I hold power, and by the right that a single word from me can make you disappear from this world!"

By the end, Zhang Yunxiu had completely shed his previous gentle demeanor; his tone was like a cold, sharp sword.

Zhao Yong's body went limp, and he stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.

Han San steadied him, looked at Zhang Yunxiu, and nodded: "Young Master, rest assured, I will definitely send him away before the New Year."

"Brother Han..."

"Shut up! Where you learn martial arts doesn't matter!" Han San glared back at Zhao Yong's plea, then looked at Zhang Yunxiu and said: "Young Master, I am truly not making excuses, but this lad is indeed not a scholar." Zhang Yunxiu's eyes narrowed; he stared at the two for a long time before saying: "Two years. Let the lad lay some foundations at home first. If he still wants to study martial arts in two years, he can come to Beijing to find you."

"Two years is too long." Zhao Yong muttered in dissatisfaction.

Han San, however, was beaming with joy. He gave Zhao Yong a heavy rap on the forehead and laughed: "You little brat, two years is nothing! It will pass in the blink of an eye. Why don't you thank the Young Master?"

"Thank you, Young Master."

Zhang Yunxiu waved his hand, signaled for Zhao Yong to leave, and kept Han San behind alone.

By now, the snow outside had grown heavier, and the cold wind, carrying goose-feather-sized snowflakes, blew in from outside the window.

It blew upon the charcoal fire covered in white ash, revealing its fiery red color.

Zhang Yunxiu felt a warmth on his face, stretched, and asked Zhao Yong about the main business: "What is the scale of the Treasure Shipyard in Nanjing? Have the brothers sent to investigate returned?"

The wealth on the sea was endless, and treasure ships were the sharp weapons for long-distance voyages, so Zhang Yunxiu had sent Han San to check the scale of the Nanjing Treasure Shipyard so he could have a clear idea.

"They have returned. But Young Master should also know that this Treasure Shipyard has been in decline since the Yongle era. The subsequent emperors banned maritime trade. Although the Longqing Emperor opened the seas, the scale of the Treasure Shipyard remains pitifully small—not even one-tenth of what it once was." Han San explained patiently.

"And the Artisans?" Zhang Yunxiu pressed.

"There are some Artisans, but they have no work to do. Many cannot even afford enough to eat and can only do some carpentry to supplement their household income."

Zhang Yunxiu nodded after hearing this.

As long as there were Artisans, it was fine. In any case, the Nanjing Treasure Shipyard was already mostly ruined; there was no breaking without establishing, and he would simply establish a new one.

Thinking through this connection, Zhang Yunxiu leaned forward and instructed Zhao Yong: "Like this, you set off now. Spend some silver and bring all those Artisans to Beijing."

"Young Master, there is no great river around Beijing; it won't be easy to open a shipyard here," Han San hurriedly reminded him.

"Who said I wanted to open it in Beijing?"

"Then why did the Young Master tell me to bring them to Beijing?" Han San looked completely bewildered.

"Are you stupid? We need to help them get rid of their Artisan Registry status first." Zhang Yunxiu gave Han San a look of annoyance.

According to the hints he had received from Zhang Juzheng, the first batch of Artisans to be removed from the Artisan Registry would not be processed until early next spring at the earliest.

Zhang Yunxiu planned to use this as a reward to motivate these shipbuilding Artisans.

"The Young Master is far-sighted; it is I who am dull."

"Pack up and set off tomorrow. Use silver if you have to. Tell them if they don't want to be in the Artisan Registry for the rest of their lives, they should come to me quickly and build my ships well."

"Yes." Han San cupped his hands, accepted the order, and left.

Zhang Yunxiu followed right behind, but before he could walk out the door, a figure blocked his path.

It was Zhao Yong.

He lowered his eyelids, hung his head, and pleaded: "I don't want to stay here. I want to go to Nanjing with Brother Han. I haven't been to Nanjing city yet."

"I don't want to stay with you either!" Zhang Yunxiu glared at Zhao Yong and asked viciously, "Who were you talking to just now?"

"Young Master, I want to go to Nanjing with Brother Han, I ask for the Young Master's permission." Zhao Yong bit his lip and said it once more.

"Get lost, get lost." Zhang Yunxiu waved his palm as if shooing away a fly and scolded with a laugh, "Seeing you makes me feel annoyed; get lost quickly, and after you finish in Nanjing, just go straight back home."

Zhao Yong revealed a triumphant smile and caught up with Han San's pace.

(End of this chapter)