(Doing some mental preparation. The climax isn't coming so quickly; it'll be around chapter thirty-something at least... Hmm, I'm looking forward to it too. It might take me a bit longer to write then, as I've never written such an awesome scene before. PS: After watching for a year, I finally bravely jumped into the stock market... and wow, what a scene! It's hard to concentrate before 3 PM. I bought 20,000 worth and plan to leave it there. I'm a bull!)

Since being reborn, or more accurately, since traveling from Danzhou to Kyoto, Fan Xian rode in a black carriage, wore black lotus robes, and carried a slender black dagger. He moved in the darkness, his whole being, inside and out, an integrated, transparent black.

Today, on the sea, on this broad, azure sea, the ship was pure. The mast stood tall, the white sails like the clean wings of a giant bird, seeming to pierce the white cloud on the horizon.

The crippled Lieutenant Dan once tied himself to the masthead, cursing the injustice of the world amidst the rain and terrifying waves. But Fan Xian, perched atop the highest mast, did not feel the same. After comparing Chen Pingping and his good friend A' Gan, and wearing only a thin white shirt, he squinted slightly, facing the morning sea. His thoughts and feelings, like the scenery around him, became simple and joyful.

Cursing heaven and earth, blaming others, fighting against the world, striving to become a great, bold 'person' made up of strokes—that was not the life selfish, death-fearing Fan Xian desired. He simply greedily enjoyed every moment after being reborn. Wealth and glory were necessary, beautiful women were necessary, awe-inspiring power was necessary, and the occasional moment of solitary, spiritual enjoyment was also necessary.

Since leaving Danzhou, although there had been many pleasant things to enjoy, he had been constantly busy with scheming, killing, and defending against being killed. This complete relaxation, this pure, unburdened spirit, had not been enjoyed for a long time.

Undoubtedly, Fan Xian was the first petit bourgeois in the world of Qing Yu Nian. His mother was clearly of the Paul type. So, he wouldn't let go of such a bourgeois opportunity to go to sea and feel the breeze, drinking fine wine and eating beef like Chu Liuxiang, acting as the master of the ship like Young Master Xu, but alas... there weren't many beauties in bikinis on board.

The ship sliced through the waves, leaving a white trail on the azure sea, brushing past the seemingly close red sun. On the mast, the young man gesticulated, danced, and chanted, truly... like a monkey.

...

...

The morning sea breeze was actually a bit cool. After shouting a few times, the wind made the corners of Fan Xian's shirt damp and cold, making him uncomfortable. Although his internal cultivation made him immune to cold and heat, the sticky feeling was unpleasant. He realized that looking cool always came with a price, and he was a little embarrassed as he prepared to descend to the deck.

He still couldn't help but greedily look at the seemingly endless sea, his heart filled with an unknown longing. This longing had been floating in his heart since before the New Year, but he had never been able to accurately grasp what it was. He had discussed it with Haitang, but still couldn't dig it out of his heart.

The open sea outside the ship, and his heart, which could never be completely relaxed, formed an awkward feeling. He frowned, spat a mouthful of saliva, which arced and fell far into the sea, adding a little foam and pollution.

The naval officers and soldiers and the Supervisorate people on the deck below looked up at this scene. In the past few days, they had grown accustomed to the Imperial Envoy's occasional bursts of madness. Although it was unsettling to see a generation's poet and powerful minister suddenly turn into a monkey, especially one standing at the top of the mast gazing into the distance, people thought to themselves that geniuses always had some eccentricities, and they were relieved.

Fan Xian's act of spitting caught the eyes of many on the deck. One sailor couldn't help but admire, "Even spitting looks so cool."

"Ooh ooh... aah aah..." Strange cries came from the top of the mast, "I am Tarzan! I am Tarzan!"

...

...

The people on the deck looked at each other. The sailor who was trying to flatter him was indeed bolder than most, and he plucked up his courage to ask the Supervisorate official beside him, "Sir, what mountain is Mount Tai?"

The person he asked was none other than Fan Xian's confidant, Hong Changqing, who gave him a cold look and turned his face away.

A gust of wind rose, and with a soft "pop," a pair of bare feet steadily landed on the deck. A young man in a white shirt released the ropes in his hands and yawned. Sailors hurried over to re-tie the ropes.

Fan Xian jumped down from the top of the mast.

Looking at this scene, although they had seen it many times, many people on the deck couldn't help but be stunned. How high was that mast? How could Lord Fan jump down so easily?

Hong Changqing looked at Fan Xian with admiration. Everyone knew that Lord Fan was a rare master in the world, but they couldn't imagine that a true master was so powerful.

Someone brought over a reclining chair, and Fan Xian lay down on it as if his bones had gone soft. He propped his feet on the ship's railing, letting the sea breeze wash his feet, feeling the wind passing between his toes, like a lover's soft caress. He sighed contentedly.

In his left hand, he held a glass of wine produced by the Internal Treasury, slowly sipping it. In his right hand, he gently pinched the broken skin of nuts, sending them to his lips. Fan Xian once again felt the same regret as he had on the mast: if Wan'er and Sisi were by his side, that would be perfect.

"My Lord," Hong Changqing stood beside him, hesitating. In the end, he couldn't help but lower his voice and softly asked, "What mountain is Mount Tai?"

In this world, there were many famous mountains, but no one had ever heard of Mount Tai. Hong Changqing whispered, "Is it tonight's secret order?"

Fan Xian was stunned, then couldn't help but laugh, cursing, "What Mount Tai? There's Mount Dong."

Suddenly, the sailors on the ship shouted loudly, their voices filled with excitement, "Mount Dong is here!"

Fan Xian was startled, then immediately got up and walked to the port side of the ship with the excited Supervisorate officials, waiting for the appearance of Mount Dong. At that moment, Fan Xian inexplicably remembered when he had not been sick in his previous life, when he had taken a boat through the Three Gorges, and how excited the tourists had been when they were about to pass the Goddess Peak.

But that time, Goddess Peak was hidden in the clouds and rain of the Wushan Mountains. One could only see the curtain moving, but not the body of the goddess, which was a pity.

Fortunately, the weather was clear today, with no dust in the air. Mount Dong did not hide its face.

The ship traveled north for several miles, bypassed a reef-filled beach, and turned hard to the left. Everyone on board suddenly felt their eyes light up. The ordinary scenery they had seen for several days suddenly disappeared, and a great mountain, as if suddenly spanning the heavens and earth, filled everyone's eyes.

Great Mount Dong!

This was a stone mountain, seemingly ordinary, but this stone mountain was so large, its height unknown, and the side facing the sea was a smooth stone wall, without a single fine line, as smooth as jade. It was as if a god had once split the mountain in half with a divine sword!

Fan Xian, looking at this scene, gasped. Judging by his eyesight, the mountain was at least two thousand meters high. How could the cliff facing the sea have no cross-section? Although he was a pig in geology, he knew that such a spectacle was too rare to see.

Great Mount Dong was not big, only high and steep, like a stone pillar, a huge stone pillar.

Especially the side facing the sea, which was already smooth, the sea breeze eroding it for countless years without causing any loosening. There were no traces of animal activity, and even the unruly giant birds could not nest on it.

Fan Xian squinted, thinking that this place was indeed miraculous, more beautiful... and more unique than the West Mountain stone wall of Northern Qi.

On the side of Great Mount Dong facing away from the sea, there seemed to be a lot of fertile soil, and lush mountain forests grew there, thriving, creating a green and verdant appearance.

One side was green, the other was white. The two sides of Great Mount Dong adorned the heavens and earth with these completely different colors, forming a harmonious feeling, like a piece of jade that turned from green to pale, extremely beautiful.

...

...

Fan Xian couldn't help but take another breath of cool air. Of course, he knew about Great Mount Dong. In this world, there were two places called Mount Dong. One was in the western suburbs of the Qing Yu Nian capital, which was only a small hill. It was somewhat famous because Qing Temple had a sacrificial temple there, and some folk gods also enjoyed offerings there.

The other was on the coast of the East Sea, Great Mount Dong, which enjoyed great fame throughout the human world.

Great Mount Dong was famous, first of all, because of its wonderful structure and perfect scenery, and also because this mountain produced the most perfect jade in the world. Fan Xian remembered that when the Empress Dowager of Northern Qi had her birthday a year ago, someone had presented fine jade from Great Mount Dong. But after Qing Yu Nian conquered this area in the Northern Expedition, another Qing Temple was built on Great Mount Dong, and the mining of jade was strictly prohibited. So Dongshan jade was now only available as existing stock on the market, and the price was getting more and more expensive.

The third reason why Great Mount Dong was famous was because of the Emperor of Qing Yu Nian's decree. Now, the incense in Qing Temple on Great Mount Dong was even more prosperous than Qing Temple in the capital. On the one hand, Qing Temple in the capital was somewhat solemn, and ordinary people didn't dare to go there. Qing Temple on Great Mount Dong didn't have this problem. On the other hand, it was rumored that Qing Temple on Great Mount Dong was truly mysterious. Many people who couldn't afford to see a doctor would be blessed by the temple after praying on the mountain, and those with serious illnesses would be healed without treatment.

Of course, the one by the sea was bigger, more famous, and more magical, so everyone knew the mountain in front of them as Great Mount Dong, and called the mountain near the capital Small Mount Dong.

Although Fan Xian was a materialist in his previous life, he was now a firm idealist. Looking at the stone wall of Great Mount Dong, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes, and the same feeling as when he first entered Qing Temple welled up again. Could it be that there was truly a hidden power watching him in this world?

Was it the Temple?

He shook his head subconsciously.

He could vaguely see the mountain paths weaving through the forests on the other side of Great Mount Dong, like fine lines, firmly securing that thick green garment to the naked jade-like body of Great Mount Dong.

Fan Xian had excellent eyesight, so he could also see a black temple on the peak of Mount Dong, silently facing the sea below the cliff and the rising sun in front of it.

He smiled unconsciously, thinking that he wouldn't have to practice climbing walls on this stone wall again, would he? The difficulty would be too high.

...

...

Great Mount Dong was quickly left behind the ship, and behind the heads of the people on the ship. After praising it a few times, no one said anything more and returned to their respective posts.

Hong Changqing noticed that the Imperial Envoy seemed to be more silent than before, just sitting in the reclining chair in a daze.

A lively monkey suddenly turned back into a thinking monkey. Something must have happened.

But Hong Changqing didn't dare to ask, just stood obediently behind Fan Xian, handing over wine, fruit, and snacks at any time.

"When do we arrive at Danzhou?" Fan Xian suddenly asked.

Hong Changqing was stunned, then asked a naval officer and replied, "This afternoon."

Fan Xian nodded, then suddenly sighed.

Hong Changqing thought for a moment, and hesitatingly asked, "Why does Your Lordship sigh?"

It was Fan Xian's turn to be stunned. He was silent for a long time without replying, because he had discovered a somewhat funny but not very funny fact. The confidants who followed him... whether it was Wang Qinian at the beginning, or Deng Ziyue and Su Wenmao later, seemed to develop in the direction of a comedian after being with him for a long time, although not everyone had the talent of Old Wang.

For example, this sentence, "Why does Your Lordship sigh?"

Wasn't it very similar to the sentence, "Why does our Lord laugh?"

Fan Xian smiled bitterly, and then understood the root of the matter. The reason why these confidants were trying to be funny was not for anything else, but because he was the Lord, and they would inadvertently flatter him, make him happy, and relieve his worries.

Thinking about it, it seemed that only Little Yan had an unusual temperament.

Fan Xian laughed and followed Hong Changqing's words, "Homesickness, it is human nature."

He had lived in Danzhou for sixteen years, and had been away for more than two years. Suddenly returning home, he would always have some inexplicable emotions. He wondered if Grandma was well, if the maids in the mansion had married, if the little yellow flowers on the cliff were still blooming weakly. After he left, would anyone still stand on the roof and shout to bring in the laundry when it rained? Had the纨绔(wan ku = rich and idle playboys) enemies he had dreamed of since he was a child appeared? ... Dong'er, Dong'er, how was your tofu selling?

Hong Changqing chuckled, but didn't know what the Director was afraid of, thinking that you were already an important minister of the court, returning home as an Imperial Envoy, which was glorifying your ancestors and a triumphant return, it should be extremely pleasant, so why were you so worried?

Fan Xian glanced at him and asked, "Is your hometown in Quanzhou?"

"Yes, born and raised."

"Well, find a chance to go back and see it."

"Yes."

The two people had different identities, so there was not much to talk about. Fan Xian was silent for a while before saying, "After going ashore, go get the recent issues of the Court Report immediately."

Hearing that official business was mentioned, Hong Changqing's face turned serious, and he replied in a deep voice, "Yes."

At that moment, Fan Xian had prematurely ended his few days of carefree sea travel, and returned to the role he should be playing, re-hiding the monkey-like self.

His thin lips were slightly pursed, and there was no extra expression on his handsome face.

"Send a message to Jiangnan, continue with the means, but don't overdo it. Wait for me to return from Kyoto after the New Year before doing anything more."

"Yes."

"You stay with me. Let the seven people from Jiaozhou go to Jiangnan to help Deng Ziyue."

"Yes."

The eight Supervisorate officials who had shown their faces in the Jiaozhou Incident were all taken away by Fan Xian, because the methods used to deal with the Jiaozhou Incident were relatively crude. As long as the army was not purged, Fan Xian was unwilling for his men to take this risk. The old Qin family's nephew had taken over the Jiaozhou Navy. How to deal with the more than one thousand officers and soldiers who participated in the incident, and how to purge them without causing a major disturbance, was something that the old Qin family needed to consider. Fan Xian no longer needed to care.

He was only worried about his student, Hou Jichang. Jichang had put in a lot of effort regarding the Jiaozhou Navy's smuggling. The problem was that Fan Xian had to keep him in Jiaozhou for the time being. Once the imperial award decree arrived after the New Year, Jichang would definitely be promoted. Moreover, Wu Gefei was in Jiaozhou, and that clever man should know how to handle it.

As for that... Xu Maocai... Fan Xian smiled slightly, let him continue to hide, maybe he would be useful one day.

Finding that the Director had fallen into deep thought again, Hong Changqing didn't dare to disturb him, and waited quietly on the side. Fan Xian suddenly asked, "Are you in a hurry to wipe out the Ming family?"

Since surviving the small island, Hong Changqing had been trapped in nightmares of similar scenarios. Now, suddenly hearing the Director say his deeply hidden thoughts, his face became fearful, and he knelt down, "This subordinate dares not disturb Your Lordship's plan."

Fan Xian said with a smile, "The Ming family... won't be able to jump around for many more days."

Going to Jiangnan took so much time and effort. Although it seemed that the Ming family was still barely surviving, Fan Xian knew that, having spent so much, he had already put a rope around the Ming family, like the one Ming Qingda had put around his mother's neck.

Old Mistress Ming was dead, so the rope just needed to be tightened later. The Ming family was already dead, just waiting for Fan Xian to have time to tighten it. Ming Qingcheng, Fourth Master, attracting investment, the Internal Treasury... Fan Xian was very satisfied with his results.

...

...

In the afternoon, after the ship bypassed a bay that looked like a silver sand beach, they could see a not-very-busy harbor in the distance. Seagulls were flying up and down around the harbor. The sea, illuminated by the setting sun in the distance, undulated slightly, like golden waves, but under the golden waves hid a stream of jade, which must be a school of fish.

Hong Changqing looked at those seagulls and couldn't help but frown in disgust.

Fan Xian stood up, looking at the officials preparing to welcome him at the harbor, looking at the Black Knights who had arrived in Danzhou in advance to welcome him, and couldn't help but smile.

Danzhou had arrived, the sea life was over. At this moment, Fan Xian had dual nostalgia, dual feelings.