Chapter 768: Silver Is Just a Pile of Stones

Lu Mingzhe smiled and said: "I thought General Gong would know, since Pan Yun is acquainted with the thousand-house commander Chen Wen from the navy, and I heard the helmsmen on her ship were all borrowed from Chen Wen."

Gong Xia's expression darkened slightly. "Aren't you, Master Lu, also on intimate terms with Lin Mengzhu? Pan Yun and Lin Mengzhu's nephew both trained at Long Hushan and are close—didn't you ever ask Lin Mengzhu about it?"

Lu Mingzhe didn't answer his question, but murmured: "Silver shipped all the way from Japan must weigh at least one hundred thousand taels to move the imperial court."

Gong Xia no longer pressed him, but lowered his gaze. "Japan isn't our territory—it's sparsely populated, scarce in resources, and we've had only three months for smelting. Five ten thousand taels is already astonishing."

No sooner had he finished than Cao Jixiang and Pan Yun descended from the ship, the old eunuch's face beaming with a joy they had never seen before.

The two men exchanged a glance and instantly discarded their earlier assumptions.

The silver Pan Yun brought back must be substantial—otherwise Cao Jixiang, that old eunuch, wouldn't be this visibly elated.

The two immediately walked down to greet Cao Jixiang and Pan Yun.

Cao Jixiang was warmly speaking to Pan Yun; seeing Lu Mingzhe and Gong Xia approaching, his smile slightly faded, yet the joy in his brows remained.

The four exchanged pleasantries, and Cao Jixiang immediately pulled forward Wang Cong, who followed behind him, and introduced him enthusiastically: "This is Wang Cong from Mount Sanqing. His family's three ocean-going ships will be under his charge. Master Lu, General Gong—you must look after my junior in the future."

You old fraud, Pan Yun is right here—do you really need to steal the spotlight?

Lu Mingzhe and Gong Xia smiled in agreement, gazing at Wang Cong with warm, amiable expressions.

Wang Cong bowed respectfully to them, then stood behind Pan Yun.

Pan Yun didn't want Wang Cong used as a weapon to stab each other; after he bowed, she said: "Go back to the ship and keep watch. Help Grandee Cao transport the cargo to the Maritime Trade Office."

Wang Cong agreed, bowed to the three, and withdrew.

Lu Mingzhe praised: "He knows when to advance and when to retreat—Mount Sanqing has worthy successors."

Gong Xia: "I notice his steps are light and graceful—he clearly has martial skill too. A true man of letters and arms."

Pan Yun listened quietly as they praised him; Wang Cong's ears turned bright red, and he quickened his pace away.

The three, before Pan Yun as the elder, vied to heap praise upon Wang Cong; once Pan Yun was satisfied and a smile appeared on her face, they finally inquired about the pirates they'd encountered.

Cao Jixiang's gaze sharpened—he suddenly remembered he hadn't yet inquired about the pirates.

All three asked with concern: "Were the pirates targeting Pan Daoist's two ocean-going ships?"

Pan Yun smiled: "Grandee Cao, you jest. Two civilian vessels—why would pirates send so many men, launch two ambushes, and even deploy cannons? I suspect they were targeting the imperial mission."

"Ah—" she sighed. "Master Yang is pitiable. He was dispatched by imperial decree to Japan—who dares attack and kill an imperial envoy?"

Cao Jixiang, Lu Mingzhe, and General Gong exchanged glances and could no longer remain still.

Cao Jixiang asked: "Is Master Yang still aboard?"

Pan Yun gazed anxiously at the main ship: "He should be. He's guarding the pirate chieftain. The dock is chaotic now—he'll wait until most people have left before coming down."

Lu Mingzhe immediately said: "These pirates have committed countless crimes—I will punish them severely. I shall go inspect at once."

Cao Jixiang: "I hear the mission returned safely thanks to Pan Daoist and the King of Ryukyu's aid. The Ryukyu King even sent his prince to escort them. As Superintendent of Maritime Trade in Quanzhou, I must personally receive them."

Pan Yun nodded to Cao Jixiang with a smile, watched him hurry off, then turned to Gong Xia, still standing where he was.

Gong Xia's eyes narrowed. "Pan Daoist, are Chen Wen's men serving you well?"

Pan Yun smiled. "General Gong, you jest. I'm just an ordinary commoner—how could I dare use personnel from the Navy Command?"

Gong Xia's gaze swept over the large ship behind her; he saw none of those men aboard, but he trusted his intelligence.

Without Chen Wen's helmsmen, how could a Daoist who'd never sailed before dare command two ocean-going ships?

Yet he had no proof. Pan Yun's face remained calm, even curiously asking: "General Gong, pirates attacked and killed an imperial mission at sea—this is clearly a failure of the Navy Command. Master Lu is already frantic—why do you seem so unconcerned? Do you have powerful patrons above you who'll protect you no matter how fierce the storm?"

Gong Xia stared fixedly at Pan Yun.

Pan Yun met his gaze directly and smiled.

Gong Xia bowed and departed, also going to welcome the mission.

The main ship grew lively.

Pan Yun neither joined the commotion nor left—she simply crossed her arms and leaned against a tree, watching.

Only when Yang Shan and the Ryukyu Prince Shang Kang were escorted away by the crowd did the harbor quiet somewhat.

Nearly half an hour later, Xue Shao arrived carrying a food box and holding Pan Xiaohei.

He handed her the box and whispered: "I've taken Yang Shan's people out and hidden them."

Pan Yun asked: "Where did you hide them?"

Xue Shao: "At the Quanzhou Daoji Office."

Pan Yun's mouth opened slightly—she'd considered many places, but never this one.

But this place… was truly brilliant.

Pan Yun pondered it, then asked: "Where are Seeing Miao Zhen and the others staying?"

"They returned to the Maritime Trade Office."

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow: "Then what about my fourth mistress and third master?"

Xue Shao smiled: "The two Daoists went to the Daoji Office. I think they simply aren't used to dealing with government offices."

Pan Yun secretly gave him a thumbs-up, completely at ease.

With Master Xuanmiao and Tao Ji there, none of them will escape.

Even when she was clever and worked so hard, she couldn't slip past the two of them.

The two hundred thousand taels of silver were counted until the hour of Wei.

There weren't actually that many silver ingots—each weighed thirty catties.

But because of their weight, they had to be handled with extra care.

As per custom, the Maritime Trade Office randomly selected five ingots from different boxes and positions, cut them open to confirm uniformity inside and out, then sealed them and had men carry them off the ship onto carts bound for the office.

Cao Jixiang didn't want anyone to know the exact amount of silver, yet knew it couldn't be hidden—and he also needed to build momentum for the silver mountain—so after thinking, he ordered the silver directly transported to the Maritime Trade Office without concealment.

Wang Cong was starving, his stomach pressed against his back; as soon as he disembarked, Pan Yun handed him the food box Xue Shao had brought.

Wang Cong buried his face in the food; after a long while, he caught his breath: "Now, facing silver, I no longer feel that excitement—it's just a pile of stones to me."

Pan Yun: "I really want to beat you up."

Xue Shao nodded: "Me too."

Wang Cong grinned, finished eating, then tidied up the food box and asked: "Little Martial Uncle, which inn are we staying at?"

Pan Yun said: "What inn? Let's go, we're staying at the Maritime Trade Bureau." (End of chapter)