Donggang’s terrain was still somewhat inferior to the two major southern ports. It had long suffered the harassment of pirates, and few merchants had been willing to dock there. But with Fengcheng Marquis cracking down on piracy, and with Duan Pingchang and the Xie family constructing the port, the area instantly became a hot commodity.
Previously, there had been no stopovers for merchant ships in the north—especially the larger ones—which meant they had no choice but to sail all the way south. Now they had a rest point. Duan Pingchang was clever—he knew that a port would never ultimately fall into the hands of private merchants, so he focused on earning the first pot of gold.
But the truly valuable and critical assets were the lands surrounding the port.
For the sake of his daughter, Duan Pingchang spared no expense in pouring silver and manpower into Donggang. He wanted nothing in return—only land from Fengcheng Marquis.
Fengcheng Marquis: …
So stingy!
But at the moment, land around the port wasn’t worth much. Judging by the current situation, anyone who paid high prices for it now would seem a fool—because no one could be sure if Donggang would ever rival the southern ports.
What if it failed?
The biggest concern was the ever-present threat of pirates. Could Fengcheng Marquis really wipe them out completely?
No one believed it. That’s why investors hesitated. Only Duan Pingchang was throwing money around—people assumed it was just for the sake of his daughter, Duan Wangfei. Local gentry mocked him behind his back.
They had lived there for generations—how could they know less than he did?
So much for being Jiangcheng’s richest man—he didn’t seem so impressive now.
Xu Jishu and He Yuan had been working in Donggang for over half a year. They were both tanned and thinner. Xu Jishu, in particular, had become noticeably tougher.
In Jiangcheng, he was always shown deference as Duan Pingchang’s nephew and as Duan Wangfei’s cousin, no one dared press him too hard.
But the pirates of the East Sea didn’t care who you were.
All they cared about was who could draw their blade faster.
Over the past six months, the two of them had sustained countless injuries. To familiarize themselves with the sea routes, they had taken turns going out on the ships.
Duan Pingchang told them: “Don’t count on anyone else. What you memorize in your own head is the only thing that’s truly yours.”
The port would eventually return to the court. Fengcheng Marquis’s campaign against pirates would also eventually end. Following the court’s navy to explore sea routes would always go further and deeper than going it alone.
One day, Mingxi had asked him, “Father, what do you think lies overseas?”
Duan Pingchang didn’t know how to answer. He’d heard people say there were immortal mountains out there—but who could tell truth from rumor? Still, since his daughter wanted to know, he wanted to go see for her.
He was getting older, so he brought along his nephew-in-law and nephew. If his own son had been more capable, he wouldn’t have had to run around himself.
Xu Jishu had the Xu family behind him—his in-laws—so he could be trusted.
He Yuan was his brother-in-law’s son-in-law, and also trustworthy.
But there was still some distance between them by blood. Duan Pingchang had been quietly observing this nephew-in-law for half a year. Only now was he finally satisfied—He Yuan was hardworking and never complained.
So this time, when Duan Pingchang bought more land from Fengcheng Marquis, he gave it to the Xu family and He Yuan. The land deeds bore the names of He Yuan and Xu Qingyao—not the He family.
He Yuan was stunned when he received the deed and looked at Duan Pingchang in surprise. “Uncle, this is…”
Xu Jishu clapped him on the shoulder. “Brother-in-law, Uncle only recognizes you. Got it?”
He Yuan pursed his lips and nodded firmly.
Duan Pingchang laughed heartily and said to him, “You’re an honest kid—I like that. But I don’t know the He family. I only recognize my niece.”
He Yuan understood immediately. Ever since he’d arrived in the East Sea, things had been quiet for the first couple of months. But as Donggang got more and more lively, letters from home came more frequently.
He knew that Uncle was giving him a warning. That marriage had been no easy matter to arrange.
When they were negotiating the marriage with the Xu family, they hadn’t known that Xu’s cousin—the adopted daughter of the Duan family—not only had been accepted back by her birth family, but was also engaged to Duan Wang.
The Xu family wasn’t considered a powerful or wealthy household locally, but they were in-laws to the richest Duan family. The He family felt this marriage alliance was tasteless to eat but a pity to discard. After much deliberation, they decided to have He Yuan marry the Xu family’s daughter.
Not long after he got engaged to Qingyao, news broke that Duan family’s adopted daughter was engaged to Duan Wang. Some people in the He family started to have ideas about snatching this engagement from him.
But Qingyao was set on him, so it didn’t work out.
He was the second son of the He family, with an elder brother and a younger one. Sandwiched in the middle, he was often overlooked by their parents—something he had long grown used to.
But after marrying Qingyao, he truly came to understand what it felt like to be valued and cared for. His in-laws treated him with sincere affection.
Then came the time when his uncle-in-law wrote home asking him and his elder brother-in-law to go to the East Sea. The He family wanted him to take his younger brother along too—what their intentions were, he could easily guess. Let alone the Ji family, and certainly someone as shrewd as his uncle-in-law.
He refused, and was scolded by his parents. If it hadn’t been for his Father-in-law personally intervening and stating that the man was handpicked by Duan Pingchang, and that if the He family disagreed, there was no need for him to go at all, his parents wouldn’t have reluctantly backed off. Even so, they still told him sternly to gain a foothold in the East Sea and bring his younger brother over afterward.
He Yuan looked earnestly at his uncle-in-law. “Don’t worry. I understand.”
Duan Pingchang left smiling. The boy was a good one, but he wasn’t sure if he could hold his ground against the He family. If he couldn’t, and let himself be controlled instead, then he would have no choice but to kick him back.
Relatives could be supported—but not if they posed a threat to his daughter. Not even his own son would be allowed that, let alone a son-in-law.
Xu Jishu turned to his brother-in-law. “Don’t blame Uncle. Being Duan Wangfei may look glorious to outsiders, but no one knows how hard it is. We can’t drag her down.”
“Brother, I may not be all that capable, but since Qingyao chose me, followed me, I won’t let her down. Uncle is willing to support me, and I will remember this kindness,” He Yuan said slowly.
Xu Jishu let out a breath of relief. He’d really been worried that his honest brother-in-law would be manipulated by the He family.
“My cousin once wanted my parents to stay in the capital, but they refused. Do you know why?”
He Yuan shook his head.
“My Father told me that staying would only cause her trouble. People would gossip, saying she came from a merchant family and now that she’s risen, her poor relatives are clinging on to suck her dry. It would ruin her reputation.”
He Yuan was stunned. “Then why did Father-in-law agree to let you come to the East Sea this time?”
“This time is different. the East Sea needs merchants like us to do business. We’re here to bring honor to her.” Xu Jishu’s voice softened. “And once business is steady, even if we don’t make endless riches, it’ll still be profitable. Then you can bring Qingyao and the children here and settle down for good.”
He Yuan understood—he was being asked to draw a clear line between himself and the He family. He couldn’t let their influence reach here.
“Brother, I know what to do. Don’t worry.”
He would still fulfill his filial duties to his parents, but he would no longer blindly obey. Now, he had a wife and children of his own, and he needed to fight for their future.
