At night, because Gongsun Su had reached an agreement with Sheng Lanci, to celebrate, he held a small banquet.

Because Sheng Lanci didn't want his daughter to show up in the pirates' lair, none of the girls appeared in the banquet. But Xu Baomo was invited.

Young Lord Xu was smiling when he seated himself. Being properly reserved and friendly, he demonstrated all the manners necessary for a refined Childe from an affluent family. However!

When he saw the large bowl of clams which placed expressly in front of him, Xu Baomo's only thought was: how many rewards were offered… for Gongsun Su's head?

What was worse, Sheng Lanci, not informed of the whole thing or deliberate to cut down the man who was wooing his daughter, took up his cup, had a sip, stroked his beard and said with a grin, “Nephew, I don't know that you like eating clams. Why didn't you tell us when you were at Sheng Family? Though it wasn't as convenient as Daimao Island, Nanfeng County was by the sea. It wasn't difficult to prepare this dish. If Sea Master Gongsun didn't command to place the dish in front of you expressly, I wouldn't even know that. You're really treating me as an outsider!”

Xu Baomo really wanted to flip the table!!!

Luckily, the news that Ningwei Marquis' Young Lord loved eating clams didn't spread on the island.

It wasn't because that no one here was interested in the outsider Xu Baomo, but that Daimao Island was planning to strike back!

That decision was made by Gongsun Su and Sheng Lanci.

Gongsun Su had been intended to counterattack long since, while Sheng Lanci hoped to save his nieces out as soon as possible.

Since they shared a mutual goal, they reached an agreement quickly. Sheng Lanci would offer them money and supply the weapons; meanwhile, he would bribe the navy of imperial court on the land to provide a.s.sistance in case of a crisis. While Gongsun Su would take on his chopper and eliminate all the inharmonious voices and make sure in Daimao Island, everyone was on the same side.

Since the two were both the type that fulfilled his words instantly, after making the deal, they set out to the intense and b.l.o.o.d.y preparing work separately.

A few days later, numerous wars.h.i.+ps were a.s.sembled in the port on the left of the island. There were masts everywhere, which produced a killing atmosphere.

“Brother, I'll leave our home to you.” Because Sheng Shuihe hadn't recovered from his severe injury and Wuyi Battalion, all the members of which had died or got injured, couldn't form an army and launch attacks as usual, Gongsun Su himself had to fight in the battle.

Actually, it was also the reason why that he was able to kill all the uncles who made the judgment on him but put it off until the recent days. He was the unique son of Old Sea Master Gongsun. Meanwhile, he had a competent foster brother Sheng Shuihe. So, when Old Sea Master Gongsun was alive, all the dangerous duties of the Young Master were taken by Sheng Shuihe.

Old Sea Master Gongsun surely knew that in doing so, Gongsun Su wouldn't be able to convince the evil pirates on Daimao Island, because he didn't have any distinguished merits.

But since Old Sea Master Gongsun was always in good health, he thought he would get enough time in the future to teach his son. Anyway, his son would take over his place smoothly. Unexpectedly, Han Family and Pan Family launched a war suddenly, and Old Sea Master lost his life on the sea before his son got mature.

So Gongsun Su, who came into power in such a situation, he received not only the doubts of his uncles but also the distrust of the general pirates.

So before obtaining Sheng Lanci's support, Gongsun Su didn't take action against those uncles. It wasn't that he dared not, but he just could not.

The reason behind this was simple. At the time, even if he killed his uncles and took back their power and disposition, Gongsun Su still wouldn't be able to counterattack Han Family and Pan Family and the only thing he could do was to hold their ground based on the island.

The reaction of other people on the island would be predictable. “The new Sea Master wasn't capable and courageous enough to have a fight with Han Family and Pan Family, and he had killed all the people previously in charge. Will he lead us to hide cowardly on the island forever?”

After all, most pirates didn't know that the people who were competing for power with Gongsun Su could not launch a counterattack, either.

Even if they knew about that, with the anxiousness and fright about being besieged in the heart, they would subconsciously choose to take their anger out on Gongsun Su. They would think that he had killed the people previously in power, who could have led them to get through the impa.s.se, out of jealousy. Because of his fault, everyone now would be stuck on the island, hiding cowardly.

So Gongsun Su kept his uncles there. In this way, even if someone complained that the people in power were incompetent, the uncles would share the blame with him. He wouldn't have to take all the responsibility alone.

Now with Sheng Lanci's support, they were hopeful of launching a counterattack. He had killed the uncles, and as long as they won a victory in the battle, he could convince his people, “It wasn't I but the uncles who were making trouble and getting in the way!”

In doing this, at the sacrifice of his uncles' lives and reputation, Gongsun Su would naturally consolidate his position of Sea Master and get rid of the impression that he was not better than the former one!

So, let alone Sheng Shuihe was severely injured at the moment, even if he were well, Gongsun Su would have left him at home.

Of course, Sheng Shuihe wasn't the only one who would stay. After the conversation with his foster brother, Gongsun Su turned to Sheng Lanci, “My brother is young, so, Freeman, please take care of him!”

Sheng Lanci's courtesy name was Xinzhang. After quitting the government, he dwelled in Nanfeng County and named himself Nanfeng Freeman.

In fact, the t.i.tle was invented for the family of Gongsun. Because of Sheng Lanci's status, it was improper for him to contact Gongsun Family baldly. But they kept a close relations.h.i.+p privately, so they need a salutation. So, he invented the t.i.tle particularly to conceal their connection.

At the moment, hearing that, he nodded slightly, “No worries about the home front. I and my son will look after everything!”

With Gongsun Su's drumrolls, hundreds of s.h.i.+ps set sails and departed from the port. They gradually disappeared on the horizon. Sheng Shuihe and Sheng Lanci rested their eyes on the fleet until it faded away, and then led the people back to the yard.

“You have not recovered yet. Leave everything to me.” On the way, Sheng Lanci said attentively to Sheng Shuihe, “The fleet just departed with weapons and materials, and the island experienced a campaign right away. I suppose there won't be any urgent affairs. Why don't you take the chance to get a good rest?”

Hearing that, Sheng Shuihe glanced at him with a vague smile and teased, “I'm free. But you don't seem to have much time, do you?”

“Why?” Sheng Lanci was a little surprised.

“When Eldest Brother launched the campaign to clean up several days ago, you could find some excuses to confine sister in Yingjiang's yard and hide it from her.” Sheng Shuihe reminded him with a smile, “But when the fleet departed in the drumrolls, the sound could be heard everywhere on Daimao Island. Even though she could speculate on what's going on, won't she need some explanation from you?”

Finally, realizing the fact, Sheng Lanci patted his head. He had been so busy recently that he forgot he still had to wheedle his daughter!

He could spare no more time to console the son. Having given him some tips, he left for Sheng Weiqiao.

Seeing him striding, Gongsun Xi, who followed closely behind Sheng Shuihe, felt unfair, “That lady has nutritious food to eat and is accompanied by Sea Master's son and daughter. Though she feels confused, is it important? Chief, since you haven't recovered from the injuries, he is supposed to pay more attention to you! Master Sheng is too partial towards her!”

“In your opinion, how should he show his care for me?” Sheng Shuihe smiled flatly and asked, “Should he ask after everything about me and call me 'sweetheart', or take a stool and sit by my bed and feed me with the medicine, or tell me a folk tale, and praise that how cute and smart I am, and that I'm the best child in the world?”

Gongsun Xi, “….”

He imagined all the scenes. Especially when the scene where Sheng Lanci caressed Sheng Shuihe's head and praised him came to his mind, Gongsun Xi slapped himself to keep his wits. Seeing Sheng Shuihe peering at him with a smile, he couldn't help trembling!

He swallowed and laughed dryly, “Chief, I was just kidding. Don't take it seriously!”

Certainly, Sheng Lanci and Sheng Weiqiao knew nothing about the episode.

“So, Gongsun Family had gone for the fight?” At the time, Sheng Weiqiao had heard the whole thing from her father, from which he had deleted all the b.l.o.o.d.y deeds he had privately down with Gongsun Su. Her black feather-like brows crumpled. With the white skin glittering in the summer sunlight, she manifested a divine beauty. She said apprehensively, “They will save out Little Jiuniang and Third Sister, won't they, dad?”

Sheng Lanci said gently, “Of course. Don't worry, sweetheart. In several days, I'll be able to bring you four home!”

Though he said that, Sheng Lanci wasn't hopeful that Shen Jiuniang and Sheng Weirao could be brought back, alive.

Because of the uncertainties on the battlefield, though their status was unique, the two fragile girls were unlikely to survive.

But Sheng Lanci had no means. He had tried to persuade Han Family to release the hostages with a reward higher and higher. The last bid was already more than half of Sheng Family's property. If Han Family accepted that, it would mean that Sheng Lanci's hard word in the past twenty years went for nothing!

As an uncle, Sheng Lanci thought he had tried his best. If it had been Sheng Lanxin, Sheng Lansi and Madam Bai, they would have been less likely to accept such conditions. After all, they had other children to look after. How could they pay everything just for a daughter?

However, because Sheng Shuihe and Sheng Weiqiao killed Young Master Han, Han Family insisted that the brother and sister should be handed over to them in exchange for the hostages. In no way would Sheng Lanci accept such a condition, would he?!

Instead of accepting that, Sheng Lanci was provoked into killing Han Family!

Before Gongsun Su set out, he had suggested this young Sea Master privately that if necessary, it would be acceptable to give up on Shen Jiuniang and Sheng Weirao. But the mainstays of Han Family, especially the people close to Young Master Han, must be killed!

After all, it was said that thieves could commit crimes all the time, but people couldn't keep themselves defensive all the time.

Sheng Lanci didn't hope that his children were exposed to any potential risk!

Comparatively, his nieces had to be abandoned.

For this decision, Sheng Lanci didn't feel guilty at all. He had done his best. He owed nothing to Sheng Lanxin and Sheng Lansi, so why should he exchange their children with his own children?!

But considering that his daughter was too innocent, he feared that Sheng Weiqiao would feel guilty after knowing it, so he hid it from her.

He described vaguely and changed the topic, “By the way, Baomo has suffered a lot this time. Though we've been friends for generations with Xu Family and never treat each other as an outsider, you need to regard him as your own brother later on!”

Sheng Lanci actually said that with some evil intentions. Didn't the boy want to woo my sweetheart?

I would induce her to think of you as a blood brother!

Think about it. Xu Baomo courted his daughter so hard and tried his best to coax her. Finally, he supposed that it was the right time, and he confessed his feelings to Sheng Weiqiao, but she stared her almond-shaped eyes in surprise, “But I always regard you as my own brother!”

Just to imagine, the scene made him so happy!

Sheng Lanci, while smiling at her lovingly, snorted in the heart, “Such a young boy even wanted to compete with me?”

My thirteen-year-old sweetheart needed only her father as her chevalier!

If her brother dared to scramble for the position, he would set him up! With great dedication! Set him up to fail!!!

When Sheng Lanci was indulging in his fantasy that Xu Baomo b.u.mped the ground with his head desperately, Sheng Weiqiao touched the teacup in front of her. Peering at the tea, she affected to gaze at it attentively, and finally, she raised her head, “Dad, the son of a mistress… I mean, Sheng Shuihe. Is he really your son?”