Chapter 157

The sea surface shimmered, and occasionally a large fish would poke its head out, spitting and inhaling the brilliance toward the bright moon in the sky.

On the shore.

After Zhang Gui finished listening to Lü Zhenduan's explanation, he finally understood that his accidental act of saving people was practically equivalent to rescuing a major pitfall in the path of Hanli's restoration.

After all, when a country is broken but the mountains and rivers remain, the thing one fears most is the appearance of unfavorable rumors, which could become the final straw that breaks the camel's back.

However, as the founding sovereign of True Dragon, he didn't actually care much about the gratitude of the fallen "Hanli Shen Clan."

He teased with a laugh: "So that's how it is.

If that's the case, the 'Hanli Shen Clan' really does owe me a personal favor.

But as for what the Shi Zhexian called 'repayment in the future,' I actually don't care for it.

After all, when it comes to painting pies in the sky, we are veterans among veterans.

If there is a sincere desire to thank me, it would be better to help arrange a place to rest.

Isn't she a close associate of Prince Zhen? Surely she has at least that much face to borrow the tiger's prestige.

Or you, Old Lü, as a staff member of the 'Traveling Palace,' could show off some authority.

Find us a place to rest."

"Longhu, don't look down on people like that.

Although the 'Hanli Shen Clan' has lost its country, at the very least, on Xianrong Island, they can be called 'a centipede that dies but does not stiffen.'

Their personal favor is still very precious."

Lü Zhenduan shook his head with a bitter smile upon hearing this.

He was about to go to those stone buildings on the pier to see if there were any night watchmen who could help settle them in.

As a result, Zhang Rui, who seemed to have been forgotten, suddenly took the initiative to volunteer:

"General Caiyang, Lord Lü, this subordinate actually has some familiar friends in Chuanshen Port.

I think I can help find a place to stay and rest for a while."

"Lord Lü, do you see? This is what they call 'a hundred birds in the forest are not as good as one bird' in hand.

No matter how much the Hanli Shen Clan 'dies but does not stiffen,' at this very moment, they are not as useful to us as Lord Zhang Rui.

Lord Zhang, thank you very much then."

Zhang Gui laughed heartily upon hearing this.

Seeing this, Zhang Rui repeatedly claimed he didn't dare, then took long strides and ran toward the depths of the military port.

But in truth, he didn't have any friends in Chuanshen Port.

However, Zhang Rui's face was indeed thick enough, and he was wearing the armor of a sixth-rank military officer, with gold and silver in hand to pave the way.

Using both soft and hard tactics, he soon found a place to stay.

He even borrowed someone's stove, bought some beef and mutton offal and tendons, and personally cooked them with thick oil and red sauce to bring out the fragrance.

Then he added water, vegetables, tofu, radishes, and so on, and boiled it over a high fire.

He invited Zhang Gui to have a wonderful meal, saying it was just a meager repayment for saving his life.

The next day.

Zhang Gui woke up in an empty barracks room.

The brazier at his feet had long since turned icy cold.

He dressed neatly and walked out of the wooden door.

The sun had already risen high, but the figures in the entire Chuanshen Port were still sparse.

A sharp-eyed little soldier seemed to have been guarding outside the door the whole time.

Seeing Zhang Gui appear, he immediately went up to greet him,

"Caiyang Longhu, do you have any instructions?"

Zhang Gui asked in return: "Do you know where Lord Lü Zhenduan is?"

"Lord Lü went to inquire about the war situation with Commandant Zhang.

He will be back to report to you in a moment.

The morning meal has also been prepared.

Would you like to wait for the two lords to return and chat while eating, or would you like to eat now?"

"Naturally, I will wait for them to return and eat together.

Have you all eaten?"

Zhang Gui asked with a smile.

The little soldier was stunned, thinking for a long while before he understood that the "you all" in Zhang Gui's mouth referred to himself and these soldiers.

Wanting to lie but not quite daring to, he stammered in reply:

"We haven't thought about it yet, thought about eating, no, but we aren't very hungry either..."

Zhang Gui was quick-witted; seeing the little soldier's hesitant appearance, he immediately guessed the crux of the matter and said in astonishment:

"Chuanshen Port is right by the Eastern Inner Sea; if nothing else, the catch should not be scarce.

How could you be left hungry?"

The little soldier said with a bitter face:

"Longhu, please be informed, after Prince Zhen came to Chuanshen Port this time, he issued an order.

Except for the warships of the Traveling Palace, not a single plank is allowed to leave the port; those who violate the order will be beheaded.

Now it is the bitter cold season, and it is not easy to go into the sea to spear fish, so we, we..."

Before Prince Zhen's "Traveling Palace" launched a war against the coalition forces of Yuanshan and Qianji on Xianrong Island, he ordered that "not a single plank may leave the port" in Chuanshen Port.

Naturally, this was to prevent deserters in case the war situation turned unfavorable.

And Zhang Gui actually understood this point quite well.

Strict control during wartime, even if somewhat unreasonable, is understandable.

But what he could not understand was, since such an order was issued under conditions of insufficient food, how could they not leave a special exception for "only being allowed to go to sea to catch fish."

"What a bunch of bastards!"

The more he thought about it, the more nameless anger flared up. Zhang Gui spat out these eight words, ignored the little soldier, and strode toward the sea.

As he walked, he urged the various Divine Clusters within his body, and his figure continued to expand.

By the time he entered the sea, he had already transformed into a ten-zhang giant.

Standing in the sea, he danced his fists wildly, using the power of "Water and Fire Harmony" to unleash steam that filled the sky, permeating the surface of the sea.

Afterward, Zhang Gui activated his unique seven-colored Main Divine Cluster, "Ember," instantly taking away all the temperature in the scorching steam for hundreds of meters around.

In an instant, frost condensed.

At this time, Zhang Gui looked through the crystal-clear ice layer, broke the ice to grab large fish one by one, and tossed them casually onto the open space of the pier.

In the distance, Lü Zhenduan and Zhang Rui looked at Zhang Gui, who resembled a demon god, and looked at each other in dismay.

"Lord Lü, General Caiyang is, what kind of madness is this?

Why would he display such ability for no reason, just to run into the sea to catch fish for fun?"

Lü Zhenduan had been with Zhang Gui for more than half a year, and although the impression he had was actually quite different from reality.

He also understood some of his true character to a greater or lesser extent.

He couldn't help but say with a complex expression:

"Lord Caiyang is not playing; he is catching fish for the starving soldiers in Chuanshen Port.

No matter how he kills enemies like slaughtering dogs and shows no mercy in his strikes, when it comes to 'loving the people like his own children,' he is truly rare in the world."

"But although Chuanshen Port is short of food, Prince Zhen also ordered that 'not a single plank may leave the port.'

But if you eat sparingly, it will definitely not lead to starvation.

Moreover, the grain requisitioned from the Eastern Yue Province as per custom will arrive in the next two days.

The first stop is Chuanshen Port..."

"Lord Zhang, I already said, Caiyang Longhu is a rare lover of the people in the world.

Since he is rare in the world, naturally he cannot bear to see the people below go hungry for even a day."

Lü Zhenduan interrupted Zhang Rui's confusion,

"Just now, a water curtain message arrived; in a moment, a special envoy from Prince Zhen will come to see Caiyang Longhu.

I think there must be important matters to arrange.

Let's go and report now."

"That is exactly what should be done.

Lord Lü, I heard that Caiyang Longhu is a special existence even within the entire 'Traveling Palace.'

He listens to military adjustments but does not listen to imperial edicts.

Is that really the case?"

"Listening to adjustments but not edicts" means that at critical moments, he obeys military mobilization, but maintains his own independence.

Usually, he does not listen to imperial edicts.

This is actually an alliance between two organizations of different sizes.

The larger one can conditionally and limitedly command the smaller organization.

But because the smaller organization has its own system, if it is suppressed too severely, it may also bite back.

Therefore, the larger organization generally also has some misgivings.

(End of this chapter)