Chapter 398: The Liang Family's Ambition

"Eight million taels of silver, what a pipe dream!"

A merchant ship flying the Liang Family flag slowly sailed away from the pier.

At the bow, Liang Song glanced toward the direction of the restaurant.

Wang Zhi had guessed correctly; this time, the Liang Family taking the initiative to approach Wufeng Island and spending so much silver to burn Yan Wang's warships was a strategy to kill two birds with one stone.

Although, for the sake of the artillery, the Liang Family no longer obstructed the Emperor granting Sea Trade Rights to Yan Wang.

Yet, how could their Liang Family just allow Yan Wang's merchant ships to set sail?

At the same time, for these years, Wufeng Island had been clinging to the Liang Family's body like a leech, sucking their blood.

Taking away nearly half of the Liang Family's profits—how could the Liang Family not be angry?

The only reason they were still enduring Wufeng Island was that the Liang Family's Navy might not be able to defeat Wang Zhi's.

Moreover, Dongying was still secretly supporting Wufeng Island.

However, even if they could not eliminate Wufeng Island, they, the Liang Family, had endured enough of handing over such generous profits to Wang Zhi, this sea pirate.

This time was a contest between their Liang Family and Wufeng Island; even if they could not destroy Wang Zhi, they at least had to take back thirty percent of the profits.

And their confidence lay in the artillery that Yan Wang had built for the Liang Family.

As soon as these cannons were loaded onto the ships, they would force Wufeng Island to make concessions.

"It is just a pity that we didn't burn Yan Wang's warships." Liang Song wore a regretful expression.

The descendants of the Liang Family all relied on sea trade to live extremely wealthy lives.

Wufeng Island had already skimmed a layer off them, and now that Yan Wang was participating in sea trade, wouldn't that be skimming yet another layer?

Not a single member of the Liang Family could tolerate this.

But Wufeng Island had failed this time, and Yan Wang would inevitably be on guard; it would be difficult to burn the warships again.

Thinking of this, his brows furrowed.

Now, the merchant ship would head to the Jinling City pier.

He needed to discuss these matters with the Head of the Family.

Five days later, the merchant ship entered Jiujiang from the sea, and after another day, it arrived at the foot of Jinling City.

Disembarking at the Jinling City pier, Liang Song headed toward the Liang Mansion.

At this moment, Liang Kai was cooling off under a willow tree in the courtyard, his mood appearing quite relaxed.

"Head of the Family, Wang Zhi wants our Liang Family to compensate him eight million taels of silver." Liang Song entered the courtyard and relayed Wang Zhi's words to Liang Kai in full detail.

"That thieving bastard, he really is crazy for silver. Eight million taels—my Liang Family won't give him a single tael." Liang Kai was so angry he stood straight up.

Yan Wang's warships were perfectly fine, and because of this incident, it was said that inspections in Fanyang were now very strict.

Clearly, it had aroused Yan Wang's vigilance.

"It's just that Wang Zhi threatened that if we don't pay, he is afraid he will plunder the Liang Family's merchant ships again," Liang Song said.

Liang Kai fell silent. After a while, he said, "Indeed, now is not the time to fall out with Wang Zhi. Let's drag it out a bit longer; once we have three hundred cannons, we will give Wang Zhi a taste of our power."

Up to now, Yan Wang had only delivered one hundred and nine cannons to the Liang Family, which was still far from that number, though they should reach three hundred before the end of the year.

"You just tell him the silver amount is too high,

and that our Liang Family needs time to prepare it," Liang Kai added.

Liang Song nodded; this was also his own thought.

Then he asked, "What about Yan Wang's warships?"

"We can't count on the sea pirates for this matter; Yan Wang must be extremely cautious now. However, because of this, Yan Wang and Wang Zhi have become enemies, which is quite wonderful." Liang Kai laughed softly, feeling exceptionally pleased. "If Wufeng Island could also plunder the coast of Yanzhou, it would be even better."

He was very proud of his strategy of killing two birds with one stone.

In his heart, he mocked Zhao Xu for being tricked by him, yet still having to sell him artillery.

Only, he did not know that the artillery Zhao Xu sold him was the lowest quality.

The two families were simply tricking each other.

Pausing for a moment, he continued, "The Emperor has ordered a campaign against Xiliang; soon the North Territory will be in chaos. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to take advantage of the chaos. Remember, you must keep your cool. Look, this time the Third Prince had an accident, doesn't that give the Fifth Prince a chance to become the Crown Prince? Hahaha..."

In the past, the Liang Family had to endure Dou Wei for the sake of sea trade.

But in his heart, he had always believed that the Liang Family was the number one powerful clan of Da Song.

The accumulation the Liang Family had gained in sea trade over these years was something even he found terrifying.

Zhezhou, Min Prefecture, and Shenzhou were all under the control of his Liang Family.

If it weren't for the fact that the Liang Family frequently suffered bullying from sea pirates, the Stedan, and the Angsa on the seas, and needed to rely on Da Song, he would have no need to bow his head to Dou Wei.

Nor would he need to curry favor with the Emperor Zhao Heng everywhere.

Every member of the Liang Family had such a vision in their hearts: that their Navy could roam the seas and control sea trade.

The purpose of humbling themselves this time in exchange for artillery was precisely for this goal.

He wanted to use Yan Wang's artillery to defeat Wang Zhi and the Stedan, force them to hand over the Art of Cannon Casting, and then shake off Yan Wang's artillery.

Thus, the Liang Family would never have anything to fear again.

Liang Song had been in Zhezhou and did not yet know about the Third Prince's affair, so he listened with a confused expression.

Until Liang Kai explained it to him, the two of them laughed together.

"The Imperial Clan has truly lost all face. I never expected there to be a eunuch Imperial Prince; I fear there has never been such a shameful incident since ancient times," Liang Song laughed loudly.

"Indeed, otherwise why would the Emperor break precedent and want to campaign against Xiliang? However, this has nothing to do with our Liang Family. I used the excuse of sea pirates causing trouble in the southeast to decline the matter," Liang Kai thought for a moment. "But Dou Wei and the Emperor are not giving up. Here is what you do: return to Zhezhou and stir up some trouble, find some men to dress as sea pirates and capture a few counties."

"Yes, I understand." Liang Song was well-versed in such matters and smiled slightly.

Yancheng.

For the past six or seven days, the commoners and merchants in the city had often seen a giant sphere flying across the sky.

This sparked intense discussion throughout Yancheng.

More ignorant commoners would kneel on the ground and pray incessantly whenever the giant sphere flew over, believing it to be a deity on patrol.

Seeing that matters were becoming increasingly absurd, Zhao Xu ordered news to be released, telling the commoners that this was a Hot Air Balloon, an apparatus prepared by the Armory Bureau.

Only then was the matter calmed.

However, the merchants and commoners of Yancheng became increasingly in awe of Yan Wang.

"His Highness Yan Wang is truly remarkable; now he can even build things that fly in the sky."

At a tea shed outside Yancheng, several commoners drinking tea saw the Hot Air Balloon drift by once again and clicked their tongues in wonder.

"Naturally he is remarkable, otherwise would you and I be able to sit in a tea shop drinking tea leisurely today?" another commoner said.

Since Yan Wang took charge of Yanzhou, the number of merchants in Yancheng has increased.

Not to mention the shops inside Yancheng, all kinds of sheds could be seen everywhere from the Yancheng city walls to three miles outside.

In these sheds, there were those drinking tea, those selling pastries, and those selling snacks.

Most importantly, every shed was packed full.

With the harvest of one season, plus the road and bridge construction for the Prince's Mansion, the pockets of the commoners had unknowingly bulged.

Their tattered clothes had been replaced with new ones, and they also had spare money to drink tea, buy Wine, and order a small dish.

While the commoners chatted, the altitude of the Hot Air Balloon slowly lowered, finally landing on an open space in the east of the city.

At this time, Wang Chong jumped down from the Hot Air Balloon with a satisfied expression.

"Your Highness, how was it this time?" Wang Chong looked toward Yan Wang, who was waiting to the side.

After improving the Hot Air Balloon according to Yan Wang's guidance, he practiced maneuvering it every day.

Today, he finally took off from this point and returned here again.

However, because of the wind direction, he had circled a very large loop.

"Quite good." Zhao Xu nodded lightly.

He had only had Wang Chong change the Hot Air Balloon's combustion basin into the shape of a bucket, while simultaneously opening a hole in the side of the bucket to insert an iron plate; by sliding the iron plate, one could control the size of the Flame.

There was also the issue of fuel; he had Wang Chong replace the straw and use carbon powder mixed with vegetable oil to substitute for the original fuel.

Carbon powder burns slowly, vegetable oil burns quickly; the mixture of the two burns neither too fast nor too slow, which is just right.

Wang Chong chuckled twice, and at this moment he said: "Your Highness, this subordinate knows what you intend to use this Hot Air Balloon for?"

"Is that so?" Zhao Xu stood with his hands behind his back, "Tell me."

"Scouting enemy intelligence; with this added to the Telescope, one can see the enemy clearly," Wang Chong laughed playfully.

"Mm, not bad, what else?" Zhao Xu continued to ask.

Wang Chong scratched his head, unable to think of anything else, "Are there other uses?"

"Of course, but I won't tell you now." Zhao Xu examined the Hot Air Balloon, "I will arrange some soldiers for you; you teach them how to maneuver the Hot Air Balloon, and also, build nine more to keep in reserve."

He still attached great importance to the Hot Air Balloon; since Wang Chong had stumbled upon creating it, it must be used to exert its greatest effect.

After all, in this era, the Hot Air Balloon is the only man-made object capable of flying in the sky.

In the Great Song, it is unique to Yanzhou.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Wang Chong said loudly.

He saw excitement in Yan Wang's eyes.

Viewed this way, his Hot Air Balloon really did have great utility.

Now his heart was finally balanced; he was not being overshadowed by Qu Sheng after all.

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