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At this moment, Lu Chen announced the news of Ye Nanzhai's Corpse Transformation, and everyone immediately fell silent.
Most of the people here practiced Qigong. Although they did not fully understand the meaning of Corpse Transformation, the words "severe injury and no recovery" were enough to capture their attention. Ye Nanzhai's Corpse Transformation signified the fall of the second-generation leader of the Red Robe Sect and the passing of a great hero.
"Congratulations, Brother Lu Chen, on your promotion to the third-generation Red Robe Leader. I truly did not misjudge you."
After a while, Sun Zizhao snapped out of his sorrow and spoke boldly to Lu Chen. When they last parted ways in a hurry, Lu Chen had already become the Supreme Leader of the Red Robe Sect; the change was indeed significant.
The crowd did not dwell on their sadness for long and quickly recovered. There was really no reason to mourn; the Fall of Zhou and Rise of Han was inherently a thorny and bumpy road filled with cruelty. It was impossible to continue down this path without paying a price.
They rode swiftly for two hours before reaching the shore and entering the territory of the Eastern Sea Seven States. After resting in Yuyang City, they switched to several horse-drawn carriages and headed north.
The journey went smoothly, with little questioning along the way. This might have been due to the ongoing war in the Eastern Sea, as most elite troops had been deployed elsewhere.
After half a month, they traveled northward, passing through Qi Kingdom and entering Yushan Kingdom's territory.
Yushan Kingdom's culture and customs differed slightly from those of Central Plains. Whether in clothing, food, or gatherings, men in Yushan Kingdom favored leather and woolen fitted garments paired with pointed felt hats, giving them a delicate appearance.
Women wore wide-sleeved dresses adorned with hairpins and silver jewelry that jingled as they walked. This style was quite popular among women of the Korean Chu Family. The Chu Family belonged to a different royal lineage and did not share Central Plains ancestry; their ancestors evolved from a herding tribe in the northwest that had resisted barbarian invasions for generations while living on the frontier, adopting local customs over time.
Yushan Kingdom did not follow Central Plains' custom of three meals a day; aside from officials and soldiers engaged in warfare, common folk typically ate only two meals. Residents lived in communal settings forming tribes that regularly held bonfire feasts and dances. The leaders of each tribe directly communicated with local ministers, equivalent to county magistrates in Central Plains.
Lu Chen's caravan passed through several tribes before reaching Yushan Kingdom's first checkpoint, Heishuiguan. Heishuiguan was named after a nearby river called Black Water.
At the same time, Heishuiguan served as the first military stronghold for those traveling north from Central Plains into Yushan Kingdom and was extremely important.
At this moment, even from several miles away, one could see Heishuiguan's tall city gate tower and flags fluttering in the wind. Just then, all carriages came to a halt under an order from Princess Zhulan.
Princess Zhulan frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Heishuiguan is under Border Minister Cah Er Hei's control. The Border Minister is affiliated with Kalan Prince; we should avoid passing through here and take the water route instead."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. Just from Princess Zhulan's serious expression, it was clear that the situation was not as simple as it seemed. Her silence did not mean that others were unaware.
The ministers of Yushan Kingdom also had their factions, especially with the impending death of the old king. It was crucial to wisely choose a prince or princess who could inherit the throne and assist in governance. If their chosen candidate successfully ascended, these ministers would naturally reap significant benefits.
On the other hand, those who chose the wrong side would face dire consequences; any excuse could lead to dismissal from their positions, exile to the borders, or even execution.
Kalan Prince was the son of the current Queen of Yushan Kingdom and was expected to inherit the throne. Almost everyone believed that after the Old King’s death, Kalan Prince would become the new king. Therefore, Kalan Prince held the greatest credibility and influence within Yushan Kingdom. The Minister of Commerce and Politics, the Chief of State Affairs, and the Supreme Commander were all supporters of Kalan Prince. Border Minister Cah Er Hei was also one of his loyal ministers.
In contrast, Princess Zhulan only had the support of Naval Minister Adolf, who oversaw maritime affairs. Thus, she needed to seek allies everywhere, even going so far as to endure hardships at the Five Element Sect to learn skills. It was in such an environment that she met Sun Zizhao and Lu Chen.
Now, Princess Zhulan suddenly changed her course and prevented everyone from crossing into Border Minister Cah Er Hei's territory out of fear of unnecessary trouble. Even if they were not caught, various inspections would be inevitable, leading to numerous complications.
As a result, under Princess Zhulan's arrangement, the caravan turned around and did not head towards Heishuiguan but instead sped off to the left direction. After traveling for half a day longer, they arrived at a port city.
This port city was no longer under Border Minister Cah Er Hei's jurisdiction but belonged to Naval Minister Adolf.
Princess Zhulan found a money house in the port city; this establishment served as her secret line, with people inside secretly arranged by her.
The group abandoned their carriages and rested briefly in the money house. After finishing a bowl of tea, someone came to inform them that they could leave.
They arrived at the dock where a government ship measuring fifty paces square was already anchored in the water. Compared to fishing boats, this ship was significantly larger and equipped with masts along with professional helmsmen and sailors.
Once everyone boarded the ship, it immediately set sail, slowly moving forward down the Blackwater River.
Although Blackwater River is an inland river, it has a massive flow and an exceptionally wide channel that can easily accommodate Thousand-Step Ships without any pressure.
Since this vessel was specially prepared for the princess, all its furnishings were exquisite and well-equipped with drinks, snacks, and fruits. After boarding, everyone sat on deck enjoying food and drinks while basking in the warm breeze—truly a delightful experience compared to riding in carriages.
The Navy of Naval Minister Adolf is not located within the Blackwater River, but is distributed along the coastal area of the Yushan Kingdom, with its main base situated at the mouth of the river downstream from a town called Dama City.
The large ship traveled halfway through the Blackwater River, where the current gradually slowed and the river widened, indicating that this section of water was nearing the sea. Various fish could be seen in the water, displaying all sorts of strange shapes.
At the same time, there were many official and merchant ships navigating on the sea, far more complex than those in the inland rivers. Among them were soldiers from the Yushan Kingdom standing on deck with long spears.
The soldiers of the Yushan Kingdom were uniformly equipped with Leather Armor, and their hats were also made of leather. In this regard, they lagged slightly behind the Central Plains, as they had not yet reached the level of Black Iron Armor.
Of course, Lu Chen and his companions' ship was bound to be inspected, but all of this was easily handled by Princess Zhulan. In fact, by the end, they received great respect from those official ships carrying soldiers, who actively moved ahead to clear a path for their vessel and instructed merchant ships to steer clear from a distance.
Especially as they approached Dama Town, various water routes crisscrossed and countless ships moved back and forth in between.
Since the Naval Base was stationed here, it was responsible not only for maritime affairs and coastal defense within its jurisdiction but also for inspecting all items carried by incoming and outgoing vessels before issuing them passage permits to enter the Blackwater River.
Thus, every ship coming and going here looked like a swarm of bees buzzing around outside a hive from afar.
Naturally, Lu Chen and his group were being guided, making their progress exceptionally smooth.
Soon, they navigated through the busy intersection and docked at a harbor. After disembarking, they boarded pre-arranged carriages to enter Dama Town.
Dama Town is where the residence of the Naval Minister is built. However, the main base of the Navy is not located within the town; it is said to be in a nearby hidden area that is a military restricted zone, generally inaccessible to outsiders.
Since Lu Chen and his companions were there to meet the Naval Minister, they went directly to his residence.
The Naval Minister's Residence covers a vast area and features luxurious construction with various artificial hills, stone carvings, ornate beams and painted rafters, and countless precious plants. Notably, in the back garden of the Naval Minister's Residence, there is even a lake with crystal-clear water, equipped with wooden boats for rowing to a pavilion in the center of the lake for leisure activities.
Upon entering the Inner Courtyard, Lu Chen's group was informed that Naval Minister Adolf was out on inspection and was not present in the residence.
Afterward, everyone was assigned their own rooms, where they could rest comfortably. The rooms were luxurious, with various furniture and decorations arranged perfectly, so there was no need to worry about the tea.
It was unclear whether it was a rule of the Naval Minister's Residence or a special arrangement by Princess Zhulan, but basically everyone had one or two personal maids to take care of their meals, drinks, and personal hygiene, all done meticulously. Chen Qilin, the old fellow, couldn't help but chuckle, occasionally reaching out with his mischievous hands, causing the maids to scream in surprise.
Even Old Mu and Lian Dashuang enjoyed themselves, exclaiming in delight. The Naval Minister's Residence was indeed incomparable to any rural place.
It wasn't until the evening, after everyone had finished dining and were about to rest, that they finally met the person rumored to be the head of the Navy of Yushan Kingdom, Minister Adolf.
In the reception room of the Naval Minister's Residence, all participants in the meeting were seated.
At the top sat Naval Minister Adolf. He was around forty years old, with two braids hanging down over his shoulders and eyes shining like a tiger. He also had the most distinctive features of a Yushan Kingdom person: a high nose bridge and a thick mustache that almost covered his large mouth. This man was Adolf.
Behind him stood two warriors. One was a bald giant who remained bare-chested in the cold night, showcasing his muscular arms and bronzed skin, resembling a fierce beast with a murderous expression.
The other was dressed entirely in black, thin and wiry, standing still with his arms crossed.
Both of these individuals were Qi Gong Masters. Lu Chen licked his lips and secretly assessed their strength.
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