Chapter 233
Chapter 233
Tang Lun, the Count of Jinhai, decided not to concern himself with what Qiu Hao was doing. After all, the Jin Clan had been wiped from the face of the earth, so Jinshan Island would no longer be a threat. As his ship passed through the waters near Lookout Isle, Tang Lun grew excited, as if he were patrolling a sea that was already his own. In an instant, Lookout Isle came into view. From the open sea, the island looked truly small. Most of it consisted of sheer cliffs, with only a single dock and a sandy beach stretching along its southern side. The Jin Clan had built a saltworks on that beach to produce salt. Gazing at Lookout Isle from a distance, Tang Lun felt a surge of ambition.
‘To think an ancient gold vein was hidden on such a small island. Our clan only gets a tenth, but even that is a tremendous windfall. That money will far surpass the revenue from Jinshan Island. The Great Jin Dynasty was able to rise from a feudal state to a kingdom just by frantically mining an ancient gold vein. Couldn't our Tang Clan rise from a count's estate to a marquis's, or even a duke's?
The rise of our Tang Clan begins now! Count Jin Zhuo, on the day you won the dispute over Jinshan Island, you faced everyone with such a dignified and commanding presence. Did you ever imagine a day like this would come? I will walk over the corpses of your Jin Clan to build my family's renown.’
As Tang Lun's three warships approached the waters of Lookout Isle, they were immediately surrounded. The approaching ships belonged to the Pirate King, Qiu Tianwei. They were still loyally patrolling the waters, driving away any vessel that neared the island. Although the Pirate King had come to attack Lookout Isle with over a hundred warships in total, not all of them had docked to assault the island. Dozens had remained at sea, patrolling the waters day and night.
“We're on the same side, the same side.”
Dozens of pirates boarded Count Tang Lun's warship. As a man of noble birth, Tang Lun did not deign to respond to them; his ninth son exchanged greetings with the pirates. Several pirate leaders bowed their waists in greeting.
“A pleasure to see you, Young Master Tang Jiu. Happy New Year.”
Young Master Tang Jiu tossed them two gold taels and swore.
“You pack of curs.”
The pirate leaders laughed and said,
“Young Master Tang Jiu, do you happen to have any wine? We've been patrolling at sea for days. The Great King hasn't issued new orders, so we've been stuck out here and have drunk all our liquor. I can't bear it any longer without a drink.”
Young Master Tang Jiu gave them a case of wine.
“Our thanks, Young Master Tang Jiu. May the Tang Clan's name be known for ten thousand generations.”
The pirates were about to disembark and let the Tang Clan's three warships pass. Just then, Count Tang Lun of Jinhai walked up to them. The pirate leaders hastily knelt and said,
“Count of Jinhai, we offer Your Lordship our New Year's greetings.”
Tang Lun also had a man give them a few gold taels.
“What is the state of the battle on Lookout Isle?”
A pirate leader replied,
“I do not know, Your Lordship. We are carrying out the Great King's orders, patrolling these waters around the clock to prevent any warship from approaching Lookout Isle. But surely the battle must have ended long ago? When we landed on the island a few days ago, the Count of Xuanwu's army seemed so weak, they collapsed with a single blow. Since yesterday, even the sounds of fighting and killing have ceased, and all has been quiet. Look over there... The Great King's barracks and banner are still there. The brothers we sent to his camp last time haven't returned, so they must be celebrating the victory and dividing up the gold.”
Count Tang Lun of Jinhai strained his eyes and spotted a military camp four or five *li* away on Lookout Isle. Above the camp, he could just make out a large banner emblazoned with the character 'Qiu'. Isn't that the location of the Jin Clan's great mine? Tang Lun gestured for the pirate leaders to disembark from his ship.
“Your Lordship, since you are a close friend of our Great King, could you perhaps ask him to summon us when you land on Lookout Isle? It's quite uncomfortable drifting on the sea day after day.”
Tang Lun said to him,
“You're just eager to divide the gold, aren't you?”
The pirate leader laughed awkwardly.
“Heh heh, heh heh...”
“Very well, I will go and speak to him.”
And so, Tang Lun's three warships departed for the dock on Lookout Isle. The patrolling pirates shouted loudly.
“Everyone, make way, make way! It's Lord Count of Jinhai's ship!”
The surrounding pirate warships all waved their banners to pay their respects to the Count of Jinhai. Tang Lun was extremely pleased. Young Master Tang Jiu said to him,
“Father, I never realized you were so respected, even among pirates.”
Tang Lun merely smiled and said nothing. Those patrolling pirates were being so polite because they hoped he would put in a good word for them with Qiu Tianwei. If not for their greed for gold, would pirates ever show courtesy to a nobleman? Count Tang Lun's warships arrived at the dock with great speed. He led over two hundred private soldiers ashore, raised the banner of the Count of Jinhai high, and strode with bold steps toward the location of the great mine. Their orderly formation was enough to draw the attention of those nearby. This was the ostentation of the Count of Jinhai's Estate. They were determined to appear formidable in front of the pirates.
As they passed along a narrow road, Young Master Tang Jiu remarked sarcastically,
“The Jin Clan may not have any other talents, but they certainly know how to build roads. To think they constructed such a wide, level thoroughfare on a place like Lookout Isle, where even birds wouldn't stop to shit. It's over a *zhang* wide, with drainage ditches on both sides.”
“But in the end, has this road not become ours? Remember this. This is the fate that befalls a fallen house. Do you know the fundamental reason for the Jin Clan's collapse?”
“They were too stupid.”
“Correct. Too stupid. Jin Zhuo took only one wife. So did Jin Yu, and his predecessor, Jin Mao, as well. Do they all have some strange affliction? To pass down such a great house to a single heir for three consecutive generations. That is how an imbecile like Jin Mucong ended up as the successor. For a noble house a century old to pour all its affection into a single woman is the height of foolishness.”
Young Master Tang Jiu nodded.
“You are right, Father. I have taken five women and fathered four children.”
Young Master Tang Jiu was only seventeen this year.
“That's right. You must sleep with many women and produce many children for the clan to prosper.”
“Father, I heard a rumor that you intend to marry Thirteenth Sister to Jin Mucong.”
“That is correct.”
“But Thirteenth Sister is Uncle's daughter, isn't she? She has been living with us since he passed away.”
“And what is wrong with that?”
Young Master Tang Jiu hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Father... well, I have slept with Thirteenth Sister.”
Young Master Tang Jiu brought this up with great apprehension. However, Count Tang Lun of Jinhai replied nonchalantly, as if it were nothing.
“That's fine. Continue sleeping with her. It wouldn't be a bad thing if she gave Jin Mucong a free son as a gift when she marries him.”
Young Master Tang Jiu was overjoyed.
“Yes! Then in the future, the Jin Clan will belong to our Tang Clan.”
After walking for about half an hour while exchanging idle chatter, Tang Lun and his party finally arrived at the massive, open-sky mine. Dense barracks surrounded the great mine, and pirate flags of various designs fluttered everywhere. While still some distance from the mine, Tang Lun shouted.
“Marquis of Raging Tide, I have arrived! It is broad daylight, yet are you still sleeping in your barracks without even a sentry at the gate? Ah, my mistake. All of the Jin Clan's private soldiers must be dead, so what would be the point of guarding it? How did Jin Zhuo die? Is Shen Lang dead? Marquis, you should have left their last breaths for me. My feud with the Jin Clan spans over a century; couldn't you have left the final strike that takes Jin Zhuo's life to me? Couldn't I have been the one to behead him?
Though I suppose so many people want him dead that my turn might never come, but that wretched bastard Shen Lang must be subjected to death by a thousand cuts. Even if I cannot deliver the final blow to end his life, you could at least leave his castration to me, couldn't you?”
Tang Lun had deliberately shouted this greeting to lighten the mood, as he had come to divide the ancient gold vein without being summoned by Qiu Tianwei.
Just as Tang Lun swaggered forward, intending to enter the Pirate King's camp, countless people poured out from the barracks. Four thousand soldiers of the Jin Clan surrounded the Count of Jinhai's two hundred men, layer upon layer. Of course, only about four hundred of the four thousand were veteran soldiers; the rest consisted of a thousand new recruits and two thousand militiamen. Even so, all were clad in the armor of regular troops, making them appear, at a glance, like the Jin Clan's main force.
The moment Tang Lun saw the scene, he staggered, feeling as if his vision had turned black. He struck his own head hard.
‘I-is this a hallucination? Am I dreaming? Why am I seeing soldiers of the Jin Clan? Aren't they all supposed to be dead? Where is the Pirate King Qiu Tianwei's army of thirty thousand? Qiu Tianwei, don't play games with me. Did you order your subordinates to wear the Jin Clan's armor? Don't you know a prank like that could scare a man to death? Where is my son, Tang Zhong? And my three thousand private soldiers?’
Just then, an all-too-familiar figure emerged from among the soldiers. It was Jin Zhuo, the Count of Xuanwu.
“Count of Jinhai, how have you been?”
‘T-this isn't a dream. This wasn't a prank by Qiu Tianwei?’
The Count of Jinhai, Tang Lun, froze completely, his limbs refusing to obey him. He found it difficult even to breathe.
‘W-w-what in the world... has happened here? Why is Jin Zhuo still alive? What in the world has happened?’
“Brother Tang, your arrival has brought me an unexpected joy. Thanks to you, I can resolve two major troubles at once.”
Count Tang Lun of Jinhai screamed.
“How did this happen? Where are Qiu Tianwei and his thirty-thousand-strong army? My son, Tang Zhong? Where are my three thousand private soldiers?”
The Count of Xuanwu pointed to the great mine and said,
“Ah, they are in there. Qiu Tianwei's thirty thousand pirates and the Tang Clan's three thousand private soldiers have all sunk beneath the water. Have you come to collect their bodies, Count of Jinhai? If so, my apologies. Everything is frozen solid and sealed within the mine for now. You will likely have to wait until spring to recover them.”
Trembling, Tang Lun walked to the edge of the mine and looked down. And he witnessed a scene the likes of which he had never seen in his life. The great mine was densely packed with countless corpses. A layer of ice had formed on the surface of the water within the mine, and the sight of the bodies packed tightly beneath it was enough to send a shiver down one's spine.