Chapter 954

Pu Min looked tense, fear in his eyes: “The State Tutor found me and said your brother had pledged allegiance to the late Emperor, agreeing to serve the imperial family—but you… the new Emperor is furious, so he sent the State Tutor to bring me out and order me to return, return…”

Pu Min whispered: “To keep watch on you.”

Pu Si froze for a moment, the coldness on his face melting instantly. He stepped forward, grasped Pu Min’s hand, and said with tears: “Good brother, it was your elder brother who misunderstood you.”

Pu Si pulled Pu Min toward the side courtyard and said gently: “Father and son fight side by side on the battlefield; brothers unite to slay tigers. Matters of the Pu family must be settled by those bearing the Pu name. The imperial family may wish to reap rewards without effort—that’s fine—but to demand we hand over three parts of every profit we earn? That’s too much.”

“How could these officials ever understand the hardships of merchants?” Pu Si sighed. “They sent you back to oppose me, thinking they could squeeze out more money? But it’s not all bad—this is your chance to be pardoned and return home, and now you can finally reunite with Auntie and Yue Sister.”

Pu Min immediately said: “Of course my heart is with you, brother. I only obeyed imperial orders. From now on, we can pretend to be at odds in public, but remain united in heart…”

Pu Si gave him an approving look: “I feel the same.”

Pan Yun didn’t care how the brothers negotiated. For the Pu family, she cared not for the process, only the outcome.

She acquired two broken boats, immediately summoned Wang Cong to pay, handed over the money, and had the boats moved to the fishing village.

Meanwhile, the timber she ordered from the Kaifeng Zhu family’s lumber yard also arrived at the fishing village.

Wang Cong spent an hour touring the entire fishing village. When he returned to the shed, Pan Yun was reviewing her blueprints with the craftsmen.

He seized a moment to pull Pan Yun outside the shed and whispered: “Little Master, will this work? Such a crude place—can they really repair this ship?”

Pan Yun: “Don’t underestimate them. I asked—they come from a line of master craftsmen. Their father built a secret chamber for a corrupt official, and when that chamber hid vast wealth, he was implicated. His family fled. The old craftsman was already over thirty when he escaped, and his skill surpassed even his father’s. He once worked in a shipyard.”

Pan Yun believed they could do it.

Wang Cong remained uneasy.

Pan Yun said: “If you’re worried, stay here and watch over them. Offer your guidance.”

Wang Cong pointed at his own nose: “Me?”

“You,” Pan Yun said, pulling three books from her sleeve and slapping them against his chest. “No thanks needed. With your ability, mastering them and integrating their knowledge will take no more than ten days. Wang Cong, don’t forget your origins. Your artifact-crafting skill rivals Miaohe Yanbai’s pill-crafting ability.”

Artifact-crafting, like pill-crafting, is one skill that unlocks all others.

Wang Cong excelled in artifact-crafting. Even if he’d never touched shipbuilding, once he understood its problems, he could build.

But did he have the time?

Pan Yun said: “Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay chopping wood. Quanzhou’s storm has just passed, and Song Dalin and Wang Xiaojing are visiting their hometowns—they won’t return for a month or two. Why not set aside your current work and focus entirely on shipbuilding?”

Wang Cong lowered his gaze, thought for a moment, then said: “Fine. I’ll stay.”

Pan Yun was satisfied and pulled him to meet the craftsmen.

When the fishermen heard Pan Yun planned to leave Wang Cong to supervise their shipbuilding, they were displeased. The old craftsman said: “Is the Daoist priest doubting us?”

Pan Yun pointed at Wang Cong: “He’s no novice. If you have questions about crafting, ask him.”

The old craftsman sneered and turned to Wang Cong: “Tell me this—do you understand mortise and tenon joints?”

Wang Cong glanced at him, silently picked up a knife and a piece of wood, and began carving before their eyes. An hour later, he assembled a full-scale ship model using only the carved pieces—no nails, all mortise and tenon.